Several, particularly the Douglas and noble firs, are common Christmas trees, while others are primarily valuable for lumber and pulp. The cones are between 4 and 6 inches in length, and the four-sided bluish-green needles can be 1 1/2 inches long. PLANTS Native Plant Directory Area Plant Lists Gardening Gardening - Starflower Invasive Species Ethnobotany WA Ecosystems Contact Office: Contact Webmaster: BLOG. Washington is home to the Rocky Mountain juniper tree, a small species that struggles to reach heights of 30 to 40 feet and is more often than not no larger than a shrub. In Washington, smooth sumac is native east of the Cascade Mountains. Champion Trees of Washington State documents these trees. below. Washington's only oak species, the Oregon white oak, grows in rocky areas and mainly serves as firewood for individual homes. Pine trees of Washington. The western larch, however, can be made into house frames, telephone poles or railroad ties, among other uses. The purpose of this site is to help you identify common conifers and broadleaves in the Pacific Northwest. Trees of Washington. De La Cruz spends most of the year in solitude. Includes botanical characteristics, habitat, pests, and disease information as well as commercial, native american and modern uses. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Washington has two maple species, the vine maple and the bigleaf maple. This has given rise to the nickname "Evergreen State," coined by C.T. Although a similar chemical can now be partly synthesized in a lab, the Pacific yew remains an important part of the fight against cancer. Tree Topping: A Practice to Avoid – FS061E. This category has the following 9 subcategories, out of 9 total. Washington designated the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) as the official state tree in 1947 (Washington is known as the evergreen state). Washington's hemlock trees, the western hemlock and the mountain hemlock, differ considerably. Wind wisps through pine trees, the sun gleams down. Sitka spruce is widely used in musical instruments, and its lightweight, strong wood makes excellent ladders. Although it is valuable as erosion protection, loggers do not use the subalpine larch because it grows high on mountains and is quite short. Extension Service.] Washington State requires everyone to take care of trees and refrain from endangering them. Washington spruce species include the Engelmann spruce and the Sitka spruce. Over 100 different species of pine trees can be found throughout North America, Central America, South America and Canada, as well as Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. The graceful landscape of the 50-acre West Capitol Campus is listed in the National Register of Historic places. Washington’s red alder is a vital hardwood species whose wood is used for pulpwood, furniture and fuel. The bigleaf maple produces good firewood and is used in producing furniture. Lindell worked in greyhound racing for 25 years. Willows and quaking aspen are primarily useful as soil and stream protection. You saved me several thousand dollars, steered me away from trees that wouldn't work, provided healthy and beautiful trees, did a great job planting them, and did everything on time and on schedule. The tree will be among the first types to start to grow in an area scorched by fire or cleared by loggers, growing where the soil is rich and moist in full sun. The Washington State Big Tree Program has registered 1,350 trees, belonging to 869 species or cultivated varieties, that are the largest of their kind in the state. book Champion Trees of Washing-ton State (UW Press, 1996). It grows quickly and can be used for lumber, paper pulp and furniture. Andrew Cockerham is a world traveler and perpetual student with He has been writing since 1999. The flowers produce a small fruit resembling an oblong cone that contains the seeds. While coniferous species are the most prevalent types of trees found in Washington State, the region is not devoid of hardwoods. Walnut Walnuts need deep, rich, well-drained soil and adequate soil moisture. Further, if you have good knowledge regarding any problem with a tree in your property, it is your duty to take corrective action. [Milton M Mosher; Knut Lunnum; Washington State University. There are a variety of trees that are used for commercial and environmental purposes from woodworking to watershed protection.Some of the most common tree species are: Western Hemlock,Western White Pine, White bark Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Western Larch, Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, Western Red … On a warm summer morning, dozens of miles away from civilization out in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Geronimo De La Cruz sits on a tree stump and watches over a flock of sheep. Noble fir is the largest of the fir trees in Washington, a group that includes the subalpine fir, the Grand fir and the Pacific silver fir. Official State Tree of Washington. Girth In this table of girth records in Washington only girth measurements made at a height between 1.30 m and 1.50 m are listed. … Noble fir can reach 200 feet high and have a trunk width up to 7 feet. The red alder grows fast, has a very shallow root system and possesses 3- to 5-inch long dark green leaves. The Portland Oregonian picked out the western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla for us, but … Washington also has a few trees that don't fit neatly into a larger category. While coniferous species are the most prevalent types of trees found in Washington State, the region is not devoid of hardwoods. Many species often succumb to interior rotting as they age. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images, Washington State University: Trees of Washington (see pp. You cannot cut down the tree without getting the permission of your neighbor. Alaska cedar grows mostly in mountain areas, and its wood is useful for boat building and fine carpentry work. All State Trees. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Washington State University Extension: Trees of Washington (pages 23,26,32,33). Washington's nickname is "The Evergreen State," so it should be no surprise that the state is home to at least 32 tree species, most of which are evergreens. The Western Hemlock is an evergreen coniferous tree, which often stretches towards heights between 165 and 230 feet; although, some specimens have been found exceeding this height, reaching 270 feet tall.Native to the west coast of North American between Sonoma Valley and … Seasonal Foliage Loss in PNW Conifers – FS056E. Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), is another species of sumac that is not native to Washington State but is planted in ornamental landscapes. This juniper features reddish wood, red-brown bark, a fruit-like cone and scale-like foliage that is a dark green color. Commonly found at 3200-5600 ft. (1000-1700 m) elevation on the west side of the Cascade Mountains. Related information Washington State trees (pdf) The Secret Life and Value of Trees Derby Canyon Natives, Peshastin Plants of the Wild, Tekoa Desert Jewels Nursery, Spokane WNPS local chapter native plant sales How trees fight climate change. California red fir (Abies magnifica) (click on each photo to enlarge image) Noble fir has very thin bark, making it susceptible to the effects of fire, and the older specimens will die from attacks by wood fungi. The mountain hemlock is more of a shrub than a tree and grows so high in Washington's Cascade and Olympic Mountains that harvesting it is not worth the effort. 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