Larch (Larix) There are a number of this deciduous conifer in this grove, all of them turning gorgeous tones of yellow in late fall. They typically grow best in full sun. Note the small cones that persist on the branches; only age or fire makes them come off. Washington state has three native larches: [...]

Himalayan White Pine (Pinus wallichiana) Extra-long needles that end up drooping in a graceful fashion is a hallmark of this pine. It hails from the foothills of the Himalayas and is an important timber tree throughout its range. Here, it doesn’t grow too much beyond 60’ and is best suited out of a windy [...]

Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) Indigenous peoples for centuries used this native tree for things like building material from canoes to box construction and more. Today we also associate it with shingles and decking as well. Note the smaller scale leaves and compare to the Hiba Cedar’s foliage (number one of this series). Thus, [...]

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Look over the hillside and you’ll see quite a few other Douglas Firs growing tall and majestic. With age, the bark starts developing a thick layer that has these deep furrows. Check out some fallen cones distinctive with the characteristic ‘mouse- tail’ emanating between the scales. If there are any [...]

California Nutmeg Tree (Torreya californica) You’re seeing stump sprouts from what was a large specimen that unfortunately started tipping over, probably as a result of a girdling root system that never was fully able to spread out and give stability. Look at the size of the almost horizontal trunk to see why it needed to [...]

Leyland Cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii; also as Cupressus x leylandii)  I love the trunk of this specimen as it reminds me of Monterey Cypress, one of its parents, the other being the Alaskan Yellow Cedar. Most Leyland Cypress are not pruned up like this one but rather present an overly large and dense plant. Being fast-growing, [...]

Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’) Dwarf forms of plants attract both those whose space is limited and those who enjoy variation in their garden. With the graceful weeping branches, you can add beauty to the equation too.  This naturally occurring dwarf of the Eastern Hemlock was found in upstate New York close to [...]

Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) Hard to see the foliage but look at this bark – long, flat plates of a deep rich brown. The wood inside is honey-toned and does smell very nice once cut. A tree of the Siskiyous and Sierras, it is a prized timber tree. Often planted in landscapes where a [...]

Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) You will see this native in the upper zones of our mountains where it prefers much more sunlight than our other native hemlock, the Western Hemlock. For this reason and a slower growth rate, it is a good choice for lowland gardens. The specimen here is rather open, showing its intolerance to [...]

Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora) If you have the elbow room, this lovely pine should be considered. It doesn’t get too tall in our area (15-20’) but does spread out. Strong horizontal branches give quite a screening effect. Clusters of five needles are tightly arranged along the branches with big spaces between. There is [...]