Westen Mountains and Pacific Northwest Trees and Shrubs

Acer circinatum is a small understory tree better known as Vine Maple. Vine Maple prefers moist to soggy soil and turns orange to scarlet in the fall. This northwest tree grows to about 10 feet tall and blooms with brilliant red flowers in the spring. Vine Maple often grows with multiple trunks.

Clethra alnifolia is a beautiful bush growing from three all the way up to ten feet. Clethra alnifolia is more commonly called Sweet Pepperbush or Summersweet. Summersweet blooms with pretty white spikes late in the season and into the fall. It is known for its wonderful sweet scent.

Cornus alternifolia is a small dogwood known more commonly as Pagoda Dogwood. Pagoda grows to a maximum of 25 feet. Naturally it is found on forest edges or along stream banks or the borders of swamps. Pagoda Dogwood's little white flowers bloom in early summer and produce small blue berries.

Cornus sericea is another species of dogwood known as Creek Dogwood or Western Dogwood. Bundles of white flowers bloom in early summer and produce white fruits in the late summer. Creek Dogwood is smaller than it's cousin Pagoda by about 10 feet and tends to remain shrubby in nature.

Gaultheria shallon is a small shrub, just one to four feet high, better known as Salal. Salal enjoys the shade, but can tolerate part sun. G. shallon blooms early in the spring with small bowl shaped flowers that droop from its limbs. The flowers produce small, edible fruit.

Ilex verticillata is better known as Winterberry Holly or Common Winterberry. Winterberry grows to about 8 feet with an 8 foot spread. Small white flowers appear in early summer, producing fruit quickly, but only if both male and female plants are in close proximity. The fruit are another excellent source of food for wildlife.




Salix purpurea is known commonly as the Dwarf Blue Willow. This lovely shrub can grow 13 to 20 feet tall. Blue Willow enjoys full sun, but part sun will do fine. S. purpurea's catkins bloom early in the spring.

Salix scouleriana is another willow species known as Scouler's Willow. The inner bark of this willow was one used in a poultice for open wounds as well as for cordage. In fact, this tree had many uses to the Native Americans.