Dendrology Part Two: About the Plants
Dendrology Part Two: About the Plants
Lodgepole pine: Pinus contorta
Family Name: Pine Family
Genus: Pine
Species: Spruce-pine-fir
Interesting facts:
- Abundant tree species in British Columbia
- The kiln-dried lumber is used as framing material
- One of the first species to come back after a wildfire due to it being a highly adaptable tree
- Used to make frames of tipis or lodges in some American Indian tribes
- Used for telephone poles, fence posts and corral rails due to the lack of taper
- Drought tolerant
- Shallow roots
- During fires, some pines pop open (only in the heat) and spreads millions of seeds
Resources:
About Lodgepole Pine. (2024). Natually: wood. https://www.naturallywood.com/species/lodgepole-pine/
Lodgepole Pines.(2021) National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/places/000/lodgepole-pines.htm
Dwarf Resin Birch: Betula Glandulosa
Common Name: American dwarf birch, Tundra dwarf birch, Resin birch, Shrub birch and Dwarf Arctic birch
Family Name: Betulaceae (birch Family)
Genus: Betula
Species: Birch
Interesting Facts:
- Found mainly in bogs and wetlands
- Grows alongside alders and willows
- Used for erosion control
- Bark has large resin glands and is smooth
- Grazed by many animals
- Grizzly bears make their dens out of this tree
- Height: 3-10 ft.
- Grows down to sea level in Artic, but grows as high as 11,200 ft. in South Range
Resources:
American Dwarf Birch. (2023). Nature With Us. https://naturewithus.com/plants/shrubs-woody-plants/american-dwarf-birch
Dwarf Resin Birch. (2024). INaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/75763-Betula-glandulosa
Canyon Live Oak: Quercus Chrysolepis Var. Chrysolepis
Common Name: Canyon Oak, Goldcup Oak, white live oak, and dwarf canyon live oak
Family Name: Beech Family
Genus: Quercus
Species: Oak tree
Interesting Facts:
- Found in Southwestern part of North America
- Found near creeks and drainage swales
- leaves are glossy dark green
- Different heights depending on location in state
- Associated with Douglas-fir, Tanoak, Giant Chinkapin, and Pacific madrone
- Begins to flower at age 15 to 20 years
- Seeds are acorns (light chestnut brown)
- Was used by early settlers for farm implements, shipbuilding, furniture and fuel.
Canyon Live Oak. (2024). Calscape. https://calscape.org/Quercus-chrysolepis-(Canyon-Live-Oak)
Thornburgh, Dale A. Canyon Live Oak. Quercus Chrysolepis Liebm. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/quercus/chrysolepis.htm
Douglas-fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii
Common Name: Douglas fir, Oregon pine, red fir, Douglas spruce, Piño Oregon
Family Name: Pine family
Genus: Pseudotsuga
Species: Fir, Named after Archibald Menzies, a Scottish surgeon
Interesting Facts:
- This is not a true fir tree but rather Pseudotsuga which means "false Hemlock"
- Has male and female cones: known as conifers
- Male cones develop pollen in March, and pollinate female cones in April. In late summer and early fall the female sheds their seeds and wind takes them, traveling up to 1/4 mile.
- National parks and wilderness areas protect the remaining Douglas Firs. They were extensively logged in the 1980s.
Coast Douglas-fir. (2021). National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/douglas-fir.htm
Douglas fir. (2024). National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Douglas-Fir
Pacific Madrone: Arbutus Menziesii
Common Name: Pacific Madrone, Madroño, Bearberry, Strawberry tree
Family Name: Ericaceae
Genus: Arbutus; L.
Species: Madrones
Interesting Facts:
- Native to pacific coast
- named after 19th century physician and naturalist Archibald Menzies
- Closely related to blueberries, mountain laurels, rhododendrons, and manzanita
- Can reach 130 feet tall.
- Depends on periodic fire for forest opening due to thriving in full sunlight
- They reproduce vegetatively
- Berries were used to make cider by Native Americans even though they were not sweet
- They were also used as bait for fishing
- Bark is used to treat colds, sores and sore throats. Medicinal tea.
Pacific Madrone. (2021). National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/pacific-madrone.htm
Pacific Madrone - A Beautiful and Unique Northwest Native. (2024). Portland.gov. https://www.portland.gov/trees/pacific-madrone
Foothill Pine: Pinus Sabiniana
Common Name: Foothill Pine, Gray Pine, Grayleaf pine, See-Through Pine
Family Name: Pinaceae
Genus: Pinus; L.
Species: Pine
Interesting Facts:
- Large cones were used as a food source by the Native Americans
- Seeds are rich in oil and protein
- Height can be 80 feet
- flowers are yellow. Bloom early spring
- grows in areas with poor soils
- grows in elevations of 1-4500 feet.
- Endemic to California
- grows with blue oak
Howard, Janet L. Pinus Sabiniana. (1992). Fire Effects Information System. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pinsab/all.html#DISTRIBUTION%20AND%20OCCURRENCE
Foothill Pine. (2024). Calscape. https://calscape.org/Pinus-sabiniana-(Foothill-Pine)
California Bay: Umbellularia Californica
Common Name: California Bay, Oregon myrtle, Myrtlewood, Pacific-myrtle, pepperwood, Spice-tree, Cinnamon Bush, Peppernut tree, and Mountain Laurel.
Family Name: Lauraceae
Genus: Umbellularia
Species: Tree
Interesting Facts:
- Height can range from 20-45 feet
- leaves have a peppery aroma
- Leaves used as cooking spice
- Flowers open in late winter and early spring. They are white, yellow, or can be yellowish-green
- Tolerates serpentine and clay soils
- drought tolerant
- releases terpenes to kill competing plants
California Laurel. (2024). Calscape. https://calscape.org/Umbellularia-californica-(California-Laurel)
California Bay Laurel. (2024). Selectree. https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/1446
Incense Cedar: Calocedrus Decurrens
Common Name: California incense cedar, and California post cedar
Family Name: Cupressaceae
Genus: Calocedrus, Kurz
Species: Conifer
Interesting Facts:
- Can grow in altitudes ranging from 160 feet to 9500 feet.
- Trunk diameter that can be as big as 10 feet.
- Bark is light/ reddish brown
- Prefers moist soil that is well drained
- has adaptability to different soil types
- Male cones are yellow and small only reaching 3mm
- Female cones are cylindrical, has 6 paired, flattened and has pointed scales. They are 2-2.5 cm long
Calocedrus Decurrens. (2024). Landscape Plants. https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/calocedrus-decurrens
Black Oak: Quercus Kelloggii
Common Name: Black Oak, Yellow Oak, Quercitron, yellowbark oak, and smoothbark oak
Family Name: Fagaceae, Beech
Genus: Quercus; L.
Species: Oak Tree
Interesting Facts:
- Leaf lobes have bristles or points
- acorns mature in two growing seasons and when mature, sprout in the spring
- Grows near rivers and streams
- Can grow 50-80 feet tall
- Width is 40-60 feet
- Prefers acid soil and dry soil
- Needs full sun for 6 hours a day
- Male flowers are in dangling catkins while female flowers are smaller and are closer to the stem
Black Oak. (2024). The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/black-oak/#more-information
Bigleaf Maple: Acer Macrophyllum
Common Name: Bigleaf Maple, Broadleaf maple, Oregon maple
Family Name: Soapberry (Sapindaceae)
Genus: Acer
Species: Maple tree
Interesting Facts:
- They are 20-100 feet tall
- The inner bark of the tree was used by indigenous people as a food source, to make wooden canoe paddles, etc.
- The barred Owl prefers to nest in the bigleaf maple
- Can tolerate most soil moistures and types of soil but prefers riparian areas, hardwood area or mixed evergreen forests.
- Thrives in high altitudes that are below 5000 feet.
- Produces sap that can become maple syrup
- The wood is used for making musical instruments and furniture
- Can produce tiny canopy roots. This turns into epiphyte-derived canopy soil to nourish the tree.
Bigleaf Maple. (2021). Budburst. https://budburst.org/plants/40
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