Choosing the right tree for the conditions at your planting
location will help the tree enjoy a long, healthy life. For help,
please see our Tree Selection, Planting,
and Care Guide.
This chart provides a quick reference for choosing a tree by its
features and attributes. Detailed information on each tree is
provided on subsequent pages. Click on the tree name to go to the
detail page.
Douglas-fir • Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Type: Coniferous evergreen
- Size: Large
- Shape: Pyramidal
- Mature Height: 100 ft
, 10 Year: 12 ft
- Spread: 20 ft
- Light: Full sun
- Ideal light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry to moist
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Wildlife Value:
★★★★★
- Deer Resistant
Thick, fire resistant bark and strong, straight growing trunks. Tolerates drought when established. Great for wildlife. Evergreen Douglas-firs are an essential part of native Pacific Northwest forests. These conifers feature an upright, pyramidal shape with lush needles. Requires very little maintenance. Can be grown in almost any native soil. Best in groves that are thinned to allow air circulation.
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Shore Pine • Pinus contorta
- Type: Coniferous evergreen
- Size: Medium
- Shape: Irregular, broad canopy
- Mature Height: 20-50 ft
, 10 Year: 15 ft
- Spread: 20-30 ft
- Light: Full sun
- Ideal light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry-Wet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Drought Tolerant
- Wildlife Value:
★★★★★
A uniquely shaped smaller native conifer that makes an excellent yard tree. A highly adaptable tree that thrives in poor soils, rocky sites, and even in boggy conditions. It's twisting, "contorted", trunk, branches and needles provide year-round interest. Can be planted as a grouping for screening.
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Garry Oak • Quercus garryana
- Type: Deciduous Tree
- Size: Large
- Shape: Broad
- Mature Height: 75 ft
, 10 Year: 15 ft
- Spread: 50 ft
- Light: Full Sun to part shade
- Ideal light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Drought Tolerant
- Wildlife Value:
★★★★★
- Seasonal features: Coppery-orange to brown leaves in fall
Large iconic tree. Fire resistant and drought tolerant. Majestic, long-lived, climate- resilient Pacific Northwest native. Acorns eaten by birds and mammals. Not good for irrigated lawns. Needs dry summer soil once established. Grows to 25 foot height in 20 years.
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Mountain Hemlock • Tsuga mertensiana
- Type: Coniferous evergreen
- Size: Large
- Shape: Pyramidal
- Mature Height: 60 ft
, 10 Year: 10 ft
- Spread: 20 ft
- Light: Full Sun to part shade
- Soil: Well-drained
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Wildlife Value:
★★★
- Deer Resistant
One of the Northwest's most beautiful native evergreens. Develops into slender small tree with gracefully layered side branches. Excellent for creating an alpine look. No serious disease or insect problems. Prefers moist, cool air.
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Incense Cedar • Calocedrus decurrens
- Type: Coniferous evergreen
- Size: Large
- Shape: Pyramidal
- Mature Height: 60 ft
, 10 Year: 10 ft
- Spread: 20 ft
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Ideal light: Full sun
- Soil: Moist well drained
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Drought Tolerant
- Wildlife Value:
★★
Beautiful appearance with a narrow shape, bright green foliage, and a distinct incense-like scent when crushed. Perfect yard tree, even in smaller yard spaces because of its narrow growth habit. Can tolerate poor soils and is relatively pest free.
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California Lilac • Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
- Type: Evergreen broadleaf
- Size: Small
- Shape: Shrub
- Mature Height: 12 ft
- Spread: 12 ft
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-drained
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Drought Tolerant
- Flowering
- Wildlife Value:
★★★
- Deer Resistant
- Seasonal features: Flowers
Flowers range from blue to white. May be planted individually or enmass to form a shruby screen or hedge. Atractive all year. Popular with birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Susceptible to winter kill if exposed to prolonged freezing.
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Pacific Wax Myrtle • Morella californica
- Type: Evergreen broadleaf
- Size: Small
- Shape: Shrub
- Mature Height: 15 ft
- Spread: 25 ft
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Dry to moist
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Wildlife Value:
★★★
- Deer Resistant
Evergreen shrubby plan with fragrant, spicy aroma. Small berries are great food source for wildlife. Can be pruned into tree shape or planted enmass to form a hedge. Grows best with some sunlight but will grow in almost full shade. Drought tolerant.
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Cascara • Rhamnus purshiana
- Type: Deciduous Tree
- Size: Medium
- Shape: Upright Oval
- Mature Height: 30 ft
- Spread: 20 ft
- Light: Full sun to full shade
- Ideal light: Part sun
- Soil: Wet to dry
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Drought Tolerant
- Flowering
- Wildlife Value:
★★★
- Seasonal features: White flowers in May-June, beautiful fall color
Small hidden spring flowers. Very attractive fruit. Both flowers and fruit attract wildlife. Attractive fall color. Fire resistant. Fruit not recommended for human consumption.
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Pacific Rhododendron • Rhododendron macrophyllum
- Type: Evergreen broadleaf
- Size: Medium
- Shape: Shrub
- Mature Height: 25 ft
- Light: Part shade to full shade
- Ideal light: Shade
- Soil: Dry to moist
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flowering
- Wildlife Value:
★★
Large clusters of rosy pink and rarely white flowers. Can be planted individually, as a thicket, or wide, evergreen hedgerow. Blooms best on forest edges but is known to bloom in dark forest as well.
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Saskatoon Serviceberry • Amelanchier alnifolia
- Type: Deciduous
- Size: Small
- Shape: Round
- Mature Height: 20 ft
- Spread: 20 ft
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Soil: Dry to moist
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Wildlife Value:
★★★★★
- Seasonal features: Attractive spring flowers; Brilliant red/yellow fall leaves
Prized for its edible berries, attractive white spring flowers, and vibrant fall foliage. Large blue berries are popular for both human consumption and attracting wildlife. Needs plenty of sun for fruit to ripen.
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Beaked Hazelnut • Corylus cornuta
- Type: Deciduous Tree
- Size: Small
- Shape: Shrub
- Mature Height: 15 ft
- Spread: 10 ft
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Ideal light: Full sun
- Soil: Moist well drained
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Drought Tolerant
- Produces Fruit
- Wildlife Value:
★★★★★
Early bloomer with long catkins. Edible oval nut that is enclosed by 2 leaf-like bracts, which often hide it from the undiscerning eye. Food source for wildlife. Smaller than the European counterpart but taste is just as good. Needs full sun and multiple trees (at least 2) for nut production. Yellow leaves in fall.
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