Lonicera nitida (CAPRIFOLIACEAE) boxleaf honeysuckle S. W. China Opposite, Simple Small (1/4-5/8 long) Ovate to round Margin entire Blunt apex Glossy dark green (some variegated cultivars) Paired flowers, axillary Petals form tube. 5-parted White/yellow, fragrant ¼ - ½ long Berry, round Bluish-purple In late summer Evergreen shrub Great alternative to boxwoods (Buxus) Can reach 10 ft. with dense, arching stems. Nitida means shining Common variegated cv. grown too, also one with yellow new growth Tilia (MALVACEAE) Linden tree or basswood N. America and Eurasia Alternate and simple. Usually oblique (asymmetric) base, usually cordate Usually serrate Tertiary veins ladder-like between secondary veins. stipules. Umbel-like clusters attached to a thin, narrow bract. Sepals 5. Petals 5, green to yellow. Stamens many, grouped in 5 bundles. Stamenoids, petal-like, on some spp. Style one, w/5 lobed stigma. Globose, nut-like. Stays attached to bract. 1-3 seeds. Trees to 120 ft. Fibrous bark Large winter buds Flowers usually fragrant Good honey plant Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum (ADOXACEAE) double-file viburnum China, Japan Opposite, simple Broad-ovate to oblong ovate (1.5-4 in. long) Coarsely serrate Veins 8-12 nearly straight to margins, pubescent Infl cluster with central stem (Cymes) Opposite pairs along branches Fls white, inner flowers small, fertile, marginal flowers large and sterile 5-parted Drupe w/1 compressed stone Red turning to dark bluish Shrub Branches horizontally spreading Plicata means pleated, tomentosum means hairy Page 1 of 5
Sambucus (ADOXACEAE) BETULACEAE elderberry Opposite Pinnately compound Leaflets ovate to elliptic Dense flat topped umbels, or elongate panicles or racemes White to ivory flowers ~ bluish Perfect Petals 5 Stamens 5 Red, black or white fruit Some species edible Some species only edible after being cooked Avoid fruit as a trail snack Alternate Simple ~ doubly serrate margins Monoecious Male slender long catkins Female upright or pendulous terminal spike ~ no perianth Fl subtended by bracts, 2 or more Nut, (Corylus sp.) or samara (Alnus, Betula) Herbaceous perennials, deciduous shrubs or trees Pithy, light inner wood easily hollowed out Wood used to make flutes and small instruments Ethnobotanically important to many native tribes across North America Often sold in America labeled as black current Two native species: Sambucus racemosa and S. cerulea trees or shrubs Wind pollinated Alnus rubra (BETULACEAE) red alder coastal N. America, Idaho Broadly elliptic (1½ to 3 wide) Acute base Serrate margins (deep and doubly serrate) Margin rolled under (revolute) at base of leaf Dull green above, rusty colored below Monoecious Male long pendulous catkin Female short upright catkin Wooden, cone-like Small (½ to 1 long) Persist on tree over the winter tree to 75 ft. Thin gray smooth bark Often with white patches (lichens) Early successional species, tends to prefer wet soils, fixes nitrogen Page 2 of 5
Betula (BETULACEAE) birch Alternate and simple. Usually ovate w/ parallel veins. Margin usually serrate. stipules. Monoecious. Male flws in pendulous catkins, 3 per scale Stamens 2-3. Female flws in pendulous catkins, 3 per bract. Upright or pendulous catkinlike heads. Scale-like bracts are often trident shaped and small, shattering on the tree. Wind dispersed. Trees to 90 ft. or shrubs.. Bark thin, white, pink, or reddish and often peeling Bark with lenticels Betula papyrifera (BETULACEAE) paper birch North America Serrate Ovate (much larger than B. pendula) Rounded base stipules Males pendulous catkins w/3 flowers in each scale axil, has perianth Females short, 3 flwd in axils, no perianth Winged nut Female scale-like bracts 1/8 & t-shaped. tree or shrub Bark grayish white Lenticels in bark, bark will peel in horizontal strips Bark is waterproof and flammable Root sprouts, found in groves Native to Washington north of Everett B. jacquemontii is another paperbark birch that is popular Betula pendula (BETULACEAE) European birch Europe, Russia Very ovate- diamond shaped (rhombic) and narrows greatly to acuminate apex Much smaller than B. papyrifera Base ~ cuneate Doubly serrate Males pendulous catkins w/3 flowers in each scale axil, has perianth Females short, 3 flwd in axils, no perianth Winged nut Female scale-like bracts 1/8 & t-shaped. Bark grayish white with large dark triangles esp. towards the base A little weedy in moist areas Attracts aphids Page 3 of 5
Prunus cerasifera var. atropurpurea (ROSACEAE) cherry plum S.E. Europe, S.W. Asia Serrate Elliptic (1-2 long) Stipules, but no extra-floral nectaries Pubescent under on midrib Solitary White/pale pink Stamens 25-30 5 parted Earliest of the flowering cherries used around here Koelreuteria paniculata (SAPINDACEAE) panicled golden rain tree China Drupe, red to dark purplishred Alternate Pinnate or bipinnately compound 6-18 long 7-15 leaflets Lflts ovate to oblong Lflts. irregularly lobed, especially at base Serrate margin New leaves a peach color Tall panicle (12-15 ) of yellow flowers 3-valved capsule Inflated, papery 1 ½-2 long Tree to 25 ft. Slender branches Most common form of P. cerasifera There are other purple leaved species but this is most common cerasifera means bearing cherries Suckers/ water sprouts small tree to 40 ft Bark gray-brown, furrowed when older Somewhat invasive in the SE U.S. Acer (SAPINDACEAE) maple Opposite. Simple, usually palmately lobed (3-9 lobes) or compound (both palmately and pinnately) with 3 5, but rarely 9 lobes or leaflets Some simple and unlobed leaves Dioecious or andromonecious (male flowers and bisexual flowers on same plant). Short racemes, panicles or corymbs. Perfect or imperfect. Small. Sepals 5 (rarely 4), sometimes fused. Petals 5 (rarely 4, 6 or none). Stamens 8 (rarely 4, 5 or 10-12).. Double samara (schizocarp). Trees to 130 ft. or shrubs. Primarily deciduous, few evergreen. Formerly Aceraceae Page 4 of 5
Acer macrophyllum (SAPINDACEAE) big-leaf maple Western side of British Columbia through S. CA Opposite, paired Simple Very large (6-12 ) Very deeply 3-5 lobed (middle lobe also 3 lobed) Long petioles (almost as long as leaf) Infl pendulous and branched (panicle) 4-5 long Yellow, fragrant Schizocarp Hanging in long clusters Spread at sharp angle (~90) Has stiff yellow hairs on it Tree to 90 ft. Flowers before leaves Petioles have milky sap if split Bark grayish/reddish brown, interlacing ridges & furrows *Most common Seattle Tree Acer circinatum (SAPINDACEAE) vine maple W. North America Opposite, Simple Palmately lobed (7-9 lobes) Lobes shallow Sinuses v shaped Doubly Serrate Infl cluster with central stem (coymb) w/6-20 flws Sepals 5, deep pink to red Petals 5, white Stamens 2 Styles 2 Schizocarp (double Samara), red when young Angle almost 180 o 2 samara connected to form almost straight line No hairs (compare A. macrophyllum w/hairs & 90 angle) Shrub/ small tree to 30 ft Slender branches Red and white flowers among the showiest in Acer "circinatum" means coiled PNW native, often found in the forest understory Acer saccharum (SAPINDACEAE) sugar maple Central & Eastern N. America Leaves opposite, palmately lobed w/ 5 deep lobes w/ acuminate tips & few narrow-pointed teeth on margin. Leaves 3 ½ - 5 ½ in. long and wide. 5 main veins extend from base of leaf. Dark green upper surface of leaf, paler on lower surface with some pubescence on veins. Dioecious. Flowers in drooping clusters on hairy stalks. Flowers small, yellow-green color, bell-shaped with 5 lobes. w/2 styles. Fruit a double samara. Hairless and angle is less than 120 degrees (looks like a horseshoe U ). tree to 90 ft. Good fall color (red, orange, yellow). Bark develops furrows with age No milky sap This is the maple leaf on the Canadian flag and the source of delicious maple syrup. Page 5 of 5