Seattle Woody Plants: Shrubs and Small Trees

 By Richard B. Primack 

 

“I suspect that the child plucks its first flower with an insight into its beauty & significance which the subsequent botanist never retains.” Henry David Thoreau in his Journal.

 

 

On a recent spring-time trip to Seattle, Washington, I encountered many novel woody plants. The wetter and milder climate of Seattle provides conditions that are amenable to many plants which are not found in Boston, or can only be found there rarely.

 

Photo 1A: Blue blossoms (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus) is a shrub with masses of soft blue flowers.

 

Photo 1B: Close-up of the blue blossoms flowers. 

 

Photo 2A: A variety of flowering dogwood tree (Cornus florida?) that has unusually wide and large bracts.

 

Photo 2B: Close-up of the bracts.

 

Photo 3A: Red claw (Escallonia rubra) is a small shrub with dramatic red flowers. 

 

Photo 3B: Close-up of the Red claw flowers. 

 

Photo 4A: Boxleaf hebe (Hebe buxifolia) is a small shrub with small, symmetrically arranged leaves and an abundance of small white flowers.

 

Photo 4B: Close-up of the Boxleaf hebe flowers. 

 

Photo 5A: Rock rose (Cistus sp.) is a small shrub with large poppy-like flowers.

 

Photo 5B: Close-up of a Rock rose flower.