A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest

Did you know that skunk cabbage roots look like pale, ropy space aliens? Would you like to learn to make maple syrup from bigleaf maple sap? How about some rose-petal honey for your next tea party?

The author of A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest shares knowledge gleaned from years in the field, working with young people at her outdoor school on Denman Island, British Columbia.

The book opens with an acknowledgment of the Indigenous peoples of the coast from Alaska to northern California, and the vital relationships that Indigenous people have formed with this land and its plants since time immemorial. The author revisits this topic throughout the book, highlighting Indigenous stewardship of specific plants, from cattail to camas.

Subsequent chapters introduce readers to plant names (Indigenous, common, and scientific), the ethics of gathering, plant families, plant guilds (also known as plant communities), poisonous plants, and invasive plants.

The groundwork in place, Joly presents a dazzling array of plant profiles, arranged seasonally for ease of use. Each profile includes surprising facts about the plant, an activity or recipe to try, and a mix of photographs and sketches that reflect the joy and wonder she and her students feel as they get to know these plants better.

This book is on my gift list for any young person in the region, but it’s not just for kids and families. Anyone who loves plants is likely to be charmed by this book and learn something in the process.

Reviewed by Laura Blumhagen in The Leaflet, December 2024, Volume 11, Issue 12.

A Romance with the Exotic Madrona, Alias of the Arbutus

Roy Martin is a retired University of Washington professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering. He is now pursuing a very different passion, the genus Arbutus, best known locally by A. menziesii, the Pacific Madrone. Eleven species are recognized and in “A Romance with the Exotic Madrona, Alias of the Arbutus,” Martin explores them all, visiting their native ranges in Mexico, western North America, and around the Mediterranean.

This book is very engaging, reading much like a travel journal in places and a history of human culture elsewhere. The author includes a detailed discussion of the common name for our native species, concluding that there are distinction even within our region. In Washington, it is Madrona or Pacific Madrone, while in British Columbia, the name Arbutus is typical.

After exploring the other species, Martin comes home to begin searching for outstanding specimens of A. menziesii. While not abundant, there are several examples of massive trees, hundreds of years old. Martin not only tells the natural history of each tree, as best it is known, but that of the people and locales that surround each.

It is clear that Arbutus menziesii has captured Roy Martin’s heart. “It is not an aggressive tree; it does not, as some trees do, grow rapidly in order to reach the upper stratosphere of the forest and thereby capture most of the available light at the expense of its neighbors. It is, rather, an uncommonly cordial tree, often contorting itself as necessary to find open spaces, through which light falls naturally, as if to accommodate smaller trees it would otherwise effectively starve.”

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Douglas Fir: The Story of the West’s Most Remarkable Tree

There are many rare and unusual trees and shrubs in the Washington Park Arboretum. Standing aside (and sometimes out-competing) these wonderful exotics is the native matrix of trees, especially tall conifers. Perhaps the most iconic of these is the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). “Douglas Fir: The Story of the West’s Most Remarkable Tree” is a comprehensive new book by Stephen Arno and Carl Fiedler about this tree native from northern British Columbia to the high mountains of Mexico.

There two distinct varieties of the Douglas-fir. The coastal tree (P. m. var. menziesii) that we are familiar with in Seattle and is found along the coast south to the California Bay Area. The inland variety (P. m. var. glauca) has an even wider distribution east of the coastal ranges and into the Rocky Mountains. The ecological success of both varieties highlights their adaptability, supported by an extra set of chromosomes when compared to most of the other West Coast conifers. In simple terms, this means the “Douglas-fir is nature’s all-purpose tree.”

This malleable nature has caused more than its share of nomenclature issues. Is it a fir? A pine? A spruce? The answer is none of the above. The genera Pseudotsuga translates as “false hemlock” – a rather unfortunate compromise. Even the common name has varied, although the Seventh International Botanical Congress in 1950 settled on “Douglas-fir” and that form is used throughout this book (although the hyphen is oddly missing from the book’s title).

The coast Douglas-fir is one of the tallest plant species in the world. Its loftiest example (at 327’) currently ranks number three behind the height champions of the Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens at 380.3’) and Eucalyptus regnans (329.7’) of southeastern Australia. An especially engaging part of this book discusses the credible possibility of historical Douglas-fir specimens, taken down for lumber one hundred or more years ago, that likely exceeded 400’ in height.

While Euro-Americans quickly recognized the value of Douglas-fir wood for building, the indigenous people throughout the tree’s vast range were the first to use its timber this way, but they had many other uses, too. All parts of the tree are valuable and were used for preserving and flavoring food, for medicine, for crafting tools, in sacred ceremonies, and most importantly, providing heat. “Both varieties of Douglas-fir historically fulfilled myriad roles for native peoples and were the overwhelming choice for one critical daily need: fuel for their fires.”

Excerpted from the Spring 2021 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Native plants in the coastal garden

“Native Plants in the Coastal Garden” (1996, revised 2002) by April Pettinger and Brenda Costanzo brings a British Columbia focus to native plant gardening. Essays describe the rise of a late 20th century naturalistic aesthetic in European and American garden design and the supreme suitability of native plants for this look. Many different design aspects are considered, such as container gardening with native plants, and the large role that grasses play in any landscape.

Only in the latter half of the book are species described in depth, presented in groupings by appropriate habitats. Trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants have equal treatment with a section for each on propagation and cultivation. Photos are limited and most of the information on nurseries and public gardens is out of date.

Excerpted from the Summer 2019 Arboretum Bulletin.

Gardening with native plants of the Pacific Northwest

Art Kruckeberg (1920-2016) has a legendary reputation for his research and teaching in botany, and his expansion of that work into the natural history and geology of selected ecosystems. But for gardeners, he is best remembered for his classic “Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest,” first published in 1982, followed by a second edition in 1996.

Linda Chalker-Scott is rapidly developing her own renown for books that encourage learning the science behind growing plants. Now she has taken on the major task of guiding the publication of a third edition of “Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest.”

This is not just an editorial update. It is a collaboration from different perspectives and eras. Kruckeberg was a professor of botany for nearly four decades at the University of Washington until his retirement in 1989. In his first edition, he acknowledges the help of several individuals that figure prominently in the mid to later 20th century Arboretum, including Brian Mulligan, Roy Davidson, Joe Witt, C. Leo Hitchcock, Sylvia Duryee, and his wife, horticulturist Mareen Kruckeberg, the latter credited with conceiving the concept of this book.

Chalker-Scott is an associate professor of horticulture and extension specialist at Washington State University. Her contributions to the new edition further enhance the reader’s understanding of our native plants in their natural setting, and how to make them thrive in the not-very-natural setting of a typical home garden.

For those familiar with the older editions, the first thing you’ll notice in the new edition is the inclusion of many color photographs, almost one for every text entry. Each photograph has a selection of habitat icons “to help gardeners both visualize the best natural settings for native plants and identify environmental preferences.” For example, a plant may naturally grow in the full sun of a meadow or prairie, or it may need the superb drainage of a rock garden. Plants may be best adapted for wetlands or drylands, or perhaps a woodland or even a seashore. Another symbol marks plants especially successful in restoration projects. The new edition also updates taxonomy, reflecting the recent publication of the 2nd edition of the “Flora of the Pacific Northwest” (see my review in the Spring 2019 issue of “The Bulletin”).

For those new to this book, the breadth of the plant selection may be surprising – we have many garden-worthy natives. The emphasis is on woody plants. Almost all native trees are reviewed in some depth, including those not recommended for a garden setting. In the chapter on deciduous shrubs, ten “choice” species are considered first as the best choices. Much of the writing in these plant descriptions is the voice of Kruckeberg, although I noticed that favored plants are now “our” favorites – the two authors agree on most of the selections.

Chalker-Scott has added a new chapter that brings her signature work on horticultural science to the establishment and maintenance of a garden rich in native plants. She alleviates concerns about using “nativars” – propagated selections chosen for an unusual and desirable trait, such as double flowers or variegation. She also assures the new gardener that it is okay to mix well-behaved exotics into your garden of mostly natives.

One major difference between the second and third editions is the removal of any instructions on how to collect native plants from the wild. Chalker-Scott cautions, “This practice must stop if we are to retain many of our rare, threatened, and endangered species. It’s a better ethical and ecological choice to purchase native plants from reputable nurseries that have propagated and cultivated their plants without endangering native populations.”

Excerpted from the Summer 2019 Arboretum Bulletin

Flora of the Pacific Northwest : an illustrated manual

For Pacific Northwest botanists of all levels, the one-volume book informally known as “Hitchcock” has been standard equipment since its publication in 1973. This work, “Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual” by C. Leo Hitchcock and Arthur Cronquist, was intended as a field version of the five-volume flora “Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest,” written by the same authors with two additional botanists and two illustrators from 1955-1969.

“No scholarly endeavors are immune to the advancing frontiers of knowledge.” This quote is from the introduction of the new, second edition of the one-volume “Flora,” expanded by a team of four editors with three new illustrators. Changes in taxonomy, especially from molecular studies, plus newly described taxa and the establishment of non-native species (which this flora includes) have created a long overdue need for an update.

In the 45 years between publications, there has been a nearly 25% increase in the number of taxa included, the biggest single reason being “the establishment, or detection, of additional exotic taxa within our area.” While this work does not introduce any new names or classifications, just keeping up with widely accepted taxonomic changes has resulted in over 40% of the listings in the first edition having a new genus and/or species name, or being placed in a different family.

Hitchcock was a long-time professor of botany at the University of Washington. He was also a gardener, and many references remain in the 2nd edition regarding the ornamental qualities and garden adaptability of the subjects.

These include the observation that the incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) is a fine ornamental tree, and that “trilliums are rather easily grown, and T. ovatum in particular is an excellent garden pl [plant], but it is a shame to dig them in the wild, esp [especially] since they grow readily from seed.” This urging of conservation (as well as the use of abbreviations) is a repeated theme: “The lilies are a constant temptation to the avaricious gardener, but our spp. [species] rarely thrive in cult [cultivation] and should not be removed from the wild.”

Like the first edition, this book attempts to be comprehensive in its presentation of species, subspecies, and varieties throughout Washington, much of Oregon and Idaho, the western part of Montana, and southern British Columbia. The first edition introduced the new (at the time) idea of embedding the species descriptions and illustrations within the taxonomic keys. This proved to be a good decision. It has remained a best-seller for the University of Washington Press for the last four decades.

At 882 pages (the first edition had 730), it is perhaps a bit hefty for field work, but this is a must for your home garden library. The aforementioned use of abbreviations keeps it from becoming even bigger, and this is a bit of a challenge for reading at first. But after a while, this shorthand becomes familiar. The Miller Library has a lending copy of the new edition, and keeps non-circulating copies of both editions and the earlier volumes of “Vascular Plants.” Be sure to take a look at this new standard for our regional botany!

Excerpted from the Spring 2019 Arboretum Bulletin.

Trees and Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest

Trees and Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest cover

Mark Turner, another gifted photographer, has produced his second Timber Press Field Guide: “Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest,” co-authored with Ellen Kuhlmann. As with his earlier book on the wildflowers of the region (co-authored with Phyllis Gustafson), this is designed for use in the field. Quickly accessible inside the front and back covers are diagrams of the various types of flower parts, leaves, fruits, and seeds. The cover is weather-resistant and a ruler, in both inches and centimeters is handily placed on the back cover.

This guide is also very comprehensive. “While a few readers may gripe about the size and weight of this volume, we chose to err on the side of clarity and include at least a pair of photographs for most of the 568 taxa that have a main entry.” The authors also joke that this book was “…our excuse to learn the willows” and sure enough, 28 pages are devoted to this genus that is notoriously difficult to identify at the species level.

The plant descriptions begin with conifers, followed by angiosperms divided by leaf types. There are no keys, but the extra photographs, and their high quality, makes finding plants pretty straightforward. The range maps include all of Washington and Oregon, along with southern British Columbia and northern California, showing all the counties or regional districts where the plant has been documented. The maps are a fascinating study all on their own.

The helpful introduction is only slightly modified from Turner’s earlier book, but no matter: it is useful information on how to get the best use out of this book and make the most of your plant exploration. The descriptions of the different ecoregions could make a useful booklet by itself.

Excerpted from the Fall 2014 Arboretum Bulletin.

Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes

For gardeners, the most important new book of the year will be the “Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants for Gardens and Landscapes”. A trio of southwest Washington writers brings extensive experience in botany, propagating and growing native plants, and photography together in this very comprehensive and extensive book that will be a standard reference for many years to come.

A brief introduction lays the ground rules: only natives — nothing naturalized since the arrival of “non-indigenous human explorers”. Plants that are rare and nearly impossible to grow in cultivation are out, too. An example being the various lovely but sensitive slipper orchids.

There are some seeming exceptions to this last rule, such as Erythronium montanum, the stunning but notoriously difficult-to-cultivate avalanche lily seen at Hurricane Ridge. However, the authors note, it can be grown by gardeners who live at higher elevations.

The heart of the book is a listing of over 500 species that gives a basic description, cultivation requirements, native range and habitat, plus notes about related species, ethnobotany and selected varieties. Propagation tips are included, with a strong emphasis on conservation of plants in situ.

The excellent photographs make this a pretty good identification book, too, and will convince you to add more natives to your home garden, including ferns, shrubs, and trees, both broad leaf and conifers. The appendices include helpful lists of plants to meet various gardening needs (for shade, for wildflower meadows, for hummingbirds, etc.). This book is a must have!

Excerpted from the Fall 2008 Arboretum Bulletin.