Common Trees of Alaska

"Alaska spans a cast array of ecosystems from open, wind-swept tundra bordering the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea, through expansive boreal forests of the Interior to impressive temperate rain forests along the Pacific Coast.

Tree composition changes with the prevailing climate across the state. In the Interior, principal species include white spruce, birch, and quaking aspen on uplands, black spruce and tamarack in forested wetlands, and balsam poplar within floodplains. Willows are abundant in the Interior as well, however most do not reach tree size.

The coastal temperate rain forests of southcentral and southeastern Alaska are comprised mainly of western hemlock and Sitka spruce. Mountain hemlock, Alaska yellow-cedar, western redcedar, and shore pine are most often encountered where soils are more poorly drained. Deciduous trees are uncommon in the temperate rain forests of Alaska, and are represented mainly by red alder and black cottonwood." less ↑