A dry, deciduous shrub with white flowers like mock orange. A bee very attracted to the flower. I believe this shrub was only about 5ft.
Grows one of the most delicious fruits that become tastier in colder weather.
Salal is one of the most common plant species that has pink flowers a little dangling.
Extensive layer of moss that covered a tree like a sheet of green fluffy cushion. You would find some brown and white with green, which I don't know are colors of different moss.
I couldn't get a good look at this one because he flew away just as soon as I took this photo. Lady bugs in my opinion are one of the easiest to take a photo - because they don't move as much and because they have distinctive red bodies.
Red alder is an early succession species and they are very good at growing in steep hills and bare land. In places like the UW arboretum, you would find this tree near water.
I believe they were a pair of a female and a child mallard, or just two female mallards. They were taking a nap on the grass field next to a road, so I assumed that they were accustomed to cars. Even then, when I walked up close they lifted their head, so I backed off since I know how annoying it is to be awaken unnecessarily. Glad that I saw them sleeping again on my way back.
I am assuming that a dwarf birch and dwarf resin birch are the same species.
Cottonwoods like to grow near water. On the other side of this tree you could see the legacy of beavers carving out its bark.
Just simple opposite leaves when the berries are not there. Snowberries look like white chocolate that look delicious (to me) but in fact a little poisonous and not tasty at all. The berries linger on through mid winter after all leaves are gone, so you would see bare branches with white berries dangling.
A big leaf growing near the root of an alnus tree. So the leaves have white seeds and flowers that has fallen from the tree. I wonder if this shrub and the alnus tree are in a symbiotic relationship.
I... got bothered because the tree was not red at all.
I go by the name kinnikinnick. They have alternating small leaves with red berries for most of the year, even though they surprised me because they were white right now.
Also called lodgepole pine, had 3 needles per fascicle.
Although names sugarberry, it is a completely different species than huckleberry or salmonberry. Whereas salmonberry is a shrub, sugarberry is a tree.
Salmonberry leaves cluster in three with one facing the same direction as the branch and the other two growing perpendicular, resembling a butterfly.
Hard to tell when berries are not there.
This is a witch hazel. There was a hamamelis virginiana on the species list but not vernalis.
A tree I probably have learned about once but I cannot remember. The fruit resembles a muscat except much smaller. Barks are really thin and spreads into many direction, like that of ocean spray.
I believe it is a type of maple because of that shape like a bird's foot. However, most maples have a cycle of color from green in spring to yellow to red (brown) in autumn, while this particular tree is already purple brown. The leaves also have a zig zag feeling.
Walking along a trail, I find this strange tree that has an insane layer of leaves, like a curly person's hair with immense volume. The bark is really thin and short because the height was approximately only 7-10ft.
I have a feeling that it might not be a ponderosa pine, but it had 3 needles per fascicle.
If you look closely, you could find tiny, dark red apples. I've seen and tasted the fruits of the same tree in fall, but the fruits were in the same unappetizing state as they are now so I don't think this tree grows anything too delicious. The fruits are hard and sour, with seeds like that of a regular apple.
Impressive violet flowers that lie on top of big long leaves that resembles banana leaves.
Japanese maple are called iroha momiji in Japanese, which momiji means maple. These trees are known for turning yellow and then red in fall right before they come off the branches. Enjoying picnic under maple trees is one Japanese tradition, like enjoying cherry blossoms in spring.
Red maples are also called october glory because the leaves turn gloriously red in fall, like a tree in a burning flame. At this season, they have a nice green colored leaves way beyond my reach, so just trust me on this.
Salal are one of the most common plant species in lowland Pacific Northwest. I initially identified it as the flowers of evergreen huckleberry, but the flowers of salal is more dangling, whereas that of evergreen huckleberry is securely connected and covered by leaves.
The flowers were not only appealing to the eyes, they also had a sweet fragrance as well. Also named yellow azalea.
