  Out of more than a thousand kinds of trees, shrubs, ferns, and flowering herbs on the Olympic Peninsula, 28 are described in the following paragraphs. While this is but a small fraction of the total, they represent the most common and noticeable plants that can be identified easily. The park is a sanctuary for all natural features, and care should be taken not to disturb, injure, or destroy trees, flowers, or other plantlife. TREESDOUGLAS-FIR (Pseudotsuga menziesii) gives principal distinction to the Northwest forests. Growing from sea level to 5,000 feet elevation, it is the most abundant and widespread tree on the Olympic Peninsula. Average mature trees in the virgin forests of the lowlands are 180 to 250 feet in height and 4 to 6 feet in diameter. The largest on record—14 feet 5 inches in diameter—is located in the Queets River Valley, about 3½ miles by trail from the end of the road. Next to the sequoias of California the Douglas-fir is the largest tree in the forest of the Western Hemisphere. Large Douglas-firs in the forest commonly have nearly cylindrical boles, clear of limbs for a hundred feet. Such trees have a reddish-brown bark which is rough with ridges and deep furrows. The cones, whether on the tree or on the ground beneath the tree, provide easy and reliable identification. They are mostly 2½ to 3 inches long with 3-pointed, thin bracts protruding among the scales. The seeds are a favorite food of the Douglas squirrel. WESTERN REDCEDAR (Thuja plicata) grows in the valley bottoms and other moist places. Although it is mainly a lowland tree, it extends up into the Canadian zone wherever conditions are favorable. Large trees in the forest average 150 to 175 feet in height and 3 to 8 feet in diameter. The largest western redcedar on record is 21 feet 4 inches in diameter. It is located in the Pacific Coast Area near Kalaloch and can be reached by a short spur road near Beach Trail 6. The trunk of the western redcedar commonly tapers rapidly from a swollen and sometimes fluted base. Its bark is thin, fibrous, and stringy. The foliage hangs in long, lacy sprays. It is the only tree of the lowland forests which has leaves that are tiny, overlapping scales. WESTERN HEMLOCK (Tsuga heterophylla) is abundant in Northwest forests up to about 3,000 feet elevation. Large forest trees are 125 to 175 feet in height and 2 to 4 feet in diameter. The largest recorded specimen of this tree, 9 feet in diameter, is located above Enchanted Valley in the SITKA SPRUCE (Picea sitchenis) is a coastwise tree from Alaska to California. In the park it is common only in the rain forest on the west side. There, large trees are 225 to 300 feet in height and 5 to 8 feet in diameter. Many are 10 feet or more in diameter. The largest specimen recorded, 13 feet 4 inches in diameter, is located in the park about 4 miles above the Hoh Ranger Station. Sitka spruce and the three preceding species comprise what might be called the “big four” in Olympic forests. Sitka spruce can be identified by its stiff and very sharp-pointed needles. They are ½ to ¼ inches long and extend outward from all sides of the twig. It can be distinguished from other associated trees by the thin silvery-gray to purplish-gray scales on its bark. The base of the tree is commonly enlarged because of the massive roots that grew downward from the top of a stump or large fallen tree where the seed germinated. SITKA SPRUCE CONES HANG IN CLUSTERS AT THE ENDS OF BRANCHES. PACIFIC SILVER FIR (Abies amabilis) is a tree of middle elevations, or the Canadian zone. In favorable sites, it attains a height of 140 to 160 feet and a diameter of 2 to 4 feet. The record tree, 6 feet 10 inches in diameter, is by the Bogachiel River about 8 miles by trail from the end of the road. A striking characteristic of this needle-leaved tree is its smooth, ashy-gray bark, conspicuously marked with chalky-white areas and numerous resin blisters. ALPINE FIR (Abies lasiocarpa) is the spirelike tree of the highest life zone, the Hudsonian. Under favorable conditions it reaches a height of 60 to 90 feet, but at timberline it is a twisted, stunted growth only a few feet high. Its narrow crown extends to the ground, which makes this tree particularly susceptible to crown fires. Many ridgetop areas have “silver” forests of bleached trunks of fire-killed alpine fir. The purple to gray-purple cones, 2 to 4 inches long, stand upright on the branches as in all true firs. NUMEROUS SMALL RESIN-FILLED BLISTERS ON A PACIFIC SILVER FIR. ALASKA-CEDAR (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) is a Hudsonian zone tree, easily identified by its foliage. The slender, drooping branches and flat, weeping sprays appear to be wilted. The leaves are of tiny, overlapping scales. This tree could be confused with the western redcedar, but as the two grow at different elevations identification should be easy. The largest specimen recorded, 7 feet 8 inches in diameter, is on the trail to Hart Lake above Enchanted Valley. THIS SITKA SPRUCE STARTED LIFE ON TOP OF A HIGH STUMP WHICH ROTTED AWAY LEAVING THE GROWING TREE STANDING ON STILTLIKE ROOTS. PACIFIC MADRONE’S REDDISH-BROWN BARK SCALES OFF IN THIN LAYERS. PACIFIC MADRONE (Arbutus menziesii) is a tree of the lower elevations distinguished by its smooth, reddish-brown trunk and branches and its shiny, leathery, broad-leaved, evergreen foliage. The bark of the trunk may be loosely scaly, peeling off in long, thin, irregular pieces. This is especially noticeable in late summer when new, light-green bark is exposed by the flaking away of the older red bark. SHRUBSSALAL (Gaultheria shallon) is the most common shrub in the forests of the Olympic Peninsula. Near the coast it grows 6 to 10 feet high in nearly impenetrable stands. Inland and at higher elevations up to about 3,000 feet, it is much smaller. Its evergreen, leathery leaves with finely toothed edges are easily distinguished from those of other shrubs. They are oblong and mostly 2 to 3 inches long. Urn-shaped, white to pink flowers in 1-sided racemes become black, edible berries later in summer. These berries were gathered by coast Indians and made into syrup or thick, dried cakes. PACIFIC RED ELDER (Sambucus callicarpa). This large shrub becomes noticeable along roadsides in summer because of its large, dense clusters of brilliant red “berries.” CREAMBUSH ROCKSPIREA (Holodiscus discolor) is an erect shrub, growing 5 to 14 feet high. In June it becomes conspicuous in lowlands because of its numerous, large, dense, drooping sprays of cream-colored flowers. Ocean spray is another common name for this shrub. SALAL IS ONE OF MANY BROAD-LEAVED EVERGREEN PLANTS. NONWOODY PLANTSFIREWEED (Epilobium angustifolium). The rose-colored, spirelike, flowered tops attract attention wherever it is found. The name fireweed has been given because it comes up quickly in burned areas. It is not restricted to burned places, however, for it grows wherever there is unpreempted space in sunny locations, as along roadsides. It may be seen in flower throughout the summer, since it grows from sea level to 5,000 feet in elevation. The blooming progresses to higher elevations as the season advances. Its leaves are similar to those of willow, which accounts for another common name—willowweed. WESTERN SWORDFERN (Polystichum munitum). This is the western counterpart of the common Christmasfern. It is a large, conspicuous, evergreen fern—the most prominent fern in these forests. The individual leaflets are lance-shaped, have fine-toothed edges, and are attached to the stem of the frond by means of a short stalk. DEERFOOT VANILLALEAF (Achlys triphylla). This is probably the most common herbaceous, flowering plant in these forests from sea level to about 4,000 feet in elevation. It is a foot or more in height and commonly forms extensive patches. It can be identified easily by the three broad, fan-shaped leaves at the top of the slender, wiry stem. If the central leaf is bent back, the other two represent a spreading, green-winged butterfly. The small flowers form a slender, white, upright spike above the leaves. The foliage contains a compound which has the fragrance of vanilla. This is given off when the leaves wilt and accounts for another popular name—sweet-after-death. OREGON OXALIS (Oxalis oregana). This small, delicate, white-flowered plant, has leaves that resemble a three-leaf clover. It grows among the mosses in the moist, shady forest and is especially noticeable in the plant carpet on the floor of the rain forest. The plant contains oxalic acid, which gives the leaves a pleasant sour taste. Another common name is wood sorrel. QUEENCUP BEADLILY (Clintonia uniflora). The hiker will find this attractive plant in flower at middle elevations, mostly in the Canadian zone. Each plant has two or three prominent, narrowly oblong, lilylike leaves growing from the base of the plant and one clear-white, lilylike flower. The fruit is a single turquoise berry. OREGON WINTERGREEN (Pyrola rotundifolio). This handsome pyrola is found up to about 3,000 feet elevation. Several leathery, roundish leaves, which have stems as long as the leaves, arise from the base of the plant and spread out to form a rosette. They are glossy green on top. From the center of this rosette rises a reddish flower stalk, 8 to 16 inches tall, that bears pink to reddish, waxy flowers about a quarter of an inch in diameter. DEERFOOT VANILLALEAF. OREGON OXALIS. QUEENCUP BEADLILY. WESTERN SWORDFERN. SUBALPINE LUPINE (Lupinus subalpinus). Early in July the mountain meadows become ornamented with large patches of this blue-flowered plant. Its flowers are the shape of pea blossoms. Lupine can be identified by the leaf, which consists of many leaflets radiating from a central point like the spokes of a wheel. This lupine is a leafy plant 8 to 24 inches high. LYALL LUPINE (Lupinus lyallii). This small lupine grows in dry, rocky soil at higher elevations, mostly above timberline in the Arctic-Alpine zone. Its small, but typically lupine, leaves are hairy and spread out to form a rosette. The blue flowers, in many short, compact spikes, usually are spread in rosette manner. SUBALPINE LUPINE. AVALANCHE LILY (Erythronium montanum) is a white lily, with a yellow center, abundant in early summer on mountain meadows and in woods near timberline. GLACIER LILY (Erythronium grandiflorum). This plant is similar, except that the flowers are yellow and slightly smaller. It blooms earlier than its white counterpart and one must look for it where the snow is melting. Both the avalanche and glacier lilies have two basal leaves. MAGENTA PAINTBRUSH. SCARLET PAINTBRUSH (Castilleja miniata). The brilliant color of this plant is not in its flowers, which are hidden, but in the leafy bracts that surround them. One can imagine that the “flowers” are brushes dipped in scarlet paint and then turned upward. MAGENTA PAINTBRUSH (Castilleja oreopola) is similar to the scarlet paintbrush, except in color. AVALANCHE LILY. TIGER LILY. OWLCLOVER (Orthocarpus imbricatus) is a relative of the paintbrushes; it may be incorrectly identified as one of them. The “flower” is magenta-colored, but it differs from that of the paintbrush in being compact and nearly ball-like. Each plant has only one flower stalk, while paintbrush usually has more than one. Paintbrush and owlclover bloom in the mountain meadows in midsummer. TIGER LILY (Lilium columbianum) is a tall, leafy plant of the rich meadows that bears from two to many large, orange, brown-spotted flowers. On the lowland meadows the flowers appear in May, but in the meadows of the Hudsonian zone, they do not bloom until July. MOUNTAIN BUCKWHEAT (Polygonum bistortoides). Although this flower is not especially attractive, its abundance in mountain meadows gives it importance among the common plants of the park. It grows thickly among grasses and sedges, is 10 to 20 inches tall, and in July and August bears a compact, oblong spike of white flowers at the top of the slender stem. SPREADING PHLOX (Phlox diffusa) is a prickly, mosslike plant that forms cushions or mats on dry, gravelly slopes above timberline. In early summer, it bears numerous, small, white-to-lavender flowers close to the foliage. Entire hillsides may be covered with a patchwork of this hardy alpine plant. BLUEBELL (Campanula rotundifolia) grows from sea level to the dry, rocky slopes above timberline. At the higher elevations it blooms from July to September and can be recognized easily by its pale blue, nodding, bell-like flowers about three-quarters of an inch long. SPREADING PHLOX. ROOSEVELT ELK. THE BULLS GROW NEW ANTLERS EACH YEAR. |
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