A. Simple leaves located opposite each other on the twig, 

e.g., maples and tree lilacs.

                              

B. Simple leaves located alternately on the twig, 

e.g., birch, poplars and willows.

   

                                    

C. Compound leaves located opposite 

each other on the twig, e.g., ash and buckeye.

                                     

D. Compound leaves located alternately on the twig, 

e.g., locusts and walnut.

Leaf Identification based on type and arrangement

• At the base of a mature leaf you will find a bud, while at the base of a leaflet of a compound leaf, there are no buds.

• Leaf margins often are helpful in identifying trees. These margins take various shapes

                                               

Smooth, Entire

Finely toothed

Doubly toothed, 

sharp pointed

Lobed

 

PNW deciduous trees

Vine Maple (Acer circinatum)

• Habitat: Moist areas, generally an understory tree.– Generally 20’ tall

• Leaves: simple, opposite

• Fruit: samara

• Bark: smooth, greenish tint

Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum)• Habitat: Drier, more open sites than vine

maple Leaves: simple, opposite– Generally 12’ tall

• Fruit: samara

• Bark: smooth, greenish tint

Red Alder (Alnus rubra)• Habitat: Moist woods, stream banks,

disturbed clearings at low elevations.

• Leaves: simple, alternate

• Fruit: small, brown woody ‘cones’

•

Sitka Alder (Alnus Sinuata)

• Habitat: Moist places from lowland to subalpine elevations. – 3’-20’

• Leaves: simple, alternate

• Fruits: long cone-like

• Uses: by native people

and for stabilizing disturbed

nutrient poor areas

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

• Habitat: near streams, rivers, in meadows and in canyon rocks, where it may seem dry but is wet underground. Loves sunlight.

• Bark: pale green* to white. Smooth

• Leaves: simple, ‘shiver’ in the wind. White/silver undersides. Flattened petiole.

• Vegetative propagation*

• Flower:

Black Cottonwood (populus trichocarpa)

• Habitat: dry to moist, variety of soils.

• Bark: dark, furrowed.

• Leaves: smooth, dark green, pointed.

Oregon White Oak

Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)• Habitat: Open to dense mixed forest

especially along streams at low elevations

• Leaves: simple, opposite

• Fruit: pink red berry (flowers)

• Uses: some natives used it as a laxative or to induce vomiting

Larch/Tamarak (Larix lyallii)

• Habitat: Subalpine or alpine areas often on north facing slopes

• Leaves: soft needles

• Small woody cones

• Uses: waterproof quality,

herbal remedies

Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata)

• Habitat: Moist forests and along streams – Up to 50’

• Leaves: Slender simple, alternate

• Fruit: bright red, small berries

PNW deciduous bushes

Western Serviceberry, Shadbush, Saskatoon, Juneberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)

• Habitat: Open hillsides to dense forests in well-drained soil from low to middle elevations

• Leaves: simple, alternate

• Flower: white ‘leafy’

clusters at tips of

branches.

• Fruit: blue-black and

edible!

Twinberry

• Habitat: Moist forest clearings, streamside habitats, swamps and thickets from low to subalpine elevations ~6ft tall

• Flowers: yellow ‘bell-like’

• Fruit: shiny black berries in pairs

Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)

• Habitat: Stream banks and moist to rather dry woods; low elevations (5’-12’)

• Leaves: simple, alternate

• Flowers: small, white, drooping

• Fruit: blue-black

when ripe

(orange when not)

fleshy, drooping.

Edible!

Devils Club (Oplopanax horridus)• Habitat: Moist woods, especially near

streams, seepage sites, and in avalanche tracks; low to middle elevations

• Sensitive to human impact.

• *article*

Blue elderberry• Habitat: Dry to moist, fairly open, low-elevation

sites (6’-20’)• Leaves: compound, opposite• Flower: many tiny, creamy white• Fruit: clusters of blue-black small berries, edible! (low-grade toxin when raw that causes nausea in some)

Red Eldererry (sambucus racemosa)• Habitat: Stream banks, swampy thickets,

moist clearings and open forests; sea level to middle elevations (6’-20’)

• Leaves: compound, opposite

• Flower: many tiny, white, pyramid

• Fruit: clusters of bright red

Marginally edible.

Wild Rose (Rosa)• Habitat: Moist to dry woods and shrublands

from near sea level to middle elevations (2’-7’)

• About half a dozen species in the PNW

• Leaves: compound, alternate

• Flower: pink

• Fruit: red-orange ‘hip’

Edible! High in vitamin C, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.

Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis

• Habitat: Moist to wet places from streambanks to wooded areas from low to subalpine elevations (4’-8’)

• Leaves: compound

• Flower: deep showy pink, solitary

• Fruit: red-salmon, raspberry-like, edible!

Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus• Habitat: Moist to dry, wooded to open

areas from near sea level to subalpine elevations (4’-8’)

• Leaves: simple, maple-like

• Flower: white in loose clusters

• Fruit: red, hemispherical, edible!

Smooth sumac Rhus glabra• Habitat: Dry slopes and draws in eastern

Washington’s shrub-steppe; can be found along forest edges, grasslands, and roadsides

• Leaves: compound, beautiful in fall

• Fruit: dense clusters of ‘bobs’

• Teas, spice, dye,