Native plants in our parks

Cascara

Rhamnus purshiana 

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly Park.

View full size image of Series of three photos of leaves, berries, and trunk with more detail below

• Deciduous small tree growing to 33 feet tall
• Found in fairly dry to wet sites in mixed woods
• Bark is silver grey
• Leaves alternate, egg shaped, pinnately veined (parallel lines)
• Fruit is blue to purplish berries
• Flowers greenish yellow in umbrella shaped clusters

Red Elderberry

Sambucus racemosa

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly Park.

View full size image of Series of four photos of white flowers, leaves, berries, and branch with more details below

• Deciduous shrub to small tree growing 10-30 feet tall
• Found along stream banks, ravines, moist clearings and open forests
• Opposite leaves with 5-7 leaflets with toothed edges
• Bright red berries
• White flowers arranged in panicles (grape like clusters)

Beaked Hazelnut

Corylus cornuta

Find tagged plants at Hamilton Park.

View full size image of Series of three photos showing spring buds, cluster of leaves, and fall catkins (bulbous shape with bud at base)

• Deciduous shrub growing 15-25 feet tall; prefers partial shade of forests.
• Leaves are broad ovals with serrated (jagged) edges and velvety soft undersides.
• Male flowers come out in the fall and are called catkins; small, red female flowers form in spring.
• Fruit is hazelnut, inside a “beaked” husk (like a bird beak).

Thimbleberry 

Rubus parviflorus

Find tagged plants at Hamilton Park.

View full size image of Series shows white flowers with leaves, pink and red berries, and stem.

• Shrub growing up to 12 feet
• Alternate leaves are soft and fuzzy
• Flowers are white and crinkle like tissue paper.
• Fruits are red berries and resemble thimbles (items used for sewing).

Sword Fern 

Polystichum munitum

Find tagged plants at Hamilton Park.

View full size image of Fern frond, fern plant with fronds extending from base, and underside of frond with tiny brown circular spores.

• Found in shady moist forests.
• Grows 3-6 feet tall.
• Leaves are sword shaped with sharp toothed tips.
• Sori (spores, which are similar to seeds) are in circular dots on underside of fronds.
• Fern fronds grow from a central point called a root ball.

Oceanspray

Holodiscus discolor

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of three photos showing tiny white flower cluster; hairy, lobed leaves; tiny clusters of fruits; and stem with buds.

• Found in dry to moist, open sites.
• Grows up to 15 feet tall.
• Leaves are alternate, hairy, lobed  and deciduous; oval to triangular shaped.
• Flowers are white to cream in cascading clusters.
• Fruits are tiny and light brown.

Osoberry/Indian Plum 

Oemleria cerasiformis

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes cluster of white flowers, purple-black berries, stem with alternating leaves, and stem with bud.

• Deciduous shrub to small tree  growing 10-15 feet tall.
• Found along stream banks and in shady forested areas.
• Leaves alternate with strong cucumber smell when crushed.
• Fruit resembles small plums (1 cm) ranging from peach to bluish black.
• Flowers in medium sized clusters; one of the first plants to flower in the spring.

Vine Maple 

Acer circinatum

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes tiny red and white floweres, leaves with seed pods, golden yellow and red tinged leaves, and a red-colored branch.

• Deciduous, shrub-like tree growing in shady forests or forest edges.
• Opposite leaves with 7-9 lobes, turning from bright green to vivid yellow-red in fall.
• Flowers are small and white and red.
• Seeds are wing-like samaras in pairs.

Bigleaf Maple

Acer macrophyllum

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks

View full size image of Series of photos includes winged seeds pods connected in pairs, yellow-green cluster of flowers, large lobed leaf, branch tip with bud.

• Deciduous tree; can grow over 100 feet tall.
• Leaves are opposite, deeply-lobed and large.
• Seeds are in wing-like “samaras,” arranged in pairs.
• Small, yellow-green flowers appear in spring on drooping spikes.

Swamp rose

Rosa pisocarpa

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes pink flowers with five heart-shaped petals and yellow center, branch with leaves with serrated edges, and clusters of red-orange berries.

• Prefers moist habitat (riparian areas);  grows up to 7 feet tall.
• Leaf is oval and serrated (jagged) on edges.
• Fruits are red berries, called “hips.”
• Pink flowers form in clusters, can bloom in fall and spring.
• Stem is thin and covered in prickly thorns.

Snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes cluster of round, white berries; branches with oval leaves in pairs; pink and white bell-shaped flowers; and a woody stem.

• Shrub found in dry to moist open forests growing up to 12 feet tall.
• Leaves opposite, oval-shaped, although often are lobed when young.
• Flowers are pink to white bell-shaped in clusters.
• Fruit are white and in clusters.

Douglas Hawthorn

Crataegus douglasii

No plants currently tagged at either park.

View full size image of Series of photos includes a cluster of white 5-petal flowers with yellow-green centers; cluster of purple berries; and branch with cluster of serrated leaves.

• Deciduous tree growing to 50 feet tall, often in shrub-like form, with thorns and branches.
• Prefers woodlands with partial shade and sun.
• Leaves alternate, serrated (jagged edges), oval.

Flowers are white. Berries are purple almost to black. 

Tall Oregon Grape

Mahonia aquifolium

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes clusters of blue berries, a stem with sharp-pointed leaves, and cluster of yellow flowers.

• Evergreen shrub growing up to 15 feet tall.
• Prefers part-shade to considerable sun.
• Leaves are compounded, opposite, shiny, with jagged edges and sharp points.
• Flowers are bright yellow. Berries are blue. 

Red-osier Dogwood

Cornus sericea

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly Park.

View full size image of Series of photos includes a cluster of white flowers surrounded by oval leaves; clusters of smooth white berries, red stem, and a cluster of red stems with leaves.

• Wetland shrub growing up to 15 feet tall, often in clusters.
• Bare stems are bright red in winter.
• Leaves are opposite, pointed ovals, with pairs of veins curving toward the tip leaf.
• Flowers are tiny and white, clustered at the tips of branches.
• Fruits are white to blueish-white, berry-like. 

Pacific Ninebark

Physocarpus capitatus

No plants currently tagged at either park.

View full size image of Series of photos includes cluster or red pods, cluster or white flowers with centers of red and yellow circles, woody stems.

• Wetland shrub grows up to 15 feet tall.
• Bark is reddish brown with peeling layers.
• Leaves are lobed and slightly serrated (jagged).
• White flowers grow in rounded clusters.
• Fruits are in glossy-red pods that split open to release seeds. 

Red-flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

Find tagged plants at Albert Kelly and Hamilton parks.

View full size image of Series of photos includes a small cluster of bright pink flowers surrounded by lobed, green leaves and a bunch of light purple berries.

• Deciduous shrub, up to 8 feet tall
• Alternate branching with lobed, simple leaves with rough edges.
• Likes sun and shade.
• Small whitish-purple berries
• Small very pink flowers fuchsia or magenta