DOUGLAS-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
park. Western hemlock can be identified by its foliage and cones. The
needles vary in length from ¼ to 1 inch and are pliable and
round-pointed. The lacy sprays of foliage have a delicate appearance.
The top shoot of the tree bends over in an arc—another identifying
characteristic. The cones, about three-quarters of an inch long, are
usually abundant near the ends of the branches.
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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: THIS SITKA SPRUCE STARTED LIFE ON TOP OF A HIGH STUMP
WHICH ROTTED AWAY LEAVING THE GROWING TREE STANDING ON STILTLIKE
ROOTS.]
[Illustration: 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.