Overview
Washington's wet westside forests are among the most productive conifer forests on Earth, while the drier eastside supports pine and open woodland. Learning a handful of conifers and broadleaf trees unlocks most of what you will see.
This guide covers common and iconic Washington trees — how to tell them apart by foliage, bark, and habit. Pair it with a photo of the needles or leaves and the app to confirm any tree you find.
Key Species to Know
Douglas-fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
A dominant Pacific Northwest conifer with soft, flat needles set all around the twig and cones bearing distinctive three-pronged "mouse-tail" bracts. Thick, deeply furrowed bark on old trees.
Western Red Cedar
Thuja plicata
A large evergreen with flat, scale-like sprays of aromatic foliage and stringy, reddish-brown bark. Culturally vital to Northwest peoples; thrives in wet forests.
Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla
Washington's state tree — a graceful conifer with short, uneven flat needles and a characteristically drooping leader at its top. Shade-tolerant and abundant in old-growth.
Bigleaf Maple
Acer macrophyllum
A broadleaf tree with enormous five-lobed leaves (up to a foot wide), often cloaked in mosses and ferns in wet forests. Gives golden fall color along westside rivers.
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii
A broadleaf evergreen with glossy oval leaves and smooth, orange-red bark that peels in thin curls to reveal green beneath. Bears white spring flowers and red-orange berries.
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis
A large coastal conifer with stiff, sharp, four-sided needles and thin, scaly gray-purple bark. Grows to great size in the fog-drenched outer coast forests.
Seasonal Guide
- Year-round: Douglas-fir, cedar, hemlock, spruce, and madrone are evergreen and identifiable in any season.
- Fall: bigleaf maple turns golden along westside rivers among the dark conifers.
- Winter: the smooth orange bark of madrone glows against wet green slopes.
Safety Reminder
This is an identification guide only — it does not cover edibility or foraging. Observe trees without damaging bark or breaking limbs, and stay on established trails in old-growth and coastal forests.
Identify it instantly
Found something and not sure what it is? Point your camera with Spotter and get a species identification in seconds — with detailed reference info and species notes.