Mount Rainier Nature

Name Abundance: Location Name Abundance: Location Mount Rainier National Park Pine Family continued Pine Family continued  Mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensiana Abundant: Low to mid- elevation forests throughout the park  Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis Locally Abundant: Only at low elevations at Carbon River near the park boundary  Noble fir Abies procera Scattered to Abundant: Mid-elevation forests throughout the park  Subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa Abundant: Upper elevation forests and subalpine  Pacific silver fir Abies amabilis Abundant: Mid-elevation forests throughout the park  Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa Infrequent: Very few low to mid-elevation on the east side of the park Western hemlock  Western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla Abundant: Low to midelevation forests throughout the park  Western white pine Pinus monticola Scattered: Mid-elevation forests throughout the park  Whitebark pine Pinus albicaulis Locally Abundant: High elevation forests mostly in the northeast side of the park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Tree Checklist Subalpine fir Rose Family Rosaceae  Bitter cherry Prunus emarginata Scattered: Low elevation forests on the south side of the park  Wild crabapple Pyrus fusca Locally Abundant: Low elevation wet areas, primarily on the southeast side of the park Yew Family Taxaceae  Western yew Taxus brevifolia Scattered: Low elevation forests throughout the park Willow Family Salicaceae  Black cottonwood Populus balsamifera Abundant: Low to midelevation river/stream areas throughout the park  Scouler willow Salix scouleriana Abundant: Low to midelevation forest and river/stream areas throughout the park 1/18 Douglas-fir The forests of Mount Rainier National Park are a significant natural resource. They extend up the mountain slopes to elevations above 6,000 feet (above 1,800 m) and occupy 60% of the park landscape. Dense, coniferous forests clothe the lower slopes and valleys of the park. The forests are rich and varied—from massive stands of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western red-cedar in the valley bottoms to the open groves of subalpine fir and mountain hemlock on the high ridges. They provide outstanding examples of virgin forests that once occupied the mountains and lowlands of western Washington. The majority of the trees in Mount Rainier National Park are evergreen conifers, keeping their needle-like leaves year round, while only a few trees in the park are deciduous, losing their leaves over the winter. The best place to view low-elevation forests are Carbon River, Nisqually Entrance to Longmire, and Ohanapecosh. The Paradise, Sunrise, and Tipsoo Lake areas are good locations to see the open subalpine forests. Name Abundance: Location Name Abundance: Location Birch Family Betulaceae Maple Family Aceraceae  Red alder Alnus rubra Abundant: Low to mid- elevation rivers/streams and moist slopes throughout the park  Bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum Scattered: Low elevation river/stream areas, primarily on the southwest side of the park  Sitka alder (Slide alder) Alnus viridis Scattered: Mid-elevation, mostly in open areas throughout the park  Douglas maple Acer glabrum Locally Abundant: Low to mid-elevation forests and open slopes, primarily northeast side of the park Cypress Family Cupressaceae  Alaska yellow-cedar Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Abundant: Mid to upper elevation forests throughout the park  Vine maple Acer circinatum Abundant: Low to high elevation forests and river/stream areas throughout the park  Western red-cedar Thuja plicata Abundant: Low elevation forests throughout the park Pine Family Pinaceae  Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Abundant: Low to mid- elevation forests throughout the park  Engleman spruce Picea engelmannii Scattered: Mid to upper elevation forests mostly north side of the park  Grand fir Abies grandis Scattered: Low elevation forests primarily west side of the park  Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta Scattered: Low to upper elevation forests in the north side of the park and Longmire Abundance Abundant: Species is commonly found throughout the area and is usually a dominant species in the overstory or understory Western red-cedar Whitebark pine Locally Abundant: Generally not commonly found throughout the area, but very abundant and can be dominant where it does occur Scattered: Individual trees are scattered throughout the community they occur in, but usually are not a dominant species Infrequent: Not commonly found Elevation Low Elevation: 2,000-3,000 feet Mid-Elevation: 3,000-4,500 feet Upper Elevation: Above 4,500 feet Dogwood Family Cornaceae  Pacific dogwood Cornus nuttallii Scattered: Low elevation forests on east side of park