Scientific Name: Taxus brevifolia
Common Name: Pacific yew, western yew
Family: Taxaceae
Native Range: Western coast of the United States, from southern Alaska to northern California; western Rocky Mountains, from northern British Columbia to Idaho and Montana
Location in the Arboretum: South end of the Arboretum above Azalea Way (Grid 17-1E)
The Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, is a native tree or large shrub that is often overlooked below the overstory of large iconic Pacific Northwest trees such as Western redcedars, Douglas firs, and Western hemlocks. 

Meet our August Staff Feature – Ron Schmaltz! Ron is the horticulturalist in charge of one of the Washington Park Arboretum’s signature collections: Rhododendron Glen. Ron spent almost 30 years as an IT software developer before pivoting to horticulture. After returning to school at the Edmonds College, Ron started as an intern at the Arboretum in 2017 and, before too long, was working as an official gardener and caring for the 4 acres that make up the Glen. 

Scientific Name: Camellia sasanqua
Common Name: sasanqua camellia; the Japanese name for all camellias is tsubaki,“tree with shining leaves,” while the Japanese name for Camellia sasanqua is sazanka, “plum-flowered tea.”
Family: Theaceae
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Native Range: Lowland forests of southern Japan
Culture/Habit: Organically rich, evenly moist, well-drained soils in shade to sun. Small trees to 16 feet tall or vining shrubs growing wider than tall, often depending on sun exposure. 

Scientific name: Fagus sylvatica
Common Name: Common beech, European beech
Family: Fagaceae (Oak family)
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Locations in the Washington Park Arboretum: Oak Collection area, directly east from the Graham Visitor Center
Fagus sylvatica, 3 specimens 595-44-A &B & 907-50-A: grids 42-1E, 43-1E
F.sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ 1142-49-A: grid 41-1E
F.sylvatica ‘Dawyck’ 490-57-A: grid 40-1E
F.sylvatica ‘Riversii’ 682-67-A: grid 44-B
F.sylvatica ‘Rohanii’ 382-50-A: grid 42-1E
F.sylvatica ‘Spaethiana’ 654-54-A: grid 42-1E
F.sylvatica f. 

Scientific name: Prunus species
Various species:
P. Sato-zakura Group: Cultivars: ‘Shirotae’, ‘Shoetsu’, ‘Ukon’ ‘Chosho-Hizakura’, Sekiyama’
‘Ohochin’ ‘Oeshokun’
P. serrulata: Cultivars: ‘Asagi’ ‘Iohiyo’, ‘Shirofugen’, ‘Tai-Haku’, ‘Taoyome’ ‘Wase-Miyako’ ‘Horinji’
P. subhirtella: Cultivars: ‘Eureka Weeping’ ‘Pendula’ ‘Rosea’ ‘Stellata’ ‘Higan Weeping’ ‘Whitcomb’
P. sargentii: Cultivar: ‘Pink Flair’
Prunus x yedoensis: Cultivar: ‘Akebono’, ‘Shidare-yoshino’, ‘Somei-Yoshino’
P. x juddii
Common name: Japanese Ornamental Cherry
Family: Rosaceae
Native Range: Japan
In the Arboretum: Along Azalea Way
Issues: brown rot, cherry bark tortrix larvae, crown gall, root rot, low tolerance of compacted or wet soils

During spring’s first blossoms, I brag to anyone who will listen that the Japanese ornamental cherries at the Washington Park Arboretum are the most amazing display in the city and that they MUST go for a walk along Azalea Way to view this splendor. 

Scientific name: Trochodendron aralioides
Synonyms: Trochodendron longifolium
Common name: Wheel tree, parasol tree, birdlime tree, yamaguruma, nagaba-no-yamguruma, kun lan shu, ka-tang-lai
Family: Trochodendraceae
Native Range: Japan (south of Yamagata), Kyushu, Shikoku, Ryuku Islands, Taiwan
Height and Spread: May grow from 60-75 tall feet in the wild with trunks as large as 16 feet in diameter, typically 20-25 feet tall by 10-15 feet wide in cultivation. 

Scientific name: Ailanthus altissima
Common name: Tree of Heaven, Stinking Sumac, Paradise Tree
Family: Simaroubaceae
Native Range: Taiwan and China, hardy to USDA Zone 4
Habit: Grows between 60-90 feet tall and can grow to around 25 feet in a single year. The bark is smooth and tan to gray in early growth. With age, bark will become rugged with heart-shaped leaf scars. 

Join us for a FREE public opening of art installation, UNION, a stunning largescale outdoor sculpture created by one of the world’s leading contemporary artists, Seattle-based John Grade. 

Scientific name: Cornus mas 
Common name: Cornelian cherry, European cornel, Cornelian cherry dogwood
Family: Cornaceae (Dogwoods)
Native range: Southern and central Europe to western Asia
Location: At the Center for Urban Horticulture, there is a grove located in the northern lawn area along the central drive and the trees’ accession numbers are 87-90. At the Arboretum, there are three specimens under the accession number of 704-38 (grid 33-B) from the original planting of the Woodland Garden in 1938. 

The horticulture staff at the Washington Park Arboretum are constantly planting new trees. These new plantings increase species diversity within the collection, succeed dead or declining trees, contribute to future increased canopy coverage and much, much more. All of the trees mentioned in this article were planted over the last year and are located within the Pinetum on the west side of Lake Washington Boulevard.