Buds of native North American conifers for identification

parhamr

Omono
Messages
1,782
Reaction score
6,332
Location
Portland, OR
USDA Zone
8
I’ve seen a lot of threads in which people have uncertainty of tree identification based on bud appearance. Here are some good photos from my yard to help folks. Unless noted these are all mature buds from the fall.

If you contribute to this thread then please use enough keywords that people would find your post. I’m thinking both Latin and common names. Subspecies, season, and other notes would be great.

Engelmann Spruce, Picea engelmanii
46B2956F-66A1-4930-8464-9FF86FD365C9.jpeg DB61B509-9028-446A-A9AB-76004FE86FED.jpeg EB1288D0-0BA2-4D5C-B1A4-9D769C64D61F.jpeg

Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Western subspecies)
703C1176-D51F-4730-9511-D08A0DD6D376.jpeg

Subalpine Fir, Abies lasiocarpa
2B883E32-4B53-420A-AE11-8A0DCC249F87.jpeg 26F326A5-9FD5-4A40-A8D1-AF8A0DF95AD6.jpeg

Black Hills Spruce, Picea glauca
B3176CF2-E491-4A22-A6ED-705DD4DC7831.jpeg

Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock (right photo is during growing season), mid-Cascades subspecies
027D7548-5596-49F8-9ED7-AF899AE7EEC3.jpeg 42777087-80F9-487C-A5C6-3C69D0C0D4D4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Tsuga species…

Tsuga heterophylla, Western Hemlock (nursery stock from Weyerhaeuser)
2186023E-C295-4671-9504-DF36590D51A4.jpeg

Tsuga heterophylla, Western Hemlock (unknown provenance)
3664AA5D-D586-4FD2-9C09-5F451DAA9720.jpeg

Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock, mid-Oregon Cascades, permitted collection
0B0BDECF-AAAE-4A02-8BFF-56B3E6898779.jpeg

Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock, Vancouver Island
CF1F8071-E2BD-441B-A49C-9037FB752451.jpeg

Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock (southern Washington Cascades, permitted collection)
FD66D9A8-9F17-4DD7-B4FB-EBBD2D561593.jpeg

(Huh, it looks like I might have mild chlorosis or overwatering on many trees!)
 
Back
Top Bottom