CUPRESSACEAE cypress family Cosmopolitan Mostly scale like foliage or whorled in 3 s Resinous Cones, male & female Cone scales in pairs, peltate or basally attached Cones generally smaller than Pinaceae cones Axillary or terminal on branchlets Berry-like in junipers Trees and shrubs Aromatic Thuja (CUPRESSACEAE) cedar or arborvitae Scale-like (larger than Chamaecyparis) & decussate Laterals almost covering facials Very small cone, wooden rose Ovoid or oblong Monoecious Thuja is a Greek name for a kind of juniper, which is in this family, but a different genus Thuja plicata (CUPRESSACEAE ) western red cedar Western N. America Scale-like Butterfly pattern of stomata on back, but no "x" No obvious gland on underside Laterals almost covering facials Yellowish-green color, usually shining on the upper surface wooden rose 10-12 cone scales Cones turned up and bent backward on branch Huge, fast growing tree - to 200 ft in PNW Bark reddish brown and stringy Branches drooping, then curve upward plicata= folded into plaits or pleated Used by Native Americans sweet citrus scent Page 1 of 10
Chamaecyparis (CUPRESSACEAE) cypress Scale-like (smaller than Thuja) Branchlets usually flattened Cones roundish soccer ball Scales opposite Peltate (umbrella shaped) Monoecious Trees with nodding leader Leaves sometimes unpleasant smelling "Chamae" means dwarf, but many Chamaecyparis are very large Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (CUPRESSACEAE) Lawson cypress or Port Orford cedar Western N. America Scale-like Closely appressed White Y or X mark on underside Laterals much larger than facials soccer ball Small cone 1/3 across, mature in a single season Scales decussate Male cones red, ¼ in spring Pyramidal growth form to 200ft Bark grayish Susceptible to root rot in some areas Leaf scent not as sweet as Thuja, but sweeter than yellow cyprus (close relative) Ilex (AQUIFOLIACEAE) holly Alternate Entire to serrate ~ spiny Mostly evergreen and leathery Infl. clustered cyme or axillary & solitary Radial (symmetric flower) Mostly dioecious Flowers 4-5 parted, small Ovary superior Drupe Brightly colored Persistent sepals Trees & shrubs Acidic soil Short petiole Stipules minute Page 2 of 10
Choisya ternata (RUTACEAE) Mexican orange Mexico Ternately (3 leaflets) compound (sometimes 5) Leaflets glossy, Sessile (no petiole) 2-3 long Strong citrus smell when crushed 3 to 6 flowers in a flattopped inflorescence (corymb) Flowers fragrant, spring and late summer Infl. in leaf axils White, long-lasting 1 across 4 or 5 petals Capsule shrub to 8 ft., rounded shape Good for sun or shade Aztec Pearl cv with very slender leaves and pinkish flowers, Sundance has golden foliage Named after Jacque Choisy, ternata refers to the leaves Ilex crenata (AQUIFOLIACEAE ) convex-leaved holly, Japanese holly Russia, Japan, Korea Alternate Fls 4 parted Female fls solitary Globose (round) drupe - dark colored Shrub Many branches Margin serrulate (crenate) on upper blade Elliptic or obovate to oblonglanceolate Small ½ to 1 long Male fls in 3-7 fld cyme "Crenata" means rounded scallops on leaf margin Several cultivars Good hedge plant Mostly flat Upper dark green Lower dotted with glands, glabrous Petiole short Page 3 of 10
OLEACEAE olive family cosmopolitan Deciduous or evergreen or pinnately compound Entire ~ no stipules Fls- axillary or terminal Radial, perfect or imperfect 4 parted Sepals ~ united Petals ~ united Stamens 2, Pistils 2 fused Ovary superior Samara, berry, drupe or capsule (often olive-like drupe) Trees or shrubs Fragrant flowers Forsythia (OLEACEAE) forsythia Asia & southern Europe Deciduous (~3 leaflets) ~ toothed Clusters of 1-6 fls in leaf axils Golden yellow Appear before leaves Perfect Capsule w/ many winged seeds Shrub to 10 Branchlets hollow or layered Prune after blooming Several good cvs of F. x intermedia PINACEAE pine family northern hemisphere Needles or linear leaves Spirally arranged Monoecious (rarely di) Male cones small, consisting of many small scales Female cones woody, consisting of many small overlapping scales Trees or shrubs Page 4 of 10
Pinus (PINACEAE) pine Needles, Spirally arranged Fascicles (bundled at base with a papery sheath) 2, 3, or 5 per fascicle, depending on species Monoecious Woody scales spirally arranged, Scales w/keel (blunt or rounded protuberance) Trees, some shrubs Whorled, spreading branches Bark furrowed or scaly 2 subgenera: soft pines (white) - needles in 5, cones unarmed, resinous Hard pines (black or red) - needles in 2 or 3, cones armed Pinus nigra (PINACEAE ) Austrian black pine Austria, N. Italy to the Balkans 2 per fascicle 4-6 long Stiff Dark green Female cones yellowish brown Ovoid 2-3 long, 1 ¼ wide keel differing in color Tree to 150 ft. Pollution tolerant Skimmia japonica (RUTACEAE) China, Japan, S.E. Asia Alternate Dioecious Infl cyme Red fruit on female plants Berry Small shrub 3-4 ft Entire Leathery Citrus scent Crowded at ends of branchlets (looks whorled) Elliptic-oblong to oblongobovate Radial 4 parted Female fls with 4-5 staminoids (sterile) White and fragrant Very susceptible to mites, esp. in hot locations "Skimmia" is from the Japanese name Bright yellowish-green, darker in shade Page 5 of 10
Cedrus (PINACEAE) true cedar Mediterranean and W. Himalayas Needle-like Thin and rigid. Dense whorls 0.5-2.5 in long on short shoots. Some short shoots grow out and become long shoots Monoecious. Male cone upright, 4 long, ripening in fall. Female cone upright, waxy at first, then deciduous, 6 tall. Scales thin, rounded & arranged tightly together, with small bract. Matures in 2 nd or 3 rd year. Seeds w/ wings. Trees to 250 ft Pyramidal when young, flattopped when old. NOTE: lots of species are commonly called "cedar", this is the true cedar! Cedrus deodara (PINACEAE) Himalayan cedar W. Himalayas from W. Nepal to Afghanistan Needles rigid Densely crowded on short shoots (each spur 1 yr growth) ~ Triangular, pointed Needles longer than other cedars (can be up to 2 in) Needles have greenish blue color Monoecious Upright female cones Male cones shed in spring, look like cheetos Winged seeds Scales rounded w/tiny appendix (bract) Maturing in 2 nd or 3 rd yr. Tall tree Spreading branches Branches more pendulous than other cedars "Deodora" comes from a name used in India Page 6 of 10
Vinca minor (APOCYNACEAE) periwinkle S. Russia, N. Caucasus Cornus (CORNACEAE) & weakly decussate, Entire Elliptic to ovate ½ to 1 ½ long Stems milky juice when broken dogwood Solitary Perfect, Radial Corolla funnel-form 5-lobed Lilac blue, pink, white, mostly in early spring 1 diameter Follicle Trailing plant w/upright branches to 6 in, thin stems root as they touch ground (alternate in one species) Arcuate venation (veins arching from base to tip) Infl Terminal Tight & compact Perfect, Ovary inferior 4-parted Infl with bracts beneath (often showy) Drupe or berry Stems shiny green "Vinca" is from a Latin word meaning to bind or wrap Somewhat invasive in CA V. major has larger, cordate lvs. Trees, shrubs, herbs If you tear a leaf, will see strings inside veins Bracts can change color with age Cornus mas (CORNACEAE) Cornelian cherry Europe, W. Asia Infl Short stalked umbels Drupe Small tree to 20 ft. Ovate 4 long 3-5 pairs of veins Long hairs on underside of leaves in vein axils Fls apetalous Bracts yellow, small and not showy Ellipsoid Dark reddish black If you tear a leaf, will see strings inside veins Bracts can change color with age Early flowering before leaves Fruits edible "mas" means masculine Page 7 of 10
Buxus sempervirens (BUXACEAE ) box Europe, N. Africa, Turkey Entire Small leaf Short petioled Leathery Many leaves slightly concave Elliptic, obtuse or emarginate at apex Yellowish-green and lustrous on both upper and lower surfaces Infl axillary or terminal clusters Small female fl in center surrounded by several male fls. Female fls - Apetalous - Sepals 6 - Styles-3 Male fls - - Sepals 4 - Stamens 4 (longer than sepals) Distinctive 3 horned capsule, but often not seen Shrub Many branched Heavily used in hedges & topiaries Leaves have a distinctive smell likened to cat urine New leaves in cabbage head may indicate insect or disease problem Yellow-green Viburnum (ADOXACEAE, formerly in CAPRIFOLIACEAE) viburnum Infl. Axillary or terminal Drupe w/ 1 compressed stone Shrubs or small trees Rarely palmately lobed Variable shapes - Lanceolate to rounded - Entire to serrated Often rough & thick Often prominent veins Compound umbel (flattopped or convex clusters) Radial Corolla (petals) - 5 lobed - rotate (disc-shaped) to campanulate (tubular) Stamens 5 Deciduous or evergreen Many popular ornamentals ~ Scented flowers White to pinkish Page 8 of 10
Viburnum tinus (ADOXACEAE ) laurustinus Mediterranean, Entire Leathery (slightly wrinkled) Narrowly ovate or lanceolate 4 long ; 1 ½ wide Lustrous dark green on top Infl Compound umbel Umbel is convex White or pinkish fls w/ winered calyx Corolla tube much shorter than lobes Fruits ovoid, metallic-blue drupes Bushy shrub with red branchlets Red, white and blue shrub referring to the branchlets, flowers and drupes Pale underneath & pubescent on veins Veins connect before reaching leaf margin. Page 9 of 10