The Sitka spruce is a remarkable tree found on Oregon’s coastline. Named for the Sitka Sound in Alaska, this tree typically grows in a narrow strip of the coast from southern Alaska to northern California. It is able to grow in this environment because its needles and bark are resistant to salt spray.
Sitka spruce wood has many unique qualities that allow it to be used in a variety of different ways. Because the wood is very strong for its weight it is frequently used in aircraft frames, racing shells and ladders. The wood is also an excellent conductor of sound and is used in pianos, organs, guitars and violins.
Next time you listen to music or take a flight think about the Spruce tree and take the opportunity to walk among these wonderful trees next time you visit Coastal Oregon.
The Giant Spruce of Cape Perpetua was recently designated an Oregon Heritage Tree. According to Oregon Coast Magazine, this tree is easily accessed by hiking 1 mile along the Spruce Trail from the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center, which is just off Highway 101, 3 miles south of Yachats.
Leaves and berries of the Cascara tree (courtesy Oregon State University, landscape)
Cascara is a medium-sized deciduous tree or large shrub that can reach 33-feet tall.
Spanish conquerors found several native people using the bark in the 1600s. The conquerors named the mottled gray bark “Sacred bark.”
Processed bark became famous in the 1800s. It was exported to the European markets.
As one might have guessed, the Pacific Northwest native tree populations declined through overharvesting.
Rising Star
Who would have thought that a local bark could become famous?
The commercial product was called ‘Cascara sagrada’ and it was used in more than 20 percent of the U.S. products in the late 1990’s. The industry at that time had an estimated value of $400 million.
In May 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of this tree in over-the-counter drug products and found the use potentially carcinogenic.
Cascara flowers (courtesy of Oregon State University, Landscape)
Bark?
The outer bark has light splotching (sometimes from lichens). The inner bark is smooth and yellowish. Exposed inner bark will oxidize and turn brown.
Fresh cut bark is intensely bitter and will overpower the taste buds—for hours. Fresh cut, dried bark will cause vomiting and violent diarrhea.
Fruit
The sickly, sweet fruit can be eaten cooked or raw. The berries are deep purple or black with yellow pulp. The berries usually contain two or three hard, smooth seeds.
In the past, the food industry used cascara as a flavoring agent for liquors, soft drinks, ice cream, and baked goods.
NOTE: The fruit and honey both have a laxative effect.
When to Collect
Bark collected in the spring or early summer can be easily peeled off the stem. Bark will be aged and dried for at least a year before use.
Use
Cascara tree bark is a strong laxative that should be used carefully.
It can induce labor in pregnant women and transfer active compounds to nursing infants.
There are several precautions about this bark and warnings that it may be carcinogenic.
Where Found
This tree is native to northern California up to British Columbia and from the Pacific Coast east into Montana. Leaves are oval up to 6-inches long with fine edge serrations. Small, green flowers develop into blue-black fruits.
Cascara plant grow near streams in mixed forests. Check under big leaf maple trees–they are often an understory there.
Safe Uses
The fall yellow leaf color is pleasant (color varies based on light) and branching is interesting. Cascara does not adapt well to urban settings and is better in a woodland park or garden.
Cascara is a nice ornamental that can help prevent soil erosion and provide wildlife food and habitat. The fruit is a favorite of the Pileated woodpecker. Bears, raccoons, deer, and other wildlife also consumed the berries.
Locals and visitors alike marvel at the iconic image of the Douglas-fir. Did you know this tree provides for much more than good pictures?
This tree is highly revered, not only for its beauty, but usefulness. It has played an important role in the history of Oregon, as well as the United States. Impress your next visitors by sharing new knowledge about this interesting species.
Naming
Scottish physician Archibald Menzies first documented the tree on Vancouver Island in 1791. A rival botanist, David Douglas named the tree over 30 years later.
David Douglas, a botanist who described the tree in 1825 was the first person able to grow this tree in England.
Not a fir
The Douglas-fir is not what it seems and the scientific name gives a clue (Pseudo = false, tsuga = fir). It is not a fir, but an evergreen conifer that is part of the pine family.
This tree is very long lived and tall. It can reach 330 feet tall and have a life expectancy of 1,000 years. It grows taller and faster in the coastal rainforests where there is good drainage.
State Tree
More than a century later in 1939 the Douglas-fir was designated Oregon’s State tree in recognition of the significant role it has played in the state’s economic development.
Economics
In addition to being beloved by Oregonians, the Douglas-fir is well-known across the country. Today, Douglas-fir is the country’s top source of lumber and accounts for nearly half of the Christmas trees grown in the United States.
Utility
Douglas-fir was also extensively used by Native Americans for building, basketry, and medicinal purposes. The wood was used for railroad ties, and telephone and telegraph poles as the nation expanded west.
Keep an eye out for this important species next time you explore the Oregon Coast!
