Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

By Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

As the autumn leaves flutter to the ground, you might find yourself picking one up, observing its color and shape, and wondering: What kind of tree is this from, anyway?



Oregon is best known for its towering forests of conifers, but while deciduous trees might play second fiddle to their evergreen brethren, they remain a vital – and surprisingly widespread part of our Pacific northwest ecosystem.



Fall is a great time of year to get to know these trees by their leaves. With red and yellow foliage along sidewalks and trails, it's not hard to figure out which species of tree a fallen leaf has come from – whether you're collecting leaves to press in a scrapbook or just gazing to the ground as you walk.



Before we start, it's important to note that I've only included trees native to Oregon. There are many, many other species of deciduous trees in urban areas around the state, but these are the ones you'll find in forests, canyons and mountain slopes, turning beautiful shades of warm color for the season.

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Courtesy of Marci Degman

1. What tree is this?

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Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service

BIGLEAF MAPLE

The bigleaf maple is native to the west coast, and ranges from San Diego through British Columbia, though it’s particularly abundant in northwest Oregon. The trees provide important diversity of food and habitat in coniferous forests. The leaves are easy to identify by their large, broad body and the iconic maple leaf shape, which turns a pale shade of yellow in fall.

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Courtesy of Raj Sarda

2. What tree is this?

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian/OregonLive

VINE MAPLE

The adaptable vine maple is common throughout western Oregon, and is probably best identified by its trunk, which in the darker understory of forests branches out into several vine-like tendrils. The leaf is easy to identify too: The maple shape is present, but is compacted into smaller leaves with many points. They turn many vibrant shades of yellow, red and orange in autumn.

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Luke McGuff/Flickr

3. What tree is this?

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Luke McGuff/Flickr

RED ALDER

Another common tree found west of the Cascades, the red alder is one of the most important hardwoods in the region, often taking over in areas that have been logged, or destroyed by landslide or fire. The long, oval leaves turn a vibrant shade of yellow in the fall.

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Courtesy of Gil Wistar

4. What tree is this?

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Abby Haight/The Oregonian

WHITE OAK

The Oregon white oak is predominant in the Willamette Valley, where huge stands once stood before agriculture moved in. Fire has historically been an important factor to help the species thrive, as the larger oaks have thick bark which helps them survive while other trees burn. There’s no mistaking the leaf, with its many swoops and curves, which turn yellow and brown.

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian/OregonLive

5. What tree is this?

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

QUAKING ASPEN

The quaking aspen has the widest natural range of any tree in North America, but in Oregon stands are found in odd patches here and there: in the canyons of Steens Mountain, on the north side of Klamath Lake and throughout the Fremont-Winema National Forest. The relatively smooth, heart-shaped leaves are easy to spot near the thin, white aspen trunks.

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian

6. What tree is this?

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian

WESTERN LARCH

Western larch is a rare species that is both deciduous and coniferous. Found primarily in the north-central and eastern Oregon mountain ranges, it generally grows intermixed with other coniferous trees. The western larch is easy to identify in fall, when its needles turn yellow before falling off for the season.

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Jean-Pol Grandmont/Wikimedia Commons

7. What tree is this?

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born1945/Flickr

OREGON ASH

The only ash native to the Pacific Northwest, the Oregon ash is usually found in western Oregon, often growing in wet, swampy areas and in abandoned fields. The long, pointed leaves turn yellow come fall, though you may see other kinds of ash in urban areas, which turn bright red for the season.

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born1945/Flickr

8. What tree is this?

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Jsayre64/Wikimedia Commons

BLACK COTTONWOOD

Abundant in all but southeast Oregon, black cottonwood is often found along rivers and streams, and can take over areas prone to flooding. The leaves are oval or heart-shaped and turn a rich shade of yellow in fall.

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AP Photo/The Fresno Bee, John Walker

9. What tree is this?

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Samantha Swindler/Forest Grove Leader

PACIFIC DOGWOOD

Perhaps best known for its large, beautiful flowers, the Pacific dogwood is found throughout the Pacific Northwest, thriving in shadier areas where it’s capable of growing over 60 feet tall. The oval leaves turn bright red in fall, giving the tree striking beauty in both autumn and spring.

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Courtesy of J.Frank Schmidt & Son Co. 20

10. What tree is this?

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Marv Bondarowicz/The Oregonian

PAPER BIRCH

The paper birch is a rare find in Oregon, with native stands found only sparingly in the Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon. The birch is best known for its iconic white bark, which peels off in rolls. The oval leaves turn yellow in fall, and are best distinguished from aspen leaves by their serrated edges.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

NORTHWEST TRAVEL GUIDES

15 places to see fall color in Oregon: It's not too late to see some beautiful fall foliage around Oregon.

Fall color arrives at Silver Falls: Bigleaf and vine maple provide vibrant color at one of Oregon's most scenic state parks.

An epic volcano road trip: Tour Oregon's best volcanic attractions, including active volcanoes, massive craters and young lava flows.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB