- 1). Analyze the size, shape and color of the leaves on the tree. Western Washington trees have leaves that are at least 3 inches long and are of different shapes and colors. Black cottonwood trees have thick, shiny, dark green leaves that grow up to 8 inches long. They are oval with pointy tips. Vine maple leaves are green, lightly haired underneath, circular and coarsely toothed on the edges. The leaves grow up to 6 inches long. Giant sequoia leaves are less than an inch long and are grayish green and needle-like, while quaking aspen trees have smooth-textured, dark green, heart-shaped leaves.
- 2). Examine the fruit on the tree. Western Washington trees have a variety of fruits. For example, vine maple trees have two-seeded samaras that are almost one inch long. Crabapple trees have small, green-to-red colored fruit that grows up to 2 inches in diameter. The fruit can be seen during the summer and fall. Bitter cherry has small, bright red fruit that has a pointed pit. Pacific dogwood fruit is dark red and elongated.
- 3). Look at the flowers on trees in the western region of Washington. Pacific dogwood five-petaled flowers are white and sit among four to six leaves. Crabapple trees have five-petaled flowers that are pink, red or white with a yellow center. Black cottonwood has white, puffy flowers that contain several seeds.
- 4). Analyze the bark on the tree. Trees in the western region of Washington have bark that ranges in colors from red to brown to gray. Bitter cherry trees have a smooth, thin layered, red bark. Paper birch trees have whitish-brown bark that peels in thin strips. Western hemlock tree bark is gray to brown and thinly scaled. Noble fir has smooth bark that is brownish gray.
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