Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), is also sometimes known as Yellow, Bull, Western Red, Pitch, or Western Longleaf. It is a coniferous tree that grows in many places in the Western United States and Canada. Its environment is variable, but it is typical found in drier soils and conditions. Its bark is yellow to reddish-brown with deep, irregular furrows and scaly plates that look like puzzle pieces. Fun fact, the bark smells like vanilla!

Height: 100-140 feet

Needles: Clusters of 3 needles, 5-10" long

Cones: 3-6", reddish-brown

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PIPOP

Swordleaf Rush

Swordleaf Rush (Juncus ensifolius), sometimes known as Dagger-leaf Rush, is a perennial grass-like that grows along roadsides, streams, lakes, ditches, margins of springs and ponds, wet to seasonally-dry meadows, marshes, seeps, sandbars, foothills, planes, valleys, and mountain to sub-alpine sites. It is very distinctive from other grass-likes because of its unique, iris-like leaf structure.

Height: 8" to 24"

Solar Exposure: Part to full-sun

Bloom Color: Tan, black, or purplish

Bloom Time: Mid-summer

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=JUEN

Pics from https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=JUEN

Common Snowberry

Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), sometimes known as White Coralberry, is a deciduous, woody shrub that forms colonies from rhizomes. Young shoots are yellowish-brown and the bark on older stems and twigs is greyish-brown and scaly or split lengthwise. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to oval, smooth to slightly lobed, and pale green in color. Its inedible, white berries hang on through the winter after its leaves have fallen. It can be found in many places, including moist forests, open sunny areas, and at low to mid elevations.

Height: Up to 20 feet

Solar Exposure: Part shade to full sun

Bloom Color: Pink or white

Bloom Time: May to late August

USDA PLANTS Database Link

https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_syal.pdf