Mt. Rainier

Mt. Rainier Flora -- Prunus emarginata -- (Bitter Cherry)

presented by Susan McDougall


Prunus emarginata

Occasionally seen alongside roads or in mixed woods at middle elevations, this member of the Rose Family has bright white flowers, borne in small, flat-topped clusters.

Author: Susan McDougall
Stevens Canyon, Mount Rainier National Park
GPS: 46.9105, -121.537, 3785
Date: June 11, 2014
Prunus emarginata

Here the red bark, marked with lenticels, of a clonal group is an indicator of the presence of Bitter Cherry. The branches are erect, and the trees may reach 60 feet in height although are often considerably smaller.

Author: Susan McDougall
Highway 410 south of White River turnoff, Mount Rainier National Park
GPS: 46.9105, -121.537, 3785
Date: September 9, 2016
Prunus emarginata

The leaves are toothed and clustered on the branches. This species might be confused with the domestic cherry, which has large, coarsely-toothed leaves and broader flowers.

Author: Susan McDougall
Highway 410 south of White River turnoff, Mount Rainier National Park
GPS: 46.9105, -121.537, 3785
Date: September 9, 2016
Prunus emarginata

This group of trees is thriving on an open roadside slope, the site of a large slide in the early 21st century.

Author: Susan McDougall
Highway 410 south of White River turnoff, Mount Rainier National Park
GPS: 46.9105, -121.537, 3785
Date: September 9, 2016

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