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If you've never seen an empress tree in full bloom in the spring it's certainly a site to see! They flower before they set out leaves. There are three in our neighborhood and the light purple flowers are definitely noticeable among all the green.

Took a little getaway to the Hood Canal and of course had to stop and check out the trees. Here's an interesting tree cavity that was most likely started by someone carving a heart into the bark. Trees will do their best to heal themselves if damaged, but can't always make a full recovery.

A couple weeks ago we were able to assess a very large Queen Anne Cherry tree in Skagit County. The owner was concerned it might be at the end of its life span, but we were able to recommend some pruning and trimming that will likely extend its life for another 10-15 years as well as protect nearby structures from falling branches. We are looking forward to some beautiful blossoms on this tree this spring!

Winter is the time for the bark of a tree to really stand out. However, tree identification during this time of year can be more difficult as leaves, buds, flowers, and fruit are also huge clues for proper tree identification.

It's been blustery and snowy here, and the wind decided to make some art using this small tree branch. Stay safe out there! 

This customer wisely decided to cut back the ivy growing up his cedar trees. Vines like ivy and wisteria can cause multiple types of damage to a tree, and should never be encouraged to grow up trees. 

Guess who we found halfway up a tree today? Looks like 2020 couldn't resist one last opportunity for a surprise. We never expected to see this guy up there! Happy New Year!

Continuing into mushroom season, here's a prime example of how important dead and decaying wood can be to other organisms. This bright orange mushroom is thriving on this stump, along with many other hidden and microscopic critters.

It's mushroom season 🍄 here in the PNW and we found these guys just the other day - their tops were at least 7 inches in diameter. Did you know mushrooms and trees often have symbiotic relationships? This article from Trees Atlanta is a good read Mushrooms and Their Relationships with Trees

Now that fall is here, we are once again reminiscing about our trip to the Lake Quinault area last summer. The difference between trees in the protected portions of the Olympic National Forest versus the areas that have been logged and replanted are vast. One of the most notable differences is the variety of trees, and the variety of stages of development and decline. The state of decay of this particular stump is almost like art.