Shrub near Mt Saint Helens....What is it?

Can any of you fine folks tell me what this plants is? I took the picture on the way up to the Mt Saint Helen's lookout. Just for fun, the third picture is one my husband took of a tree trunk.
Thanks, Jessica

 

Do you think it might be Sorbus sitchensis? If it is that would be funny as I opened up a shrub ID book and there it be...

 

I was thinking Sorbus myself....

 

Definitely a rowan; whether it is Sorbus sitchensis or another species I'm not certain. The foliage looks rather like European Rowan (S. aucuparia; a common escape from cultivation in North America), but that usually flowers rather later (late April or early May).

 

I think I took this in july or august....

 

That would be very late for European Rowan to be flowering! (even at high altitude).

 

Choosing between S. sitchensis and S. scopulina* this would be S. sitchensis, due to the ~dull leaflets and hairy buds.

*THE GENUS SORBUS has a new interpretation with multiple western species being recognized.

 

jonstott...as an aside comment: it would be interesting to see how the area continues to recover. Do you have additional photos you could post?

 

Sure thing, it was a good visit.... the drive that was supposed to take 1.5hours took us 6 because we stopped so many times! Here is a web link to my album of this trip, if it does not work let me know. Picture Link

 

Not working for me.

 

I was able to view it without any problems. Great pictures!

 

Pics opened fine. j.onstott, perhaps post that white flower pic under the ID forum. It's stunning. I'd also like to know what it is.

Interesting that Spirit Lake still has logs floating on the surface after all these years. Thought they'd be at the bottom by now. The natural regen is magnificent...though your shot was taken at some distance, I'm guessing the trees are easily 15 feet tall.

I found myself wondering where Mr. Truman's home had been. Here's a link that may be of interest:
http://clustera.cesa10.k12.wi.us/clustera/multimedia/altoona/solfest/dave.htm

Your photos captured the region's struggle and success beautifully. Thank you so much for posting them.

 

The first white flower (pic #9) is Cornus canadensis, the second ("Hmmm I don't know what this is....") is a species of Amelanchier.

 

Hi MichaelF,
Earlier in this thread, I thought the consensus was some type of Ash, not Dogwood.

I'll look into an Amelanchier...for my garden. Thanks for the quick ID.

 

Duh...(we are IN Plant ID...!)

MichaelF and J.Onstott, have looked up Amelanchier ovalis, and it sounds too good to be true. Not fussy about soil type, not tender, etc.

Read all about it: http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Amelanchier+ovalis

Now the search is on for a nursery that carries it! AAArgh!

 

Hi Kia,

No-one has mentioned any ash?? The only ash in the PNW region is Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon Ash), and it isn't on any of J.Onstott's pics.

The dogwood is this one in his pic series:
http://picasaweb.google.com/FeelinCheeky/MountSaintHelens2005/photo#5048680021921384434

 

MichaelF, yes your link is a dogwood, certainly.

Now go to the first post here when j.onstott started his thread...his first post has a pic. That's the rowan.

Sorry if I've confused you.

 

Thanks for all the input, this is a great learning place. When I went on that trip I had just started to delve into the world of those plants that are not trees:) So this picture here is in the genus Amelanchier... neat, and the fact that they are not picky explains their abundance in such a disturbed landscape.

~Jessica

 

...hence my desire to have one. Thanks Jessica, for all the great pics!

 

Fraxinus = ash
Sorbus = mountain ash

To find one like at Mount Saint Helens look for Amelanchier alnifolia. Many nurseries have it, it being a western native shrub that is easily cultivated (native plants are in fashion).