Trees and Shrubs
Whitman Mission National Historic Site is located in what was once an extensive grassland. Except for in the mountains, trees would have been relatively few and found mostly next to streams and rivers. When the Whitmans came they wanted trees. Dr. Whitman wrote to friends back east asking for locust, chestnut, and walnut seeds. Narcissa obtained sprouts of apple and peach trees from Fort Vancouver. Today the trees the Whitmans planted are long gone. But people still love trees. Landscapers planted many trees and shrubs on the park grounds to add beauty and provide shade. An apple orchard was created to represent the one planted by Dr. Whitman.
Below is a list of trees and shrubs found in the park along with some of the places where they can be seen.
Did You Know?
The tule lodge offers a comfortable place for the people inside. The structure is held up by wooden poles and covered with mats made of tule. Tules are a type of sedge; they grow in marshy areas; and are also called "bullrushes." Tules are stronger than they look. A tule lodge can withstand rain and wind.