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Northwest Conifers

Pronunciation Guide

 Scientific Name Pronunciation Common Name
Abies amabilis A-bez a-MAB-a-lis
Pacific Silver Fir
Abies concolor AY-beez KON-kul-er White Fir
Abies grandis A-beez GRAN-dis Grand Fir
Abies lasiocarpa A-beez la-si-o-KAR-pa Subalpine Fir
Abies magnifica A-beez mahg-NI-fi-ka Red Fir
Abies pinsapo** A-bez pin-SAH-po Spanish Fir
Abies procera A-beez PRO-ser-a Noble Fir
Callitropsis nootkatensis cal-i-TROP-sis noot-ka-TEN-sis Alaska Cedar
Calocedrus decurrens kal-o-SED-rus de-KER-enz
Incense Cedar
Cedrus atlantica** SE-drus at-LAN-ti-ka Atlas cedar
Cedrus deodara** SE-drus de-o-DAR-a Deodar cedar
Cedrus libani** SE-drus LIB-an-i Cedar of Lebanon
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana kam-e-SIP-a-ris la-so-ni-A-na Port Orford Cedar
Hesperocyparis bakeri HES-per-oh-SIP-air-iss BAKE-er-i Modoc Cypress
Hesperocyparis macnabiana HES-per-oh-SIP-air-iss  mac-nab-ee-AH-nuh* MacNab Cypress
Hesperocyparis sargentii HES-per-oh-SIP-air-iss  sar-JEN-tee-eye* Sargent Cypress
Juniperus communis ju-NIP-er-us kom-MU-nis Common Juniper
Juniperus occidentalis ju-NIP-er-us ok-si-den-TA-lis Western Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum ju-NIP-er-us skop-u-LO-rum Rocky Mountain Juniper
Larix lyallii LAIR-icks ly-AL-lee-eye* Alpine Larch
Larix occidentalis LAR-iks ok-si-den-TAH-lis Western Larch
Metasequoia glyptostroboides** met-a-se-KWOY-a glip-to-stro-BOY-dez Dawn Redwood
Picea abies**  PI-see-a A-beez Norway Spruce
Picea breweriana PI-see-a broo-er-ee-AH-na Brewer Spruce
Picea engelmannii PI-see-a en-gel-MAN-e-i Engelmann Spruce
Picea pungens** PI-see-a PUN-jenz Blue Spruce
Picea sitchensis PI-see-a sit-KEN-sis Sitka Spruce
Pinus albicaulis PI-nus al-bi-KAW-lis Whitebark Pine
Pinus attenuata PI-nus at-ten-u-a-TA Knobcone Pine
Pinus banksiana** PI-nus bank-se-A-na Jack Pine
Pinus contorta PI-nus kon-TOR-ta Lodgepole Pine
Pinus densiflora** PI-nus den-si-FLO-ra Japanese Red Pine
Pinus flexilis PI-nus FLEKS-i-lis Limber Pine
Pinus jeffreyi PI-nus jef-REE-i Jeffrey Pine
Pinus lambertiana PI-nus lam-bert-i-A-na Sugar Pine
Pinus monticola PI-nus mon-TI-ko-la Western White Pine
Pinus ponderosa PI-nus pon-der-O-sa Ponderosa Pine
Pinus sabiniana PI-nus sa-been-ee-AH-na Gray Pine
Pinus strobus** PI-nus STRO-bus Eastern White Pine
Pinus sylvestris** PI-nus sil-VES-tris Scots Pine
Pseudotsuga menziesii soo-do-TSOO-ga men-ZEE-see-i Douglas Fir
Sequoia sempervirens se-KWOY-a sem-per-VI-rens Redwood
Sequoiadendron giganteum** se-KWOY-a-DEN-dron ji-GAN-te-um Giant Sequoia
Taxus brevifolia TAKS-us brev-i-FO-lee-a Pacific Yew
Thuja plicata THEW-ya pli-KHA-ta Western Red Cedar
Tsuga heterophylla TSOO-ga het-er-o-FIL-a Western Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana TSOO-ga mer-TEN-si-a-na Mountain Hemlock

Note: Pronunciation of scientific names can differ even among professional botanists.

Source

Oregon State University

*Not listed at OSU

**Non-native.

 

 

 

Updated 6/10/2025.

© 2012 ;Ken Denniston