The dark red foliage in the center of the picture is creek dogwood (Cornus sericea sericea), also known as red osier or red twig dogwood. The surrounding yellow and green foliage belongs to Oregon ash, (Fraxinus latifolia). Both plants commonly occur together in western Oregon and Washington.
The Tualatin River begins in the Coast Range west of Portland, Oregon and meanders through a partly rural, increasingly urban valley until it joins the Willamette River near West Linn, a few miles upstream from Portland.
This picture was taken from the Shamberg Bridge on Roy Rogers Road, just north of Sherwood, Oregon in the Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge. Since the time when I took this photo, this road has been straightened and converted to a high use, high speed arterial. In the interest of safety, I recommend not using it for a photo platform today.
Ash Creek Images
Photographs of the West by Doug Gorsline
Creek or Red Osier Dogwood and Oregon Ash Trees in Fall Colors on the Tualatin.
