Climate

• Yakima's climate warms in the spring with freezing weather ending by April. Summer months reach the upper 80s; however, temperatures drop to freezing in October. The coolest months are December through February, with temperature ranges from 20 to 30 degrees F, and annual snowfall about 2 feet.
  
  

Water

• The Yakima Valley receives less then 10 inches of annual rainfall with the Yakima River as the main water source. A smaller river, the Naches River, runs north of Yakima and feeds nearby Lake Aspen, Freeway Lake and Myron Lake. With Yakima's drier conditions, trees that require minimal water grow best in the area.
  
  

Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir

• Douglas fir is a favorite Christmas tree that grows well in Yakima. It reaches 100 feet or more when mature, about 15 years, but saplings will not grow well if planted in the shade of other trees. The 1-inch leaves are a yellow-green color, and the dark-brown bark deepens to a reddish-brown as it ages. Besides providing good shade, a Douglas fir makes a natural windbreak, acting as insulation for a home to conserve energy.
  
  

Oregon White Oak

• Washington's only oak tree is the drought-resistant Oregon white oak. Also called the Garry oak, it is a slow-growing tree -- full maturity can take 20 years -- and reaches 60 to 70 feet with a broad oval shape that provides plenty of shade. The oak produces dark green, large leaves up to 4 inches long. The size and shape makes it an excellent choice near a house.
  
  

Netleaf Hackberry

• A small ornamental tree, the Netleaf hackberry grows up to 20 feet tall with a shrubby appearance. The gray-brown bark is rough and resembles warts. Its cherrylike fruit gives off a pleasant scent but has a bitter taste. Easy to grow, the hackberry fills in bare spots quickly and is a good landscape accent in gardens and near ponds.
  
  

Rocky Mountain Maple

• When fully grown, the slender, delicate Rocky Mountain maple reaches 25 to 30 feet. Its light green leaves, about 3 inches wide, turn a bright orange-red in the fall. The bark remains smooth with a slight roughness as it ages. Wildlife eat many parts of the tree throughout the year as a main food source. Just a few Rocky Mountain maples add a lot of color and shade to any landscaping.
  
  

Crabapple

• The crabapple offers a variety of sizes and shapes, making it easy to select a species for maximum shade. The sizes range from 6 to 50 feet with 15 to 25 feet typical. Some of the crabapple's shapes include spreading, a cylinder, weeping and a pyramid. The tree's five-petal red and pink flower buds become paler after opening, but can last into the early winter.