Pacific wax myrtle.

While that would undoubtably be very successful in the area, I am looking for something more upright and tree like.

Shoots tend to be quite vertical, the aspect of the shrub similar to Arbutus unedo. One at Seattle Pacific University is over 30' tall.

Chamaecyparis obtusa ÂGracilis There was one in my new garden so I went out and bought two more since I think they're so beautiful.

http://www.greatplantpicks.org/index.php?page=display&id=3022&searchterm=all

Grows at a snail's pace and is not native. A small specimen would take decades to reach 20'.

Get a Eucryphia! In fact, I'm in SE Portland and have 6 of them potted up for eventual give-away (Rostrevor).

Have to disagree with you bboy. My original tree is less than 10 years old and about 15 feet tall. The two new ones I've bought are doing quite nicely too.

Something like 6" per year seems typical under ordinary conditions. As always, Your Mileage May Vary. And there is probably more than one clone on the market under the name, this is also typical with old cultivars dating back to the widespread use of Latin cultivar names.

I have one planted in the 1960s.

How about an amelanchier or a fringe tree? The amelanchier has flowers, berries, and then has awesome fall color. The fringetree just has the most gorgeous unusual flowers. Both stay under 25 feet.

Neither is evergreen, of course. In addition to vine maple another deciduous native tending to make upright growth in sunny locations is Amelanchier alnifolia.

Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK has a table of hedge and screening choices in the plant selection guide near the front, you might want to take a look at that.

I must have scared away tanowicki with eucryphia talk, but that keeps the Cult of The Eucryphians small and manageable.

As does severe winters. You need to be in a mild site to keep those going long term. Deciduous E. glutinosa is more hardy than the evergreen ones, but based on what I've seen even that one may not be good much below 5 degrees F.

Slightly off topic but we used our pick up, a tire and a chain to pull English laurel stumps out. I'm not sure why the tire, I was standing well back but perhaps someone else knows why? Only took a few minutes to pull out a dozen stumps.

You could probably get something interesting for your project from this guy. His garden is in Portland and his nursery is on Sauvie Island.

Here is a link that might be useful: Timber Press: Sean Hogan

I can't even imagine what shape Cistus must be in after this winter. Some of the plants I bought there are still alive. A smoke bush that may turn into a tree, exceedingly gorgeous color, is alive. And a strange iris also.

How about some of the more unusual Ilex such as I. purpurea or I. latifolia. Or a relatively-less-slow evergreen oak such as Q. hypoleucoides or Q. reticulata. Lots of choices.

I'm sure Cistus has some damage but it probably isn't cataclysmic.

I got a pacific wax myrtle this weekend but for a different area of the yard.

I'm going to get an amelanchier for the area originally decided and I think a flowering currant. I would still like an evergreen for the area but feel a Chamaecyparis obtusa "Gracilis" might be too spreading although I like the look of them. I plan on checking out a eucryphia at some point.

I'm in no rush...

how about a lyonothamnus floribundus (catalina island ironwood)? grows pretty quickly, drought resistant after a few years. it takes to rough winters pretty well, worse thing that happens is that it drops its leaves. (looks a bit ugly for a few weeks) older trees seem to do better in sub 20 degrees. QUICK SELL: peeling cool bark, fern like foliage.

and if you prefer natives, a madrone of course. any arbutus will do really. uneundo and marina are a bit less fussy. can't get enough madrones! 1/2 the fun of them it tactile, so they are a great addition your own personal garden. QUICK SELL: smooth orange trunk, decorative flowers/fruits. edible but not great eatin'.

you can train up a garrya to be a nice small tree. i've seen them 10-12 feet tall or so after a few years. QUICK SELL: the tassels! long blooming and long long long.

lacebark pine if you wanna go conifer. slow growing, but a hell of a tree! QUICK SELL: nice non dense shade. and the bark will get you through the winters.

I'm glad this thread got posted. I posted something in the Shrub forum and only got one response. I'm planning on planting Arbutus Unedo in my almost full sun back yard and was looking for some additional suggestions.