P L A N T I N F O @ H S V B G . O R G

NATIVE TREE IDENTIFICATION

Instructor: Tracy Cook

Assistant Curator

INTRODUCTION

• Why these trees?

• These are the most common trees you will see on hikes in

the mountains around Huntsville.

• Structure of the class

• Objectives:

1. Learn what to look for, and the terminology used in field guides

2. Identify trees to at least the genus level

• Caveats: Tree ID is usually 6 hours per week for 30 weeks

• Philosophy

• “Look” before deciding you don’t know what a tree is.

• Perspective: 6,500 – 7,000 spp. of birds worldwide; approx.

250,000 spp. of vascular plants worldwide

TOOLS & RESOURCES

• Field Guides – Peterson’s, Audubon, National Wildlife Foundation, etc.

• Tree Bark ID website: www.treebarkid.com

• Eek! Tree Key: www.dnr.wi.gov/eek/veg/treekey (for kids)

• Google Images (use scientific name if possible to eliminate a lot of gibberish)

• Clipboard with rubber band

• Plastic baggies (quart or gallon size)

• Hand lens

• Binoculars or camera

• Knife or pruners

PLANT CLASSIFICATION & ID

• Binomial nomenclature

• Generic name (Genus)

• example: Quercus

• Specific epithet (species)

• example: alba

• Scientific name

• example: Quercus alba L.

• Common name

• example: White Oak

(can be confusing)

• ID Techniques

• Leaves/buds

• Flowers/buds

• Bark/Twigs

• Fruit

• Habitat/Range

• Habit or Form

DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR…

Branch Manager!

What do you call a cat

that climbs

to the top of a tree?

DICHOTOMOUS KEY

• simplified example:

• evergreen or deciduous

• alternate or opposite

branching

• simple or compound leaf

• lobed or non-lobed leaf

(probably a Maple)

• bark type

• leaf margins, and so on…

Flowering Dogwood

Tulip Poplar

Opposite

Alternate

LEAF TYPES

ID Techniques

• Leaf: arrangement, shape, size,

color, texture, odor, variability

• Flowers: arrangement, type,

size, color, timing

• Bark/Twigs: thickness, type,

color, texture, pattern, variability

• Fruit: arrangement, type, size,

color, timing

• Habitat/Range: where it

grows

• Habit or Form: overall shape

of entire tree Image Credit: Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leaf&oldid=794298107

LEAF TYPES: SIMPLE

Simple, entire,

elliptical-obovate

(Black Tupelo)

Simple, entire,

cordate

(Eastern Redbud)

Simple, serrate,

3-lobed

(Red Maple)

Simple, entire,

4-lobed

(Tulip Poplar)

Simple Leaf

midrib

Axillary bud

petiole

LEAF TYPES: COMPOUND

Odd,

pinnately

compound,

5-7 opposite leaflets

serrated margins

(Shagbark Hickory)

Odd,

pinnately compound,

7-9 alternate leaflets

(Yellowwood)

Odd,

palmately compound,

5-leaflets

(American Buckeye)

BEYOND LEAVES…

• Leaves are only one piece of the puzzle.

• Even during dormancy, leaf

arrangement can be seen

• Some species are

distinguished by leaf scar

• Acronym for opposite leaf

arrangement:

“ Mad Crazy Horse!”

Maple

Ash

Dogwood

Crazy = Caprifoliaceae

Horse Chestnut = Buckeye

a cappella, anyone?

Image Credit: https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/

BARK

HOW DO YOU TELL A DOGWOOD?…BY I T ’S BARK!

alternate opposite whorled

BARK TYPES: RIDGE & FURROW

Quecus falcata

Southern Red Oak

Fraxinus pennsilvanica

Green Ash Liriodendron tulipifera

Tulip Poplar

BARK TYPES: PLATELET

Cornus florida

Flowering Dogwood

Diospyros virginiana

Persimmon

Pinus taeda

Loblolly Pine

BARK TYPES: SMOOTH

Approximately 90% of trees can be identified by bark alone – at

least to the genus level.

Fagus grandifolia

American Beech

Carpinus caroliniana

American Hornbeam

Prunus serotina

Black Cherry

(juvenile)

BARK TYPES: SCALY

Prunus serotina

Black Cherry

(mature) Carya ovata

Shagbark Hickory

FRUIT

Image Credit:

Illustration by Robert

O’Brien, curtesy of

Texas A&M Forest

Service

FRUIT TYPES: SAMARA

Ptelea trifoliata

Common Hoptree Fraxinus pennsilvanica

Green Ash

Acer negundo

Boxelder

FRUIT TYPES: DRUPE

Nyssa sylvatica

Black Tupelo Ilex opaca

American Holly

A drupe is a stone fruit, like a peach...

Cornus florida

Flowering Dogwood

Halesia tetraptera

Carolina Silverbell

FRUIT TYPES: CAPSULE

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweetgum

Aesculus glabra

American Buckeye

FRUIT TYPES: CONE

Pinus taeda

Loblolly Pine

Pinus echinata

Shortleaf Pine

Tsuga canadensis

Canadian Hemlock

Juniperus virginiana

Eastern Redcedar

Taxodium ascendens

Pond Cypress

FRUIT TYPES: BERRIES

Diospyros virginiana

Persimmon Vaccinium arboreum

Sparkleberry

Callicarpa americana

Beautyberry

REFERENCES

• Kershner B., Mathews D., Nelson G., and Spellenberg R. 2008. National Wildlife Federation® Field Guide to Trees of North America. New York, NY: Stirling Publishing Co., Inc.

• Ponder, H. and Montague, D. 1998. Ornamental Horticulture Plant Identification Manual. Auburn, AL: Speedy Printing, East University Dr., Auburn, AL.

• Missouri Botanical Garden Staff. 2017. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Retrieved from URL http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx

• Little E. 1980. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region. New York, NY: Chanticleer Press, Inc.

• Kirkman L., Brown C., and Leopold D. 2007. Native Trees of the Southeast. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc.

(In order of relative contribution)