Native Trees Available for Replant South Mississippi

4

**WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

(Source: USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service) http://plants.usda.gov/wetinfo.html

Indicator Code Wetland Type

Comment

OBL

Obligate Wetland

Occurs almost always (estimated probability 99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.

FACW

Facultative Wetland

Usually occurs in wetlands (estimated 67-99%), but occasionally is found in non-wetlands.

FAC

Facultative

Equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands (estimated probability 34-66%).

FACU

Facultative Upland

Usually occurs in non-wetlands (estimated probability 67-99%), but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).

UPL

Obligate Upland

Occurs in wetlands in another region, but occurs almost always (estimated 99%) under natural conditions in non-wetlands in the regions specified.

**When two indicators are given, they reflect the range from the lowest to the highest frequency of occurrence in wetlands across the regions in which the species is found. A positive (+) or negative (-) sign was used with the Facultative Indicator categories to more specifically define the regional frequency of occurrence in wetlands. The positive sign indicates a frequency toward the higher end of the category (more frequently found in wetlands), a negative sign indicates frequency toward the lower end of the category (less frequently found in wetlands).

For more information on Replant South Mississippi, please call:

Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain P.O. Box 245 Biloxi, Mississippi 39533 PH: 228-435-9191 www.ltmcp.org

JUDY STECKLER, DIRECTOR

5

Tree Planting Instructions

Diagram by Douglas Airhart, Ph.D. & Jeff Plant, Ph.D., TLC for Trees http://www.tlcfortrees.info/summary_planting_diagram.htm

6

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Opposite, simple, 3 to 5 palmate lobes with serrated margin, sinuses relatively shallow (but highly variable), 2 to 4 inches long; green above, whitened and sometimes powdery or hairy beneath. Flower: Attractive but small, occur in hanging clusters, usually bright red but occasionally yellow, appear in early spring, usually before leaves. Fruit: Clusters of 1/2 to 3/4 inch long samaras with slightly divergent wings, on long slender stems. Light brown and often reddish, ripen in late spring and early summer. Twig: Reddish and lustrous with small lenticels, buds usually blunt, green or reddish (fall and winter) with several loose scales usually present, leaf scars V-shaped, 3 bundle scars, lateral buds slightly stalked, may be collateral buds present. Bark: On young trees, smooth and light gray, with age becomes darker and breaks up into long, fine scaly plates. Form: Medium sized tree up to 90 feet. In the forest, the trunk is usually clear for some distance, while in the open the trunk is shorter and the crown rounded.

Acer Rubrum - Red Maple Description: Red maple (Acer rubrum) is also known as scarlet maple, swamp maple, soft maple, Drummond red maple, and water maple. It may grow fast with good form and quality for saw logs. It ranks high in landscapes and is widely used as a shade and ornamental tree. Red maple has right red or yellow foliage early in the fall.

Site requirements: Red maple grows on diverse sites, from dry ridges and southwest slopes to peat bogs and swamps. Red maple’s ability to thrive in a wide range of wet and dry conditions surpasses the tolerance capabilities of most other species. In the extreme south, red maple is almost exclusively a swamp species. Zone 4-8

7

Amelanchier Canadensis - Shadblow Serviceberry Description: Shadblow serviceberry is native from Mississippi to Maine.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, ovate, pinnately-veined, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, finely serrate. Green above, may be pale pubescent below when young. Fall color is gold. Flower: Showy white, 5 petals that are 1/2 inch long, borne on 3 inch racemes, appear before the leaves, in early spring. Fruit: Ripening in early to mid summer, 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter, rounded, red ripening to dark purple or black when ripe, edible. Twig: Slender, flexible, red-brown in color, may be covered with fine hairs when young; buds may be up to 1/2 inch long, pointed, covered with scales, may have hairy margins, light yellow-green to reddish yellow. Bark: Smooth when young, ashy-gray with dark stripes; later becoming rough with long splits and furrows. Form: A suckering shrub or small tree with a narrow crown, usually with multiple upright stems, to 25 feet.

Site requirements: Good for wet sites, bogs, and swamps. Zone 3-8.

8

Amorpha fruticosa – indigobush Description: A small, deciduous native tree found in every state except Nevada and Montana.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, to 10 inches long, up to 35 leaflets per leaf, each leaflet elliptical with an entire margin and on a petiole, 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long, dull green above and light green below, usually glabrous, a slender stipule is present with young leaves. Flower: Borne on tall (to 6 inch), slender spikes at the ends of the twigs, deep purple-blue with long bright orange or yellow anthers, appearing mid-summer, opening from base to tip. Fruit: Best described as tiny cucumbers, bright green and drying to brown, from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Twig: Moderate, gray-brown and somewhat grooved below the nodes, may be covered in fine white pubescence, buds are small, gray-brown and appressed. Bark: Smooth and gray. Form: A multi-stem suckering shrub to 10 feet tall and nearly as wide, often described as "leggy". Site requirements: Occurs almost always in wetlands. Zone 3-8.

9

Calicarpa Americana – American beautyberry Description: A native, perennial shrub to small tree.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Opposite, simple, elliptical to ovate, serrated margin, 3 to 5 inches long, fuzzy above and below, green above, white woolly beneath. Flower: Small, pink to bluish, tubular, appearing from leaf axils in mid to late summer. Fruit: Numerous, small, 1/4 inch in diameter, bright purple, ripens in late summer to early fall. Twig: Slender to moderate, scruffy gray-scaly and brown, light lenticels, oval leaf scar with a single bundle scar, buds small and naked or with a few scales. Bark: Brown with numerous raised lenticels. Form: Open shrub reaching heights up to 6 feet. Site requirements:

Zone 6-10

10

Calycanthus floridus - sweetshrub or Carolina allspice Description: This native to the coastal plain is a deciduous shrub to small tree.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Opposite, simple, oval to elliptical, entire margins, 3 to 6 inches long, smooth dark green above, whitened and pubescent below. Flower: Dark brownish red, 1 to 2 inches across, numerous sepals and petals, strong strawberry like odor, appearing May to July. Fruit: Green turning to light brown, somewhat woody at maturity, bell-shaped "capsule", 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, borne on a stalk, matures in late summer early fall, persistent. Twig: Moderate in texture, brown; swollen at the opposite, U-shaped leaf scars; fragrant when broken, faint ridges or lines often run down from nodes; buds round and hairy, no end bud. Bark: Light brown, thin and lenticeled, fragrant. Form: Dense, rounded shrub to 6 feet. Site requirements: Zone 4-8.

11

Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam ironwood Description: A deciduous large shrub or small tree that is an understory species requiring a shaded location. Best growth occurs on rich, wet-mesic sites (F. T. Metzger, USDA Forest Service).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical to ovate, 3 to 5 inches long, pinnately veined, tip acuminate, doubly serrate margin; waxy, smooth green above, paler below. Flower: Monoecious; males a slender, yellow-green hanging catkin, 1 to 2 inches long; female catkins yellow-green and fuzzy appearing from new branch tips, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, both appearing in mid to late spring. Fruit: Small ribbed nutlet carried on a 3-lobed, slightly folded leafy bract that is 1 inch long (somewhat resembles a maple leaf), bracts are clustered on a long (4 to 6 inches) hanging stalk; ripen in late summer and fall, disperse through the winter. Twig: Slender, somewhat zigzag, brown to gray in color; buds are brown, angled, with a tan silky edge to each scale (making the buds appear lined), approximately 1/4 inch or less in length. Bark: Thin, smooth, gray to bluish gray regardless of age or size; trunk is fluted heavily, resulting in a muscular appearance. Form: A small, nearly shrubby tree reaching up to 25 feet tall with a rounded crown and a twisted trunk. Site requirements: Not native to northern Harrison County, Stone, and Jackson Counties. Zone 4-8.

12

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound with 9 to 15 finely serrate and often curved leaflets, 12 to 18 inches long. Flower: Monecious; male flowers in hanging, yellow-green catkins, often in pairs of three (4 to 5 inches long); females are small and yellowish green, 4-angled. Fruit: Large, oblong, brown, splotched with black, thin shelled nuts, 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, husks are thin, usually occur in clusters on trees, mature in fall. The nut is housed in a thick, green, fleshy covering, similar to that of a walnut. Twig: Moderately stout, light brown, fuzzy (particularly when young); leaf scars large and three lobed; buds are yellowish-brown to brown, hairy, with terminal buds 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Bark: Smooth when young, becoming narrowly fissured into thin broken strips, often scaly. Form: A large tree (can reach heights well over 100 feet) with spreading crown when in the open.

Caryas illinoinensis - Pecan Description: Pecans are large, deciduous trees with attractive, pinnate leaves that are yellow, orange, or gold colored in fall. Native pecans produce nuts most suited for wildlife but vary by individual. Commercial varieties of pecans result from plant breeding and are grafted on rootstock for consistently large and flavorful nuts.

Site requirements: Pecans like an ordinary garden soil and tolerate a variety of conditions. They are fairly slow growers, putting much into their roots when young. There are species suited to various climatic zones. Zone 5-8.

13

Cornus alternifolia – pagoda dogwood Description: a small deciduous tree found throughout the eastern United States. A good understory tree for a shaded location.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, oval to ovate, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, arcuate venation, leaves tend to cluster near branch tips so they may appear whorled or opposite, margins may be somewhat wavy, green above and paler below. Flower: Monoecious; small, white, in flat-topped clusters, 2 to 4 inches across, appearing in late spring. Fruit: Bluish-black drupe in clusters, (3/8 inch in diameter); fruit stalks turn reddish, ripen in late summer. Twig: Slender, red to dark purple, pith white; terminal buds small (1/4 inch long), ovoid with two or three scales showing, leaf scars small and narrow; dead twigs turn a yellow-orange. Bark: Smooth, dark green, streaky; eventually turns light brown and develops shallow fissures. Form: Large shrub, may occasionally reach 30 feet tall; slender branches often horizontal with the ground; developing a flat-topped crown.

Site requirements: Grows best in well-drained deep soils. It is found in moist woodlands, along forest margins, on stream and swamp borders. Zone 4-8.

14

Cornus drummondii - roughleaf dogwood Description: a small deciduous tree found throughout the eastern United States. A good understory tree for a shaded location.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Opposite, simple, ovate to elliptical, entire with arcuate veins, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, dark green above, lighter below, both surfaces covered in rough hairs, coarser below. Flower: Monoecious; small, white, in flat top clusters up to 3 inches across appearing in late spring. Fruit: Berry-like drupes developing in flat-topped clusters, 1/4 inch in diameter, white, fruit stalks greenish, maturing late summer to fall. Twig: Slender, purplish to red-brown or yellow-brown to green-brown, current year's growth very pubescent, buds small, brown, pointed and covered in rusty hair, pith brown. Bark: Initially smooth and gray-brown, becoming flaky and broken, eventually blocky on larger specimens. Form: A shrub or small tree to 30 feet. May form thickets, but commonly a single stem. Site requirements: Good understory tree in part-shade. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. Zone 4-8.

15

Ilex deciduas - deciduous holly/ possumhaw Description: a small deciduous tree native from Texas to Virginia. The fruits are eaten by small mammals, birds, wild turkeys, and white-tailed deer (USDA Forest Service).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, 2 to 3 inches long, margin shallowly blunt toothed and often revolute, narrowly obovate (variable), tips rounded or broadly wedge-shaped, glabrous and dull green above, paler below. Flower: Dioecious; both male and females are short-stalked and greenish white with 4 petals, usually in small clusters, appear in spring. Fruit: Round drupes on short stalks, 1/3 inch in diameter, reddish-orange to red in clusters of 2 to 4, ripening in fall but may persist through the winter, seeds grooved and larger (3/16 inch) than Ilex verticillata. Twig: Slender, gray to green-brown, with scattered light lenticels, buds and leaf scars are small, one vascular bundle scar, and stiff spur shoots common. Bark: Thin, smooth (may be warty) and grayish brown, with lenticels. Form: Upright shrub with multiple stems, branches stiff and often appearing thorny, reaches heights of 20 feet. Site requirements: Moderately tolerant to periodic flooding. Deciduous holly is usually found on moist soils of floodplains, low woodlands, wet thickets, and along streams. It occurs infrequently on well-drained wooded slopes or sandy pineland ridges. Zone 5-8.

16

Ilex glabra – inkberry Description: A small evergreen tree or shrub, native to eastern and south central United States.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, entire or serrated on upper half, 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, oblong to obovate, evergreen, leathery, shiny and dark green above, lighter and dull beneath. Flower: Dioecious; small, greenish white and inconspicuous, appearing in late spring. Fruit: Small, nearly black, shiny, berry-like drupes, 1/3 inch in diameter; ripening in fall and persisting into the following spring. Twig: Slender, ridged or lined, green the first year turning gray later, small green buds. Bark: Smooth, dark greenish brown. Form: An open evergreen shrub forming clusters due to numerous sprouts. Reaches up to 10 feet tall. Site requirements: Inkberry occurs primarily in savannas, low woods, pine barrens and woodlands. It is a common understory species of several fire-climax communities and an invader of frequently burned areas (USDA Plant Guide). Zone 5-9.

17

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, elliptical, 2 to 4 inches long, spiny toothed margin, thickened and leathery, shiny dark green above, much paler below. Flower: Dioecious; dull green-white, male flowers on 3 to 7 flowered cymes, female flowers are solitary with a pleasant odor, appearing in late spring. Fruit: Berry-like drupe, red, rarely yellow when ripe, 1/4 inch in diameter, containing ribbed nutlets; maturing in fall and persisting on tree into winter. Twig: Slender, with rust-colored pubescence; buds small reddish brown, pointed. Bark: Light gray and smooth regardless of size. Form: A small tree to 40 feet, with a thick crown and pyramidal form, usually with branches to the ground.

Ilex opaca - American Holly Description: A popular landscape plant since the beginning of American history, this broad-leafed evergreen has served a variety of uses through the years. The evergreen has prickly leaves and red berries similar to English holly (Ilex aquifolium), a symbol of Christmas for centuries in England and Europe. American holly, also called white holly or Christmas holly, has been one of the most valuable and popular trees in the Eastern United States for its foliage and berries, used for Christmas decorations, and for ornamental plantings.

Site requirements: Holly survives on a wide variety of soils from near sterile sandy beaches to fertile but thin mountain soils. Largest trees are found in the rich bottomlands and swamps of the coastal plain. Growth is best on moist, slightly acid, well-drained sites with plenty of organic matter. Trees will not survive flooding or saturated soils for more than 17 percent of the growing season. Zone 5-9

18

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, palmately veined, orbicular, 4-lobed with an entire margin, 4 to 8 inches long, notched to flat top. Somewhat shaped like a tulip, light green to green. Flower: Monoecious; perfect, showy, resembling a large tulip, but high in the tree, 2 1/2 inches long, with yellow-green petals and an orange corolla, appearing in late spring to early summer. Fruit: An oblong (cone-like) aggregate of samaras (2 inches long), deciduous at maturity; each samara is 1-winged, 1 1/2 inches long, and curved upwards at seed cavity (resembling the front keel of a boat); maturing August to October and disseminating through late fall and winter; base whorls of samaras persist on fruit into following spring and resemble wooden flowers high in the tree. Twig: Red-brown in color, often with a shiny appearance or a waxy bloom. Stipules are large and encircle the twig; buds are elongated and valvate, resembling a "duck bill." Twigs have a sweet, spicy odor when broken. Bark: Light gray-green and smooth when young, later developing flat-topped ridges and conspicuous white colored furrows in diamond shaped patterns. On older trees sapsucker holes are common. Form: In a forest, a large tree with a long, straight limb-free bole very often reaching over 100 feet tall. Open-grown trees have a pyramidal crown when young, becoming oval in shape with time.

Swamp whit Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip-poplar Description: Yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), also called tuliptree, tulip-poplar, and yellow-poplar, is one of the most attractive and tallest of eastern hardwoods. It is fast growing and may reach 300 years of age on deep, rich, well-drained soils. The wood has high commercial value because of its versatility and as a substitute for increasingly scarce softwoods in furniture and framing construction. Yellow-poplar is also valued as a honey tree, a source of wildlife food, and a shade tree for large areas.

the acorns, particularly ducks.

Site requirements: Tulip-poplar thrives on many soil types with various physical properties, chemical composition, and parent material. Exceptionally good growth has been observed on alluvial soils bordering streams, on talus slopes below cliffs and bluffs, and on well-watered, gravelly soils. In general, it grows naturally and well, on soils that are moderately moist, well drained, and loose textured; it rarely does well in very wet or very dry situations. Zone 5-8

19

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, oval to elliptical, 5 to 8 inches long, pinnately veined, entire margin, very thick almost plastic-like, waxy/shiny dark green above, paler with rusty fuzz below. Flower: Monoecious; very showy and fragrant, 6 to 8 inches wide with large white petals, occur singly in late spring and occasionally a few in the fall. Fruit: An aggregate of follicles, green changing to red and later to brown, cylindrical, 3 to 5 inches long with a bright red seed (1/2 inch long) in each follicle, maturing in fall. Twig: Stout, with white to rusty tomentum and a long (1 to 1 1/2 inches) silky white to rusty red terminal bud. Bark: Brown to gray, thin, smooth/lenticellate when young, later with close plates or scales. Form: A medium sized tree up to 80 feet with a pyramidal crown. When open grown, the crown is dense with low branches.

Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia Description: Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), also called evergreen magnolia, bull-bay, big-laurel, or large-flower magnolia, has large fragrant white flowers and evergreen leaves that make it one of the most splendid of forest trees and a very popular ornamental that has been planted around the world. This moderately fast-growing medium-sized tree grows best on rich, moist, well-drained soils of the bottoms and low uplands of the Coastal Plains of Southeastern United States.

Site requirements: Southern magnolia grows best on rich, loamy, moist soils along streams and near swamps in the Coastal Plain. It also grows on moist upland sites where fire is rare. Although primarily a bottomland species it cannot withstand prolonged inundation. Thus, it does not appear in the first bottoms, but grows mostly on the oldest alluvium and outwash sites. Zone 6-9

Z

20

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 4 to 8 inches long, oblong to obovate--entire margin but may have a few large teeth. Flower: Small, greenish white, usually in hanging clusters, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: A reddish purple drupe, 1 inch long and tear shaped, flesh surrounds a deeply grooved pit. Twig: Stout, yellow-brown to red-brown, large heart-shaped leaf scar, buds small, pith diaphragmed, spur shoots common. Bark: Brownish gray, scaly ridges or even blocky (somewhat variable). Form: Large tree to 100 feet, several feet in diameter, clear trunk which is typically swollen at base, roots often grow out of soil.

Nyssa aquatica - Water tupelo Description: Water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica), also called cottongum, sourgum, swamp tupelo, tupelo-gum, and water-gum, is a large, long-lived tree that grows in southern swamps and flood plains where its root system is periodically under water. It has a swollen base that tapers to a long, clear bole and often occurs in pure stands. A good mature tree will produce commercial timber used for furniture and crates. Many kinds of wildlife eat the fruits and it is a favored honey tree.

Site requirements: Water tupelo grows in low, wet flats or sloughs and in deep swamps. On some sites water may reach a depth of 6m (20 ft) during rainy seasons and may remain as high as 4m (13 ft) for long periods. Water tupelo's ability to withstand prolonged inundation makes it an integral component of important wetland ecosystems. Zone 5-9

21

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, oblong to obovate in shape with an entire margin, 3 to 5 inches long, occasionally shallow lobes (or coarse teeth) near tip, dark green above and slightly paler below. Flower: Primarily Dioecious; not showy, light green in color, in clusters hanging from slender stalks, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: A dark, purplish blue drupe, 1/2 inch long, with a fleshy coating surrounding a ribbed pit, ripen in late summer and fall. Twig: Moderately stout, red-brown to gray, diaphragmed pith; 1 to 2 inch curved spur shoots are often present; buds ovate, pointed, green and light brown, but darkening to brown in the winter. Bark: Gray-brown and shallowly, irregularly furrowed, on old stems it can become quite blocky, resembling alligator hide. Form: A medium sized tree reaching up to 80 feet tall on moist sites, generally shorter in the mountains. On younger trees the branches can stand at right angles to the trunk with numerous short, curled spur shoots present.

Nyssa sylvatica - Blackgum Description: Blackgum is often referred to as tupelo in the southern range and pepperidge in the northern range, among other common names. Blackgum is very adaptable and competes in wetlands and uplands alike. It breaks bud early in the spring and is one of the first to turn brilliant red in the fall. The intense foliage adds to the ornamental value of this native.

Site requirements: Blackgum grows in headwater swamps, strands, ponds, river bottoms, bays, estuaries, and low coves. Normally it does not grow in the deeper parts of swamps or overflow river bottoms. It is seldom found on sites that are not inundated much of the growing season. Also grows in well-drained uplands. Has a very large native range. Zone 4-9

22

Ostrya virginiana - American hophornbeam/ ironwood Description: A deciduous understory tree native to the eastern United States, found in dry uplands and woodlands.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, oval to broadly lanceolate, 3 to 5 inches long, with a doubly serrate margin, green above, paler and fuzzy in the axils of veins and on the petiole. Flower: Monoecious; males are preformed catkins, 1/2 to 1 inches long, in clusters of 3's (resemble birds toes), present throughout the winter; females appear in spring and are slender, light green catkins, 1/2 inch long, appearing or elongating (males) in spring. Fruit: Very distinctive, resembling hops. More specifically, a 1/4 inch nutlet is enclosed in a dried, leafy, inflated sac. Several sacs hang from one stem, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long; maturing in late summer and persisting through winter. Twig: Slender, reddish brown, smooth, and may be slightly pubescent. Male catkins present on the end of the branch; buds are small, plump ovate, and covered with green and red-brown, finely grooved (vertically) scales. Bark: When young smooth, reddish brown, with horizontal lenticels (cherry like), later turning light brown and developing a shreddy appearance, broken into small plates or loose scales that are easily broken off with a brush of the hand. Form: A small tree up to 40 feet tall that develops a round crown of fine branches. Site requirements: This understory tree requires a shaded location. Zone 3-9.

23

Platanus occidentalis – sycamore Description: A large, rapidly growing deciduous tree that is native to the eastern United States.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, palmately veined, 4 to 8 inches wide, ovate in shape, with three to five lobes, margins coarsely toothed, petiole bases encircle and enclose the buds, veins may be pubescent below. Flower: Monoecious; imperfect, both male and females are very small and appear in dense round clusters, typically a single cluster to a stalk, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: A spherical multiple of achenes borne on a 3 to 6 inch stalk. Each seed is tiny, winged, and 1/2 inch long; maturing in November, disseminating in late winter. Twig: Obviously zigzag, quite stout and orange-brown in color; leaf scar surrounds the bud and the stipule scar surrounds the twig; terminal bud is absent; lateral buds are reddish, resinous, with a single, cap-like scale. Bark: Thin, mottled brown, green, tan and white; older stems are gray-brown and scaly. The most striking feature of this tree, often referred to as "camouflage" bark that readily exfoliates. Form: A very massive tree with heavy, spreading branches with obviously zigzag twigs reaching up to and over 100 feet tall. In winter, the persistent fruits resemble Christmas tree ornaments. Site requirements: Occurs mostly in wetlands.. Zone 4-9.

24

Populus deltoids - eastern cottonwood Description: A deciduous tree, native to the eastern United States.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole. Fall color is yellow. Flower: Dioecious; male and female as pendulous catkins, appearing before the leaves. Fruit: Cottony seeds, 1/4 inch long borne in a dehiscent capsule, maturing over summer. Twig: Stout, somewhat angled and yellowish; buds are 3/4 inch long, covered with several brown, resinous scales. Has a bitter aspirin taste. Bark: Smooth, gray to yellow-green when young. Later turning gray with thick ridges and deep furrows. Form: A large tree with a clear bole and an open spreading crown resulting in a somewhat vase-shaped form. Site requirements: Takes full sun and is likely to occur in both wetlands and nonwetlands. Do not plant near sewers, septic tanks, or sidewalks. Zone 3-9.

25

Prunus Americana – American Plum Description: A small deciduous tree, native to much of the United States.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, ovate to elliptical, finely serrated margin, sharply pointed tip, 3 to 4 inches long, green above, and slightly paler beneath. Fall color is yellow. Flower: White, 5 petals, 1 inch across, long filaments, yellow anthers, appear in small clusters in early spring with the leaves. Fruit: Fleshy drupe, nearly round, 1 inch across, reddish purple to yellow-brown, some glaucous bloom, ripen in mid to late summer. Twig: Slender, reddish brown, later developing an exfoliating gray film, leaf scars raised; buds reddish to gray and sharp pointed, some twigs becoming thorns. Bark: Initially reddish gray, smooth with numerous horizontal lenticels, later becoming rough with irregular ridges and exfoliating curling strips. Form: A multi-stemmed, shrubby, small tree with a spreading crown, reaching up to 30 feet tall with numerous rigid spiny branches; readily suckers from the roots. Site requirements: Plant in full sun to part shade. Occurs mostly in nonwetlands in south Mississippi. Zone 3-8.

26

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, oblong to lanceolate, fine rounded gland-tipped serrations, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, shiny dark green above, dull and lighter beneath. Flower: Small (1/3 inch), 5 white petals, reddish orange anthers, appear in clumps in early spring or late winter before the leaves. Fruit: Drupe, bright yellow to red, round to oval, 1/3 to 3/4 inch in diameter, flesh juicy, ripening in late summer. Twig: Slender, bright reddish brown, exfoliating grayish film, buds are small and reddish with loose scales, often with clusters of flower buds, leaf scars raised, may have thorny spurs. Bark: Initially smooth reddish with numerous elongated light lenticels, later developing cracks and splits and becoming rough scaly and shallowly furrowed. Form: A small shrubby tree, reaching heights of 20 feet, often found in dense thickets.

Prunus angustifolia - Chickasaw plum Description: Chickasaw Plum is a multi-stemmed tree that is valued by animals, birds and humans for its fruits that starts as white flowers in late winter or early spring (before the leaves appear), and then appears as red and ultimately yellow fruits. This shrubby tree is used as a hedge or barrier, in landscape plantings, as an understory or for wildlife plantings.

Site requirements: Chickasaw Plum is easily grown and has no special cultural requirements. It tolerates drought, sandy and clay soils. It does not tolerate high pH soils. These trees grow quickly, but have a relatively short life. Zone 5-8

27

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, 6 to 10 inches long, roughly oblong in shape with a highly variable margin that has 5 to 9 lobes with irregular sinuses. The underside is white and pubescent. Flower: Male flowers are green, borne in naked catkins, 2 to 4 inches long. Female flowers are reddish and appear as single spikes, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: Acorns are 1/2 to 1 inch long, round and almost entirely covered by the warty and unfringed cap, maturing in 1 year, ripening in fall. Twig: Slender and gray, smooth - very closely resembling white oak. Buds are small, ovoid and light chestnut brown in color; end buds are clustered. Bark: Gray-brown and scaly, often with irregular plates, again resembling white oak. Form: A medium sized tree with generally poor, twisted form. However, the crown is pyramidal/oval and later rounded.

Quercus lyrata - Overcup Oak Description: Overcup oak bears a distinctive acorn; the nut is almost completely covered by the cup. It has a rounded crown of small, often drooping leathery leaves that turn a rich tannish-brown in the fall. Overcup oaks are a good source of food for wildlife. The quality of the lumber varies greatly and the wood may check and warp during seasoning and sold as white oak. The species name lyrata refers to the lyre-shaped leaves of the overcup oak.

Site requirements: Overcup oak is found on poorly drained, alluvial, clayey soils mainly on southern river flood plains. It is also quite common on the edges of swamps, sloughs, and bayous. Overcup oak is one of the trees most tolerant of flooding. Since it leafs out a month or more later than most species, it is better able to endure submergence from late spring floods. In tests, overcup oak survived continuous flooding for at least two growing seasons. In spite of its natural occurrence on wet clay sites, overcup oak grows best on sites with better drainage and soil texture. Zone 5-9

28

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, obovate, 4 to 8 inches long, 3 to 5 inches wide, margin with large round blunt teeth, dark green and shiny above, pale and downy below. Flower: Monoecious; male flowers are yellow-green long catkins (2 to 4 inches long); females are green to reddish, very small in leaf axils, appearing in mid-spring with the leaves. Fruit: Acorn, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, chestnut brown, bowl-shaped cup covers about 1/3 of nut, cap is rough scaly, stalk is short. Twig: Moderately stout, smooth or quite fuzzy, orange-brown, terminal bud 1/4 inch long, reddish brown, buds cluster near ends of twig. Bark: Similar to white oak, ashy gray, scaly, with age developing irregular furrows and becoming darker. Form: Well-formed tree becoming quite large (80 feet tall) with a narrow crown. Wildlife attraction: White-tailed deer, turkey, squirrels, and hogs eat the acorns.

Quercus michauxii - Swamp chestnut oak Description: Swamp chestnut oak grows in a humid, temperate climate characterized by hot summers, mild and short winters, and no distinct dry season. The species is distributed widely and is principally found on well-drained silty clay and loamy terraces in the bottomlands of large and small streams.

Site requirements: Swamp Chestnut Oak strongly prefers soils that are moist, permanently moist, or permanently wet, and tolerates standing water (as in periodically inundated floodplains) for several weeks at a time. Zone 5-8

29

Quercus nuttallii (Texana) - nuttal oak Description: This native oak is found on poorly drained clay flats and low bottoms of the Gulf Coastal Plain and north in the Mississippi and Red River Valleys. The acorn or winter buds identify Nuttall oak, easily confused with pin oak (Q. palustris). The lumber is often cut and sold as red oak. In addition to producing timber, Nuttall oak is an important species for wildlife management because of heavy annual mast production (Filer, T. H., Jr. 1975. Mycorrhizae and soil microflora in a green-tree reservoir. Forest Science 21(l):36-39).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, 4 to 7 inches long, 5 to 7 bristle-tipped lobes of irregular length, deep sinuses, dull dark green above, paler below with axillary tufts. Flower: Monoecious; males in long drooping catkins, yellow-green; females very small spikes in leaf axils, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: Striped, oblong reddish brown acorn, 1 inch long; scaly cap covers about 1/2 of nut; matures in 2 seasons in the fall. Twig: Slender to moderate, glabrous, reddish brown; clustered terminal buds are slightly angled, reddish brown with a small amount of fuzz on pointed tips. Bark: Gray-brown, initially quite thin and smooth, later developing narrow scaly ridges and shallow fissures. Form: A medium to large tree up to 100 feet tall. It has a tendency to retain dead limbs and has a narrower crown than many other bottomland oaks. Site requirements: In the Coastal Plain, Nuttall oak grows mostly in alluvial river bottoms on sites similar to those described for the Delta (Putman, J. A., G. M. Furnival, and J. S. McKnight. 1960. Management and inventory of southern hardwoods. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook 181. Washington, DC. 102 p.). Zone5-8.

30

Quercus pagoda - cherrybark oak Description: A deciduous wetland tree native from east Texas to Virginia.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, 5 to 8 inches long, 5 to 9, bristle tipped lobes which are shallower than Quercus falcata, margins of lobes are nearly at right angles to midrib, bright green above, duller and may be scruffy-hairy beneath and on petiole. Flower: Monoecious; staminate yellow-green flowers borne on elongated clusters of catkins; pistilate flowers are very small, green and borne on a short stalk, appear with the leaves. Fruit: Acorns are 1/2 inch long, orange-brown, pubescent when young; scaly, somewhat pubescent cap covers about 1/3 of the nut; matures in fall after two years. Twig: Orange to reddish brown, often very pubescent with older twigs becoming glabrous; multiple terminal buds (1/8 to 1/4 inch) are pointed, reddish brown and have some pubescence on the upper half. Bark: Initially smooth, but quickly developing small scaly ridges, later becoming dark, scaly and quite rough. At times resembling black cherry bark. Form: Large tree, with good, straight form, often well over 100 feet tall and over 3 feet in diameter. Site requirements: A fine large tree for sunny, wetland conditions. Zone 5-8.

31

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, linear or lanceolate in shape (willow-like) with an entire margin and a bristle tip. Flower: Monoecious; males borne on slender yellow-green catkins; females borne on very short axilliary spikes, both appear very early with the leaves. Fruit: Acorns are very small, 1/4 to 1/2 inch across, nearly round and yellow-green, turning tan when older, caps are thin, saucer-like and cover only 1/4 of acorn with thin, tomentose, appressed scales. Twig: Slender, hairless, olive-brown in color when young; multiple terminal buds are very small, reddish brown and sharp-pointed. Bark: On young stems, smooth, gray and tight; later becoming darker and forming irregular rough ridges and furrows. Form: A medium sized tree up to 80 feet tall that forms a dense oblong crown when open grown; lower branches do not readily self-prune.

Quercus phellos - Willow oak Description: A popular street and shade tree with fine-textured foliage, widely planted from Washington D.C. and southward. Easily distinguishable from most other oaks by the narrow leaves that superficially resemble willows. It is recognized as an oak by the acorns and tiny bristle-tip. City squirrels as well as other wildlife consume and spread the acorns. It is also a favored shade tree, easily transplanted and used widely in urban areas.

Site requirements: Willow oaks prefer moist, well-drained soil, but are very adaptable to difficult conditions; excellent tree for parks, golf courses, streets; Willow oak grows on a variety of soils including moist clay or loamy soils, sandy, and sandy loam to clay. Prefers an acid soil. Zones 7-9

32

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, 4 -7 inches, 5-9 lobes with coarse bristle tips, shiny dark green above, pale green below. Flower: Monoecious; males are long hanging catkin in clusters, light green; females single or paired on a short stalk, appearing with the leaves. Fruit: Acorn, single or paired, 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long, oblong-ovoid; shallow, bowl-shaped, scaly cap covering less than 1/3 of acorn. Twig: Moderately stout, grayish brown, smooth, clustered terminal buds are 1/4 inch long, grayish brown, smooth or slightly fuzzy. Bark: Grayish brown, developing dark, deep furrows, with light gray to white scaly ridge tops. Form: A large southern oak, often over 100 feet tall and several feet in diameter, with a clear bole and a broad, spreading crown.

Quercus shumardii - Shumard oak Description: Can grow to be over 100 feet tall in the wild but reaches 40 to 60 feet in the landscape. Shumard Oak produces healthy green foliage even on alkaline soils, tolerates summer heat and drought and transplants easily.

Site requirements: Shumard Oak prefers constantly moist but well-drained, deep, rich soils that are of variable pH. In extremely alkaline soils (high pH), it may exhibit a small degree of chlorosis, but often the leaves are simply a lighter shade of green. It also tolerates very dry soils. It thrives in full sun to partial sun, and is shade tolerant in youth. Zones 5 to 9.

33

Quercus velutina – black oak Description: It grows best on moist, rich, well-drained soils, but it is often found on poor, dry sandy or heavy glacial clay hillsides where it seldom lives more than 200 years. Good crops of acorns provide wildlife with food. The wood, commercially valuable for furniture and flooring, is sold as red oak. Black oak is seldom used for landscaping (Ivan Sander, USDA Forest Service).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, 4 to 10 inches long, obovate or ovate in shape with 5 (mostly) to 7 bristle-tipped lobes; leaf shape is variable, with sun leaves having deep sinuses and shade leaves having very shallow sinuses, lustrous shiny green above, paler with a scruffy pubescence and axillary tufts below. Flower: Monecious, males borne on slender yellow-green catkins; females are reddish green and borne on short spikes in leaf axils, appearing in spring with the leaves. Fruit: Ovoid acorns, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, 1/3 to 1/2 enclosed in a bowl-shaped cap; cap scales are loosely appressed (particularly loose on edges of cap), light brown and fuzzy, matures in 2 years in late summer and fall. Twig: Stout and red-brown to gray-green, usually glabrous but rapidly growing twigs may be hairy; buds are very large (1/4 to 1/2 inch long), buff-colored, fuzzy, pointed and distinctly angular. Bark: At first gray and smooth, becoming thick and very rough, nearly black and deeply furrowed vertically with horizontal breaks. The inner bark is yellow-orange and very bitter tasting. Form: A medium sized tree to 80 feet with an irregular crown and a tapering, somewhat limby bole. Site requirements: Not native to Jackson and Stone Counties. Black oak grows best on well drained, silty clay to loam soils in Zone 4-8.

34

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong or elliptical in shape with an entire or spiny and revolute margin. The upper surface is lustrous, the lower is pale and pubescent. Generally, not bristle-tipped. Flower: Staminate flowers borne on catkins. Pistillate flowers borne on spikes, appearing spring. Fruit: Acorns in clusters of 3 to 5, dark nut, 3/4 inch long and covered 1/3 by the cap; cap is bowl-shaped, turbinate, and warty; maturing in early fall of the first year. Twig: Slender, gray and pubescent, with small, blunt, multiple terminal buds. Bark: Rapidly developing red-brown furrows with small surface scales; later becoming black and very blocky. Form: A medium sized tree that can grow to massive proportions. Open-grown trees develop a huge rounded crown. The largest crowns may be 150 feet across.

Live oak - Quercus virginiana Description: This magnificent, broadleaf evergreen tree will be a picturesque addition to your landscape. It grows rapidly when young and may live to be centuries old. Live oak is a large spreading tree of the lower Coastal Plain from southeastern Virginia to southern Florida and to southern Texas. It normally grows in low sandy soils near the Coast but also occurs in moist rich woods and along stream banks.

Site requirements: Inhabiting a wide variety of sites live oak can be found in almost pure stands, or scattered in mixed woodlands, hammocks, flatwoods, borders of salt marshes, roadsides, city lots, and commonly scattered in pastures. Live oak are found growing in association with several other hardwoods, including the water oak, laurel oak, sweetgum, southern magnolia, and American holly. Adapts to almost any soil, and is tolerant of salt spray. Zone 7-10

35

Rhus glabra – smooth sumac

Description: Smooth sumac is a native, deciduous, thicket-forming shrub or small tree. Its leaves and fruits are eaten by birds, insects, and mammals.

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, 12 to 18 inches long, 11 to 31 lanceolate leaflets per leaf, each 2 to 4 inches long with a serrated margin, dark green above, paler and finely hairy above. Flower: Dioecious; small, with pale yellow petals, borne in a dense upright cluster up to 8 inches long, appearing in mid to late summer. Fruit: A small (1/8 inch) reddish, round, finely hairy drupe borne in dense upright cluster. The panicles typically droop when mature in the fall and persist into winter. Twig: Stout, lacking hairs and often with a bluish glaucous bloom; buds are small, rounded and covered with light brown hairs, nearly encircled by leaf scar. Bark: Brown-gray and smooth, with numerous lenticels, developing scaly ridges with age. Form: A shrub or small tree up to 10 feet with a short or multi-stemmed trunk and wide spreading, open crown. Site requirements: Smooth sumac grows in a wide range of habitats including open woodlands and full sun. It is often found along roadsides and in dry waste areas. Smooth sumac grows well on shallow to moderately deep, dry to moist, coarse or variably textured soils (USDA Plants Database). Zone 3-8.

36

Sassafras albidum – sassafras Description: A moderately fast growing, aromatic tree with three distinctive leaf shapes: entire, mitten shaped, and three lobed. Sassafras is important to wildlife as a browse plant, often in thickets formed by underground runners from parent trees. The soft, brittle, lightweight wood is of limited commercial value, but oil of sassafras is extracted from root bark for the perfume industry (Margene M. Griggs, USDA Forest Service).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, ovate to elliptical, entire, 3 to 6 inches long with 1 to 3 lobes; the 2-lobed leaf resembles a mitten, the 3-lobed leaf resembles a trident; green above and below and fragrant when crushed. Flower: Dioecious; small but quite showy, both male and females are bright yellow-green, borne in 2 inch racimes appearing in early to mid-spring. Fruit: Dark shiny blue, ovoid, fleshy drupes (1/3 inch long) that are borne in a red cup attached to a red stalks, held upright, maturing late summer. Twig: Slender, green and sometimes pubescent, with a spicy-sweet aroma when broken; buds are 1/4 inch long and green; twigs from young plants displayed at a uniform 60 degree angle from main stem. Bark: Brown, with cinnamon-brown inner bark, becoming coarsely ridged and furrowed; when cut the spicy aroma is obvious. Form: Small to medium sized tree up to 60 feet tall with an irregular often twisted trunk and main branches, usually flat-topped crown; root suckering may result in thickets. Site requirements: It grows best in open woods on moist, well-drained, sandy loam soils. In the Gulf Coast States where sites are predominately sandy soils, mature sassafras seldom exceeds sapling size (Margene M. Griggs, USDA Forest Service). Zone 4-8.

37

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID"

Leaf: Linear and small, 1/4 to 3/4 inch long, generally appearing two-ranked. Growing on deciduous branchlets the leaf-deciduous branchlet structure resembles a feathery pinnately (or bi-pinnately) compound leaf; green to yellow-green. Flower: Males in drooping, long panicles; females are not quite globe-shaped, have shield-shaped scales, and tend to occur near the end of branches. Fruit: Cones are composed of shield-shaped scales forming a woody, brown sphere with rough surfaces, 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter; cones disintegrate into irregular seeds. Twig: May be deciduous or not; non-deciduous twigs are slender, alternate, brown, rough, with round buds near the end of the twig; deciduous twigs are two-ranked, resembling pinnately compound leaves. Bark: Fibrous, red-brown but may be gray where exposed to the weather; old, thick bark may appear somewhat scaly. Form: A large tree with a pyramid-shaped crown, cylindrical bole, fluted or buttressed base and often with knees.

Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress Description: Very majestic tree with a fine textured appearance. Can be used as a specimen and for street tree use. It is a worthwhile tree for the large property and smaller property. Bald Cypress are deciduous conifers that shed their leaves and cones in the fall. They are known for their tolerance for flooding, their root outgrowths (called knees), their long lives (hundreds of years), their decay resistant heartwood, and their buttressed trunks.

Site requirements: One of the biggest misconceptions with Bald Cypress is that it must have "wet" soils. In actuality, seeds must be in a source of constant moisture for germination, which is most commonly found in a cypress swamp, but it is very adaptable to wet or dry sites. Bald Cypress can grow on almost any sites with the exception of high pH soils. The best time to plant cypress is while they are dormant. Zone 5-9

38

Viburnum dentatum – arrowood viburnum Description: Southern arrowwood is a native deciduous shrub with arching branches that form a rounded crown. Foliage turns yellow to red or reddish-purple in late fall. Small white flowers are borne in 2 to 4-inch flat-topped clusters in May to early June. The ¼ inch berry-like drupes are bluish-black and attractive to wildlife. Fruiting occurs from August – November (USDA Plant Factsheet).

Virginia Tech Department of Forestry "Tree ID" Leaf: Opposite, simple, oval to elliptical, coarsely serrated margins, 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long, shiny dark green above, paler below. Flower: Small, white in flat topped clusters, 2 to 4 inches across, yellow stamens, appearing in late spring. Fruit: Bluish black, oval drupes, 1/3 inch long, occurring in clusters, ripening in early fall. Twig: Slender, ridged and angled, glabrous or slightly velvety, buds 1/4 inch, green to brown, several scales present. Bark: Gray to grayish brown, smooth getting finely scaly with size. Form: Many branching shrubs to 10 feet, arching branches forming an overall rounded crown. Site requirements: Southern arrowwood is found in open woods and margins, and along streambanks. It prefers loamy, neutral to acid soil with ample moisture, but is adaptable to a range of conditions from dry to fairly wet soil. They most commonly occur in partial shade but can be grown in full sun (USDA Plant Factsheet). Zone 4-8.