1
to common trees in LouisianaLEAF KEY
2
Why Do You Need to Learn to Identify Trees?
Learning to identify trees can be fun. It’s an interesting hobby for people ofall ages.
You’ll gain an appreciation of nature through this hobby, and, in theaddition, you will find that tree identification is basic to advanced studies in manyfields, including forestry, botany, horticulture, wildlife, ecology and landscapearchitecture and environmental design.
3
How to Use the Leaf KeyIt is easy to identify the common trees of
Louisiana with this guide. Long words have beenleft out and pictures are used to identify the leavesinstead of written descriptions.
Common trees include native and introducedtrees from other parts of the United States or fromforeign countries.
You can identify most tree leaves if you followthese steps:
1. Read the description at each numbered headingin the key on page 4 and by process ofelimination find the group to which the leaf ofany unknown tree belongs. Diagrams of the leafcharacters used in the key are show on page 5.
2. Turn to the picture numbers for this group. Leafdescriptions are repeated in the upper corner ofthe each page throughout the key.
3. Match the leaf with the picture it most closelyresembles to find its name.
Helpful HintsWhen you are collecting leaves, note and
remember if the leaves are opposite or alternate onthe twigs. Opposite leaves means that there will beleaves directly across from any leaf on the twig.Alternate leaves mean that there is no leaf directlyacross, but up and down the twig. Trees withalternate leaves also have alternate twigs andbranches. Those with opposite leaves have oppositetwigs and branches. Look carefully at several leavesand twigs or examine the branching habits of anytree to be identified. Frequently, a leaf, twig orbranch may have died on an opposite leavedspecies, and the tree appears to be an alternate type.
All leaves have a bud for next year’s growth atthe base of the petiole or stem. A leaf in which thereis only one blade is termed a simple leaf.Compound leaves have more than one blade on acommon stalk, and each of these blades is called aleaflet or little leaf. Compound leaves do not havebuds at the base of the leaflets.
The leaves of all trees vary widely in size.Those on stump sprouts may often be three timeslarger than normal. Leaves will be smaller thanusual during dry years. The illustrations have beendrawn for the usual leaf sizes. You can see what thenormal size is by examining the bracket at the sideof each drawing. The bracket shows a one-inchscale.
The leaves of all trees vary greatly in the form.No two leaves on any single tree are precisely alike.Those on the lower branches may be somewhatdifferent than those higher in the tree. Leaves ofblack oak, in particular, are extremely variable inform and shape. In using this key, try to pick a leafthat appears average in size and form for each tree.
Leaves of mulberry and sassafras trees may beeither entire or lobed. Each is keyed out andillustrated under both headings.
Oak and hickory trees hybridize readily and theoffspring of these crosses are difficult to identify.Hybrids of willow oak and southern red oak, forexample, will often have leaves typical of bothparents and all variations between them on a singlebranch. The parents of such hybrids can sometimesbe determined by using two or more leaves thatrepeatedly show the widest variation in form.
A few Louisiana tree species have leaves almostalike. These will have an additional featureillustrated to aid in their identification.
Leaf Key toCommon Trees in Louisiana
4
Leaf Key
Drawing Nos.(Pictures)
I. Leaves broad; definitely not needle-like or scale-like, mostly deciduous
A. Leaves alternate on the twigs
1. Leaves compound ................................................................................... 1-26
2. Leaves simple
a. Leaf edge smooth .............................................................................. 27-51
b. Leaf edge toothed .............................................................................. 52-83
c. Leaves lobed...................................................................................... 84-104
B. Leaves opposite on the twigs
1. Leaves compound ................................................................................... 105-110
2. Leaves simple
a. Leave edge smooth ............................................................................ 111-118
b. Leaf edge toothed .............................................................................. 119
c. Leaves lobed...................................................................................... 120-123
II. Leaves needle-like or scale-like; mostly evergreen
A. Leaves needle-like ...................................................................................... 124-130
B. Leaves scale-like ......................................................................................... 131-132
5
Leaf Characters
Scale-like Single Needle-like Bundles
Smooth
Serrate Dentate
Toothed Lobed
Simple Compound Doubly Compound
AlternateOpposite
Bud Bud
Bud
6
Alternate, Compound
1. Sapindus saponaria var. drummondiiWestern Soapberry
2. Ailanthus altissima*Tree-of-Heaven
3. Juglans nigraBlack Walnut
4. Carya aquaticaWater Hickory
5. Carya X leconteiBitter Pecan
6. Carya illinoinensisPecan
*not native to North America
7
Alternate, Compound
7. Carya myristici formisNutmeg Hickory
8. Carya glabra var. hirsotaSwamp Hickory
9. Carya texanaBlack Hickory
10. Carya albaMockernut Hickory
11. Carya pallidaSand Hickory
12. Carya laciniosaShellbark Hickory
8
Alternate, Compound
13. Carya cordiformisBitternut Hickory
14. Carya glabraPignut Hickory
15. Carya X ludovicianaLouisiana Hickory
16. Carya ovataShagbark Hickory
17. Robinia pseudoacaciaBlack Locust
18. Gleditsia aquaticaWater Locust
9
Alternate, Compound
19. Gleditsia triacanthosHoney Locust(compound leaf)
20. Gleditisia triacanthosHoney Locust(doubly compound leaf)
21. Gleditsia X texanaTexas Honey Locust
22. Acacia parnesianaOpopanax
10
Alternate, Compound
23. Zanthoxylum clava-herculisPrickly Ash (Hercules-Club)
24. Ptelea trifoliataCommon Hoptree
25. Erythrina crista-galliCrybaby Tree
26. Melia azedarachChinaberry
11
Alternate, Simple, Smooth
27. Magnolia macrophyllaBigleaf Magnolia
28. Magnolia pyramidataCucumber Tree
29. Magnolia grandifloraSouthern Magnolia
30. Magnolia virginianaSweetbay Magnolia
31. Cyrilla racemifloraSwamp Titi
32. Sideroxylon lycioidesChittumwood
12
Alternate, Simple, Smooth
33. Morella ceriferaWax Myrtle
35. Quercus phellosWillow Oak
34. Quercus imbricariaShingle Oak
37. Quercus virginianaLive Oak
36. Quercus laurifoliaLaurel Oak
(elliptical leaves)
(obtusa leaves)
13
Alternate, Simple, Smooth
39. Sideroxylon lanuginosumspp. lanuginosumBuckhorn
40. Frangula carolinianaIndian - Cherry
(hairy stem)
(smooth stem)
41. Persea borboniaRedbay (swamp bay)
38. Cercis canadensisRedbud
14
Alternate, Simple, Smooth
42. Asimina trilobaPawpaw
43. Nyssa sylvaticaBlackgum
44. Diospyros virginianaPersimmon
46. Maclura pomiferaOsage-Orange
45. Sassafras albidumSassafras
15
Alternate, Simple, Smooth
49. Cinnamomum camphora*Camphor-Tree
47. Halesia dipteraSilverbell
48. Triadica sebifera*Chinese Tallowtree
50. Vaccinium arboreumSparkleberry
51. Styrax grandifoliaSnowbell
*not native to North America
16
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
54. Broussonetia papyrifera*Paper Mulberry
53. Morus rubraRed Mulberry
52. Morus alba*White Mulberry
57. Nyssa aquaticaTupelogum
56. Populus heterophyllaSwamp Cottonwood
55. Populus deltoidesEastern Cottonwood
*not native to North America
17
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
58. Ulmus americanaAmerican Elm
59. Ulmus rubraSlippery Elm
60. Ulmus pumila*Chinese Elm (Siberian Elm)
61. Ulmus alataWinged Elm
62. Ulmus crassifoliaCedar Elm
63. Planera aquaticaWater Elm
*not native to North America
18
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
64. Tilia americana var. carolinianaBasswood
65. Hamamelis virginianaWitch Hazel
66. Celtis laevigataHackberry (sugarberry)
67. Carpinus carolinianaBlue Beech
68. Ostrya virginianaHophornbeam
19
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
69. Betula nigraRiver Birch
70. Fagus grandifoliaAmerican Beech
71. Castanea pumilaChinquapin
72. Symplocos tinctoriaHorsesugar
20
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
73. Amelanchier arboreaService Berry (Shadbush)
75. Prunus umbellataSloe
74. Prunus serotinaBlack Cherry
76. Prunus mexicanaMexican Plum
77. Prunus carolinianaLaurel Cherry
78. Malus angustifoliaCrap Apple
21
Alternate, Simple, Toothed
79. Oxydendrum arboreumSourwood
80. Salix nigraBlack Willow
81. Salix interiorSandbar Willow
82. Ilex opacaAmerican Holly
83. Ilex cassineCassine (dahoon)
22
Alternate, Simple, Lobed
85. Quercus pagodaCherrybark Oak
84. Quercus falcataSouthern Red Oak
86. Quercus velutinaBlack Oak
87. Quercus shumardiiShumard Oak
23
Alternate, Simple, Lobed
90. Quercus nigraWater Oak
(large trees) (Small trees)
89. Quercus marilandicaBlackjack Oak
88. Quercus buckleyiNuttall Oak
24
Alternate, Simple, Lobed
92. Quercus macrocarpaBur Oak
91. Quercus albaWhite Oak
93. Quercus stellataPost Oak
94. Quercus michauxiiCow Oak (Chestnut Oak)
25
Alternate, Simple, Lobed
98. Sassafras albidumSassafras
99. Liriodendron tulipiferaTuliptree
100. Platanus occidentalisSycamore
95. Morus albaWhite Mulberry
96. Morus rubraRed Mulberry
97. Broussonetia papyriferaPaper Mulberry
26
Alternate, Simple, Lobed
101. Liquidambar styracifluaSweetgum
102. Crataegus marshalliiParsley Hawthorne
103. Crataegus viridisHog Haw (Green Haw)
104. Crataegus opacaMay Haw
27
Opposite, Compound
105. Fraxinus americanaWhite Ash
106. Acer negundoBox Elder
107. Fraxinus pennsylvanicaGreen Ash
108. Fraxinus profundaPumpkin Ash
109. Fraxinus carolinianaWater Ash
110. Fraxinus berlandierianaEvergreen Ash(Berlandier Ash)
28
Opposite, Simple, Smooth
111. Catalpa bignonioidesSouthern Catalpa
112. Paulownia tomentosa*Paulownia
113. Cornus floridaFlowering Dogwood
114. Cornus drummondiiRoughleaf Dogwood
*not native to North America
29
Opposite, Simple, Smooth
115. Cornus foeminaBluefruited Dogwood(stiffcornel dogwood)
116. Osmanthus americanusDevilwood
117. Chionanthus virginicusFringetree
118. Cephalanthus occidentalisButtonbush
30
Opposite, Simple, Toothed
119. Viburnum rufidulumRusty Blackhaw
31
Opposite, Simple, Lobed
120. Acer saccharinumSilver Maple
121. Acer saccharumSugar Maple
122. Acer rubrum var. drummondiiDrummond Red Maple
123. Acer rubrumRed Maple
32
Leaves Needle-like
124. Pinus taedaLoblolly Pine
125. Pinus palustrisLongleaf Pine
126. Pinus elliottiiSlash Pine
127. Pinus echinataShortleaf Pine
33
Leaves Needle-like
128. Pinus glabraSpruce Pine
129. Taxodium distichumBald Cypress
130. Taxodium ascendensPond Cypress
34
Leaves Scale-like
(older tree) (young tree)
131. Juniperus virginianaRed Cedar
132. Chamaecyparis thyoidesSouthern White Cedar
35
Index
American Beech ........................... 19American Holly ............................ 21Ash
Evergreen (Beriandier) ............. 27Green ....................................... 27Prickly (Hercules Club) ............ 10Pumpkin .................................. 27Water ....................................... 27White ....................................... 27
Bald Cypress ................................. 33Basswood ..................................... 18Birch, River .................................. 19Blackhaw, Rusty ........................... 30Blue Beech ................................... 18Box Elder ..................................... 27Buckthorn ..................................... 13Buttonbush ................................... 29Camphor Tree ............................... 15Cassine (dahoon) .......................... 21Catalpa, Southern .......................... 28Cedar
Red .......................................... 34Southern White ........................ 34
Cherry ..............................................Black ....................................... 20Indian ...................................... 13Laurel ...................................... 20
Chinaberry .................................... 10Chinese Tallowtree ........................ 15Chinquapin ................................... 19Chittumwood ................................ 11Common Hoptree ......................... 10Cottonwood
Eastern ..................................... 16Swamp..................................... 16
Crab Apple.................................... 20Crybaby Tree ................................ 10Cucumber Tree ............................. 11Cypress, Pond ............................... 33Devilwood .................................... 29Dogwood
Bluefruited ............................... 29Flowering ................................ 28Roughleaf ................................ 28
ElmAmerican ................................. 17Cedar ....................................... 17Chinese (Siberian) .................... 17Slippery ................................... 17Water Elm ................................ 17Winged .................................... 17
Fringetree ..................................... 29Gum
Blackgum ................................ 14Sweetgum ................................ 26Tupelogum............................... 16
Hackberry (Sugarberry) ............... 18Haw
Hog (Green Haw)..................... 26May ......................................... 26
Hawthorne, Parsley ....................... 26Hickory
Bitternut ..................................... 8Black ......................................... 7Louisiana ................................... 8Mockernut ................................. 7Nutmeg ...................................... 7Pignut ........................................ 8Sand .......................................... 7Shagbark .................................... 8Shellbark.................................... 7Swamp....................................... 7Water ......................................... 6
Hophornbeam ............................... 18Horsesugar .................................... 19Locust, Black .................................. 8Locust, Honey (compound leaf) ...... 9Locust, Honey
(doubly compound leaf) ............. 9Locust, Texas Honey ....................... 9Locust, Water .................................. 8Magnolia
Bigleaf ..................................... 11Southern .................................. 11Sweetbay ................................. 11
MapleDrummond Red ....................... 31Red .......................................... 31Silver ....................................... 31Sugar ....................................... 31
Mexican Plum............................... 20Mulberry
Paper ................................. 16, 25Red .................................... 16, 25White ................................. 16, 25
OakBlack ....................................... 22Blackjack ................................. 23Bur .......................................... 24Cherrybark ............................... 22Cow ......................................... 24Laurel (obtusa) ......................... 12
Name Page No.
Live ......................................... 12Nuttall ...................................... 23Post .......................................... 24Shingle .................................... 12Shumard .................................. 22Southern Red ........................... 22Water ....................................... 23White ....................................... 24Willow ..................................... 12
Opopanax ....................................... 9Osage-Orange ............................... 14Pawlonia ....................................... 28Pawpaw ........................................ 14Pecan .............................................. 6Pecan, Bitter ................................... 6Persimmon.................................... 14Pine
Loblolly ................................... 32Longleaf .................................. 32Shortleaf .................................. 32Slash ........................................ 32Spruce ...................................... 33
Redbud ......................................... 13Redbud (Swamp bay) .................... 13Sassafrass ............................... 14, 25Service Berry (Shadbush) .............. 20Silverbell ...................................... 15Sloe .............................................. 20Snowbell ....................................... 15Soapberry, Western ......................... 6Sourwood ..................................... 21Sparkleberry ................................. 15Sycamore ...................................... 25Titi ................................................ 11Tree-of-Heaven ............................... 6Tuliptree ....................................... 25Walnut, Black ................................. 6Wax Myrtle ................................... 12Willow
Black ....................................... 21Sandbar .................................... 21
Witch Hazel .................................. 18
Name Page No. Name Page No.
36
AcknowledgmentCredit is given to Dr. Robert E. Noble (retired), LSU School of Forestry
and Wildlife Management, for his technical assistance. The format for thispublication is from a bulletin written by Robert L. Baker and HarryWilliam Dengler of the Department of Horticulture, University of
Maryland.
AuthorsHallie Dozier, Ph.D. (Forestry)
Robert H. Mills, Ph.D. (Forestry) (retired)
Louisiana State University Agricultural CenterWilliam B. Richardson, Chancellor
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment StationDavid Boethel, Vice Chancellor and DirectorLouisiana Cooperative Extension ServicePaul D. Coreil, Vice Chancellor and Director
Pub. 1669 9/05 Rep.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914,
in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. The Louisiana CooperativeExtension Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.