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)