TREES 4 ENVIROTHON

Hawthorns / thorn apple

• Small sized trees (<20 ft fall) → no commercial value 

• Could be seen as pests due to speed at which they spread seeds, block sunlight for other plants or make land preparation for forest planning expensive

• >20 diff types

BARK: dark brown/gray; scaly

TWIGS: stiff, zigzag, w/unbranched thorns that are 1.5-2 in long

WINTER BUDS: round, chestnut brown color; terminal bud present but <lateral buds

LEAVES: simple, alternate 2-4 in long, 2-3 in wide, serrate (jagged)

FRUIT: berry-like (cluster); size of small cherries; red when mature in early fall; 1-5 hard seeds in center; birds like to consume them in winter

Eastern Hemlock / hemlock-spruce

• Valuable & widely distributed forest tree

• Common in northern exposures, shaded gorges, steep slopes and swamp borders

• Wood is coarse-grained (large pores & visible fibers), brittle, not durable 

• Splinters easily & light brown

• Used for construction lumber & in demand for mechanical pulp

BARK: red-gray brown w/shallow and broad connecting ridges, inner bark = bright cinnamon red color, has commercial value for tanning leather due to high tannin content of bark 

TWIGS: slender, yellow-gray brown color, rough when needles are shed

WINTER BUDS: very small, red brown, not resinous coated

LEAVES: grow one at a time; twist slightly (looks like 2 neat rows at either side of twig) w/ third row point straight forward on top; each leaf = short little stem, flat, 1/2 in long; tip is rounded or has a small notch; top of leaf = dark green → bottom = lighter w/two white strips; stay on for 2-3 yrs before falling off

FRUIT: small cone (abt 3/4 in long) that hangs DOWNWARD, 1 yr to ripen which is marked by gray brown color, cone falls off in winter after ripening, scales have smooth rounded edges, inside cones are paired light brown seeds (1/16 in) w/wings; seeds ready in September

Bitternut hickory / swamp hickory, water hickory, tightbark hickory 

• Found in most parts of NY except higher Adirondacks & Catskills

• Prefers bottomland areas: wet sites in pastures, fields and along streams

• Can also be found on hillsides and ridgetops in small, moist spots

• Grows best in MOIST, rich soil (like in farm woodlots)

• Wood is heavy, very hard, strong, tough and dark brown w/pale sapwood

• Worse than other hickories but used for same purposes 

BARK: thin and lies flat against the free, has small grooves (furrows) and thin raised lines (ridges) that are evenly spaces, stays in place (no peeling or flaking), light gray

TWIGS: skinny, yellowish, hairy near end, gray/orange-brown during FIRST winter, brown 

WINTER BUDS: narrow & flat (no round or sharp tips), has 4 protective yellowish outer layers (scales), main bud at the tip of the branch is ⅓-¾ of an in long

LEAVES: grow in zigzag pattern along branch (not directly across from each other), each leaf has 7-11 narrow & sharp pointed smaller leaflets (narrower compared to other hickory trees), 6-10 in long total

FRUITS: nut, mostly round, thin, brown, ¾-1 in long, no ridges; bitter taste, inedible for humans; husk aka outer shell sticks to nut (even after it falls from free), really thin shell

Pignut Hickory / pignut, brown hickory 

• Found mostly on dry ridges and hillsides (except in Adirondack where it’s only @ low elevations)

• Strong & tough wood

• Similar uses as shagbark hickory

BARK: flat against the tree, dark gray, has small indentations and raised lines, doesn’t peel or hang loosely (sometimes small pieces may come loose or peel slightly at the ends)

TWIGS: skinny, smooth, tough, pliable, red brown - gray 

WINTER BUDS: small, oval, blunt-pointed, covered w/reddish brown scales which the outer pair come off in winter, ending bud is <½ in long 

LEAVES: grow in zigzag pattern (alternate), made up of 5-7 leaflets of same size, 8-12 in long

FRUIT: pear-shaped to nearly round, husk: thin, light brownish-yellow, surface: nut is SMOOTH w/no ridges, abt 1 in long, thick inner shell, kernel (inside part): starts of sweet but becomes bitter over time, husk sticks to nut after it falls from tree