Dendrology Best ID Characteristics

Norway spruce

evergreen conifer

wizard-like form

needles are four-sided and sharp

cones are large

white fir

evergreen conifer

needles are flat, blunt, and bluish

cones stand upright

eastern white pine

evergreen conifer

needles in fassicles of five

Virginia pine

evergreen conifer

needles in bundles of two that appear twisted

cones are small and prickly, they directly attach to branch

dawn redwood

deciduous conifer

reddish, stringy bark

buttressed base

poison-ivy

vine

thick, hairy rope

sometimes has white berries

red maple

oppositely branched

blunt, reddish buds in clusters

round flower buds

twigs are shiny red

bark is smooth gray, then flaky and ridged

sugar maple

oppositely branched

sharp, pointed, scaly, brown buds

samaras spread at around 60 degrees

bark is long, vertical plates that curl at the edges

silver maple

oppositely branched

shaggy bark, peeling in long strips

buds are red, clustered, and blunt

twigs smell rank when scratched

branches sweep down then up

Norway maple

oppositely branched

fat, plump, blunt buds (especially the terminal bud)

samaras spread at around 180 degrees

bark had tight furrows and appears curled sround the tree

boxelder

oppositely branched

green/purplish twigs with a waxy bloom

buds are white and fuzzy

leaf scars meet in a line across the twig

dangling samara clusters often persist

trunk is usually leaning and has multiple stems

white ash

oppositely branched

leaf scar is deeply notched, U-shaped

bud sits deep in leaf scar

terminal bud is domed and brown

twigs are smooth

bark is tight, diamond-shaped ridges

green ash

oppositely branched

leaf scar is shallow, nearly straight across

bud sits on top of leaf scar and is often rusty

twigs can be slighhtly hairy

bark is diamond-shaped ridges, but less regular

flowering dogwood

oppositely branched

small, alligator-like square blocks on bark

onion-shaped flower buds on twig tips

red berried often persist

candalabra twig form from underneath

blackhaw

oppositely branched

blocky bark like the dogwood, but darker and rougher

buds are slim, pointed, and gray/brown, they are flat against the twig with a peanut look

flower bud looks like it swallowed a pellet

twigs are stiff with short spur shoots, give appearance of a fish skeleton

white oak

alternately branched

bark is light gray, flaky, or scaly

terminal bud clusters are small and round

acorn caps are warty

Chinkapin oak

alternately branched

light, flaky bark similar to white oak

small acorns, thin cap

leaves have course teeth

bur oak

bark is thick and deeply furrowed

twigs have corky ridges

acorns are huge with fringed caps

northern red oak

alternately branched

bark is long, flat-topped, shiny ridges that look like ski tracks

buds are pointed and reddish

acorn cap is flat and saucer-like

black oak

alternately branched

bark is dark and blocky

buds are angular, gray, and fuzzy

acorn cap is like a thatched roof

southern red oak

alternately branched

bark is dark and furrowed

buds are small, rusty, and hairy

leaf undersides are rusty

pin oak

alternately branched

jumping jack form

“pin” twigs

buds are tiny and sharp

willow oak

alternately branched

young bark is smooth and gray

twigs are slender

buds are tiny and pointed

leaves are narrow and willow-like

shingle oak

alternately branched

leaf litter is broader with smoother edges than willow oak

buds are slender and sharp

American beech

alternately branched

bark is smooth and gray

leaves can stay on, 9-11 veins

European beech

alternately branched

bark is smooth and gray

shorter buds than American beech

American chestnut

alternately branched

toothed leaves

Chinese chestnut

alternately branched

form is a wide crown, like a fruit tree

twigs are stouter and hairy

Allegheny chinkapin

alternately branched

form is small and shrubby

one nut per bur

honeylocust

alternately branched

thorns anywhere

bean pods are long and twisted

black locust

alternately branched

bark is deeply furrowed and ropy

paired thorns at nodes

bean pods are short and brown

Kentucky coffeetree

alternately branched

no thorns

twigs are very stout, form looks like a haunted house tree

bean pods are thick and woody

sweetgum

alternately branched

spiky gum balls

leaf scars are star-shaped

corky twig wings

bark has deep gray furrows

American sycamore

alternately branched

bark is mottled and peeling with smooth and white upper limbs

single ball fruits on long stalks

buds are hidden under leaf scar

weeping willow

alternately branched

twigs are long, yellow/green, drooping twigs

black willow

alternately branched

bark is dark and deeply furrrowed

leaning form

twigs easily snap off at base

sweet birch

alternately branched

young bark is dark and cherry-like

twigs smell and taste like mint

river birch

alternately branched

bark is peeling and salmon to cinnamon colored

grows along streams

tulip-poplar

alternately branched

buds are duckbill-shaped

trunk is tall and straight

leaf scars are round, stipule scars ring the twig

bark is diamond-shaped ridges

upright cone-like seed heads stay in the crown

black cherry

alternately branched

bark is burnt potato chips

twigs smell like bitter almond when scratched

buds are small and dark

young bark has lenticels

cucumbertree

alternately branched

magnolia with silky, white-haired terrminal buds

twigs are reddish-brown with ring-shaped scars

sassafras

alternately branched

twigs are bright green

bark is deeply furrowed and orange-brown

bark has spicy root beer smell when scratched

blackgum

alternately branched

branches extend at 90 degree angles

bark is deeply blocky

twigs are zigzag

short spur shoots

pawpaw

alternately branched

grows in thickets

buds are fuzzy, rust-brown, and have no scales

bark is blotchy gray-brown

bigtooth aspen

alternately branched

bark is smooth, chalky green-gray

bark has rough diamond patches at the base

buds are lightly hairy and shiny brown

large catkin buds

eastern redbud

alternately branched

bark is scaly and dark with zigzag twists

flat and brown pods persist

flower buds cluster on twigs and even the trunk

hophornbeam

alternately branched

bark is shaggy, vertical strips

hop-like fruit clusters

pendant catkins

black walnut

alternately branched

bark is dark, deeply furrowed, and diamond

twigs are stout with a chocolate colored chambered pith

large, monkey face leaf scars

Callery pear

alternately branched

bark is dark and ridged

twigs are glossy red with pale dots

wild trees have thorny spur shoots

small, hard, round fruits

spicebush

alternately branched

shrub

twigs are olive-green and have a spicy smell

flower buds are round and button-like

paper birch

alternately branched

bark is white, peely, peels horizontally, has lentisels

twigs have lentisels, smoother than gray birch

buds are pointed teardrops

tip catkins are grouped in 2-5

ornamental

gray birch

alternately branched

bark is grayish, does not peel much, often multiple trunks

twigs have rough lentisels

tip catkin is singular, but sometimes two

hornbeam

bark is smooth, occasionaly cracked, muscular looking

catkins

twigs are slender

buds are tiny, scales have line of white fuzz

fruits look like maple leaves

usually smaller, understory tree

northern catalpa

alternately branched

leaves are whorls of 3 at each node

leaf scar is sunken, oval, saucer

fruit is long bean shapes

trunks are clustered, curved, bent, multiple

bark is brownish gray, shallow furrows, scaly ridges

eastern redcedar

evergreen

two foliage types, younger is needly and pointy, older is a bunch of green scales

male cones are tiny yellowish brown bits all over tree

female cones look like little blueberries

bark is fibrous and vertically striped

form is scrubby

common persimmon

alternately branched

buds are tiny, black triangles

1 vascular bundle

bark is very knobby squares, inside of furrows is orange, ridgy bark like charcoal bricks

fruit is plum shaped, orangeish when ripe

mockernut hickory

alternately branched

7-9 leaflets

twig and rachis are very fuzzy

twig is stout

bud is hershey kiss shaped, brown scales fall and expose silky white inside

second thickest husk, nuts have 4 ridges

bark is interlacing diamonds, rounded ridges, silvery gray, and not shaggy

pignut hickory

alternately branched

5-7 leaflets

no hair anywhere

second thinnest husk, nut is oval shaped and not ridged

no hair anywhere

bud is small and brown

bark is furrowed, looser, and shaggy

shagbark hickory

alternately branched

5, occasionally 7, leaflets

bud is large, ovate, slighly fuzzy, and looks like a football

twig and rachis can be slightly fuzzy

thickest husk

bark is very shaggy

bitternut hickory

alternately branched

7-11 leaflets, usually smaller

valvate bud is bright orangey yellow

thinnest husk, papery

bark is diamond interlacing, tightest and thinnest

European larch

alternately branched

deciduous conifer

needles are soft, feathery clusters on both sides of twig

tigs have little stumps/knobs

cones are small, 1-2 inches, and usually upright

triangular form

hawthorn

buds are small, round, and brick red colored

occassionally thorned

bark is finely scaly

fruit looks like a mini apple, reddish orange

form is usually short and squat

littleleaf linden

alternately branched

heart-shaped leaf with uneven base

bud is beer gut

nut has ridges and is helf on by a leafy bract

ornamental

American basswood

alternately branched

heart-shaped leaf with uneven base

buds are large and one side bulges out

fruit is tiny, hairy nut held on by leafy bract, no ridges and is round

trunk sounds hollow, it likes to sprout at base