Fleming College - Trees and Shrubs - Tree ID (Twigs)

Beaked Hazel

Beaked Hazel (not on test)

White Elm

Sharply Canted Terminal Bud
Scaled Buds
Knobby leaf scars
Appressed alternating Lateral buds

Ironwood

6-8 scales on buds
Alternating, divergent Lateral Buds
Slightly hairy bark
Single Terminal bud slightly longer than lateral bud

Yellow Birch

False terminal bud
Scaled buds
Angular growth from bud-joints
Seed “hot-dog”

White Birch

False Terminal bud
Delicate Twig
Scaled Buds
Fuzzy, “seed hotdog” sprouting from bud
Alternating Lateral Buds

American Beech

Angular growth
Very long terminal and lateral buds (biggest ID factor)

Black Cherry

Alternating, scaled lateral buds

Ovoid Terminal Bud that is slightly larger than lateral buds

Balsam Poplar

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Pointed, Alternating, Appressed Lateral Buds
Pointed, single Terminal Bud
Buds appear needle-like
Somewhat insectile appearance
Leathery, waxy appearance

Dogwood

Dogwood

Trembling Aspen

Alternating, Appressed Lateral Buds
Slightly Canted Terminal Bud

Large-tooth Aspen

Scaled buds
Single terminal bud
Alternating, small, appressed Lateral Buds

Hawthorn

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Clustered, pine-cone shaped Terminal Bud
Thorns (duh)

Red Oak

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Loosely Clustered, pine-cone styled terminal bud
Divergent, alternating lateral buds
Thick, half-moon leaf scars beneath buds (appear lime-green when fresh)

Bur Oak

has cork
Gnarled, Clustered Terminal Bud
Thick, pronounced leaf scars

Black Ash

Dark, fuzzy, small terminal bud (often smaller than the twig base)
Opposite tiny black lateral buds that alternate 90 degrees in pairs.
Massive, shield-shaped leaf scars relative to the buds.

White Ash

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Clustered, crown-like terminal bud
Crescent leaf scars
Opposite, stubby lateral buds

Basswood

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Thick, cherry-red alternating Lateral Buds

Single, Lopsided Terminal Bud
Smooth, pale grey bark

Sugar Maple

Opposite, highly symmetrical lateral buds (alternate by 90 degrees for each pair)
Thickly scaled buds
Single Terminal bud but often grows directly on top of a pair of lateral buds, granting a trident-like appearance

Red Maple

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Stark red bark on fresh twigs
Opposite Lateral Buds
Clustered Terminal Bud

White Spruce

Loosely scaled, soft seed-cones
Waxy Buds

Balsam Fir

Clustered, small, ovoid terminal buds

Eastern Hemlock

Small, scaled, soft seed cones
Drops most of it’s needles in winter

White Pine

Large, loosely scaled seed-cones.

Many small needle scars (needles grow in bunches)
Clustered Terminal buds

Eastern White Cedar

Scaled

Butternut

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Alternating, fuzzy Lateral Buds

Fuzzy Canted Terminal Bud
Large leaf scars below lateral buds

Rock Elm

Older twigs develop corky ridges
Slender Zig-Zag growth pattern
Divergent Lateral Buds
Single Terminal Bud similar size to lateral buds
Nearly circular leaf scars

Bitternut Hickory

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Fuzzy, Yellow buds
Alternating , divergent lateral buds
Heart/kite-shield shaped leaf scars
Long, thick lumpy terminal bud