Dendrology

northern whitecedar Thuja occidentalis Cupressaceae

Blade: fan-like needle group
Reproductive: small/bunched cone grouping
Bark: stringy shready grey bark

American beech Fagus grandifolia Fagaceae

Blade: serrated leaves, oval with pointed tip
Reproductive: sharp, cigar shape buds
Bark: smooth, thin light blue/grey bark

red maple Acer rubrum Sapindaceae

Blades: 3 lobes, serrated margins, v shaped sinuses, red petioles
Reproductive: buds red/rounded, red samaras
Bark: smooth, ashy grey, as matures gets vertical "cracks"

choke cherry Prunus virginiana Rosaceae

Blades: finely serrated leaves, dark green on top, light (pale) green on bottom
Reproductive: white flowers in spring
Bark: dark grey-brown, smooth or finely scaling, lateral lenticles

balsam fir Abies balsamea Pinaceae

Blade: flat 90 degree, individual needles
Reproductive: a true fir, cone sits upright
Bark: smooth and grey, have "pitch-pocket"

sugar maple Acer saccharum Sapindaceae

Blade: 5 lobe leaf, smooth between lobes (margin), deep sinus
Reproductive: helicopter (double winged samara), sharp bud
Bark: very tough plated bark, darker grey

white ash Fraxinus americana Oleaceae

Blades: 5-9 dark green leaflets, start rounder and lengthen to spear shape
Reproductive: green to purple flowers
Bark: light grey-brown, corky-deep furrows, pointed ridges

pin cherry Prunus pennsylvanica Rosaceae

Blades: oblong and lanced shaped, finely serrated
Reproductive: rounded, stubby buds
Bark: smooth and shiny, reddish brown with horizontal stripes

eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis Pinaceae

Blades: very small needles, soft feeling
Reproductive: tiny cones that sit on top of branch
Bark: reddish, thick and round scales

ironwood Ostrya virginiana Betulaceae

Blades: elongated oval, double serrated margins, 3-6 in. long, 2in. wide, parallel ridges from middle to edges
Reproductive: fruit looks like hops
Bark: starts brown and gets greyish, longer stringy flakes

red spruce Picea rubens Pinaceae

Blades: 4 sided, pokey if run hand in opp. direction, shorter needles
Reproductive: 1.5-2 in. cylindrical cones
Bark: greyish flakes with red bark underneath

striped maple Acer pensylvanicum Sapindaceae

Blades: large 3 lobed leaf, lobes point forward, soft leaf that look like goose feet
Reproductive: larger double wing samara, red buds
Bark: smooth and thin bark, green with lighter stripes

red-osier dogwood Swida sericea Cornaceae

Blade: ovate leaf, veins curve out and in, sides curl
Reproductive: small white flowers, pointy buds
Bark: red, thin, grows in bunches, bush like

northern red oak Quercus rubra Fagaceae

Blades: spikey 7-11 lobes, smooth margins
Reproductive: round, 1 in. acorns, flat tops
Bark: reddish brown, thicker scales, lighter stripes down center

blue spruce Picea pungens Pinaceae

Blade: longer, straight and pointy, new growth is blueish
needles grow almost straight off of twig
Reproductive: big, cylindrical, brown with reddish tint
Bark: small to large scales, reddish grey scales

black cherry Prunus serotina Rosaceae

Blades: finely serrated leaves, dark green and shiny in color, orange fuzz on underside of leaf
Reproductive: fat, sharp, and red buds
Bark: black, smooth when young, short "burnt cornflake" pieces when older

black ash Fraxinus nigra Oleaceae

Blade: Pinnate-compound, 7 to 11 leaflets, serrate with small incurved teeth, rust colored fine hairs at base
Reproductive: Dark-brown to black bud, leaf scar is oval below the bud
Bark: reddish-brown/grey, small irregular furrows, not as distinct diamond patterned

paper birch Betula papyrifera Betulaceae

Blades: 2.8 in, oval with serrated margins
Bark: smooth and white when young, scale when older, horizontal lenticles

green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Oleaceae

Blade: 5-7 leaflets (compound), smallish
Reproductive: single winged samara, leaf scar is a sideways d above bud
Bark: deep diamond shaped patterned bark

quaking aspen Populus tremuloides Salicaceae

Blades: heart shaped, finely serrated margins, "shimmer" in the wind, leaf lays flat off petiole
Bark: greyish-green when young, white with green tint when older, have a "powder" feeling

red pine Pinus resinosa Pinaceae

Blades: 2 needles, attach directly to tree, easy to snap
Reproductive: shorter rounder pine cone
Bark: greyish-red scales, no ridges

jack pine Pinus banksiana Pinaceae

Blades: two per set, shorter, half spiral around branch
Reproductive: bent, pyramid cones, fire opens them
Bark: small greyish-red scales (may be burnt)

eastern white pine Pinus strobus Pinaceae

Blade: 5 needles per fascicle
needles have waxy coating
Reproductive: 4"-6" long cone
Bark: young-smooth green-grey
old-reddish-brown thick scales

American basswood Tilia americana Malvaceae

Blades: 4-8 in. heart shaped, serrated edges, asymmetrical at bottom
Reproductive: grow in groups, off trunks of others
Bark: grey or brown bark with shallow, flat-top ridges

eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Salicaceae

Blades: The leaf is very coarsely toothed, the teeth are curved and gland tipped, and the petiole is flat
Reproductive: longer, pointed buds
Bark: smooth on young trunks and branches; light yellowish green in color, becoming thick, ashy gray in color, and deeply furrowed with age

tamarack Larix laricina Pinaceae

Blades: grow in bundles when young, soft light green when older, almost look like moss
Reproductive: start purple, turn brown, flower look
Bark: grey with red hue, can have small or large plates

yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis Betulaceae

Blades: oval shaped with point, VERY finely serrated
Reproductive: lighter brown "pineapple" cone
Bark: golden bark that peels with age, harder peels

common apple Malus pumila Rosaceae

Blade: simple, oval in shape, small serrations, alternate branches
Reproductive: Reddish-brown with several imbricate scales, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long
Bark: gray, broken, and scaly

gray birch Betula populifolia Betulaceae

Blade: looks diamond like, big little serrations
Reproductive: cylindrical tight cones
Bark: white with horizontal lenticles, doesn't peel

wild raisin Viburnum nudum Adoxaceae

Bade: small, dark green, spear headed shaped
Reproductive: red/blue "raisins", white flower, stink
Bark: very small, multi stem, grey

speckled alder Alnus rugosa Betulaceae

Blades: dark green on top, light green on bottom, VERY finely serrated leaves
Reproductive: reddish brown open cone on end of branch
Bark: grey with lighter horizontal lenticles, multi stemmed

black spruce Picea mariana Pinaceae

Blades: small needles, blue-green, soft in opp. direction
Reproduction: smallest spruce cones, black to brown
Bark: small, "chippy", black without red hue

black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Fabaceae

Blade: compound leaf, around 17 small round leafs
Reproductive: big black pod with seeds inside
Bark: lighter grey bark w/ deep hard plates

mugo pine Pinus mugo Pinaceae

Blade: stout, dark green needles 1-2" in length with finely toothed margins, grows as a shrub
Bark: grayish-brown with irregular plates

pin oak Quercus palustris Fagaceae

Blade: pointy 7-5 lobe ends, deep u-shaped sinus' that go almost to midrib
Reproductive: squished acorn, can be stripped
Bark: brown/grey with furrows, when young brown with white lenticles

bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Fagaceae

Blade: oak patterned with "mushroom top", can be almost all one
Reproductive: acorn with "furry, textured" top
Bark: darker grey, can have deep furrows with age

Norway maple Acer platanoides Sapindaceae

Blade: maple shape, 2 additional lobes, shallow sinus'
Reproductive: larger samara, lay almost flat, clump buds
Bark: starts grey smooth, small vertical cracks, with age furrows get bigger and deeper

mountain ash Sorbus spp. Rosaceae

Blade: alternate, pinnately compound, lance-shaped leaflets, fine and sharp toothed margins
Reproductive: darker reddish-purple and sticky
Bark: gray to reddish, smooth with large lenticels

eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Cupressaceae

Blade: 1/5-1/4 inch scale with spiny end, scale-like
Reproductive: small, golden, cylindrical cones
Bark: long, fibrous strips, red-brown color

boxelder Acer negundo Sapindaceae

Blade: 3-5 compound, ovate maple shape
Reproductive: maple samara on compound leaf
Bark: grey, no pattern furrows not plated

butternut Juglans cinerea Juglandaceae

Blade: 11-13 compound, small ovals that come to a point
Reproductive: leaf scar looks like money face
Bark: light grey, starts smooth, flat furrows with age

honey locust Gleditsia triacanthos Fabaceae

Blade: double compound leaf, smaller ovate
Reproductive: barely any bud but have thorns
Bark: light grey-brown, smooth with horizontal lenticles when young, solid stringy bark when older

American elm Ulmus americana Ulmaceae

Blade: asymmetrical leaf, sharp point with larger serrations, have sandpaper feeling
Reproductive: fat, ovate, brown red buds
Bark: greyish with deeper diamond plating when older, SOFT bark

pitch pine Pinus rigida Pinaceae

Blade: large stiff needles, in groups of three per fascial
Reproductive: "squished" cone, brown, pokey ends
Bark: larger "rectangular-ish" plates, reddish brown

alternate leaf dogwood Swida alternifolia Cornaceae

Blade: oval, almost circle, with pointed end, veins arc out and in and are alternate
Reproductive: grow with end of twig
Bark: green or red-purple, when young smooth with horizontal lenticle look, branches are "tiered"

mountain maple Acer spicatum Sapindaceae

Blade: maple shape, just 3 lobes and serrated edges
Reproductive: buds are red and grow in 3's
Bark: small understory, grow in groups, thin, dull grey-brown, smooth becoming lightly scaled

shadbush Amelanchier spp. Rosaceae

Blade: rounded, elongated leaves with fine teeth along the edges
Reproductive: edible berries that look like blueberries, longer, brown, oval buds
Bark: very smooth, grayish brown in color, with age often marked with dark lengthwise streaks

beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Betulaceae

Blade: rounded oval, fuzzy leaves with doubly saw-toothed margins
Reproductive: small, brown, blunt bud with point
Bark: light brown smooth bark, that with age becomes gray and more patterned, shrubby

Scots pine Pinus sylvestris Pinaceae

Blade: 2 to 4 inches, arranged in an alternating spiral
Reproductive: ovoid-conic, orange-brown, white resin
Bark: thick and dark grey, orange and flakey at top

bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata Salicaceae

Blade: heart-shaped, big serrations
Reproductive: fat, ovate buds
Bark: start white-green smooth
age and get furrows (can be orange)

Austrian pine Pinus nigra Pinaceae

Blade: 2 per fascicle, broad tipped, about 6 inches long
Reproductive: fat tipped, ovate, white resin
Bark: furrowed, platelike, rough and dark brown/grey

Japanese larch Larix kaempferi Pinaceae

Blade: short needles in bundles, bright green
Reproductive: small cones, peel out like flower
Bark: Bark is smooth and red-brown on young trees

Norway spruce Picea abies Pinaceae

Blade: dark green, shiny, sharp, and spiral around the twig, flatter four sided needle
Reproductive: large cylindrical cone, brown-red
Bark: thin and thickens into gray-brown flaky scales with maturity

balsam poplar Populus balsamifera Salicaceae

Blade: rounded or heart shaped (cordate) at the base, finely toothed margins
Reproductive: Terminal bud round, Slender, long-pointed, Very resinous, fragrant, 5 scales
Bark: Greenish-brown to light brown, smooth; becoming grayish-black and deeply furrowed with flat ridges

bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Juglandaceae

Blades: alternate, pinnately compound, 6-12 inches long, with 7-9 elliptical, toothed leaflets, hairy stalks
Reproductive: Terminal bud present, slender, Tapering, flattened, granular, 2-4 scales
Bark: smooth and light gray when young, shallowly grooved with thin, flat, interconnecting ridges with age, not becoming scaly or shaggy

Canada yew Taxus canadensis Taxaceae

Blade: flat (90 degrees), stouter and same mid green and not lighter underneath
Reproductive: small, pealike "cones" that bear fruit
Bark: Thin, reddish-brown bark that becomes thin and scaly as the tree ages, often small, in clumps, and wet

hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides Adoxaceae

Blade: leaves are four to eight inches long, with rather prominent veins; they are heart-shaped at the base, with rounded lobes
Reproductive: large, golden buds, often grow in twos, they are ribbed, heart-like leaf scar
Bark: when young, is reddish-brown, when older is dark grey, often multi-stemmed and not much girth

witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana Hamamelidaceae

Blade: large, rounded, dark green leaves, larger serrations
Reproductive: light brown-yellow, looks crooked (deer foot), fruit in groups of three
Bark: multi-stemmed, smooth and lighter grey, can get quite stout

willow spp. Salix spp. Salicaceae

Blade: simple, feather-veined, and typically linear-lanceolate
Reproductive: brownish-green bud, covered by single scale
Bark: furrowed and grayish or yellowish brown in color; the yellow to brown twigs

black birch Betula lenta Betulaceae

Blade: simple, alternate, elliptical to ovate with an acute tip and cordate base
Reproductive: larger ovate buds, red-brown/green in color
Bark: reddish brown to black with lighter colored lenticels, can get "shaggy" with age

musclewood Carpinus caroliniana Betulaceae

Blade: dark-green leaves are coarsely serrated and often turn shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall
Reproductive: reddish-brown ovate bud, multi-scaled and slightly lopp sided
Bark: smooth, tight, thin, bluish gray, sometimes blotched, fluted into muscle-like ridges

black oak Quercus velutina Fagaceae

Blade: alternate, simple, 5 to 9 inches long and have 5 to 7 irregular bristle tipped lobes, broad U-shaped sinuses
Reproductive: Buds are 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length, sharp pointed, angled in cross section and have gray-woolly bud scales
Bark: inner bark is yellow or orange, the outer bark is black and deeply furrowed and has a blocky appearance

white oak Quercus alba Fagaceae

Blade: simple and arranged alternately on twigs. They are 7 to 9 lobed, 5 to 9 inches long with short petioles. The lobes are rounded without bristle tips
Reproductive: buds clustered at the tips, blunt to oval in shape and usually reddish brown to brown in color
Bark: light ashy gray, scaly or shallow furrowed, variable in appearance, often broken into small, narrow, rectangular blocks and scales

shagbark hickory Carya ovata Juglandaceae

Blade: Leaves are compound, made of 5 leaflets - three large ones on the end of a stem, with two smaller ones below it
Reproductive: Buds are tan to red-brown to dark brown and variously covered in matted hairs; the terminal bud is oval to egg-shaped with slightly flaring scales and may be nearly ¾ inch long
Bark: peeling, shaggy bark, which peels off in long strips, and a golden yellow fall color

silver maple Acer saccharinum Sapindaceae

Blade: Simple, five-lobed with deep sinuses. Leaf Margins - Ends of lobes sometimes deeply and doubly- acuminate lobed, 3 to 6 inches long
Reproductive: buds are red to reddish-brown; male flattened, ovoid; female clustered, 1/8 inches
Bark: pale gray and smooth when young. As the tree grows older, the bark becomes develops scaly plates, becoming almost shaggy

common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica Rhamnaceae

Blade: oval, 1 – 2 ½” long, are finely toothed along the edges, and have 2 – 3 pairs of prominent veins curving toward the leaf tip
Reproductive: short, ovate buds; darker reddish-brown
Bark: gray to brown with prominent, dark, eye-shaped pores called lenticels, becoming roughened with age

staghorn sumac Rhus typhina Anacardiaceae

Blade: alternate and pinnately compound 6 to 16 inches long, 11 to 31 coarsely toothed leaflets
Reproductive: Gray-brown, Small, hairy, leaf scars somewhat “C” shaped
Bark: dark brownish-grey, when young bark is "hairy", when older bark gets smoother with lenticles

posin-ivy Toxicodendron radicans Anacardiaceae

Blade: compound leaf of three leaves, middle leaflet is longer than the others
Reproductive: small and green or greenish-yellow and form in clusters, close to the vine
Bark: more of a vine than a tree, does not really have bark

American sycamore Platanus occidentalis Platanaceae

Blade: alternate, simple and palmately veined large leaf with three to five lobes, saw teethed margins
Reproductive: large, either one or no scales, normally darker red, ovate
Bark: tough, thick, and scaly, while farther up the trunk it is much paler (nearly white) and smoother

white spruce Picea glauca Pinaceae

Blade: 4-sided needle, "softer" or more pliable, smell like cat pee, normal green with lighter colors towards the end
Reproductive: slender, cylindrical cones that are light brown in color and 1½–2½" long with flexible scales
Bark: grey-ish bark, can see scales but much smoother than most softwoods

honeysuckle spp. Lonicera spp. Caprifoliaceae

Blade: Simple, ovate-elliptic, smooth margins, usually pubescent only on the veins on both sides, 2 to 3 inches long
Reproductive: red, blue or black spherical or elongated berry containing several seeds
Bark: light tan/brown with distinct stripes when young, starts to mildly "shred" with age

highbush-cranberry Viburnum opulus Adoxaceae

Blade: opposite, simple, 3-lobed and 2 to 4 inches long
Reproductive: Nearly round drupe about 1/3 inch diameter with a single large seed
Bark: multi-stemmed shrub, stems are smooth and gray-brown with large lenticels

hawthorne spp. Crataegus spp. Rosaceae

Blade: 3 to 5 lobed, and are 2-6 cm in length, deltoid, ovate, or rhomboid shaped
Bark: gray with shallow, longitundial fissures with narrow ridges, younger trees the bark is smooth and gray, with age, the bark darkens into a shade of brown and develops fissures and ridges

rhododendron Rhododendron spp. Ericaceae

Blade: spirally arranged; (0.4–0.8 in) to over 50 cm (20 in), may be evergreen or deciduous
Bud: large terminal bud, smaller auxillary buds, light brown/yellow in color, ovate
Bark: thin smooth and light brown when young, when older can get "fine scales"

common lilac Syringa vulgaris Oleaceae

Blade: deep green leaves arranged oppositely along the stems. The leaves are usually simple with entire margins
Bud: Green to brownish-purple with 3 pairs of scales, large, 1/4 to 1/2 inch
Bark: light to dark grey, smooth when it is young and shreds when it's older and larger in diameter

winged euonymus Euonymus alatus Celastraceae

Blade: deciduous shrub that averages 6 to 9 feet in height but is capable of reaching 15 feet. It has opposite, simple, elliptical toothed leaves
Bud: conical, strongly divergent, and are green-brown-red in color
Bark: prominently corky-winged green and brown bark, almost feels pokey four sided

river birch Betula nigra Betulaceae

Blade: glossy green leaves that are 2–3" long and somewhat triangular. Margins are double-toothed and leaves are arranged alternately
Bud: 3 scaled bud, light brown, white fuzz,
Bark: young river birch trees is reddish-brown with a papery appearance, the inner bark varies in hue from light to dark, very shaggy

chestnut oak Quercus montana Fagaceae

Blade: lance-shaped leaves, 7 inches long, parallel veins, rounded teeth. Yellow-green above, paler and fuzzy beneath
Bud: naked catkins,
Bark: very distinctive thick bark, the thickest of any of the oaks; gray in color with very deep vertical furrows that rise to narrow ridges

American chestnut Castanea dentata Fagaceae

Blade: long canoe shaped leaves with a prominent lance-shaped tip, with a coarse, forward hooked teeth at the edge of the leaf. “matte”, waxy in texture
Bud: buds are globular in shape and dark red in color, spikey light brown capsules holding the akerns
Bark: very uneven consisting of deep furrows and flat-topped ridges in maturity, brown, smooth when young

eastern hackberry Celtis occidentalis Cannabaceae

Blade: shaped like spearheads, approximately 2–4" and 1½–2" wide, arranged alternately along the twigs. Small teeth edge at least the upper half of the leaf, compound
Bud: produces small dark red drupes,
Bark: corky, knobby bark. Young trees are smooth, and as the tree matures, the bark forms these distinctive knobs and then ridges

littleleaf linden Tilia cordata Malvaceae

Blade: heart-shaped leaves that are lopsided at the base, usually 2–3" long with somewhat saw-toothed margins
Bud: oval-elliptic, rounded at the tip, the lowest scale thick and knobby on the side of the bud, deep golden brown to red or red-green
Bark: Bark is stringy, smooth and dark gray on branches, developing ridges and furrows on larger branches and the trunk

magnolia spp. Magnolia spp. Magnoliaceae

Blade: smooth, leathery evergreen leaves that are alternate, 5-10 inches long, shiny on top and rusty below, evergreen or deciduous leaves
Bud: large, oval shaped buds, different colors but can have fuzz
Bark: smooth, grey or brown with lenticles when young, with age gets larger "plates"

ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa Pinaceae

Blades: 3 needles fer fascial
Cones: 2-3in cone attached straight to twig, spiked backing
Bark: cinnamon colored bark with deep furrows
Region: northern California, Washington, and Oregon

lodgepole pine Pinus contorta Pinaceae

Blade: 2 needles per fascial, about 2in, twisted around each other
Cones: attached to the twig but offset cone base, smaller cone that opens with fire
Bark: scaled red/orange color bark, thin
Region: Oregon, Washington, and into Canada

pinyon pine Pinus edulis Pinaceae

Blade: 2 needles per fascial, 2-3in long, twisted around each other
Cones: lighter brown cone, has a flowering look, opens containing pine nuts
Bark: greyish plated bark with red/orange hue underneath
Region: southwest America, Utah area

Engelmann spruce Picea engelmanii Pinaceae

Blade: 4 sided, sharp needles, short, blue needles
Cones: 1in cone, light brown, "soft" spruce cone
Bark: loosely scaled bark, light grey
Region: mainly Canada, parts of Oregon and Wyoming

white fir Abies concolor Pinaceae

Blade: 2-3in, light blue/silver colored, flat needles that curve upward
Cones: "squished", layered cone that sit on top of branches
Bark: pitch pockets, furrows with age, light grey color
Region: 1 species in California only, 2nd species in Utah/Nevada area

Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis Pinaceae

Blade: 4 sided needles that spiral around the twig
Cones: "soft", "squishy" cones that round off of the twig and point down
Bark: largest spruce species, greyish scaled bark that's very thin
Region: northern California to Alaska

Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Pinaceae

Blade: flat needles come off of twig in twos
Cones: bend off of twig, cones have "bracks", smaller cone with larger plates, not a true fir so cones lay down not on top of branches
Bark: similar to white pine, larger, sturdy plates that are dark grey

western redcedar Thuja plicata Cupressaceae

Blade: needles are similar to northern redcedar, small fan-shaped needles
Cones: tiny valvate cones in small groups
Bark: bark doesn't "shred", very BIG trunk, reddish/brown stringy bark

redwood Sequoia sempervirens Cupressaceae

Blade: very flat, thin needles, 45 degree angle forward
Cones: 3/4in cones, similar to speckled alder fruit
Bark: 1in thick bark, red with DEEP furrows
Region: west coast of California

red alder Alnus rubra Betulaceae

Blade: leaves will curl on themselves, double serrated, short petiole, flower buds grow in groups, long skinny catins
Buds: odd shaped, large bud, red/green in color
Region: grow near coast of northern California northward

bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum Sapindaceae

Blade: 5 lobbed leaf with deep margins, wide on top and tapper in at the "waist"
Bud: green trident bud, large winged samara (acute angle 1-1 1/2in)
Bark: shallow furrows, grey with orange lenticles, interlacing, flat furrows smooth on top, very large bush like, branches drape downward

longleaf pine Pinus palustris Pinaceae

Blade: evergreen, 8 to 17 inches in length, fascicled in groups of 3
Cone: prickly, brown/gray in color, ~11 inches in length
Bark: scaly, coarse, light, orange-brown bark with upright branches forming an oval, open crown

loblolly pine Pinus taeda Pinaceae

Blade: Evergreen needles, 6 to 9 inches long, with (usually) three yellow-green needles per fascicle
Cone: brown, oval cones grow to 3-6 inches and have short thorns
Bark: dark brown or brownish-red bark and separates into scaly plates as the tree matures

slash pine Pinus elliottii Pinaceae

Blade: dark, shiny green in color, 7 - 11 inches long, and are found in bundles of two and three on the same branch. Needles are thick, stiff and not twisted
Cone: 3 to 6 inches long, ovoid, borne on a stalk, caramel colored
Bark: Red-brown and furrowed when young, becoming very platy

shortleaf pine Pinus echinata Pinaceae

Blade: 2.5 - 5 inches long, straight, and greyish to yellowish green in color
Cone: 4-6(7) cm, red-brown, aging gray, nearly sessile or on stalks to 1cm, scales
Bark: Scaly and dark on young trees, eventually developing flat, scaly plates; very small (pencil point) resin pockets

baldcypress Taxodium distichum Cupressaceae

Blade: spreading branches are upright threadlike branchlets whose individual needles are awl-shaped or scalelike; they turn bronze to brown in the fall
Cone: Their cone structure is round and about one inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter
Bark: gray-brown to red-brown, thin and fibrous with a stringy texture, having a vertically interwoven pattern of shallow ridges and narrow furrows

yellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipifera Magnoliaceae

Blade: square shape, alternate, simple, 4 to 6 inches wide, dark green on top and paler beneath, and petioles are 3 to 6 inches long
Bud/Cone: the buds are reddish purple and are shaped something like a duck's bill or cupped folded hands
Bark: smooth and dark green on young trees.

black walnut Juglans nigra Juglandaceae

Blade: compound leaves that have 9-21 long, pointed leaflets with finely toothed margins
Bud: whitish, woolly, more or less rounded at the tip, and up to 1/2 inch long
Bark: black, thick, and deeply grooved. The twigs are stout, smooth, and greenish brown or gray