forestry

you see a tree: ridged bark, high divergency in samaras, grid like structure of bark on the bottom of the trunk, and it has a green, round bud with two scales that oppose one another.The leaves have 5 major points and 2 smaller ones

Norway maple ; Acer platanoides (Sapindacea)

You see a tree: you notice the bark is flakey, maybe sooth in some areas. The buds are generally rounded and in clusters, but there is a pointy one on top. The leaves are serrated. you cannot see samaras

Red maple; Ace rebrum ; sapindaceae

You see a tree: the bark is flakey with peeled back portions and there is a rusty orange in between bark breaks. The leaf is squareish and has 5 lobes. The bud is pointy and brown with many scales. The samara is a v shape.

sugar maple; Acer saccarhum Sapindaceae

you see a vine: it creeps along the ground and potentially up building sides via little sticky pads. there are 5 leaves around with teething,

parthenocissus quinquefolia ; Vitaceae, viriginia creeper

you see a tree: it has these cigar-shaped things dangling down. the eaves are large and simple. this tree has a whirled leaf pattern, meaning 3 leaves per node.

Northern catalpa; catalpa speciosa (bignoniaceae)

you see a tree: this tree has small compound leaves with large spikes along trunk and branches. this tree also has no buds. It also has large bean pods

Gleditsia triacanthos; honey locust; fabaceae

you see a tree: it has compound leaves that are larger than a different tree. the bark is brownish silver with orange inside the webbing. there is no teeth on the leaves. colonial

black locust: robinia pseudoacacia (fabaceae)

you see a tree: it has ridged af urrowed bark. It can be very dark in color, maybe even appearing black. It has a chanbered pith. compound elaves are between 8-16. each leaflet is assymtherical at the base with a serrated edge. buds are naked.

black walnut; Juglans nigra; juglandaceae

you see a tree: is had rudge and furrow with no rockers, there are not many branches, 5/7 leaflets where the tip 3 are larger than the rest; serrated margins if look closely; peachfuzz along rhacus but not leaves; there is one loose brown scale

mockernut hickory; Carya tomentosa; junglandaceae

you see a tree: Intricate ridge and furrow that looks live a wasp hive. busy twigs; 7, 9, or 11 leaflets. yellow and pointy buds; needs wet environment.

bitternut hickory; juglandaceae; carya cordiformis

you see a tree: there are some rockers, its more ridge and furrow though. the seed is smooth with no angles, there is a thin husk. there is no fuzz. there are usually 5 leaflets. bud with scales; football shaped buds.

Pignut hickory; Carya glabra; junglandaceae

you see a tree; the bark is very thin plates; there are not many twigs, so the tree has a very open canvas. this has an angular seed. bud has loose and multicolored scales

shagbark hickory; carya ovata; junglandaceae

You see a tree:

leaves: simple are are broadest close to the end. There are no hairs and the veins are very prominent. noticable toothing

Buds: rusty orange buds

bark: lentisals are obvious, bark is metallic

sweet cherry; Prunus avium, Rosaceae

You see a tree:

leaves: no brisel tips, medium sinus depth, can be reddish/purple

buds: a lot of buds

acorns: only about 1/5 of acorn is covered by cap

bark: further down is scaly bark, further up is larger plates

White Oak; Quercus alba (Fagaceae)

you see a tree:

leaves: simple, alternate leaves. the tree is very fine. there are serrate margins (toothing) on leaves. white or brown hairs on rachis

buds: each scale is bicolored

bark: peel off scales to get a rusty orange. very branches until canopy

drupe fruit

black cherry; prunus serotina (rosaceae)

You see a tree:

leaves: brissel tips on leaves with a chalky feeling.

Buds: fuzzy buds, very obvious, 5 angles

fruit: acorn cup is at least ½ covering acorn

bark: dark bark, yellow on the inside.

black oak; quercus velutina; fagaceae

You see a tree:

Leaves: oak leaves with deep sinuses and brisel tips.

Bark: very chunky bark.blocky bark. begins to be ridge and furrow in the middle. The ridge is lighter than the furrow, giving the illusion of ski trails. The bark is knotty by nature

buds: very little fizz intially, then may grow red hair on top of buds

Fruit: acorns have tight scales with a cup that covers the majoriy of the nut

Form: we see that the bottom branches are tilted down, the middle branches are titled outwards, and the tip branches are pointing upwards.

Scarlet Oak; Fagaceae; Quercus coccinea

you see a tree:

Leaves: simple and alternate, long leave thats serrate in a wave like form.

Bark: looks like a sad tree. bark is not very helpful.

Buds: pumpkin orange, diverge aeway from twig a bit.

Fruit: No acorns ever!

American chesnut; Castanea dentata; Fagaceae

You see a tree:

Leaves: very shallow sinuses that are rounded off.

Bark: bug blocky/chunky pieces that may be a little ridge and furrow

Fruit: acorn caps only cver small portion of nut.

Chestnut Oak; Quercus montana; Fagaceae

You see a tree:

Leaves: simple alternate with sinuses that go about ½ way to midrib. Medium depth. pointed tips. If you can get a hold of a leave, there will be no velutine coating

bark: noticable ski trails many times, but they may be covered by fungus. The ski trails will go the whole way up and down.

Buds: reddish brown cluster like pine cone almost

Northern Red Oak; Fagaceae; Quercus rubra

You see a shrub:

You will most likey see the shrub in drier areas/upland

Leaves: stubbier leaves that are an ecclipse shape. Entire toothing

Form: hugs floor/doesnt grow tall

Fruit: the capsule fruit will have a round head

Mountain Laurel; Ericaceae; Kalmia latifolia

You see a shrub

You will see this in wetter areas/downland, maybe hugging water ways.

Leaves: large and thick. May have newly growing leaves. the leaves may be curled if the weather is cool enough.

Form: this shrub will grow upward and be large.

Fruit: capsule fruit with long elephant head.

Rhododendrom; Rhododendrom maximum; Ericaceae

You see a tree:

Bark: twig will be smooth and lime green on the tips, then silverish grey, then a pumpkin color. Can pull bark away on ridge and furrow pattern to see burnt orange underneath. Smells like fruit loops

Leaves: you will see three different shapes. One will be round, one will be a mitten shape, and one will have two thumbs for mitten.

Buds: Terminal bud is lime green

Fruit: blueish drupe

Sassafras; Sassafras albidum; Lauraceae

You see a tree:

Bark: toward the top of the tree, the bark is chalky white. Gets darker brown near bottom. It may be green in between the brown and chalky. Tip of twig may be darker brown

Leaves: may make a sound when the wind comes. Toothed, but may not be able to see it. flat petiole to help catch wind. golden yellow and red mixing in.

Buds: terminal: pointed and imbricate. Lateral buds are kept inwards. No hairs

Fruit: none!

Trembling Aspen; Populus tremuloides; Salicaceae

You see a tree:

Bark: very chunky ridge and furrow.

Leaves: Very large teeth. Looks to the ground for leaves

Form: much larger than friend

Buds: grow white hairs

Big Tooth Aspen; Salicaceae; Populus grandidentata

you see a tree:

bark is striped white

the leaves have three lobes and have small teeth. yellow in the fall

buds are pointy and may be yellow/green or red

fruit: divergent samaras

Striped Maple; Acer pensylvanicum; Sapindaceae

you see a tree:

form: the tree is very small

bark: smooth with pinstripes that kinda twist arounf the stem

leaves: has spruots that go up because they seek sunlight (shade intolerant). heartshaped leaves with very fine, serrate margins,

buds: talon-like tip - very poointy

Serviceberry; Amelanchier sp. ; Rosaceae

you see a tree:

bark really isn’t anything crazy. may be chunky and lighter in tone. has spur shoots

leaves are alternate and entire. they are scarlet in the small. They are pointed at the tip

buds: small pointy bicolored scale (brown and green/tan) with short white hairs in the winter

form: branches are perpendicular to the tree.

Blackgum; Nyssa sylvatica; Cornaceae

you see a tree:

bark: will be grey with obvious lenticels. older trees will have the lenticels go the entire way around the tree nearly

leaves: eimple toothed leaves with no hair and two petiole glands right below the leaf. the toothing is not that obvious. tip of the leaf is very tiny.

Buds: can be green to chestnut brown n the lower half, and the top is reddish brown.

fruit: small little red groups of berries

Chokecherry; Prunus virginiana; Rosaceae

You see a tree:

bark: smooth bark that looks like muscles

leaves: simple and doubly serrate leaves with no fuzz

fruit: no turkey tail thing (catkins) at tips of branch

buds: bicolored brown

Musclewood: Caprinus caroliniana: betulaceae

You see a tree

bark: the bark may look kinda like stretch marks. branches may look whorled, the main stem may go a bit without any branches then have multiple starting near the same spot. may be yellowish due to golden canker

leaves: alternate leaf dogwood. the leave veins do not reach margins and have weird webbing stuff. may be pink-scarlet in fall.

buds: buds are small and may be greenish or red. not exciting

Alternate-leaf dogwood: cornaceae: cornus alternafolia

You see a tree:

bark: very scaly. can peel back to see rust color. may be a little green where the eaves grow

leaves: simple entire. veins dont reach margins, opposite arrangement

buds: strange bracks covering buds

fruit: little red drupe fruit either ahnging from tree or down below

Flowering dogwood: Cornus florida: cornaceae

You see a tree

bark: very thin plates/plately ridfe and furrow. tips of twigs may be tan and furry

leaves: alternate simple and toothed.fuzzy

fruit: catkins on tips of branches

buds: divergent to make a zigzag twig

Hop-hornbeam: ostrya virginiana: betulaceae

you see a tree:

form: can be a very tall tree, potentially 200 feet tall

bark: rudged adn furrow with furrows being a white color. typcail brown for ridge

leaves: almost look like cat ears/maple. alternate leaf arrangement.

buds: twigs may have visibile lenticles. the bud may be kinda greyish, overall smooth looking with a little blueish color, maybe grey. break twig to smell orange.

fruit: immature may be green cones, mature will be brown cones. look at feet to see them

Tulip-poplar; Liriodendron tulipfera; Magnoliaceae

you see a tree:

form: often has one main stem with multiple other ones around it. tall tree

bark: main stem especially will have long ridges and furrows. may have a pinkish color to it.

leaves: upside down hearts that are serrate. The heart bottom will have uneven lobes

buds: twig will be green-red and smooth. alternate buds that are round with a small point on top.

fruit: attached to a leaf will be two hanging drupes like cherries kinda but smaller. the leaf thing looks like a pod from a locust.

American basswood; tilia americana; malvaceae

You see a tree:

form: may have very large/wide canopy.

bark: may be kinda scaly at bottom but will eventually look camo/painted due to peeling. maybe try to peel some off or look closer to top to see it.

leaves: palmate leaf with a few main lobes and small ones in between. looks like maple a bit. potentially large leaves

buds: dull point and smooth - may be orangeish-red in color

fruit: spiky ball that may be green or brown

American sycamore; Platanus occidentalis; platanaceae

you see a tree:

form: may look like a tree or a shrub. the tree will grow toward the light and the bush will look very wirey. upright sprouts. will be found by water

bark: rough on tree, smooth and light grey on shrub

leaves: very narrow and elliptical (linear shape)

buds: buds are held very tight to twig with one large, smooth scale. may be light green

Willow; Salix spp. Salicaceae

You see a tree:

form: may have leader at the top; can be found in forest understory unlike most other pines, so its semi shade tolerant. can also be

Leaves: 5 needles per fasicle with a white stripe at the bottom of the needle. 2-3”

Bark: furrows blocks

Cones: long cones about 4-5 inches. will be brown when mature and green and sappy when immature

Eastern White Pine; Pinus strobus; Pinaceae

you see a tree:

form: often thinner trunk with no low branches due to shade intolerance

bark: very chippy bark, especially at bottom. becomes less chippy at the top. may be tannish in the middle

leaves: 2 needles per fasicle, only about 1” long.

cones: 2” long cones. most likely wont be on the ground because they often hold on to their cones to defend against fire

Virginia pine; Pinus virginiana; Pinaceae

you see a tree:

form: epicormic sprouting. likely to be found in open areas, the branchs kinda snake.

bark: chunky plates, maybe a little orange and red on plates, maybe a lot orange

leaves: 3 needles per fasicle - 3” long

cones: only about 4 inches long

Pitch Pine: Pinus rigada: Pinaceae

you see a tree: 

form: branches are pretty much the entire way down to the bottom of the trunk

bark: may be orange on the inside due to tannin; scaly RF with reddish tint.

leaves: opposite needles that are dull with 2 white stripes on the end

cones: very small and may be hard to see. buds are not used for ID

Eastern Hemlock; Tsuga canadenis; Pinaceae

you see a tree:

bark: large plates that are grey/reddish.

leaves: 2 long needles/fasicle that break easuly and are about 5 inches

cnoe: 2-3” tall and are generally not abundant. not very armed. the umbo is diamond shaped

form: shade intolerant so the branches will be higher up. the needles will be on the tip fo the branch

Norway Pine; Pinus resinosa; Pinus

you see a tree:

bark: smooth and ashy when young and chippy and brown when older. will have spines on it about 4 inches long usually. very sharp. may smell fruity. 

leaves: not all leaves are the same shape. there is variation. simple alternture, generally toothed but can be entire. 

form: small tree thats about 25 feet at maturity. shade intolerant, so most often in open spaces but can be found in shade, will just look worse though. 

buds: the buds are very small and are orangish/red

fruit: red balls that may be large or small

Crataegus spp., Hawthrone, Rosaceae

you see a tree:

bark: brown, the tree will most likely be very full so cant really see it.

Leaves: droppy appearence where the needles are only about 1”

Form: will be very full down to the ground. can be found in udnerstory due to being shade tolerant

cone: the cone will be long without any difference of colors with the scales. The entire scale is the same color.

Norway Spruce; Picea abies, Pinaceae

you see a tree:

bark: smooth and ashy grey. may have white spots

form: shade tolerant so its covered to the ground

leaves: simple and alternate with wave-like teeth

buds: small but very pointy. will diverge from the twig very much

Fruit: spikey little brown ball that can break open to reveal triangle shaped nut.

American beech; Fagus grandifolia; Fagaceae

you see a tree:

Bark: very braided ridge and furrow, look for holes in bark

form: not shade tolerant; brnaches further up on tree. opportunistic, meaning that it may be in an understory just waiting to grow

leaves: kinda looks like hickory. not very toothed, may have some but not fixed. my be yellowish in fall. the leaves will be right up against the rachis

buds: two sets of brown scales. stubby buds

fruit: hanging winged structures. 

Green Ash; Fraxinus pennsylvanica; Oleaceae

you see a tree:

bark: deep RF that looks almost braided. look for holes

leaves: looks like hickory leaf. usually not toothed.there is a gap between the elaf and the rachis (there is a defined petiole). these leaves can be purplish brown or yellow in fall

buds: stubby and brown with a small point

Fraxinus americana; white ash; Oleaceae

you see a tree:

bark: very scaly/chippy and looks grey/red

leaves: may or may not be there; very small needles. looks droopy

cones: abojut 2 inches long with scales that are all the same color. coens will be all over branched ebcause the tree holds on to cones well

Form: shade intolerant, so branches are generally further up. may have small epicormic sprouts on branches

Larch; Larix sp. Pinaceae

you see a vine:

form: this vine has tendrils that wrap around its subject. there will not be any sticky pads. they may hang from the tree.

leaves: lots of variability with the leaves. there will be serrated, but number of lobes may be 1, 3, or 5.

bark: the bark will be red ad shredded, and the new growth will be green

Wild grape; vitis spp. vitaceae

you see a vine:

form: this vine climbs by climbing counter clockwise among its subject. there will not be any tendrils or sticky pads. 

leaves: the leaves will be simple and serrate. they will be round.

bark: silverish brown with lenticles

Oriental bittersweet; Celastrus orbiculatus; Celastraceae

you see a vine:

form: has a main branch with many other branches reaching out, almost looks like small little tree when large enough. may be sprouts on the ground. grabs on with aerial roots

leaves: three leaves that are compound; the terminal will be simple, and the side two leaves may have one lobe so it looks like a mitten.

bud: yellow banana bud

poison ivy; toxicodendron radicans; Anacardiaceae

you see a tree:

bark: platey with red tiny maybe, usually shaggy with rockers.

form: wide canopy with many forks. usually found near water and never is found upland.

leaves: maple leaf with 5 or 3 lobes, heavily sinused. The underside of the leaf will be white.

buds: green clustered buds on terminal with singular buds on the time

Silver Maple; Sapindaceae, Acer saccharinum

you see a tree:

bark: may be dark and scaly if large, but likely to be brown with lenticles. Check for smell. there will be random sharp thorns in weird places

form: small to medium sized tree. it is shade tolerant.

leaves: alternate but may look opposite. the leaves will be green for a while. the bottom will have defined veins, and the top will have sunken in veins. crenate/serrate mixture

buds: the buds will be nearly black while the twig will be a light brown. the buds will be appressed (close to twig)

Common buckthorn; Rhamnus cathartica; Rhamnaceae

you see a tree:

bark: paltely/shallow ridge and furrow pattern that looks braided. the inner bark will be orange, and the roots may look extrememly orange.

form: full tree, as wide as it is tall. mostly found in riparian areas

leaves: lots of variation: leaves will have large serrated, but may have anywhere from 0-5 lobes.

buds: small buds that are light brown/orangeish.

fruit: might be there, might not.

white mulberry; Morus alba; Moraceae

you see a tree:

bark: shallow and interlacing ridges and some furrows

form: prefers hydrics

buds: green and purple twigs with waxy coating

leaves: look like poison ivy (may not have any lobes or may have one lobe to look like mitten)

buds: very white/tan and furry

fruit: there may samaras hanging from trees. v-shaped

Box-elder maple; Acer negundo; Sapindaceae

You see a tree: 

bark: smooth with white vertical striations.

leaaves: droopy palm looking leaves, may be up to 40 on leaf. red rachis and petiole. no terminal leaf

buds: hidden under elaf, and a large leaf scar will be there. 

Tree of Heaven: Ailanthus altissima; Simaroubaceae

you see a tree:

bark: smooth with prominent lenticles

form: small tree to large shrub

leaves: palm looking leaf that will have up to 20 leaves on leaflet. fuzz of petial/rachis. Rachis will be green and/or red. has a terminal leaf. when breaking off leaflet, there may be a white sap that can take a while to come out, especially if cold. leaf scar will not be near as large as TOH.

buds: enclosed in leaf; small buds

fruit: will be fuzzy

Staghorn sumac; Rhus typhina (anacardiaceae) 

you see a tree:

bark: smooth bark with prominent horizontal lenticles

leaves: pinnate compound leaves that have anout 20 leaves/leaflet. there may be milky sap when peeling off leaflet. the rachis will be pinkish purple and it will be waxy.

buds: hidden under the leaf. if you peel off elaf, there will be a small rust colored bud.

fruit: fruit clump that is loose

Smooth sumac; Rhus glabra; Anacardiaceae