Trees of North and South Carolina

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

scaly furrowed bark

fascicles 6-9 inches in bundles of 3

Cones 3-6 inches and spiky

red maple (Acer rubrum)

3 lobed opposite simple leaves with serrated margins, green above and light-nearly white below

double samara with wings, light brown-reddish

bark begins light gray and smooth, becomes darker and forms scaly plates with age

longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)

8-18 inch long fascicles in groups of 3, dense round tufts at the end of branches

cones 6-10 inches

bark scaly and thick with flat plates

silvery buds

white ash (Fraxinus americana)

leaves opposite, compound with 7 serrate to entire leaflets, 8-12 inches long

purple to light green reproductive structures

one-winged samara

ashy gray to brown bark interlaced with corky ridges that form diamonds

Boxelder (Acer negundo)

opposite pinnately compound leaves with 3-5 leaflets resembling poison ivy or classic maple leaf

drooping raceme

paired samara

thin gray bark with interlacing ridges

flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

branches opposite creating candelabra appearance

leaves opposite, simple, oval with veins curving toward leaf tip

young bark smooth but becomes scaly

Florida maple (Acer floridanum), southern sugar maple

leaves opposite and simple, entire margins, 3-5 lobed

winged double samara spreads to create a right angle, green

bark light gray curling ridges that become plated as tree matures

typically understory

Pignut hickory (Carya glabra)

leaves alternate, pinnately compound, 8-12 inches long, 5 leaflets lanceolate and serrate

long, smooth rachis

drooping catkins, 3 on a stalk, 3-7 inches long

fruit nut enclosed in a thin husk, dries and splits along seams when ripe

light gray bark smooth then develops scaly ridges as it matures

Mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa)

alternate, pinnately compound leaves 9-14 inches long, 7 serrate lanceolate leaflets

rachis hairy and stout

catkins

nut with 4-ribbed husk that splits cleanly from middle to base

gray smooth bark develops into interlaced round-topped ridges

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

heart shaped leaves, alternate, 3-5 inches long

petioles swollen on both ends

flat, dry, brown legume

Bark ridged and furrowed to scaly, maroon/orange patches in cracks

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

star leaves alternate, 5-7 lobes

fruit a spiny brown cluster of capsules, spherical

furrowed bark corky

American beech (Fagus grandifolia)

leaves alternate, simple, elliptical, 3-6 inches

leaves light tan in fall

fruit irregularly triangular, shiny brown nut, spiny wooden husk

bark smooth, thin, gray

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

trunk crooked and rigid, muscular appearance

simple alternate leaves waxy, pale underside, double serrate margins, 3-5 inches long elliptical

yellow-green catkins, fuzzy catkins

fruit small ribbed nutlet, carried on folded leafy bract resembling maple leaf, bracts clustered on long hanging stalk 2-4 inches long

bark thin, smooth, gray-blue-gray

tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) yellow poplar

four lobed leaves, tulip appearance

oblong, cone-like aggregate of samaras

bark light gray, flat topped ridges with white furrows in diamond shaped patterns

Southern red oak (Quercus falcata)

leaves with 3-7 bristle tipped lobes, alternate, 5-9 inches, obovate in outline

leaves shiny green above, paler and fuzzy below

1/2 inch long orange-brown acorns, cap covering less than 1/3 of the nut

dark bark, thick broad scaly ridges, slightly yellow inner bark

Cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda)

leaves simple, alternate, 5-11 lobes bristle tipped, lobes at right angle to midrib, leaf 3-12 inches long, hair on underside and petiole

acorn cap covers 1/3-1/2 of the nut

bark dark, scaly, rough, resembling black cherry bark

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

Leaves alternate, 5-8 inches long, oblong with 7-11 bristle tipped lobes, generally uniform in shape, dull green to blue-green

acorns with cap covering 1/4 or less, resembling a beret

bark nearly black, wide flat-topped ridges, red inner bark

White oak (Quercus alba)

Alternate leaves, oblong 4-7 inches long w/ 7-10 rounded, finger-like lobes, whitish underside

oblong acorn w/ wart-like cap covering 1/4 of the nut

whitish gray bark, small stems scaly, large stems loosely plated, older trees with smooth patches

Chestnut oak (Quercus montana)

simple alternate leaves, crenate margin, obovate to elliptical, 4-8 inches long

ovoid acorn, cap with gray scales with red tips, 1/3-1/2 nut

bark thick gray-brown to black, rounded scaly ridges resembling alligator back

Swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii)

simple alternate leaves, crenate margin, obovate, 4-8 inches long, dark green shiny above pale and downy below

dark brown acorn with cap covering 1/2

ashy gray bark, scaly furrows

Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) black tupelo

alternate leaves 2-6 inches, obovate

dark scaly bark

Black cherry (Prunus serotina)

elliptical leaf 2-6 inches long, alternate, finely serrate margin with glandular teeth

glossy dark green leaves with paler underside and rusty colored hairs along midvein

dark bark with scaly plates that curl outward

bitter almond odor of bark/leaves

Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliniana)

pinnately compound leaves opposite, 5-9 leaflets elliptical to lanceolate

light gray to orange-brown bark thin, scaly, irregularly ridged, becomes rough and furrowed with age

dioecious, small green-purple flowers

tan-purple samaras, single or occasionally three-winged

shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)

2-5 inch long needles in clusters of 2, 1.5-2.5 inch cones

virginia pine (Pinus virginiana)

twisted, short needles 1.5-3 inches long, bundles of 2

spiky cones

eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

short flat needles, drooping branches

bark may be flaky when young, then plated ridges

small cones 3/4 inch long

eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

red-brown peeling bark

scale-like leaves

small blue-green cones

Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)

small woody cones, scale-like leaves

peely bark with parallel furrows

Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)

buttressed trunk and knees

soft needle leaves

reddish fibrous peeling bark

River birch (Betula nigra)

shaggy, peeling, red brown bark

winged seeds

simple, alternate, doubly serrate leaves 2-4 inches long, triangular

water oak (Quercus nigra)

paddle shaped leaves

furrowed brown bark

turkey oak (Quercus laevis)

leaves with 3-7 skinny lobes resembling turkey foot, egg shaped acorns 1 inch long

laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia)

2-4 inch oval leaves

partially evergreen

moderately furrowed bark

Live oak (Quercus virginiana)

stiff leathery glossy dark green leaves with rolled edges

Wide imposing silhouette

nearly evergreen

dark furrowed bark

American elm (Ulmus americana)

leaves toothed, ovate, alternate, with asymmetrical base

bark dark gray with flat, braided ridges

American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

white to tan peeling bark

wide short leaves with 3 shallowly indented lobes

Silver maple (Acer saccharinum)

deeply lobed leaves with silvery white underside

smooth to flaky to scaly gray bark

paired samaras

general maple

palmate leaves

samaras

general ash

opposite branching

pinnately compound leaves 5-9 leaflets

diamond shaped ridges on bark

general oak

lobed leaves, white oaks with smooth lobes and red oaks with pointed tips

acorns

shallow grooved bark

general birch

smooth peely bark

leaves with serrate edges

drooping branches

general hickory

alternate compound leaves, terminal leaflet being the largest

nuts enclosed in husks

general beech

smooth gray bark

alternate branching

leaves oval or elliptical with sharply toothed margins

general cedar

scale like leaves, peeling bark

general elm

oval or elliptical serrated leaves, samaras

rough furrowed bark