Forest Trees up to Exam 2

Northeastern region

New England region dominated by northern hardwood and northern coniferous forests. 49 million acres of forest, 75% of it due to farm abandonment. Little remaining frontier forest.

Northeastern region

A region extending from sea level to 6000’. A heavily glaciated region with warm moist summers and cold snowy winters. Continental climate except near the Atlantic ocean.

Northeastern region

A region made up of predominantly Northern hardwoods or spruce forests. A transition between boreal spruce-fir forests in the north and deciduous forests to the south.

Pinaceae-pine family

A family including many important conifers. 232 species, 61 native to the US. Pollen and seeds are borne on the same plant in separate cones.

Genus Pinus - pines

A genus of important conifers native across the northern hemisphere. 39-119 species native to US.

Strobus - soft or white pines

A subgenus of soft wooded pines with needles in clusters of 5 and elongated cones.

Pinus - hard pines

A subgenus of hard wooded pines with needles in clusters of 2-3.

Pinus strobus - eastern white pine

A tree that grew to be the largest and one of the most important northeastern conifers. One of the most valuable trees in North America and the 1st tree taken to Europe.

2 major pests include White pine blister rust and White pine weevil.

Pinus resinosa - red or Norway pine

A tree with reddish bark after rain. A common and extensively planted hard pine. Thrives in dry soil and moves in after fires. Has an usual lack of genetic variation. Used as a shade tree, for construction, as erosion control and windbreaks.

Genus Larix - larch

A genus with 11 species of deciduous conifers, 3 of which are native to North America. Dominant in Boreal forests in North America, Europe, and Asia. Leaves are deciduous, solitary, and on lateral spurs.

Larix laricina - eastern larch or tamarack

A tree that occurs in pure stands on wet and disturbed sites. Exceedingly shade intolerant and deciduous, despite being a conifer. Wood is heavy, hard, and durable. One of the widest ranges of any North American Conifer.

Genus Picea - spruces

A genus consisting of 35 species, half only found in China and 7 in the US. Widely distributed in coniferous forests of cooler north temperate regions. Trees have thin, scaley bark and needle-like leaves born on peg-like stalks.

Picea rubens - red spruce

A tree that grows in soils other trees don’t prefer and is shade tolerant. Small range, but important for pulp, logs, and instruments due to good resonance. Unfortunately, has a shallow root system susceptible to wind and fire damage and killed by spruce budworm.

Picea glauca - white spruce

A tree that occurs above bogs and functions as a pioneer species after glaciers and in abandoned farmland. It’s long, soft fibers serve as excellent pulp, along with lumber, instruments, Native American medicines, and as an ornamental. Has an extensive range, but susceptible to fire, spruce budworm, and spruce beetle.

Genus Tsuga - hemlocks

A genus consisting of 11 species with 4 in North America. Characterized by slender, nodding leading shoots and typically flat leaves. Confined to relatively moist cool temperate areas with high rainfall, cool summers, and little water stress.

Tsuga canadensis - Eastern hemlock

A tree that is usually medium size but can become larger in the Appalachians. Is exceedingly shade tolerant and grows best in cool, moist environments. Possesses a flexible terminal and small egg shaped cones. An essential winter browse for deer but threatened by wooly adelgid, fire, and wind throw.

Genus Abies - firs

A genus consisting of 51 species, all native to the Northern hemisphere, with 9 in the US. Grows in cool temperate regions and mountains. It has cones that stand upright and the scales fall off after they mature. Commonly used as Christmas trees.

Abies balsamea - balsam fir

A tree that is shade tolerant and grows in cold, moist climates, often swamps. It is symmetrical with a dense, dark green, and narrowly pyramidal crown. Propagates by “layering” from lower branches in contact with soil. Used for Christmas trees and wreathes. Damaged by fire, windthrow, insects, and fungi.

Cupressaceae - Cypress family

A family of resinous evergreen trees and shrubs. Includes 133 species in 30 genera, with 30 native trees in North America. Includes cypresses, junipers, and false cedars that were previously members of the Taxodiaceae family. The cones are woody, leathery, or berry-like. The most widely distributed of all gymnosperm families on all continents.

Genus Thuja - thujas or arborvitae

A genus of trees with fibrous, shreddy bark. Twigs are flattened horizontally and form fan-like sprays. The leaves are small, scale-like, and pointed. Only 2 species native to North America.

Thuja occidentalis - Northern white-cedar

A tree that is widely planted as an ornamental with over 120 cultivars. Known as the Arborvitae or '“tree of life” as the vitamin C can treat scurvy. Relatively disease and insect free and decay resistant but susceptible to fire due to thin bark and high oil content.

balsam fir

Eastern hemlock

Eastern larch

Eastern white pine

Northern white-cedar

Norway pine

red spruce

white spruce

Salicaceae - willow family

A family currently consisting of 57 genera but started with only 3 genera. Around 400 species of Salix and 25-35 Populus. Nearly worldwide but mostly in north temperate and arctic regions. They are short-lived and require abundant moisture.

Genus Populus - poplars, cottonwoods, and aspens

A genus with 25-35 species with 9 native to the US. Widespread throughout the north temperate zone and extensive in the northern forest up to the tree line. They are rapidly growing, deciduous trees grown as biomass and biofuel. The fruit is composed of small capsules containing minute seeds with cottony hairs.

Populus tremuloides - trembling aspen

A tree whose name refers to the leaves which tremble on their flattened leafstalks. They are the most widely distributed tree species in North America and frequently grow along streams. They have smooth bark and are shade intolerant. Additionally, they form the worlds largest single organism as they grow in shoots from root sprouts. Over 500 organisms feed on this tree.

Betulaceae - birch family

A family of 130 species of trees and shrubs in 6 genera. They are deciduous and economically important because they are nut-bearing. They grow in cool regions of the Northern hemisphere. The bark is mostly smooth or peels in papery layers.

Genus Betula - birches

A genus of small to medium trees and shrubs. The fruit is small winged samaras. The bark is peeling and papery has horizontal lenticels. The wood is fine-grained and suitable for plywood and paper. They occur in even-aged stands on well drained sites and are frequently a pioneer species.

Betula alleghaniensis - yellow birch

A tree known as one of the most valuable birches and one of the largest hardwoods in North America. It has distinctive yellow-bronze exfoliating bark. It grows is cool, moist uplands and mountains ravines due to its heat sensitive roots.

Betula papyrifera - paper birch

A tree that is widely distributed and short-lived. It is considered one of the most beautiful native trees, with its narrow open crown and peeling white bark. Once used for bark canoes, it is now used as firewood, as an ornamental, and as browse for moose and deer.

Fagaceae - beech family

A family including 900 species nearly worldwide, most of which are large trees. Includes chestnuts and chinkapins, oaks, and beeches.

Fagus grandifolia - American beech

A tree that represents the only member of Fagus in North America, divided into 3 races (gray, red, white). They’re one of the most common trees in the Northeast US. They have smooth gray bark at all ages. The thin bark and surface roots leave them vulnerable to fire and sunscald. their nuts are consumed in quantities by wildlife. The name signifies “book” since they were used to make early tablets.

Genus Quercus - oaks

A genus made up of the most important and widespread trees in the north temperate zone. In the US, this genus provides more wood than any other group of broadleaf trees, but less than conifers. This genus contains 400 species, all of which have acorns as fruit.

section Lobate - red or black oaks

A section of genus Quercus. The leaves have an apex and bristle-tipped lobes. Acorns mature in the second year. The bark is blackish and furrowed. The heartwood is porous, with open vessels.

subgenus Quercus - white oaks

A section of genus Quercus. The leaves are not bristle-tipped and the acorns mature in the first year. the bark is light gray and scaley and the heartwood is less porous, with vessels closed by tyloses.

Quercus alba - white oak

A tree prevalent in the eastern 1/3 of the US, in deep, moist soils. The wood is high grade and outstanding for tight barrels. Over 180 species use the acorns for food.

Quercus rubra - northern red oak

A tree prevalent in the eastern 1/3 of the US and widespread in the east deciduous forest. This tree is valued as an ornamental for its fall colors, ease of transplant, and rapid growth. the most important red oak for lumber even though it isn’t water-tight. They’re threatened by oak wilt.

Sapindaceae - soapberry family

A family with 140 genera and 1500 species with variable leaves and fruits. They grow in temperate to tropical climates and have pinnately compound or palmate leaves.

Genus Acer - maple

A genus with 129 species, only 13 of which are in the US. They grow in north temperate regions and south into tropical mountains. The leaves are simple, broad, and palmately lobed and veined. The fruit is long-winged 1 seeded samaras.

Acer saccharum - sugar maple

A tree that is often used for maple syrup. It is one of the largest and most important hardwoods in the eastern US and can reach 300-400 years old. Used as an ornamental due to its striking autumn foliage. Referred to as a hard maple for its quality lumber. Experiencing a drastic decline since the 1980s.

Acer saccharinum - silver maple

A tree with a short stout trunk and leaves with 5 deeply palmate lobes found throughout the eastern US. Used as an ornamental for their rapid growth despite being brittle. They’re a bottomland species that grows along streams and their buds are vital to squirrels. They are referred to as a “soft maple”.

Oleaceae - olive family

A family consisting of 24 genera and over 600 species. Of them, 24 trees and 10 shrubs are native to North America. This family includes ash, privets, lilacs, and olives.

Genus Fraxinus - ash

A genus consisting of around 65 species of mostly deciduous shrubs and trees. They are native to temperate regions mostly in the northern hemisphere, extending to Mexico and Java. Some of the subtropical species are evergreen. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound. Trees are dioecious but may lean towards one gender as they age. Wood is straight-grained and tasteless and the fruit is one seeded samaras.

Fraxinus pennsylvanica - green ash

A tree that is often used for baseball bats and tool handles for its shock resistance. It’s the most widely distributed, but not the most common, ash. It’s mostly a bottomland species though it’s hardy and therefore used for reclamation. It’s dioecious and the fruit is a one seeded samara.

Fraxinus americana - white ash

A tree used for furniture, bats, and hockey sticks. It’s the largest, most useful, and most common ash, though not the most widespread. It’s an important part of its ecosystems but has 12 major insect pests.

American beech

green ash

Northern red oak

paper birch

silver maple

sugar maple

white ash

white oak

yellow birch

Appalachian region

A region that is a transition zone between Northeast and central hardwood regions in the north and extends eastwards to the coastal plains in the south.

Appalachian region

A region with a widely varying climate. In this region, precipitation increases from north to south with elevation. The temperature decreases with elevation and latitude.

Appalachian region

A region that extends into mountains up to 6600’, where it’s mostly forested, down to plateaus at 300-1800’, where it’s mostly agricultural lands. It also includes valleys.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forest

A ecoregion that represents one of the most biologically diverse temperate regions in the world. 95% of the habitat in this region has been converted, degraded, or fragmented due to logging.

Appalachian blue ridge forest

A ecoregion that represents the second most diverse temperate broadleaf forest in the world. The varying elevation and long-term geological stability contributes to the diversity. 17% of the habitat remains unaltered. The dominant American chestnut is threatened by chestnut blight and Frasier firs are threatened by balsam wooly adelgid. Air pollution, mineral extraction, and development also threaten the region.

Oak-Hickory

A Appalachian forest type covering the largest land area, at over 30% of the total. It contains 12 species of oak and 8 hickories.

Cove and bottomland

A Appalachian forest type with deep, fertile soils. Contains yellow poplar, black cherry, and white oak.

Northern hardwood

A Appalachian forest type ranging from 3000-5000’ in North Carolina. Contains black cherry, elm, and northern red oak.

Spruce-fir

A Appalachian forest type at elevations above 3500-4000’

Pinus rigida - pitch pine

A tree that gets its common name from its use as navel stores. It has diverse form but always has rigid, scaley cones and pointed needles. Adapted to fire by some sprouting along stem and stump and cones that remain on the tree for 2-3 years until melted by fire.

pine barrens

Thick wooded area with many endangered species like pygmy pine.

Pinus virginiana - Virginia pine

A tree that is often small and unkept, with persisting side branches. Grows in well drained soils and in pure stands in disturbed areas. Valued for their ability to grow in neglected and abandoned lands and produce more pulpwood per acre than any other pine. Fungal decay common in older trees. Makes good bird nests, especially for woodpeckers. The most preferred southern conifer for Christmas trees.

Pinus pungens - Table-mountain pine

A tree that is generally small, 20-40’, and is the only pine restricted to the Appalachians. Grows in poor rocky soils on slopes and mountain ridges, forming important watershed protection. Possesses abundant spiny serotinous cones in clusters. The limbs are often stubby as squirrels will pull of branches for the cones as they are available year round.

Abies fraseri - Frasier fir

A tree with a very small range, as the only native southeastern fir. They are extremely valuable for watershed protection, but endangered by balsam wooly adelgid and acid rain. They are also valuable as Christmas trees.

Castanea dentata - American chestnut

A tree that was once one of the most important trees in the eastern hardwood forest. Along with being an important timber species, the nuts were an important cash crop and wildlife food. Chestnut blight eliminated them as the canopy and keystone species from 9 million acres.

Quercus prinus - chestnut oak

A tree with a broad crown and chestnut-like foliage. Commonly used on steep slopes and dry sites but grows best in moist sites. Susceptible to oak wilt and preferred by gypsy moths.

Platanus occidentalis - American sycamore

A tree with very fast growth, up to 8’ in a year, and thin mottled bark. They are one of the largest eastern hardwoods and can reach 500-600 years old. They grow in the eastern ½ of the US along stream banks and bottomland. The fruit is achenes and they can also coppice. They have good fiber for paper and are also used as an ornamental.

Rosaceae family - roses

A family consisting of 3100 species of trees, shrubs, and vines. These plants are valuable for agriculture and as ornamentals. They are relatively unimportant for forestry.

Prunus serotina - black cherry

A tree with high quality wood and sap used for medicines, rum, and brandy. It is the largest native cherry and the only one used for timber. The wilted foliage produces cyanide.

Fabaceae family - legumes

A family with 730 genera and over 19,400 species, making it the third largest family of seed plants. It represents 44 native and 6 naturalized tree species in North America, along with numerous shrubs. The leaves are alternate and compound. they have pea-like flowers and seed pods with 2 lines of suture.

Robinia psuedoacacia - black locust

A tree that is capable of nitrogen fixation. It has hard, dense wood and showy fragrant flowers. Has a locust borer problem in the US, but was introduced to Germany and is now one of the most widely distributed North American trees in Europe.

American chestnut

American sycamore

black cherry

black locust

Chestnut oak

pitch pine

Virginia pine

table-mountain pine

Central region

A region encompassing 50 million acres, where only 15% is forested. 90% of the land area is privately owned. 95% of the growth in this region is hardwoods. Almost no remaining habitat, as it’s threatened by urbanization, invasive species, and fire suppression.

Central region

A region with a varied physical environment and variable soils. 2/3 of the region is glaciated. The uplands is formed of windblown deposits which are highly erodible.

Central region

A region with a continental climate and 25-60” of rain a year. Indiana has been called a “critical boundary area” since it divides the northern and southern species and can have 20-30 species per acre.

Corn belt

A subregion of the Central region that makes up some of the most productive land in the US. This region was glaciated and is now mostly farmland.

Ohio River - Mississippi River uplands

A subregion of the Central region made up of unglaciated, hilly land. The soils are somewhat productive and the abandoned uplands have regrown to even-aged hardwoods.

Ozark mountains

A subregion of the Central region made up of mountainous terrain up to 2200’. The soils are poor, eroded, and rocky.

Oak-Hickory

A Central forest type that makes up 75% of the Central region. It is the largest forest type in the US due to wildfires and cutting. The forest is comprised of white and red oaks, hickory, basswood, and elms.

Elm-Ash-Maple

A Central forest type made up of “bottomland hardwoods”. The forest is comprised of American elm, red maple, cottonwood, river birch, and willow.

Pine-Hardwood

A Central forest type comprised of mostly shortleaf pine and oaks. The area has many plantations.

Eastern redcedar

A Central forest type that is mostly on abandoned farmlands. The forests is comprised of post oak, hickories, and shortleaf pine.

Pinus echinata - shortleaf pine

A tree that has the widest distribution of all southern pines, covering 22 states with considerable racial variation. It is one of the 4 most important commercial conifers in the southeast. It is a Ozark mountain species, growing on dry, rocky soils. It is a medium to large tree with an S-shaped root.