Plant Taxonomy and Identification

Taxonomic Classification of Selected Trees and Plants

Sapindaceae Family

  • Acer nigrum (Black Maple)

  • Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)

  • Aesculus glabra (Ohio Buckeye)

  • Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

  • Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple)

  • Acer negundo (Box Elder)

Simaroubaceae Family

  • Ailanthus altissima (Tree-of-Heaven)

Betulaceae Family

  • Carpinus caroliniana (Musclewood, Blue-Beach)

  • Betula alleghaniensis (Yellow Birch)

  • Corylus americana (Hazelnut)

Juglandaceae Family

  • Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory)

  • Carya glabra (Pignut Hickory)

  • Carya ovata (Shagbark Hickory)

  • Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)

Celastraceae Family

  • Euonymus obovatus (Running Strawberry-Bush)

  • Celastrus orbiculatus (Asian Bittersweet)

  • Euonymus alatus (Winged Wahoo)

  • Euonymus atropurpureus (Burning Bush)

Fagaceae Family

  • Fagus grandifolia (American Beech)

  • Quercus alba (White Oak)

  • Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak)

  • Quercus rubra (Northern Red Oak)

  • Quercus velutina (Black Oak)

  • Quercus ellipsoidalis (Northern Pin Oak)

  • Quercus palustris (Pin Oak)

  • Quercus imbricaria (Shingle Oak)

  • Quercus xleana (Lea's Oak)

  • Quercus muehlenbergii (Chinquapin Oak)

  • Quercus prinoides (Dwarf Chinquapin Oak)

  • Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak)

Oleaceae Family

  • Fraxinus americana (White Ash)

  • Fraxinus nigra (Black Ash)

  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Red Ash)

  • Fraxinus quadrangulata (Blue Ash)

Lauraceae Family

  • Lindera benzoin (Spicebush)

  • Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)

  • Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)

Rosaceae Family

  • Malus pumila (Common Apple)

  • Prunus serotina (Black Cherry)

  • Prunus virginiana (Choke Cherry)

  • Rosa multiflora (Multiflora Rose)

  • Rubus allegheniensis (Highbush Blackberry)

  • Rubus occidentalis (Black Raspberry)

  • Spiraea alba (Meadowsweet)

Moraceae Family

  • Morus alba (White Mulberry)

Vitaceae Family

  • Vitis riparia (Riverbank Grape)

  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper)

Anacardiaceae Family

  • Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac)

  • Toxicodendron radicans (Poison-Ivy)

  • Toxicodendron vernix (Poison Sumac)

  • Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac)

  • Rhus copallina (Winged Sumac)

Fabaceae Family

  • Robinia pseudacacia (Black Locust)

  • Cercis canadensis (Redbud)

  • Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky Coffee Tree)

  • Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey Locust)

Cornaceae Family

  • Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)

  • Cornus foemina (Gray Dogwood)

  • Cornus alternifolia (Alternate-Leaved Dogwood)

  • Cornus sericea (Red-Osier Dogwood)

Other Families

  • Ericaceae: Gaylussacia baccata (Huckleberry), Vaccinium angustifolium (Low Sweet Blueberry), Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry)

  • Hamamelidaceae: Hamamelis virginiana (Witch-Hazel)

  • Rubiaceae: Cephalanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush)

  • Lythraceae: Decodon verticillatus (Swamp Loosestrife)

  • Thymelaeaceae: Dirca palustris (Leatherwood)

  • Cupressaceae: Thuja occidentalis (Arbor Vitae), Juniperus communis var. depressa (Common/Ground Juniper), Juniperus virginiana (Red-Cedar)

  • Pinaceae: Picea abies (Norway Spruce), Picea glauca (White Spruce), Pinus banksiana (Jack Pine), Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine), Pinus resinosa (Red Pine), Pinus strobus (White Pine), Pinus sylvestris (Scotch Pine), Abies concolor (White Fir), Larix laricina (Tamarack), Picea mariana (Black Spruce), Picea pungens (Blue Spruce)

  • Bignoniaceae: Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa)

  • Ginkgoaceae: Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo)

  • Altingiaceae: Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum)

Additional Species

  • Smilacaceae: Smilax hispida (Bristly Green-Brier)

  • Adoxaceae: Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-Leaf Viburnum), Viburnum lentago (Nannyberry)

  • Grossulariaceae: Ribes cynosbati (Prickly Gooseberry)

  • Staphyleaceae: Staphylea trifolia (Bladdernut)

  • Rhamnaceae: Frangula alnus (Glossy Buckthorn), Rhamnus cathartica (Common Buckthorn)