TREES
broadly winged samaras milky sap stout twigs broad leaves, green on both sides winter buds with only 4-6 scales Acer platanoides Norway Maple
Ailanthus altissima tree of heaven compound leaves with up to 40 leaflets Leaflets entire except for 1-2 remnant teeth at base Bruised foliage and twigs smell horrible Fruits a samara similar to maple fruit Fruits turn rusty brown Bark smooth gray
SHRUBS
Berberis vulgaris common barberry Thorny fountain shaped shrub Multi-parted thorn at each flush of leaves Flowers held in a drooping raceme Fruit a red drupe Flowers golden yellow Leaves bristle toothed
Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive Often confused with autumn olive No known escaped population in New England Flowers yellow Leaves silvery on both sides Fruits yellow or dull red Branches and stems heavily armed with true thorns
Elaeagnus umbellata autumn olive 15 to 20 foot high shrub Prefers dry nutrient poor soils Similar to willows from a distance Leaves green on top and silver beneath Flowers cream colored and very fragrant Fruit a red berry appearing as if sprinkled with glitter Young twigs have prominent yellow resin dots
Small tree/shrub, 15 to 20 ft. Hard to distinguish Leaves entire and egg-shaped Flowers white, May- September Fruit blue-black, June-October Bark marked with white lenticels Can confuse with alders or cherries both have toothed leaves Roots red Frangula alnus glossy buckthorn
Ligustrum obtusifolium border privet Need flowers to absolutely identify Flowers and fruits terminal; fruits blue Bark gray and smooth Not sure about what species we have in NE Nor sure which of the five are invasive Characters that identify this one are: -corolla tubes twice as long as lobes -anthers not reaching the tip of the tube -twigs densely covered with long soft hairs
Lonicera x bella Pretty or Belle s honeysuckle Shrub to 15 feet, very weak and twiggy in appearance Leaves ovate to elliptic Fruit red Bark gray and older stems shreddy in appearance Stems hollow Young twigs and leaves sparsely pubescent Corollas glaborous without Flowers typically white fading to pink, fragrant Bracteoles not glandular, and half or less as long as ovary Extremely variable
Loncera mackii Amur honeysuckle Flower stalks shorter than leaf stalks Leaves acuminate coming to a distinct point at the tip Fruits deep red Flowers white fading to yellow Stems hollow Bark gray, somewhat shreddy older stems Shrub to 15 ft.
Lonicera morrowii Morrow s honeysuckle Shrub to 15 feet, very weak and twiggy in appearance Leaves ovate to elliptic Fruit red Bark gray and older stems shreddy in appearance Stems hollow Young twigs and leaves densely pubescent Corollas slightly pubescent without Flowers typically white fading to yellow fragrant Bracteoles not glandular, and half or more than half as long as ovary
Lonicera tatarica Tatarian honeysuckle Flowers typically red to deep pink Fruits red Leaves without down or pubescence on underside Leaves blue green, acute Stems hairless and hollow Bark shreddy in appearance, gray
Rhamnus cathartica common buckthorn Small tree, often multi stemmed Bark coppery color and exfoliating Overall resembles old crab apples or apple trees Leaves toothed, often with prominent veining Fruit blue-black Flowers white in May/June Has weak thorn at each branch tip and major branch split Often is heavily armed with thorns on trunk and branches Prefers sweeter soils and is an upland species
WOODY VINES
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata - porcelainberry Woody vine Scrambles and climbs, not strangles Fruit blue Leaves maple shaped when small Larger leaves take on a grape leaf appearance Mostly a problem near the coast
Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle Climbing or scrambling vine Flowers fragrant, long bloom period Come out white and fade to yellow Fruit blue/black Leaves opposite and entire, sometimes lobed lower down Sun or shade, more flowers in sun Spreads vegetatively as well