The Trees of D Acres Compiled by: Brandon Grossman Forestry Apprentice Summer 2005 SWEET CRAB APPLE. (Malus coronaria) Located heavily in the northeastern United States, the sweet crab apple is easily recognized by the green, tangy fruit drooping from its spiny branches. It tends to grow to heights between fifteen and twenty-five feet. The leaves of the Sweet Crab Apple are green, ovate, lightly serrated, and are typically three inches long and half as wide. These leaves frame its magnificent, wonderful-smelling, light pink flowers. Its fruit, due to their high levels of pectin, are often used to make jams.
WHITE ASH. (Fraxinus americana) The White Ash is often seen reaching for the sky all along the eastern coast of the United States, growing to heights of eighty feet or even 120 feet in unique circumstances! This tree is characterized by its tall, semi-straight trunk, which remains branchless until reaching extreme heights. Its gray bark has deep ridges and diamond-like protrusions. Each stem holds around seven symmetrically placed, oblong leaves that turn purple and maroon in the fall. These quick-growing trees look splendid in parks and forests, however their size and pest related problems make domestic growth difficult for the homeowner. Also, due to its strength the wood of the Ash is great for burning and even better for baseball bats! BLACK WALNUT. (Juglans nigra) The Black Walnut can be found throughout the eastern region of the United States. Because of its high quality wood, this species is highly desired for furniture making. Pieces made by Walnut wood can be quite expensive due to the scarcity of the tree. Another distinction of the Black Walnut is the delicious nuts that hang off of the tree which are ready for tasting in early fall. The bark of these beautiful specimens is dark brown with numerous V shaped valleys, rising up to a very round and open crown. Its leaves run symmetrically down its twigs and are narrow, oblong, and pointy.
QUAKING ASPEN. (Populus tremuloides) The Quaking Aspen is one of the most prevalent trees throughout North America. Its most notable trait is the extreme movements of its leaves. It seems like the slightest breeze can throw its shiny green, heart-shaped leaves into a dancing frenzy. Also distinct is the dull grayish lining on the underside of the leaves and the illustrious gold they emit in the fall. The bark color is typically a creamy white with dark warty protrusions throughout. Quaking Aspens are quick growers and usually reach heights of anywhere from forty to sixty feet with a relatively narrow crown. The Quaking Aspen, like the Striped Maple, is considered to be a pioneer wood and has a relatively short lifespan. Though good for pulpwood, these trees are not highly desirable ornamentals due to disease and pest related issues. BIGTOOTH ASPEN. (Populus grandidentata) Sister to the Quaking Aspen, the Bigtooth Aspen is also known for its furiously dancing leaves. It tends to grow around ten feet taller than the Quaking Aspen and the ridges that run along the outside of its leaves are much deeper than those of the Populus temuloides. The Bigtooth Aspen is also a pioneer species. This tree also grows very quickly and is popular for pulpwood.
PAPER BIRCH. (Betula papyrifera) The most noteworthy distinction of the Paper Birch is its thin, papery, and often peeling bark, which can range from a brownish to a whitish tinge. Today, the bark is commonly used for small woodcrafts and utensils, though in the past was utilized widely by the Native Americans for canoe construction. The leaves are somewhat heart shaped, pointed, and jagged-toothed. Their bottoms are slightly yellowish and the full leaf turns a mild yellow in autumn. The Paper Birch typically reaches heights of around sixty feet and has a slightly pointed crown with horizontally outstretched branches. Also, after a fire, the Paper Birch is quick to reseed the surrounding the area. The birch tree is easy to spot and its unique traits give the surrounding landscape much character. YELLOW BIRCH. (Betula alleghaniensis) The Yellow Birch is similar to its sister the Paper Birch in many ways. They both have papery, peeling bark which is great for crafts and because it burns extremely easily (even when a little wet), is great for starting campfires. Also, they are both quick to reseed fire trodden areas. Unique to the Yellow Birch is an obvious golden tinge that stretches down the length of its thin bark. In addition, the leaves of the Yellow Birch are narrower and more rounded at the bottoms than those of the Paper Birch. When tasted, the twigs of the Birch have a fantastic wintergreen flavor.
AMERICAN BEECH. (Fagus grandifolia) The American Beech resides mainly in the eastern portion of North America and is made notorious by its widespread branches that provide great shade. Another trademark of the Beech is its unusually smooth bark, which remains smooth throughout its maturation. These trees grow to around seventy feet with blotchy gray bark and a shallow, widespread root system. Its leaves are similar to the oblong shaped leaves of the Ash, however the Beech s have ridges and are heavily serrated. These leaves turn yellow or brown in the fall. Also, the three-winged nuts of the American Beech tree are very popular food for the native wildlife. The wood of these trees is commonly utilized for flooring and furniture making. Because the American Beech can be prone to fungal infection it is slightly less desirable than other woods. BUTTERNUT. (Juglans cinerea) The leaves of the Butternut grow to around twenty-five inches long, slightly longer and more oval than those of the Black Walnut. These trees grow to around sixty feet and their nuts are much more slender and less robust than those of the Black Walnut. The gray bark on its crooked trunk is heavily furrowed with whitish ridges and is very bitter tasting. The seeds of this slow growing tree are fairly sweet tasting and oily. In the past the tree was utilized to create yellow and orange dyes. Butternuts are also often called White Walnuts.
NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR. (Thuja decurrens) This conifer grows to around fifty feet high with a fifteen foot spread. One unique trait of this cedar is its light green (turn yellow-brown in autumn), alternating, extremely flattened branchlets, which give rise to oblong cones that stand upright on their stems. Its bark is dark gray (almost appears red in some cases) and is heavily ridged. Despite the somewhat ugly shade these trees turn in the fall, they are still relatively desirable because of their popularity in the construction industry due to the rot resistantcy of their wood. BLACK CHERRY. (Prunus serotina) The Black Cherry stands out from the Pin and the Chokecherry by its sheer size. This tree can be found on the eastern portion of North America reaching heights of around sixty feet. Its fruit can be relatively dark in color, sometimes even appearing black. The wood of the Black Cherry is quite desirable in the furnature industry and its leaves turn yellow or red in autumn. COMMON CHOKECHERRY. (Prunus virginiana) The chokecherry is most often noted for its drooping dark-red cherries. They often reach heights of around 25 feet with a round crown and skinny irregular twigs. Its green foliage turns to a light purple in the fall. The chokecherry is very widespread throughout North America. Its leaves turn a light purple as they mature, and its fruit is often used for jams and jellies. PIN CHERRY. (Prunus pensylvanica) The Pin Cherry is mostly found in the northern region of North America. Its fruit tends to be a lighter tinge than the other cherries and its leaves (which turn a beautiful deep yellow or red in the fall) are narrower than those of the Chokecherry. Also, the Pin Cherry reaches heights slightly smaller than the Common Chokecherry. This tree is known as a pioneer wood as it is quick to grow in recently desiccated landscapes, though because it prefers much sunlight it is soon weakened by the growth of other trees.
SLIPPERY ELM. (Ulmus rubra) One distinction of the Slippery Elm is its moist inner layer of bark, which can be chewed to relieve thirst, dried and eaten, or made into a cough medicine. These trees grow to around twenty feet smaller than the American elm and their leaves tend to be slightly larger and coarser with shallow serrated edges. These Elms are also vulnerable to Dutch elm disease. AMERICAN ELM. (Ulmus americana) With astounding grandeur and symmetry, the American Elm adds much beauty to any landscape. These trees usually reach heights of around seventy feet, but are known to grow larger. The crown is very rounded and the bark is a scaly deep gray. Its leaves are uneven at the base with deep teeth throughout the outer edge; their color is a deep green in the summer, which changes to different variations of yellow in the fall. These trees were often used as city ornaments, though following the early twentieth century most of the species have fallen due to the devastating power of Dutch elm disease (a fungus), which was originally spread by a bark beetle. Because of this widespread disease American Elm s are not likiely to last very long, leaving them less desirable to plant for landscaping. Fortunately some organizations are trying their best to protect the species.
BALSAM FIR. (Abies balsamea) The Balsam Fir is most noted for its heavy use as Christmas trees as well as its distinct (many would say Christmas-like ) scent. It grows around fifty feet tall with blistery bark and oval cones that stand upright and fall apart upon maturing. The needles of the Balsam Fir are fat, tightly packed, and grow right from the tree s branch. The lumber of this tree is not highly desired, though they are highly desired as ornamentals. EASTERN HEMLOCK. (Tsuga Canadensis) Eastern Hemlocks grow large and straight, reaching heights of seventy feet tall with pyramidal crowns. Its needles are short, densely packed together, and green. Two white bands stretch across the bottom of the needles. Its cones are slender, short and rounded. The bark of the Eastern Hemlock is scaly, easy to peel, and heavily furrowed. The Eastern Hemlock is an incredibly beautiful evergreen and by far the most desired of the Hemlocks. Its wood is extremely sturdy and often used as house beams.
ALLEGHENY SERVICEBERRY. (Amelanchier laevis) The rounded crown of this tree can be seen reaching heights of forty feet. Its dark-red, edible fruit was popular with Native Americans and is a delicious treat for nearby animals or hungry hikers. Its leaves are oblong and alternating; they often emit a purple shade when younger. This Service Berry prefers the northeastern region of North America. Other names for Serviceberry trees are Shadblow and Juneberry. AMERICAN BASSWOOD. (Tilia americana) The American Basswood (a.k.a. Linden) usually grows throughout the northeastern region of the United States and reaches heights of around seventy feet. Its leaves are heart-shaped, heavily serrated, and pointed at the tip. In the fall, its leaves can turn colors ranging from yellow to brown. The bark of the Basswood is dark gray with tough ridges leading up to skinny branches. This tree is usually categorized as an ornamental tree, though because of its size and lack of adaptability it is much less desirable then other ornamental trees. Its wood is very good for carving, basket making.
WHITE OAK. (Quercas alba) These native growing deciduous Oaks occupy a large portion of the eastern region of the United States. White Oaks usually reach heights of around ninety feet. The bark is dark gray and scaly. Its leaves are often identified as being extremely lobe-ridden and irregular. Young White Oaks show a pyramid crown, which becomes much more rounded and grand with maturity. Its leaves are dark green in the summer and turn a deep red in the fall. Also, all of the Oaks have solitary nuts growing from their stems. RED OAK. (Quercus rubra) The Red Oak is very distinct from its sister the White Oak. Its leaves are lobed like the White s, but are much more jagged in their structure and are a deep red when unfolding or in autumn. Also, the Red typically grows around twenty feet shorter. The spread of the Oak tree can be equal to its height making it an imposing, but grand tree. The Bark of the Red Oak is very dark colored with gray, flattened ridges. Due to their beauty and quick growing capability, these trees have a high landscape value and are frequently seen planted on golf courses and city streets. BLACK OAK. (Quercus velutina) The Black Oak is extremely similar to the Red Oak, and often times they can be quite difficult to distinguish from one another. It is important to know that the bark of the Black Oak is slightly darker (almost black) than the bark of the Red and its leaves tend to have more veins. The White, Red, and Black Oaks all prefer to grow within the eastern portion of the United States.
SUGAR MAPLE. (Acer saccharum) Perhaps the crowning-glory of northeastern North American Forests, this tree is characterized by a distinct appearance and utility. Sugar Maples can reach heights of up to one hundred feet with trunk diameters as wide as four feet. Other distinctions include three or five pronged leaves (as seen on the Canadian flag), paired/winged fruit that seem to gently propel down to the forest floor, a broad crown, and light white blotches that run down the trunk. Native Americans were the first to harvest the sugar of these Maples and now, every year in early spring, the sap of these deciduous hardwoods is harvested and used to create candies and maple syrup. These trees are slow-growing and content maturing in the shade of the forest. They are popular for their aesthetic value, sugar-yielding ability, and hardwood, which is used for flooring and furniture. RED MAPLE. (Acer rubrum) Though usually not found as large as the Sugar Maple, what the Red Maple lacks in stature it makes up for in sheer beauty and vibrance. These trees typically grow in clumps and reach heights of around sixty feet with reddish leaf stems and flowers. Also, in autumn, the leaf color changes into a magnificent scarlet (shades also vary from yellow to orange). The three or five pronged leaves of the Red Maple are very similar to the Sugar Maple, but tend to be much more jagged in their structure. Also, the Red Maple usually persists much further south than the Sugar Maple, with a strong preference for swampy areas. Due to this distinct preference, Red Maple s areoften called Swamp Maple s. Because of their beauty, especially in autumn, these trees are typically ornamental.
STRIPED MAPLE. (Acer pensylvanicum) Usually standing anywhere from fifteen to thirty feet in height, the Striped Maple is much smaller than both the Sugar and Red Maples. These trees are noted for having greenish, white lines running vertically down their bark, which gives them a striped appearance. Also, their three-pronged leaves have a rounded base and small jags around their outer edges, making them sometimes look serrated. In the fall, the leaves of the Striped Maple turn a strong yellow, which contrasts beautifully with its red to brownish stems. This tree is one of the least desirable of the Maples due to its extremely weak wood and short lifespan, though it plays many important roles in the forest. For example, the Striped Maple is considered a pioneer wood due to the fact that it is one of the first trees to appear after a landscape is destroyed, which promotes the regeneration of the forest. In addition to being a pioneer wood, the Striped Maple serves the forest as a solid source of nutrients for moose. In fact, moose are so frequently seen munching on the bark of this tree that the Striped maple is commonly called Moosewood.
BLACK SPRUCE. (Picea mariana) Spruces are distinct in that they all have very strong and sturdy needles that each project out of separate stalks. Spruce Bark is typically slender and scaly. The Black Spruce grows heavily throughout the northern region of North America and reaches heights of around thirty-five feet, making it one of the smaller spruces. Their cones are very round, hang down from the tree and usually hang on for a few years. The bark is slender and scaly, often appearing reddish-brown. Spruces are usually planted for major landscaping purposes such as hedging and wind breaking and are often seen planted in parks and golf courses. RED SPRUCE. (Picea rubens) The Red Spruce is distinct from the Black Spruce in that it grows around thirty feet taller and its cones fall to the ground directly after maturing. The cones of this tree have a similar shape to those of the black Spruce, but tend to be slightly longer and lighter brown. Its bark is usually a dark grayish-brown. The propagation of the Red Spruce is usually limited to the very northeastern region of the United States. WHITE SPRUCE. (Picea glauca) The White Spruce is made distinct from other Spruces by its longer needles that cling to the upper portion of the branch. Its cones are longer and its bark is dark brown. The White Spruce can be found throughout the northern region of North America. This tree is also unique in its size as its pyramidal crown reaches heights of around seventy-five feet.
TAMARACK. (Larix laricina) The Tamarack (a.k.a. Larch) grows to around sixty feet tall and prefers the northern portion of North America. Its soft needles grow in tightly packed clusters, which form at the end of the branch shoots and turn yellow in the fall. Though the Tamarack is a conifer its needles do fall in autumn, making it a deciduous tree. Its scaly bark can be seen anywhere from a dark gray to a deep red-brown. Its reddish cones are short and rounded and stand upright on their stems. The Tamarack is a very popular northern ornamental because it does well in the cold and its strong wood can be used for many projects. EASTERN WHITE PINE. (Pinus strobus) The Eastern White Pine typically can be found around the northeastern region of the United States reaching heights of around ninety feet with dark gray, scaly bark. Its green needles, which are around four inches long, grow in levels of five and drop to the ground on the second year in early autumn. The pine tree is also noted for its ornate cones, which usually droop seven inches below the stem. The Eastern White is an extremely quick growing tree, and due to its aroma, stature, and overall beauty, is a popular tree. These trees are in fact so grand that they were marked as the Kings Pines and were used as masts for the English Navy.
BLACK WILLOW. (Salix Nigra) The Black Willow is one of the more noteworthy members of the Willow family. Like all members of the Willow family the black willow is grown on streambanks to prevent erosion, however, the black willow is the only member that yeilds decent lumber. The name refers to the tree s dark brown bark that is heavily ridged. It is also the largest willow, ranging from 30 to 40 feet tall and 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Certain species, found in the MIssissippi Valley, have been known to grow up to 120 feet tall. The alternating leaves are long and narrow (3 to 6 inches) and finely toothed around the edges. They are shiny green on the top and more pale on the bottom. The black willow, which roots easily in any moist soil, produces small nectar bearing fruit (.3 inches) with hairy seeds. The branches form a narrow or irregular crown. Dirr, Michael. 1990. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Stipes Publishing Company. Champaign, Illinois. National Audubon Society. 1997. Familiar Trees of North America, East. Chanticleer Press, Inc. New York. Brockman, Frank. 1968. Trees of North America. Western Publishing Company, Inc New York