Tree Identification Trail
1.
Virginia Pine
(Pinus virginiana)
a.
short yellow-green needles
b.
used for reforestation
2.
Red Cedar (
Juniperus virginiana)
a.is a juniper, not a true cedar
b. rot resistant
c. pollen is a known allergen
3.
Winged Elm (
Ulmus alata)
a.
used to make high quality hockey sticks
b.
easily recognized by the very broad, thin pair of corky wings that form along the
branchlets after a couple of years
4.
Eastern Redbud
(Cercis canadensis)
a.
blooms early in spring with reddish-pink flowers
b.
green twigs from the Eastern redbud are used as seasoning for wild game such
as venison and opossum—thus the common name Spicewood Tree
5.
Box Elder
(Acer negundo)
a.
compound leaves, opposite leave arrangement
b.
a type of maple tree used by birds and squirrels for their seeds
6.
Hackberry
(Celtis oxendentalis)
a.
leaf gulls, fruit- hard green
b.
used by caterpillars
c.
used as an ornamental
d.
drought tolerant
7.
Black willow
(Salix nigra)
a.
largest willow tree, reaching 75 feet in height
b.
Light and flexible willow wood is used for wicker-work furniture and baskets
8.
Ash Tree
(Fraxinus sp.)
a.
smooth edge to the leaf, moss on trunk
b.
“Helicopter seeds”
9.
Sycamore
(Platanus occidentalis)
a.
distinguished from other trees by its mottled exfoliating bark, which flakes off
in great irregular masses, leaving the surface mottled, and greenish-white, gray
and brown
b.
used as shade trees in cities due to transplanting well and growing fast
10.
Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)
a.
most abundant and widespread tree in North America
b.
provides maple syrup
c.
beautiful red leaves in the fall
11.
River Birch
(Betula nigra)
a. commonly found in flood plains and/or swamps
b. its bark is quite distinctive, making it a favored ornamental tree for landscape
use
12.
Hickory Tree
(Carya sp.)
a.
alternate leaf arrangement and compound leaves
b.
big nuts
c.
leaves eaten by caterpillars of moths, including luna moths
13.
Black Walnut
(Juglans nigra)
a.
native region is the Midwest and east-central United States--the black walnut
was introduced into Europe in 1629. It is cultivated there and in North America
as a forest tree for its high-quality wood
b.
The black walnut nutmeats are used as an ingredient in food, while the hard
black walnut shell is used commercially in abrasive cleaning, cosmetics, and oil
well drilling and water filtration.
14.
Honey Locust
(Gledisia triacanthos)
a.
sharp thorns on trunk
b.
fixes nitrogen
c.
rot resistant—traditionally used as fence posts
d.
1 feet long “bean