Tree Identification Week 4

Longleaf Pine

Longleaf pine----Pinaceae Pinus palustris Leaf: Evergreen, very long and feathery (8 to 18 inches long), with three dark green needles per fascicle. Flower: Monoecious, males yellow-red, long, in clusters; females oval, purple. Fruit: Very large (largest cone in the Eastern U. S. --6 to 10 inches long), ovoid to conical in shape, sessile. Scales are red-brown in color. The umbo is armed with a curved prickle. Maturing September to October. Twig: Very stout, brown, with large obvious, asbestos- white buds. Bark: Quite scaly, orange-brown to gray, will eventually develop plates. Form: A medium-sized tree with a straight trunk, coarse branches and tufted needles at ends of branches.

Shortleaf Pine

Shortleaf pine --Pinaceae Pinus echinata Leaf: Evergreen, 3 to 5 inches long, two or three (on the same branch) slender and flexible needles per fascicle, dark yellow-green in color. The fascicle sheath is persistent. Flower: Monoecious, males cylindrical, red to yellow, in clumps at ends of twigs; females light green to red, with a large spine. Fruit: Compact, 2 inches long, ovoid, somewhat persistent. Cones are red to brown in color. The umbo is armed with a small prickle. Maturing October to November. Twig: Green and purple when young, later turning red-brown. Bark: Scaly and dark on young trees, eventually developing plates with scaly surfaces. "Volcanoes" or small surface pockets of pitch may be apparent. Form: A medium to large tree with a small, open, pyramidal crown. Shortleaf Pine

Slash Pine

Slash pine---Pinaceae Pinus elliottii Leaf: Evergreen, 7 to 10 inches long, flexible, with three (sometimes two) needles per fascicle, dark green in color. The fascicle sheath is quite long and persistent. Flower: Monoecious, males cylindrical, red to yellow, in clusters at ends of twigs; females red to green, stalked oval. Twig: Quite stout, orange- brown in color. Fruit: Cones are 3 to 6 inches long, ovoid, borne on a stalk. Cones are caramel in color. The umbo is armed with a small, out curved spine. Maturing--October to November. Bark: Red-brown and furrowed when young, becoming very platy. The surfaces of the plates are covered with thin, loose scales. Form: A medium-sized tree with a narrow-ovoid crown. Needles appear to be tufted at the ends of the branches.

Southern Red Oak

Southern red oak--Fagaceae Quercus falcata Leaf: Alternate, simple, 5 to 9 inches long and roughly obovate in outline. Two forms are common- 3 lobes with shallow sinuses or 5 to 7 lobes with deeper sinuses. Lobes are bristle-tipped. Tomentum is present below and on the petiole. Often resembles a turkey foot. Flower: Staminate flowers borne on catkins. Pistillate flowers borne on spikes. Appears with the leaves. Form: A medium-sized tree with a short trunk and large branches supporting a rounded crown. Fruit: Acorns are 1/2 inch long, orange-brown and pubescent. The cap covers less than 1/3 of the nut and is quite thin and flattened. Matures after two years, ripens in September or October. Twig: Reddish-brown in color, may be gray-pubescent or glabrous. Multiple terminal buds are dark red, pubescent, pointed and only 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Bark: Dark in color, thick, with broad, scaly ridges separated by deep, narrow furrows. Resembles Q. velutina, but the inner bark is only slightly yellow.

Blackjack Oak Fagaceae Quercus marilandica

Leaf: Alternate, simple, 5 to 8 inches long, thickened, with 3 shallow, bristle- tipped lobes near the end of the leaf, upper surface lustrous green, lower surface paler with orange-brown pubescence. Flower: Monoecious, males 2 to 4 inch long hanging catkin, females small, single or paired. Fruit: Acorn, nut 3/4 inch long often striated, light brown, cap covers about half of the nut and is covered with loose, hairy scales. Twig: Stout, dark brown and scruffy-hairy, reddish-brown buds are 1/4 inch long, sharp, angled and fuzzy. Bark: Very dark (almost black), rough, with blocky plates and splits. Form: A small sized tree (20 to 30 feet tall) generally with poor form. It typically has a short trunk with a round crown made up of twisted limbs. Blackjack Oak

Fagaceae Quercus virginiana Live Oak

Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong or elliptical in shape with an entire or spiny and revolute margin. The upper surface is lustrous, the lower is pale and pubescent. Generally, not bristle-tipped. Flower: Staminate flowers borne on catkins. Pistillate flowers borne on spikes. Appearing March through May. Fruit: Acorns are in clusters of 3 to 5, maturing in one season. The nut is dark in color, 3/4 inch long and covered 1/3 by the cap. The cap is bowl-shaped and warty, termed "turbinate" by Harlow et al. Maturing in September of the first year. Twig: Slender, gray and pubescent, with small, blunt, multiple terminal buds. Bark: Rapidly developing red-brown furrows with small surface scales. Later, becoming black and very blocky. Form: A medium-sized tree that can grow to massive proportions. Open grown trees develop a huge rounded crown. The largest trees may be 150 feet across. Live Oak

Overcup Oak Overcup Oak Fagaceae Quercus lyrata

Leaf: Alternate, simple, 6 to 10 inches long, roughly oblong in shape with a highly variable margin that has 5 to 9 lobes with irregular sinuses. The underside is white and pubescent. Flower: Male flowers are green, borne in naked catkins, 2 to 4 inches long. Female flowers are reddish and appear as single spikes. Appearing with the leaves. Fruit: Acorns are 1/2 to 1 inch long, round and almost entirely covered by the cap. The cap is warty and unfringed. Maturing in 1 year, ripening in September or October. Twig: Slender and gray, glabrous - very closely resembling white oak. Buds are small, ovoid and light chestnut brown in color. End buds are multiple. Bark: Gray-brown and scaly, often with irregular plates, again resembling white oak. Form: A medium-sized tree with generally poor, twisted form. However, the crown is pyramidal/oval and later rounded. Overcup Oak

Taxodiaceae Taxodium ascendens Cottonwood

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole. Flower: Dioecious, male and female as pendulous catkins, appearing before the leaves. Fruit: Cottony seeds, 1/4 inch long borne in a dehiscent capsule. Maturing over summer. Twig: Stout, somewhat angled and yellowish. Buds are 3/4 inch long, covered with several brown, resinous scales. Has a bitter aspirin taste. Bark: Smooth, gray to yellow-green when young. Later turning gray with thick ridges and deep furrows. Form: A large tree with a clear bole and an open spreading crown resulting in a somewhat vase-shaped form. Cottonwood

Taxodiaceae Taxodium ascendens Pond Cypress

Leaf: Short, awl-like needles held close to the twig, green to yellow green. Flower: Males in long (3 to 5 inches) hanging panicles, female's small and occur near branch tips. Fruit: Nearly round cone with peltate scales, ¾ to 1 inch in diameter, initially yellow green but turning brown when mature, Breaks up into individual scales. Twig: Slender covered with tight scale like foliage, later brown as needles age and fall off, typical twigs ascending vertically from branches. Bark: Fibrous and shreddy, red brown and gray where oxidized, thought to become thicker than that of bald cypress. Form: Medium sized tree with a pyramidal crown, clear bole and often buttressed base, generally smaller than bald cypress. Pond Cypress

Cupressaceae Juniperus virginiana Red Cedar

Leaf: Evergreen, with two types of leaves, often on the same tree. Scale leaves 1/16 inch long, dark green, with 4 sides. Awl leaves are more common on young trees, 1/8 to 3/8 inch long, dark blue-green and sharp-pointed. Flower: Males are dioecious, but occasionally monoecious, yellow-brown, occurring in large groups. Females are light blue-green. Fruit: Berry-like cones, light green in spring, turning dark blue and glaucous at maturity, about 1/4 inch in diameter. Appearing March to May. Maturing September to November. Twig: Green for several years, covered in scales, later turning brown. Bark: Red-brown in color, exfoliating in long, fibrous strips, often ashy gray where exposed. Form: A small tree with a dense pyramidal or columner crown. Red Cedar

Betulaceae Betula nigra River Birch

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately-veined, rhombic to ovate, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, obviously doubly serrate, with a wedge-shaped base. Flower: Preformed aments, male near the end of the twig, 2 to 3 inches long. Female catkins upright, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Flowering in early spring. Fruit: Cone like, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, with many hairy scales, containing tiny, 3-winged seeds. Twig: Slender, orangish-brown in color, smooth or slightly pubescent, with the terminal bud absent. Lateral buds may be slightly pubescent. No wintergreen odor when cut. Bark: Smooth on young trees, salmon to rust colored. On older trees, developing papery scales, exfoliating horizontally with several colors (creamy to orangish-brown) visible. Later developing coarse scales. Form: River birch is a medium-size tree with poor form. The trunk generally divides low into several arching branches. River Birch

Ericaceae Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood

Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical to lanceolate, very finely serrate, 4 to 7 inches long with very slight pubescence on the mid-vein below. A sour taste is obvious when the leaf is chewed. Flower: White, 1/4 inch long, borne on drooping panicles, reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley flowers. Present late June to August. Fruit: Born on panicles, enclosed in dehiscent, 5-valved capsules. Capsules are dry when mature (September to October) and release the tiny, 2-winged seeds. Twig: Olive green, changing to red, with buds that are small and oppressed. Leaf scars are elevated with one bundle scar. Bark: Grayish brown, very thick with deep furrows and scaly ridges. Often the ridges are broken into recognizable rectangles. Form: A small tree, usually with poor form and an irregular crown. Sourwood