TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN IDENTIFYING TREES, THERE ARE SOME BASIC FACTS AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU SHOULD BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDE: common leaf shapes parts and positions of parts of leaves leaf margins IN ADDITION TO LEARNING THESE ABOVE LISTED TOPICS, THE UNDERSTANDING OF SOME FREQUENTLY USED TERMS IS NECESSARY IN THE PROCESS OF TREE IDENTIFICATION Alternate - One leaf attached at each node. See opposite and whorled. Capsule - A dry fruit which contains more than one seed and splits open when ripe. Deciduous - Refers to trees which drop their leaves in autumn. Leaflet - A leaf-like portions of the blade of a compound leaf. Leaf Scar - The impression in a twig at the point where a leaf was attached. Petiole - The stalk attaching a leaf blade to the stem. Lobe - A division or projecting part of the blade of a leaf. Opposite - Two leaves attached at each node. See alternate and whorled. Whorled - Three of more leaves or other parts attached to a stem at the same point.

LEAFLET MIDRIB BLADE PETIOLE PETIOLE ALTERNATE OPPOSITE THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LEAVES THAT ARE ALWAYS USED WHEN IDENTIFYING A TREE CONTINUE

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO VIEW IDENTIFICATON DETAILS ABOUT EACH OF THESE COMMON PA TREE SPECIES

SASSAFRAS, UNLIKE OTHER SPECIES OF TREES, HAS THREE VARIATIONS OF LEAVES EACH TYPE HAS DIFFERING LOBES THIS PARICULAR SPECIES CAN ASLO BE IDENTIFIED BY ITS “MINTY” SCENT THAT IS EVIDENT WHEN ITS STEM IS SPLIT ITS LEAF STRUCTURE IS SIMPLE SASSAFRAS IS ALSO RELATIVELY UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT IT CAN RELEASE A CHEMICAL THAT CAN PREVENT OTHER PLANTS FROM GROWING WELL, HELPING TO ELIMINATE SOME OF ITS COMPETITION SASSAFRAS TWIGS ARE DISTINCTLY GREEN AND ITS FRUIT, REFERRED TO AS DRUPES, CAN VARY FROM DARK BLUE TO DEEP PURPLE IN ADDITION TO THESE MULTIPLE DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS, THE FLOWER IS YELLOW-GREEN Sassafras albidum

Sugar maples are large, deciduous trees Typically 30‘ - 90' tall. Leaves are simple, and opposite, with triangular lobes and doubly toothed edges Leaves are usually 2½“ - 4" long and nearly as wide Bark is very smooth and grey, darkening and becoming furrowed in narrow ridges with age Flowers tend to be small, fragrant clusters of red and orange flowers that hang from the reddish twigs of the Sugar Maple This particular species grows in low, rich woods, along the margins of lakes, marshes, and swamps, in wet thickets, and on floodplains and stream terraces The fruit of the Sugar Maple is a paired, red, pink, or yellow, winged samara, about ¾" long

Magnolia acuminata is one of about 210 species of Magnolia The fruit is green and cylindrical like a small cucumber that then turns bright pink in autumn before ripening to a dark red and opening to release its seeds. The leaves of this species are pointed at the ends as its name dictates. Acuminate means tapering to a fine point as the leaf of this species does

The bark of the Red Maple is similar to that of other maples as it is smooth and grey when young and then gradually matures and receives darker, shaggy, peeling flakes Fruit is regularly less than 1” long and spreads at a narrow angle Maturity is reached by this reddish brown fruit in May or June Twigs are quite glossy and slender and are at first green but eventually fade to red Leaves, as represented by the photo above, are opposite and simple with 3 -5 shallow lobes that are coarsely toothed They are pale or light green the majority of the time with a whitish underside and turn to a brilliant red / orange in the fall

The leaves of the Catalpa are opposite or whorled, simple, heart-shaped, 6"-10" long and have a 6" wide; margin They are always entire or wavy; smooth above, and hairy beneath The twigs of this tree have numerous defining characteristics. Not only are they stout, but they are also yellow-brown with no buds at the ends The side buds are small and appear to be hidden in bark. Large, nearly round, depressed leaf scars are also common on this leaf The fruit can easily be described as bean-like, up to 15" long, ½" wide, their halves separating when ripe, and may persist on tips of branches all winter Flowers appear in July, and are arranged in terminal clusters about 10" long; each showy flower white with yellow and purple spots, 2" in diameter

The Box Elder thrives in low, moist areas, floodplains, and stream banks This medium – sized tree is most abundant in eastern and southern Pennsylvania Leaves are noted as opposite and compound, with 3-5 coarsely and irregularly toothed leaflets, each 2"-4" long and 2"-3" wide Twigs are almost always stout, purplish-green or green, and sometimes smooth but often have a whitish coating and scattered raised lenticels or an airy aggregation of cells on the roots or stem The fruit has wings about 1 and 1/2” - 2” long that are parallel or in curved and mature in September and as many fruits do, exist in drooping clusters And although the fruits mature in September, fruit stalks persist far into winter Young Box Elders have smooth, greyish – brown trunks and branches then become distinctly narrow ridged

These leaves are opposite, simple, 3-lobed, and rounded at the base They also boast finely toothed margins and rusty pubescence on the lower surface. As are the leaves of the Red Maple, the twigs of the Striped Maple are originally a shade of green and then later become red Each season of growth is then marked by 2 or 3 lines encircling the twig The winged fruit of the Striped Maple has extremely divergent wings that are about ¾” long and mature in September in drooping clusters Seeds are also marked on one side with a depression Bark is smooth and greenish or reddish brown It is conspicuously marked with vertical white streaks; older trunks rougher, darker and less streaked.

The twigs of this tree are stout, as are many othe species, but are reddish brown with buds that are glossy red with green at the base. Leaves are opposite, simple, and coarsely 5-lobed They are approximately 4"-7" wide and milky sap exudes from the broken leaf-stalk The fruito f the Norway Maple have wide wings spreading to nearly horizontal that mature in autum The bark is commonly smooth and light broen on young trees but darkens and evelops fissures with age The Norway maple can be distinguished from other maples by the larger leaves as well as the previously mentioned milky sap from the petiole and the horizontal fruits

Leaves are opposite, simple, deeply 5-lobed, and coarsely toothed. They are on average 5” long The leaves are almost always green above, silvery-white beneath and their fall color is a greenish-yellow. Twigs tend to be slender and glossy green in spring and later turn chestnut brown. The Silver Maple’s lower branches have a distinctive upward curve at the end. And its fruit ids the largest of the native maples with wings 2" long, widely spreading, maturing in spring. The bark is similar to that of other trees being as it is smooth and grey when young and in comparison, the older trunks are broen and furrowed with plates that curl out on the ends. These are commonly found in moist woods and on stream banks throughout Pennsylvania, usually reaching 50'-60' high.

TREE RINGS ARE AN EASY WAY TO SEE A TREE’S LIFE SOTRY IT SHOWS WHEN AND FOR HOW LONG A TREE MAY HAV BEEN DEPRIVED OF SUNLIGHT, WATER, OR SUFFICIENT NUTRIENTS THESE TREES HAVE NUMEROUS ROWS OF TINY RINGS TO SHOW THE LACK OF GROWTH OVER THE YEARS STUDYING TREE RINGS CAN ALSO TELL YOU IF A TREE HAS EXPERIENCED A FIRE OR EVEN A BLIGHT WHICH CAN BE SHOWN BY THE EXISTENCE OF SCARS AND THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NARROW RINGS THE SAPWOOD IS THE AREA OF THE TREE THAT CONTAINS THE GROWTH RINGS THE OTHER LAYERS ARE AS FOLLOWS: COMBIUM CELL LAYER \ HEARTWOOD THE OUTER BARK THE INNER BARK