Written by: Heather Dombroski July 2005 Tree Identification Written by: Heather Dombroski July 2005

History Web reading assignment http://forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/default.htm Here I want you to go to History of Michigan Forestry Read #1, Logging Era and #2, Conservation

Why is important to be able to distinguish between different types of trees? 1. So that people can have a common point of reference. 2. When working with trees, you may want to be able to do the appropriate work on the correct tree. 3. Trees are like people, similar in some characteristics but very different in others.

After your finished . . . Grab a clip board, paper, writing utensil We will head outside to collect 5 leaves from DIFFERENT TYPES of trees Describe one fern you spotted DO NOT PICK THE FLOWERS! Describe two wildflower you spotted

Ways to Identify Leaves Twigs Buds Bud scars Bark Flowers Fruits Growing place Branching pattern

Leaves Simple; one Compound; more than 1 Margins; smooth, serrated edges Lobes; Spacing of leaves Sinus; Indentation Shapes; Oval Triangular Elliptical

Leaf branching Opposite Alternate Whorled

Buds & Scars A bud is where the leaves will eventually grow They can be pointy, blunt, shiny, dull, smooth, hairy, and come in many colors. A bud scar is where last year’s leaf fell off. Bud scars are unique for every species.

Fruit & Flowers (inflorescence) Samara Fruit is the matured ovary of a flowering plant – the seed bearing product of the plant. In conifers the fruit is called a cone. Thin papery wing Fleshy outside, hard inside Drupe Pome Several seed chambers

Growing Environment Where are you? Depending on your surroundings some trees are unable to grow there Example – NO American Beech in the western U.P. Example – Jackpine need extreme heat for cones to open

Native Gymnosperm Cedar (red/white) - Scaly and flat Clustered needles White Pine – 5 per bunch Jack Pine – 2 per bunch Red Pine – 2 per bunch Scotch Pine – 2 per bunch/twisted Austrian – 2, very similar to red pine Tamarack – Many needles Single needles Spruce (white, black, blue)-square needles Hemlock – flat w/ white strips Firs (frasier, white, douglas, balsam) - flat Yews - flat Cedar (red/white) - Scaly and flat

Native Angiosperm Leaves lobed Horse Chestnut – fan shaped Simple leaves Leaves lobed Rounded; White, Bur oak Pointed, w/ teeth; Hawthorn, Red, Mountain & Striped Maple Pointed w/o teeth; Silver, Norway & Sugar Maple, Red & Scrub Oak Leaves unlobed Oval; Apple, Buckthorn, Aspen, Cottonwood, Lilac Elliptical (toothed); Elm, Hackberry, Tag alder, Hawthorne, Beech, Balsam Poplar, Ironwood, Musclewood, Birch, Cherries, Juneberry Linear; Willows, Basswood, Witchhazel Compound leaves Horse Chestnut – fan shaped > 5 leaflets (smooth) Honey locust, Black locust > 5 leaflets (teethed) Staghorn sumac, Mountain ash, Butternut, Black walnut < 4 leaflets (teethed) Elderberry, Boxelder < 4 leaflets (smooth) Ash (green, white, black) Bitternut

Identification Tool http://forestry.msu.edu/uptreeid/default.htm Identify your 5 trees Receive Tree ID Key Hand-out http://www.mywildflowers.com/ http://www.realtimerendering.com/flowers/flowers.html Identify your 2 Wildflowers

Walk through the woods You will need, covered toes, safety glasses and helmets, clipboards, pencil and paper We will be practicing knowledge just covered You will all need to correctly answer ten questions on what we just covered when we return

QUIZ #1, What's the difference between an Angiosperm and Gymnosperm? #2, Name 3 ways to identify a tree. #3, What is a sinus? #4, What are our two main ferns? #5, Name 2 trees we saw today in our woods #6, What is the key called to categorize things? #7, Name one type of fruit? #8, I gave you an acronym to remember opposite leaved trees #9, Tell me one thing you learned in the logging era section in your website reading and one thing from you learned about conservation. 2pts

Picture Citations Pictures in this document were taken from the: Upper Peninsula Tree Identification Key from Michigan State University Extension The site was created and is maintained by Bill Cook, MSU Extension Forester for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.