Tree Identification John Ross

Tree Identification ISA Certified Arborist Study guide for the Arborist Certification exam of the International Society of Arboriculture. Presented by John Ross Burditt: Conroe, Texas jross@burditt.com

Plant Classification Plant Classification (taxonomy) Kingdom (Plant) Phylum (Vascular plants or not) Class (Angiosperms; di or monocotyledons Gymnosperms have “naked seeds”) Order Family (Similar characteristics) Genus (Closely related, Quercus) Species (THE individual plant)

Plant Nomenclature Plant Nomenclature (naming of plants) Common names vs. Latin names Genus and species…. Quercus stellata Varieties & cultivars… var. & ‘Little gem’ Plant Morphology (appearance of tree parts) Branching structure (alternate, opposite, whorled) Leaf type (simple or compound) Leaf margins, apices & bases

Plant Morphology continued Bud type and arrangement Twig & pith characteristics Seed types (acorn, samara, legume, etc.) Bark characteristics (ex. hackberry “warts”) Form & habitat Flowers (ex. flowering dogwood)

Leaf Arrangement & “Parts”

Compound Leaf Types

Leaf Bases & Apices

Leaf Margins & Other Types

Buds & Twigs

Loblolly Pine Pinus taeda Form: Open Spreading Crown Grayish Coloring To Cone 3 (Occasionally 2) needles

Slash Pine Pinus elliottii Form: Round Top Head Carmel Coloring To Cone 2 and 3 needles

White ash Fraxinus americana Single Samara Opposite, pinnately compound U Shaped Leaf Scar

Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvania Opposite, pinnately compound Single Samara U Shaped Scar Brown Tinged with Red, Slightly Furrowed or Ridged

Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Simple, Alternate, Triangular, Square Base, Coarsely Toothed Prominent Lenticels, Triangular Leaf Scars Male Catkins

American elm Ulmus americana Alternate, Simple, Double Serrate, Oblique Base Alternate, Inconspicuous Lenticels, Elevated semicircular Leaf Scars Broad Flat-Topped Ridges, Deep Elliptical Fissures

Common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Alternate, Simple, Deciduous, Serrate, Asymmetrical Base Alternate, Numerous Pale Lenticels Many Corky Ridges, Gray-Brown to Silver-Gray

Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Seed Pods Alternate, Deciduous, Pinnate & Bipinnately compound Irregular Shield-shaped Leaf Scars, Stout Thorns Gray-brown to Black, Scaly Ridges, Deep Fissures

Boxelder maple Acer negundo Opposite, Coarsely Serrate, Pinnately compound Double Samara, Slightly Converging Wings Scattered Pale Lenticels

Mulberry Morus spp. Cluster, Dark-red to Purplish Gray-brown, Scattered Gray Lenticels Catkins Alternate, Simple,Deciduous, Toothed & Lobed

Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Acorn, Usually Solitary, Deep Bowl-shaped Cup, With conspicuous Fringe, Enclosing up to ¾ of the Nut Alternate, Simple, Deciduous, 5 to 9 Lobed, Coarsely Toothed Terminal Lobe Half Round Leaf Scars Hairy Stalked Catkins

Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis Alternate, Simple, Deciduous, Kidney Shaped, Heart Shaped or Flattened Base Calyx Tube, Flower Pod 2” – 3 ½”

Eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Awl-shaped, Sharp-pointed, Spreading and Whitened Scale-like in 4 ranks Giving Square appearance Thin Reddish-brown Bark, Peels Off in Long Shred-like Strips

Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Alternate, Simple, Deciduous, Wavy With Short or Long Tapering Teeth, Flat or Heart Shaped Base Persistent Multiple Of Achenes Forming A Head 1” in Diameter Bark Mottled By Large Plate-like Scales

Black walnut Juglans nigra Alternate, Compound, Extremely Tapering At End, Toothed Along Margin Born Singly Or In Pairs, Nut Has Hard Thick Shell Many Raised Orange Lenticels, Large Shield Shaped Leaf Scars

Pecan Carya illinoensis Alternate, Compound, Tapering At End, Toothed Along Margin Ellipsoidal Nut,Thin Skinned Husk, 4-Winged From Base to Apex Conspicuous Orange-brown Lenticels, Obovate Leaf Scars

Osage-orange Maclura pomifera Alternate, Simple, Oval-pointed Short Axillary Thorns, Triangular To Kidney Shaped Leaf Scars Compact Cluster Of Green Oblong Firm Drupelets, Appearance Of A Green Orange Broad Rounded Interlacing Ridges

Post oak Quercus stellata Acorn, Occasionally In Pairs, Bowl Shaped Cup Enclosing 1/3 Of Nut Half Round Bundle Leaf Scars, Pale Lenticels Alternate, Deciduous, Usually Unequally 5-lobed

Live oak Quercus virginiana (or fusiformis) 40-50 Feet High, Branching Close To Ground Into A Few Massive Wide Spreading Limbs, Round Topped Crown Alternate, Simple, Evergreen, Entire Margin Acorn, In Clusters of 3 to 5, Top Shaped Cup Enclosing 1/3 of Nut

Black willow Salix nigra 30-40 Feet High, Clustered Stems Forming Broad Irregular Open Crown Alternate, Simple, Deciduous, Lanceolate Shaped Dark Brown to Black, Deeply Divided, Shaggy Scales on Old Trunks

Bur Oak Test Tree #1 Bur oak

Common Hackberry Test Tree #2

Green Ash Test Tree #3 Green ash

Mulberry Test Tree #4 Mulberry

Eastern Cottonwood Test Tree #5

American Elm Test Tree #6

Eastern Redcedar Test Tree #7

Sycamore Test Tree #8 Sycamore

Eastern Redbud Test Tree #9

Loblolly Pine Test Tree #10 Loblolly Pine

Thank you John Ross