Native Trees of North Carolina

Loblolly Pine Pinus taeda DESCRIPTION  Leaves 6 to 9 inches long  Bark on young trees dark in color and deeply furrowed  Perhaps the fastest growing southern pine USES  Used in construction  Interior and exterior finish  Used for pulp

Characteristics of Loblolly Pines

Black Cherry Prunus serotina ehrh DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  2 to 6 inches long  1 to ½ inches wide  Ovals to oblong and pointed at each end  Margins finely toothed USES  Furniture  Musical Instruments  Tool handles  Gun stocks

Characteristics of Black Cherry

American Holly Llex opaca ait DESCRIPTION  Evergreen  2 to 4 inches long  Epilintic, think, spine teeth  Bark is white or pale gray, smooth on young trunks USES  Cabinet work  Wood-turning  Engraver’s Blocks  Inlaying  Christmas Decorations

Characteristics of American Holly

Water Oak Quercus nigra DESCRIPTION  Deciduous leaves in winter; usually 21/2 inches long  11/2 inches wide with narrowed base  3 lobed  Stands feet high  2-3 feet in diameter USES  One of the main red oak lumber species  Used as an ornamental tree

Characteristics of Water Oak

Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  inches long and 11/2 – 2 inches wide  Margins toothed  Tick bright green and hairy on the upper surface  Whitish and hairy below USES  Shuttle blocks  Pulleys blocks  Pulleys Mullet  Heads of bobbin  Heads of golf clubs  Heads of handles

Characteristics of Flowering Dogwood

Willow Oak Quercus phellos DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  11/2 – 5 ½ inches long  1/3 to 1 inch wide; narrow and pointed at both ends  Light green smooth and skinny above  Dull, paler and usually smooth below USES  Planted widely as a shade tree

Characteristics of Willow Oak

Sweet Bay Magnolia virginiana DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in the spring of the second season  4 to 6 inches long 11/2 to 3 inches wide  Smooth bright green shinning and smooth on the upper surface pale  Nearly white and hairy below USES  Wood of little or no commercial value

Characteristics of Sweet Bay

Yellow Poplar Lirodendown tulipifern DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  5 – 6 inches long and wide  Mostly 4 lobed with a rounded base dark green smooth and skinny on the upper surface  Pale and smooth below USES  Furniture  Musical instruments  Molding in houses and office building  To make picture frames

Characteristics of Yellow Poplar

Chestnut Oak Quercus prinus DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  4 to 9 inches long, 1 ½ to 3 inches wide  Bark grayish brown to darker USES  Fence posts  Railroad ties  Fuel

Characteristics of Chestnut Oak

Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus DESCRIPTION  Leaves or needles 3 to 5 inches long  It matures often at 80 or more feet in height with a straight trunk  Trunk is 2-3 feet in diameter USES  General Construction  Interior finish  Patterns  Caskets  Clocks  Cabinet making

Characteristics of Eastern White Pine

Swamp Chestnut Quercus michauxxi DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  4-9 inches long, 2 ¾ to 4 ¼ inches wide  Bark silvery white or ashy gray and scaly USES  Agricultural implements  Wheels  Fence Posts  Baskets  Fuel

Characteristics of Swamp Chestnut

Blackgum Nyssa sylvatica marsh DESCRIPTION  Leaves deciduous in autumn  2 to 5 inches long, ½ to 3 inches wide  Bark light brown, often tinged with red deeply furrowed USES  Boxes boards  Furniture  Interior Trim  Cross ties  Pulp

Characteristics of Blackgum

AMERICAN ELM Ulmus americana

FACTS ON AMERICAN ELM  Form-the trunk is divided into several large, ascending and arching limbs.  Bark-dark, ashy-gray, flat topped ridges separated by diamond-shaped fissures  Twig-slender, slightly zigzagged, reddish-brown  Leaf-3 to 6 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide.  They are shaped like a vase or an umbrella.  It is used to make barrels, fence posts, furniture, and boats.  American elm bark contains a strong fiber from which the Indians made ropes.

AMERICAN SYCAMORE Platanus occidentalis

Facts on American Sycamore  Bark-thin, mottled brown, green and white. A.K.A. camouflage bark  Twig- stout and orange- brown in color, terminal bud is absent.  Leaf- palmately veined, 4-8 inched wide, ovate in shape, with 3-5 lobes. Margins are toothed  Form- massive tree with heavy, spreading branches with zigzagged twigs.

EASTERN HEMLOCK Tsuga canadensis

FACTS ON EASTERN HEMLOCK  Leaf- 1/2 inch long, dark green in color with 2 lines of white stomata below. Tips are blunt, needles are two ranked.  Twig- fine, gray-brown in color  Bark-young trees-gray- brown,smooth,turning scaly. Older trees- red/brown with wide  Ridges and furrows. When cut or broken, purple streaks are shown.  Form-medium sized tree with a dense conical crown. Fine branches and a floppy leader

CATALPA CATALPA SPECIOSA

FACTS ON CATALPA  Leaf- maybe opposite or whorled, pinnately veined, inches long, leaves are cordate.  Twig- stout, green, and later reddish- brown in color.  Bark- separated into irregular shallow fissures with reddish- brown scales.  Form- medium sized tree with spreading branches, irregular crown

RED MAPLE ACER RUBRUM

FACTS ON RED MAPLE  Leaf- 2-4 inches long, light green above, hairy beneath.  Twig- reddish and lustrous, buds usually blunt.  Bark- smooth and light gray, with age becomes darker  Form- medium sized tree

BALD CYPRESS TAXODIUM DISTICHUM

FACTS ON BALD CYPRESS  Leaf-very feathery, leaflets are 1/4 to 3/4 inch long and 2 ranked and alternately arranged. Feathery leaves are 3-10 inches long.  Twig- brown with small deciduous scales  Form- large tree with a pyramid-shaped crown, cylindrical bole, fluted or buttresses base and often with knees.  Bark- fibrous, red-brown maybe gray where exposed to the weather. Old thick bark may appear scaly

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

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

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

Post Oak (Quercus stellata)  Slow growing.  Abundant in Southeastern and South Central America.  Used for fence “posts”.

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)  Resembles Honey Locust, but larger.  Nitrogen fixer.  Provides cover for wildlife.  Grows best in rich and moist soils.

Black Oak (Quercus velutina)  Fuzzy on back of leaf.  Bitter acorn.  Grows in poor soil.

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)  Deciduous  Grows feet tall.  Heart shaped leaves.  Alternate and simple leaves.  Rosy pink flowers during spring.

Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)  Evergreen.  Alternate and simple leaves.  Grows feet tall.  Used for ornamental purposes.

Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis)  Fast growing.  Wood is used for fuel.  3 lobed leaf which resembles a turkey foot.

White Oak (Quercus alba)  Grows slowly.  Ashy-gray bark.  Wood is very durable.  Used for furniture and flooring.  Acorns are sweet.