Tree Identification Reviewing Some of the Common Trees Found on the SMEL Shawnee Mission South H.S. Environmental Science I – Mr. Wright

Compound Leaves Leaf divided up into leaflets Often mistaken for being multiple leaves

Black Walnut Look at all the pairs of leaflets (lots of them). Large (1½ - 3”) leaflets. Leaflets pointed.

Black Walnut

Honey Locust Very small leaflets and lost of them. Leaflets rounded on ends.

Honey Locust

Ash Leaflets usually 5-7. Leaflets pointed on end, but larger than walnut.

Ash

Shagbark Hickory Leaflets usually 5-7. Much larger than other compound leaves.

Shagbark Hickory

Simple Leaves Leaf is not divided up into leaflets. Leaf may come in different shapes.

Redbud Heart shaped leaf. 3-4 inches across. Smooth edge to leaf. Pointed tip.

Cotton wood Almost heart shape. Almost flat where petiole is attached. Smaller than redbud. State tree.

Cotton wood

Mulberry Leaf often has 1-3 lobes on the side, like thumbs on a mitten. Leaves 3-5 inches long. “Mitten for mulberry.”

Mulberry

Red Oak Larger, lobed leaves Lobes are pointed with bristles on tips for red oaks

Red Oak

Shingle Oak Leaf doesn't look like an oak leaf, but has acorns. Oval shaped Larger leaves, several inches long. Often dark and shiny.

Shingle Oak

Elm Smaller leaves with saw toothed edge Rough to the touch Unsymmetrical base

Elm

Osage Orange Green glossy leaves up to 8 inches long Smooth edges with a tapered leaf tip Fruit is a large, dense, green wrinkled ball up to 6" in diameter

Osage Orange

Dogwood Leaves bigger than an elm but smaller than redbuds. Smooth on edges. Veins curve to run parallel to edge, curving up towards tip.

Dogwood

Sycamore Leaves can be very large. Looks a lot like a maple leaf. Palmate (like a hand).

Sycamore

Willow Long skinny leaves that hang from drooping branches Always near a water source. Several on east side of pond.

Willow

Other Types of Leaves

Eastern Red Cedar Either small and scaly or needlelike. Light green to blue green in color. Stinks.

Eastern Red Cedar

Bald Cypress A series of small, fine, delicate needles running down a stem. Light green in color. Deciduous, fall off in the winter.

Bald Cypress