1. Dendrology: Tree Identification

2. POINT > Define forest, silviculture and dendrology
POINT > Describe characteristics of conifers
POINT > Describe characteristics of deciduous trees
POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
POINT > Use key to identify Minnesota trees

3. POINT > Define forest, silviculture and dendrology
To be classified as forested, an area must be at least one acre and contain at least 10% tree cover.

4. Minnesota Biomes

6. Check:
What are 3 biomes in Minnesota?
What is defined as “forested” land?

7. POINT > Define forest, silviculture and dendrology
Dendrology is the study of trees. This includes taxonomy, identification, silvical characteristics, ranges, morphology, and ecology

8. POINT > Define forest, silviculture and dendrology
Taxonomy is the study of the classification of living things Morphology is the study of the shape, general appearance, or form of an organism Silviculture is the care and cultivation of forest trees

9. What makes a tree a tree?
Height at least 4.5 meters (about 15 feet) full grown
Single dominant woody stem (trunk)
Capable of diameter growth
Perennial (present at all seasons of the year)

10. What makes a shrub a shrub?
Height under 4.5 meters (less than 15 feet)
Multi-stemmed
Capable of diameter growth
Perennial plant

11. WB CHECK:
Your neighbor has a plant in her backyard, and she’s not sure if it’s a tree or a shrub. How can you determine which it is?
What is the study and care of forest trees called?
What is the study of tree shape called?

12. Conifers vs. Deciduous Trees
In the simplest sense there are two kinds of trees in the world.

13. POINT > Describe characteristics of conifers
Needle-shaped leaves
Seeds that develop inside cones
Evergreen – stay green all year, including winter
Examples: pine, spruce, hemlock, fir

14. POINT > Describe characteristics of conifers
Scale-like leaves
Needle-like leaves

15. POINT > Describe characteristics of conifers
Leaves in clusters
Single leaves

16. WB CHECK:
What are two characteristics of conifer trees?

17. POINT > Describe characteristics of conifers
Balsam fir
Red pine
Douglas fir
White pine
Fraser fir
Scotch pine

18. POINT > Describe characteristics of deciduous trees
Broad, flat leaves
Lose all leaves each year in the fall
Examples: oak, maple, beech, aspen, ash

19. Deciduous examples Red oak Elm Honey locust Red maple White birch
Beech
Crimson king
Black locust

20. WB CHECK:
What are two characteristics of deciduous trees?

21. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
The petiole: connects
the leaf to the woody stem

22. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Leaf arrangement: whorl, alternate, opposite
Leaf type: simple or compound
Leaf edge: smooth, lobed, toothed (serrated)
Leaf texture: hairy, waxy, rough,
smooth, thick, thin, etc.

23. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Leaf arrangement:
whorled
alternate
opposite

24. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Leaf type:
Simple
Compound
Sweet gum and ash

25. Simple Compound POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Made up of several leaflets Leaflets are joined to a midrib (petiole) that is not woody Examples: ash, walnut, sumac
Only one leaf blade Joined by its stalk (petiole) to the woody stem Examples: maple, oak, aspen, beech

26. WB CHECK:
What is the leaf arrangement?
What is the leaf type?

27. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Leaf edge:
Lobed
Smooth
Toothed

28. POINT > Identify leaf characteristics
Leaf texture: smooth, waxy, hairy, ribbed, etc

29. WB CHECK:
What is the leaf arrangement?
What is the leaf type?
What type of leaf edge?

30. WB CHECK:
What are two characteristics of leaves you could use for tree identification?
What is a petiole?

31. Does it help to look through many leaves and find one that matches or is there a better way?

33. More characteristics to ID trees:
Bark
Twigs
Flowers
Fruits/Seeds
Cones
Overall shape

34. Team-based tree identification outside tomorrow, dress appropriately!