up to 120 ft. tall. Trunk stout and often lofty. Bark light gray brown,
finally furrowed and separating into small scales. Leaves 4-5 in.
across, dark and thickish, turning brilliant shades in autumn, of deep
red, scarlet, orange and clear yellow. Range: s. Newf. to Minn., e. Tex.
and w. Fla. This noble tree, which makes glorious in fall the quiet
streets of old villages in N. E. and e. Can., has heavy strong pale wood
valued for interior finish, tool handles, keels and shoe-lasts.
Accidental forms with contorted grain yield “bird’s-eye maple,” to the
cabinet maker. When the sap rises, from Feb. to April, the trunk is
tapped and the sap made into maple sugar and maple syrup. ROCKY MOUNTAIN
MAPLE (_Acer grandidentaum_) has the leaf lobes with lobe-like, sinuous
big teeth. Wyo. to Utah, N. Mex., and Mex.
[Illustration]
OREGON MAPLE
(_Acer macrophyllum_)
Shape compactly round headed; to 80 ft. tall. Bark gray, divided into
narrow, ribbon-like, braiding ridges, sometimes cross marked into small
squarish plates. Leaves 3-15 in. long, turning brilliant orange in
autumn. Flowers with conspicuous petals, fragrant. Range: Alaska to the
mts. of s. Calif. This stately colorful timber tree is often associated
with Sequoia, when, “with their slender stems and large graceful leaves
nicely balanced on the long stalks against the faint light filtered
through the high forest canopy, they are in pointed contrast to the
titanic features of the Redwood.” (Jepson). BLACK MAPLE (_Acer nigrum_)
is very like Sugar Maple but the leaves are concave, drooping, and the
undersides are downy, not paler. L. Champlain through s. Ont. to s.
Kans. and e. Okla. Along the uplands to Ga. and Ala. and centr. Miss.
Scarcely distinguished by most people, it too produces Maple Sugar.
[Illustration]
SILVER MAPLE
CUTLEAF MAPLE
(_Acer saccharinum_)
Shape pagoda-like, the upper short branches ascending, the lower long,
sweeping nearly to the ground; up to 120 ft. tall. Bark reddish brown or
gray, becoming furrowed and thinly scaly. Leaves 6-7 in. long, thin,
translucent, beautifully silvery below, the toothing very ornamental;
drooping on bright red stalks; pale yellow in Fall. Range: N.B. through
Gt. Lakes region to centr. Minn., e. Neb., to Ark., s. to Ga., Ala., and
centr. Miss. The wood is used like that of Sugar Maple. This
swift-growing tree is especially fine in the Middle West where it gives
dignity and depth to humble farm yards, and forms spacious glades along
the slow rivers. RED MAPLE (_Acer rubrum_) also called Swamp Maple, is
similar, but the leaves not “cut-leaf,” the undersides with a blue bloom
but not silvery; autumn foliage scarlet and yellow. Que. to Fla., s.
Minn. and e. Tex.
[Illustration]
COMMON BOX-ELDER
(_Acer Negundo_)
Shape broadly round topped; 15-50 ft. tall. Trunk slender and often
crooked, short and wavy ridged. Bark light brown gray with narrow
shallow furrows and short, flat topped ridges. Twigs light olive. Leaves
of 3-6 veiny leaflets, dark or olive green. Range: throughout the e.
U.S.A. (probably not native in N.E.) and s. Can. to the Rockies, and
southwestward through the desert states. Variable over its wide range,
sometimes with foliage white- or yellow-margined or spotted, this river
bank tree passes unnoticed in the e. forest belt, but owing to its
ability to stand drought, wind, cold, and heat, it is highly appreciated
on the prairies and semi-deserts for shade. Where better wood is
lacking, it is used for furniture, construction, pulp and woodenware.
WESTERN BOX ELDER (_Acer californicum_) has thicker leaflets (only 3)
densely hairy beneath. Western States.
[Illustration]
SWEET BUCKEYE
(_Aesculus octandra_)
Shape a narrowly pyramidal head; up to 90 ft. tall. Bark dark brown,
grayer with age, rough scaly. Branches small, pendulous. Leaves of 5-7
leaflets, turning brown in autumn. Petals unequal, longer than the
stamens. Seed chestnut-like but inedible, called Horsechestnut. Range:
Pa. to Ala., especially in the s. Appalachians and w. to Wis., Ia.,
Okla. and Tex. When, in spring, the turrets of golden flowers rise on
the branch tips, this symmetrical tree seems lighted with candelabra.
OHIO BUCKEYE (_Aesculus glabra_) is a large tree, differing in its
smaller, pale yellow flowers; petals unequal, shorter than the curved
stamens; fruit covered with prickles when young; bark ill-scented. W.
Pa. to Mich., Mo., Kans., Okla., Tenn. and n. Ga. CALIFORNIA BUCKEYE
(_Aesculus californica_) is a fine, broad-topped tree with pink or white
flowers. Calif.
[Illustration]
AMERICAN LINDEN
(_Tilia glabra_)
Shape round-topped, symmetrical, to 130 ft. tall. Bark brownish gray and
fissured, the ridges braiding. Twigs slender, smooth, ruddy. Leaves
smooth but for hairy tufts on the veins beneath, turning yellow in
autumn. Range: N.B. through the Gt. Lakes region and southw. to Tex., s.
to Ga. on the mts. This stately tree, also called Basswood, Lime-tree
and Whitewood, is a favorite with the bees on account of its honey
scented flowers in May and June. They perfume the air for many yards
around. DOWNY BASSWOOD (_Tilia Michauxii_) has smaller leaves with dense
gray down on the under surface. A small, straggling tree, from Long
Island to n. Fla. and Tex. WHITE BASSWOOD (_Tilia heterophylla_) has
very large, unsymmetrical leaves, the undersides silvery downy.
Appalachians from s. N. Y. to Ala. and w. to s. Ill.
[Illustration]
BLACK GUM
(_Nyssa sylvatica_)
Bark light brown tinged with red or dark brown or nearly black, smooth
even in old age or sometimes becoming deeply furrowed. Branches short,
with spur-like short twigs. Leaves thick, shining, turning a brilliant
maroon brown in autumn. Berry solitary or twin. Range: Me. to Fla. and
Tex., w. to n. Ind. and Mo. This curious tree, which inhabits the lower
slopes of the s. Appalachians as well as swamps and savannahs near the
coast, is often hollow in old age, a favorite hide-out of raccoon and
opossum. TUPELO (_Nyssa aquatica_) is a swamp tree with the same range
as Bald Cypress, and, like it, has usually a much swollen butt and very
spongy great roots. It differs from the preceding in the thicker twigs,
larger leaves, and blue, not purple-black, fruit.
[Illustration]
EASTERN DOGWOOD
(_Cornus florida_)
Shape very broadly round- or flat-topped, up to 40 ft. tall. Trunk
slender, short, inclined to lean or twist. Bark black and roughish.
Leaves clustered toward the ends of the erect up-curved twigs. Flowers
consisting in many little green florets enclosed in the 4 big,
petal-like, greenish or white (or, exceptionally, pinkish) bracts,
March-May. Range: Me. and Que. w. to Minn., s. to Fla. and Tex. The bark
has been used as a substitute for quinine. This enchanting little tree,
best developed in the s. Appalachians, unfolds its great starry blossoms
while the leaves are yet small. WESTERN DOGWOOD (_Cornus Nuttallii_) is
a taller tree with broader leaves, the undersides downy, the bracts
(“petals”) even more showy, and 4-6 in number. It ranges from B. C. to
s. Calif.
[Illustration]
PACIFIC MADROÑA
(_Arbutus Menziesii_)
Bark on young trees and branches reddish, peeling off; on old trunks
reddish-brown. Leaves 3-4 in. long, evergreen, thick, smooth and
glistening above, the undersides pale with a bloom. Flowers in branched
clusters, 5-6 in. long, in spring. Fruit bright orange red, pulpy and
seedy, often seen on the tree at the same time as the flowers. Range: B.
C. to mts. of Calif. This superb ornamental tree sometimes rises to 100
ft. in the damp coastal forests, the brilliant fruit and graceful
flowers waving at the summit. ARIZONA MADROÑA (_Arbutus arizonica_) is a
much smaller tree, with light gray or nearly white bark, shorter leaves,
and shorter, thick clusters of flowers. Fruit dark orange red. The
contrast between the white bark, red branches and pale green foliage is
very lovely.
[Illustration]
HOLLY
(_Ilex opaca_)
Shape with narrowly pyramidal top, 40-50 ft. tall. Trunk short. Bark
smooth, gray mottled with whitish. Leaves evergreen, thick, paler
beneath, occasionally without the usual spiny teeth. Berries red or
rarely yellow. Range: Gulf States n. to Mo. and s. Ind. and up the coast
plain to s. Mass; reaches the Blue Ridge in the Carolinas and Ga. This
lovely little tree is in great danger of extermination owing to the
demands of a relentless Christmas trade. It is now rare in a wide radius
of all cities and large towns. YAUPON (_Ilex vomitoria_) is a pretty
little evergreen tree, very like holly, the leaf margins toothed but
never spiny. Related to the Paraguay tea, Yerba Maté, its leaves when
boiled yield a tea more valuable medicinally than pleasant to drink,
though Indians used to travel far to obtain it. Gulf States n. to Ark.
and along the coast to s. Va.
[Illustration]
VIRGINIA PERSIMMON
(_Diospyros virginiana_)
Shape with a round topped head: up to 115 ft. tall. Bark dark brown or
black or gray, covered with warty, corky, rectangular plates. Leaves
rather thick, shiny above, pale and often downy beneath, turning deep
claret in fall. Flowers thick petaled with an odor like Gardenia, the
sexes on separate trees. Fruit at first green, hard, and astringent,
becoming amber or ruddy about the time of the first frosts, soft and
edible. Range: s. Conn. to Fla. and e. Tex., Ozarks and Ia. Scarcely n.
of the Ohio. The heartwood is nearly black, much valued for tools on
account of its hardness. Only when thoroughly soft, if at all, are the
fruits edible. The opossum is notoriously fond of them. BLACK PERSIMMON
(_Diospyros texana_) differs in having leaves broadest near the end. The
fruit, called Chapote, which has a black skin and thin insipid flesh,
yields a black dye. w. Tex. and Mex.
[Illustration]
WHITE ASH
(_Fraxinus americana_)
Shape broadly round topped. Trunk massive. Bark light gray, deeply and
regularly furrowed, with narrow braiding ridges. Branches ascending, the
lower often long and finally drooping. Twigs stout, smooth, brittle,
greenish gray. Buds rusty. Leaves of 5-9 stalked leaflets, silvery
below, turning yellow or purple in autumn. Range: N. S. to w. Ont., and
Minn., e. Neb., Kan., Okla. and Tex., s. to n. Fla. A superb shade tree,
it is also one of the most valuable of our timber trees. Its wood is
heavy, strong, and white, in demand for tools. BLUE ASH (_Fraxinus
quadrangulata_) is a slender tree with 4-angled twigs, slender leaflets
with coarse teeth, and flowers containing both sexes. A slender tree, to
120 ft. tall, it is a good timber species and the bark yields a blue
dye. Mich. to Ark. and Ala. OREGON ASH (_Fraxinus oregona_). Leaflets
not stalked. A lofty tree with valuable wood. Mts. Wash. to s. Calif.
[Illustration]
CATALPA
(_Catalpa bignonioides_)
Shape round topped, up to 50 ft. tall. Bark silvery gray, only slightly
furrowed, finally with ribbon-like scales. Branches few. Twigs stout.
Leaves 6-7 in. broad, downy beneath, very late in appearing and early
turning dull brown and dropping. Flowers in beautiful upright clusters,
the petals marked with gold and purple spots, exhaling a heavy
fragrance. Pods persistent almost through the winter on the leafless
twigs. Range: near the coast through the Gulf States. Widely planted and
naturalized elsewhere. This tropical looking tree is lovely at flowering
time. Honey from its flowers is reputed to be poisonous. CIGAR TREE
(_Catalpa speciosa_) is much taller (up to 100 ft.) with thicker trunk
and thick, strongly furrowed bark; flowers larger, but pure white.
Mississippi valley from s. Ill. to Ark. and Tenn.
INDEX
A
Arbor Vitae, Eastern 32
Western 33
Ash, Blue 92
Oregon 92
White 92
Aspen, Large Toothed 38
Quaking 38
B
Balsam, Canada 22
He 22
Basswood, Downy 86
White 86
Bay, Sweet 66
Beech, American 47
Big-Tree, California 27
Birch, Black 45
Canoe 45
Cherry 46
River 45
Yellow 46
Box-Elder, Common 84
Western 84
Buckeye, California 85
Ohio 85
Sweet 85
Butternut 43
C
Catalpa 93
Cedar, Incense 29
Port Oxford 30
Red 35
Rocky Mt. 35
Virginia 35
White 31
Cherry, Black 76
Pin 76
Wild Red 76
Chestnut 52
Chinquapin, Giant 52
Southern 52
Cigar Tree 93
Cottonwood, Carolina 40
Fremont 40
Crab Apple, American 75
Iowa 75
Oregon 75
Cypress, Alaska 30
Bald 26
D
Dogwood, Eastern 88
Western 88
E
Elm, Cedar 50
Cork 49
Slippery 50
White 49
F
Fir, Alpine 21
Big Cone Douglas 25
Douglas 25
Red 21
White 21
G
Gum, Black 87
Sweet 71
H
Hackberry, Common 51
Mississippi 51
Western 51
Hemlock, Canadian 23
Carolina 23
Mountain 24
Western 24
Hickory, Shagbark 42
Holly 90
Hornbeam 48
I
Ironwood 48
J
Juneberry 73
Juniper, California 34
Western 34
K
Kentucky Coffee Tree 78
King Nut 42
L
Larch, Eastern 16
Western 17
Laurel, California 69
Linden, American 86
Locust, Black 79
Clammy 79
Honey 80
Water 80
M
Madroña, Arizona 89
Pacific 89
Magnolia, Evergreen 66
Great Leaved 68
Maple, Black 82
Cutleaf 83
Oregon 82
Red 83
Rocky Mt. 81
Silver 83
Sugar 81
Mocker Nut 41
N
Nutmeg, California 3
O
Oak, Basket 57
Bur 56
Black 63
Black Jack 64
California Black 63
Canyon Live 59
Coast Live 60
Desert Live 60
Laurel 60
Oregon 55
Overcup 56
Pin 62
Post 55
Red 55
Rock Chestnut 58
Southern Live 59
Spanish 61
Swamp Spanish 62
Swamp White 58
Tanbark 53
Valley 54
Water 64
White 54
Willow 60
Yellow 62
Yellow Chestnut 57
P
Palm, Desert 36
Palmetto 36
Pawpaw 72
Persimmon, Black 91
Virginia 91
Pignut 41
Pine, Beach 15
Big Cone 14
Black 10
Digger 14
Jack 13
Jeffery’s 9
Limber 4
Loblolly 11
Lodgepole 15
Long Leaf 12
Nut 7
One Needle 7
Piñon 7
Red 8
Rocky Mt. Yellow 9
Silver 4
Slash 12
Yellow 10
Sugar 6
Western Yellow 9
White 5
White Barked 4
Plane, Common Sycamore 74
Plum, Wild 77
Poplar, Great Plains 40
Swamp Black 39
Willow Leaved 39
R
Redwood 28
S
Sassafras 70
Sequoia 27
Service Tree 72
Shadbush 72
Spruce, Black 19
Red 18
Sitka 20
Weeping 20
White 18
Sycamore, California 74
T
Tamarack, Eastern 16
Western 17
Tulip Tree 67
Tupelo 87
U
Umbrella Tree, Broad Leaved 65
Ear Leaved 68
W
Walnut, Black 44
California 43
Mexican 43
Willow, Black 37
Shining 37
Y
Yaupon 90
Yew, Florida 3
Pacific 3
Transcriber’s Notes
--Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.
--Corrected a few palpable typographical errors.
--In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.
End of Project Gutenberg's Trees You Want to Know, by Donald Culross Peattie