SOUTHERN SUGAR MAPLE
_Acer barbatum_ Michx.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2
feet; crown rounded.
Bark: Smooth and pale brown at first, becoming darker and furrowed when
old.
Twigs: Slender, brown, smooth or hairy, usually with pale lenticels;
leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, reddish-brown, hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 4 inches long, nearly as broad,
palmately 3- to 5-lobed, drooping on the sides, the edges sparsely
and coarsely toothed, green and smooth or a little hairy on the
upper surface, paler and much hairier on the lower surface;
leaf-stalks up to 3 inches long, very hairy. The leaves turn
yellow or orange in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense clusters, yellowish-green, appearing as the
leaves unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of a wing with a seed at the base,
greenish, up to 1 inch long.
Wood: Heavy, strong, coarse-grained, light brown.
Uses: Furniture, interior finishing, cabinets.
Habitat: Woodlands.
Range: Virginia across southern Illinois to southeastern Oklahoma, south
to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Southern Sugar Maple resembles the Black
Maple because of its drooping leaves, but differs by its smaller,
thicker leaves.
[Illustration: SOUTHERN SUGAR MAPLE]
BOX ELDER
_Acer negundo_ L.
Other Name: Ash-leaved Maple.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4
feet; crown wide-spreading.
Bark: Light brown, ridged when young, becoming deeply furrowed with age.
Twigs: Smooth, green, glaucous, or rarely purplish, shiny, usually with
white lenticels; leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 5-9 bundle
traces.
Buds: Rounded, white-hairy, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 3-7 leaflets; leaflets
elliptic to ovate, up to 4 inches long, about half as broad,
pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the sometimes
asymmetrical base, smooth or usually coarsely toothed along the
edges or even shallowly lobed, light green and smooth on the upper
surface, paler and smooth or hairy on the lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, several in a
cluster, greenish-yellow, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, in drooping clusters, composed of a curved wing
with a seed at the base, greenish-yellow, up to 2 inches long.
Wood: Light weight, soft, close-grained, white.
Uses: Paper pulp, interior finishing, furniture.
Habitat: Moist woods.
Range: Vermont across to Saskatchewan, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Box Elder most nearly resembles ashes, but
differs by its green or glaucous twigs and its paired fruits.
[Illustration: BOX ELDER]
BLACK MAPLE
_Acer nigrum_ Michx.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 65 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½
feet; crown broad, with several upright branches.
Bark: Dark brown to black, smooth when young, soon becoming furrowed and
scaly.
Twigs: Slender, brown, smooth, often with pale lenticels; leaf scars
opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, dark brown, finely hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 6 inches long and nearly as
broad, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, drooping on the sides, the edges
of the leaves sparsely and coarsely toothed, green and smooth on
the upper surface, yellow-green and smooth or hairy on the veins
on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 5 inches long, smooth or
hairy. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense clusters, yellowish, appearing as the leaves
unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of a wing with a seed at the base,
reddish-brown to greenish, up to 1 inch long.
Wood: Heavy, strong, coarse-grained, brown.
Uses: Furniture, cabinets.
Habitat: Rich woodlands.
Range: New Hampshire across to Minnesota and South Dakota, south to
Louisiana, east to Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The Black Maple is distinguished from the Sugar
Maple by its drooping leaves. It differs from the Southern Sugar
Maple, which also has drooping leaves, by its larger, thinner
leaves.
[Illustration: BLACK MAPLE]
RED MAPLE
_Acer rubrum_ L.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3
feet; crown oval or rounded.
Bark: Gray and smooth when young, becoming darker and scaly.
Twigs: Slender, mostly smooth, more or less reddish, usually with pale
lenticels; leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, reddish, usually hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 6 inches long, nearly as broad,
palmately 3- to 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves sharply toothed
to nearly toothless, pale green and smooth on the upper surface,
white or gray and either smooth or hairy on the lower surface;
leafstalks smooth or finely hairy, up to 4 inches long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense clusters, bright red or yellow, opening in
February and March before the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of an erect wing with a seed at the
base, red or yellow, up to 1 inch long.
Wood: Heavy, close-grained, light brown.
Uses: Furniture, gun-stocks.
Habitat: Swamps, low woods, upland slopes, bluff tops.
Range: Newfoundland across to Ontario, south to eastern Texas, east to
Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Red Maple is characterized by its white
lower leaf surfaces and its shallowly lobed leaves. The similar
Silver Maple has very deeply lobed leaves.
[Illustration: RED MAPLE]
SWAMP RED MAPLE
_ rubrum_ L. var. _drummondii_ (H. & A.) Sarg.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1
foot; crown narrow.
Bark: Gray and smooth when young, becoming darker and scaly.
Twigs: Slender, white-hairy when young, usually becoming smooth or
nearly so, reddish; leaf scars opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle
traces.
Buds: Rounded, reddish, hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 6 inches long, nearly as broad,
palmately 3- to 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves toothed, green
and somewhat hairy on the upper surface, densely white-hairy on
the lower surface; leafstalks stout, densely hairy, up to 4 inches
long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense red clusters, opening before the leaves begin
to unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of an erect wing with a seed at the
base, bright red, over 1 inch long.
Wood: Heavy, coarse-grained, light brown.
Use: Furniture.
Habitat: Wooded swamps.
Range: New Jersey across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Swamp Red Maple is distinguished from the
Red Maple by the dense coat of white hairs on the undersurface of
the leaves and by the longer fruits.
[Illustration: SWAMP RED MAPLE]
SILVER MAPLE
_Acer saccharinum_ L.
Other Name: Soft Maple.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up
to 5 feet; crown usually broadly rounded.
Bark: Gray or silvery, smooth at first, becoming loose and scaly or even
somewhat shaggy when old.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, smooth, often curving upward; leaf scars
opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: More or less rounded, reddish-brown, smooth to finely hairy, up to
⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 8 inches long, nearly as broad,
deeply palmately 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves sharply toothed,
pale green and smooth on the upper surface, silvery-white and
usually smooth on the lower surface, except in the leaf axils;
leafstalks smooth, up to 5 inches long, often reddish.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense clusters, greenish-yellow, opening in February
and March before the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of a curved wing with a seed at the
base, green or yellow, up to 3 inches long.
Wood: Hard, close-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Furniture; sometimes grown as an ornamental, but the branchlets
are brittle.
Habitat: Wet soil.
Range: New Brunswick across to Minnesota and South Dakota, south to
Oklahoma, Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The deeply lobed leaves which are silvery-white
on the flower surface best distinguish this tree.
[Illustration: SILVER MAPLE]
SUGAR MAPLE
_Acer saccharum_ Marsh.
Other Name: Hard Maple.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up
to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded, with many branches.
Bark: Gray to dark brown to black, becoming furrowed and scaly.
Twigs: Slender, smooth, brown, often with pale lenticels; leaf scars
opposite, U-shaped, with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, dark brown, smooth or a little hairy, shiny, up to ¼ inch
long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades up to 5 inches long, nearly as broad or
a little broader, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, the edges of the leaves
sparsely and coarsely toothed, dark green and smooth on the upper
surface, green or paler on the lower surface and usually smooth,
or sometimes hairy on the veins; leafstalks up to 3 inches long,
smooth and sometimes hairy. The leaves turn brilliant shades of
yellow and orange in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but sometimes on the
same tree, in dense clusters, greenish-yellow, appearing as the
leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Borne in pairs, composed of a wing with a seed at the base,
greenish-yellow to brownish, up to 1 inch long.
Wood: Heavy, strong, close-grained, light brown.
Uses: Furniture, interior finishing, cabinets; maple sugar is derived
from the sap; frequently grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Moist woods.
Range: Newfoundland across to Manitoba, south to eastern Texas, east to
northern Florida.
_Distinguishing_ Features: Leaves of the Sugar Maple differ from those
of the Black Maple and the Southern Sugar Maple by being flat,
rather than drooping along the edges. {Sap differs from the Norway
Maple, _Acer platanoides_, by being clear rather than milky.}
[Illustration: SUGAR MAPLE]
RED BUCKEYE
_Aesculus discolor_ Pursh
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 10 inches;
crown rounded and spreading.
Bark: Gray to tan, smooth.
Twigs: Rather stout, gray to tan, smooth; leaf scars opposite,
triangular, with 3 groups of bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, reddish-brown, up to ½ inch long, not hairy, not
sticky.
Leaves: Opposite, palmately compound, with 5 leaflets; leaflets elliptic
to obovate, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 6
inches long, less than half as wide, toothed along the edges,
green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and finely hairy on
the lower surface.
Flowers: Numerous, red, in large clusters sometimes nearly 1 foot long,
appearing in April.
Fruit: Spherical or punching-bag shaped, up to 2 inches across, light
brown, not prickly, containing 1 or 2 light reddish-brown seeds.
Wood: Soft, close-grained, light in weight, pale brown.
Use: Sometimes grown as an ornamental because of its showy flowers.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: North Carolina across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to
Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The smooth fruits and the beautiful red flowers
distinguish this species from other members of the genus in
Illinois.
[Illustration: RED BUCKEYE]
OHIO BUCKEYE
_Aesculus glabra_ Willd.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 55 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 15
inches; crown broadly rounded.
Bark: Gray to pale gray, deeply furrowed and roughened when mature.
Twigs: Stout, pale brown, smooth; leaf scars opposite, triangular, with
3 groups of bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, reddish-brown to yellowish, up to ⅔ inch long, not
hairy, not sticky.
Leaves: Opposite, palmately compound, with 5 or 7 leaflets; leaflets
obovate to oblanceolate, long-pointed at the tip, tapering to the
base, up to 6 inches long, less than half as wide, toothed along
the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, green or much
whitened on the lower surface.
Flowers: Numerous, yellow-green, in large clusters sometimes nearly 1
foot long, appearing in April and May, the petals of each flower
of different lengths.
Fruit: Prickly, spherical or nearly so, up to 1½ inch in diameter, pale
brown, containing 1 large, smooth and shiny seed.
Wood: Soft, close-grained, light in weight, pale brown to nearly white.
Uses: Paper pulp. The tree is also sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Usually rich woods.
Range: Pennsylvania across to Nebraska, south to Oklahoma, east to
Alabama.
_Distinguishing_ Features: The Ohio Buckeye differs from the Horse
Chestnut {_Aesculus hippocastanum_} by its non-sticky buds. It
differs from the Red Buckeye by the greenish-yellow flowers and
prickly fruits.
[Illustration: OHIO BUCKEYE]
TREE-OF-HEAVEN
_Ailanthus altissima_ (Mill.) Swingle
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to
2 feet; crown spreading and irregular. The tree readily spreads by
underground root-suckers.
Bark: Smooth or slightly roughened, light brown to dark brown.
Twigs: Stout, angular, smooth, gray to light brown, with lenticels; leaf
scars alternate, large, broadly heart-shaped, slightly elevated,
with usually 9 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, smooth or a little hairy,
brown.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with up to 41 leaflets; leaflets
lanceolate, tapering to a long point at the tip, rounded at the
base, up to 6 inches long, less than half as wide, smooth or
somewhat hairy on both surfaces, often with some teeth along the
edges. The leaves have an unpleasant odor when crushed.
Flowers: Some flowers with both stamens and pistils, others with one or
the other, in large green or yellow clusters, each flower small,
with 5 petals. The staminate flowers produce a very unpleasant
odor. The flowers appear in June and July.
Fruit: Large clusters of winged seeds, yellow or orange, each fruit up
to 2 inches long with one seed about in the middle.
Use: Tree-of-Heaven is grown as an ornamental, principally in urban
areas where it is able to withstand considerable smoke and smog.
Habitat: Disturbed woods; readily adapts to urban conditions.
Range: Native of Asia; frequently planted in the United States and
readily spreading from cultivation.
Distinguishing Features: The pinnately compound leaves with up to 41
leaflets, unpleasantly scented when crushed, make this a readily
recognizable species.
[Illustration: TREE-OF-HEAVEN]
BLACK ALDER
_Alnus glutinosa_ (L.) Gaertn.
Growth Form: Small or medium tree to 45 feet tall; trunk diameter up to
12 inches; crown broadly rounded when mature.
Bark: Smooth at first, becoming shallowly fissured with age.
Twigs: Slender, gray or gray-brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, with 3
bundle traces.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades nearly round or obovate, rounded at
the tip, rounded or somewhat tapering to the base, up to five
inches long, often nearly as broad, irregularly and rather
coarsely toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth on the
upper surface, green and smooth beneath, or sometimes hairy on the
veins; leafstalks stout, up to 1 inch long, usually smooth.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately but on the
same tree, appearing before the leaves unfold, the staminate in
slender, drooping catkins up to 3 inches long, the pistillate in
erect, oblong “cones” less than 1 inch long.
Fruit: Cone-shaped, up to ¾ inch long, composed of several nut-like
seeds, each subtended by a woody segment of the “cone.”
Wood: Soft, straight-grained.
Uses: The wood is easily carved and used in the making of small wooden
objects. It is also used for charcoal and fuel. The bark has
reputed medicinal properties.
Habitat: Moist, disturbed areas.
Range: Native of Europe, Asia, and Africa; naturalized throughout much
of northeastern North America.
Distinguishing Features: The small, woody “cones” and the often
orbicular, irregularly toothed leaves are the distinguishing marks
of this species.
[Illustration: BLACK ALDER]
SHADBUSH
_Amelanchier arborea_ (Michx. f.) Fern.
Other Names: Shadblow; Serviceberry.
Growth Form: Small tree up to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8
inches; crown rounded and spreading with many slender branchlets;
trunk straight, slender, often divided into several trunks.
Bark: Smooth and silvery at first, later becoming darker and divided
into loose scales.
Twigs: Slender, brown, with a few hairs when very young; leaf scars
alternate, 2-ranked, slightly elevated, narrowly crescent-shaped,
with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, slender, brown, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to broadly lanceolate, pointed at
the tip, rounded or sometimes a little heart-shaped at the base,
finely toothed along the edges, green and smooth or nearly so on
the upper surface, paler and often hairy on the lower surface, up
to 4 inches long and about half as broad; leafstalks up to 2
inches long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Several produced in drooping clusters before the leaves appear,
each showy with 5 white, oblong petals, with much of the flower
hairy.
Fruit: Mostly spherical, up to ¼ inch in diameter, reddish-purple,
capped by the persistent calyx, dry, 1- to 2-seeded.
Wood: Rather heavy, hard, close-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Fuel, tool handles; the fruit is edible.
Habitat: Wooded slopes; edge of cliffs.
Range: Quebec across to Minnesota, south to Nebraska, east to Louisiana
and Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Shadbush is recognized by its alternate,
simple leaves which are usually heart-shaped at the base, and by
its distinctive white flowers.
[Illustration: SHADBUSH]
SMOOTH SHADBUSH
_Amelanchier laevis_ Wieg.
Other Name: Smooth Serviceberry.
Growth Form: Small tree up to 15 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 6
inches; crown narrowly round-topped, with many slender branchlets.
Bark: Smooth and gray at first, becoming darker and scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown or grayish, smooth; leaf scars alternate,
slightly elevated, narrowly crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, pointed, reddish-brown, smooth, up to ¾ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to ovate, pointed at the tip,
usually rounded at the base, up to 3 inches long, about ½ as
broad, finely toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the
upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks
slender, up to 1 inch long, smooth.
Flowers: Up to 6 in drooping clusters, appearing after the leaves are
half grown, each showy with 5 white, narrow petals, with most of
the flower smooth.
Fruit: Usually spherical, up to ¼ inch in diameter, dark purple, sweet,
fleshy, 1- to 2-seeded.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, dark brown.
Uses: Fuel, tool handles; the fruits are edible.
Habitat: Moist woods and slopes.
Range: Newfoundland across to Ontario, south to Iowa, Illinois, and
Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The Smooth Shadbush differs from the Shadbush
by its smooth leafstalks and juicy, edible, dark purple fruits.
[Illustration: SMOOTH SHADBUSH]
HERCULES’ CLUB
_Aralia spinosa_ L.
Other Name: Devil’s Walking-stick.
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 6 inches;
crown widely spreading.
Bark: Dark brown, roughened, shallowly furrowed, with short, hard
prickles.
Twigs: Stout, pale brown or gray, smooth except for many short, hard
prickles; leaf scars alternate, broadly U-shaped, with about 15
bundle traces.
Buds: Cone-shaped, brown, smooth, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, doubly or triply pinnately compound, with very
numerous leaflets; leaflets ovate to lance-ovate, pointed at the
tip, tapering to rounded at the base, up to 3 inches long, about
half as wide, coarsely toothed along the edges, green and smooth
on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface,
except usually for a few prickles along the veins.
Flowers: Numerous, in many umbrella-shaped clusters, appearing during
late June and July, each with 5 small white petals and purple
stalks.
Fruit: Black, spherical berries up to ⅛ inch in diameter, containing 2-5
seeds.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, brittle, close-grained, pale brown.
Use: Hercules’ Club is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: New Jersey across to Iowa, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The clusters of flowers and the leaves each may
be as much as 4 feet long. The short, sharp prickles of the twigs
are distinctive.
[Illustration: HERCULES’ CLUB]
PAWPAW
_Asimina triloba_ Dunal.
Growth Form: Small tree rarely up to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to
10 inches; crown broad and spreading; trunk straight, slender;
thickets develop by means of root suckers.
Bark: Dark brown, thin, smooth at first, becoming shallowly fissured
with age.
Twigs: Slender, smooth, gray; leaf scars alternate, 2-ranked, more or
less horseshoe-shaped, usually with 5 or less commonly 7 bundle
traces.
Buds: Very narrow, dark rusty-brown, covered with golden hairs, up to ⅔
inch long, without bud scales.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades broadly lance-shaped to elliptic,
short-pointed at the tip, narrowed to the base, without teeth
along the edges, smooth on both surfaces, paler on the lower
surface, up to 1 foot long and 6 inches broad; leafstalks short,
slender, smooth.
Flowers: Borne singly when the leaves begin to unfold, up to 2 inches
across, green at first, becoming deep maroon, composed of three
wrinkled, leathery sepals and six similar petals.
Fruit: Oblong, thick, up to 6 inches long, greenish-yellow, with yellow
edible flesh and several dark brown seeds, ripening in September.
Wood: Soft, coarse-grained, light in weight, greenish-yellow.
Use: The fruit is used as a source of food; the wood has few uses.
Habitat: Woods and thickets, often many growing together in a colony.
Range: New York across to Michigan and Iowa, south to Texas, east to
Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Pawpaw is distinguished by its large,
toothless, alternate leaves, its slender buds without bud scales,
and its thick, fleshy fruits.
[Illustration: PAWPAW]
YELLOW BIRCH
_Betula lutea_ Michx.
Other Name: Gray Birch.
Growth Form: Moderate tree up to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½
feet; crown broadly rounded, with small branches.
Bark: Smooth and silvery or grayish, curling into strips, very rough
when old.
Twigs: Slender, greenish-brown, smooth, with numerous lenticels; leaf
scars alternate, half-elliptical, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, brown, usually somewhat hairy, up to ⅙ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, more or
less rounded at the somewhat asymmetrical base, up to 5 inches
long, and nearly half as wide, double-toothed, dark green and
nearly smooth on the upper surface, paler and usually somewhat
hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks yellow, hairy, up to one
inch long. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately but on the
same tree, the staminate crowded in elongated clusters, the
pistillate crowded in shorter, thicker clusters, appearing after
the leaves have begun to unfold.
Fruit: Several winged nuts, crowded together in erect “cones” up to 1½
inches long.
Wood: Heavy, hard, strong, pale brown.
Uses: Furniture, flooring, boxes.
Habitat: Wooded slopes.
Range: Newfoundland across to Manitoba, south to Iowa, northern
Illinois, northern Indiana, Ohio, and Delaware; also in the
Appalachian Mountains to Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The Yellow Birch differs from all other birches
in Illinois by its silvery or grayish bark and its ovate leaves.
The bark has the faint fragrance of wintergreen.
[Illustration: YELLOW BIRCH]
RIVER BIRCH
_Betula nigra_ L.
Other Name: Red Birch.
Growth Form: Up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown
irregularly rounded.
Bark: Curling, shredding, brownish-pink to reddish-brown.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, with several short hairs; leaf scars
alternate, half-elliptical, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Up to one-fourth inch long, pointed, hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades rhombic to ovate, coarsely doubly
toothed, paler and densely hairy on the lower surface, up to 3
inches long, acute at the tip, truncate or tapering to the base,
the leafstalks woolly.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on same tree, inconspicuous, opening
in late April and May, the staminate in slender drooping clusters,
the pistillate in short, conelike, woolly clusters.
Fruit: Tiny, hairy nuts, each with a 3-lobed wing, crowded together in a
cylindrical cone up to 1½ inches long and ½ inch thick.
Wood: Strong but light, pale brown.
Uses: Wood is used for furniture; sometimes planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Along rivers and streams; bottomland woods.
Range: Massachusetts and New Hampshire across to southern Minnesota and
eastern Kansas, south to eastern Texas and Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The shaggy, peeling reddish-brown bark readily
distinguishes this tree from any other in Illinois, as does its
rhombic, doubly toothed leaves.
[Illustration: RIVER BIRCH]
PAPER BIRCH
_Betula papyrifera_ Marsh.
Other Name: Canoe Birch.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2
feet; crown broadly rounded, irregular, with many slender
branches.
Bark: Thin and white or creamy, splitting at maturity into papery
layers, becoming very dark and furrowed near the base of the trunk
at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, zigzag, reddish-brown to blackish, more or less hairy;
leaf scars alternate, half-elliptical, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, pointed, dark brown, smooth or nearly so, up to
one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, more or
less rounded at the base, up to 3 inches long, over half as wide,
coarsely toothed, dark green and smooth on the upper surface,
yellow-green and smooth or somewhat hairy on the lower surface and
with black dots on the lower surface; leafstalks yellow, smooth or
finely hairy, up to 1 inch long. The leaves turn yellow in the
autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on the same tree,
developing in the autumn and present on the tree during the
winter, the staminate crowded into slender spikes up to 4 inches
long, the pistillate crowded into thicker spikes up to 1¼ inches
long, the flowers minute, without petals.
Fruit: Cone-like, cylindrical, drooping, composed of many minute seeds
attached to 3-lobed wings.
Wood: Light in weight, hard, strong, durable, close-grained, light
reddish-brown.
Uses: Bark used to cover canoes; wood used for pulp, fuel, toothpicks,
and spools; sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Rich, wooded slopes and stream banks.
Range: Labrador across to Alaska, south to Montana, Colorado, northern
Illinois, and West Virginia.
Distinguishing Features: The Paper Birch is readily distinguished by its
white bark which peels off into thin, papery layers.
[Illustration: PAPER BIRCH]
PAPER MULBERRY
_Broussonetia papyrifera_ (L.) Vent.
Growth Form: Small tree to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches;
crown rounded.
Bark: Gray or light brown, smooth.
Twigs: Moderately stout, greenish-gray, smooth or finely hairy, zigzag;
leaf scars alternate, nearly spherical, elevated, with 5 bundle
traces.
Buds: Cone-shaped, more or less smooth, up to 3 mm long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, tapering to a point at the tip,
more or less heart-shaped at the base, up to 8 inches long,
sometimes nearly as broad, toothed, sometimes 2- or 3-lobed,
usually rough-hairy on both surfaces; leafstalks up to 2 inches
long, smooth or finely hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately, on separate
trees, appearing as the leaves unfold, the staminate in pendulous
catkins, the pistillate in dense, hairy, spherical heads.
Fruit: Spherical, semi-fleshy, orange, up to 1 inch in diameter, with
red fruits projecting.
Use: Often planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Along roads, around old homes.
Range: Native of Asia; occasionally found along roads and in fencerows
in the eastern United States.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves, some of which are 2- or 3-lobed,
are very reminiscent of mulberry leaves. Mulberry leaves, however,
are not densely rough-hairy.
[Illustration: PAPER MULBERRY]
BLUE BEECH
_Carpinus caroliniana_ Walt.
Other Names: Ironwood; American Hornbeam; Musclewood.
Growth Form: Up to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown
rounded.
Bark: Smooth, blue-gray, ridged, appearing “muscular.”
Twigs: Slender, difficult to break, reddish-brown, smooth or finely
hairy; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, elevated, with 3
bundle traces.
Buds: Small, angular, tapering to a short point.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades thin, pointed at the tip, usually
rounded at the base, 2-4 inches long and about half as wide,
finely doubly toothed, the upper surface smooth, the lower surface
either smooth or hairy; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on same tree but in different catkins,
opening during May.
Fruit: Nutlets borne at the base of a three-lobed green “leaf,” crowded
together into a fruiting cluster.
Wood: Strong and hard, hence the name Ironwood.
Use: Tool handles.
Habitat: Moist woods.
Range: Nova Scotia across to central Minnesota, south to eastern
Oklahoma and eastern Texas, east to central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Several other trees may be confused with the
Blue Beech. Beech, which has smooth gray bark, has leaves with
fewer teeth and twigs with pointed buds. Hop Hornbeam, with very
similar leaves, has a flaky bark. The elms, which also have
somewhat similar leaves, usually have the leaves asymmetrical at
the base.
[Illustration: BLUE BEECH]
WATER HICKORY
_Carya aquatica_ (Michx. f.) Nutt.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet;
crown narrow.
Bark: Reddish-brown, furrowed, becoming somewhat scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown or gray, smooth or occasionally slightly
hairy; leaf scars alternate, 3-lobed, scarcely elevated, with
several bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, reddish-brown with yellow scales, usually hairy, up to ¼
inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7-17 leaflets; leaflets
lance-shaped, curved, pointed at the tip, tapering to the
asymmetrical base, up to 5 inches long, up to 2 inches wide,
finely toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth or nearly so
on the upper surface, brownish and smooth or somewhat hairy on the
lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing when the leaves are partly grown, the staminate
several in slender, drooping catkins up to 3 inches long, the
pistillate fewer, in shorter spikes, neither type with petals.
Fruit: Short-ellipsoid, usually tapering to either end, flattened, up to
1½ inches long and two-thirds as broad, the husk 4-winged, dark
brown but with yellow scales, thin, splitting only about halfway
to the base, the nut flattened, 4-angled, reddish-brown, the shell
thin, the seed bitter.
Wood: Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, dark brown.
Uses: Fence posts, fuel.
Habitat: Swampy woods and drained floodplains.
Range: Virginia across to southeastern Missouri, south to Texas, east to
Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Water Hickory is similar to Pecan and Bitternut
Hickory in having 7 or more leaflets per leaf. However, it lacks
the yellow buds of the Bitternut Hickory and the slender, edible
nut of the Pecan. The leaves are generally hairier than those of
the Pecan.
[Illustration: WATER HICKORY]
BITTERNUT HICKORY
_Carya cordiformis_ (Wang.) K. Koch
Other Name: Yellow-bud Hickory.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½
feet; crown broadly rounded and often irregular; trunk straight,
columnar.
Bark: Brown, thin, separating into small, platy scales or shallow ridges
and fissures.
Twigs: Slender, grayish or orange-brown, smooth, usually with lenticels;
leaf scars alternate, shield-shaped, scarcely elevated, with
usually several bundle traces.
Buds: Narrow, slender, pointed, covered by a dense, bright yellow coat
of glandular dots and small hairs, up to ¾ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with usually 7-9 leaflets;
leaflets lance-shaped, usually curved, long-pointed at the tip,
tapering or rounded at the base, toothed along the edges,
yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, somewhat lighter and
usually hairy on the lower surface, up to 6 inches long and
usually less than half as wide.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute,
without petals, the staminate in slender, drooping catkins, the
pistillate in groups of 1 or 2.
Fruit: More or less spherical, up to 1¼ inches in diameter, the husk
thin, yellowish, with 4 distinct ridges extending about halfway
down, the nut somewhat flattened, the seed very bitter.
Wood: Heavy, hard, strong, dark brown.
Uses: Fuel, fence posts.
Habitat: Bottomland woods; dry hills; along roads.
Range: Southern Ontario across to central Minnesota, south to eastern
Texas, east to north-central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Bitternut Hickory is easily recognized by its
slender, mustard-yellow buds. It differs further from the Water
Hickory by its rounded fruits.
[Illustration: BITTERNUT HICKORY]
PIGNUT HICKORY
_Carya glabra_ (Mill.) Sweet
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2
feet; crown oblong or obovoid, with many small, spreading
branchlets; trunk straight, columnar, sometimes branching fairly
low to the ground.
Bark: Light gray to black, not scaly or peeling off into shreds, at
maturity furrowed and ridged.
Twigs: Slender, brown or gray, shiny, smooth, tough, usually with
lenticels; leaf scars alternate, shield-shaped or 3-lobed,
scarcely elevated, usually with several bundle traces.
Buds: More or less rounded but coming to a short point at the tip, tan
or grayish, the outermost scales tipped with a few small hairs,
never with small yellow dots, the inner scales hairy all along the
edges, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with usually 5, sometimes 7
leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped, pointed at the tip, tapering at
the bottom, toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper
surface, green and smooth or sometimes hairy on the veins on the
lower surface, up to 5 inches long and up to 2 inches broad, the
upper three leaflets larger than the lower two.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to expand, minute,
without petals, the staminate in slender, drooping catkins, the
pistillate in groups of 1-3.
Fruit: Spherical to pear-shaped, up to 1 inch long, not quite as broad,
the husks thin, greenish, usually not splitting all the way to the
base, the nut somewhat compressed and with a very hard shell, the
seed sweet. Occasional trees have fruits up to 2 inches long.
Wood: Heavy, strong, hard, brown.
Uses: Fuel, fence posts, tool handles.
Habitat: Wooded slopes and ridges.
Range: Vermont across to southern Michigan and northern Illinois, south
across Missouri to eastern Texas, east to central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Pignut Hickory is best recognized by its rather
small leaflets which usually are five in number, the tight bark,
and the characteristic pear-shaped fruits.
[Illustration: PIGNUT HICKORY]
PECAN
_Carya illinoensis_ (Wang.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Large tree up to 150 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3
feet; crown widely spreading and rounded; trunk rather short,
stout, straight.
Bark: Reddish-brown, becoming roughened into platy scales.
Twigs: Rather stout, brown, hairy when young, but becoming smooth; leaf
scars alternate, 3-lobed, scarcely elevated, with 3-18 bundle
traces.
Buds: Long-pointed, covered with yellow glandular dots and fine hairs,
up to one-half inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 9-19 leaflets; leaflets
lance-shaped, curved, long-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering
to the asymmetrical base, finely doubly-toothed, yellow-green and
usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and either smooth or
hairy on the lower surface, up to 8 inches long and 3 inches
broad.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing when the leaves are partly grown, the staminate
many in slender, drooping, yellow-green catkins, the pistillate
fewer in shorter spikes, neither type with petals.
Fruit: Ellipsoid, pointed at the tip, up to 2 inches long and 1 inch
broad, the husk narrowly 4-winged, dark brown but with yellow
scales, thin, usually splitting nearly to the base, the nut
pointed at the tip, reddish-brown with black markings, the shell
thin, the seed sweet.
Wood: Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, light reddish-brown.
Uses: The nuts are prized for their tastiness; the wood is used for
interior finishing, furniture, fuel, and tool handles.
Habitat: Moist woods, particularly along rivers.
Range: Indiana to Iowa, south through southeastern Kansas to eastern
Texas, east to Alabama; Mexico.
Distinguishing Features: The Pecan differs from all other hickories by
its greater number of leaflets. The Black Walnut and Butternut,
which may have as many leaflets, have a partitioned pith. In every
case, the fruit of the Pecan is distinctive.
[Illustration: PECAN]
KINGNUT HICKORY
_Carya laciniosa_ (Michx. f.) Loud.
Other Names: Big Shellbark Hickory; Riverbank Hickory.
Growth Form: Large tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3
feet; crown oblong to ovoid, with drooping lower branches; trunk
straight, columnar, stout.
Bark: Light gray, soon separating into long, thick, vertical plates
which curve away from the trunk.
Twigs: Stout, gray or brown, conspicuously dotted with orange lenticels;
leaf scars alternate, shield-shaped or 3-lobed, not elevated,
usually with several bundle traces.
Buds: Elongated, dark brown, hairy, up to ¾ inch long, the outer scales
with a long, stiff point.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 5-9 leaflets; leaflets
lance-shaped to ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at
the base, finely toothed along the edges, dark green and mostly
smooth on the upper surface, paler and softly hairy on the lower
surface, up to 10 inches long and up to half as wide.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute,
without petals, the staminate in slender, drooping catkins, the
pistillate in clusters of 2-5.
Fruit: Spherical, often depressed at the top, up to 2¼ inches across,
the husk divided all the way to the base into four sections,
minutely orange-speckled and sometimes hairy, the nut with
conspicuous ridges, the seed very sweet.
Wood: Heavy, hard, close-grained, dark brown.
Uses: Wood is used for tool handles and fuel; nuts are sold commercially
because of their edible qualities.
Habitat: Rich bottomlands.
Range: Southwestern Pennsylvania and southern Michigan across to central
Illinois and southern Iowa, south to northeastern Oklahoma,
Arkansas, and eastern Tennessee; also in scattered areas of New
York, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Distinguishing Features: The shaggy bark and large leaflets resemble
those of the Shagbark Hickory, but the Kingnut Hickory has
orange-dotted twigs and usually seven leaflets which lack minute
tufts of hairs at the tip of each tooth.
[Illustration: KINGNUT HICKORY]
SWEET PIGNUT HICKORY
_Carya ovalis_ (Wang.) Sarg.
Other Names: False Shagbark Hickory; Small-fruited Hickory.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk up to 2 feet
in diameter; crown oblong or broadly rounded, with upright,
spreading upper branches and drooping lower branches; trunk
straight, columnar.
Bark: Gray, tight and rather smooth when young, usually peeling off into
narrow plates at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, brown or gray, tough, smooth, usually with lenticels;
leaf scars alternate, 3-lobed, not elevated, usually with several
bundle traces.
Buds: More or less rounded but coming to a short point at the tip, tan
or grayish, usually minutely yellow-dotted, the scales hairy all
along the edges up to ⅔ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with usually 7, sometimes 5,
leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped sometimes curved, pointed at the
tip, tapering or somewhat rounded at the base, finely toothed
along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, minutely
dotted and sometimes with some hairs on the lower surface, up to 6
inches long, up to 2 inches broad.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute, without
petals, the staminate crowded in slender, drooping catkins, the
pistillate in groups of 1-2.
Fruit: Ellipsoid, rarely spherical, up to 1¼ inch long, the husk green
and minutely warty, thin, splitting all the way to the base, the
nut somewhat 4-angled, the seed sweet.
Wood: Heavy, hard, brown.
Uses: Tool handles, fuel.
Habitat: Wooded slopes.
Range: New Hampshire across to Wisconsin, south to Arkansas, east to
Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: This Hickory cannot always be reliably
distinguished from the Pignut Hickory. However, it usually has a
somewhat scaly bark, seven leaflets, minutely yellow-dotted buds,
and fruits which split all the way to the base.
[Illustration: SWEET PIGNUT HICKORY]
SHAGBARK HICKORY
_Carya ovata_ (Mill.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up
to 3½ feet; crown rounded, with some of the branches often
hanging.
Bark: Gray, separating into long, shreddy scales giving the trunk a
shaggy appearance.
Twigs: Stout, reddish-brown to gray, smooth or somewhat hairy; leaf
scars alternate, 3-lobed, not elevated, with several bundle
traces.
Buds: Ovoid, rounded or short-pointed at the tip, up to 1 inch long,
hairy, the scales conspicuously yellow-green or reddish as they
unfold in the spring.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 5-7 leaflets; leaflets
ovate, obovate, or less commonly lance-shaped, usually
short-pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 10 inches
long, up to 5 inches wide, finely toothed along the edges, with
the tip of each tooth with a minute tuft of hairs, green or
yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth or
somewhat hairy on the lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute,
without petals, the staminate crowded in slender, drooping
catkins, the pistillate in groups of 2-5.
Fruit: Spherical or occasionally punching-bag shaped, up to 2 inches
across, the husk yellow-green to reddish-brown, up to ½ inch
thick, splitting all the way to the base, the nut 4-angled, nearly
white, the seed sweet.
Wood: Heavy, hard, light brown, close-grained.
Uses: Tool handles, fuel; the nuts are tasty.
Habitat: Low, shaded woods.
Range: Maine across to Minnesota, south to eastern Texas, east to
Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Shagbark Hickory is distinguished by its
shaggy bark, its usually 5 large leaflets, and its large winter
buds.
[Illustration: SHAGBARK HICKORY]
BLACK HICKORY
_Carya texana_ Buckl.
Other Names: Red Hickory; Texas Hickory; Buckley’s Hickory.
Growth Form: Small tree up to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot;
crown oblong to rounded, with numerous, small branchlets; trunk
straight or somewhat crooked, slender but sturdy.
Bark: Brown to black, not scaly or peeling off into shreds, becoming
somewhat furrowed and ridged at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, gray, tough, almost always smooth; leaf scars alternate,
three-lobed, not elevated, usually with several bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, short-pointed, up to ½ inch long, covered by shiny
silvery-golden scales and tipped with a small tuft of hairs.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 5-7 leaflets; leaflets
lance-shaped, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, finely
toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth or sometimes hairy
on the upper surface, paler and smooth or hairy on the lower
surface, up to 6 inches long, less than half as wide, the stalks
covered with reddish and yellowish scales and hairs.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute,
without petals, the staminate crowded in slender, drooping
catkins, the pistillate in groups of 1-2.
Fruit: Spherical to ellipsoid, up to 1½ inches across, the husk
yellow-green, thin, minutely hairy or scaly, splitting nearly to
the base, the nut 4-angled, the seed sweet.
Wood: Heavy, hard, brown.
Uses: Fuel, fence posts.
Habitat: Dry ridges and cliffs.
Range: Southern Indiana across to Kansas, south to Texas and Louisiana.
Distinguishing Features: The Black Hickory differs from the somewhat
similar Pignut and Sweet Pignut Hickories by the yellow scales
along the leafstalks.
[Illustration: BLACK HICKORY]
MOCKERNUT HICKORY
_Carya tomentosa_ (Poir.) Nutt.
Other Name: White Hickory.
Growth Form: Medium or tall tree to 90 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3
feet; crown rounded, the branchlets either erect or hanging.
Bark: Dark gray, shallowly furrowed, not scaly, often with a
diamond-shaped pattern.
Twigs: Slender or relatively stout, usually hairy, gray; leaf scars
alternate, 3-lobed, not elevated, with several bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, rounded or pointed at the tip, up to nearly 1 inch long,
reddish-brown, hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 5-9 leaflets; leaflets
broadly lanceolate to oblanceolate, pointed at the tip, rounded or
tapering to the base, up to 8 inches long, about half as wide,
finely toothed along the edge, yellow-green and hairy on the upper
surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to unfold, minute,
without petals, the staminate crowded in slender, drooping
catkins, the pistillate in groups of 2-5.
Fruit: Ellipsoid or obovoid or spherical, up to 2 inches across, the
husk reddish-brown, up to ¼ inch thick, smooth or slightly hairy,
the nut sometimes 4-angled, reddish-brown, the seed sweet but
small.
Wood: Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, dark brown.
Uses: Tool handles, fuel, fence posts.
Habitat: Dry wooded slopes; shaded woods.
Range: Massachusetts across to southern Ontario, south to eastern Texas,
east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Mockernut Hickory is distinguished from all
other Illinois hickories by its usually 7 or 9 hairy leaflets with
hairy leafstalks and hairy twigs. The large fruits with the small
seeds within, which may account for the common name, are also
distinctive.
[Illustration: MOCKERNUT HICKORY]
CHESTNUT
_Castanea dentata_ (Marsh.) Borkh.
Growth Form: Large tree, formerly attaining a height of 100 feet; trunk
diameter up to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded.
Bark: Dark brown, shallowly furrowed.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, angular, glabrous or nearly so; leaf
scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with several bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, up to ⅓ inch long, dark brown, smooth.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate,
pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 8 inches long and
less than half as broad, coarsely toothed along the edges,
yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on
the lower surface; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, usually finely
hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same
tree, appearing in June after the leaves are fully grown, without
petals, greenish or yellowish, the staminate many in elongated
catkins up to 8 inches long, the pistillate 1-3 together.
Fruit: Spiny bur up to 2 inches in diameter, brown, splitting open to
reveal 3 flattened nutlets.
Wood: Soft, light in weight, reddish-brown.
Uses: Furniture, interior finishing, fuel. The nuts are edible
delicacies.
Habitat: Formerly in rocky woods, once occupying several acres near
Olmstead in Pulaski County. Now virtually extinct, except for a
few sprouts, due to a disease of the bark. A tree about 40 feet
tall still exists near Little Grassy Lake in Williamson County.
Range: Maine to southern Ontario and southern Minnesota, south to
Delaware, Kentucky, and southern Illinois, and in the mountains to
central Alabama.
Distinguishing Features: In addition to its large, spiny fruits, the
Chestnut can be distinguished by its sharply toothed leaves.
Yellow Chestnut Oak may sometimes have similar leaves, but the
pith of the oak is star-shaped.
[Illustration: CHESTNUT]
COMMON CATALPA
_Catalpa bignonioides_ Walt.
Other Names: Lady Cigar Tree; Indian Bean.
Growth Form: Short to medium tree up to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up
to 1 foot; crown broadly rounded.
Bark: Light brown, with thin, platy scales.
Twigs: Stout, smooth or slightly hairy, orange-brown to grayish, with
conspicuous lenticels; leaf scars in whorls of 3, round-elliptic,
elevated, with 12 or more bundle traces.
Buds: Round, reddish-brown, slightly hairy, very small.
Leaves: Whorled, simple; blades ovate, short-pointed at the tip,
heart-shaped at the base, up to 8 inches long and about as broad,
smooth along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper
surface, paler and finely hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks
stout, smooth, up to 6 inches long.
Flowers: Large, showy, several in a large cluster, appearing in May and
June, the clusters usually more than 6 inches long, each flower up
to 2 inches long, the petals white and spotted with purple.
Fruit: Elongated capsules up to 1½ feet long and ½ inch thick, brown,
splitting into 2 parts to reveal several winged, hairy seeds about
1 inch long.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Fence posts, railroad ties; ornamental.
Habitat: Along railroads, streams, in fields; planted elsewhere.
Range: Native from Texas to Georgia and Florida; widely planted
elsewhere.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves of this species, when crushed, give
off a very unpleasant aroma.
[Illustration: COMMON CATALPA]
CATALPA
_Catalpa speciosa_ Engelm.
Other Names: Western Catalpa; Lady Cigar Tree; Indian Bean.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3
feet; crown broad, widely spreading.
Bark: Light brown, dark brown, or black, usually with rather deep
furrows.
Twigs: Stout, smooth, brown, with conspicuous lenticels; leaf scars in
whorls of 3, with one of the 3 scars smaller than the other 2,
round-elliptic, elevated, with 12 or more bundle traces.
Buds: Round, brown to black, smooth, very small.
Leaves: Whorled, simple; blades ovate, long-pointed at the tip,
heart-shaped at the base, up to 1 foot long and about ⅔ as broad,
smooth along the edges, dark green and smooth or sparsely hairy on
the upper surface, soft hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks
stout, up to 6 inches long.
Flowers: Large, showy, several in an elongated cluster, appearing in May
and June, the clusters up to six inches long, each flower up to 2½
inches long, the petals white and lined with purple.
Fruit: Elongated capsules up to 1½ feet long and ¾ inch thick, brown,
splitting into 2 parts to reveal several winged, hairy seeds about
1 inch long.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Fence posts, interior finishing, railroad ties.
Habitat: Low woods; often planted in a variety of habitats.
Range: Southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and southern Missouri, south
to Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee; commonly planted elsewhere.
Distinguishing Features: The two Catalpas in Illinois are hard to tell
apart. This one usually has deeply furrowed bark, shorter clusters
of flowers, petals merely lined with purple rather than spotted,
and leaves which are not unpleasantly scented when crushed.
[Illustration: CATALPA]
SUGARBERRY
_Celtis laevigata_ Willd.
Other Names: Southern Hackberry; Mississippi Hackberry.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½
feet; crown open and broad, with drooping branches.
Bark: Gray, with many conspicuous warts.
Twigs: Slender, gray or reddish-brown, smooth, sometimes zigzag; leaf
scars alternate, usually crescent-shaped, slightly elevated, with
3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, pointed, smooth, brown or gray, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades usually lance-shaped, long-pointed at
the tip, tapering or rounded at the asymmetrical base, up to 6
inches long, less than half as broad, with few or no teeth along
the edges, usually smooth or barely roughened on one or both
surfaces; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: One to several in drooping clusters, appearing after the leaves
are partly grown, greenish-yellow, without petals.
Fruit: Fleshy, ellipsoid to nearly round, reddish-orange to yellowish,
about ¼ inch in diameter, with 1 seed, ripening in September or
October, borne on slender, drooping stalks.
Wood: Heavy, soft, close-grained, pale yellow.
Uses: Fence posts, furniture.
Habitat: Lowland woods to dry hilltops.
Range: Virginia across to southern Missouri, south to Texas, east to
Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Sugarberry differs generally from other
hackberries by its narrower, mostly toothless leaves.
[Illustration: SUGARBERRY]
HACKBERRY
_Celtis occidentalis_ L.
Other Name: Sugarberry.
Growth Form: Medium or large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up
to 5 feet; crown usually oblong, with many small branchlets.
Bark: Gray, smooth on young trees and soon bearing “warts,” becoming
rough and scaly on old trees.
Twigs: Slender, gray to reddish-brown, smooth, sometimes zigzag; leaf
scars alternate, usually crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, oval, pointed, brown or gray, finely hairy, about ¼ inch
long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate or broadly lance-shaped,
long-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering at the asymmetrical
base, up to 6 inches long and up to half as broad, usually
coarsely toothed along the edges except sometimes near the base,
smooth or more often rough-hairy on one or both surfaces;
leafstalks up to 1 inch long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Arranged in drooping clusters, or sometimes solitary, appearing
after the leaves are partly grown, greenish-yellow, without
petals.
Fruit: Fleshy, nearly round, dark purple, about ⅓ inch in diameter, with
1 seed, ripening in September and October, borne on slender,
drooping stalks.
Wood: Heavy, soft, close-grained, pale yellow.
Uses: Fence posts, furniture.
Habitat: Low woodlands.
Range: Massachusetts across to Manitoba and South Dakota, southern
Oklahoma, Alabama, and Virginia.
Distinguishing Features: Hackberry leaves resemble those of some elms,
but have 3 main veins arising from the base of the blade. This
Hackberry differs from other hackberries in Illinois by its
larger, usually coarsely toothed leaves and its larger, dark
purple fruits.
[Illustration: HACKBERRY]
DWARF HACKBERRY
_Celtis tenuifolia_ Nutt.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 10 inches;
crown irregular, with numerous slender branchlets.
Bark: Gray, smooth on young trees and soon bearing “warts,” becoming
rough and scaly on old trees.
Twigs: Slender, green to reddish-brown, smooth at maturity; leaf scars
alternate, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, oval, pointed, grayish-brown, finely hairy, up to ⅛ inch
long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, rounded or
somewhat heart-shaped at the base, up to 3 inches long, often at
least half as broad, with a few coarse teeth along the edges, or
sometimes lacking teeth, often leathery, smooth or hairy on one or
both surfaces; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: One or a few in drooping clusters, appearing after the leaves
are partly grown, finely hairy, greenish-yellow, without petals.
Fruit: Fleshy, spherical, reddish-purple, up to ½ inch in diameter,
1-seeded, ripening September and October.
Wood: Heavy, close-grained, yellowish.
Use: Fence posts.
Habitat: Edge of bluffs, woods.
Range: New Jersey across to Illinois and Kansas, south to Oklahoma,
Louisiana, and northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: This small tree is extremely variable in that
its leaves may or may not have teeth, they may or may not be
hairy, and they may or may not be leathery. It differs from the
Sugarberry primarily by its broader leaves and from the Common
Hackberry by its smaller fruits and usually less-toothed leaves.
[Illustration: DWARF HACKBERRY]
REDBUD
_Cercis canadensis_ L.
Growth Form: Small tree to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot;
crown usually broad and flattened.
Bark: Reddish-brown, separating into long plates and thin scales.
Twigs: Slender, zigzag, smooth, angular, brown; leaf scars alternate,
somewhat elevated, triangular, hairy across the top, with 3 bundle
traces.
Buds: Small, rounded, chestnut-brown, smooth or nearly so.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades heart-shaped, contracted to a short
point at the tip, up to 6 inches long and nearly as broad, smooth
on the upper surface, smooth or with some hairs on the lower
surface, without teeth along the edges; leafstalks slender, up to
5 inches long, usually smooth.
Flowers: In small clusters on last year’s branches or on the trunks,
rose-purple, each pea-shaped, about ½ inch long, appearing when
the leaves are first beginning to unfold.
Fruit: Legumes up to 4 inches long and ½ inch broad, flat, smooth, brown
at maturity, with several seeds.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, dark reddish-brown.
Use: The major importance of this small tree lies in its value as an
ornamental, because of its spectacular appearance when in flower.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: Connecticut across to southern Wisconsin, south to Texas, east to
northern Florida; also Mexico.
Distinguishing Features: The heart-shaped, toothless leaves easily
identify this tree.
[Illustration: REDBUD]
YELLOWWOOD
_Cladrastis lutea_ (Michx. f.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Small to medium tree to 45 feet tall; trunk diameter up to
14 inches; crown widely spreading.
Bark: Gray, smooth.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, with some lenticels, somewhat zigzag;
leaf scars alternate, narrow and completely encircling the bud,
with 3-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Three or four crowded together, resembling at first a single bud,
hairy, without scales, covered at first by the hollow base of the
leafstalk.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7-11 leaflets; leaflets
oval, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 4 inches
long and up to half as wide, smooth on both surfaces, toothless
along the edges. The leaflets turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: In long, drooping clusters up to 1 foot long, white, slightly
fragrant, appearing during June.
Fruit: Legumes up to 4 inches long and about ½ inch wide, flat, smooth,
pale brown, with 4-6 seeds.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, yellow to light brown.
Uses: Fuel. In olden days, a yellow dye was extracted from this tree.
Habitat: Rich, wooded slopes.
Range: North Carolina across to southern Missouri and Arkansas, south to
northern Alabama and northern Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The large, pinnately compound leaflets and the
smooth, gray trunk distinguish this tree.
[Illustration: YELLOWWOOD]
ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD
_Cornus alternifolia_ L.
Growth Form: Small tree to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 inches;
crown flattened.
Bark: Brown, slightly roughened, with shallow furrows.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown or greenish, smooth; leaf scars alternate,
crescent-shaped, somewhat elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Narrowly ovoid, pointed, smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, although often clustered toward the tip of the twig,
simple; blades oval to ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering or
rounded at the base, up to 5 inches long, about half as broad, the
edges smooth or finely round-toothed, green and mostly smooth on
the upper surface, paler and frequently hairy on the lower
surface; leafstalks up to 2 inches long, usually finely hairy.
Flowers: Several in crowded round-topped clusters, appearing in May and
June, each flower white, with 4 narrow petals.
Fruit: Blue, spherical berries up to ⅓ inch in diameter, borne on a red
stalk.
Wood: Heavy, hard, close-grained, brown.
Use: Tool handles.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: Newfoundland across to southern Ontario and Minnesota, south to
Missouri, Alabama, and Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: This is the only American dogwood with the
leaves arranged in an alternate manner.
[Illustration: ALTERNATE-LEAVED DOGWOOD]
ROUGH-LEAVED DOGWOOD
_Cornus drummondii_ Meyer
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 inches;
crown open and irregular.
Bark: Reddish-brown, scaly, shallowly furrowed.
Twigs: Slender, pale brown, purplish, or gray, smooth or slightly hairy;
leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, slightly elevated, with 3
bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, flattened, pointed, finely hairy, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic to narrowly ovate, pointed at
the tip, tapering to rounded at the base, up to 4 inches long, up
to half as wide, smooth along the edges, green and with short
hairs on the upper surface, paler and hairy on lower surface;
leafstalks up to ½ inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Several in round-topped clusters, appearing in May and June,
each flower white, with 4 narrow petals.
Fruit: White, spherical berries up to ¼ inch in diameter, borne on red
stalks.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, brown.
Use: Tool handles.
Habitat: Woods; edges of prairies.
Range: New York across to Minnesota, south to Nebraska and Texas, east
to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: This is the only dogwood in Illinois that is
rough-hairy on the upper surface of the leaves.
[Illustration: ROUGH-LEAVED DOGWOOD]
FLOWERING DOGWOOD
_Cornus florida_ L.
Growth Form: Small to medium tree to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter rarely
more than 2 feet; crown rounded.
Bark: Brown, divided into squarish plates.
Twigs: Slender, greenish to light brown, smooth, often curving upward at
the tip; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, elevated, with 3
bundle traces.
Buds: Of two kinds, the leaf buds slender, pointed, the flower buds flat
and biscuit-shaped.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic to ovate, pointed at the tip,
tapering or rounded at the base, up to 6 inches long, less than
half as broad, the veins deeply impressed, the edges without
teeth, green and smooth or sparsely hairy on the upper surface,
pale and finely hairy or sometimes smooth on the lower surface;
leafstalks up to ¾ inch long, smooth or finely hairy.
Flowers: Several crowded together in a yellow-green cluster, each
cluster subtended by 4 large white petal-like bracts, appearing in
late April and May.
Fruit: Red, ovoid berries up to ½ inch long, shiny, with mealy flesh and
1 or 2 seeds.
Wood: Hard, strong, heavy, close-grained, brown.
Uses: The wood is used in the making of tool handles, although the real
value of the Flowering Dogwood is its ornamental potential.
Habitat: Woods.
Range: Maine across to Kansas, south to Texas, east to Florida; also in
Mexico.
Distinguishing Features: The opposite, toothless leaves with deeply
impressed veins distinguish this species.
[Illustration: FLOWERING DOGWOOD]