Trees with Needlelike or Scalelike Leaves (Evergreen) ______________________________________________________________________________ Bark Pattern => [Ridged, Furrowed, Scaly, Smooth, Peeling, Other] Bark Color => [Light Gray, Dark Gray, Light Brown, Dark Brown, White, Black, Reddish Brown, Green, Other] Twig Characteristics => ('Spur Branches Common', 'Thorns', 'Chambered Pith', 'End Buds Present') Leaf Branching => [Alternate, Opposite] Leaf Complexity => [Simple, Palmately Compound, Pinnately Compound, Twice Or Thrice Compound] Leaf Blade Shape => [Elliptic, Egg-shaped, Wedge-shaped, Heart-shaped, Palmately Lobed, Pinnately Lobed, Needle or Scale-like] Leaf Blade Teeth => [None, Wavy-edged, Single-toothed, Double-toothed] Other Leaf Characteristics => (Hairy, Glossy, Rough, Lighter-colored Beneath, Veins Follow Leaf Edges) Flower Type => ('Cone', 'Catkin', 'Radially Symmetrical', 'Bilaterally Symmetrical', 'Daisy or Dandelion-Like', 'Long Clusters', 'Round Clusters') Flower Color => [White, Yellow, Orange, Pink or Red, Blue or Violet, Green, Brown] Flowering Period => [Spring, Late Spring-Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer-Early Fall, Fall, Winter] Fruit Type => [Seeds Only, Nuts, Fleshy Individuals, Fleshy Clusters] Fruit Color => [White, Yellow, Orange, Pink or Red, Blue or Violet, Green, Brown] Fruiting Period => [Spring, Late Spring-Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer-Early Fall, Fall, Winter] Prominent ID Characteristics: # Bark Pattern # Bark Color # Twig Characteristics # Leaf Branching # Leaf Complexity # Leaf Blade Shape # Leaf Blade Teeth # Other Leaf Characteristics # Flower Type # Flower Color # Flowering Period # Fruit Type # Fruit Color # Fruiting Period Common Name => Eastern White Pine Scientific Name => Pinus strobus Height 80'-110' Diameter 2'-3' Bark not scaly but dark with deep furrows Needles 2"-4" long, occurring in bundles of 5 Cones slender, tapering, thornless, 3"-6" long Seeds 1/4" long, wings 1/2"x3/16" This is the only native 5-needled pine in the eastern US Limbs grow in horizontal whorls Notes: Used extensively as lumber. Wood is light, soft, straight-grained and generally not as resinous as in other pines; of great value in woodworking. Plagued by white pine blister rust, a fungus attacking the inner bark, and white pine weevil, an insect that kills the topmost shoot, deforming the tree and limiting its value. The rust can be controlled by removal of currant and gooseberry shrubs - upon which the fungus spends a portion of its life cycle - from within a quarter mile of the pines. Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) Height 40'-60' Diameter 1'-2' Bark scaly and furrowed Needles 3"-5" long, occurring in bundles of 3 Cones stout, 1"-3", inner scales are dark or plain, outer scales have thorns 1/32"-1/8" long Seeds 3/16" long, wings 5/8"x3/16" This is the only 3-needled pine with half-inch branches that are fibrous and tough (i.e., they do not snap cleanly when bent sharply) Grows mainly in dry sites Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) Needles 4"-6" long, occurring in bundles of 2 Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana) Needles 2"-3" long, occurring in bundles of 2 Red Spruce (Picea rubens) Height 60'-70' Diameter 1'-2' Bark is rough and dark Twigs are rough, covered with woody pegs, sometimes hairless, buds acutely pointed Needles 1/2"-5/8" long, stiff, sharp, grow all around the twigs, not in bundles Cones 1 1/4"-1 5/8" long, drooping and woody, reddish brown, smooth scale edges Notes: Often used as Christmas trees, but their needles fall quickly upon drying. The wood is soft, light, resinous, and straight-grained. It provides a principal source of pulp for paper and is valuable for sounding boards in pianos, and for construction, interior finishing, and boat building. Tannin and "burgundy pitch," used in varnishes and medicinal compounds, come from the bark of certain species. In Europe some spruces are tapped for turpentine, and in times of food shortage the inner bark has been ground and added to flour. Spruce beer is reportedly made from the fermented leaves and twigs after being boiled with honey. Several spruces are of value in landscaping. Blue Spruce (Picea ...) Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) Height 40'-60' Diameter 1'-2' Bark smooth, with resin blisters Twigs are smooth, with round, flat scars after needles are removed Needles 3/8"-1 1/2" long, in flattened sprays, whitened beneath, with a circular base Cones 1"-3" long, upright and fleshy, purplish to green Moist woods Notes: A good Christmas tree that holds its needles. Soft, perishable wood of less value than spruce as lumber or pulp. Firs, like spruces, are evergreen trees of cold climates. Canada balsam obtained from bark blisters, a gum used by woodsmen as a wound plaster and waterproof cement; sold in stores as a confection before the advent of chewing gum. Formerly used in cementing lenses and in mounting specimens on microscope slides. Fire-by-friction sets are often made of this wood; resinous fir knots were once used as torches. Seeds eaten by ruffed, spruce, and sharptail grouse; twigs browsed by snowshoe hares, whitetail deer, and moose; bark gnawed by porcupines. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Height 60'-70' Diameter 2'-3' Bark dark and rough Twigs are covered with rounded knobs Needles 5/8"-7/8" long, in flat sprays, whitened beneath Cones 5/8"-1" long, brown, few-scaled Mature forests and wooded ravines Frequently a more round-topped tree than the firs or spruces; unlike those trees, the topmost shoot of hemlocks droops markedly Notes: The delicate silvery foliage and small, pendent, perfectly formed brown cones of the hemlock make this one of our most beautiful forest trees. It makes a poor Christmas tree because its leaves fall upon drying. Formerly spared the ax because of the poor quality of its wood and the stonelike hardness of the knots, which will chip steel blades. Even so, the increased value of timber has doomed most virgin stands. Lumber is taken for pulp but is, or at least was, particularly useful for railroad ties, since it holds spikes exceptionally well. Bark rich in tannin; a tea was once made from leaves and twigs by woodsmen and Native Americans. As fuel, the wood throws sparks. Seeds and needles eaten by rugged and sharptail grouse and red squirrels, twigs browsed by deer, snowshoe hares, and cottontail rabbits. Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) - Arbor Vitae Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) Common Juniper (Juniperus communis) ______________________________________________________________________________ Broad-Leaved Trees with Opposite Compound Leaves ______________________________________________________________________________ Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Height 3'-20' Diameter 3/4"-3" Bark brownish Twigs stout with white pith, lenticels common Leaves are 4"-11" long, feather compound with 5-11 coarse-toothed, elliptic leaflets Leaf scars large, 5-7 bundle scars Leaf buds small, green or brown Flowers small, white, in dense terminal flat-topped clusters (June-July) Fruits 3/16" in diameter, juicy, purple-black (August-October) Notes: All parts of the plant are reported to yield hydrocyanic acid. Regardless, fruits are used in making jam, jelly, wine, pies. Ripe fruits are eaten by 43 species of birds, including pheasant, mourning dove, and wild turkey. White Ash (Fraxinus americana) Height 70'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark dark and tight, with rigid interwoven pattern of shallow ridges and furrows Twigs round and hairless with deep U- or V-shaped notches along their ends Leaves 8"-12" long, feather compound with 5-9 leaflets, not toothed, white or pale beneath Flowers (April-June) Fruits not winged to the seed base; seed blunt, plump, raised above the flat wing (October-November) Notes: The most valuable and largest native ash, providing hard, strong timber for furniture, interior millwork, agricultural implements, tool handles, oars, tennis rackets, musical instruments, baseball bats, snowshoes, and skis. As a campfire fuel, it ranks with oak and hickory. Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) / Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Ashleaf Maple (Acer negundo) ______________________________________________________________________________ Broad-Leaved Trees with Opposite Simple Leaves ______________________________________________________________________________ Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Height 40'-60' Diameter 1'-2' Bark gray-brown with rough vertical grooves and loose-edged plates when old Twigs glossy and reddish brown Leaves 2"-10" long, mostly five-lobed, with deep U-shaped sinuses, pale green, hairless beneath Leaf buds slender, pointed, brown Flowers yellowish, long-stemmed, in loose, drooping clusters along twigs and at twig ends (April-June) Fruits 1"-1 1/4" (June-September) Notes: One of our most valuable hardwood trees. Wood much used for furniture. Declining vigor of Sugar Maples in some areas is attributed to acid rain. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Height 20'-40' Diameter 1'-2' Bark smooth and gray when young, dark and broken when old Twigs reddish Leaves 2"-8" long, three (or sometimes five) lobed, with shallow V-shaped sinuses, whitened beneath Leaf buds reddish, blunt and scaly Flowers red (rarely yellow) in short umbrella-like clusters (March-May) Fruits 1/2"-1", reddish (May-July) Notes: Though Red and Silver maples are often called soft maples, the wood is sometimes used for furniture. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) Height 40'-60' Diameter 1'-3' Bark gray, tends to flake, leaving brown spots Twigs reddish Leaves 2"-10", five-lobed, with deep U-shaped sinuses, whitened beneath, sometimes hairy Leaf buds reddish, blunt and scaly Flowers greenish or reddish, in short umbrella-like clusters (February-May) Fruits 1 1/2"-3", greenish or reddish (April-June) Notes: Sap sweet but less sugary than that of Sugar Maple. Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) Height 5'-15' Diameter 1"-2" Bark green with white vertical stripes Twigs hairless, mostly greenish Leaves 2"-10", three-lobed, with shallow U-shaped sinuses, double-toothed, hairless, paler beneath Leaf buds 3/8"-1/2" long, stalked, with 2 scales Flowers in hanging clusters at twig ends (May-June) Fruits 3/4"-1" (June-September) Notes: Also called Moosewood. Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) Height to 16' Bark gray-brown Twigs dark, ending in sharp spines, with many spur branches Leaves 1 1/2"-2", elliptical, hairless, fine-toothed Flowers small, greenish, clustered at leaf angles and on spurs (May-June) Fruits dark, fleshy, and several-seeded Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus frummondii) Height 1'-15' Diameter 2"-8" Bark brown to red-brown Twigs red-brown, branchlets brown or gray, with brown pith Leaves 2"-5" long, elliptical, sandpapery above, woolly beneath Leaf buds slender, hairy, and pointed Flowers small, whitish, in round-topped clusters (May-June) Fruits 3/16"-1/4", white to light blue (August-October) Notes: No other dogwood has sandpapery leaves. Fruits eaten by many songbirds and by prairie chicken, sharptail and rugged grouse, bobwhite, wild turkey, pheasant. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolia) Height to 15' Diameter 2"-5" Bark gray-brown Leaves 2"-10" long, smooth, deeply three-lobed, with deep U-shaped sinuses, with 3 bundle scars Flowers small, white, in round clusters Fruits small and fleshy, containing a single flattened seed ______________________________________________________________________________ Broad-Leaved Trees with Alternate Compound Leaves ______________________________________________________________________________ Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Height 70'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark dark and deeply ridged on older trees Twigs stout, hairless Leaves 6"-12", feather-compound with 6-20 elliptical, smooth-edged leaflets Leaf scars circular, with 1/2"-1" paired thorns Leaf buds 3, end bud false Flowers white in clusters (May-June) Fruits 2"-6" long, in flat pods (September-April) Notes: Black Locusts are often planted for fence posts. Wood strong, hard, and durable in the soil. Young shoots and bark sometimes poisonous to livestock, but the seeds are eaten by bobwhite, pheasant, mourning dove, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and deer. Spreading around the world in temperate zones. Butternut (Juglans cinerea) Height 40'-80' Diameter 1'-2' Bark gray and deeply ridged but smooth to the touch Twigs somewhat hairy, with dark brown pith Leaves 12"-24" long, feather compound with 11-17 narrow-toothed leaflets Leaf buds 1/4"-1/2" long, pointed Leaf scars hairy Flowers catkins (April-June) Fruits oblong and sticky, nuts with one-piece, 4-8 lined husks (October-November) Notes: Also known as White Walnut; wood lighter in color than that of its more valuable relative. Lumber is light, soft, and weak but easily worked and polished; darkens upon exposure to air. Though not an important timber species, it is used for interiors, cabinet work, furniture, and instrument cases. The early colonists are reported to have prepared a yellow-brown stain by boiling the soft, half-ripe fruits. They also pickled the boiled nuts and made a dark stain from the husks and inner bark to dye uniforms. Indians are said to have boiled the nuts to obtain oil for use as butter. The nutmeats were then collected and dried. In spring, sap was boiled down to make syrup. The crushed fruits were once also used to poison fish. Bark yields useful drugs. Nuts are eaten by many wild animals. The species reportedly is being destroyed by a canker. Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) Height 4'-15' Diameter 2"-4" Bark smooth, dark, with cross-streaks, yellow inner wood Twigs round and hairy Leaves 12"-24" long, with 11-31 toothed leaflets Leaf buds hairy, no scales Flowers (June-July) Fruits in upright hairy red clusters Sap is milky Notes: Aptly named, branches bear a marked resemblance to the antlers of a deer "in velvet." Staghorn Sumac is cultivated in Europe and the West. Bark and leaves rich in tannin; it is reported that a black ink can be made by boiling leaves and fruit. The longhaired fruits have been found in stomachs of many songbirds, ruffed and sharptail grouse, bobwhite, pheasant, mourning dove, and skunk. Twigs cropped by browsing mammals. Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) ______________________________________________________________________________ Broad-Leaved Trees with Alternate Simple Leaves ______________________________________________________________________________ Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli) Height to 12' Diameter 3"-8" Bark gray, smooth or scaly Twigs, spur branches often present Leaves single-toothed, elliptical, with 3 bundle scars Leaf buds spherical, end bud true Fruits yellow to red, like small apples Spines are long, slender, growing on both twigs and older wood Notes: Fruits tend to remain on the plants all winter, providing food for numerous birds and mammals, including bobwhite, ringneck pheasant, ruffed and sharptail grouse, gray fox, cottontail rabbit, and whitetail deer. Apparently because of their density, hawthorns are much used for nesting by many songbirds. They are important honey plants but are pests in pastures. They were formerly widely used for fences in England. Many varieties are used in landscaping. The name "haw" comes from the same root as "hedge." Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) Eastern Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) Height 50'-130' Diameter 3'-8' Bark mottled brown, flaking, with yellow or white underbark Leaves 6"-10" long, nearly hairless, three or five-lobed, with large teeth Leaf buds single-scaled, end bud false Flowers (April-June) Fruits small, hairy, hanging in long-stalked brown balls (October-winter) Notes: Sycamore is generally conceded to be the most massive tree of eastern US. Attains greatest size in Ohio and Mississippi river basins but, unlike sequoias, redwoods, and bristlecone pines of California, is old at 500-600 years. Hard coarse-grained wood used for boxes, barrels, butcher blocks, cabinet work, and furniture. Native Americans used trunks for dugouts. One such canoe reported to have been 65' long and to have weighed 9,000 pounds. Twigs eaten by deer and muskrats. Cavities sought for nests and shelter by wood duck, opossum, and raccoon. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) White Mulberry (Morus alba) Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) American Basswood (Tilia americana) Height 50'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark dark and shallowly grooved in mature trees, gray and smooth on young trees Twigs green to red Leaves 3"-10", heart-shaped, with asymmetric bases and hairless leafstalks Leaf buds green to bright red, with 2-3 scales, end bud false Flowers yellow, hairless (June-August) Fruits nutlets clustered under large leafy wings that act as parachutes (August-October) Notes: As with mulberries, elms, and some other species, the inner bark of basswoods, especially of roots, is tough and fibrous and can be twisted into cords, mats, and lines. Buds and fruits eaten by ruffed grouse, prairie chickens, bobwhite, squirrels, and chipmunks; twigs eaten by deer and cottontails. Lumber is used in commerce. Important honey plants. Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Height 20'-50' Diameter 1'-2' Bark smooth, white to yellow-green Twigs dark brown and hairless, end leaf bud gummy, 3/8"-1/4" long Leaves 2"-6", heart-shaped to circular, fine-toothed, with long flattened leafstalk Notes: Reproduction by root sprouts is frequent, and vegetative clones often spread over considerable area. Botanists, combining radio-carbon dating with growth rate studies, have calculated some aspen groves to have lived 10,000 years, outclassing bristlecone pines, giant sequoias, and California redwoods in longevity. Widely known as Popple. Becomes golden yellow in autumn. Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) Height 30'-40' Diameter 1'-2' Bark smooth, yellow-green Twigs gray-silky or hairless, end leaf bud dull, over 3/8" long and hairy Leaves 2"-6", heart-shaped to circular, large-toothed Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Height 70'-80' Diameter 3'-4' Bark dark and furrowed, laced with shiny stripes Twigs hairless, end leaf buds 3/16"-5/16" long, hairless and not angled Leaves 4"-10" long, shallowly lobed, hairless, dull, and pointed Acorn cup flat and saucerlike Eastern Black Oak (Quercus velutina) similar to northern red oak but with leathery leaves Eastern White Oak (Quercus alba) non-leathery leaves, whitened beneath Post Oak (Quercus stellata) leathery leaves, hairy beneath Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Height 60'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark smooth and gray Twigs hairless Leaves 3"-6", elliptic and coarse-toothed Leaf buds extremely long (3/4"-1"), with many scales, end bud true Flowers (April-May) Fruits triangular nuts surrounded by spiny bracts (September-October) Notes: An important timber species species. Quality of wood only fair but used for cheap furniture, tool handles, veneer, shoe lasts, and fuel. Beeches are planted widely for ornament. Fruits eaten by ruffed grouse, wild turkey, bobwhite, pheasant, black bear, raccoon, red and gray foxes, whitetail deer, cottontail rabbit, many squirrels, porcupine, and opossum. Common Witch-Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Height 10'-25' Diameter 2"-10" Bark usually smooth but may have rough spots, cross-striped Leaves 3"-6" long, wavy-toothed, with asymmetric bases Leaf buds hairy, with no scales, end bud true Flowers narrow yellow petals (September-November) Fruits (August-October) Tight groups of stubby, four-part seedpods are visible year round Notes: Colloquial names Winter-bloom and Snapping-alder indicate peculiarities of this plant. In late autumn, after the leaves drop and the old fruit pods pop their seeds up to 20' away-and sometimes even after snow is on the ground-the scraggly blossoms appear. An extract of the bark has long been used for medicinal purposes. Branches are used as "divining" or "witching" rods in efforts to locate underground water. Witch-hazel seeds, buds, or twigs are dietary items of pheasant, bobwhite, ruffed grouse, whitetail deer, cottontail rabbit, and beaver. American Elm (Ulmus americana) Height 80'-100' Diameter 2'-5' Bark gray-brown and ridged Twigs with very little hair Leaves 4"-6" long, sandpapery with asymmetric bases and large teeth Leaf buds 1/4" or longer, with light brown scales Flowers (March-May) Fruits 3/8"-1/2" long, hairless except for edges (April-May) When growing in the open as a large tree, trunk divides near the ground into large limbs, giving a unique vase-shaped form Notes: Seeds are eaten by bobwhite, European partridge, ruffed grouse, prairie chicken, gray and fox squirrels, and opossum. Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and whitetail deer browse twigs. Like American Chestnut in an earlier generation, this beloved species has been decimated by disease. Wild trees old enough to display a vase-shaped form are scarce. Stand of dead trees continue to expand and occupy lowland sites in many places. "Dutch" elm disease is a fungus spread by a beetle. Paper/White Birch (Betula papyrifera) Height 70'-80' Diameter 1'-3' Bark white, peeling in thin curls on mature trees, brownish on young trees, marked by horizontal dashes Twigs rough-warty Leaves elliptic, fine-toothed, with nine or fewer pairs of side veins Leaf buds blunt and hairless Flowers (spring) Fruits 1"-2" long, slender, drooping catkins (August-September) Notes: Bark layers have been used by Native Americans for canoes and shelter coverings (tied in place with Whit Spruce rootlets), boxes, cups, makeshift shoes, and emergency snow goggles. They as well as the early French-Canadian voyagers, reportedly used the springtime sap as a refreshing drink and also boiled it into a sweet syrup. Leaves have been used for tea but are not as good as those of Sweet and Yellow birches. Paper Birch lumber is used for woodenware, pulp, and fuel. Seeds and buds eaten by ruffed and sharptail grouse. Twigs are cropped by moose, deer, and snowshoe hare. Gray Birch (Betula populifolia) Height 20'-30' Diameter 10"-18" Bark white like paper birch but does not peel, marked by horizontal dashes Twigs rough-warty Leaves 1"-4" long, heart-shaped and sharply tapering Flowers (April-May) Fruits 3/4"-1 1/4" long, sturdy, drooping catkins (September) Notes: Gray Birch used mainly for fuel and charcoal. Seeds and buds eaten by ruffed grouse and several songbirds. Twigs browsed by whitetail deer. Sweet/Black Birch (Betula lenta) Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Height 70'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark shiny yellow, peeling in thin curls Twigs hairy Leaves 1"-5" long, short-pointed Leaf buds hairy Flowers (spring) Fruits egg-shaped, upright catkins (August-October) Notes: Oil of wintergreen occurs in sap and leaves. Wood important in commerce; often stained for cherry or mahogany finishes. Ruffed and sharptail grouse, prairie chicken, whitetail deer, moose, cottontail rabbit, and red squirrel use the plant for food. Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana) Eastern Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Height 20'-30' Diameter 6"-12" Bark brown to yellow-brown, grooved, and shredding Leaves 1"-5" long, elliptical, double-toothed, with U-shaped bases Leaf buds green, with 6-8 scales, end bud false Flowers (April-May) Fruits small, bladder-enclosed nuts (August-October) Notes: Related European trees were originally used in yoking oxen and were known as Yoke-elms, or Hornbeams. Seeds eaten by ruffed and sharptail grouse, bobwhite, pheasant, and ptarmigan. Deer and cottontail rabbits browse twigs. Speckled Alder (Alnus incana) Height 6'-12' Diameter 1"-2" Bark dark brown, speckled with white lenticels Leaves 2"-5" long, elliptical, coarsely double-toothed, with round to heart-shaped bases Leaf buds smooth reddish, with 2-3 scales, end bud true Catkins and cones present throughout the year Notes: Ptarmigan and sharptail grouse feed on buds; muskrats, cottontail rabbits, deer, and moose browse twigs. Formerly named Alnus rugosa. Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) Height 6'-20' Diameter 2"-6" Bark smooth, gray-brown Leaves 2"-5" long, elliptical, sharp-toothed Leaf buds over 1/4" long, hairless Flowers white (April-July) Fruits purplish in long clusters (July-October) Notes: The tart fruits can be made in delicious jellies and are used for pies. A great number of songbirds the ruffed grouse, sharptail grouse, prairie chicken, bobwhite, pheasant, raccoon, black bear, red fox, whitetail deer, cottontail rabbit, and gray squirrel regularly consume the fruits. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Height 60'-80' Diameter 2'-3' Bark black to dark-brown in scaly plates Twigs often reddish Leaves 2"-6" long, narrow with blunt teeth, with hairy midrib under the leaf Leaf buds less than 3/16" long, hairless, with pointed scales Flowers in slender white clusters (May-June) Fruits blackish in long clusters (June October) Notes: One of the largest cherries, this species is of value for lumber and as food for humans and wildlife. The bitter fruits are often used for jelly. Bark has been used as flavoring. Fruits and twigs eaten by much the same animals as listed for Choke Cherry. Wood hard and close-grained; used for furniture and interior furnishing. Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) Height 10'-30' Diameter 2"-10" Bark smooth and red-brown, marked with crossbars Leaves 2"-5" long, narrow, hairless, sharp-toothed Leaf buds short, with pointed scales Flowers white in clusters (March-July) Fruits 1/4" in diameter, bright red (July-September) Notes: Known also as Bird Cherry. Sour fruits eaten raw or used in jellies and cough mixtures. Consumed by bobwhite, ruffed and sharptail grouse, ptarmigan, prairie chicken. Deer, moose, cottontail rabbit, beaver, and chipmunk browse the twigs. Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) Height to 30' Bark mostly yellow-ridged Twigs slender, hairless Leaves 2"-5" long, elliptic, hairless, whitened beneath, wedge-based, toothed mainly above the middle Leaf buds over 1/4", single-scaled, pressed into the twig, often surrounded by small wing leaves, with 3 bundle scars, end bud false Flowers furry catkins (February-May) Common Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) Height to 25' Bark gray, somewhat rough Leaves 2"-4" long, dull above, somewhat hairy beneath, coarse-toothed, with V-shaped leaf bases Leaf buds blunt with pointed scales Flowers (June-August) Fruits red, smooth nutlets (September-October) American Holly (Ilex opaca) Domestic Apple (Malus sylvestris) Height 20'-30' Diameter 6"-18" Bark brown, scaly Twigs short and stiff, hairy, with thorny tips and many spur branches Leaves 1"-4" long, elliptical, round-toothed, hairy beneath Leaf buds blunt, woolly, with 3 bundle scars, end bud true Flowers white or pink in clusters (April-June) Fruits (September-November) Notes: The exact origin of the apple is lost in antiquity, but the etymology of the name indicates that it originated in the western Himalayas and traveled westward by way of northern Persia, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and the Mediterranean countries. The apple of the Bible is believed to have been not our northern fruit but the apricot, still common in the Holy Land. The Domestic Apple persisting in old orchards or locally gone wild is an important food of deer, pheasant, mourning dove, gray fox, and many other animals. Also called Pyrus malus and Malus pumila. Domestic Pear (Pyrus communis) Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Alternate-leaf Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Height to 25' Twigs greenish-yellow, hairless, with white pith Leaves 2"-5" long, flat-tipped, with veins that follow the leaf edges Leaf buds 2-scaled, with 3 bundle scars Flowers (May-July) Fruits small and fleshy in clusters, blue-black with red stems, 1-2 rounded seeds (July-September) Among the dogwoods, this small tree or shrub is the only species that does not have opposite leaves or raised twig leaf scars Notes: Fruits eaten by many birds, including ruffed grouse. twigs are browsed by deer and rabbits. Common Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)