Trees Seen

This blog documents trees that I have seen while out and about. All photographs, unless indicated in the photo captions, were taken by me while in the field. The information about each specimen was collected from various sources, which I have listed on my sources page, in addition to in each entry.

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Cornus sericea - Red-osier Dogwood

Family: Cornaceae

Size: 7 to 9 feet tall, sometimes as tall as 25 feet tall; 10 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple opposite, narrow, arcuately veined leaves 2 to 4 inches long (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are narrow and tapering, flower buds are more swollen

Habitat: Fens, tidal marshes or flats, meadows or fields, shores of rivers or lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 2 to zone 7, or -50 to 10°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to North America (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces small white drupes; tolerant of we soil and clay soil; to stimulate new growth and to get better red stems, should 25% should be pruned early every spring (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Quercus rubra - Red Oak

Family: Fagaceae

Size: 60 to 75 feet tall, some as tall as 100 feet; 60 to 75 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, oblong leaves 5 to 8 inches long with 7 to 11 bristle-tipped lobes with sinuses that extend 1/3 to 1/2 of the way to the midvein (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Multiple terminal buds are large, conical and covered with red-brown, relatively hairless scales (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Forests and woodlands (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3b to zone 7, sometimes zone 8, or -20 to 20°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native from Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania and as far west as Minnesota and Iowa (Dirr)

Additional Information: Produces acorns with flat, saucer-shaped cups; can tolerate drought; prefers acidic soil and can develop chlorosis if not in sufficiently acidic soil (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Pinus resinosa - Red Pine

Family: Pinaceae

Size: 50 to 80 feet tall, some as tall as 125 feet; spread is variable (Dirr)

Leaves: Evergreen needles 4 to 6 inches long with 2 needles per fascicle that snap cleanly when bent (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are ovoid and orange-brown (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Edges of wetlands, man-made or disturbed habitats, ridges or ledges, and woodlands (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 2 to zone 5, or -50 to -10°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to Newfoundland to Manitoba and as far south as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces pinecones that are about 2 1/2 inches long; has little tolerance for shade; is somewhat intolerant of urban pollution (Missouri Botanical Garden); is an eco indicator for poor, dry, ledgy sites (Wessels)

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Stewartia sinensis - Chinese Stewartia

Family: Theaceae

Size: 15 to 25 feet tall; varied spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, ovate to elliptical, 2 to 4 inches long with serrated edges coming to a point (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are flattened (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Moist, rich, acidic, organic soil (Dirr)

Hardiness: Occur in zone 5 to zone 7, or -20 to 10°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to central China (Dirr)

Additional Information: Produces white, cup-shaped flowers that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter (Dirr)

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Lindera benzoin - Spicebush

Family: Lauraceae

Size: 6 to 12 feet tall, some as tall as 20 feet; spread is similar to height (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, elliptical, 3 to 5 inches long, pinnately veined with a ciliate edge, release a spicy odor when crushed (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are stalked and globose, covered with 2 or 3 yellow-green or brown scales, when crushed, a peppery smell is apparent (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: River or stream floodplains, shores of rivers or lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 4 to zone 9, or -30 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to eastern United States (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces bright red drupes that are about 1/2 an inch long, but a male plant must be present; important food source for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars (Missouri Botanical Garden); is an eco-indicator for rich wetlands (Wessels)

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Cercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsuratree

Family: Cercidiphyllaceae

Size: 40 to 60 feet tall, some as tall as 100 feet; 20 to 30 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate or partially opposite, heart-shaped, blunt teeth on edge, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long and wide (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are reddish and have valvate scales, are tightly appressed, triangular and slightly curved inward (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Edges of forests, man-made or disturbed habitats (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 4 to zone 8, or -30 to 20°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to China and Japan (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Has low tolerance for drought; freshly fallen leaves smell of burnt sugar (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Carya glabra - Pignut Hickory

Family: Juglandaceae

Size: 50 to 60 feet tall, some as tall as 100 feet; 25 to 35 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Pinnately compound, alternate leaves 8 to 12 inches long with 5 and sometimes 7 leaflets that are lanceolate and serrate, glabrous, and slender (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Terminal bud is small, about 1/4 of an inch long, ovate, and light brown (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Forests, ridges, ledges and woodlands (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 4 to zone 9, or -30 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to eastern and central United States , with concentrations in the Appalachian forests and Ohio RIver valley (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces rounded nuts encased in a ridged husk that are biter and not edible; are intolerant of shade; are hard to transplant due to their taproots (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Hydrangea paniculata - Panicle Hydrangea

Family: Hydrageaceae

Size: 10 to 20 feet tall; 10 to 20 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, opposite, serrated, occasionally whorled, ovate to elliptical, 3 to 6 inches long (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Short, conical bud sits in the "V" of the leaf scar (Virginia Tech); winter bud is scaled (NEWFS)

Habitat: Edges of forests, man-made or disturbed habitats (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3 to zone 8, or -40 to 20°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to Japan and China (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces upright, sharply pointed, conical, terminal flower panicles measuring 6 to 8 inches long; thrives in urban conditions (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Hydrangea quercifolia - Oak-leaf Hydrangea

Family: Hydrangeaceae

Size: 4 to 6 feet tall, sometimes as tall as 8 feet; spread is about equal to height (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, opposite, serrated, with 3 to 7 lobes, 4 to 8 inches long (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Large buds with pubescent scales (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Edges of forests, forests, man-made or disturbed habitats (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 5 to zone 9, or -20 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to southeastern United States (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces white flowers 4 to 12 inches long (Virginia Tech); must be sheltered over the winter (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Clethra alnifolia - Summersweet

Family: Clethraceae

Size: 4 to 8 feet tall, sometimes as tall as 12 feet; 4 to 6 feet in soread, sometimes as much as 10 feet (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, obovate with a finely serrated edge, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, glabrous (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Terminal bud is much larger than lateral buds, all have loose scale (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, and woodlands (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 4 to zone 9, or -30 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to North America, from Maine to Florida to costal Texas (Dirr)

Additional Information: Produces white flowers that bloom in a narrow, cylindrical, bottle-brush-like form of upright panicles, approximately 4 to 6 inches long; environment should never be allowed to dry out (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam

Family: Betulaceae

Size: 20 to 30 feet tall, some as tall as 65 feet; spread is about equal to height (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, elliptical to ovate leaves 3 to 5 inches long, pinnately veined, acuminate tip, doubly serrated edge, waxy appearance (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are brown, angled, and have scales with silky edges, approximately 1/4 of an inch long (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Forests, river or stream floodplains, shores of rivers or lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3b to zone 9, or -40 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to eastern North America (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Prefers organically rich, moist soil but can tolerate clay soil (Missouri Botanical Garden); produces male catkins approximately 1 to 2 inches long and female catkins approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long (Virginia Tech; is an eco-indicator of rich, moist sites (Wessels)

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Quercus bicolor - Swamp White Oak

Family: Fagaceae

Size: 50 to 60 feet tall; equal spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, obovate leaves, 3 to 7 inches long, with large, irregular, blunt teeth, about 2 to 4 1/2 inches wide (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are terminal, short, blunt, and light brown in color (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Edges of forests, forests, river or stream floodplains, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 4 to zone 8, or -30 to 20°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to northeastern North America (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces inch long acorns with bowl-shaped caps that cover about 1/3 of the acorn (Virginia Tech); has good drought resistance despite its wet habitat preferences (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Ilex verticillata - Winterberry

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Size: 6 to 10 feet tall, sometimes 15 feet tall; spread is about equal to height (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate leaves 2 to 3 inches long, lance to egg-shaped with sharply toothed edges (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Imbricate, small, 1/16 of an inch long and globose (Dirr)

Habitat: Edges of wetlands, shores of rivers and lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3 to zone 9, or -40 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to swamps of Nova Scotia to western Ontario, west Wisconsin, south Florida, and west to Missouri (Dirr)

Additional Information: Produces vibrant red berries, but one male plant must be present for every 6 to 8 female plants; likes acidic soil (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Rhus aromatica - Fragrant Sumac

Family: Anacardiaceae

Size: 2 to 6 feet tall; 6 to 10 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Compound, alternate leaves with 3 toothed leaflets, 3 to 5 inches long that produce a fragrant aroma when crushed (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are small, yellowish brown, and surrounded by leaf scars (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Cliffs, balds, ledges, ridges, and woodlands (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3 to zone 9, or -30 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to southeastern Canada and southern and eastern United States (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces male catkins and small female yellow flowers; cannot tolerate poorly drained soil; can tolerate rabbits, clay soil, drought conditions (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Ilex glabra - Inkberry

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Size: 6 to 8 feet tall; 8 to 10 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, sometimes serrated on upper half, 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, oblong to obovate , evergreen (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Buds are small and green, ovoid, and have scales (NEWFS)

Habitat: Bogs, shores of rivers and lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 5 to 9, sometimes as far az zone 4 to zone 10, or -30 to 40°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to North America from Nova Scotia to Florida and Louisiana (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produces black, berry-like drupes that are about 3/8 of an inch in diameter; doesn't like neutral or alkaline soils; Native Americans roasted its leaves for tea (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Nyssa sylvatica - Black Tupelo

Family: Nyssaceae

Size: 30 to 50 feet tall, some as tall as 100 feet; 20 to 30 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Simple, alternate, pinnately veined, oblong to obovate, 3 to 5 inches long, sometimes slightly lobed or coarsely toothed at the tip (Virginia Tech) 

Buds: Buds are pointed, ovate, and scaled (Virginia Tech)

Habitat: Edges of forests, forests, fens, meadows and fields, shores of rivers and lakes, and swamps (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 3 to zone 9, or -30 to 30°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to eastern North America (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Additional Information: Produce dark blue, oval fruit 1/2 an inch long that is edible but sour; female trees need male trees to produce fruit; needs lots of space to grow; is difficult to transplant (Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Juniperus communis - Common Juniper

Family: Cupressaceae

Size: 5 to 10 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet in spread (Dirr)

Leaves: Needle-like, persistent, linear-lanceolate, measuring 1/3 to 1/2 an inch long and arranged in whorls of 3 (Virginia Tech)

Buds: Winter buds are ovoid (NEWFS)

Habitat: Cliffs, balds, ledges, man-made or disturbed habitats, meadows or fields, ridges, talus and rocky slopes (NEWFS)

Hardiness: Occurs in zone 2 to zone 6, sometimes zone 7, or -50 to 10°F (Dirr)

Native Region: Native to north and central Europe, Asia Minor, North America (Dirr)

Additional Information: Produces small waxy berries which are used for medicinal purposes and to make gin (Dirr); is an eco-indicator of pastures, rock outcrops, and poor, coarse substrates (Wessels)