OTHER HAWTHORNS
Many other hawthorns occur in Illinois. Several of them have been found only a very few times. Most of them are difficult to distinguish unless leaves, flowers, and fruits are available. A few of the hawthorns which are likely to be encountered are described on this and the following page.
Scarlet Hawthorn (Crataegus coccinioides Ashe). This hawthorn grows to a height of 15 feet and has very scaly brown bark. The slender gray twigs have many stout, sharp spines up to 2 inches long. The ovate leaves are coarsely toothed and usually shallowly lobed. There are some hairs on both surfaces of the leaves. The spherical fruits, when mature, are deep red speckled with several pale dots. There are usually 5 nutlets inside each fruit. The Scarlet Hawthorn is found primarily on rocky hills.
Urn-shaped Hawthorn (Crataegus calpodendron (Ehrh.) Medic.) The Urn-shaped Hawthorn is named for the shape of its fruit, which is usually about ½ inch long, red, with sweet flesh and 2-3 nutlets inside. This small tree only grows to a height of about 15 feet. The leaves are usually ovate and are coarsely toothed and often shallowly lobed. They have a greenish-yellow color and are hairy, at least on the underneath surface. This hawthorn frequently grows along rocky streams.
Urn-Shaped Hawthorn
Green Haw (Crataegus viridis L.). The Green Haw is primarily a tree of low, wet woods, where it grows to a height of nearly 30 feet and has a gray, scaly bark. The rather variable leaves range from elliptic to elliptic-ovate and toothed to occasionally shallowly lobed. The leaves are thin and smooth on both surfaces, except for some tufts of hair along the axils of the veins on the lower surface. The orange-red fruits are spherical and about ⅓ inch in diameter. There are 5 nutlets embedded in the rather sweet flesh.
Dotted Haw (Crataegus punctata Jacq.). This hawthorn grows to a height of about 20 feet and has many stout thorns on its twigs. The leaves generally are broadest above the middle and are obovate. The edges of the leaves are usually toothed from the middle to the tip. Sometimes lobes are formed. The leaves have a relatively thick texture and are hairy on the veins of the under surface of the leaves. The usually spherical fruit is about ¾ inch in diameter and contains 3 or 5 nutlets. The Dotted Thorn often forms thickets along the edges of woods or in rocky fields.
Green Hawthorn
Dotted Hawthorn
PERSIMMON
Diospyros virginiana L.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown broad and rounded or flattened. (At one time in the Wabash Valley, Persimmon trees nearly 3 feet in diameter were known.)
Bark: Dark gray to black, broken at maturity into squarish blocks.
Twigs: Slender, brown, smooth or hairy, usually with lenticels; leaf scars alternate, half-elliptic, with 1 bundle trace.
Buds: More or less rounded, smooth, dark reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to oval, pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the base, up to 5 inches long and about half as broad, smooth along the edges, dark green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, up to 1 inch long, smooth or sparsely hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate usually borne on separate trees, appearing after the leaves are half grown, the staminate in clusters of 2-3, tubular, up to ½ inch long, the pistillate solitary, ½ to ¾ inch long. Sometimes flowers with both stamens and pistils can be found.
Fruit: Fleshy, spherical, but with the greenish calyx persistent at one end, yellow-orange to orange (rarely blue), up to 2 inches in diameter, sweet when ripe, few-seeded.
Wood: Heavy, hard, the heartwood nearly black.
Uses: Golf club heads, billiard cues.
Habitat: Dry woods, rich bottomland woods, edge of fields, fence rows.
Range: Connecticut across to southern Iowa and eastern Kansas, south to eastern Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves of the Persimmon are most often confused with those of the Sour Gum, but usually the tip is not as abruptly pointed in the Persimmon. The pith of the Persimmon also lacks the distinct partitions found in the Sour Gum.
BEECH
Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.
Growth Form: Large tree to nearly 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown widely spreading, usually rounded.
Bark: Smooth, gray, thin, often marred by human carving.
Twigs: Gray or yellowish, slender, smooth, more or less zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, narrow, long-pointed, smooth, reddish-brown, up to ¾ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades up to 4 inches long and 2½ inches broad, oblong, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the somewhat asymmetrical base, coarsely toothed along the edges, blue-green to yellow-green, smooth and shiny on the upper surface, smooth or finely hairy on the lower surface; leaf stalk very short, sometimes hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on the same tree, appearing after the leaves have unfolded, the staminate numerous in small spherical heads, the pistillate in groups of 2.
Fruit: Spiny burs up to ¾ inch long, prickly, reddish-brown, containing 1-3 triangular nuts.
Wood: Hard, strong, close-grained, deep reddish-brown.
Uses: Fuel, chairs, tool handles.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: Nova Scotia across to Ontario, south to eastern Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The stately Beech is recognized by its smooth gray bark and its long, pointed winter buds.
SWAMP PRIVET
Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir.
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 inches; crown spreading, irregular.
Bark: Brown, shallowly furrowed or nearly smooth.
Twigs: Slender, brown, warty or smooth; leaf scars opposite, shield-shaped, with 1 bundle trace.
Buds: Spherical, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, smooth.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 4 inches long, up to 1½ inches broad, finely toothed along part of the edges, yellow-green and nearly smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, usually smooth, up to ½ inch long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on different trees, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold; staminate many in rounded clusters, yellow, without petals; pistillate several in branched clusters, yellowish, without petals.
Fruit: Slender, oblong, slightly curved, dark purple, about 1 inch long, up to ¼ inch wide, fleshy but dry, containing 1 seed.
Use: Occasionally planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Swamps, along rivers.
Range: South Carolina across to Kansas, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Swamp Privet is distinguished by its opposite, pointed leaves which are finely toothed along the edges.
WHITE ASH
Fraxinus americana L.
Growth Form: Large tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown pyramidal or ovoid, with slender branches; trunk straight, columnar.
Bark: Light or dark gray, with diamond-shaped furrows between flat-topped, sometimes scaly, ridges.
Twigs: Slender, gray or brown, sometimes with a few hairs; leaf scars opposite, horseshoe-shaped, with several bundle traces forming a half-moon.
Buds: Rounded, dark brown, finely hairy, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 5-9 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped to lance-ovate, often curved, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 5 inches long and about half as broad, shallowly toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth or hairy on the lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees before the leaves begin to expand, minute, without petals, purplish, in crowded clusters, soon becoming elongated and less crowded.
Fruit: Paddle-shaped, winged, up to 2½ inches long and ¼ inch wide, several in a cluster, 1-seeded at the base.
Wood: Heavy, strong, hard, coarse-grained, brown.
Uses: Furniture, baseball bats, tool handles, interior finishing.
Habitat: Bottomlands and wooded slopes.
Range: Nova Scotia across to Minnesota, south to Texas and Florida.
Distinguishing Features: White Ash differs from Green Ash in having distinctly paler lower leaf surfaces. Plants with hairy leaves resemble Red Ash, but the fruits do not have the wing extending down beyond the seed in the White Ash.
BLACK ASH
Fraxinus nigra Marsh.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly rounded, with many stout, straight branches.
Bark: Light gray, scaly, without diamond-shaped furrows.
Twigs: Stout, gray or brown, smooth; leaf scars elliptic or oval, with several bundle traces arranged in a half moon.
Buds: Conical, blue-black, finely hairy, about one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 7-11 leaflets; leaflets without stalks, lance-shaped, long-pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the sometimes asymmetrical base, up to 6 inches long, less than one-half as wide, toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and with rusty hairs along the veins on the lower surface. The leaflets turn reddish-brown in the autumn.
Flowers: Small, in elongated clusters, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold, purplish, without any petals, some with both stamens and pistils, others only with stamens, others only with pistils.
Fruit: Oblong, winged fruits, barely notched at the tip, up to 1½ inches long, up to one-half inch broad, with a single seed at the base.
Wood: Soft, heavy, dark brown.
Uses: Cabinets, baskets, fence posts.
Habitat: Swampy woods.
Range: Newfoundland across to Manitoba, south to Iowa, central Illinois, West Virginia, and Delaware.
Distinguishing Features: This is the only ash in Illinois where none of the leaflets has stalks.
RED ASH
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown usually pyramidal; trunk straight, rather stout, sometimes slightly buttressed at base.
Bark: Light or dark gray, with diamond-shaped furrows between flat-topped, sometimes scaly ridges.
Twigs: Slender to rather stout, gray or brown, covered by velvety hairs, leaf scars opposite, half-round and straight across the top, with several bundle traces forming a half-moon.
Buds: Rounded, dark brown, finely hairy, about ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 7-9 leaflets; leaflets elliptic to elliptic-ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 6 inches long, about ⅓ as wide, sparsely toothed along the edges, hairy on both surfaces.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on separate trees, appearing after the leaves have begun to open, minute, crowded in purplish or greenish dense clusters.
Fruit: A cluster of paddle-shaped fruits, each fruit up to 2½ inches long and less than ½ inch broad, with a single seed at one end.
Wood: Hard, strong, heavy, coarse-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Tool handles, interior finishing, furniture.
Habitat: Bottomland forests.
Range: Nova Scotia across to North Dakota, south to Kansas, east to Louisiana and northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Red Ash is characterized by its hairy leaf stalks and its narrow wings along the stalks between the leaflets.
GREEN ASH
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½ feet; crown broadly rounded, with slender, spreading branches.
Bark: Light or dark gray, with diamond-shaped furrows between flat-topped, sometimes scaly, ridges.
Twigs: Slender to rather stout, gray or brown, smooth; leaf scars half-round and straight across the top, with several bundle traces forming a half-moon.
Buds: Rounded, dark brown, finely hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 7-9 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped to elliptic, long-pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 6 inches long and one-and-one-half inches wide, toothed along the edges, green and smooth on both surfaces. The leaflets turn reddish-brown or yellowish in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, in branched clusters, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold, small, purplish, without petals.
Fruit: Lance-shaped or reversely lance-shaped, winged fruits, usually rounded at the tip, up to 2½ inches long and less than one-third inch broad, with a single seed at the base.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong, light brown.
Uses: Interior finishing, tool handles, baseball bats; sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Bottomland forests.
Range: Maine across to Saskatchewan and Minnesota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Green Ash has leaflets which are green on both surfaces.
BLUE ASH
Fraxinus quadrangulata Michx.
Other Name: Square-stemmed Ash.
Growth Form: Moderate tree to seventy feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown irregular, with many short, sturdy branches.
Bark: Gray, scaly, without diamond-shaped furrows.
Twigs: Stout, square, gray or brown, smooth; leaf scars half-round and concave across the top, with several bundle traces forming a half-moon.
Buds: Rounded, gray, finely hairy, up to one-half inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately compound, with 5-11 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped, long-pointed at the tip tapering to the sometimes asymmetrical base, up to 6 inches long, less than half as wide, coarsely toothed along the edges, yellowish-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and usually with tufts of hairs along the veins on the lower surface. The leaflets turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Small, in branched clusters, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold, purplish, without any petals.
Fruit: Oblong, winged fruits, notched at the tip, up to 2 inches long and one-half inch broad, with a single seed near the bottom.
Wood: Hard, heavy, yellow-brown.
Uses: Flooring; the inner bark produces a blue dye when placed in water.
Habitat: Wooded slopes, limestone cliffs.
Range: Western Pennsylvania across Wisconsin to Iowa, south to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Alabama; southern Ontario.
Distinguishing Features: The square stems immediately distinguish this tree from any other ash in Illinois.
PUMPKIN ASH
Fraxinus tomentosa Michx. f.
Growth Form: Large tree sometimes nearly 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded, with stout spreading branches.
Bark: Gray, becoming scaly.
Twigs: Stout, gray or brown, usually velvety; leaf scars opposite, horseshoe-shaped, with several bundle traces arranged in a half-moon.
Buds: More or less conical, brown, hairy, about one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, compound, with 7-9 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped to elliptic, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering at the slightly asymmetrical base, up to 10 inches long and about half as wide, smooth or finely toothed along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and velvety-hairy on the lower surface. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, in elongated clusters, appearing before the leaves, small, greenish-purple, without any petals.
Fruit: Oblong, winged fruits, usually rounded at the tip, up to 3 inches long and one-half inch broad, with a single seed near the bottom.
Wood: Heavy, strong, hard, close-grained, brown.
Uses: Boxes, paper pulp, fuel.
Habitat: Floodplains, swamps.
Range: New York across Ohio to southern Illinois and southern Missouri, south to Louisiana, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Pumpkin Ash is the only ash in Illinois with velvety-hairy twigs and usually toothless leaves.
WATER LOCUST
Gleditsia aquatica Marsh.
Growth Form: Small to medium tree to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown widely but irregularly spreading; trunk short and stout.
Bark: Dark gray or dark brown, shallowly furrowed.
Twigs: Slender, gray or brown, smooth, usually with unbranched thorns; leaf scars alternate, more or less 3-lobed, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, nearly hidden beneath the leaf scars, dark brown, smooth, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, both singly and doubly pinnately compound on the same tree, with many leaflets; leaflets oblong to oblong-ovate, rounded or slightly pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, toothless or minutely toothed along the edges, smooth except for some hairs along the veins, up to 1 inch long, about half as wide.
Flowers: Some flowers with both stamens and pistils, others with only one or the other, in elongated clusters up to 4 inches long, greenish, small, appearing in May and June.
Fruit: Short, pointed legumes up to 2 inches long and 1 inch broad, borne several in a drooping cluster, chestnut-brown, smooth, with 1 or 2 seeds and no pulp.
Wood: Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Fence posts, coarse construction.
Habitat: Swampy woods.
Range: North Carolina across to southern Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The short, 1- or 2-seeded legume without pulp differentiates this locust from the Honey Locust.
HONEY LOCUST
Gleditsia triacanthos L.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded, often with dropping outer branches; trunk straight, rather stout, usually with large, purple-brown, 3-parted thorns.
Bark: Dark brown, deeply furrowed and scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, angular, reddish-brown, smooth, zigzag, with 3-parted or unbranched thorns; leaf scars alternate, more or less 3-lobed, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, nearly hidden beneath the leaf scars, dark brown, smooth, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, often doubly pinnately compound, with many leaflets; leaflets oblong to oblong-lanceolate, rounded or slightly pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, minutely toothed along the edges, smooth except for some hairs along the veins, up to 1½ inches long, less than half as wide.
Flowers: Some flowers with both stamens and pistils, others with only one or the other, in elongated clusters up to 3 inches long, yellowish, small, appearing in May and June.
Fruit: Elongated legumes up to 1½ feet long and up to 2 inches wide, flat, often twisted or curved, purple-brown, containing several seeds embedded in a thick pulp.
Wood: Hard, strong, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Fence posts, coarse construction; a spineless form sometimes cultivated.
Habitat: Moist, wooded ravines, thickets, along roads.
Range: New York across to South Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Honey Locust has more leaflets than any other kind of tree in Illinois. The large 3-parted spines and the long fruits are also distinctive.
KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE
Gymnocladus dioicus (L.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 85 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½ feet; crown with a narrow, rounded top; trunk stout, usually branching a few feet above the ground.
Bark: Dark gray, deeply furrowed and scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Stout, dark brown with orange lenticels, slightly hairy; leaf scars alternate, heart-shaped, with 3 or 5 bundle traces; pith chocolate-colored.
Buds: Tiny, sunken in hairy cavities immediately above each leaf scar.
Leaves: Alternate, doubly pinnately compound, with many leaflets; leaflets ovate, pointed at the tip, rounded at the base, up to 2 inches long and about half as broad, without teeth along the edge, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, yellow-green and smooth or hairy on the veins on the lower surface.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on separate trees, in more or less elongated, greenish clusters, appearing after the leaves have unfolded, each flower with 5 oblong, hairy petals.
Fruit: Short, thick legumes up to 10 inches long and up to 2 inches wide, dark brown, leathery, smooth, containing several large seeds embedded in a thick, sweet pulp.
Wood: Heavy, strong, durable, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Fence posts, fuel, rough construction. The seeds can be used as a substitute for coffee.
Habitat: Rich, often bottomland, woods.
Range: New York across to South Dakota, south to Oklahoma, east to Tennessee.
Distinguishing Features: The doubly compound leaves with large leaflets, the short, thick legumes, and the thick twigs with sunken buds readily distinguish this tree. It is one of the last trees to put forth its leaves in the spring.
SILVER BELL
Halesia carolina L.
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown widely spreading.
Bark: Reddish-brown, with whitish stripes, somewhat scaly.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, usually smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with a cluster of bundle scars.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, reddish-brown, somewhat hairy, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to elliptic, pointed at the tip, tapering to rounded at the base, up to 6 inches long, about half as broad, finely toothed along the edges, dark green and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth or slightly hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, smooth or finely hairy, up to ½ inch long.
Flowers: Few in hanging clusters, showy, white, each bell-shaped and up to one inch long, appearing in April.
Fruit: 4-winged, dry, brown, up to 2 inches long, containing 1 seed.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, close-grained, brown.
Use: Occasionally grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: Virginia across southern Illinois to Oklahoma, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The bell-shaped white flowers and the 4-winged fruits readily distinguish this handsome tree.
WITCH HAZEL
Hamamelis virginiana L.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 10 inches; crown broadly rounded.
Bark: Light brown, eventually broken into small scales.
Twigs: Slender, flexible, brown, hairy at first but becoming smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Narrow, pointed, finely hairy, orange-brown, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades obovate, rounded or short-pointed at the tip, rounded or sometimes tapering to the base, up to 6 inches long, sometimes nearly half as broad, usually with several low, rounded teeth, dark green and usually somewhat hairy on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ¾ inch long, slightly hairy.
Flowers: Blooming from September to November, several in a cluster, each with 4 bright yellow, strap-shaped petals up to ⅔ inch long.
Fruit: Capsules up to ½ long, brown, hairy, splitting open during the following autumn to liberate several small, shiny seeds.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, light brown.
Uses: Planted as an ornamental. The astringent witch hazel is derived from this plant.
Habitat: Woodlands.
Range: Southern Quebec across to Minnesota, south to Missouri, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The late-flowering period and the obovate leaves with shallow, rounded teeth characterize the Witch Hazel.
SWAMP HOLLY
Ilex decidua Walt.
Other Name: Possum Haw; Deciduous Holly.
Growth Form: Small tree up to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 inches; crown spreading.
Bark: Light brown, more or less warty.
Twigs: Slender, gray, smooth or slightly hairy, often with short spurs; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, slightly elevated, with 1 bundle trace.
Buds: Rounded, gray, up to ⅛ inch in diameter.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, sometimes clustered at the tips of the short spur-like twigs; blades narrowly oblong to elliptic, short-pointed or rounded at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long, less than ½ as broad, sparsely and finely toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and slightly hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on different trees, appearing in April and May; both types of flowers in few-flowered clusters, greenish or whitish, with usually 4 small petals.
Fruit: Red or rarely orange berries, spherical, up to ¼ inch in diameter, remaining on the tree during the winter.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, whitish.
Use: The handsome berries make this species an attractive ornamental.
Habitat: Bottomland woods.
Range: Maryland across to eastern Kansas, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Swamp Holly is distinguished by its alternate, remotely toothed leaves clustered at the ends of spur-like shoots, and by its red berries.
BUTTERNUT
Juglans cinerea L.
Other Name: White Walnut.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 90 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown flat to broadly rounded; trunk straight, columnar, not buttressed.
Bark: Light gray, divided by deep furrows into broad scaly ridges.
Twigs: Stout, greenish or orange-brown to gray, smooth or hairy, usually shiny, with white lenticels; pith chocolate-colored, divided by partitions; leaf scars alternate, shield-shaped, elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Blunt at the tip, whitish, hairy, soft, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with up to 17 leaflets; leaflets up to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide, broadly lance-shaped, pointed at the tip, rounded at the asymmetrical base, finely toothed along the edges, yellow-green on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface, softly hairy and sometimes sticky.
Flowers: Borne separately but on the same tree, appearing when the leaves are partly grown, the staminate several in thick, yellow-green catkins, the pistillate much fewer in spikes, neither of them with petals.
Fruit: In groups of 2-5, ovoid-oblong, up to 2½ inches long, sticky-hairy, the husk thick, the nut pointed at one end and with well-developed wings, pale brown, the seed sweet.
Wood: Soft, light in weight, coarse-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Furniture, interior finishing; the nut is sought after as a delicacy.
Habitat: Bottomland woods.
Range: New Brunswick across to Minnesota, south to Arkansas, east to Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The Butternut is distinguished by its bark pattern, its chocolate-colored, partitioned pith, and its distinctive fruits.
BLACK WALNUT
Juglans nigra L.
Growth Form: Large tree up to 150 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 feet; crown broadly rounded; trunk straight, columnar, not buttressed at the base.
Bark: Black, thick, deeply furrowed.
Twigs: Stout, greenish or orange-brown, hairy, smooth and gray; pith brown, divided by partitions; leaf scars alternate, shield-shaped, elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: More or less rounded at the tip, pale brown, soft, hairy, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 15-23 leaflets; leaflets up to 3½ inches long and 1½ inches wide, broadly lance-shaped, pointed at the tip, rounded at the asymmetrical base, toothed along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface, turning yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Borne separately but on the same tree, appearing when the leaves are partly grown, the staminate several in thick, yellow-green, hairy catkins, the pistillate much fewer in small spikes, neither of them with petals.
Fruit: In groups of 1 or 2, spherical, up to 2 inches in diameter, green or yellow-green, slightly roughened, the husk thick, the nut very hard, oval, dark brown, deeply ridged, the seed sweet.
Wood: Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, dark brown.
Uses: The wood is used for furniture, interior finishing, cabinets; the nuts are edible.
Habitat: Rich woodlands.
Range: Massachusetts across to Minnesota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Black Walnut is recognized by its characteristic buds, its chambered pith, and its fruits.
RED CEDAR
Juniperus virginiana L.
Other Names: Juniper; Eastern Red Cedar.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 90 feet tall, usually much smaller; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown narrowly pyramidal or broad and rounded.
Bark: Reddish-brown, splitting into long shreds.
Twigs: Slender, brown.
Leaves: Of 2 types, either flat, triangular, opposite, and up to ¹/₁₆ inch long, or short and needle-like, up to ¾ inch long, blue-green to green to yellow-green.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on different trees, the staminate in small, narrow yellowish spikes, the pistillate in small, ovoid, purplish clusters.
Fruit: Berry-like, spherical, up to ¼ inch in diameter, dark blue with a whitish covering, with sweet flesh and 1-2 seeds.
Wood: Durable, light in weight, close-grained, red, fragrant.
Uses: Clothing chests, pencils, fence posts.
Habitat: Fields, dry woods, cliffs.
Range: New Brunswick across to North Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The 2 kinds of leaves readily distinguish this species.
EUROPEAN LARCH
Larix decidua Mill.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 15 inches; crown straight and more or less columnar.
Bark: Light brown, scaly.
Twigs: Moderately stout, yellowish, with numerous conspicuous leaf scars or, when older, with short lateral spurs.
Leaves: Needles borne many in clusters from short spurs, or borne singly on new branchlets, soft, yellow-green, up to about one inch long, somewhat triangular, falling from the tree in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same tree, appearing as the new leaves begin to appear, the staminate in nearly round, yellow heads, the pistillate in oblong, bright red “cones.”
Fruit: Cones oblong, upright, up to 1¼ inches long, containing numerous small, winged seeds.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong, orange-brown.
Use: This tree is sometimes planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Around homes where it has persisted from cultivation.
Range: Native of Europe; infrequently escaped from cultivation in northeastern North America.
Distinguishing Features: The European Larch differs from the American Larch by its slightly longer cones, its yellow-green needles, and its yellower twigs.
AMERICAN LARCH
Larix laricina (DuRoi) Koch
Other Name: Tamarack.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown narrowly pyramidal.
Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into scales.
Twigs: Slender, light brown or orange, smooth; leaf scars alternate, elevated, borne on spurs, with 1 bundle trace.
Buds: Spherical, reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch in diameter.
Leaves: Needles numerous in clusters, soft, up to about 1 inch long, light green, falling away during the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate spherical, yellow, usually not subtended by leaves; pistillate oblong, rose-colored, usually subtended by leaves.
Fruit: Cones oblong, up to ½ inch long, chestnut-brown.
Wood: Heavy, hard, durable, close-grained, orange-brown.
Uses: Fence posts, railroad ties, interior finishing; sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Bogs and swamps.
Range: Labrador to Alaska, south to Minnesota, northern Illinois, and West Virginia.
Distinguishing Features: American Larch is distinguished by its short, pale green needles borne many in a cluster or singly on long shoots.
SWEET GUM
Liquidambar styraciflua L.
Other Name: Red Gum.
Growth Form: Up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter sometimes more than 3 feet; crown usually pyramidal.
Bark: Usually dark gray and broken into scaly ridges.
Twigs: Stout, often bordered by corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-elliptical, slightly elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Large, shiny, pointed, sometimes sticky to the touch.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades shaped like 5- to 7-pointed stars, each point toothed along the edge, as much as six inches long and nearly as broad. In the autumn, the leaves turn a variety of colors, from red to yellow to purple.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on same tree crowded together in rounded clusters, opening at about the same time as the leaves unfold.
Fruit: Dry “ball” about one inch in diameter, covered by numerous short, often sharp projections, with many seeds, most of which are incapable of germinating.
Wood: Hard, strong, durable.
Uses: Lumber, furniture, flooring. The attractive leaves make this tree a handsome ornamental.
Habitat: Bottomland woods.
Range: Southwestern Connecticut across southern Illinois to eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas, east to central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The star-shaped leaves readily distinguish this tree.
TULIP TREE
Liriodendron tulipifera L.
Other Names: Yellow Poplar; Tulip Poplar.
Growth Form: Stately tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown oblong or pyramidal from a long, columnar trunk.
Bark: Grayish, becoming deeply furrowed at maturity; furrows often whitish within.
Twigs: Smooth, reddish-brown; leaf scars alternate, nearly spherical, with several bundle traces, with stipule scars encircling the twig.
Buds: Flattened, up to 1 inch long, resembling duckbills.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades divided into four broad lobes, the upper two lobes usually with a conspicuous notch between them, bright green, averaging 4 to 6 inches long and broad.
Flowers: About two inches long, cup-shaped, with six yellow-green petals with an orange base surrounding a cone-shaped cluster of pistils; opening in May.
Fruit: Dry “cones” about 2½ inches long, composed of several winged seeds.
Wood: Soft, durable.
Uses: Lumber, veneer cores to which other wood can be glued, canoes, frames.
Habitat: Rich soil.
Range: Connecticut and Vermont across to southern Michigan, southwestward across Illinois to Louisiana, east to Central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The shape of the leaf is unlike that of any other tree in Illinois.
OSAGE ORANGE
Maclura pomifera Schneid.
Other Names: Hedge Apple; Bow Wood.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown rounded or dome-shaped, with several rather stout, spreading branches.
Bark: Light gray-brown tinged with orange, separating into shaggy strips.
Twigs: Dull orange-brown, smooth, zigzag, with short, sharp, axillary spines; leaf scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with usually 3 groups of bundle traces.
Buds: Round, reddish-brown, smooth, very tiny.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate or ovate-lanceolate, long-pointed at the tip, narrowed or a little bit heart-shaped at the base, up to 5 inches long and 3½ inches broad, smooth along the edges, green and smooth on both surfaces; leafstalks smooth, up to 2 inches long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, yellow-green, very tiny, the staminate crowded in short clusters on stalks up to 4 inches long, the pistillate crowded into spherical heads on short, stout stalks.
Fruit: Large, spherical, greenish-yellow compound fruit up to 6 inches in diameter, containing many seeds, succulent flesh, and milky sap.
Wood: Heavy, hard, flexible, durable, coarse-grained, orange when first cut, becoming brown.
Uses: Bows, fence posts, railroad ties, tool handles; often planted as a windbreak.
Habitat: Hedge-rows, woods.
Range: Native only in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas; commonly planted elsewhere and often escaped from cultivation.
Distinguishing Features: The Osage Orange is distinguished by its spiny branches, its long-pointed, toothless leaves, its milky sap, and its large, spherical, yellow-green fruits.
CUCUMBER MAGNOLIA
Magnolia acuminata L.
Other Name: Cucumber Tree.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown broadly rounded or pyramidal.
Bark: Gray or brown, with shallow furrows when older.
Twigs: Rather stout, reddish-brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, with several scattered bundle traces.
Buds: Silvery-white, hairy, up to nearly 1 inch long, with a single bud scale.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades usually elliptic, short-pointed at the apex, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 10 inches long and more than half as broad, entire along the edges, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and sometimes hairy on the lower surface.
Flowers: Greenish-yellow, up to 3 inches long, with usually 6 elongated, pointed petals, appearing in April.
Fruit: Oblong fruits up to 3 inches long, deep red, with several seeds. Young fruits look like small cucumbers, thus accounting for the common name. The fruits ripen from late August to October.
Wood: Light weight, soft, pale brown.
Uses: Cabinets, flooring.
Habitat: Rich woodlands.
Range: New York to southern Illinois and Oklahoma, south to Louisiana and Georgia, also southern Ontario.
Distinguishing Features: The large toothless leaves are distinctive from leaves of all other Illinois trees except the Tupelo Gum, a tree of swamps which usually had 1-3 coarse teeth along the edges of each leaf. The silvery buds are also distinctive, as are the flowers and fruits.
NARROW-LEAVED CRAB APPLE
Malus angustifolia (Ait.) Michx.
Growth Form: Small tree to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 9 inches; crown spreading.
Bark: Reddish-brown, deeply furrowed, scaly.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown or pale brown, smooth, sometimes spur-like; leaf scars alternate, narrow, curved, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, brown, up to ¹/₁₆ inch in diameter, finely hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to oblong, rounded or pointed at the tip, narrowed to the base, to 2 inches long, less than half as broad, toothed along the edges, seldom shallowly lobed, green and smooth on the upper surface, a little paler and smooth or sparsely hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, up to 1 inch long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Showy, up to 1 inch across, on long stalks, usually 3 or more in a cluster, with 5 narrow, rose petals, appearing during May and June.
Fruit: Apples up to 1 inch across, yellow-green, edible.
Wood: Heavy, close-grained, brown.
Use: The fruit is used in making jelly.
Habitat: Rather moist woods.
Range: Maryland across to southern Missouri, south to Louisiana, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: This crab apple is distinguished by its narrow leaves which are usually unlobed.
PRAIRIE CRAB APPLE
Malus coronaria (L.) Mill.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown widely spreading.
Bark: Gray-brown to red-brown, with rather deep furrows between the scales.
Twigs: Moderately stout, reddish-brown, often spurlike, sometimes spiny, usually smooth at maturity; leaf scars alternate, narrow, curved, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, reddish, about ¼ inch in diameter, smooth or nearly so.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval, rounded to short-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long, about half as broad, toothed along the edges and sometimes slightly lobed, yellow-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, up to 2 inches long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Showy, up to 1½ inches across, on long stalks, usually 3 or more in a cluster, with 5 rounded, white or pinkish petals, appearing during May and June.
Fruit: Apples up to 1 inch across, yellow-green, edible.
Wood: Heavy, close-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Wood is used for tool handles; crab apples used in making jelly.
Habitat: Woods; edge of fields; edge of prairies.
Range: New York and southern Ontario across to Wisconsin, south to Kansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Distinguishing Features: The Prairie Crab Apple differs from the Narrow-leaved Crab Apple by its broader leaves and from the Iowa Crab Apple by its usually less-lobed leaves and smooth flowers.
IOWA CRAB APPLE
Malus ioensis (Wood) Britt.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown spreading.
Bark: Reddish-brown, scaly.
Twigs: Moderately stout, reddish-brown, sometimes spiny, usually somewhat hairy at maturity; leaf scars alternate, narrow, curved, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, reddish-brown, less than ⅛ inch in diameter, finely hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to oval, rounded or pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 4½ inches long and less than half as broad, toothed along the edges and often shallowly lobed, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, yellow-green and usually somewhat hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, up to 1 inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Showy, up to 2 inches across, on long stalks, usually 3 or more in a cluster, with 5 rounded, white or rose petals, appearing during May and June.
Fruit: Apples up to 1¾ inches across, yellow-green, edible.
Wood: Heavy, close-grained, brown.
Use: The fruit is used in making jelly.
Habitat: Edges of prairies and fields.
Range: Wisconsin and Minnesota, south to Nebraska, Texas, and Louisiana.
Distinguishing Features: The Iowa Crab Apple is distinguished from the other crab apples in the state by the greater frequency of lobed leaves and by its hairy flowers.
WHITE MULBERRY
Morus alba L.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly rounded, with many short branchlets.
Bark: Light brown, sometimes tinted with orange, divided into long, scaly plates.
Twigs: Slender, yellowish, smooth or sometimes hairy, more or less zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with numerous bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, reddish-brown, smooth, about ⅙ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, short-pointed at the tip, rounded or cut straight across at the base, up to 5 inches long and nearly as broad, coarsely round-toothed, sometimes 2-lobed, sometimes 3-lobed, sometimes deeply several-lobed, sometimes unlobed, green and smooth to the touch on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface, except for a few hairs sometimes on the veins; leafstalks up to 2 inches long, smooth.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately, either on the same tree or on different trees, appearing as the leaves unfold, the staminate crowded into narrow green clusters up to 2 inches long, the pistillate crowded into short, thick spikes up to 1 inch long.
Fruit: A cluster of tiny drupes up to 1¼ inches long, white or pinkish, more rarely red or purple, sweet, juicy.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, orange-brown.
Uses: Fence posts; the fruit is edible.
Habitat: Woods, along roads, in disturbed areas.
Range: Native of Asia; naturalized from Maine to Minnesota, south to Texas, east to Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The White Mulberry lacks hairs on the lower surface of the leaves (except sometimes along the veins), thus differing from the Red Mulberry.
RED MULBERRY
Morus rubra L.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly rounded, with many short branchlets.
Bark: Dark brown, divided into long, scaly plates.
Twigs: Slender, smooth or sometimes hairy, reddish-brown to dark brown, more or less zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with numerous bundle traces.
Buds: Pointed, brown, smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades mostly ovate, abruptly pointed at the apex, more or less heart-shaped at the base, up to 6 inches long and sometimes nearly as broad, coarsely toothed, sometimes 2-lobed, sometimes 3-lobed, often unlobed, green and usually rough to the touch on the upper surface, paler and with short white hairs on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 1½ inches long, smooth at maturity. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately, either on the same tree or on different trees, appearing as the leaves unfold, the staminate crowded into narrow, green clusters up to 2 inches long, the pistillate crowded into short, thick spikes up to 1 inch long.
Fruit: A cluster of tiny drupes up to 1½ inches long, at first red, becoming purple or nearly black, rarely remaining pale, sweet, juicy.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, durable, coarse-grained, orange-brown.
Uses: Fence posts and barrels; the fruit is edible.
Habitat: Woods, particularly along streams.
Range: Vermont across to Minnesota and South Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Red Mulberry differs from White Mulberry in the presence of some hairs on the lower surface of the leaves.
TUPELO GUM
Nyssa aquatica L.
Other Names: Swamp Tupelo; Water Tupelo; Cotton Gum.
Growth Form: Large tree up to 85 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet, often swollen at the base; crown spreading, with numerous branchlets.
Bark: Light gray to dark gray to brown, broken into thin scales.
Twigs: Stout, more or less angular, gray or brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, broadly U-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded, smooth, about ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oblong to somewhat ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering to rounded to even heart-shaped at the base, up to 8 inches long and about half as broad, the edges smooth or with a few coarse teeth, dark green, shiny, smooth or somewhat hairy on the upper surface, paler and soft-hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks stout, up to 3 inches long, hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold, greenish, small, the staminate several in spherical clusters, the pistillate solitary on long stalks arising from the leaf axils.
Fruit: Fleshy, oblong, dark purple with pale speckles, up to 1 inch long, bitter, 1-seeded, ripening in September.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, close-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Paper pulp, broom handles, floors.
Habitat: Swamps and low woods.
Range: Virginia to southern Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Tupelo Gum is characterized by its large, irregularly toothed leaves and its oblong, purple fruits.
SOUR GUM
Nyssa sylvatica Marsh.
Other Name: Black Gum.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown rounded, often with many small, drooping branchlets.
Bark: Brown to black, often broken up into squarish blocks.
Twigs: Rather stout, reddish-brown, smooth, sometimes zigzag; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces. The pith is continuous but marked with distinct partitions.
Buds: Short-pointed, yellowish or reddish, smooth, about ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades abruptly pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the base, up to 6 inches long and usually about half as wide, smooth or with a few coarse teeth along the edges, dark green, shiny, and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and usually somewhat hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 1½ inches long, smooth or sparsely hairy. The leaves turn scarlet in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, appearing after the leaves begin to unfold, greenish, very small, the staminate several in spherical clusters, the pistillate 2-several on long stalks arising from the leaf axils.
Fruit: Fleshy, oval, dark blue, up to ⅔ inch long, bitter, 1-seeded, ripening in October.
Wood: Heavy, strong, soft, not durable, pale yellow.
Uses: Pulpwood, gun-stocks, flooring; sometimes used as an ornamental.
Habitat: Dry wooded slopes, low woods.
Range: Maine across to Michigan and Wisconsin, south to Missouri and Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Sour Gum is easily confused with Persimmon, but differs by its leaves which are abruptly short-pointed at the tip, and by its twigs which have continuous pith marked by distinct partitions.
HOP HORNBEAM
Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K. Koch
Other Name: Ironwood.
Growth Form: Small tree up to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown usually rounded.
Bark: Brown and scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, sometimes hairy, tough to break; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, slightly elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Small, pointed at the tip.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to ovate, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 5 inches long, finely doubly toothed, green and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and usually slightly hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ¼ inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately but on the same tree. The staminate catkins are on the tree through the winter before opening in late April or May.
Fruit: Nutlets enclosed by an inflated bladder, crowded together in a cluster resembling hops.
Wood: Hard, strong, durable.
Use: Tool handles.
Habitat: Upland woods; rocky slopes; along streams.
Range: Nova Scotia across to Manitoba and northeastern Wyoming, south to eastern Texas and northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Blue Beech, with similar leaves, differs by its scaly bark. Elms, which also have somewhat similar leaves, usually have their leaves asymmetrical at the base.
PRINCESS TREE
Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud.
Other Name: Paulownia.
Growth Form: Small to medium tree to 45 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown rounded.
Bark: Gray, more or less smooth.
Twigs: Stout, grayish, finely hairy; leaf scars opposite, nearly spherical but with a notch at the top, with many bundle traces in a ring.
Buds: Half-round, minutely hairy.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades mostly heart-shaped, tapering to a short point at the tip, up to about 10 inches long and nearly as broad, smooth along the edges, minutely hairy on both surfaces.
Flowers: Large, showy, fragrant, several in a large cluster, appearing in late April or early May, the clusters sometimes a foot long, each flower up to 2 inches long, the petals violet with yellow stripes.
Fruit: Ovoid capsules up to 1½ inches long, pointed at the tip, brown, containing numerous winged seeds.
Use: Popular as an ornamental because of its handsome flowers.
Habitat: Along roads, around home sites.
Range: Native of Asia; occasionally escaped in the eastern United States.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves of the Princess Tree resemble those of the Catalpa, but they are always opposite and never in whorls. The violet flowers and the short, ovid capsules further distinguish the Princess Tree.
JACK PINE
Pinus banksiana Lamb.
Other Names: Gray Pine; Scrub Pine.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 75 feet tall in some parts of the United States; trunk diameter up to 2½ feet; crown open but often irregular.
Bark: Reddish-brown, rough and scaly.
Twigs: Slender, dark brown, becoming roughened.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of 2, stiff, curved, up to 1½ inches long, dark green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several yellow spikes up to ½ inch long; pistillate crowded into few to several purple clusters.
Fruit: Cones oblong, curved, upright, up to 2 inches long, each scale comprising the cone bearing a small curved prickle; seeds triangular, up to ¹/₁₂ inch long, with a wing up to ⅓ inch long.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, reddish-brown.
Uses: Railroad ties, fence posts, fuel, pulpwood.
Habitat: Rocky woods.
Range: Quebec across to Yukon, south to Minnesota, northern Illinois, and New York, Nova Scotia.
Distinguishing Features: The Jack Pine is distinguished by its short, stiff, curved needles in clusters of 2 and by its short, curved cones.
SHORTLEAF PINE
Pinus echinata Mill.
Other Name: Yellow Pine.
Growth Form: Large tree to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown pyramidal or rounded.
Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into large plates.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, becoming shreddy.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of both 2 and 3 on the same tree, flexible, up to 5 inches long, dark green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several pale purple spikes up to ¾ inch long; pistillate in groups of 1-3, rose-colored.
Fruit: Cones 1-3 in a group, ovoid, up to 2½ inches long, each scale comprising the cone often bearing a small sharp prickle on the back; seeds triangular; less than ¼ inch long, with an asymmetrical curved wing up to ½ inch long.
Wood: Hard, heavy, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Interior finishing, paper pulp, construction.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes; widely planted in a variety of sites.
Range: Southern New York across Pennsylvania and southern Illinois to Oklahoma, south to Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Shortleaf Pine is distinguished by its needles which may be in clusters of 2 and 3 on the same tree.
RED PINE
Pinus resinosa Ait.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 150 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 3 feet; crown pyramidal.
Bark: Reddish-brown, divided irregularly into plates.
Twigs: Stout, reddish-brown, becoming roughened.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of 2, flexible, up to 6 inches long, dark green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several purple spikes up to ½ inch long; pistillate crowded into fewer scarlet clusters.
Fruit: Cones ovoid, mostly straight, up to 2 inches long, each scale comprising the cone without any prickles; seeds triangular, up to ⅛ inch long, with a wing up to ¾ inch long.
Wood: Rather hard, heavy, close-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Ships, bridges, general construction.
Habitat: Dry, rocky woods.
Range: Newfoundland across to Manitoba, south to Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; also north-central Illinois and West Virginia.
Distinguishing Features: The Red Pine is distinguished by its dark green needles usually clustered near the tips of the twigs.
WHITE PINE
Pinus strobus L.
Growth Form: Tall tree well over 100 feet tall in some regions of the United States; trunk diameter sometimes in excess of 3 feet; crown pyramidal.
Bark: Brown, divided into broad ridges by shallow fissures.
Twigs: Slender, orange-brown, smooth or slightly hairy.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of 5, very flexible, up to 5 inches long, blue-green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several yellow spikes up to ⅓ inch long; pistillate crowded into fewer groups, pink to purple.
Fruit: Cones oblong, curved, drooping, up to 8 inches long, each scale comprising the cone lacking any prickles; seeds narrowly oblong, up to ¼ inch long, with a wing up to ¾ inch long.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, light brown.
Uses: Interior finishing, construction.
Habitat: Moist woods, wooded slopes.
Range: Newfoundland across to Manitoba, south to Iowa, northern Illinois, and in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The soft, blue-green needles in clusters of 5 readily distinguish the White Pine.
SCOTCH PINE
Pinus sylvestris L.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 65 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown irregular.
Bark: Large branches reddish-brown, broken into plates.
Twigs: Slender, brown, roughened.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of 2, stiff, to 3 inches long, gray-green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several yellow spikes up to ½ inch long; pistillate crowded into 1 to several clusters.
Fruit: Cones narrowly ovoid, to 2½ inches long, each scale comprising the cone without any prickles.
Uses: Often planted as an ornamental, Christmas trees.
Habitat: Planted in plantations in Illinois, rarely escaped.
Range: Native of Europe; widely planted in the eastern United States.
Distinguishing Features: The rather short, stiff, gray-green needles in clusters of 2 distinguish this pine.
LOBLOLLY PINE
Pinus taeda L.
Other Name: Old-field Pine.
Growth Form: Large tree sometimes over 125 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown rounded.
Bark: Reddish-brown, divided into irregular plates.
Twigs: Slender, brown, becoming roughened.
Leaves: Needles in clusters of 3 or occasionally 2, stiff, up to 9 inches long, light green.
Flowers: Staminate crowded into several yellow spikes up to ½ inch long; pistillate crowded into 1 to several yellow clusters.
Fruit: Cones ovoid to oblong, mostly straight, up to 6 inches long, each scale comprising the cone with a short, sharp prickle; seeds rounded, up to ¼ inch long, with a wing up to 1 inch long.
Wood: Weak, brittle, coarse-grained, yellow-brown.
Uses: Pulpwood, construction.
Habitat: Planted in plantations in Illinois, rarely escaped.
Range: New Jersey to Tennessee, south across Arkansas to eastern Texas, east to central Florida; not native in Illinois.
Distinguishing Features: The Loblolly Pine is distinguished by its stiff, long needles usually in clusters of 3 and by its long cones. It is similar to Shortleaf Pine but has longer needles and cones.
WATER ELM
Planera aquatica Gmel.
Other Name: Planer-tree.
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 10 inches; crown broadly rounded, with slender branchlets.
Bark: Gray or pale brown, smooth at first but later splitting into large scales.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown to gray, usually smooth; leaf scars alternate, nearly circular, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, pointed, brownish, smooth or somewhat hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades lance-ovate, rounded or somewhat pointed at the tip, tapering to the usually asymmetrical base, up to 3 inches long, less than half as broad, regularly coarsely toothed, smooth or a little roughened on the upper surface at maturity, smooth or hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, finely hairy.
Flowers: Of three kinds, all on the same tree, appearing after the leaves have begun to expand, greenish-yellow, without petals, the staminate in several small clusters, the pistillate and perfect in drooping clusters of 1-3 flowers.
Fruit: Oblong, fleshy, up to ½ inch long, with warts irregularly scattered over the surface, pale brown.
Wood: Soft, light in weight, close-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Fence posts, fuel.
Habitat: Swampy areas.
Range: North Carolina across southern Illinois to southeastern Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Water Elm resembles other native elms in Illinois, but has only single-toothed leaves. The warty fruits are also distinctive.
SYCAMORE
Platanus occidentalis L.
Other Names: Buttonwood; Plane-tree.
Growth Form: Large tree sometimes more than 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 feet; crown broad, often irregular.
Bark: Reddish-brown when young, quickly breaking into thin, flat scales, falling away in sections to expose large patches of whitish or greenish inner bark.
Twigs: Smooth, light brown, somewhat zigzag; leaf scars alternate, encircling the buds, somewhat elevated, with 5-7 bundle traces.
Buds: Light brown, pointed, about one-fourth inch long, entirely covered by the base of the leafstalk. When the leaves fall off, exposing the buds, they leave a scar which surrounds the base of each bud.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades circular in outline but divided into 3 or 5 shallow, sharp-pointed lobes, heart-shaped or cut straight across at the base, up to 7 inches long (longer on vigorous shoots) and often as broad, bright green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface except for the sparsely hairy veins; leafstalks to 5 inches long, slightly hairy; stipules, resembling the leaves but only about an inch long, often persist near the base of the leafstalks.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne separately but on the same tree, minute, crowded together in dense, round heads.
Fruit: Round light brown heads, about one inch in diameter, on long drooping stalks, containing many small seeds surrounded by hairs.
Wood: Hard and strong.
Uses: Furniture, interior finishing. Sometimes planted as an ornamental because of its rapid growth and unusual bark.
Habitat: Bottomlands, along streams, around lakes and ponds.
Range: Maine across southern Wisconsin to eastern Nebraska, south to eastern Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The large palmately lobed leaves and the brown and gray mottled bark readily distinguish this tree.
WHITE POPLAR
Populus alba L.
Other Names: Silver-leaved Poplar; Abele.
Growth Form: Moderate tree to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly rounded but often irregular.
Bark: Grayish to whitish, at first smooth, later becoming deeply fissured and very dark gray to nearly black.
Twigs: Greenish-gray, white-hairy at least when young; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, hairy, up to ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades usually ovate, with a few broad teeth along the edges, bluntly pointed at the tip, cut straight across or a little heart-shaped at the base, up to 4 inches long, dark green on the upper surface, silvery-hairy or white-wooly on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 3 inches long, densely hairy, not flat.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, crowded together in catkins, appearing when the leaves unfold.
Fruit: Often curved, flask-shaped capsules, greenish, hairy, up to ¼ inch long, containing many seeds with cottony hairs attached.
Wood: Light weight, soft.
Use: Grown as an ornamental because of its silvery leaves.
Habitat: Along roads, around old homesteads.
Range: Native of Europe and Asia; frequently planted and escaped from cultivation in the United States.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves, with their silvery or white-wooly under-surface and their few broad teeth, provided the best means of identifying this tree.
COTTONWOOD
Populus deltoides Marsh.
Growth Form: Large rapidly growing tree up to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to eight feet; crown spreading or broadly rounded, with some drooping branches. The largest tree in Illinois, in Grundy County, is a Cottonwood measuring twenty-eight feet six inches in circumference.
Bark: Smooth and gray when young, becoming furrowed at maturity.
Twigs: Yellow-green, gray, or tan, smooth, moderately stout, with numerous pale “dots”; leaf scars alternate, triangular, with 3 large bundle traces.
Buds: Lance-shaped, long-pointed, up to ½ inch long, sticky, chestnut-colored.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades to 5 inches long and often nearly as broad, triangular, abruptly pointed at the tip, cut straight across or even slightly heart-shaped at the base, with coarse rounded teeth along the edges, green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface; leafstalks to 4 inches long, smooth, often yellow, flat.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, the staminate crowded in rather thick, reddish catkins, the pistillate crowded in narrower, greenish-yellow catkins, both sexes appearing before the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Elliptic, greenish-brown capsules up to ¼ inch long, grouped in elongated clusters, containing numerous seeds with cottony hairs attached.
Wood: Light weight, soft, readily warping.
Uses: Pulpwood, fuel.
Habitat: Bottomland woods, along streams.
Range: New Hampshire across to southeastern North Dakota, south central Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Cottonwood is easily recognized by its triangular leaves with flattened leafstalks. The cottony seeds, when the fruits are mature, are also distinctive.
BIG-TOOTH ASPEN
Populus grandidentata Michx.
Other Name: Large-tooth Aspen.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown rounded.
Bark: Grayish-green, smooth at first, becoming shallowly fissured and broken up into thin scales.
Twigs: Grayish-green, with numerous orange “dots,” hairy when young but becoming smooth; leaf scars alternate, raised, 3-lobed, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, chestnut-brown, somewhat hairy, up to one-eighth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades nearly circular in outline, short-pointed at the tip, rounded at the base, up to 5 inches long, nearly as broad, with several rather coarse teeth along the edges, green on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface, smooth when mature; leafstalks up to 3 inches long, flat, enabling the leaf to rustle even in gentle breezes.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, crowded together in catkins up to 5 inches long, appearing as the leaves unfold.
Fruit: Long, narrow, flask-shaped, green, slightly hairy capsules, grouped in elongated clusters, containing many seeds with cottony hairs attached.
Wood: Light weight, soft, pale brown.
Use: Pulpwood.
Habitat: Wooded slopes, edges of woods.
Range: Quebec across to Manitoba, south to central Illinois, east to Maryland; Kentucky and north-central Tennessee east to western North Carolina.
Distinguishing Features: The coarsely toothed, tremoring leaves and the grayish-green trunks combine to make this a tree easy to recognize.
SWAMP COTTONWOOD
Populus heterophylla L.
Other Name: Swamp Poplar.
Growth Form: Up to 90 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown very irregular, with a few, large, upright branches.
Bark: Gray or brown, smooth when young, becoming scaly ridged at maturity.
Twigs: Rather stout, smooth or hairy, reddish; leaf scars alternate, 3-lobed, each with 3 bundle traces; pith 5-angled.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, dark brown, sticky, up to one-half inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, rounded or bluntly pointed at the tip, heart-shaped at the base, up to 8 inches long, up to 6 inches broad, with rounded teeth along the edges, green on the upper surface, paler on the lower surface, densely white-woolly when young, becoming essentially smooth at maturity; leafstalks to 4 inches long, smooth or sparsely hairy, not flattened.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, the staminate crowded in thick catkins up to 4 inches long, the pistillate in slender catkins up to 6 inches long, both appearing before the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Ovoid, reddish-brown capsules up to ½ inch long, grouped in elongated clusters, containing numerous seeds with cottony hairs attached.
Wood: Light weight, soft, pale brown.
Uses: Pulpwood, fuel, interior finishing.
Habitat: Swamps, low woods.
Range: Connecticut to southern Michigan, southwestward across southern Illinois to central Louisiana, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The broad, heart-shaped, toothed leaves readily distinguish the Swamp Cottonwood from other trees in Illinois.
QUAKING ASPEN
Populus tremuloides Michx.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown rounded or occasionally spreading.
Bark: Pale yellow-green or white, becoming grayish and divided into dark scaly ridges at maturity.
Twigs: Pale yellow-green or white, slender, smooth; leaf scars alternate, crescent-shaped, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Lance-shaped, short-pointed, smooth, sticky, up to ⅓ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate to nearly round, short-pointed at the apex, rounded at the base, up to 4 inches long, nearly as broad, with many small round teeth along the edges, green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, not shiny on the lower surface; leafstalks to 3 inches long, smooth, flat. The flat leafstalks allow for the leaves to tremor at the slightest wind.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne on separate trees, the staminate crowded in catkins up to 4 inches long, the pistillate crowded in catkins up to 6 inches long.
Fruit: Narrow, flask-shaped, green capsules up to ¼ inch long, grouped in elongated clusters, containing numerous seeds with cottony hairs attached.
Wood: Light weight, soft, pale brown.
Use: Pulpwood.
Habitat: Edge of woods, thickets.
Range: Newfoundland to Alaska, south to California and New Mexico and Texas, east across Missouri and Tennessee to New Jersey.
Distinguishing Features: The whitish trunk and the ovate, trembling leaves serve to distinguish this species.
WILD PLUM
Prunus americana Marsh.
Other Name: American Plum.
Growth Form: Small tree to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown broad, often irregular.
Bark: Dark gray to brown, rough and scaly.
Twigs: Slender, brown, speckled with many dots, smooth or hairy; leaf scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, pointed, reddish-brown, smooth or hairy, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to ovate, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 4 inches long and less than half as broad, finely toothed along the edges, the teeth not glandular, green and smooth or hairy on the upper surface, paler and smooth or hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, up to 1 inch long, sometimes with 1 or 2 glands near the upper end, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Showy, several in a cluster, up to 1 inch across, with 5 white or pinkish petals, appearing before or as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Spherical or nearly so, up to 1 inch in diameter, red or covered with a whitish wax, juicy, sweet, 1-seeded.
Wood: Hard, close-grained, brown.
Uses: The fruits are used in making jelly and preserves.
Habitat: Woods, thickets.
Range: Southern Ontario to Manitoba, south to New Mexico, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Wild Plum differs from other plums in Illinois by the absence of glands on the teeth of the leaves. The Wild Plum may have either smooth or hairy leaves and twigs.
WILD GOOSE PLUM
Prunus hortulana Bailey
Growth Form: Small tree to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown broad and rounded.
Bark: Gray or brown, becoming scaly at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, elevated, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, rounded at the tip, reddish-brown, smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oblong to oval, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 6 inches long and about ⅓ as broad, finely toothed along the edge, the teeth gland-tipped, green and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and sometimes hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks slender, up to 1 inch long, with 1-several glands, smooth or sparsely hairy.
Flowers: Showy, several in a cluster, up to 1 inch across, with 5 white petals, appearing after the leaves are partly grown.
Fruit: Spherical or nearly so, up to 1 inch in diameter, red or rarely yellowish, fleshy but hard, bitter, 1-seeded.
Wood: Hard, close-grained, brown.
Habitat: Edges of woods, thickets.
Range: Indiana to Iowa, south to Oklahoma, east to Alabama.
Distinguishing Features: Wild Goose Plum flowers when its leaves are partly grown, thereby distinguishing it from the Wild Plum which blooms before or as the leaves begin to unfold.
