Sometimes, people simply have a heightened ecological conscience and just want to know. Although this guide was written and designed for upper elementary audiences, it will help anyone with an interest in tree identification become better acquainted with some of the most important trees in the state. More than 100 different species of trees grow in Michigan, with about 64 species being the most common trees found in the state. The white spruce has smooth "branchlets" with foul-smelling needles, while the black spruce has hairy branchlets with pleasantly scented, shorter needles. American Forests. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential. (Poplar) Eastern Cottonwood Leaf Autumn Color. But, depending on their location, they can be just as spectacular as their cousin varieties. Black walnut trees have dark gray to black bark, and oak trees have a light gray bark. Leaves are oval shaped and come to a tip. Go to Learn about Michigan's species Learn about Michigan's diverse range of fish, plants, trees, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. This tree is native to Europe. Dr. Moss Paperback 2 offers from $11.99 Editorial Reviews About the Author Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the originator of the popular state-specific field guide series. Sugar Maple Leaves These two leaves are from the same tree, an example of the wide variations in leaf shapes among species. The Hemlocks needles are half an inch long, while the Balsam fir trees needles are just a bit longer. The edges of the leaf are serrated or toothed as opposed to being smooth. Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis jacquemontii) (Image credit: Getty Images) If you're looking for the birch trees with the whitest bark, then the Himalayan birch is the tree for you. To identify the white and black spruce trees, look for Michigan conifers with singular needles that dont grow in bundles and have four sides to each needle. 8. Look for simple, opposite leaves that arent lobed, are heart-shaped and large to identify the Catalpa tree. The more mature the tree, the deeper the furrows and grooves in the bark, and the easier to pull off flakes. Michigan Tree Bark | Etsy Check out our michigan tree bark selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Other ways to identify this tree when the leaves fall off are by its long pointed winter buds. Conifers have needle-like or scale-like, almost always evergreen leaves, while broadleaf trees have flat, broad leaves that are usually deciduous in Michigan, falling from the trees in the fall. Click on images of bark to enlarge. The aspens leaves are also medium-green, but unlike the cottonwood they turn orange or reddish in the fall. The entire base of the leaves is coarsely toothed with 20-25 rounded teeth per side. It is often mistaken for ash tree bark. Learn to identify Michigan trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. The wood is often used for pulp and firewood. The thorns usually have three points, but can have many more, especially on the trunk. Here are eight identifying tree bark characteristics you'll want to keep in mind. Oak trees are a group of hardwood trees categorized into two families, both possessing large leaves measuring 5 to 9 inches (12 to 22 cm) long. They are normally twisted. I imagine it was cool to work for the US Forest Service. Identifying those Michigan trees that put on spectacular shows of autumnal color. Similar to cultivated poplars, but with arched, decurved branches. Tree identification - MSU Extension trend www.canr.msu.edu. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below. Although most of the leaves have fallen, the dormant season can be the easiest time to identify trees with a bit of practice. Lenticels come in many different shapes, sizes, and even colors. Check out more on White Oak trees here from the Michigan DNR. We have these species in our neighborhood and backyard in Illinois. The trunk of open-grown trees is usually crooked and low-branching; the trunks in forest stands are slender, relatively straight, and free of lower branches; branches are few, large, crooked, and form a rather spreading, oblong or rounded crown. This tree is named for its flower, which is tulip-like in shape, colored greenish-yellow with an orange band in the interior, and very attractive to bees. The species' scientific name refers to the US state of Maryland. Wm_Keith_Farquhar. Photo 2: Basal bark treatment spraying lower 12-18 inches of stem. There's a tree in the yard that we can't identify. To identify the white and black spruce trees, look for Michigan conifers with singular needles that don't grow in bundles and have four sides to each needle. If the site is upland, its probably white spruce. How To Identify. Forests are a critical feature of Michigans landscape. But don't forget about the tree's bark. Kathi Mirto (author) from Fennville on November 06, 2020: Thank you Viet, so glad it brought back those fond memories for you. Michigan is the western edge of its range and it can be found in almost every county except for the western side of the Upper Peninsula. Medium to large tree up to 72 feet (22 m) high. I was initially confused when trying to identify several species of majestic oaks, but the following information helped clear some things up. The upper sides of the leaves are a dark green and the undersides are a bit paler. Trees with acorns are one of several oaks. Occasionally, they are found in swamps, gullies, and small depressions of slow drainage. Honestly, there is no best method when trying to identify tree species, but some methods are more reliable than others. The sassafras, yellow poplar, cottonwood, aspen, Balsam poplar, mulberry and sycamore trees all have leaves that are as wide as they are long. It is called a fire species because historically, wildfires swept through jack pine stands and prepared the ground for a new stand. This is common to sycamore, birch, and maple trees, to name a few species. Largetooth aspen. The acorns on a red oak have a saucer-shaped cup, which is the top of the acorn. Ulmus Thomasii A Top 100 Common Tree in North America. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The Eastern Cottonwood or Poplar tree autumn leaves typically turn golden brown to deep golden-yellow. In May 2009, the first cases of EAB were found in Minnesota within Saint Paul. DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. To help you identify what you're looking at, we've created a tree guide with information from the Michigan DNR. When comparing the white oak leaf to the red oak, it is easy to tell the difference because the red oak has pointed leaf tips. Sycamore's buds are arranged in opposite pairs. The leaves are commonly seen with 3 lobes, but they can have up to 5. Eastern hemlock is a coniferous tree in the pine family (Pinaceae). The bark of young Sycamore trees is usually smooth and silvery-grey but sometimes brown. Look for simple, alternate leaves without lobes that are equal on both sides of the midrib, but that have finely or doubly serrated leaf edges if you want to identify cherry, willow or birch trees. Tree Identification Field Guide Our illustrated, step-by-step process makes it easy to identify a tree simply by the kinds of leaves it produces. Darren Bagley Some species, like white ash, can have ridges and furrows that intersect. Choose Your Region What Tree is That? To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. It can be difficult to keep track of the various colors, but sometimes the name of the tree will give you a hint. If a tree has a very rough bark, take a look at its ridges and furrows. Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on November 06, 2020: So beautiful! In the photo above, the middle-tree trunk shows gill-like patterns, a tell-tale sign it's Red Maple, but not all Red Maple trees will display those markings. Young trees sometimes have smooth bark that's unbroken by ridges. The bark of a bitternut is light grayish-brown, and does not split deeply enough to flake. The seed fruit of the Red Maple tree (which many people call "helicopters"), has a characteristic horseshoe shape identical to other maple tree varieties, including Sugar Maples and Silver Maples. The sugar maples leaves turn yellow, orange, or red in the fall. Over 100 kinds of trees are native. There are various ways to classify trees. They are flat and attached to a small peg on the stem. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Height/spread: Offering a similar vase shape to American elm, this tree can grow to a height of 40 to 50 feet, although most landscape specimens reach 15-20 ft. Colors vary from reddish brown to dark brown; some have dark stripes. Depauw Nature Park Field Guide To Trees. Because there are only about a dozen common conifers (only four are pines!) Leaves are a popular way to learn tree species, and theyre a good technique during the growing season. Like many species, it goes by serval distinct common names, sometimes leading to confusion, including: quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, mountain or golden aspen, trembling poplar, white poplar, and popple, as well as a few others. Not quiteWojtech explained that the trees' wood is growing faster than the bark surrounding it, so the tree itself pushes outward against the bark. Flower: This is another way to cross-reference a tree's identity, but again, the flowering season is short-lived. The females are the culprits spreading their fuzzy cotton seeds that can get stuck in air conditioners and cover lawns like snow. The cherry and willow trees have finely-serrated leaf margins, while the white, gray and yellow birch trees have doubly serrated leaf edges. petersog@msu.edu, Laura Quist Older trees are often pollarded. Sassafras trees are known to repel mosquitoes and other insects. There are several varieties of White Oak trees, all of which have lobed leaves with rounded margins lacking bristles on the very tips. The leaf of a white oak has lobed leaf margins and the tips of the leaf are rounded. This phenomenon is also true for their cousin species, the Cottonwood. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. The red maple is an extremely common species found throughout all of Michigan. Number of Tree city USA communities: 120. The trunk is sometimes crooked. The most outstanding feature of the Sassafras tree is the three distinctly shaped leaves growing on the same tree and even on the same branch, making them easy to identify. Paper Birch trees are also known as American White Birch and Canoe Birch. It is easily identified by its white paper like bark. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. If the leaves are simple, opposite, oval-shaped and small or medium-sized, they belong to a dogwood tree. Young Red Maple tree bark is rather thin and smooth, with varying colors, greenish-gray to gray. While doing that, its a good time to observe other key features, such as bark patterns and buds. Similarly, the Hercules clubalso known as the toothache treegrows wart-like tubercles on its bark. All Rights Reserved. May 23, 2022 This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Learning which subset of characteristics to use for a particular tree is where practice and skill are needed. My family got our first Border Collie in 1989. It is a very aggressive colonizing species and can be found in a wide range of forest types. In northern hardwood forests, it is a dominant species because it is quite tolerant of shade. 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