successional trees

Question 1

Comptonia peregrina

Answer 1

Sweetfern

Leaves: Alternate, simple linear, oblong, deeply pinnatifid. long toothed margin with rounded lobes. pale green.

Buds & Stems: minute, globular, solitary

Fruit & Flowers: green-yellow catkin flowers, fruit a nutlet in burr like bract cluster

Bark:

Habit: 2-4’ high, suckering wide spreding shrub.

Notes: Myricaceae, related to bayberry. aromatic foliage. can stabilize gravelly soil, does well in shade

Question 2

Sassafras albidum

Answer 2

sassafras

Leaves: Alternate, simple, 3-7”. Ovate, 3-lobed, or “mitten” shaped. green-yellow, orange & scarlet fall color

Buds & Stems: terminal solitary, ovoid sessile, 4-6 scales. stems bright yellowish green to reddish

Fruit & Flowers: dioecious yellow flowers on terminal racemes, fruit a dark blue drupe on scarlet pendicel, gives 2 color appearance

Bark: dark red-brown, deep ridges & furrows. greenish flaking bark in youth

Habit: pyramidal, irregular shrub in youth, many short sympodial branches

Notes: develops in suckering colonies in margins. can have a unique “fruit loop” scent. difficult to transplant

Question 3

Rhus aromatica

Answer 3

fragrant sumac

Leaves: trifoliate, alternate. triangular shape with oblique rounded base, coarsely toothed, accuminate tip. dark green with bright red fall color. 2 subsessile leaves are smaller

Buds & Stems: buds small, yellow, pubescent, covered by leaf scar

Fruit & Flowers: red hairy drupes in clusters on female, yellowish catkin flowers on male

Bark: slender stems are fragrant when bruised

Habit: spreading groundcover, irregular growth, can spread 6-10’

Notes:

Question 4

Rhus typhina

Answer 4

staghorn sumac

Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound, oddly pinnate, oppositely arranged. lanceolate leaflets, accuminate, bright green. pubescent along rachis. 13-27 leaflets. leaves droop along rachis

Buds & Stems: fuzzy buds hidden in c shaped leaf scar. green to reddish pubescence on stems

Fruit & Flowers: hairy crimson drupes packed in large upright pannicle, male plant has white flowers

Bark:stout rounded stems, arching & horizontal, brownish & hairy

Habit: irregular shape with arching crown, a loose shrub or skinny tree.

Notes: spreads via root suckers, needs full sun. milky sap comes from stems

Question 5

Juniperus virginiana

Answer 5

eastern red cedar

Leaves: scale like leaves, 4 racks close pressed & overlapped; can also be spiny awls

Buds & Stems:

Fruit & Flowers: small blue “berries” actually a type of cone

Bark: red & brown fragrant wood, shredded appearance

Habit: 30-40’, pyramidal & dense in youth, sometimes columnar

Notes: does well in poor soils, not a true cedar

Question 6

Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Answer 6

Japanese creeper, Boston Ivy

Leaves: alternate simple. 3 lobes, palmate venation. lustrous dark green to deep scarlet in fall

Buds & Stems: similar to virginia creeper, shorter stems, squarish

Fruit & Flowers: dark blue fruit with red stems

Bark: see P. quinquefolia

Habit: climbing creeper vine

Notes: not a true ivy

Question 7

Ligustrum vulgare

Answer 7

European privet

Leaves: opposite, simple. dark green glossy, lanceolate-ovate, entire margin

Buds & Stems: leaf pairs rotate 90° on stem. stem is round, smooth, appressed brown/green buds

Fruit & Flowers: fruit a black berry like drupe, flowers are white and stinky “cat piss”

Bark:

Habit: hedge or open growth shrub, irregular dense spread of branches

Notes: oleaceae

Question 8

Lonicera tatarica

Answer 8

Tatarian honeysuckle

Leaves: opposite, simple, entire margin ovate-ovate lanceolate, acute to accuminate, bluish green, round to subcordate base, curved venation, short petiole

Buds & Stems: buds small flattened & appressed
green-brown stems, some flaking on older growth.

Fruit & Flowers: pink-white flowers, fruit a small red berry that form in pairs.

Bark:

Habit: upright strong multistem habit, arching upper branches, dense & twiggy, vase shaped

Notes: considered a weed

Question 9

Betula populifolia

Answer 9

grey birch

Leaves: simple, alternate, doubly serrate. sharply accuminate & triangular

Buds & Stems: resinous scaled bud, brown & pointed. lenticelled slender reddish-brown stems

Fruit & Flowers: male & female catkins,

Bark: whitish grey, horizontal lenticels. upside-down “u” shaped stem scar an important id

Habit: small to medium, will be shaded out. narrow, open conical crown

Notes: does well in poor soils, short-lived, 15-20 years

Question 10

Pinus strobus

Answer 10

white pine

Leaves: needles always in fascicles of 5, soft & pliable. white line (stoma) along it’s length.

Buds & Stems: oviod, small sharp pointed bud

Fruit & Flowers: subterminal pendant cone, 8”, cylindrical & curved. strobilus; male pollen structures

Bark: thin, smooth, & greyish, darker with age. stems self-prune, scarring is evident

Habit: youth is pyramidal & symmetrical. can grow to 150’. upward open branching. “weeviling” can create competing leaders

Notes:

Question 11

Rhamnus frangula

Answer 11

alder or glossy buckthorn

Leaves: alternate, simple. oval, 1-3” acute tip, round or cuneate base. entire margin, glossy dark green. 8-9 symmetrical vein pairs

Buds & Stems: naked bud. stems have vertical lenticels on new growth, square on old growth

Fruit & Flowers: early red to dark blue drupe, very round. green perfect flower

Bark: smooth & grey

Habit: upright, long arching spreading branches. no thorns present

Notes: considered a weed, hybridizes well in field

Question 12

Populus tremuloides

Answer 12

quaking aspen

Leaves:alternate, simple, ovate to orbicular. short accuminate tip. flattened petiole at tip. dark green to yellow in fall

Buds & Stems: terminal imbricate bud, reddish brown slender stem

Fruit & Flowers: dioecious catkins

Bark: grey-yellow with horizontal lenticels & vertical fissures. old bark furrowed & dark grey

Habit: 40-50’, narrow & pyramidal

Notes: reproduces clonally, not shade tolerant

Question 13

Celastrus orbiculatus

Answer 13

oriental bittersweet

Leaves: alternate,simple. obovate, 2-5”, dentate-serrate margins, except at base

Buds & Stems:

Fruit & Flowers: axilary cymes of bell-shaped green flowers. fruit a 3 lobed yellow capsule w/ crimson seed

Bark: orange roots

Habit: twining vine

Notes: a serious weed

Question 14

Robinia pseudoacacia

Answer 14

black locust

Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound. opposite to subopposite, entire margins. bluish green. 7-19 leaflets, swolled petiole, often point upward

Buds & Stems: slender zig-zag stems, thorns present

Fruit & Flowers: white pannicle flowers, fruit a purplish brown pod, 2-4”

Bark: red-brown to black, deep furrows in scalt interlacing ridges. “corded sweater”

Habit: creates suckering successional stands. upright straight trunk w/ narrow oblong crown, twisted & sprawling

Notes: nitrogen fixer. wood is strong & rot resistant

Question 15

Rosa multiflora

Answer 15

multiflora rose

Leaves: alternate, compound, oddly pinnate, 5-11 leaflets. obovate-oblong, acute tip, coarsely serrate

Buds & Stems: stems have fine thorns at base of rachis

Fruit & Flowers: fruit a small egg shaped red hip. white single flowers cluster at end of branch

Bark: thorns present of stems

Habit: 3-10’ in height, 10-15’ spread

Notes: considered invasive, native to china

Question 16

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Answer 16

virginia creeper, woodbine

Leaves: alternate, palmately compound. 5 leaflets, elliptic with accuminate tips, coarse serration. red petiole. green to scarlet-purple in fall

Buds & Stems:

Fruit & Flowers: bluish drupe w/ red stem structure, flowers greenish white cymes

Bark: light brown & lenticelled

Habit: climbing deciduous vine, tendrils have 4-8 branches

Notes: creeper secretes calcium carbonate as adhesive