urban trees 2 Flashcards
Acer pseudoplatanus
sycamore maple
Leaves: simple, opposite. 3-5 ovate lobes, leathery, dark green, glabrous. cordate base. strongly resembles sycamore. long petiole & pubescent veins
Buds & stems: large green terminal bud, remains so in winter. lateral buds smaller. grey-brown stem, lenticelled. leaf scars don’t meet
Fruit & flowers: samaras, wide wings, 60 degree angle, hang together in groups
Bark: greyish-reddish brown, flakes into irregular scales
Habit: upright, spreading branches, can become large
Notes:
Gleditsia triacanthos v. inermis
common thornless honeylocust
Leaves: alternate, bipinnately compound, can be bicompound. 20-30 oblong lanceolate leaves. pubescent rachis. crennate or serrulate margins. no terminal leaf
Buds & stems: 5 or more to a node, terminal absent. petiole base is swollen, enclosing bud. grey, lumpy stems
Fruit & flowers: brown peapods, 7-8” long, persistent
Bark: greyish brown bark split into vertical ridges
Habit: tall w/ strong central leader. short trunk w/ open spreading crown
Notes:
Koelreuteria paniculata
panicled goldenrain tree
Leaves: compound opposite leaf. serrated margins. alternate on stem, 7-15 leaflets. ovate w/ irregular & coarse serration, often an incised lobe at the base
Buds & stems:
Fruit & flowers: pannicles of yellow flowers, “golden rain”
fruit is papery dehiscent capsule, resembles chinese lantern. small blue-black seed inside
Bark:
Habit: smaller tree, adaptable in urban environments
Notes:
Maackia amurensis
Amur maackia
Leaves: compound, alternate leaves, subopposite arrangement of leaflets. elliptic, short petiole, 7-11 leaflets, rounded base
Buds & stems: leaf scars are lumps on stems, dark brown, 2 scales
Fruit & flowers: showy white flowers, on ascending racemes. fruit is drooping pod, fabaceae, green to brown and persistent
Bark: warty, diamond lenticels, amber - brown or copper. peels in maturity
Habit: upright, often multistemmed, as wide as tall
Notes:
Morus alba
white mulberry
Leaves: alternate, simple. vary widely in shape. usually dentate-serrate, can be ovate or trident, lobed or unlobed
Buds & stems: scaled bud, set oblique to leaf scar
Fruit & flowers: fruit is mulberry, like small bunch of grapes. white to green to dark purple.
Bark: orange in youth, to grey-brown, diamond plated & ridged
Habit: variable, usually small and wide, some weeping cultivars
Notes:
Parrotia persica
Persian parrotia
Leaves: uneven leaf base, rounded. wavy, dentate margin on top half, alternate & simple. med to dark green. bright orange fall color
Buds & stems:
Fruit & flowers: small early green flowers
Bark: smooth exfoliating bark, grey to green, white & brown
Habit: multistemmed, up to 25’, hardy & pest resistant
Notes: witchhazel family
Phellodendron amurense
Amur corktree
Leaves: compound leaf, oddly pinnate, ovate with accuminate tip. deep green turning yellow, 5-11 leaflets
Buds & stems: horseshoe leaf scar, chestnut color stem.
Fruit & flowers: fruit is dark blue drupe, flowers yellow-green
Bark: corky, spongy, melted with ridges
Habit: broad spreading with long branches
Notes:
Pyrus calleryana “Bradford”
“Bradford” callery pear
Leaves: alternate to whorled, simple, broad-ovate, fine serration. glabrous dark green. purple red fall color
Buds & stems: stacking leaf scars, large woolly bud, terminal & lateral same
Fruit & flowers: small greenish round pear pome. early spring white flowers
Bark: narrow ridges
Habit: lollipop shape
Notes:
Quercus palustris
pin oak
Leaves: simple, opposite. long petiole. deep, u-shaped lobes, truncate at base, bristle tips
Buds & stems: sharp pointed imbricate buds. auburn twigs
Fruit & flowers: acorn is squat, light brown & striped, 1/4 “saucer” cap
Bark: greyish brown, narrow & shallow ridges
Habit: large, low branches sloping, middle horizontal, upper branches ascending
Notes:
Quercus robur
English oak
Leaves: alternate, simple. wavy, rounded lobes, shallow sinuses, flat at top. “earlobes” at base differ from alba. dark green, pale bluish green underneath.
Buds & stems: red-brown stem, rounded plump buds, imbricate & chestnut brown
Fruit & flowers: acorn clustered, elongated, shiny nut brown, cap covers 1/3
Bark: deeply furrowed, greyis black
Habit: wide, large, & round
Notes:
Quercus rubra
red oak
Leaves: wide leaf, simple, alternate. oval or obovate. 7-11 broad lobes with bristle tips. dark green, greyish- white underneath
Buds & stems: clustered bud
Fruit & flowers: acorns are large compared to saucer like cap, med brown with grey streaks. “beret” cap
Bark: gray ridges with dark black shallow furrows, resemble ski tracks
Habit: often no central leader in large trees
Notes:
Sophora japonica
Japanese pagodatree
Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound. 7-17 leaves, 1-2”. ovate-lanceolate, entire margins, accuminate tip, bright green
Buds & stems: black wooly sessile buds. green young stems w/ grey lenticels
Fruit & flowers: legume fruit in individual connected pods, bright green to yellow to brown, persistent
Bark: beige to pale grey, similar to black locust
Habit: upright spreading with broad crown
Notes:
Ulmus americana
American elm
Leaves: alternate, simple, ovate-oblong, unequal at base (like most elms) dark green to yellow in fall
Buds & stems: terminal absent, imbricate conical buds, flower buds larger
Fruit & flowers: rounded disc shaped samara. flowers smal gree-red fascicles
Bark: dark grey with deep intersecting ridges
Habit: upright trunk with vase shaped crown
Notes:
Ulmus parviflora
lacebark elm
Leaves: simple, alternate, elliptic-obovate, simply serrate, dark green & glabrous
Buds & stems: small buds on gray-brown, slender, zig-zag stems
Fruit & flowers: small single wing samara, flower also tiny in clusters
Bark: lacelike exfoliating bark, flaking gery, green, & rust red
Habit: rounded w/ pendulous branches
Notes:
Zelkova serrata
zelkova
Leaves: alternate, simple. serrated with arching teeth. small, 11/4-2”. elongated lanceolate, dark green, elm vein pairs
Buds & stems: oviod, acutish, imbricate dark brown buds, with zigzag stems, brown, pubescent when young, glabrous in maturity
Fruit & flowers: small green chicpea bean shaped drupe, ripens in fall
Bark: reddish brown with lenticels in youth, grey-brown, exfoliating, similar to ulmus parvifolia, but not as pronounced
Habit: low branched & vase shaped
Notes: ulmaceae family
