Tree Plant Flower ID

Aceraceae/Sapindaceae – Maple Family

Acer platanoides | Norway Maple

Acer saccharum | Sugar Maple

• Range: Upper Midwest; N hardwood forest, mesic sites.
• Leaf: Opposite, 5 lobes, smooth margins.
• Bark: Gray; vertical plates w/ age. Bud: Opposite, sharp, brown.
• Fruit: Paired samaras, moderate angle.

Acer rubrum | Red Maple

• Range: Floodplains, riparian corridors.
• Leaf: Deep lobes, silvery underside.
• Bark: Gray; long peeling strips.
• Bud: Blunt, reddish. Fruit: Large samaras, wide angle.

Acer saccharinum — Silver Maple

• Range / Ecoregion: Floodplains, riparian corridors.
• Leaf: Deeply lobed; silvery underside.
• Bark: Gray; long loose strips on mature trees.
• Bud: Reddish-brown; blunt. Fruit: Large samaras; wings widely spread.

Acer nigrum — Black Maple

• Range / Ecoregion: Rich mesic forests, Midwest core
• Leaf: Drooping; shallow lobes; velvety underside
• Bark: Dark gray; furrowed
• Bud: Similar to A. saccharum but stouter
• Fruit: Paired samaras; slightly smaller than sugar maple

Acer negundo — Boxelder

• Range / Ecoregion: Floodplains, disturbed sites
• Leaf: Opposite; pinnately compound (3–7 leaflets)
• Bark: Light gray; shallow fissures
• Bud: Whitish, often pubescent
• Fruit: Persistent samaras in hanging clusters

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

Betula papyrifera — Paper Birch

• Range / Ecoregion: Northern Midwest.
• Leaf: Ovate; doubly serrate.
• Bark: White; peeling sheets.
• Bud: Small, resinous.
• Fruit: Upright catkins; tiny winged nutlets.

Betula pendula — European White Birch

• Range / Ecoregion: Native to Europe & western Asia; widely planted in the Midwest; adaptable to upland and urban sites.
• Leaf: Triangular to diamond-shaped; doubly serrate; long tapering tip.
• Bark: Bright white; peeling in thin papery strips; black fissures with age.
• Bud: Small, pointed; brown; slightly resinous.
• Fruit: Slender cylindrical catkins (3–5 cm); disintegrate at maturity releasing winged nutlets.

Betula populifolia — Gray Birch

• Range / Ecoregion: Native to northeastern U.S.; occasionally planted and sparingly naturalized in the Great Lakes region; dry sandy or disturbed sites.
• Leaf: Triangular (deltoid), long-pointed; doubly serrate; slender petiole.
• Bark: Chalky white; thin; black triangular patches below branches; does not peel like paper birch.
• Bud: Small, pointed; brown; slightly appressed.
• Fruit: Cylindrical catkins (2–3 cm); disintegrate at maturity releasing winged nutlets.

Betula nigra — River Birch

• Range / Ecoregion: Floodplains, streambanks.
• Leaf: Rhomboid; coarse serrations.
• Bark: Salmon-colored; exfoliating.
• Bud: Small, blunt.
• Fruit: Cylindrical catkins.

Fagaceae (Beech Family – Oaks & Beech)

Quercus alba — White Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Upland forests; prairie margins
• Leaf: Rounded lobes; no bristles
• Bark: Light gray; flaky plates
• Bud: Small, rounded, clustered
• Fruit: Acorn matures in 1 year; shallow cup

Quercus rubra — Northern Red Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Mesic forests, northern Midwest
• Leaf: Pointed lobes with bristles
• Bark: Dark with vertical “ski tracks”
• Bud: Large, pointed
• Fruit: Acorn matures in 2 years; shallow cup

Quercus macrocarpa — Bur Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Prairie savanna, floodplains
• Leaf: Deep middle sinuses; large terminal lobe
• Bark: Thick, corky, deeply furrowed
• Bud: Small, blunt
• Fruit: Large acorn with fringed cup

Quercus bicolor — Swamp White Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Bottomlands, wet sites
• Leaf: Shallow lobes; white underside
• Bark: Peeling, flaky
• Bud: Rounded
• Fruit: Acorn with long peduncle

Quercus velutina — Black Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Dry uplands
• Leaf: Bristle-tipped lobes; yellow inner bark
• Bark: Dark, blocky; orange inner bark
• Bud: Large, fuzzy
• Fruit: Deep-cupped acorn

Quercus palustris — Pin Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Bottomlands, poorly drained soils
• Leaf: Deep U-shaped sinuses
• Bark: Smooth gray becoming ridged
• Bud: Small, pointed
• Fruit: Small acorn; thin cup

Quercus muehlenbergii – Chinkapin Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Central & eastern U.S.; limestone soils.
• Leaf: Oblong; rounded teeth; no bristles.
• Bark: Light gray; flaky, shaggy plates.
• Bud: Small; rounded; brown.
• Fruit: Acorn; small; thin cup; 1-year.

Quercus acutissima – Sawtooth Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: East Asia; naturalized eastern & central U.S.
  Leaf: Narrow sharp bristle teeth.
  Bark: Dark; deeply furrowed.
  Bud: Small; pointed; reddish-brown.
  Fruit: Acorn; deep fringed cup; 1-year.
  

Quercus shumardii – Shumard Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Central & southern U.S.; floodplains, uplands.
• Leaf: Large; deeply lobed; bristle tips.
• Bark: Dark gray; broad ridges with age.
• Bud: Medium; pointed; brown.
• Fruit: Acorn; medium; shallow cup; 2-year.

Quercus x schuettei – Schuette’s Oak

• Range / Ecoregion: Great Lakes region; hybrid zones.
• Leaf: Intermediate; shallow lobes; no bristles.
• Bark: Gray; flaky to ridged.
• Bud: Small; rounded; brown.
• Fruit: Acorn; medium; shallow cup; 1-year.

Fagus grandifolia — American Beech

• Range / Ecoregion: Mesic forests, northern Midwest
• Leaf: Entire to slightly toothed; straight veins
• Bark: Smooth, light gray (elephant skin)
• Bud: Long, slender, pointed
• Fruit: Beech nut in spiny husk

Castanea dentata — American Chestnut

• Range / Ecoregion: Historically eastern Midwest; now rare
• Leaf: Long, serrated; lanceolate
• Bark: Dark, deeply furrowed
• Bud: Small, rounded
• Fruit: Spiny burs with 1–3 nuts

Juglandaceae (Walnut Family)

Carya ovata — Shagbark Hickory

• Range / Ecoregion: Eastern & central Midwest; upland hardwood forests
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Alternate; pinnately compound (5 leaflets)
• Bark: Light gray; long peeling plates (“shaggy”)
• Bud: Large, terminal, scaly
• Fruit: Thick-husked nut; husk splits into 4

Carya cordiformis — Bitternut Hickory

• Range / Ecoregion: Mesic lowlands, floodplains
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Compound; 7–9 leaflets
• Bark: Gray; shallow interlacing ridges
• Bud: Bright yellow, sulfur-colored
• Fruit: Thin-husked nut; bitter kernel

Carya glabra — Pignut Hickory

• Range / Ecoregion: Dry uplands, sandy soils
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Compound; 5–7 leaflets
• Bark: Tight, non-shaggy ridges
• Bud: Small, brown
• Fruit: Pear-shaped nut; husk partially splitting

Carya laciniosa — Shellbark Hickory

• Range / Ecoregion: Floodplains, rich bottomlands
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Compound; 7–9 leaflets
• Bark: Shaggy but broader plates than shagbark
• Bud: Large, thick-scaled
• Fruit: Large nut; thick husk

Juglans nigra — Black Walnut

• Range / Ecoregion: Rich bottomlands, slopes
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Compound; 15–23 leaflets
• Bark: Dark, deeply furrowed
• Bud: Chambered pith; tan buds
• Fruit: Large round nut with thick green husk

Juglans cinerea — Butternut

• Range / Ecoregion: Northern & eastern Midwest; mesic forests
• Phenology: Deciduous
• Leaf: Compound; 11–17 leaflets
• Bark: Light gray; shallow furrows
• Bud: Hairy, flattened terminal bud
• Fruit: Oblong nut; sticky husk

Oleaceae (Olive Family)