* indicates the plant may be considered
weedy or invasive in some parts of the US and may not be appropriate
for conservation uses in certain areas. Check with your local Conservation
District or state department of natural resources for more information
on weediness and recommendations for use. This guide in primarily
intended as an identification tool. Persons intending to use these
plants for conservation or landscape should consult additional sources
of information for use, establishment, and management of the species.
 |
European Alder
Alnus glutinosa *
About this tree:
Prefers moist to wet soils
Grows 50 to 70 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 1 1/2 to 4 inches long, 1 to 2 1/2 inches wide; elliptical, doubly
saw-toothed; shiny dark green
Fruit: Cone; 3/4 inches long; clusters of 3 to 5
Twig: Gummy when young; 3-angled pith
Bark: Brown, smooth, becoming furrowed
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 |
Green Ash Fraxinus
pennsylvanica (native)
About this tree:
Seeds eaten by wood duck, Bobwhite quail, purple finch
Prefers deep moist to drought resistant soils
Grows 50 to 75 feet tall
Hardiness zone 2
Cultivars: Cardan
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Opposite; pinnately compound; 6 to 10 inches long; 5 to 9 leaflets 2
to 5 inches long, 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide
Fruit: 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 inches long; yellowish, hanging in clusters
Bark: Gray; furrowed scaly ridges, reddish inner layer
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 |
Basswood Tilia sp.
About this tree:
Seeds and bark eaten by cottontail rabbit
Prefers moist soils
Grows 60 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 2
Identification Tips:
Leaves: In 2 rows; 3 to 6 inches long and almost as wide; long, pointed at
tip; coarsely saw-toothed; palmately veined; dark green
Fruit: 3/8-inch in diameter; nutlike; elliptical or rounded; gray; attached
to a leafy bract
Twig: Reddish or green; slender; slightly zigzag
Bark: Dark gray; smooth, becoming furrowed into narrow scaly ridges |
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Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides (native) *
About this tree:
Buds eaten by ruffed grouse and prairie chicken; bark eaten by beaver
Grows over 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 2
Cultivars: Mighty Moe, Ohio Red, Platte, Walker
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 3 to 7 inches long; triangular; long-pointed, curved, coarse teeth;
shiny green; leafstalks long, flattened
Fruit: 3/8-inch elliptical capsules; splitting into 3 to 4 parts; cottony
seeds
Bark: Yellowish-green and smooth, becoming light gray, rough
Twig: Coarse, large; pointed buds
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 |
Crabapple Malus
sp.
About this tree:
Fruit is eaten by deer, pheasant, turkey and other birds
Prefers moist to dry soils
Grows 15 to 20 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Cultivars: Midwest, Roselow, Magenta
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; 2 to 4 inches long; blunt jointed tip; coarsely toothed
edge
Fruit: 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter; apple; yellow-green
Twig: Stout; spreading; sometimes spines on short side branches; new growth
is hairy
Bark: Lengthwise furrows and ridges; reddish-brown scales
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 |
Chinese Elm Ulmus
parvifolia *
About this tree:
Seeds eaten by purple finch, red-breasted grosbeak and cottontail rabbit
Prefers moist soils
Grows 40 to 50 feet tall
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: In 2 rows; 3/4 to 2 inches long, 3/8 to 3/4 inch wide; elliptical;
unequal at base; saw-toothed; shiny above
Fruit: 3/8 inch long; elliptical, flat 1-seeded; with broad pale yellow wing
Bark: Mottled brown; smooth; shedding in irregular, thin flakes
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Siberian Elm Ulmus
pumila *
About this tree:
Prefers dry to moist soils
Grows 60 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Cultivars: Chinkota
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 3/4 to 2 inches long, 1/2 to 1 inch wide; narrowly elliptical;
blunt-based; saw-toothed
Fruit: 3/8 to 5/8 inch long; clustered; circular with seed in the center
Bark: Gray or brown; rough, furrowed
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Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus sp. * (depending on the species)
About this tree:
Wood used for furniture, homes
Medicinal use for oil from leaves
Used both as timber and ornamental tree
Can grow up to 10 to 15 feet per year and 150 feet tall
Hardiness zone 8
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; usually flattened yellowish leafstalks; blades
lance-shaped, 3 to 12 inches long, 1/2 to 2 inches wide; usually dull green
on both sides; thick and leathery
Fruit: Seed capsules 4-angled, about 1-inch long; or egg shaped or
cylindrical, about 1/4 to 3/4 inch long
Flower: Flower or flowers at leaf base; numerous spreading white or
cream-colored stamens
Bark: Usually smooth, mottled gray, white, brown or greenish; sheds; brown,
furrowed and non-shedding on Robusta Eucalyptus
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Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis (native)
About this tree:
Fruit eaten by robin, yellow-bellied sapsucker and cedar waxwing
Can grow on moist to dry soils; tolerates high pH
Grows 75 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 2
Cultivars: Oahe
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; 2 to 5 inches long; sharp-toothed; blue-green
Fruit: 1/4 to 3/8 inch berry, purple-brown
Twig: Gray-brown, zigzag shape
Bark: Ridged, irregular wart-like knobs |
 |
American Holly Ilex
opaca (native)
About this tree:
Fruit eaten by wild turkey, bluebird, cedar waxwing
Prefers wet to moist, well drained soils
Grows 40 to 70 feet tall
Hardiness zone 5
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Evergreen; spreading in 2 rows; 2 to 4 inches long, 3/4 to 1 1/20
inches wide; elliptical; spiny-pointed; coarsely spiny-toothed; leathery
Fruit: 1/4 to 3/8 inches in diameter; berrylike; bright red
Twigs: Brown or gray; stout
Bark: Light gray; thin
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 |
Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacacia (native)
About this tree:
Seeds eaten by bobwhite quail and squirrel
Prefers moist to dry soils
Grows 40 to 80 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Cultivars: Steiner
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate pinnately compound; 6 to 12 inches long; 7 to 19 leaflets,
1 to 1.75 inches long, 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide; paired
Fruit: 2 to 4 inches long; narrowly oblong flat pod; dark brown
Twig: Dark brown, with stout paired spines 1/4 to 1/2 inch long at nodes
Bark: Reddish brown to almost black; thick; deeply furrowed into long rough
forking ridges
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 |
Honey-Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos (native)
About this tree:
Sweetish pulp edible for humans
Grows 50 to 75 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; pinnately or bipinnately compound; yellow-green; 6 to 8
inches long; 20 to 30 oblong leaflets 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long
Fruit: Red-brown to purple; twisting; 6 to 18 inches long; bean-like pod
with seeds
Twig: Shiny; zigzag; stout; red-brown; 3-branched (1 to 3 inches); thorns
3-branched 2 to 3 inches long
Bark: Grayish brown-black; long; irregular; vertical plates |
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Red Maple Acer
rubrum (native)
About this tree:
Grows well on a wide range of soil types
Fast growing; grows 50 to 70 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Opposite; broadly ovate with 3 shallow short-pointed lobes turning
red, orange and yellow in autumn
Fruit: Paired single-winged seeds form a 'V'
Twig: Shiny red; numerous small lenticels
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 |
Silver Maple Acer
saccharinum (native)
About this tree:
Seeds used by songbirds and small mammals
Prefers moist or moderately drained soils
Grows 60 to 80 feet tall; 1 to 3 feet per year
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Deeply separated into 5 doubly-toothed lobes; opposite, simple,
silvery below
Fruit: Pair of wide, curved single winged seeds joined at base to form a 'V'
Bark: Light gray; on older trees plates separated by narrow fissures
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Sugar Maple Acer
saccharum (native)
About this tree:
Good wildlife value
Prefers moderately well to well drained soils; high shade tolerance; poor
drought tolerance
Grows 60 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Opposite; simple; 3 to 5 lobed; pointed; slightly coarsely toothed
Bark: Grayish brown to black; deeply furrowed into hard scaly ridges
Fruit: Pair of single winged seeds join at base to form a 'V'
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Russian Mulberry
Morus alba var. tatarica *
About this tree:
Hardy variety of white mulberry
Wood is hard and durable
Grows to 50 feet tall
Wide zone of hardiness
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate, heart-shaped and lobed; 2 to 4 inches long and half as
wide
Fruit: White to dark red; less than 1 inch long and juicy
Flower: Catkins, drooping; up to 1 inch long
Twig: Red-brown when young; gray on older trees
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Bur Oak Quercus
macrocarpa (native)
About this tree:
Acorns eaten by turkey, blue jay, grouse and wood duck
Prefers dry uplands to moist floodplains
Grows 50 to 80 feet tall
Hardiness zone 2
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 4 to 10 inches long, 2 to 5 inches wide; obovate, lower half deeply
divided into 2 to 3 lobes on each side; dark green
Fruit: Large acorns; broadly elliptical, enclosed by large deep fringed cup
with conspicuous fringe
Bark: Light gray; thick, rough, deeply furrowed into scaly ridges
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Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra (native)
About this tree:
Acorns eaten by turkey, blue jay and ruffed grouse
Prefers dry uplands
Grows 75 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; simple; pinnately (7-11) lobed; dark green; 4 to 9 inches
long
Fruit: Egg-shaped, brown acorn; 1/3 enclosed by shallow cup; dark margin on
cup scales
Bark: Dark gray-black, shallow, wide-flat ridges
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Pin Oak Quercus
palustris (native)
About this tree:
Acorn eaten by turkey, wood duck, grouse and blue jay
Tolerates poorly drained, wet sites
Grows 50 to 90 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide; 5 to 7 deep lobes nearly to
midvein
Fruit: 1/2 inch long; nearly round; acorn; 1/4 to 1/3 enclosed by thin
saucer-shaped cup
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Sawtooth Oak
Quercus acutissima
About this tree:
Excellent for wildlife
Prefers moderately to well drained soils; poor shade tolerance; fair drought
tolerance
Grows 35 to 70 feet tall; medium growth rate
Hardiness zone 5
Cultivars: Gobbler
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Shiny; 3 to 8 inches long with bristle-like teeth
Fruit: Small acorns; long, spreading scales enclose two-thirds of the nut
Bark: Gray brown; deeply ridged
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Shumard Oak Quercus
shumardii (native)
About this tree:
Acorn eaten by turkey, wood duck and blue jay
Prefers moist, well drained soils
Grows 60 to 90 feet tall
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 3 to 7 inches long, 2 1/2 to 5 inches wide; usually deeply divided
nearly to midvein into 5 to 9 lobes; shiny dark green above, paler below
with tufts of hair at base of veins
Fruit: 5/8 to 1 inch long, egg-shaped; 1/4 to 1/3 enclosed by shallow cup
Twig: Hairs on the buds
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White Oak Quercus
alba (native)
About this tree:
Acorns eaten by turkey, blue jay and ruffed grouse
Prefers moist, well drained upland soils
Grows 80 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 4 to 9 inches long; 2 to 4 inches wide; elliptical; 5 to 9 lobed;
bright green above, whitish or gray-green below
Fruit: 3/8 to 1 1/4 inches long; egg-shaped; about 1/4 enclosed by shallow
warty cup
Bark: Light gray; shallowly fissured
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Russian-Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia *
About this tree:
Fruit eaten by cedar waxwings, robins, grosbeaks and pheasants
Can grow on moist to dry soils
Grows 20 to 30 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Cultivars: King Red
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 1 1/2 to 3 1/4 inches long; lance-shaped; dull; gray-green above,
silver below
Fruit: Berry-like; 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter; yellow to brown
Twig: Silvery; often ending in short spine
Bark: Gray-brown; fissured; shedding in long strips
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Osage-Orange
Maclura pomifera (native)
About this tree:
Seeds eaten by quail and squirrels
Grows 35 to 50 feet tall
Excellent fuel wood
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; simple; 3 to 5 inches long; glossy bright green; leaf
margins entire
Fruit: Large; yellow-green; 3 to 5 inches in diameter
Twig: Stout; orange-brown; zigzag shape; 1/4 to 1/2 inch spines
Bark: Deeply furrowed; yellow-orange-brown
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Pecan Carya
illinoensis (native)
About this tree:
Edible fruit
Prefers moist, well drained, bottomland soils
Grows to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Pinnately compound; 20 to 22 inches long; 11 to 17 leaflets, each 2
to 7 inches long; finely saw-toothed margin; alternate
Fruit: Nut; oblong; 1 to 2 inches long; pointed at tip, both ends
Bark: Light brown to gray; deeply, irregularly furrowed
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Pomegranate Punica
granatum
About this tree:
Cultivated for its attractive flowers
Tolerates heat and alkaline soils
Grows to 20 feet tall
Hardiness zone 7
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Simple; blades 1 to 3 1/2 inches long; oval to elliptical to
lanceolate; margin entire; surface bright green
Fruit: Berry 2 to 4 inches in diameter; thick, leathery, reddish yellow
rind; juicy pulp
Flower: Showy; red to orange; 5 to 7 petals
Bark: Gray to brown on older limbs
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Hybrid Poplar
Populus sp.
About this tree:
Grows very fast, upright, not as spreading as cottonwoods
Disease resistant
Crossbred specifically in many cases for fast growth in windbreaks
Cultivars: Northwest, Norway, Imperial, Robusta
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Variable but usually triangular; 2 to 5 inches long and wide;
usually green above, light green below; toothed margin; flattened leafstalks
Twig: Short; hairless
Bark: Smooth gray to off-white; deeply furrowed in old trees
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Lombardy Poplar
Populus nigra 'italica'
About this tree:
Prefers moist soil
Tree grows rapidly but is short-lived in more humid regions
Roots are invasive and may sucker profusely
Grows to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 2 to 4 inches long and wide; triangular; wavy sawtoothed; green
above, light green below; flattened leafstalks
Twigs: Stout; hairless; orange, turning gray
Bark: Gray to whitish; smooth on young trees and dark deep furrows on old
trees
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Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua (native)
About this tree:
Grows 60 to 100 feet tall; 2 to 3 feet per year
Excellent fall color
Tolerates a wide range of soils
Hardiness zone 6
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Alternate; star-shaped with pointed lobes; brilliant fall colors
Fruit: Globe-shaped, tight cluster of capsules persist on tree over winter
Twig: Moderately stout with corky wing-like ridges; buds large and shiny
Other: Strongly pyramidal growth form
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American Sycamore
Plantanus occidentalis (native)
About this tree:
Seed eaten by purple finch
Prefers moist bottomland soils; tolerates poorly drained soils
Grows 75 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 4
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 4 to 8 inches long and wide; broadly ovate; 3 or 5 shallow, broad,
short-pointed lobes
Fruit: 1 inch in diameter; usually 1 brown ball hanging on long stalk;
composed of narrow nutlets with hair tufts
Bark: Smooth, whitish and brown mottled; peeling off in large thin flakes
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Black Walnut
Juglans nigra (native)
About this tree:
Nuts eaten by squirrel, red and gray fox
Prefers moist, well drained soils
Grows 70 to 90 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Pinnately compound; 12 to 24 inches long; 15 to 23 leaflets up to 5
inches long
Fruit: Single or paired, about 2 inches in diameter; thick green or brown
husk
Twig: Brown; stout; with buff colored chambered pith
Bark: Dark brown; deeply furrowed ridges
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Black Willow Salix
nigra (native)
About this tree:
Prefers wet soils
Grows 60 to 100 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: 3 to 5 inches long, narrowly lance-shaped; shiny green on both sides
Fruit: 3/16 inch long; reddish-brown capsules; hairless
Twig: Brownish; easily detached at base
Bark: Dark brown or blackish; deeply furrowed into scaly, forking ridges
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Golden Willow Salix
alba var. vitellina
About this tree:
Rapid growth rate with no suckering
Good winter density for a deciduous hardwood
Tolerates wide range of soils
Grows to 60 feet tall
Hardiness zone 3
Identification Tips:
Leaves: Narrow lance-shaped; finely toothed; 4 to 6 inches long
Flower: Male catkins 1 to 2 inches long with females 2 to 3 inches long
Twig: Bright yellow to orange
Buds: Covered by a single non-resinous scale
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Purpleosier Willow
Salix purpurea
About this tree:
Fair wildlife value
Tolerates poorly drained soils; good shade tolerance; poor drought tolerance
Grows 10 to 20 feet tall
Hardiness zones 3 to 8
Cultivars: Streamco
Identification Tips:
Leaves: In pairs, not quite opposite; smooth tongue shaped; finely-toothed
near the tip only; blue-green above and pale below; 2 to 4 inches long
Catkins: Small, arise in almost opposite pairs, and mature in early spring
before the leaves come out
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* indicates the plant may be considered weedy or invasive in some parts of
the US and may not be appropriate for conservation uses in certain areas. Check
with your local Conservation District or state department of natural resources
for more information on weediness and recommendations for use. This guide in
primarily intended as an identification tool. Persons intending to use these
plants for conservation or landscape should consult additional sources of
information for use, establishment, and management of the species.
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