Part 4

General: Bark on young stems smooth, dark brown; on older trunks dull black, furrowed, forming irregular blocks. Inner bark orange-yellow. A medium to large-sized tree. Wood has the same uses as that of red oak.

Leaves: Similar to those of scarlet oak but generally smaller, fewer-lobed, with more narrow and deeper spaces between lobes. Smooth on both surfaces.

Twigs: Dark red-brown, shiny, slender, often thorn-like. Buds rounded, smooth, smaller than those of scarlet oak.

Fruit: An acorn, about ½″ long, often striped with dark lines; cup thin, saucer-shaped, encloses about ⅓ of nut; cup scales tight, dark-margined.

General: Bark grayish brown, rather smooth for many years; old trunks with shallow fissures and narrow flat ridges. Medium-sized and highly valued street tree. Frequents wet woodland sites. Has the smallest leaves, buds and acorns of all native oaks. Drooping dead lower branches persist for many years. Wood has same uses as red oak but is less desirable because of numerous branch knots.

Leaves: Simple, alternate, 3″-4″ long, sharp-toothed, leathery; light green and glossy above, yellow-green with silky hairs below; veins prominent, parallel. Some leaves often cling to the branches all winter.

Twigs: Slender, brownish gray. Buds reddish brown, sharp-pointed, cigar-shaped; end bud ¾″-1″ long.

Fruit: A shiny brown triangled nut, ½″-¾″ long, usually two enclosed in a stalked prickly bur which splits into 4 parts when ripe; edible.

General: Bark smooth, never furrowed, bluish gray throughout life, with dark blotches when older. A large tree. Most numerous in the northern part of the State. Wood used mainly for railroad ties, paper pulp, boxes, furniture and flooring.

Leaves: Simple, opposite, 5-lobed, about 4″ in diameter; smooth, bright green, paler below; margin with few large teeth.

Twigs: Reddish brown to light brown. Buds brown, sharp-pointed; narrowly cone-shaped.

Fruit: Consists of 2 winged seeds on a stalk; borne in clusters, brown, seed wings ½″ to 1″ long, almost parallel to each other; matures in autumn. Fruit stalks and sometimes the seeds persist into the winter.

General: Bark grayish, on older trunks ridged or with long, thick, curled plates. A large, long-lived, desirable timber and shade tree. Wood used for furniture, flooring; “tapped for sap for making maple syrup.” Often called hard maple.

Leaves: Simple, opposite, generally 3-lobed; about 4″ in diameter; margin with many small teeth.

Twigs: Shiny, green when young, becoming red, with numerous light spots (lenticels). Leaf buds dark red, blunt-pointed; flower buds round, clustered.

Fruit: Paired winged seeds suspended on a slim stem; reddish brown; wing 1″ or less in length; matures in late spring.

General: Bark on young trees gray and smooth, on older trees becoming darker and with long scaly ridges. A medium-sized tree. Common on both swampy and dry sites. A showy tree, usually with reddish flowers and reddish fruit in the spring, and crimson leaves in autumn. Wood has uses similar to those of sugar maple except where strength and hardness are of importance. Often called soft maple.

Leaves: Simple, opposite, 5-lobed, very deep spaces between lobes, teeth coarse; about 5″ in diameter, silvery below.

Twigs: Green in early spring, turning orange-brown, with many light colored dots (lenticels). Distinctive odor when broken. Buds of two distinct types: the small pointed leaf buds toward end of twig, and rounded, clustered flower buds below. Lower branches with up-turned tips.

Fruit: Largest of the native maples; wings may be 2″ long, curving inwards; matures in spring.

General: Bark on young trees smooth and gray; on older trees broken into long, narrow loose strips. A medium-sized tree usually found along streams. Sometimes planted as a shade tree. Wood has uses similar to those of red maple. This species is classed as a soft maple.

Leaves: Simple, opposite, generally 7-lobed, 4½″-5″ in diameter. Milky sap is evident after breaking the leaf stem. Leaves are heavier and thicker than those of sugar maple.

Twigs: Stout, reddish brown. Buds red and green, blunt; end bud much larger than side ones; bud scales with keel-like ridges.

Fruit: Wings wide-spreading, larger than those of sugar maple. Matures in autumn.

General: Bark on young tree light brown, smooth; on older trees it becomes closely fissured but not scaly, dark in color. A tree of medium-size. Imported from Europe and planted extensively as a street tree. The leaves are often attacked by an aphid insect which produces quantities of a sticky substance, spotting vehicles and sidewalks. This species is classed as a soft maple.

Leaves: Compound, alternate; leaflets 11 to 17, each 3″-5″ long, small-toothed; dark yellow-green above, paler, hairy below. End leaflet same size as side leaflets. Main leaf-stem with conspicuous sticky hairs. One of the last trees to unfold its leaves in spring, and the first to shed them in autumn.

Twigs: Stout, greenish-gray to tan, rough, brittle. Pith chocolate-brown, chambered. Buds light brown, hairy, not covered with scales; end bud ½″-¾″ long, side buds smaller. Fringe of short hairs between leaf-scar and bud.

Fruit: An oblong nut, 1½″-2½″ long, covered with a hairy, sticky husk. Nut pointed at one end, shell rough, oily kernel sweet.