Part 9

General: Bark on young trunks smooth, tough, dark gray; on older trees broken into narrow, scaly ridges. A large tree; usually found in mixture with other hardwoods on moist, rich valley soils. Wood is used for a variety of products including boxes, venetian blinds, sashes, doors, picture frames, and furniture. Also known as basswood.

Leaves: In whorls of 3 or more, occasionally opposite, heart-shaped, 8″-12″ long and 6″-8″ wide; margin entire or wavy; smooth above, hairy beneath.

Twigs: Stout, yellow-brown; no buds at the ends. Side buds small, appear to be hidden in bark. Large, nearly round, depressed leaf scars are characteristic.

Fruit: Bean-like, 8″-18″ long, narrow; pod separates into two halves when ripe, hang on tips of branches all winter; many seeds, each with long white hairs on both ends. Flowers in July, arranged in terminal clusters about 8″ long; each showy flower white with yellow and purple spots, 2″-3″ in diameter.

General: Bark light brown, scaly; slightly furrowed on older trees. A medium to large-sized tree. Native to the Mississippi Valley. Usually planted for shade purposes in this State but its wood is durable and useful for posts. The less hardy Southern catalpa (C. bignonioides) with slender pods has also been planted in Pennsylvania.

Leaves: Simple, alternate, 4″-6″ long, dark green and glossy above, paler and often wooly below; margins smooth or wavy.

Twigs: Grayish brown, smooth, sometimes velvety. No end bud; each side bud covered by 2 glossy dark brown scales.

Fruit: Fleshy berry, large (¾″-2″ in diameter), plum-like, orange to red, parts of the flower remain attached to the base (see sketch); seeds 1-8, flat, rather large. Edible but often astringent when fully ripe in autumn.

General: Bark dark gray to dark brown, separated into small blocks by cinnamon-red bottomed furrows. A small to medium-sized tree native to the southern part of the State. Wood hard, tough, used chiefly for special products such as shuttles for weaving, spools, and golf-club heads.

Leaves: Simple, alternate, 5″-12″ long, drooping; somewhat like the leaf of cucumbertree magnolia; dark green above, light green below; margins smooth or wavy.

Twigs: Olive-brown, enlarged at points where leaves are attached, somewhat hairy toward tips. Buds brown, hairy, not covered with scales.

Fruit: Looks like a short stubby banana, greenish yellow at first, brown when ripe in autumn, 3″-5″ long, edible; contains numerous brown, shiny seeds imbedded in the fragrant outer pulp. Flowers greenish-brown to purple, 1″ across, solitary, appear before the leaves.

General: Bark dark brown, thin, slightly fissured on older trees, often marked with white blotches. A small tree. Generally found in the understory of the forest in the southern half of the State on rich moist soil. The fruit is of more value than its wood which is sometimes used for fuel.

Leaves: Simple, alternate, 4″-6″ long, characteristically aromatic when crushed. Usually three types can be found on a tree: entire, 2-lobed and 3-lobed (rarely 5-lobed). Smooth, dark green above, much lighter beneath.

Twigs: Bright green, sometimes reddish, smooth and shiny; large white pith. End bud much larger than side ones, with many loose scales.

Fruit: Cherry-like, dark blue, shiny, about ½″ in diameter, on a red stem enlarged at the point of attachment. Borne in clusters. Yellow flowers appear before the leaves unfold.

General: Bark on young trees soon becomes furrowed, the greenish bark changing to brown; inner bark salmon colored; older trees show deep fissures extending long distances up the trunk. A small to medium-sized tree, with crooked branches; often spreading by root suckers. Its roots, leaves, twigs and fruit have a spicy odor; the oil contained in these parts is used for a “tea,” in medicines, perfumes, etc. Wood used chiefly for fuel and fence posts.

Leaves: Simple, opposite, 3″-5″ long; clustered toward tips of twigs; margins smooth or wavy; veins prominent and curved like a bow. Foliage bright red in autumn.

Twigs: Red tinged with green, often with a bluish white powdery coating; marked with rings; tips curve upward. End leaf bud covered by 2 reddish scales; side leaf buds very small; flower buds conspicuous, silvery, button-shaped, at ends of twigs.

Fruit: An egg-shaped drupe, ½″-⅗″ long; coat red; flesh yellowish; stone grooved, 2-celled; usually in clusters of 2-5; persist after the leaves fall. Flowers greenish white or yellowish, small, in flat-topped clusters; four showy white bracts underneath; open before the leaves.

General: Bark red-brown to reddish gray, broken by fissures into small blocks, like alligator hide. A small native tree with low spreading crown, especially valued for ornamental planting. Wood used primarily for textile weaving shuttles. There is a variety with red or pink bracts.

INDEX

A Ash, black 36 white 35 Aspen, bigtooth 43 trembling 42

B Basswood 49 Beech, American 16 Birch, black 28 canoe 31 gray 32 paper 31 river 30 sweet 28 white 31 yellow 29 Buckeye, Ohio 48 yellow 48 Butternut 21

C Catalpa, northern 50 southern 50 Cherry, black 45

D Dogwood, flowering 54

E Elm, American 39 slippery 40

G Gum, black 46