How to Identify Trees

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With so many varieties of trees in existence, identifying one from another can be a tricky task. Whether you want to learn more about your local flora or identify one tree in particular, it can be difficult knowing where to start. By knowing what specific characteristics to look for in leaves, bark and the shape of the tree, you’ll be able to begin identifying trees in little time at all.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Common Trees

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  1. There are multiple types of pine trees, but as members of the same broad family, they tend to share similar characteristics. Look for tall trees with needles and cone type fruit to find a pine tree. [1]
    • Loblolly pine trees are tall trees, usually reaching heights between 98 and 115 feet (30 to 35 m). These trees have needles that are usually found in bunches of three, and the trees produce cone-type fruit. The bark is scaly, and the branches are largely clustered at the top of the tree.
    • Lodgepole pine trees are thin, narrow trees reaching heights of 130 to 160 feet (40 to 50 m). The top of the tree tends to be flattened, but they also have needles that come in clusters of two and cone-type fruit. [2]
  2. As with pine trees, there are a few different variations of fir tree within the fir species, even though most do share similar traits.
    • Douglas fir trees are one of the tallest tree types in the world, growing up to 250 feet (76 m) tall. The bark is thin and smooth on young trees but thick and corky on old trees. These trees produce cone-like fruit with a narrow shape and red-brown scales, and the needle-like leaves are arranged in spirals, lying flat along the shoots. The top of the tree is somewhat cylindrical.
    • Balsam fir trees are a smaller variety, reaching heights between 46 and 66 feet (14 and 20 m). The top of the tree is narrow and pointed, giving the overall shape a conical appearance. The bark is smooth and gray on young trees but rough and scaly on old trees, and the leaves are needle-like. The cones ripen to a brown color but disintegrate and release winged seeds in the fall. [3]
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  3. Oak trees are usually divided into a white oak group and a red oak group, but other variations exist as well.
    • White oak trees have simple, lobed leaves without bristled tips. They produce acorns, and the bark is usually a light gray color with a scaly appearance. [4]
    • Red oak trees also produce acorns, but they have lobed leaves with bristled tips. The bark is scaly and a dark red-gray to red-brown color. The branches are thin and initially appear bright green before turning dark red and, eventually, dark brown. [5]
  4. Maple trees are all fairly similar, but there are also multiple types within the broader species.
    • Sugar maple trees have five rounded leaf lobes. In the spring and summer, the leaves are green, but they turn bright yellow, orange, or bright red-orange in fall, and the fall coloring tends to be uneven. The bark has ridges in it and the fruit it produces is winged.
    • Silver maple trees have sharp leaf lobes that are deeply cut. While vibrant green during the summer, the leaves are only a pale yellow in the fall. The bark tends to be smooth and silver on young trees but gray and shaggy on old trees. [6]
    • Red maple trees have sharp leaf lobes that are shallowly cut. The leaves are green during the summer but usually turn a vibrant shade of red during autumn. The bark of the tree is smooth and pale gray in young trees, but older trees get darker bark with a plate-like texture. Red maple trees also produce double-sided winged fruit. [7]
  5. Birch trees are used fairly commonly as decorative or ornamental trees due to their colorful bark and exposed trunks. Look for papery bark that wraps around the tree, lobed leaves with points around the outside and small, fragile cones attached to the branches to identify a birch. [8]
    • Paper birch trees will have white, very papery bark and can grow up to 70 feet (21 m) tall. [9]
    • Red or water birch trees have a darker, reddish-brown or copper colored bark. They also tend to be much smaller, between the size of a shrub or up to 30 feet (9.1 m) tall.
  6. Sycamores are giant trees, used both to decorate a broad landscape and to provide a spot of shade on a particularly hot day. To identify a sycamore tree, look for large, leathery green leaves and small green flowers attached to its branches. The bark will generally be a mixture of whites, tans, and browns, although these colors might be covered with a thin layer of white bark. [10]
    • If you’re trying to find a sycamore tree, look up! Sycamores can grow up to 100 feet (30 m), with a canopy of leaves covering a 70 feet (21 m) diameter.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Categorising the Tree

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  1. One of the easiest ways to narrow down possible tree types is to identify if the tree is “coniferous” or “broadleaf”. [11] Coniferous trees will have pointed needles, such as the type you may find on a Christmas tree. Broadleaf trees include everything else, and have wider, flatter leaves. [12] Here are a few other ways you can classify leaves that might narrow your tree type down further:
    • Scales are a type of leaf similar to needles, but with a much broader face. They will be pointed at the tip, and tend to grow in overlapping clusters to give a scaly appearance. [13]
    • Simple leaves can either be broad or narrow, but they are typically flat with smooth edges. By contrast, jagged or serrated leaves are similar to simple leaves except for the fact that they have pointed ridges along the sides. [14]
    • Lobed leaves are broad leaves with large bumps or "hills and valleys" along the edge.
    • Palmate leaves have multiple skinny leaves coming off one stalk, while pinnate leaves have multiple skinny leaves attached to their own stalks.
  2. [15] These are all easily identifiable indicators of different types of tree. While observing the leaves, look around the branches for any fruits, flowers or other features that may help separate the tree from other types. [16] Here are a few types of fruits and flowers to keep an eye out for: [17]
    • Flowers can be grown in clusters or singularly. Check if the flowers on the tree grow in small bunches or all over the tree individually.
    • The most easily recognizable types of fruit will all look and feel like the types you’d get from the grocery store. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re OK to eat, but it can help you identify a tree. These are known as flesh, soft, or berry fruits, and will have a soft but slightly firm exterior.
    • Cones or catkin fruit are a cluster of woody, scale-like pieces formed into a conical or cylindrical mass. Pine cones might be the most familiar type, but there are plenty of cones from non-pine trees.
    • Acorns and nuts can be grouped under hard, woody fruit. These will have a tough exterior, sometimes protecting seeds inside.
    • Pod fruits contain several seeds or hard masses inside a single protective pod or enclosure.
    • Winged fruit consists of a hard seed at the center of the fruit with lightweight, paper-like skin surrounding and coming off of that seed.
  3. [18] Both the formation of the bark on the tree and its color can be useful identifiers when determining a type of tree. Look at and touch the bark to determine its texture, being careful not to damage it. Here are a few things to look out for when differentiating bark: [19]
    • From a distance, the bark on a tree might seem like it's just a standard brown color. Get a little closer and observe any other colors or textures that might be more difficult to see. Tree bark can have browns, reds, whites, grays and even hints of green in it.
    • The most common type of bark is ridged, grooved or furrowed. This type of bark will be divided into long, chunky strips that cover the tree in a seemingly random pattern. [20]
    • If the bark is made up of smaller, squarer pieces that overlap down the length of the tree, it is referred to as being scaly.
    • Smooth bark will be smooth to the touch, or that might feel like there’s no bark at all. Normally it will also be a very light or tan color.
    • If the bark looks or feels as if it could be easily peeled off and stay together in larger pieces, it is said to be papery.
  4. [21] Both the shape and height of the tree can be key identifiers when working out its type. You don’t need to measure the height exactly , as long as you have a rough estimate. [22] Here are a few terms you can use to differentiate tree shapes: [23]
    • Conical or spire trees are narrow and tend to have pointed tops, giving them a triangular shape.
    • Spreading trees have broad, wide shapes, and the branches tend to extend out far from the trunk of the tree.
    • Upright trees are similar to spreading trees, but the branches do not spread out as far, giving the tree a more narrow look.
    • Weeping trees have branches and leaves that curve downward and hang low.
  5. The location you’re in when trying to identify a tree can help you narrow down the possibilities. For example, you’re unlikely to find a pine tree in Southern California! Take note of your location, as this can be a key factor in identifying the right type of tree if they all start to look the same. [24]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Applying Your Observations

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  1. A tree encyclopedia will have long lists, descriptions, and sometimes even pictures to help you identify different types of trees. Ask around at your local bookstore to see if they can point you towards one specific to your area. If not, you should be able to find some online. [25]
    • Always try and use encyclopedias and guides local to your geographic area. These will include only the trees likely to grow around you, rather than thousands of different types from all over the country or the world! Ask your local bookseller or look online for tree identification books limited to your state, region, or even just your half of the country.
  2. There are plenty of tools online to help you identify trees based on different characteristics. Look for one offered by a local wildlife or nature organization to limit the possibilities to local flora, or check out one online by searching for “tree identifiers”. [26]
  3. You can learn a lot about identifying trees on your own, but if you really want to learn more about trees and how to identify them, taking instruction from a local expert can provide you with the knowledge you need more quickly and more thoroughly. [27]
    • Look for local courses and workshops. You can improve your knowledge of the trees in your geographic area if you take a class taught by an expert. Look for classes and workshops provided by universities and community colleges, as well as any offered by environmental organizations, hiking organizations, agricultural extension offices, and local, state, or national parks.
    • Spend one-on-one time in the field with an expert. While a formal class is likely to teach you all you need to know and offer some fieldwork experience in the process, you might be able to learn just as much if you can arrange to meet with an expert on site at a park or arboretum.
  4. There are currently plenty of apps for your smartphone that can help identify trees just by looking at them. Some apps will be able to use pictures of trees or leaves to identify them, where others might ask you a series of questions to help narrow it down. Search for “tree identifier” apps in your smartphone app store and try a few out to see which one you like best. [28]
    • Each app will work differently, or may not work perfectly with your phone. Read the instructions and play around with each app to determine how to use it.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I find out what kind of tree I have?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    The first thing to do when trying to identify a tree is to decide whether it is coniferous or broad-leaved. Most coniferous trees have needles, whereas broad-leaved trees, as the name suggests, typically have leaves that are thin but relatively broad.
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  • Question
    Are conifers and evergreens the same thing?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    Not really. Most coniferous species are evergreen, though. One of the few exceptions to that is larch. There are many broad-leaved species in either category, however — although evergreen broad-leaved trees tend to be more common in regions with mild winters.
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  • Question
    How can you tell if a tree is deciduous?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    The leaves of some deciduous trees change color before dropping in the fall, but color is not a good indicator of species, as it can be influenced by external factors such as weather and location. Before the leaves grow back in the spring, though, buds can be a giveaway. For example, some tree species have large sticky buds.
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      References

      1. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      2. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=900
      3. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=1105
      4. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=1098
      5. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=877
      6. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=869
      7. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=867
      8. ↑ https://oregonstate.edu/trees/broadleaf_genera/birch.htm
      9. ↑ https://oregonstate.edu/trees/broadleaf_genera/species/birch_spp.htm#water_birch
      1. ↑ https://www.arborday.org/Trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?itemID=1080
      2. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      3. ↑ https://wandrlymagazine.com/article/tree-identification/#
      4. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      5. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      6. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      7. ↑ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/how-to-identify-trees/
      8. ↑ https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/search?f [0]=field_fg_types:5591
      9. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      10. ↑ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/how-to-identify-trees/
      11. ↑ https://wandrlymagazine.com/article/tree-identification/#
      12. ↑ Michael Simpson, PhD. Registered Professional Biologist. Expert Interview. 8 September 2021.
      13. ↑ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/how-to-identify-trees/
      14. ↑ https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/search?f [0]=field_fg_types:5591
      15. ↑ https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/learn-to-identify-trees-zb0z10zblon#axzz2mYuDuHpt
      16. ↑ https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/learn-to-identify-trees-zb0z10zblon#axzz2mYuDuHpt
      17. ↑ https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/learn-to-identify-trees-zb0z10zblon#axzz2mYuDuHpt
      18. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/opinion/sunday/cure-yourself-of-tree-blindness.html
      19. ↑ http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/leafsnap-is-a-new-app-to-identify-trees.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To identify a tree, start by looking at the size, shape, and color of its leaves. If the leaves have 5 rounded lobes in them, then you’re probably looking at a sugar maple. Additionally, examine the tree’s bark to see whether it’s smooth, scaly, or ridged. If the bark is light gray and scaly, you’re likely in front of an oak. You should also pay attention to any fruit or flowers the tree may have, since you can use that observation along with the others to figure out what type of tree you’re looking at. To learn how to identify a tree by looking at the pattern of its branches, keep reading!

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