Q&A for How to Identify Trees

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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.
    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.
  • 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.
    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.
  • 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.
    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.
  • Question
    What do I look for when trying to identify a tree?
    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.
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    Take a look at the shape of the leaves and at how they are arranged along branches. Other things to look at include flowers (by shape, color and arrangement), fruits (by size, shape and texture), cones (by size, shape and texture) and bark (by color and texture).
  • Question
    what kind of tree has heart-shaped leaves and bean-like pods?
    Pierce Koreniuk
    Community Answer
    If you live in the Midwestern United States, that tree could be a catalpa. It has large heart-shaped leaves, long pods that produce large clusters of white flowers, and grows 12 - 18 meters tall.
  • Question
    What tree has flying helicopter seeds?
    Community Answer
    These come from maple trees.
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