Tree One
American Sycamore – Platanus occidentalis
Alternate, simple, lobed, serrated leaves. Veins are neat and spreading from a single point.
Unique trunk pattern with white almost bare markings in the bark
Spotted near my house, quite a large tree. I was immediately interested in the pattern on its trunk.
The cavities of a Sycamore tree often provide homes for wood ducks, opossum, and racoons (Petrides 204).
The sap of this tree can actually be reduced into a drink, it apparently is not very sweet but produces a lot (Lady Bird…).
Tree Two
Black Locust – Robinia pseudo-acacia
This tree has dark, opposite compound leaves that are ovular. The bark on the tree is said to be deeply ridged.
This tree was acrost the street next to a house. I was excited to find a tree that had lots of small compound leaves nearby.
This tree is a fast grower with strong wood, so it is ill advised to use in a garden (Lady Bird…).
Seeds can be eaten by various herbivores, however the shoots and bark of the tree are poisonous (Petrides 127).
Tree Three
White Oak – Quercus alba
Alternate, simple, evenly lobed leaves. Leaves are silvery.
This tree was on the edge of a small field, there was a larger white oak nearby – it was more “branchy” rather than tall like this one.
I almost was surprised at the shape of the specimen in the image above…
Native Americans used white oaks for medicinal purposes (Lady Bird…).
It’s acorns are a fan favorite for birds, squirrels, and deer – they have less tannins than red oaks (Petrides 216).
Tree Four
American Basswood – Tilia americana
Heart shaped leaves that have fine teeth. They have clear sap and shallowly grooved bark.
This tree was nearby the larger white oak tree, on the side of a street. It looked “pretty average” to me haha!
This tree apparently attracts lots of bees with its sweet honey (Lady Bird…).
The inner bark is a good material for making cordage, baskets, and weaving (Petrides 208).
Tree five
Cockspur Hawthorn – Crataegus crus-galli linnaeus var.
Look at those thorns! This hawthorn has alternate serrated leaves. They are a darker shade of green.
This tree was pretty sad. Half of the tree was bare, and the other half had mostly dying leaves and branches.
Apparently, the thorns actually can be used as pins! (Lady Bird…).
Songbirds usually nest in these trees – when they are healthy they are quite dense (Petrides 198).
Tree Six
Silver Maple – Acer saccharinum
This tree has serrated lobed leaves that are simply opposite. The tree also is said to have greyish mature bark, that has a tendency to flake away, leaving brown young bark beneath it.
While the bark was not as interesting as the sycamore, I did enjoy the variation in colors and textures. It was also near the edge of a small field nearby my house.
This plant is a good shade tree because it grows quickly, however it is not optimal due to its brittle nature (Lady Bird…).
The sap of a Silver Maple is sweet, but not as sweet as a Sugar Maple (Petrides 97). However, if you reduce it you can achieve a pale syrup (Lady Bird…).
Tree Seven
Common Catalpa – Catalpa bignonioides
This tree had the largest leaves out of them all! They were simple leaves arranged oppositely – untoothed and unlobed.
At first I thought this was a bush! This guy was planted in a dense row next to a train track – maybe to keep people off?
The flowers of this tree are unique – more long like cigars (Lady Bird…).
This tree has a tendency to attract insects – specifically Catawba Worms – which can be used for fishing (Petrides 85).
Tree Eight
Cherry Plum – Prunus cerasifera
This tree has simple alternate leaves of a dark purple shade. They are serrated.
This one is the only one with purple leaves that I found. I would have thought this tree would be fuller. I found it in a small field in my neighborhood.
This tree is susceptible to something called “leaf curl”, which I believe it has (Prunus…).
Broken twigs have a unique scent of almonds (Petrides 235).
Citations –
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – The Botanic Garden of Texas. (2023, August 31). Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. https://www.wildflower.org/
Petrides, George A. 1972, Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and North Central US and Southeast and South Central Canada (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Miflin, 428 pp.
Prunus cerasifera – Plant Finder. (n.d.). https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286444
