Trees of Sharon Woods

Welcome to Sharon Woods Metro Park!

These trees I interviewed and came to know are but a few that live in the forests of Sharon Woods. It is filled with interesting trees with more stories to tell than any person you could find on earth. Mostly due to age but also they have seen a major amount of people since the park opened in 1968.  The article Cure yourself of tree blindness written by Popkin in 2017 was a major contributor to the positive outcome of my interviewing process. I came out of the forest with a renewed vigor for identification of the plants around me.  Popkin, 2017 mentions the history of trees as they are tied to humans in the past such as boundary markers or survivors of massacres also known as “wolf trees”.  Some of Sharon Woods used to be farmland while old growth hickories still have a stronghold in other parts, making this a diverse community. Any way, enough foreplay it’s time to meet the trees of Sharon Woods.

American Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

The leaves of this and most hackberries alternate, hairy, coarse-toothed, simple, long and pointed. The bark has dark warty knobs and ridges according to (Petrides, 1972. pp.208).  I did also see that with my own eyes and now you have to if you haven’t already. I met this tree on the edge of a small forested part of the park near a few of his friends. I noticed peculiar galls when shaking hands before the interview and after some research, I discovered that they are caused by lice in the leaves according to the (Plant database, 2024).

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

This individual and it’s allies have leaves that are described as simple, alternate, double-toothed and feather-veined. This species has many animals such as grouse and squirrels that eat its seeds (Petrides, 1972). Dutch elm disease which was introduced in the 1930’s has taken a heavy toll on the elm population in Ohio according to Plant database, 2024. 

Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)

This terrifying yet lovable species was quite a distance from his closest relative but they had enough protection from the looks of it. The leaves are feathery-compound, alternate, the leaflets may be finely toothed.  There are also thorns along the trunk and branches of this tree. the thorns were used in animal traps, among other things, in the past (Petrides,1972).  According to the Plant database, 2024, this tree can be planted in order to draw in wildlife to your property.

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

The leaves of this stately red mulberry are oval/heart shaped occasionally.  They are simple, serrated, and have fine hairs making them soft to touch (Petrides, 1972). According to the Native American Ethnobotany website, some Cherokee tribes used the bark from this tree to make many medicines for relieving stomach and intestine issues.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

The leaves of this delicious fruit tree are large and oblong. They are simple, entire, and slightly hairy (Petrides, 1972).  The fruit of this tree is green and looks like a miniature banana in a way.  The name pawpaw is actually derived from another similar looking fruit, the papaya (Plant database, 2024).

 

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

This tree was too tall for me to be able to reach the live leaves but I saw a decent example on the ground.  There are many sweetgum in the area but this one was very tall even by comparison.  The leaf is star-shaped, the branchlets have wings, it is simple, toothed and lobed. Sweetgum is a major wood product used for furniture due to its high shine (Petrides, 1972). The sap from this tree is what gives it the name sweetgum. It has been gathered and used as chewing gum and for medicinal purposes (Plant database, 2024). 

Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

This species of tree has 4-pointed leaves.  They have also been described as notched at the tip, simple, entire and alternate.  My grandfather taught me three trees growing up, this being one of them, but he called it by the name “Yellow Poplar”.  I have since come to know that this is a misnomer since the tulip tree is not related to true poplars at all (Petrides, 1972).  According to Plant database, 2024, a canoe made out of a single log from one of these trees was used by both pioneers and Native Americans alike.

 

Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)

These leaves are pinnately compound, toothed, with 5-7 hairless leaflets. The nuts are worth talking about because they are so useful in species identification if present. The nuts are egg-shaped, 4-angled, and not ridged. The husk splits at the base (Petrides, 1972). This tree was used for things such as dye from the inner bark and cooking milk from the kernels (Plant database, 2024).

 

Works Cited

  1. Petrides, George A. 1972, Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and North Central US and Southeast and South Central Canada (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Miflin.
  2. Popkin, G. (2017, August 26). Cure yourself of tree blindness. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/opinion/sunday/cure-yourself-of-tree-blindness.html
  3. Plant database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – The University of Texas at Austin. (n.d.). https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CEOC
  4. http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=red+mulberry
  5. Popkin, G. (2017, August 26). Cure yourself of tree blindness. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/opinion/sunday/cure-yourself-of-tree-blindness.html