Understanding My Own Tree Blindness

In the last couple years I have noticed myself paying close attention to the environment around me at any given time. Through a combination of growing knowledge (thanks to OSU) and increased experience (thanks to my workplace), I have been slowly curing myself of tree blindness without even being aware I have suffered from it for so long. Growing up I have always had a keen interest in nature and spent a lot of time around trees. Whether it be playing in the treehouse, climbing the White Fir (Abies concolor) in my parents backyard or hunting with my father I was seemingly in constant contact with a tree. Despite all my time spent outdoors, it wasn’t until a little over a year ago when I truly started to learn dendrology and take a deeper dive into the trees that I have spent my whole life blindly adoring. “Cure Yourself of Tree Blindness” was a very eyeopening ar

ticle in many ways, it has given a diagnosis to something we all fall victim to at some point and it has inspired and reminded me to never be afraid to stop and admire any tree for all it has done, is doing and will go on to do.

 

May The Forest Be With You

Tulip Tree ( Liriodendron tulipifera)

Location :

• The smaller specimen pictured below was captured on a hike at Glen Helen Preserve in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The sapling was the only tulip tree I could find at the moment and it was observed right along a trail that followed the infamous “Yellow Spring” and its water. The soil found here is mostly acidic and typically retains moisture year round. However, I came across a much more mature tree on campus right outside of Jennings hall which is also pictured below.

  

  

Identification:

• The tulip tree can be easy to identify based off its unique leaves and beautiful flowers. As the name may infer, tulip tree flowers resemble tulips! However, it is actually a member of the magnolia family. The leaf of a tulip tree resembles a sort of misshapen top hat or a funky hairdo with a V-shape at the top center and 2 or 4 lobes on each side. The leaves are entire with pointed lobes.

Fun Info:

• Tulip tree is the largest deciduous tree species in the eastern US and is only second to the American Sycamore in largest diameter size. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 203)
• We often hear of plant species being introduced to the americas from foreign lands, but in this instance it is seemingly backward. Tulip tree was introduced into Europe from Virginia by early colonist who admired its size and beauty. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network (LITU)

 

 

Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Location: 

• Cottonwood trees can historically be found along creeks and other waterways or in bottom lands that retain a significant amount of moisture. Pictured above are leaves of a Cottonwood I discovered about 200 feet away from a lakes edge.

Identification: 

• Eastern Cottonwood trees can be easily identified by their leaves. The overall shape of the leaf is heart-shaped with the top of the “heart” being flat along with toothed edges around the entire leaf. Another method of identification is to take a look at the bark, the bark will be deeply furrowed with flat top ridges. Pictured below is a zoomed out picture of the one above, with the bark showing more distinctly.

Fun Info: 

• The Cottonwood tree is a rather fast growing species compared to other native trees, however, it is very short lived in comparison taking “Live fast, die young” to a whole new level. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (PODE3)
• Being in the Poplar family, the Cottonwood is the only species that glands within its stalks. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 212)

 

 

White Oak (Quercus alba)

Location: 

• White Oaks prefer deep, well drained, acidic soils but are likely to be found mostly anywhere within the eastern U.S. The specimen photographed above and below was found outside of Jennings Hall.

Identification: 

• White Oaks can be distinguished compared to its cousins, the Red Oaks, because all oaks in the white oak family have simple lobed leaves with no bristles. Out of all species in the white oak family, Quercus alba has the most deeply lobed leaves.

Fun Info: 

• The wood of the White Oak is used to produce furniture, flooring, colonial ships and perhaps the most important, wine and whiskey barrels. Lady Bird Wildflower Center (QUAL)
• Oak trees are crucial to supporting a healthy wildlife population especially when it comes to deer and squirrels. It is likely that if you have a plot of land with a healthy amount of Oak species present, you will have a healthy wildlife population nearby. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 215)

 

 

American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Location: 

• This specific specimen was found on the edge of a parking lot in Yellow Springs, OH. American Sweetgum trees prefer warm climate and moderately high elevations so it is reasonable to infer that though they thrive in Ohio, they likely thrive more elsewhere. Compared to the other trees we have looked at, the Sweetgum has the widest range reaching from Connecticut all the way south to Florida and then West to Texas and even beyond.

Identification: 

• Sweetgum trees are most commonly recognized by their “spiky balls” which are the trees fruit. These “gum balls” are defiantly not pleasant to step on but they do make identifying the tree easier when they are present. Without the gum balls, you can use the leaves as an identifier. The leaves of the American Sweetgum are star shaped with serrated edges making them pretty unique in Ohio.

Fun Info: 

• Veneer logs from Sweetgum trees have a high polish level and are often used to produce furniture. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 215)
• When the bark is peeled off of a Sweetgum, there is a gum-like substance between the bark and the pulpwood. In the early days of our nation, settlers would use this sticky substance to make medicines and chewing gum. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (LIST2)

 

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Sugar Maple leaf with small caterpillars eating pathways through the leaves

Location: 

• This Sugar Maple was photographed in a yard in West Jefferson, OH. Sugar maples prefer shallow, dry soil and are hardly ever found near wetlands or any area with consistently moist soil.

Identification:

• Sugar maples can be identified by their smooth curved leaves with 5 lobes. The bark of Sugar Maples is smooth in saplings and shaggy with mature trees.

Fun Info:

• The sap from Sugar Maples is the main ingredient in Maple syrup! Each individual tree can produce 5 to 60 gallons of sap per year with 32 gallons of sap producing only one gallon of syrup. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (ACSA3)
• The fruits produced by maples, commonly referred to as “helicopters” are actually called keys. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 96)

 

American Hackberry (Celtis occidentals)

Location: 

• This tree was found in Yellow Springs, OH. The American Hackberry prefers habitats such as rocky hillsides, open woodlots and areas with limestone and sandy soils.

Identification: 

• The American Hackberry can be identified by its unique bark. The bark of Hackberry are very corky with large knobby ridges, almost looking as if it had been “hacked” into. The leaves are simple and alternate with unequal bases. As seen in the photo above, one side of each leaf is rounded while the other side is flat with a sharp curve down to the tip.

Fun Info: 

• The leaves of hackberry often have small round lumps on them caused by jumping plant lice. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (CEOC)
• The fruit of the Hackberry is a preferred treat to many desirable game birds. In Ohio you may find quail, turkey, grouse and pheasants feasting on the fruits.(Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 208)

 

 

 

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Location: 

• Along the Glen Helen Preserve trail in Yellow Springs, OH this Black Walnut specimen can be found. This species prefers deep, well drained soils and can often be found along waterways, roads, and anywhere it can have access to sunny conditions.

Identification: 

• The leaves of the Black Walnut are pinnately compound with 7-17 leaflets. Each leaflet is slightly toothed and the under sides of the leaves are hairy. The bark of this species is dark with deep grooves and can be easily identified compared to other walnut species.

Fun Info: 

• The bruised nut husks of the fruit were once used to kill fish for consumption but that behavior is illegal for obvious reasons. (Petrides, George A. 1972. A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and north-central US and Southeastern and south-central Canada, pp. 134)
• Black Walnuts are the most valuable native hardwood species in Ohio and many surrounding regions. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (JUNI)