Reading the article about tree blindness helped me reflect on my own experience with (a lack of) knowledge about trees. Growing up in The Middle Of Nowhere, Ohio, I’ve had a relationship of some kind with trees since I could walk. I spent many a summer climbing trees to pass the time, or to conceal myself during intense games of hide-and-seek, and for as long as I can remember I knew how to tell some of the more common ones apart: the maples, the oaks, the pines, and the spruce. But for all this, I was still tree blind. If it wasn’t one of those 4 types, I had no knowledge of identifying it, nor did I care to learn. I spent a decade throwing “monkey brains” (hedge apples) at friends before I learned the fascinating history behind their existence with a quick google search. After that, I started to pay more attention to trees, in search of other interesting stories. For this project, I took a walk through my backyard, and reflected on my journey of learning about trees.
1. White Ash, Fraxinus americana
The opposite and pinnately compound leaves that are composed of 5-9 leaflets (as well as the not toothed, at least in my area) easily distinguish the White Ash from other Ash species, as most have more leaflets, unique twigs, or toothed leaves. This species of tree is found all across the property, usually in upland areas where water doesn’t pool. While I was unable to find scars on this tree, other trees in the yard have the distinctive scars of the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive species that is destroying Ash populations. From the field guide, I learned that White Ash wood has a variety of purposes, and is often used to make baseball bats (Petrides, 50). I discovered this tree early on in my tree journey, through its relationships with ants. Specifically, live branches of White Ash are the sole nesting environment of Colobopsis mississippiensis, which is part of a specialized genus of ants that use the heads of major workers to block nest entrances (Mississippi Entomological Museum). There is worry that the decline in Ash due to the Emerald Ash Borer may result in a lack of habitat for these and other Ash specialists like Lasius minutus.
2. Black Walnut, Juglans nigra
The Black Walnut is another easy to distinguish tree, both due to its large size, conspicuous fruit, and unique leaves (one of only two trees in Ohio with 15+ leaflets of such large size). This was also one of the first trees I learned to identify, soon after the White Ash, as I was drawn to its large size and large fruit. Similarly to the Ohio Buckeye, bruised walnut husks can be used to kill fish (Petrides, 135). Another interesting fact I learned about the Black Walnut was its use of chemical warfare against competing plants. Black Walnut roots release Juglone, which can poison many other plant species, and leaves Black Walnut trees with less competition as they grow (USDA).
3. Honey Locust, Gleditsia triacanthos
Next up is actually a misidentification on my part. Ever since I first noticed it due to the small compound leaves peeking out of the canopy (this tree is part of a field that has been successioning into a forest), and the thorns on its bark, I’ve thought this was a Black Locust. However, when I read through the sections in our tree guide, I realized that Black Locusts didn’t generally have thorny bark, and their thorns were much smaller than that of the Honey Locust. That thorny bark and small compound leaves (that can sometimes even have compound leaflets!) quickly separate the Honey Locust from other tree species in Ohio. From the guide I also learned that the seed pods produced by the Honey Locust are edible; it’s best not to confuse this with the Black Locust’s poisonous bark and seed pods (Petrides, 127). From the Native American Ethnobotany Database, I learned that Honey Locust bark can be used in combination with American Sycamore as a gargle for sore throats.
4. White Mulberry, Morus alba
Another misidentification, I was first introduced to the “Red Mulberry” tree in the backyard of a friends house, when their mom offered a berry to me. Until then, I had no idea that there were edible berries on any trees in Ohio, but my friend’s backyard was littered with them! Once I was home, I was immediately looking for them in my own backyard, and I found a couple! This is one of them, sprouting up around a fencepost. While taking photos for this class, I looked at the tree guide, and realized there were invasive mulberry species in Ohio. After lots of searching, I managed to find a Purdue University article that explained the differences more clearly, and I ended up deciding that this is not, in fact, a Red Mulberry, but the invasive White Mulberry. The often-lobed leaves, general shininess of the leaves, and the rounded teeth on the leaf margins give it away (Purdue, 2). As it’s invasive, I can’t really say any of these facts are fun, but I did learn from the tree guide that White Mulberries were originally introduced by the British in a futile attempt to raise silkworms (Petrides, 207). From the Purdue sheet, I also learned that White Mulberries generally aren’t as sweet as Red Mulberries 🙁
5. Bradford/Callery Pear, Pyrus calleryana
While we’re on the topic of invasives, I may as well bring up the Callery Pear. Unfortunately, this species is not found in the tree guide, so I had to resort to other sources for identification. I ended up on an Ohio Department of Natural Resources page devoted to the species. According to it, the Callery pear can be separated from other species by its alternately arranged simple leaves that have wavy, serrated margins. Its white flowers in spring and small hard fruits in the late summer and fall are also helpful identification features. The Callery Pear has been springing up all over in disturbed parts of the yard, especially in early succession areas and around fences. Since it’s not in the tree guide, I also got my facts from the DNR page. The first interesting fact is that the flowers of the Callery Pear have an unpleasant smell, sometimes likened to that of dead fish. Unlike the White Mulberry, I do have one fun fact about this species, which is that as of January 1st, 2023, it is illegal to sell, grow, or plant Callery Pear trees in Ohio. Hooray!
6. American Elm, Ulmus americana
On a less invasive note, this is the American Elm. This young tree was sprouting up beside an old greenhouse, and doing so quite quickly! Elms have simple, alternate leaves, and the American Elm’s sheer size helps distinguish it from other Elm species, most of which are introduced. When the tree is young (as in this case) the branching trunks and non-hairy twigs split it from others. Unfortunately, this species is a victim of an invasive fungus known as Dutch Elm Disease, and due to this, only young American Elms can be found (Petrides, 226). I also learned that American Elms have distinctive flowers appearing in early spring, when most trees have yet to show any growth (Ohio DNR).
7. Black Cherry, Prunus serotina
The Black Cherry is a tree I learned recently, when I pointed out some galls on a sapling during a plant walk this spring. Soon after, I found them in my yard! This young tree is growing next to a fence, competing with several invasives (looking at you, pears) for space. Like the American Elm, Black Cherry trees are usually distinguishable from other cherry trees by height alone, as they grow upwards of 80 feet! Since this one is young, I used the blunt-toothed leaf margins and the especially long clustered fruits to distinguish it from other cherries. Like other members of the genus, it has alternating simple leaves, and young bark has distinct horizontal markings. From the tree guide (and from personal experience — I tried one), I learned that the cherries it produces are quite bitter. However, they can be used to make jams (Petrides, 236). From a USDA webpage, I learned that the bark of the Black Cherry contains a poison that has historically been used to cure coughs (USDA Plant Guide).
8. Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra
The Smooth Sumac is a tree I just learned! While I always knew of this stand of Sumacs (like the Honey Locust, in successioning forest), I never knew which species it was. Upon taking a closer look with the field guide, I was able to separate it from the Staghorn Sumac by its lack of hairy leaves and stems, and from the Poison Sumac by the occasional teeth in its leaf margins. The field guide doesn’t have much information on the Smooth Sumac, so the only interesting fact I have is that it may potentially hybridize with the Staghorn Sumac in some areas, as intermediate forms have been found (Petrides, 135). From the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database, I learned that the Smooth Sumac is the only tree or shrub native to all 48 states in the continental US.
With all the natives (and invasives 🙁 ), I learned about on this walk through my yard, the article on tree blindness helped show me just how far I’ve come in getting to know my local trees, even though it often feels like I still know next to nothing with just how many tree species are around in Ohio! One thing is for sure though, I’ve got some Callery Pears to cut down, so it looks like I’ll be spending a lot more time among the trees, tending to the recovering farmland I call home 🙂 .
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.
Mississippi Entomological Museum, https://mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Formicidaepages/genericpages/Colobopsis_mississippiensis.html
USDA, https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/juglans/nigra.htm
Native American Ethnobotany Database, http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Honey+Locust
Purdue – Know Your Trees, https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr_237.pdf
Ohio District of Natural Resources, https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/invasive-plants/callery-pear
Ohio District of Natural Resources, https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/broad-leaf-trees/american-elm-ulmus-americana
USDA Plant Guide, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_prse2.pdf
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=rhgl