Identifying Hardwood Trees By Bark

At first glance this protective outer coating of a tree s trunk and branches may seem like an unending sea of gray and brown.

Identifying hardwood trees by bark.

Diverse bark patterns red maple is known for its many varied bark patterns at different ages and stages of growth. Apart from producing a flurry of white fuzzy fluff in late spring and early summer there are other ways to identify cottonwoods. Often also deep grooves and lenticel strips. Michael wojtech s book bark a field guide to trees of the northeast is a huge help.

As many as 40 different bark patterns have been identified on red maples. He has cleverly categorized tree bark into seven. Pedunculate oak tree bark is grey. Wild cherry tree bark is shiny and maroon with tiger stripes.

Apple crabapple bark ash green bark aspen quaking bark buckeye ohio bark catalpa western bark. Identifying trees by examining the bark that grows on trees commonly found in colorado and the rocky mountain region. Its bark is smooth and pale grey when a sapling. Click on images of bark to enlarge.

Young trees often have smooth unbroken bark but will usually roughen as the trees age. Cottonwood leaves are large shaped like a triangle and have toothed edges. See more ideas about tree tree identification tree bark. Old bark peels off in ribbons.

With age the bark develops shallow grooves deep fissures and bosses. Red oak is identified by its light grey bark with a smooth and lustrous texture. Identifying cottonwood trees using leaves bark and flowers. Ash tree bark is smooth and pale grey in saplings.

These leaves grow alternately on branches and have a flat stem. Some kinds of bark actually sparkle in the winter sunlight like both white and yellow birch. Every hardwood tree species in pennsylvania has either simple or compound leaves. The wood from hardwood trees tends to be harder because the trees grow at a slower rate giving the wood its greater density.

Only a few locally native trees such as fagus grandifolia american beech retain smooth bark through their lifetimes detering climbing plants and insects bark can take on other textures by peeling cracking or dividing and can be characterized as papery scaly plated furrowed or. But you can also identify trees by looking at their bark. Bark is an important clue in identifying trees especially in winter when the bark stands out against the white snow. You can tell you re gazing at a silver maple tree when you see a gray brown bark slit at first it is smooth but as it ages it develops longish.

These pictures show just two of its more common patterns.