Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems Species of Trees.
Transcript of Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems Species of Trees.
Forestry and Woodland Ecosystems
Species of Trees
Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
Deciduous
Found in East and Central Texas
Grow on riverbanks, bottomlands, and in swamps
Commonly used as a landscape tree
CypressA large tree that can grow over 100 feet tall
Straight trunk that can grow up to 8 feet in diameter
Numerous ascending branches
Young trees are narrow with a tapering outline
Old trees are swollen with a broad, open, flat top
Cypress Leaf: slender, light
green, flat, less than 1 inch long, very narrow, arranged in a feather-like fashion
Bark: Silver to cinnamon red, papery scales on branches
Wood: light, soft, easily worked, light colored sapwood, dark colored heartwood
Boxelder (Maple) (Acer negundo)
Deciduous
Found in the Eastern half of Texas
Grows on the banks of streams, in river flat forests, and the borders of swamps
Sometimes used for low grade furniture
Boxelder (Maple)The only maple with compound leaves
Grows anywhere from 50 to 75 feet tall
Trunk can grow to 2 to 3 feet in diameter but is usually smaller
Generally a short-lived tree
Brittle branches that break easily
Boxelder (Maple) Leaf: 6 to 12 inches
long, compound, oppositely attached to twig, usually 5 leaflets
Bark: Twigs are green, gray, or brown, trunk is gray to tan with ridges
Wood: light, soft, creamy-white, and weak
Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Deciduous
Found in East Texas forests and woodlands
Usually grows in well drained soil under larger trees
Commonly used as a landscape tree
DogwoodSmall to medium size tree that grows up to 35
feet tall
Often crooked trunk that can grow up to 12 inches in diameter
Has a horizontal branching habit that forms a flat, spread out crown
Dogwood Leaf: simple, opposite, 3
to 5 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide, oval/round shape with a long, pointed leaf edge, prominent veins
Bark: gray to black, smooth at first but breaks into small, square blocks
Wood: heavy, hard, and strong, close-grained, brown to red in color
Persimmon (Diospyros texana)
Semi-evergreen
Found in Central and South Texas
Grows in rocky, dry sites
Requires well drained soils
Gained popularity as a landscape tree from Austin to Houston
PersimmonSmall tree that only grows up to 40 feet tall
Often low-forking or multi-trunked
Has an open, oval crown
Often used for making salt shakers because it absorbs moisture so well
Persimmon Leaf: simple, alternate,
almost no petiole, 1 to 2 inches long, thick and leathery, sometimes rolls under during drought
Bark: smooth, gray, and tight, olive or light brown that peel away and show lighter bark underneath
Wood: heavy and very dark, pale sapwood
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
Deciduous
Native to China and Korea but can be found all over Texas
Grows in almost any conditions including drought or alkaline soils
Commonly used as a landscape tree
CrapemyrtleMost common small landscape tree that can
grow to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide
Usually multi-trunked with smooth, muscular limbs
Mature trunks can be anywhere from 4 to 12 inches in diameter
Crapemyrtle Leaf: simple, alternate, 1
to 3 inches long, oval to oblong shaped, thin, blunt-tipped, some turn red or orange in the fall
Bark: smooth, muscular, irregular patches ranging from tan to chocolate colored, peel into long strips during the growing season and reveal new bark
Wood: hard, dense, light-colored
Elm (Ulmus americana)
Deciduous
Found across Eastern and Central Texas
Grow naturally in well-drained soils along streams and rivers
Commonly planted as shade trees
ElmLarge tree that grows up to 90 feet tall
Trunk grows up to a diameter of 3 feet
Reinforced base and upright branches that form a spreading, vase-shaped crown
Elm Leaf: simple, alternate, 4
to 6 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, oval in shape, tip comes to a point
Bark: dark gray, divided into irregular flat-topped, thick ridges
Wood: heavy, hard, strong, tough, difficult to split, often used for saddle trees and furniture parts
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Deciduous
Found in East Texas
Grow in rich river bottom soils, swamps subject to frequent flooding, and dry uplands
Used for flooring, railroad ties, and veneers for baskets
SweetgumLarge forest tree that grows taller than 100
feet
Straight trunk that is 3 or more feet in diameter
Young Sweetgums are narrow
Older Sweetgums are upright and have a broad crown
Sweetgum Leaf: simple, alternate,
star-shaped, 4 to 7 inches long and wide, with 5 to 7 pointed lobes
Bark: twigs are reddish-brown, bark is gray, rough with corky ridges
Wood: Moderately hard, close-grained, not durable to exposure
Hickory (Carya texana)
Deciduous
Found in East Texas (Hill Country area)
Grow in well-drained hillsides and sandy uplands
HickoryMedium to large size tree, usually between 60
to 75 feet tall
Dark trunk usually 2 feet in diameter
Short, twisted branches that give the tree a narrow, oval crown with dark green foliage
Hickory Leaf: once-compound,
alternate, 8 to 12 inches long, usually 5 to 7 leaflets, leaflets are 3 to 5 inches long and 2 inches wide
Bark: dark gray to black, tight, irregular, blocky ridges
Wood: used mainly for fuel wood, great for cooking fires
Pecan (Carya illinoinesis)
Deciduous
Found in East and Central Texas
Grows well in rich, fertile bottomlands
Used mainly as a landscape tree and in orchards for nut production
PecanLarge tree that reaches heights over 120 feet
Trunks grow as large as 4 feet in diameter
Broad, spreading crown when grown in the open
In wooded settings it grows tall and slender with a tight, flat-topped crown
Pecan Leaf: once-compound,
alternate, 12 to 20 inches long, 11 to 17 leaflets, leaflets are 4 to 8 inches long and 2 inches wide
Bark: gray-brown and smooth at first, later turning into thin scales that flake
Wood: heavy, hard, brittle, not strong, used for flooring and cooking wood
Holly (Ilex opaca)
Evergreen
Found in East Texas
Grows in rich, moist soils of bottomland forests
Commonly used as Christmas decorations such as wreaths
HollySmall tree that only reaches about 50 feet tall
Trunk is around 3 feet in diameter
Numerous slender branches that form a dense pyramidal or oval crown of dark green color
Holly Leaf: simple, alternate, 2
to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide, oval, with several spiny teeth, leaves are dark green and glossy on top
Bark: light gray, tight, leathery
Wood: light, tough, not strong, white when first cut but turns brown when exposed to air
Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)
Evergreen
Found in East Texas
Grow in fertile, moist soils of bottomlands
YauponSmall, multi-trunked tree that only grows to
about 25 feet tall
Trunks/stems are usually around 6 inches in diameter
Dense, rounded crown of dark green foliage
Yaupon Leaf: simple, alternate, 1
to 2 inches long, .5 to 1 inch wide, oval, leathery, glossy, dark green colored
Bark: light gray, smooth or leathery, sometimes with thin scales and blotches
Wood: of little commercial value except for fuel and landscaping specimen
Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Evergreen
Found in Southeast Texas
Grows in rich, moist, well-drained soils on steam banks or borders of river swamps
Usually used as an ornamental tree
MagnoliaLarge forest/landscape tree that reaches
heights over 90 feet tall
Trunks grow as large as 4 feet in diameter
Dense, oval crown, branches reach the ground in open settings
Magnolia Leaf: simple, alternate, 6
to 8 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, elliptical or oval in shape, thick, leathery, dark green and glossy
Bark: gray-brown, smooth at first but develops scales on larger branches and trunk
Wood: moderately heavy, hard, cream-colored
Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens)
Deciduous
Found in West Texas
Grow in openings and river valleys, especially the bottomlands of the Rio Grande
MesquiteSmall tree that only gets up to heights of 25
feet
Twisting trunk usually around 12 inches in diameter
Forms an open, irregular crown
Mesquite Leaf: bi-pinnately
compound, alternate, two pinnae attached to a petiole, each pinna is about 2 inches long with 5 to 8 pairs of oblong leaflets
Bark: twigs are armed with 1 to 2 sharp, white thorns, bark is gray to red-brown, turning darker and eventually peeling into strips
Wood: used for fuel, tool handles, and posts
Blackjack Oak (Quercus marilandica)
Deciduous
Found in East and Central Texas
Grows in dry or poorly drained clays or sandy upland soils
Commonly used for firewood, posts, and is made into charcoal
Blackjack OakMedium to large tree that reaches heights up
to 60 feet
Trunk is usually between 16 and 24 inches
Stiff, drooping branches that form an irregular, dense crown
Blackjack Oak Leaf: simple, alternate, 4
to 10 inches long, 3 to 5 inches wide, dark green and glossy on top
Bark: black or dark gray, very rough, thick, square-like blocks on older trunks
Wood: heavy, hard, and strong
Emory Oak (Quercus emoryi)
Evergreen
Found in West Texas
Grows in moist canyons and slopes
Used usually for fuel wood and posts
Emory OakSmall to medium size tree that is usually less
than 40 feet tall
Trunk is dark and grows up to 20 inches in diameter
Rounded crown with glossy foliage, its branches typically droop
Emory Oak Leaf: simple, alternate 1
to 4 inches long, 1 to 2 inches wide, narrow, thick, and very glossy green
Bark: very dark gray, smooth when young, becomes rough and black as it matures, older bark is thick and rough
Wood: heavy, strong, somewhat brittle, close-grained, heartwood is dark brown and sapwood is light brown with red
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Evergreen
Found in South Texas
Grows in well-drained soils in the southern coastal plain
Commonly used as a landscape tree
Live OakLarge tree that usually grows about 50 feet tall
Short, stout trunk that is 4 feet or more in diameter
Divides into several large twisting limbs that form a low, dense crown that can spread more than 100 feet, its limbs often touch the ground
Live Oak Leaf: simple, alternate,
thick, and leathery, oval, oblong, or elliptical in shape, 2 to 4 inches long, 1 to 2 inches wide, smooth, glossy, and dark green
Bark: dark brown, rough, several thick, large branches
Wood: very heavy, hard, strong, and tough, dark brown with thin white sapwood
Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
Deciduous
Found in both East and Central Texas, one of the most widely spread oaks in Texas
Grows in upland soils, either deep sandy soils or gravelly clay with poor surface drainage
Post OakMedium to large tree that grows up to 50 feet
tall
Trunk is short and compact usually about 2 feet in diameter, some grow considerably larger
Commonly used for crossties, fence posts, and occasionally lumber
Post Oak Leaf: simple, alternate,
usually 4 to 6 inches long and equally as wide, typically 5 lobed, thick, somewhat leathery, dark green and shiny
Bark: thick, gray-brown, narrow, scaly ridges on older trunks
Wood: heavy, hard, close-grained, light to dark brown, durable
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)
Evergreen
Found in East Texas
Grows in dry, sandy hills
Used for flooring, fencing, bridges, ties, heavy construction timbers, fuel, and charcoals
Longleaf PineLarge tree that can grow up to 125 feet tall
Trunk is usually about 4 feet in diameter
It has thick, heavy branches and an open, rounded crown with glossy foliage
Longleaf Pine Leaf: long, glossy
needles in bundles of 3, 10 to 18 inches long, dark green, bunched towards the ends of thick, scaly twigs
Bark: large, red-brown plates on older trunks
Wood: heartwood is yellow to orange with lighter sapwood, heavy, hard, strong, tough, durable
Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata)
Evergreen
Found in East, Northeastern Texas
Grows in well-drained upland soils
Used for basic construction, exterior and interior finishing, crates, low grade furniture, posts, poles
Shortleaf PineTall, slender tree that reaches a general height
of 100 feet
Trunk is usually 2 feet or more in diameter
Has a rather short, oval crown
Shortleaf Pine Leaf: long, slender,
flexible needles in bundles of 2 or 3, dark blue-green
Bark: thick, brownish-red, broken into irregular, flattened plates
Wood: heavy, hard, yellow-brown or orange, fine-grained
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Deciduous
Found in East Texas
Grows in dry, sandy uplands, often sprouting from the roots and growing thickets
Used for fence posts and crossties
SassafrasMedium size tree that’s usually about 40 feet
tall
Trunk is generally around 16 inches in diameter, but occasionally larger
Has a narrow crown with horizontal branches with upturned twigs
Sassafras Leaf: simple, alternate, 4
to 6 inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide, textured and glossy green, turns orange, red or salmon in the fall
Bark: green at first, turns scaly and brown on the branches, older bark is red-brown with broad flat ridges
Wood: light, soft, weak, brittle, but durable in contact with soil
ReferencesSpecies facts from Georgia Agricultural
Education website found at http://aged.ces.uga.edu/Browseable_Folders/Power_Points/Forestry%20Natural%20Resources%20and%20Wildlife/
More species facts from Texas Forest Service found at http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/listOfTrees/
Species pictures from Google Images found at http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi