to common trees in Louisiana

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to common trees in LouisianaLEAF KEY

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Why Do You Need to Learn to Identify Trees?

Learning to identify trees can be fun. It’s an interesting hobby for people ofall ages.

You’ll gain an appreciation of nature through this hobby, and, in theaddition, you will find that tree identification is basic to advanced studies in manyfields, including forestry, botany, horticulture, wildlife, ecology and landscapearchitecture and environmental design.

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How to Use the Leaf KeyIt is easy to identify the common trees of

Louisiana with this guide. Long words have beenleft out and pictures are used to identify the leavesinstead of written descriptions.

Common trees include native and introducedtrees from other parts of the United States or fromforeign countries.

You can identify most tree leaves if you followthese steps:

1. Read the description at each numbered headingin the key on page 4 and by process ofelimination find the group to which the leaf ofany unknown tree belongs. Diagrams of the leafcharacters used in the key are show on page 5.

2. Turn to the picture numbers for this group. Leafdescriptions are repeated in the upper corner ofthe each page throughout the key.

3. Match the leaf with the picture it most closelyresembles to find its name.

Helpful HintsWhen you are collecting leaves, note and

remember if the leaves are opposite or alternate onthe twigs. Opposite leaves means that there will beleaves directly across from any leaf on the twig.Alternate leaves mean that there is no leaf directlyacross, but up and down the twig. Trees withalternate leaves also have alternate twigs andbranches. Those with opposite leaves have oppositetwigs and branches. Look carefully at several leavesand twigs or examine the branching habits of anytree to be identified. Frequently, a leaf, twig orbranch may have died on an opposite leavedspecies, and the tree appears to be an alternate type.

All leaves have a bud for next year’s growth atthe base of the petiole or stem. A leaf in which thereis only one blade is termed a simple leaf.Compound leaves have more than one blade on acommon stalk, and each of these blades is called aleaflet or little leaf. Compound leaves do not havebuds at the base of the leaflets.

The leaves of all trees vary widely in size.Those on stump sprouts may often be three timeslarger than normal. Leaves will be smaller thanusual during dry years. The illustrations have beendrawn for the usual leaf sizes. You can see what thenormal size is by examining the bracket at the sideof each drawing. The bracket shows a one-inchscale.

The leaves of all trees vary greatly in the form.No two leaves on any single tree are precisely alike.Those on the lower branches may be somewhatdifferent than those higher in the tree. Leaves ofblack oak, in particular, are extremely variable inform and shape. In using this key, try to pick a leafthat appears average in size and form for each tree.

Leaves of mulberry and sassafras trees may beeither entire or lobed. Each is keyed out andillustrated under both headings.

Oak and hickory trees hybridize readily and theoffspring of these crosses are difficult to identify.Hybrids of willow oak and southern red oak, forexample, will often have leaves typical of bothparents and all variations between them on a singlebranch. The parents of such hybrids can sometimesbe determined by using two or more leaves thatrepeatedly show the widest variation in form.

A few Louisiana tree species have leaves almostalike. These will have an additional featureillustrated to aid in their identification.

Leaf Key toCommon Trees in Louisiana

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Leaf Key

Drawing Nos.(Pictures)

I. Leaves broad; definitely not needle-like or scale-like, mostly deciduous

A. Leaves alternate on the twigs

1. Leaves compound ................................................................................... 1-26

2. Leaves simple

a. Leaf edge smooth .............................................................................. 27-51

b. Leaf edge toothed .............................................................................. 52-83

c. Leaves lobed...................................................................................... 84-104

B. Leaves opposite on the twigs

1. Leaves compound ................................................................................... 105-110

2. Leaves simple

a. Leave edge smooth ............................................................................ 111-118

b. Leaf edge toothed .............................................................................. 119

c. Leaves lobed...................................................................................... 120-123

II. Leaves needle-like or scale-like; mostly evergreen

A. Leaves needle-like ...................................................................................... 124-130

B. Leaves scale-like ......................................................................................... 131-132

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Leaf Characters

Scale-like Single Needle-like Bundles

Smooth

Serrate Dentate

Toothed Lobed

Simple Compound Doubly Compound

AlternateOpposite

Bud Bud

Bud

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Alternate, Compound

1. Sapindus saponaria var. drummondiiWestern Soapberry

2. Ailanthus altissima*Tree-of-Heaven

3. Juglans nigraBlack Walnut

4. Carya aquaticaWater Hickory

5. Carya X leconteiBitter Pecan

6. Carya illinoinensisPecan

*not native to North America

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Alternate, Compound

7. Carya myristici formisNutmeg Hickory

8. Carya glabra var. hirsotaSwamp Hickory

9. Carya texanaBlack Hickory

10. Carya albaMockernut Hickory

11. Carya pallidaSand Hickory

12. Carya laciniosaShellbark Hickory

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Alternate, Compound

13. Carya cordiformisBitternut Hickory

14. Carya glabraPignut Hickory

15. Carya X ludovicianaLouisiana Hickory

16. Carya ovataShagbark Hickory

17. Robinia pseudoacaciaBlack Locust

18. Gleditsia aquaticaWater Locust

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Alternate, Compound

19. Gleditsia triacanthosHoney Locust(compound leaf)

20. Gleditisia triacanthosHoney Locust(doubly compound leaf)

21. Gleditsia X texanaTexas Honey Locust

22. Acacia parnesianaOpopanax

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Alternate, Compound

23. Zanthoxylum clava-herculisPrickly Ash (Hercules-Club)

24. Ptelea trifoliataCommon Hoptree

25. Erythrina crista-galliCrybaby Tree

26. Melia azedarachChinaberry

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Alternate, Simple, Smooth

27. Magnolia macrophyllaBigleaf Magnolia

28. Magnolia pyramidataCucumber Tree

29. Magnolia grandifloraSouthern Magnolia

30. Magnolia virginianaSweetbay Magnolia

31. Cyrilla racemifloraSwamp Titi

32. Sideroxylon lycioidesChittumwood

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33. Morella ceriferaWax Myrtle

35. Quercus phellosWillow Oak

34. Quercus imbricariaShingle Oak

37. Quercus virginianaLive Oak

36. Quercus laurifoliaLaurel Oak

(elliptical leaves)

(obtusa leaves)

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39. Sideroxylon lanuginosumspp. lanuginosumBuckhorn

40. Frangula carolinianaIndian - Cherry

(hairy stem)

(smooth stem)

41. Persea borboniaRedbay (swamp bay)

38. Cercis canadensisRedbud

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42. Asimina trilobaPawpaw

43. Nyssa sylvaticaBlackgum

44. Diospyros virginianaPersimmon

46. Maclura pomiferaOsage-Orange

45. Sassafras albidumSassafras

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49. Cinnamomum camphora*Camphor-Tree

47. Halesia dipteraSilverbell

48. Triadica sebifera*Chinese Tallowtree

50. Vaccinium arboreumSparkleberry

51. Styrax grandifoliaSnowbell


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Alternate, Simple, Toothed

54. Broussonetia papyrifera*Paper Mulberry

53. Morus rubraRed Mulberry

52. Morus alba*White Mulberry

57. Nyssa aquaticaTupelogum

56. Populus heterophyllaSwamp Cottonwood

55. Populus deltoidesEastern Cottonwood


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58. Ulmus americanaAmerican Elm

59. Ulmus rubraSlippery Elm

60. Ulmus pumila*Chinese Elm (Siberian Elm)

61. Ulmus alataWinged Elm

62. Ulmus crassifoliaCedar Elm

63. Planera aquaticaWater Elm


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64. Tilia americana var. carolinianaBasswood

65. Hamamelis virginianaWitch Hazel

66. Celtis laevigataHackberry (sugarberry)

67. Carpinus carolinianaBlue Beech

68. Ostrya virginianaHophornbeam

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69. Betula nigraRiver Birch

70. Fagus grandifoliaAmerican Beech

71. Castanea pumilaChinquapin

72. Symplocos tinctoriaHorsesugar

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73. Amelanchier arboreaService Berry (Shadbush)

75. Prunus umbellataSloe

74. Prunus serotinaBlack Cherry

76. Prunus mexicanaMexican Plum

77. Prunus carolinianaLaurel Cherry

78. Malus angustifoliaCrap Apple

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79. Oxydendrum arboreumSourwood

80. Salix nigraBlack Willow

81. Salix interiorSandbar Willow

82. Ilex opacaAmerican Holly

83. Ilex cassineCassine (dahoon)

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Alternate, Simple, Lobed

85. Quercus pagodaCherrybark Oak

84. Quercus falcataSouthern Red Oak

86. Quercus velutinaBlack Oak

87. Quercus shumardiiShumard Oak

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90. Quercus nigraWater Oak

(large trees) (Small trees)

89. Quercus marilandicaBlackjack Oak

88. Quercus buckleyiNuttall Oak

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92. Quercus macrocarpaBur Oak

91. Quercus albaWhite Oak

93. Quercus stellataPost Oak

94. Quercus michauxiiCow Oak (Chestnut Oak)

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98. Sassafras albidumSassafras

99. Liriodendron tulipiferaTuliptree

100. Platanus occidentalisSycamore

95. Morus albaWhite Mulberry

96. Morus rubraRed Mulberry

97. Broussonetia papyriferaPaper Mulberry

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101. Liquidambar styracifluaSweetgum

102. Crataegus marshalliiParsley Hawthorne

103. Crataegus viridisHog Haw (Green Haw)

104. Crataegus opacaMay Haw

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Opposite, Compound

105. Fraxinus americanaWhite Ash

106. Acer negundoBox Elder

107. Fraxinus pennsylvanicaGreen Ash

108. Fraxinus profundaPumpkin Ash

109. Fraxinus carolinianaWater Ash

110. Fraxinus berlandierianaEvergreen Ash(Berlandier Ash)

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Opposite, Simple, Smooth

111. Catalpa bignonioidesSouthern Catalpa

112. Paulownia tomentosa*Paulownia

113. Cornus floridaFlowering Dogwood

114. Cornus drummondiiRoughleaf Dogwood


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Opposite, Simple, Smooth

115. Cornus foeminaBluefruited Dogwood(stiffcornel dogwood)

116. Osmanthus americanusDevilwood

117. Chionanthus virginicusFringetree

118. Cephalanthus occidentalisButtonbush

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Opposite, Simple, Toothed

119. Viburnum rufidulumRusty Blackhaw

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Opposite, Simple, Lobed

120. Acer saccharinumSilver Maple

121. Acer saccharumSugar Maple

122. Acer rubrum var. drummondiiDrummond Red Maple

123. Acer rubrumRed Maple

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Leaves Needle-like

124. Pinus taedaLoblolly Pine

125. Pinus palustrisLongleaf Pine

126. Pinus elliottiiSlash Pine

127. Pinus echinataShortleaf Pine

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Leaves Needle-like

128. Pinus glabraSpruce Pine

129. Taxodium distichumBald Cypress

130. Taxodium ascendensPond Cypress

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Leaves Scale-like

(older tree) (young tree)

131. Juniperus virginianaRed Cedar

132. Chamaecyparis thyoidesSouthern White Cedar

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Index

American Beech ........................... 19American Holly ............................ 21Ash

Evergreen (Beriandier) ............. 27Green ....................................... 27Prickly (Hercules Club) ............ 10Pumpkin .................................. 27Water ....................................... 27White ....................................... 27

Bald Cypress ................................. 33Basswood ..................................... 18Birch, River .................................. 19Blackhaw, Rusty ........................... 30Blue Beech ................................... 18Box Elder ..................................... 27Buckthorn ..................................... 13Buttonbush ................................... 29Camphor Tree ............................... 15Cassine (dahoon) .......................... 21Catalpa, Southern .......................... 28Cedar

Red .......................................... 34Southern White ........................ 34

Cherry ..............................................Black ....................................... 20Indian ...................................... 13Laurel ...................................... 20

Chinaberry .................................... 10Chinese Tallowtree ........................ 15Chinquapin ................................... 19Chittumwood ................................ 11Common Hoptree ......................... 10Cottonwood

Eastern ..................................... 16Swamp..................................... 16

Crab Apple.................................... 20Crybaby Tree ................................ 10Cucumber Tree ............................. 11Cypress, Pond ............................... 33Devilwood .................................... 29Dogwood

Bluefruited ............................... 29Flowering ................................ 28Roughleaf ................................ 28

ElmAmerican ................................. 17Cedar ....................................... 17Chinese (Siberian) .................... 17Slippery ................................... 17Water Elm ................................ 17Winged .................................... 17

Fringetree ..................................... 29Gum

Blackgum ................................ 14Sweetgum ................................ 26Tupelogum............................... 16

Hackberry (Sugarberry) ............... 18Haw

Hog (Green Haw)..................... 26May ......................................... 26

Hawthorne, Parsley ....................... 26Hickory

Bitternut ..................................... 8Black ......................................... 7Louisiana ................................... 8Mockernut ................................. 7Nutmeg ...................................... 7Pignut ........................................ 8Sand .......................................... 7Shagbark .................................... 8Shellbark.................................... 7Swamp....................................... 7Water ......................................... 6

Hophornbeam ............................... 18Horsesugar .................................... 19Locust, Black .................................. 8Locust, Honey (compound leaf) ...... 9Locust, Honey

(doubly compound leaf) ............. 9Locust, Texas Honey ....................... 9Locust, Water .................................. 8Magnolia

Bigleaf ..................................... 11Southern .................................. 11Sweetbay ................................. 11

MapleDrummond Red ....................... 31Red .......................................... 31Silver ....................................... 31Sugar ....................................... 31

Mexican Plum............................... 20Mulberry

Paper ................................. 16, 25Red .................................... 16, 25White ................................. 16, 25

OakBlack ....................................... 22Blackjack ................................. 23Bur .......................................... 24Cherrybark ............................... 22Cow ......................................... 24Laurel (obtusa) ......................... 12

Name Page No.

Live ......................................... 12Nuttall ...................................... 23Post .......................................... 24Shingle .................................... 12Shumard .................................. 22Southern Red ........................... 22Water ....................................... 23White ....................................... 24Willow ..................................... 12

Opopanax ....................................... 9Osage-Orange ............................... 14Pawlonia ....................................... 28Pawpaw ........................................ 14Pecan .............................................. 6Pecan, Bitter ................................... 6Persimmon.................................... 14Pine

Loblolly ................................... 32Longleaf .................................. 32Shortleaf .................................. 32Slash ........................................ 32Spruce ...................................... 33

Redbud ......................................... 13Redbud (Swamp bay) .................... 13Sassafrass ............................... 14, 25Service Berry (Shadbush) .............. 20Silverbell ...................................... 15Sloe .............................................. 20Snowbell ....................................... 15Soapberry, Western ......................... 6Sourwood ..................................... 21Sparkleberry ................................. 15Sycamore ...................................... 25Titi ................................................ 11Tree-of-Heaven ............................... 6Tuliptree ....................................... 25Walnut, Black ................................. 6Wax Myrtle ................................... 12Willow

Black ....................................... 21Sandbar .................................... 21

Witch Hazel .................................. 18

Name Page No. Name Page No.

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AcknowledgmentCredit is given to Dr. Robert E. Noble (retired), LSU School of Forestry

and Wildlife Management, for his technical assistance. The format for thispublication is from a bulletin written by Robert L. Baker and HarryWilliam Dengler of the Department of Horticulture, University of

Maryland.

AuthorsHallie Dozier, Ph.D. (Forestry)

Robert H. Mills, Ph.D. (Forestry) (retired)

Louisiana State University Agricultural CenterWilliam B. Richardson, Chancellor

Louisiana Agricultural Experiment StationDavid Boethel, Vice Chancellor and DirectorLouisiana Cooperative Extension ServicePaul D. Coreil, Vice Chancellor and Director

Pub. 1669 9/05 Rep.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914,

in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. The Louisiana CooperativeExtension Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

to common trees in Louisiana

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