Tree identification

Know your tree species

There are many ways to identify a tree. It’s important to know the types of trees that grow in your area so you can learn how to spot them. To identify a tree, look at its leaves, flowers and fruit. The shape of the leaves is often enough information to tell you what family they belong to and what type of tree they come from. You can also look at details like the colour of the bark or whether there are any spots on it.

A great resource for tree identification is Wikipedia, where you can input search terms like “what type of tree has five pointed leaves with serrated edges” and get a list of results that match your criteria.

You’ll need:

• A field guidebook that covers the species found in your area (if not available online). They’re usually sorted by leaf shape or family name, making them easy to navigate through while searching for answers. If both types aren’t available, try using one as an aid in helping determine which specific plant you have found when looking up their characteristics online! You never know what other useful facts might come out during this process as well! If neither are available then just read through different descriptions listed above until something sounds right;)

Look at the leaves

Take a look at the leaves, and pay attention to what you see. You should take note of the leaf shape, its texture, and its color.

• Are they simple or compound? If a leaf has multiple leaflets, it is considered compound—thus “compound leaf”. If the leaf is one single piece without divisions, it is a simple leaf.
• Is the edge smooth or serrated? Make note of whether or not the edge is serrated—it will help you narrow down your choices! (also known as “serrulate”). In some cases there might be lobes instead of teeth. Lobes are rounded rather than sharp like teeth would be.
• Are they needle-like or flat? Coniferous trees will have needles attached to them in bundles or clusters rather than singularly, whereas deciduous trees usually have individual leaves on each branchlet.* What color are they? The color of a tree’s leaves can vary from light green to dark green in summertime; this is due to photosynthesis! Some other colors include red, purple and yellow.

Check out the flowers and fruits

Tree Identification:

There are a few basic tree identification methods that can help you, but be careful not to confuse things. For example, many people think that a plum is a plum because it’s red and has seeds in it; they’re actually sweet cherries. So if you want to check for the presence of fruit or seeds on the outside of trees, how about peeling? If you peel off an outer layer of bark and there are no seeds or fruit inside, then this is a pretty good sign that what you have there is more likely to be a cherry than a plum. Check out the top image here. Sometimes its easier to identify things by their leaves first—don’t forget that some species have totally different leaf shapes!

Examine the bark

The first thing many people do to identify a tree is examine its bark. However, the color, texture and pattern of the bark is often not unique enough to allow you to make an accurate identification. This is especially true with new bark. Old bark can be a great clue, but if you find a dead tree, or if the tree has had its bark recently damaged, then examining its old dead bark will not be helpful in identifying it.

Some trees do have distinct and beautiful barks that are easy to identify: American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) has smooth silvery-gray bark; White Birch (Betula papyrifera) has white papery peeling bark; Redbud (Cercis canadensis) has reddish-brown mottled peeling bark; Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) has brown shiny mottled exfoliating bark; and White Ash (Fraxinus americana) has grayish furrowed ridges and flat tops that look like shark’s teeth.