Duke Forest Common Tree Guide

For Field Assistants 2014

Christopher Payne

University of North Carolina

At Chapel Hill

SPEC  ScientificName  CommonName 

ACBA  Acer barbatum  Southern Sugar Maple 

ACER  Acer sp.  Maple 

ACNE  Acer negundo  Boxelder 

ACRU  Acer rubrum  Red Maple 

ACSA  Acer saccharum  Sugar Maple 

AESY  Aesculus sylvatica  Painted Buckeye 

AIAL  Ailanthus altissima  Tree Of Heaven 

ALJU  Albizia julibrissin  Silktree 

ARSP  Aralia spinosa  Devil's Walkingstick 

ASPA  Asimina parviflora  Smallflower Pawpaw 

ASTR  Asimina triloba  Pawpaw 

BENI  Betula nigra  River Birch 

CACA  Carya carolinae‐septentrionalis  South. Shagbark Hickory 

CACO  Carya cordiformis  Bitternut Hickory 

CACR  Carpinus caroliniana  American Hornbeam 

CADE  Castanea dentata  American Chestnut 

CAGL  Carya glabra  Pignut Hickory 

CAOL  Carya ovalis  Red Hickory 

CAOV  Carya ovata  Shagbark Hickory 

CAPA  Carya pallida  Sand Hickory 

CAPU  Castanea pumila var. pumila  Chinkapin 

CARY  Carya sp.  Hickory 

CATO  Carya alba  Mockernut Hickory 

CECA  Cercis canadensis var. canadensis  Eastern Redbud 

CEOC  Celtis occidentalis  Common Hackberry 

CHVI  Chionanthus virginicus  White Fringetree 

COAL  Cornus alternifolia  Alternateleaf Dogwood 

COAM  Corylus americana  American Hazelnut 

COFL  Cornus florida  Flowering Dogwood 

COST  Cornus foemina  Stiff Dogwood 

CRAT  Crataegus sp.  Hawthorn 

CRCR  Crataegus crus‐galli  Cockspur Hawthorn 

CRFB  Crataegus flabellata  Fanleaf Hawthorn 

CRFL  Crataegus flava  Yellowleaf Hawthorn 

CRMA  Crataegus marshallii  Parsley Hawthorn 

DIVI  Diospyros virginiana  Common Persimmon 

FAGR  Fagus grandifolia  American Beech 

FRAX  Fraxinus sp.  Ash 

GLTR  Gleditsia triacanthos  Honeylocust 

HAVI  Hamamelis virginiana  American Witchhazel 

ILAM  Ilex ambigua  Carolina Holly 

ILDE  Ilex decidua  Possumhaw 

ILOP  Ilex opaca var. opaca  American Holly 

JUNI  Juglans nigra  Black Walnut 

JUVI  Juniperus virginiana  Eastern Redcedar 

KALA  Kalmia latifolia  Mountain Laurel 

LIBE  Lindera benzoin  Northern Spicebush LIST  Liquidambar styraciflua  Sweetgum 

LITU  Liriodendron tulipifera  Tuliptree 

MAGR  Magnolia grandiflora  Southern Magnolia 

MASP  Malus sp.  Apple, Crabapple 

MATR  Magnolia tripetala  Umbrella‐Tree 

MORU  Morus rubra var. rubra  Red Mulberry 

NYSY  Nyssa sylvatica  Blackgum 

OSVI  Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana  Hophornbeam 

OXAR  Oxydendrum arboreum  Sourwood 

PATO  Paulownia  Paulownia 

PIEC  Pinus echinata  Shortleaf Pine 

PINU  Pinus sp.  Pine 

PITA  Pinus taeda  Loblolly Pine 

PIVI  Pinus virginiana  Virginia Pine 

PLOC  Platanus occidentalis  American Sycamore 

POAL  Populus alba  White Poplar 

PRAM  Prunus americana  American Plum 

PRAN  Prunus angustifolia var. angustifolia  Chickasaw Plum 

PRSE  Prunus serotina  Black Cherry 

PYMA  Pyrus/malus sp.  Pear, Apple, Crabapple 

QUAL  Quercus alba  White Oak 

QUCO  Quercus coccinea var. coccinea  Scarlet Oak 

QUER  Quercus sp.  Oak 

QUFA  Quercus falcata  Southern Red Oak 

QUFP  Q. falcata var. pagodifolia 

QULY  Quercus lyrata  Overcup Oak 

QUMA  Quercus marilandica  Blackjack Oak 

QUMI  Quercus michauxii  Swamp Chestnut Oak 

QUNI  Quercus nigra  Water Oak 

QUPH  Quercus phellos  Willow Oak 

QUPR  Quercus montana 

QURG  Quercus sect. Lobatae 

QURU  Quercus rubra  Northern Red Oak 

QUSH  Q. shumardii var. shumardii  Shumard Oak 

QUST  Quercus stellata  Post Oak 

QUVE  Quercus velutina  Black Oak 

QUWG  Quercus sect. Quercus 

RHCA  Rhododendron catawbiense  Catawba Rosebay 

RHNU  Rhododendron nudiflorum 

ROPS  Robinia pseudoacacia  Black Locust 

SAAL  Sassafras albidum  Sassafras 

SAHU  Salix humilis  Prairie Willow 

ULAL  Ulmus alata  Winged Elm 

ULAM  Ulmus americana  American Elm 

ULMU  Ulmus sp.  Elm 

ULRU  Ulmus rubra  Slippery Elm 

VAAR  Vaccinium arboreum  Farkleberry 

VIBR  Viburnum sp.  Viburnum 

VIPR  Viburnum prunifolium  Blackhaw 

VIRA  Viburnum rafinesquianum  Downy Arrowwood 

1

Opposite Leaved Trees: [MAD Horse]

Simple: Maple (Acer), Dogwood (Cornus) Compound: Ash (Fraxinus), Horsechestnut (Aesculus) Shrub: Viburnum spp.

ACRU – Acer rubrum (Red maple)

� Opposite, leaves typically 3-lobed (1-2-3, R-E-D), leaves serrated;

bark often smooth on younger trees

ACBA – Acer barbatum (Southern sugar maple)

� Opposite; 5 (sometimes 3) major lobes with ridges, but otherwise

smooth on edge (no teeth)

COFL – Cornus florida (Flowering dogwood)

� Leaves: deep ribbing, roundish, ‘drip-tip’

� Bark: cobblestone / mosaic bumpy / scaly

FRAX – Fraxinus spp. (Ash) White Ash =F. americana; Green Ash = F. pennsylvanica

� Opposite; compound leaves,

� Light bark

AESY – Aesculus sylvatica (Painted buckeye)

� Opposite; Palmately compound leaves

� Typically shrub-size in Duke Forest

VIAC – Viburnum acerfolium (Maple leaf viburnum)

� Opposite

� Leaf: often maple-like appearance, but fuzzy

� Black fruit

VIPR – Viburnum prunifolium (Cherry leaf viburnum)

� Cherry-like leaf appearance, but OPPOSITE

� Dull green leaves

vs. glossy top/gland-tipped hairs on bottom of V. rufidulum leaves

VIRA – Viburnum rafinesquianum (Downy arrowwood)

� Opposite

� Leaf: deep ribs, coarse teeth, hairy below

[Viburnum dentatum has longer petioles]

� Black fruit

2

Oaks

QUAL – Quercus alba (White oak)

� Leaf: rounded, smooth lobes

� Bark: Very light grey; flaking appearance when mature

QUST – Quercus stellata (Post oak)

� Leaf: cross shape, green above with scattered stellate pubescence,

pubescent and paler below.

QUFA – Quercus falcata (Southern red oak)

� Leaf: Hairy on both sides (hair rubs off); inconsistent & sometimes

amorphous leaves

� Typical shade leaf = ‘southern bell’ (bell shaped, 3 lobes)

� Leaves have bristles at ends

QURU– Quercus rubra (Northern red oak)

� Leaves: long, many lobes, pointy lobes with bristles at ends, lobes

NOT deeply cut

� Bark: ridges that appear to have shiny stripes down the center

QUVE – Quercus velutina (Black oak)

� SHADE Leaf: variable shape, very shallow sinuses, lustrous shiny

green above, paler with scruffy pubescence and axillary tufts below

� Leaf: Bristle tipped lobes, deep notches, top is shiny deep green,

bottom is yellowish-brown. Clumps of stellate hairs on bottom.

� Bark: At first gray and smooth, becoming thick and very rough,

nearly black and deeply furrowed vertically with horizontal breaks;

short plates on bark (similar to Q. coccinea)

Less Common Oaks:

QUPH = Q. phellos (Willow oak) , CUCO = Q. coccinea (Scarlet oak), QUMA = Q. marilandica (Blackjack Oak), QUMI = Q.

michauxii (Swamp Chestnut Oak), QUSH = Q. shumardii (Shumard Oak), QULY = Q. lyrata (Overcup Oak)

Hickories

CACO – Carya cordiformis (Bitternut hickory)

� (7-)9 leaflets (sometimes 5-11)

� Sulfur-yellow buds, not particularly fragrant leaves

� Clustered grey spots located along edge of backside of leaf base

� Bark: much tighter than on most hickories, lacking significant

ridges and not peeling off in strips

� Bottomland forests

3

Hickories

CACA – Carya carolinae‐septentrionalis (Southern

shagbark hickory)

� 5-7 leaflets, terminal leaflet 2-5 (-6) cm wide

� thin, red-brown to blackish twigs, small buds, and shaggy bark

� lower surface of leaflets = glabrous, except for tufts of trichomes in

the main vein axils; scattered scales,

� Teeth have tufts of hairs (usually concentrated toward teeth tips)

� Grows in Uplands

CAGL – Carya glabra (Pignut hickory)

� 5 (sometimes 7) leaflets

� Leaves: usually glabrous (sometimes hairy), spicily fragrant,scruffily

pubescent rachis, petiole usually green, range from wide/obovate to

skinny/more lanceolate

� Bark: close/tight intersecting smooth ridges;

dark

CAOL – Carya ovalis (Red hickory)

� Similar to C. glabra, but has 7 leaflets vs. 5 (but 5 possible), may be

pubescent beneath vs. glabrous, & the petiole bases are red vs. green

� Buds are similar to C. pallida, but without golden-colored glands.

� Scruffily pubescent rachis

� Bark: tight or often scaly or somewhat shaggy

� Uncommon in Piedmont

CAOV – Carya ovata (Shagbark hickory)

� 5 (or 7) leaflets, terminal leaflet (4-) 6-15 cm wide

� Thick (3-6 mm), tan-gray twigs and larger buds

� Leaf teeth have clusters of hairs on their tips (may wear off)

� Leaf underside is Hairy; Large round yellow peltate scales

� Bark: Light colored, very shaggy, in long loose strips

� Smells ‘dusty’ or ‘fruity’ (like artificial banana)

� Rich bottomlands

CAPA – Carya pallida (Sand hickory)

� 7-9 leaflets

� Leaf undersides are paler, covered with many silvery scales,

� scruffily pubescent rachis, reddish petiole bases

� Spicily fragrant leaves (minor)

� Dry, sandy soil habitats

CATO – Carya tomentosa (Mockernut hickory) [C. alba]

� Usually 7-9 leaflets

� Leaves: very fragrant, very hairy, scruffily pubescent rachis

� Bark: Tight with diamond-shaped intersecting ridges (on mature trees)

� Strong smell (some suggest it smells like ‘turpentine’)

7 leaflets (hairy)

Flakey bark

5 leaflets (glabrous)

Smoother Bark

4

Doubly Serrate leaves:

CACR – Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)

[musclewood; ironwood]

� Leaf: smooth/glabrous (not hairy) on top and underneath

� Bark: smoother muscle-like

OSVI – Ostrya virginiana (Hophornbeam)

� Leaf: smooth on top, hairy on bottom of leaf (try licking)

� Bark: kind of peely

ULAL – Ulmus alata (Winged elm)

� Leaf: rough on top (rub hand from front to back of leaf)

� 5 cm long, top dark green, paler and slightly hairy beneath

� Leaf narrower than U. americana

� Bark: corky ‘wings’ grow along stems of older trees

ULAM – Ulmus americana (American elm)

� Leaf: similar to ULAL, leaf typically wider

� 7-12 cm long, 2-8 cm wide, upper surface green and glabrous or

slightly scabrous, paler and downy beneath

� Bark: flat-topped ridges separated by diamond-shaped fissures

ULRU – Ulmus rubra (Slippery elm) [red elm]

� Leaf: wider leaf than ULAL, but SUPER rough (like sandpaper)

� 8-16 cm long, 5-9 cm wide, shape variable (obovate or oval or

ovate), leaf base variable (cordate or cuneate or oblique or rounded),

bottom surface green, pubescent or with tufts in vein axils

Other Trees

ILOP – Ilex opaca (American Holly)

� Leaf: looks like typical holly leaf (thick, shiny, spiney)

� Bark: smooth, light

� Evergreen

MORU – Morus rubra (Red Mulberry)

� Leaves are similar in shape to the naturalized White Mulberry

(Morus alba), but are rough above and not glossy, and also similar to

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), but are not as rough-hairy

5

Other Trees

LIST – Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet gum)

� 5-lobed, Star-shaped leaf; usually very straight-trunked tree

� Light-colored bark, bark becomes more ridged with maturity

� Bark of young trees is mostly smooth but often has warts

� Twigs sometimes have corky ‘wings’ (sometimes on trunk too)

� Leaves have licorice-like smell (to differentiate from Acer)

LITU – Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip poplar)

� Funny-looking 4 lobed leaf (looks like tulip flower)

� Leaf shape can be variable (especially in depth of lobing)

� Tall fairly straight trunks; often branchless for quite a distance up

when mature

FAGR – Fagus grandifolia (American beech)

� Leaf: strongly ribbed, thin/papery, smooth

� Bark: smooth, light (people carve names into a lot)

� Bark usually covered in many lichens

`

JUVI – Juniperus virginiana (Eastern redcedar)

� Leaves: Scaly evergreen

� Bark: peely, light brown exposing grey when peeled

OXAR – Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)

� Leaves: long, oval, tiny teeth on margin, taste very sour

� Conspicuous hairs along leaf mid-rib in young leaves

� Bark: typically dark and ridged

� Trunk rarely grows straight (follows light gaps)

PRSE – Prunus serotina (Black cherry)

� Leaves: oval or almost round shaped with fine teeth along the

entire leaf margin (edge), small

� Conspicuous brown hair along base of leaf mid-rib (unlike other cherries)

� Bark: horizontal stripes, often flaky

� Bark and twigs have strong, bad smell when scratched

SAAL – Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)

� Leaves: variable (un-lobed/ovate, 2-lobed mitten, 3-lobed ‘trident’)

� Leaves are Fragrant when crushed

6

Other Trees

CECA – Cercis canadensis (Redbud)

� Leaves: heart-shaped, small, thin and papery

� Bark: Initially smooth and brown; later ridged and furrowed to

scaly and dark gray; maroon patches with orange cracks sometimes

CHVI – Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringetree)

� Leaves: opposite, somewhat thickened, green above and paler

below, dense white hairs on bottom,

� Leaves often seem clustered toward ends of stems

� Bark: light brown on young trees

DIVI – Diospyros virginiana (Common Persimmon)

� Leaves: drip-tip, lighter & ‘cracked’ bottom, smooth margins

� Bark: blackish and broken into square plates (on mature trees) [Inner bark turns yellow after cutting]

� Main branches not horizontal, leaves more evenly spaced on

longer side branches, small branches are hairy, & buds are blackish.

� Bundle scars: 1

NYSY – Nyssa sylvatica (Blackgum)

� Leaves: entire (non-toothed margins), smooth, sometimes have

random teeth, sometimes glossy

� Main branches tend to be horizontal and the leaves are clustered

on short spurs of smooth branches

� Bundle scars: 3

PLOC – Platanus occidentalis (Eastern sycamore)

� Leaves: large, with coarse-toothed palmate lobes,

� Bark: flakes off to reveal a mottled pattern of white and green-gray

� Usually only in wet areas (near streams)

� Infra-petiole bud

JUNI – Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)

� Leaf: long, pinnately compound leaves with many leaflets

� Distinctively fragrant

� Bark: very dark and rough in old trees; gray with diamond-shaped

ridges in medium-sized trees

MATR – Magnolia tripetela (Umbrella magnolia)

� Leaves: large (20-60cm long) , lack lobed bases, whiter bottom, ribby

� Leaves resemble umbrellas in that they are large and clustered at

the ends of branches.

� Bark: bark is smooth, except for scattered lenticels (corky warts)

AMAR – Amelanchier arborea (Common serviceberry)

� Leaves: 4-13cm long, finely serrate, paler/hairy below, round or

slightly cordate base

� Small to medium-sized tree, found most often in upland woods

7

Pines

PITA – Pinus taeda (Loblolly Pine )

� Long needles (15-20 cm long) in groups of 3-4

� Bark: deeply furrowed, large flaky/blocky layered clumps

PIEC – Pinus echinata (Shortleaf Pine )

� Shorter needles (7-13 cm long) in groups of 2 (or 3)

� Bark: large thin flaky patches, not deeply-furrowed, many small

spotty indentations (resin craters)

PIVI – Pinus virginiana (Virginia Pine)

� Shortest needles (3-8 cm long) in groups of 2, twisted needles

� Bark: The reddish-brown bark is broken into small thin flakey

plates (sometimes described as corn-flakey)

Non-native

ELPU – Elaeagnus pungens (Autumn Silverberry)

� Leaves: evergreen, waxy green top; silver with brown spots below

� Stems: spotted, often thorny

ELUM – Elaeagnus umbellata (Spring Silverberry)

� Leaves: green and distinctly scaly above, silvery and scaly below.

� Stems: Young branches are silvery and scaly, and may bear thorns,

later developing a light brown color

AIAL – Ailanthus altissima (Tree Of Heaven)

� Alternate, pinnately compound, 11- 41 leaflets (1-3ft long), leaflets

are 5-15 cm long, pointed at the tip, large glandular teeth near base

� Bark: resembles the skin of a cantaloupe when young

� Smells bad when broken (like ‘burnt peanut butter’)

ALJU – Albizia julibrissin (Silktree)

� Leaves: Many small doubly compound leaflets

PATO – Paulownia tomentosa (Princess tree)

� Leaves: Large (15-30+ cm long, 15-30+ cm wide), heart-shaped

8

Common understory plants in Duke Forest:

Toxicodendron radicans (Poison ivy)

-> 3 leaves; furry vine on trees

-> ‘Leaves of Three, Leave it be’

Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) 5 palmately compound leaves; vine

Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine) a grape vine with ‘toothy’ pseudo-circular bib shape

Lonicera japonica(Japanese honeysuckle) non-native vine

Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern) frond lobes stocking-shaped (bump at base of each)

Vaccinium spp. (Blueberry genus) [V. corymbosum = typically eaten sp.]

Chimaphila maculata (Striped Wintergreen) dark green w/ white stripes

Smilax bona-nox (Saw greenbrier) spines along edge of leaf

Smilax rotundifolia (Common greenbrier) round leaf; green on top AND bottom

Smilax glauca (cat greenbrier) round leaf; green top, whitish (glaucous) on bottom

Quick Glossary:

Axillary = relating to leaf axils (angle between a leaf and a

stem) or vein axils (angle b/w vein and mid-rib)

Cordate = heart-shaped, stem attaches to cleft

Cuneate = triangular, stem attaches to point

Entire = smooth margin (edge)

Glabrous = without hair, smooth

Lanceolate = slender and pointed shape

Margin = leaf edge

Oblique = slanting leaf base

Obovate = Teardrop-shape w/ small leaf base & larger leaf tip

Ovate = Teardrop-shape w/ large leaf base & tapering leaf tip

Peltate = rounded

Pubescent = hairy

Rachis = main stem of a compound leaf

Scabrous = rough

Serrated = toothy

Stellate = star-shaped

Trichomes = fine outgrowths or appendages on plants

Useful Links:

List of Duke Forest Plant Species:

http://dukeforest.duke.edu/forest-environment/plants/

Will Cook’s (Duke) awesome site for photos (and quick facts/comparisons):

http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/#trees

More useful tree links:

http://www.ibiblio.org/openkey/intkey/index.htm

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/factsheets.cfm

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/southeastern-plants.htm

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Habitat/WildAcres/habichat26.asp

1  

Appendix 1 – More Trees! Oaks 

QUCO – Quercus coccinea (Scarlet Oak) 

Leaf: 3‐ 7 in. long, oval in shape with very deep (C‐shaped) sinuses and bristle‐tipped lobes, shiny green above, paler and generally hairless below but may have tufts in vein axils. [Glossy and smooth on both top and bottom, unlike similar species.]  

Bark: On young trees, gray‐brown, with smooth streaks; later becoming darker and developing irregular broad ridges and narrow furrows especially near the base.  

                                                          

QUFP – Quercus falcata var. pagotifolia (Cherrybark Oak) 

Leaf: 5‐ 8 in long, 5‐9 bristle tipped lobes which are shallower than Q. falcata, margins of lobes are nearly at right angles to midrib, bright green above, duller and may be scruffy‐hairy beneath and on petiole.    

Shade leaves are blockier, more variable, and more difficult to tell apart from Q. falcata or Q. velutina  

Bark: Initially smooth, but quickly developing small scaly ridges, later becoming dark, scaly and quite rough. At times resembling PRSE bark 

 

    

QULY – Quercus Lyrata (Overcup Oak)  Leaf: Alternate, simple, 6‐ 10 inches long, roughly oblong in shape with a highly variable margin that has 5‐ 9 lobes with irregular sinuses. The underside is white and pubescent.  Bark: Gray‐brown and scaly, often with irregular plates, again resembling white oak 

                          

QUMA – Quercus Marilandica (Blackjack Oak) Leaf: Alternate, simple, 5‐8 inches long, thickened, with 3 shallow, bristle‐tipped lobes near the end of the leaf, upper surface lustrous green, lower surface paler with orange‐brown pubescence.  Bark: Very dark (almost black), rough, with blocky plates and splits. 

                            

QUMI – Quercus michauxii (Swamp Chestnut Oak) 

Leaf: Obovate, 4‐8 inches long, 3‐5 inches wide, margin with large round blunt teeth, dark green and shiny above, pale and downy below. [larger & broader towards tip, paler/hairier back vs. Q. montana]  

Bark: Similar to white oak, ashy gray, scaly, with age developing irregular furrows and becoming darker.  

Grows on moist and wet loamy soils of bottom lands, along streams and borders of swamps in mixed hardwood                             

Shade 

Top

Bottom

2  

QUPH – Quercus phellos (Willow Oak)  Leaf: Alternate, simple, 2‐ 5 inches long, linear or lanceolate in shape (willow‐like) with an entire margin and a bristle tip.  Bark: On young stems, smooth, gray and tight; later becoming darker and forming irregular rough ridges and furrows. 

QUPR – Quercus montana [prinus] (Chestnut Oak) Leaf: Alternate, simple, 4‐6 inches long, obovate to elliptical in shape with a crenate margin, shiny green above and paler below.  Bark: Gray‐brown to brown, very smooth when young; developing hard and wide flat‐topped ridges which later become thicker and more sharply pointed ridges; somewhat resembling the back of an alligator or ridge tops. [similar deep ridges as OXAR]                                 

QUSH – Quercus shumardii (Shumard Oak) 

Leaf: 4‐7 in long, 5‐ 9 lobes with coarse bristle tips, sinuses extend more than halfway to midrib, shiny/glossy dark green above, pale yellowish‐green below with prominent tufts of tan hairs in the axils of the veins. [Related oaks may have similar tufts, but not as pale tan or as tufted]  

Bark: Grayish brown, developing dark, deep furrows, with light gray to white scaly ridge tops.  Similar to that of Q. Rubra: smoothish when young, then breaking into vertical ridges ("ski tracks").  

                                         

   

 

3  

More Trees 

ASTR –  Asimina Triloba (Pawpaw)  

Leaf: Simple, entire, large (up to a foot long), and malodorous if crushed (smells kind of like green pepper)  Bark: Smooth, brown, splotched with wart‐like lenticels, often with light gray patches. 

               

CELA – Celtis laevigata (Sugarberry)  

Leaf: Longer than wide; NOT scabrous (rough) on top. Elongate, almost triangular shape with uneven bases with three prominent veins and usually few teeth.  

Bark: VERY warty. Gray to light brown, smooth with corky "warty" patches, does not develop ridges (as hackberry does) 

               

CEOC – Celtis occidentalis (Common Hackberry) 

Leaf: Ovate, 2‐5 in long, serrate (often end 75% way toward base), acuminate tip, asymmetrical base, 3 distinct veins originate from base, maybe hairy or scabrous (rough) on top, green above, paler & somewhat pubescent below. Short petiole,     Little round drupes.  

Bark: Smooth & gray‐brown when young, soon developing corky, "warts" which later develop into rough corky, irregular ridges.  

Not to be confused with: Celtis tenuifolia ( Dwarf Hackberry) – has smaller leaves and usually less teeth (with teeth going less further down margins toward base)                                                        

HAVI – Hamamelis virginiana (American Witchhazel) 

Leaf: Alternate, simple, broadly ovate to obovate, 7‐14cm long, inequilateral, wavy margin (nearly dentate), petiole pubescent, dark green above and paler below.  

Bark: Smooth, gray to gray‐brown even on very old stems. 

                         `  

ILAM – Ilex ambigua (Carolina Holly)  

Leaf: 2‐9cm long, elliptic to broadly ovate (often nearly round). Apex abruptly to gradually acuminate, marginal teeth often inconspicuous, petioles usually <1cm long  

Wider and larger than ILDE leaf                 

ILDE – Ilex decidua (Deciduous Holly; Possumhaw) 

Leaf: Deciduous, 4‐8cm long, margin shallowly blunt toothed and often revolute, narrowly obovate (variable), tips rounded or broadly wedge‐shaped, glabrous and dull green above, paler below.  

Bark: Thin, smooth (may be warty) and grayish brown, with lenticels.                       

4  

LIBE – Lindera benzoin (Northern Spicebush) 

Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical, 3 to 5 inches long, pinnately veined, entire margin that may be somewhat ciliate, green above and slightly paler below, strong pleasant spicy odor when crushed.  

Bark: Brown to gray‐brown and speckled with light colored lenticels  

Piedmont /C.P.: Hairy Northern Spicebush, var. pubescens –somewhat hairy undersides (at least on the midrib) and young twigs. Mountains: hairless var. benzoin is common. The hairs on pubescens may require a hand lens to see.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

PRAM – Prunus americana (American Plum) 

Leaf: finely serrated and abruptly long‐pointed (acuminate).  

Bark: similar to other cherries, dark gray with horizontally‐elongated lenticels, but tends to peel with age, revealing pale reddish‐tan bark   

Uncommon in the Piedmont.                                                                                                                                              

SANI – Salix nigra (Black Willow)  

Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, lanceolate in shape, 5‐15cm long, with a finely serrate margin. Leaves are dark and shiny above, light green below.  

Bark: Brown to gray‐black, with thick, somewhat scaly ridges and deep furrows. 

   

 

More Invasive Species 

LIJA – Ligustrum japonicum (Japanese Privet)LILU – Ligustrum lucidum (Glossy Privet)  

Thick, glossy leaves and usually glabrous twigs. Leaf Sizes differ: LIJA

has smaller leaves (<6 cm long vs. 6‐15 cm for LILU).  

A tip to tell the two apart: L. japonicum leaves snap when bent, L. lucidum leaves just bend. 

 

                     

LISI – Ligustrum sinense (Chinese Privet) 

Leaf: Small (usually 2‐4cm long) elliptic, smooth‐edged, arranged oppositely along the twigs. Leaves are thick with a glossy upper surface and a pale green lower surface. Midrib of each leaf is hairy.  

Bark: Smooth gray with lenticels. Trunk is usually forked near base.                                                                                                      

   

 

Other Species: 

ACNE – Acer negundo (Boxelder) ALSE – Alnus serrulata (Hazel Alder) 

BENI – Betula nigra (River Birch) CRAT ‐‐ Crataegus sp. (Hawthorns) 

EUAM – Euonymus americana (Strawberry Bush) 

MAG – Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) RHCO – Rhus copallinum (Flameleaf Sumac) 

STGR – Styrax grandifolius (Bigleaf Snowbell) VACC – Vaccinium sp. (Blueberries) 

LIJA LILU

12

Tick Removal

If you find a tick attached to your skin, there's no need to panic. There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers will remove a tick quite effectively.

How to remove a tick

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. 2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off

and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--not waiting for it to detach.

*Remember to look EVERYWHERE for ticks: including back, crotch, belly-button, and hair. *Also, be sure to heat (drier) or wash and dry clothing to kill lingering ticks. [Do not leave field clothes in bedroom]

http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/ticks.htm

Chiggers Chiggers are extremely tiny, and can only easily be seen using magnification. Their presence is

best known, instead, by the intensely itchy welts they leave behind, usually where your skin is thin

and tender (ankles, backs of knees, about the crotch, under the beltline, and in the armpits) and

where tight clothing proves an obstacle to them (beltline, sock-line). Chigger bites sometimes

have tiny red dot at the center, which is the remains of a scablike tube your body formed in response to the chigger's saliva.

Chiggers’ larval stage is parasitic. Their primary hosts are reptiles and birds, with mammals (including people) secondary,

almost accidental hosts. They seek tender skin, attach to the surface, inject a saliva containing a digestive enzyme and drink

the dissolved skin tissue. Your body responds to this with an itchy allergic reaction. Adult chiggers are not parasitic and feed on

various plant materials and other small arthropods.

What to do about them:

Our normal movements and hygiene, along with the difficulty the larvae have gaining a mouthhold on us, keep most chiggers

from successfully attaching, but people have reported hundreds of bites resulting from a relatively short exposure. Protect

your skin by wearing tightly woven clothes that cover as much of your body as possible with minimal openings, applying insect

repellents and bathing soon after exposure. Unlike ticks, to which they are related, chiggers are fragile. A shower or bath

following exposure to chiggers will remove most of them. If a bath isn't available, a brisk toweling down should dislodge or

crush most of them

Follow-up If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

13

Poison Ivy

Urushiol oil causes the allergic reaction. The oil is in the leaves, vines, and roots!

Apprx. 60% of ppl are allergic, but 90% of the remaining 40% will become allergic through exposure!!

Within a hour or so you should rinse with lots of cold water. Hot water will open your pores and let the oil in. For up to about 6

hours washing with alcohol may still help remove the oil, but the sooner the better!!

The oil from poison ivy is extremely stable and will stay potent - essentially forever. You can get a rash from clothing or tools

that have the oil from last summer, or even from many years back. So if you don't remove the oil by washing, using alcohol to

dissolve it, or by just hosing off with a hard spray from a hose - assume it will stay forever.

Once you have the rash the oil has been absorbed and you probably can't spread it to others or elsewhere on yourself. If you

get big blisters filled with liquid it is mostly water and will not spread the rash even if they break.

Poisonous Snakes

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/snakepix3.html

Yellow Jackets Disturbing ground nests or trees can cause yellow jackets to attack. If you do disturb

a yellow jacket nest, general guidelines are to slowly walk away with both hands

covering the face to protect the more sensitive body areas. It is best to walk toward

dense vegetation or enter a vehicle or building to avoid the stinging insects. Swift

movements will only attract more yellow jackets.

Timber (Canebrake) Rattlesnake [Crotalus horridus]

Live in rocky hillsides, fields, woodland edges and

swamps. It is frequently found hiding in and under

stumps and other woody surface cover. They are

active both day and night in cool but not cold weather.

During hot summer months, they are most active at

night.

Copperhead Snake [Agkistrodon contortrix]

Lives in wooded areas, among rocks, or near streams

or ponds. Often hides in stone walls, under decaying

stumps, in wood piles, & under large flat stones. Basks

during the day when weather is cool. During hot

summer months, they are most active at night.