Michigan Michigan TreesTrees

By: Andrea Berry

Michigan Water Stewardship Program

Kinds of Trees• Gymnosperms

– Conifers– 10 native to

Michigan– Leaves remain for

several years• Exception:

tamarack (e. larch)– Evolved during

Mesozoic times• 245-145mya• Triassic 245mya• Jurassic 208mya• Cretaceous 145mya

• Angiosperms– Flowering plants– Deciduous (North

Temperate Zone)• “Hardwoods”

– Evergreen (Tropical)• None native to MI

– First appeared during Cretaceous

– Became widely abundant during Tertiary 65mya

– Today far outnumber conifers in # & diversity of species

Parts of a Tree

• Stem– Bark

• Dead material• Protects

– Cambium • Living material• Produces bark

– Phloem • Moves nutrients “down” stem from leaves to

roots

– Xylem• Moves water “up” stem from roots

Parts of a Tree cont’• Leaves

– Chloroplasts • Photosynthesis

– Stomata• Control water pressure

– Simple • Not divided into distinct parts, may be lobed

– Compound• Divided into leaflets

– Arrangement• Alternate, opposite, whorled

– Venation• Netted=reticulate, eucicots (aka dicots)• Parallel=striate, monocots

Monocots vs. Eudicots

• Monocotyledons– Monocots – 1 seed leaf – 65,000 species– Grasses, lilies,

irises, orchids, cattails, palms

– *Conifers*– Parallel veination

• Eudicotyledons– Eudicots – 2 seed leaves– Trees, shrubs,

herbs (nonwoody plants)

– Not conifers!– Netted veination

Ash Trees

•Opposite, pinnately compound leaves

•Black, white, mountain ash

Ashes

Black Ash

•9 leaflets

•Wet, low swampy areas

White Ash

•7-9 leaflets

•Upland drier sites

American Mountain-Ash

•9-17 leaflets

•N. acidic bogs, ornamental

Aspens

• Boreal, northern species• Dry or moist soils• Reproduce by cloning• Adapted to fire • 2 species

– Large-toothed– Trembling (quaking)

Aspens

Big-toothed aspen Trembling aspen

Birches

Yellow birch

Gray birch

Paper birch

Cedars

Eastern Red cedar

Northern White cedar

American Elm

Balsam Fir

•Needles 2-ranked

•Needles spirally arranged

•Multiple white “lines” on underside of needles

•Distinct balsam smell

•Seed cone smooth & upward

Eastern Hemlock

•Needles 2-ranked & spirally arranged

•Needles flat

•Seed cone round and droops

Sycamore

Black WillowWillow – water-loving species

associated with riparian areas

Maples

• 7 species native to Michigan (5 trees)• *All leaves are arranged opposite*• *All leaves are simple*

– Except Boxelder, compound

• Winged-fruit – samara• Cool, moist habitats• Sensitive to fire b/c bark is thin• Shade-tolerant (except Boxelder)• Black, Norway, Red, Silver, Striped,

Sugar, Boxelder

Maples

Maples

Maples

Black Maple

Maples

Dogwood

Oaks

• 400 species, 12 native to Michigan• Massive trunks, thick, fire-resistant bark,

large, deep roots• Broad wide spreading crown• Fruit – acorn• Monoecious – male & female flower on

different part of the same tree• Young oaks retain leaves in winter• Very long-lived• Black, Bur, N. Red, Pin, Swamp White, White

White Oak

Northern Red Oak

Bur Oak

Oaks

Black OakSwamp White

Oak

Oaks

Pin Oak

Pines

• 36 species in US, 3 native to MI• Extensively logged, some with poor

management, ex. White pine• All pines survive well in dry coarse soils – very

deep root system• Many require fire to regenerate• Cones require 2 years to mature• Leaves persist for several years• Distinguishing feature: needle clusters from 2-5

– Soft Pines – 5 leaves in a cluster– Hard Pines – 2-3 needles in a cluster

Soft Pines – 5 Needles

Hard Pines – 2 Needles

2-ranked long needles; plantation

tree

Hard Pines – 2 NeedlesScotch pine – “twisted”

needlesJack Pine – straight

needles

Jack Pines

Before Burning After Burning

Jack Pines

•Require fire (natural or prescribed) to regenerate

•Thrive on very sandy dry soils

•Kirtland’s Warbler nesting habitat

Tamarack

•Looses needles in winter

•Nodules on branches

Spruces

• 7 species in US, 2 native to MI• “Triangle” shaped• Tolerate acidic, undrained soils

– Shallow roots – Low nutrient requirement

• Needles are 4-sided & persist 5-10 years

• White, Black, Norway Spruces

Spruces

•Whitish glow, upward branches

•Upland sites

•Green-yellow glow, droopy branches

•Introduced ornamental

Black Spruce

Wetland species

Thank You!

Questions?