Northern Coniferous Forest
White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Characteristics Height: 40’ – 100’ Diameter: 1’ – 2’ Needles: evergreen, ½ - ¾’’ long, blue-
green color, stiff & sharp, four angles on each needle
Cones: 1¼ - 2½’’ long Uses
Lumber & pulp production Wood used in musical instruments, ie:
piano sounding boards, violins, guitars
Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Characteristics
Height: 30’ – 70’ Diameter: up to 1’ Needles: evergreen, 2 in bundle, stiff Cones: 1¼ - 2’’ long
Located in areas after fire or logging Uses
Pulpwood source for paper industry
Black Spruce (Picea mariana) Characteristics
Height: 20’ – 60’ Diameter: 4-12” Needles: evergreen, .25-.65” long,
blue-green color, stiff and sharp, four angles on each needle
Cones: .65 – 1.25” long Uses
Paper production
Tamarack (Larix laricina) Characteristics
Height: 40 – 80’ Diameter: 1-2’ Needles: deciduous, ¾ - 1” long,
soft, slender, 3 angles per needle Cones: ½ - ¾” long
Deciduous & Conifer Sheds leaves in fall, seeds in
cones Uses
Lumber – railroad cross-ties, pulpwood, poles
Northern Hardwoods Forest
Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Characteristics
Height: 70-100’ Diameter: 30” Bark: silver-gray, or shiny yellow Leaves: 3-5” long Cones: ¾ - 1¼” long
Uses commercial
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Characteristics
Height: 60-80’ Diameter: 1-2½’ Bark: smooth, gray Leaves: two rows, spreading 2½ - 5”
long, elliptical, pointed tip Uses
Beechnuts – used for food for birds, squirrels, bears, and other mammals
Quacking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Characteristics
Height: 40-70’ Diameter: 1-1.5’ Leaves: 1.25-3” across, nearly
round, shiny top, dull underneath Bark: white color, thin & smooth
except on old trees – becomes thick with dark-colored ridges
Uses Fuel Pulpwood
Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) Characteristics
Height: 70-80’ Diameter: 1-3’ or larger Needles: evergreen, 4.25-6.5”
long, 2 slender needles in cluster
Uses Lumber Shade tree in parks and yards
European Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Characteristics
Height: 50-70’ Diameter: 1-2’ Leaves: elliptical to round,
double saw-toothed edge, shiny green top, light green underneath
Bark: smooth when young, forms broad plates at maturity
Uses Ornamental or shade
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Characteristics
Height: 70-100’ Diameter: 2-3’ Leaves: palmately lobed with 5
long pointed lobes, 3.5-5.5” long & wide
Uses Hardwood flooring Fine quality furniture Maple syrup
Up to 60 gallons from a single tree 32 gal. of sap => 1 gal. maple
syrup
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) Characteristics
Height: 100’ Diameter: 3-4’ Needles: evergreen, 2.5-5” long, five per
bundle, blue-green Cones: 4-8” long
Most valuable tree Selective harvesting led to low
population Uses
Plantation tree Millwork, construction, pulpwood industries
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Characteristics
Height: 60-70’ Diameter: 2-3’ Needles:
evergreen, .375-.625” long, flexible, flat
Cones: .625-.75” Uses
Tannin – cures hides in leather production
Wood is brittle – limits uses, detracts from value