The top is missing out or this large tree. About 27” DBH. The pic of the foliage is from a tree close by that had a similar looking bark. Look at the leaves on the left side of the pic. The tree is in NC/SC border. Thanks.
What keyed you off to hickory? I only have shagbark that I know of in my area, but I love tree id.Hickory
The bark/trunk is easiest for me. My eyes are used to seeing all the hardwoods in the woods, and I've done forest mapping a little, where I assess a grove from tree trunks, not bothering to look up. My eyes say "hickory -- pignut? bitternut?" when they see that photo, though I'm very capable of getting photo ID wrong.What keyed you off to hickory? I only have shagbark that I know of in my area, but I love tree id.
Thank you!The bark/trunk is easiest for me. My eyes are used to seeing all the hardwoods in the woods, and I've done forest mapping a little, where I assess a grove from tree trunks, not bothering to look up. My eyes say "hickory -- pignut? bitternut?" when they see that photo, though I'm very capable of getting photo ID wrong.
The leaf arrangement in the other photo also said "type of hickory." As did the shape of each leaf.
While shagbark is one of the real easy trunks to ID, 2/3 of native trees are pretty easy as your eyes get used to them. Nuts at the bottom of the tree could also help verify.
This you probably already know, but if you don't, it helps. Basic tree ID has two groups, and I'm just talking native trees up here in the Midwest, which is quite similar to PA.Thank you!
I did know that! But it will hopefully help someone else chasing around all the threads! I appreciate the time still.This you probably already know, but if you don't, it helps. Basic tree ID has two groups, and I'm just talking native trees up here in the Midwest, which is quite similar to PA.
Group 1: Opposite branching -- has to be MAD -- maple, ash or dogwood (included in the maple family are things like box elder).
Group 2: Alternate branching --everything else. So if my eyes had picked up on opposite branching in that photo, I'd have thought, "Ash or maple? Probably ash. Or some ornamental I don't know (though the bark and leaves don't look like ash to me).
This makes maple, ash and dogwood real easy. Maple is very distinct from ash -- leaves and bark. Dogwood is the only small native tree in my region with opposite branching. Right away you have three genuses you can nail.
Once you know your region, other regions can be pretty easy for the genus. Maples tend to look like maples. The species will be different, so here in the Midwest sugar maple is common (red too), and in the Northwest big-leaf maple is going to be common. But your first time in Washington you'll automatically know it's a maple. Spruces are spruces, but have different species. Pines are maybe toughest for the species, but you can nail the genus all the time. Even little mugo pine, from Japan, is obviously a pine.
Arboretums also help -- labels. Though a lot of the trees will be ornamentals. If you're ever up at Cornell University, maybe their forests next to campus have some kind of labeled trail.
This you probably already know, but if you don't, it helps. Basic tree ID has two groups, and I'm just talking native trees up here in the Midwest, which is quite similar to PA.
Group 1: Opposite branching -- has to be MAD -- maple, ash or dogwood (included in the maple family are things like box elder).
Group 2: Alternate branching --everything else. So if my eyes had picked up on opposite branching in that photo, I'd have thought, "Ash or maple? Probably ash. Or some ornamental I don't know (though the bark and leaves don't look like ash to me).
This makes maple, ash and dogwood real easy. Maple is very distinct from ash -- leaves and bark. Dogwood is the only small native tree in my region with opposite branching. Right away you have three genuses you can nail.
Once you know your region, other regions can be pretty easy for the genus. Maples tend to look like maples. The species will be different, so here in the Midwest sugar maple is common (red too), and in the Northwest big-leaf maple is going to be common. But your first time in Washington you'll automatically know it's a maple. Spruces are spruces, but have different species. Pines are maybe toughest for the species, but you can nail the genus all the time. Even little mugo pine, from Japan, is obviously a pine.
Arboretums also help -- labels. Though a lot of the trees will be ornamentals. If you're ever up at Cornell University, maybe their forests next to campus have some kind of labeled trail.
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