Types of maple trees in michigan4/6/2024 ![]() Leaves are a popular way to learn tree species, and they’re a good technique during the growing season. Some of our shrub species also have opposite branching. ![]() However, make sure you have a tree and you’re not looking at a shrub. Once you know that, it’s not too difficult to use a field guide to learn the individual species. ![]() Understory trees that still have some brown leaves well into the winter are likely to be either beech or ironwood.Ī tree with an opposite branching pattern narrows the choices down to maples, ashes and dogwoods. While doing that, it’s a good time to observe other key features, such as bark patterns and buds. Finding remnant cherries go a long way to segregating the cherry species. Using seasonal characteristics is another good way to learn to identify trees during the “off” season. Once these trees are known, comparing them to unknown species will often make the identification process move quicker. It’s a good place to begin in order to build some confidence and skill.Īnother good tactic for beginners is learning the ten most common tree species first sugar maple, red maple, white cedar, red pine, white pine, northern red oak, quaking aspen, bigtooth aspen, black cherry and hemlock. It’s not a pine! Neither are hemlocks, spruces, firs, tamaracks or larches.īecause there are only about a dozen common conifers (only four are pines!) in the forest, conifer ID is fairly easy. Northern white-cedar is the most common conifer in Michigan. Pines make up about 44 percent of the conifer volume in Michigan (14 percent of total tree volume) and about 25 percent in the U.P. Many people refer to all conifers as “pines” when, actually, most conifers are not pines, especially in the U.P. Most of our conifers carry needles year-round. Trees with acorns are one of several oaks. Although, sometimes pale versions of quaking aspen have been mistaken for paper birch. Most others are more year-round, such as twig and branching patterns, buds, bud scars, bark, tree form, site, and tree associates.įor some trees, paper birch for instance, most people only need to look at the white, peeling bark. Some characteristics are seasonal, such as leaves, fruits, and flowers. Learning which subset of characteristics to use for a particular tree is where practice and skill are needed. There are about a dozen characteristics available to help identify trees. And of course, it’s difficult to fully appreciate the amazing natural resources of Michigan without considering forests. Trees are not the only life form, of course, but they are the dominant life form and impact everything that occurs in the forest. It’s impossible to fully understand a forest without knowing “who” grows there. Michigan boasts around 100 tree species, depending upon how a tree is defined. For whatever reason, tree ID can be done year-round. Sometimes, people simply have a heightened ecological conscience and just want to know. The curious might want to know which species grow in their yard or a nearby park. Many people pride themselves on their skill in identifying trees.
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