Michigan’s Spruces (Picea)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by admin

Spruces have needles less than 20mm (3/4 inch) long with square cross-sections. They never occur in bunches, just one needle per node. They can be confused with Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) but Firs have needles with flattened cross-sections. If you can roll a needle in your fingertips then it is a spruce.

Balsam Fir and Spruce Needles and Branchlets

Michigan has two native spruces, Black Spruce (Picea mariana) and White Spruce (P. glauca). Norway Spruce (P. abies) is now naturalized into the state.

Black Spruce Branchlets

Black Spruce pegs and cones

Black Spruce has needles shorter than 16mm (5/8 inch) and densely pubescent, meaning furry, first year branchlets. The needle bases, which sit on a peg-like projection, are difficult to see. These peg-like projections stick out at 90 degrees to the twig. If cones are present, they are about as wide as they are long. In southern Michigan, Black Spruce grows only in cool bogs. North of Bay City, it will also grow in upland forests and interdunal swales. Even in the north, it prefers a damp habitat and often occurs with Tamarack (Larix laricina) and White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis). The common name refers to the dark needles this tree normally has.

White Spruce needles and cone

White Spruce has needles that are normally longer than 16mm (5/8 inch) and hairless first year branchlets. The needle bases are easily seen. The peg-like projections point forward at approximately 60 degrees from the twig. Cones are two to three times longer than wide. The tree’s native range is north of West Branch. It grows in similar habitats as Black Spruce but will also thrive in drier locations. The common name refers to the waxy layer on the young needles.

Norway Spruce needles and cone

The native range of Norway Spruce is central and northern Europe. It is escaping throughout Michigan. The branchlets droop and its cones are large, approximately 130mm (5 inch) long. Norway Spruce is commonly planted and beginning to escape into natural areas. Its needles are stiff and have rows of minute openings properly called stomata.

Norway Spruce stomata

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Balsam Fir and Hemlock in Michigan

Posted on December 31, 2013 by admin

Balsam Fir and Spruce Needles and Branchlets

Balsam Fir, (Abies balsamea) is a common conifer in northern Michigan. It often grows with Aspen (Populus grandidentata & P. tremuloides), Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana), or Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera). It is also found in White Cedar (Thuja) swamps and bogs. Often the needles form flat branchlets but the needles can encircle a branch, resembling a spruce (Picea) branchlet. When I began to look for spruce trees to photograph I was surprised to find that many of the stands I thought were spruce actually were Balsam Fir with their needles encircling the twigs. Spruces have square needle cross-sections and Balsam Firs have rectangular cross-sections. The needle scar, that is the mark left on the twigs when the needle falls off, is round on the Balsam Fir. Its needles fall and leave a clean branch. Spruces leave rough projections along the branchlets after the needles fall. Balsam Firs tend to hold their dead needles on older branches and spruces shed their needles. Balsam Fir has distinctive pitch filled pockets under the surface of its bark.

Balsam Fir Branchlet and Bark

Balsam Fir Needles

Although I spend much of my field time in the range of Balsam Fir, I seldom see it producing cones. Perhaps they are produced at the tops of tall firs and I miss them. The cones fall apart, dehisce is the technical term, while still attached to the branches, so no cones fall to the forest floor. I often see seedling Balsam Firs so they must be producing cones.

Tsuga canadensis Branchlet Stomata Cones

Eastern Hemlock Branchlet, Stomata, and Cones

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is common north of Bay City and rarer in southern Michigan where it will grow in a protected hollow or ravine. In the north, it will grow with hardwood trees, White Pine, or in pure stands. Hartwick Pines State Park has an elevated, barrier free, “treetop” walkway leading into its Forest Center. The walkway leads through a nice Hemlock and American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) woods. I enjoy walking through the treetops and peering into the canopy. I photographed the Hemlock cones from this platform.

The needles are short, normally less than 13mm (1/2 inch), blunt, with a few teeth toward the tip. They are dark green above and have a white stripe on the lower surface. The white stripe is actually composed of minute openings in the leaf called stomata. These openings allow the plant to “breath.” Hemlocks also have needles that lay on the twig, with their lower surface pointing up. The needles appear to occur in flattened clusters but actually are produced from around the twig. The leaves bend, giving the branch its characteristic flattened look.

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Trees with Whorled Buds

Posted on March 24, 2013 by admin

Catalpa speciosa

Catapla speciosa fruit

Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) is our only escaped tree with whorled buds. The rounded leaf-scars distinguish this from the occasional maple or ash twig that is whorled. A second Catalpa species (Catalpa bignonioides) is planted in Michigan, but has not been documented as escaping. The seeds are the best way to distinguish the two species in the winter. C. bignonioides has pointed fringes at the ends of the seeds and in C. speciosa the fringes are rounded and wide.

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Alternate Trees Armed

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin

Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is a small tree with round reddish or brownish lateral buds. The thorns are sharp. Voss and Reznicek list 29 species in this genus from Michigan but many are only shrubs.

Honeylocust

Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is a rare native in found in southern Michigan. It is planted widely including a thornless form (f. intermis). The twigs and trunk are armed with branched thorns. The terminal bud is absent and the lateral buds are hidden under the twig’s epidermis. Most trees will have a few seedpods that look like long, dark, flat, peapods (it is in the Fabaceae, Pea Family).

Wild Crab Apple

Wild Crab Apple (Malus coronaria), also called Sweet Crab, or American Crab is similar to Hawthorn. The buds are pointed and the thorns are blunt pointed. The thorns normally have leaf scars.

Black Locust

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is not native to Michigan but widely planted and escaped. The terminal bud is absent and each lateral bud scar has a pair of stipular spines. The reddish buds are partially hidden by the epidermis.

Voss, Edward G. and Anton Reznicek. (2012). Field Manual of Michigan Flora. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. (Crataegus on pp.811-819)
Copyright 2013 by Donald Drife

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Alternate Budded Trees with False Terminal Buds II

Posted on March 16, 2013 by admin

Blue-beech

Blue-beech (Carpinus caroliniana) has very slender twigs, the appressed buds are tiny and the bud scales have greenish-white edges. The bark is gray and ridged. This small tree’s trunk has the feel of a muscle, giving rise to the common name Muscle-wood.

Hackberry

Hackberry twig

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) has chambered pith. The twigs are slender with flattened buds, the bud tips normally touching the twig.

Redbud

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small tree native to floodplains and rich wet bottomlands in southern Michigan. It is also widely planted as an ornamental. The buds are black and tiny so the dark zig-zag twigs of this tree appear to be dead. The rounded stalked flower buds are found on the second year and older twigs. Most trees will have a few seedpods that look like brown peapods (it is in the Fabaceae, Pea Family).

White Mulberry

White Mulberry (Morus alba) has slender twigs with the buds offset to the leaf scars. It is not native to Michigan but has been imported from China.

Hop-hornbeam

In Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) the twigs are very slender, with small divergent buds. Its bud scales are striped. The bark has fine plates so it resembles a cat scratched surface.

L-R Siberian, American, and Slippery Elm

American Elm (Ulmus americana) has buds that are two ranked (meaning in two rows). It has three bundle scars and bud tips without hairs.

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) has buds that are two ranked. It has three bundle scars and bud tips with reddish-brown hairs. Its twigs often have conspicuous reddish flower buds.

Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) is native to eastern Siberia and northern China. The leaf buds are small and reddish. The flower buds are rounder. It escapes into woodlots in Michigan.

Alternate Twig Look-a-likes

Bud Look-a-likes

Alternate Budded Trees with False Terminal Buds I

Posted on March 9, 2013 by admin

False Terminal Buds

A false terminal bud is nothing more than a former leaf bud located at the end of a twig. True terminal buds do not have leaf scars, false terminal buds do. Some authors say that the terminal buds are absent.

American Beech

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) has buds 3 to 5 times longer than wide. The buds are two ranked (meaning in two rows) and held almost at right angles to the stem.

Kentucky Coffeetree

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) is a rare native tree in southern Michigan. The twigs are stout, each large bud scar has two buds and normally 5 bundle scars but 3 or 4 bundle scars are seen. Most trees will have a few seedpods that look like dark brown peapods (it is in the Fabaceae, Pea Family).

Sycamore

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is found in floodplains in southern Michigan. The mottled bark is distinctive giving the tree a diseased appearance. The buds are surrounded by the leaf scar.

Willow

Willow (Salix spp.) is easy to identify in the winter. It has slender twigs and one bud scale.

Basswood

Basswood (Tilia americana) has reddish (or greenish) asymmetrical buds that are offset from the leaf scar. Each bud has two bud scales. Each bud scar has two small stipule scars.
Copyright 2013 by Donald Drife

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Alternate Budded Trees with True Terminal Buds II

Posted on March 3, 2013 by admin

Eastern Cottonwood

Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) has large (1-2 cm long) terminal buds that are shiny and sticky. The leaf scars have three bundle scars. The pith has a star-shaped cross section.

L – R Balsam Poplar, Cottonwood leaf buds, Cottonwood flower buds

Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera) is similar to Eastern Cottonwood but with very aromatic buds. The leaf scars have three to five bundle scars. Eastern Cottonwood is primarily a southern species and Balsam Poplar is northern.

Bigtooth Aspen

Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) has a terminal bud less than 1cm long. The center of the scale is covered with short dense gray hairs. The lateral buds diverge from the stout twigs.

Quaking Aspen

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) is similar to Bigtooth Aspen. The terminal buds lack the gray hairs. The lateral buds are appressed to the thin twig.

L-R Black Cherry, Choke Cherry

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) has a blunt terminal bud. The bud scales are reddish-brown. The lateral buds are appressed. The bark is black with rounded plates giving it a “burnt potato chip” look.

Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) has a terminal bud that is longer and more pointed than a Black Cherry’s. The lateral buds are more or less divergent. The brown bud scales have a two-tone look.

Oaks

Oaks (Quercus spp.) have buds clustered at the ends of their twigs. The species are often difficult to distinguish.

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Alternate Budded Trees with True Terminal Buds I

Posted on February 23, 2013 by admin

Pawpaw

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a small understory tree that grows in floodplains in southern Michigan, ranging north to Bay City. The buds are tomentose (meaning with short bent matted hairs). The terminal bud is long and the lateral buds are smaller and appressed. Spherical flower buds often occur even on trees as short as five feet tall.

Bitternut and Shagbark Hickory

Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) has sulfur-yellow buds that appear to lack bud scales. It is the only Michigan tree species with yellow buds.Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) has a large terminal bud with spreading outer bud scales. The lateral buds are smaller.

Butternut

Butternut (Juglans cinerea) has a chocolate-brown chambered pith. The leaf scar is not notched and often has a downy ridge across the top. This leaf scar has a camel-face appearance. The terminal bud is longer than it is wide.

Black Walnut

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) has a cream-colored chambered pith. The leaf scar is notched. The terminal bud is as wide as it is long.

Tuliptree

Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) has smooth shiny twigs with flattened, short-stalked, terminal buds. The lateral buds are sessile (meaning without stalks) and possess prominent stipule scars. The pith is diaphragmed. This species is the tallest tree east of the Mississippi.

Sassafras

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) grows throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. It is more common south of Bay City. The terminal buds are greenish and the twigs are green and aromatic. Sassafras is the only Michigan trees species that has new growth that branches.

Posted by Donald Drife

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Opposite Budded Winter Trees

Posted on January 13, 2013 by admin

MADHorse (l-r) Maple, Ash, Dogwood, Horsechestnut

If you find an opposite budded tree, growing wild in Michigan, it is either a Maple, Ash, Dogwood, or Horsechestnut (including the Ohio Buckeye). The mnemonic is MAD-Horse.

Maple Twigs

Maples have leaf scars that touch (or come close) and have three bundle scars. The buds are non-sticky and semi-pointed.

Ash Twigs

In Ashes, the leaf scars don’t touch and the buds are round. The bundle scars are in a “C” shaped pattern.

Flowering Dogwood Twigs

Two species of Dogwoods in Michigan are trees. The Flowering Dogwood is the one with opposite buds. It has greenish twigs (sometimes they turn red toward spring) with whitish hairs. The leaf buds are narrow and pointed. Most of the Flowering Dogwoods will show their characteristic rounded flower buds on short stalks called peduncles.

Horsechestnut Twigs

The Horsechestnut is a non-native tree that escapes into the woodlots of southern Michigan. Its native range is part of Europe and Asia. Look for the large, reddish, and sticky buds. The Ohio Buckeye is native in southern Michigan. Its buds are brown and more pointed than the Horsechestnut.

For more information, consult Michigan Trees by Burton V. Barnes and Warren H. Wagner, Jr. It is an excellent field guide including all of Michigan’s trees with descriptions of them in every season.

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Winter Tree Vocabulary

Posted on January 6, 2013 by admin

It is easy to learn to recognize most trees in the winter. Some species are even easier to identify. Once you know some basic terms you can start to learn the names of the common trees.

Alternate, Opposite, and Whorled Buds

The arrangement of the buds is the first thing I look at. Buds are either alternate, meaning grouped singly along the stem, opposite, meaning in pairs, or whorled, meaning three or more.

Bud, Bud Scale, Leaf Scar, and Bundle Scar

Leaf scars form where the leaves were attached. The marks within the leaf scars are bundle scars formed by the vascular bundle attachment points. Vascular bundles are the “arteries” of plants. The best example is the strings in a celery stalk. The shingle-like coverings of a bud are the bud scales.

True and False Terminal Buds

A true terminal bud has no leaf scar. This is where the twig starts growing in the spring. Twigs with true terminal buds are straight. Twigs with false terminal buds are zigzagged. On twigs with false terminal buds, the end leaf bud is where the twig starts growing in the spring.

True and False Terminal Buds

Stipules are leaf-like bracts that form at the base of the petiole (leaf stalk). The mark left when they fall off is a stipule scar.

Pith Types: Solid, Chambered, and Diaphragmed

Pith is the soft center of a twig. It is solid, chambered, or diaphragmed.

Future posts will explain how to identify specific groups of tree species.

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Tag Archives: Michigan Trees

Michigan’s Spruces (Picea)

Balsam Fir and Hemlock in Michigan

Trees with Whorled Buds

Alternate Trees Armed

Alternate Budded Trees with False Terminal Buds II

Alternate Budded Trees with False Terminal Buds I

Alternate Budded Trees with True Terminal Buds II

Alternate Budded Trees with True Terminal Buds I

Opposite Budded Winter Trees

Winter Tree Vocabulary