identifying trees in the winter

impress your friends this winter

Here’s a little guide to identifying some of our most common trees when they are cold and naked (leafless) in the wintertime.

Black Walnut Bark

Black Walnut Twig

This sturdy one has dark deeply furrowed scaley bark with heavy branches spreading medium wide. Its twigs are stout and rigid with stubby wooly nubs for buds. If you’re standing under this tree in the winter, you will likely see half chewed walnut shells on the ground surrounding the tree because squirrels aren’t concerned with tidiness.

Dogwood Bark

Dogwood Twig

This little sweetie pie has thin rough bark with a small checker like pattern. It could be considered short in the world of trees. Branches of a dogwood tree are widely spreading and arranged in irregular horizontal layers. It’s easy enough to spot their slender twigs and ovoid shaped buds with 2-4 loose pointy scales.

Tulip Poplar Bark

Tulip Poplar Twig

These ones are tall and proud with a column-like trunk and more of a narrow crown. The bark is grayish, deeply and regularly furrowed. The twigs of a tulip poplar, which are typical out of reach, are smooth with duckbill shaped buds.

White Oak Bark

White Oak Twig

Let’s talk about the oak tree as if it were royalty. Large tree with widely spreading branches and thin light grayish shallowly furrowed bark. Twigs are stout and strongly fluted with clusters of ovoid to pointy buds. You know an oak tree when you are standing next to one because it will announce itself.

Maple Bark

Maple Twig

There are several native species of maple so this is general. The bark of a mature maple will be dark gray and raised in long plates. Twigs are slender,somewhat short, and smooth with clusters of almost point scaled buds. Standing under a maple tree feels like home and that’s how you really identify one.

If you would like assistance identifying trees on your property in the WNC Asheville area, we would be happy to have a look.