illinois trees · heart-shaped leaf is up to eight inches long and about five and a half inches...
TRANSCRIPT
Species List
Kingdom PlantaeDivision Coniferophyta
Division Magnoliophyta
Leaves and fruits are not shown inequal proportion to actual size.
Photographers
© Guy Sternberg: silver maple fruit,eastern cottonwood fruit, floweringdogwood fruit, honeylocust fruit,sassafras fruit
© Adele Hodde, Illinois Departmentof Natural Resources, Office ofPublic Services: all other images
TREESI l l i n o i s
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana many simple leaves
This poster was made possible by:
Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of EducationDivision of Forest Resources
Illinois Conservation Foundation
This poster was made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Conservation Foundation.
More than 250 species of trees (native andintroduced) have been found in Illinois. The Illinois
Trees: Seeds and Leaves poster,* the first volume in the treeseries, depicts and provides information about 15 species,mainly nut-bearing trees. The species shown on IllinoisTrees: Volume II are commonly found throughout the state,many as ornamental plantings as well as naturallyestablished trees, and represent all four distinctive foresttypes in Illinois: bottomland forest; upland deciduousforest; coniferous forest; and southern Illinois lowlandforest. The images on the front of this poster illustrate atleast one leaf and one fruit for each species.
*See the Agency Resources section on the back of the poster for ordering instructions.
Tiliaceae – basswood familyAmerican basswood Tilia americana
Aceraceae – maple familyboxelder Acer negundosilver maple Acer saccharinumsugar maple Acer saccharum
Salicaceae – willow familyeastern cottonwood Populus deltoides
Cornaceae – dogwood familyflowering dogwood Cornus florida
Leguminosae – legume familyeastern redbud Cercis canadensis honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos
Bignoniaceae - trumpet-creeper familynorthern catalpa Catalpa speciosa
Hippocastanaceae – horsechestnut familyOhio buckeye Aesculus glabra
Ebenaceae – ebony familycommon persimmon Diospyros virginiana
Moraceae – mulberry familywhite mulberry Morus alba
Betulaceae – birch familyriver birch Betula nigra
Lauraceae – laurel familysassafras Sassafras albidum
Hamamelidaceae – witch-hazel familysweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
Platanaceae – sycamore familysycamore Platanus occidentalis
Magnoliaceae – magnolia familyyellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipifera
Taxodiaceae – redwood familybaldcypress Taxodium distichum
Cupressaceae – cypress familyeastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana
Pinaceae – pine familyeastern white pine Pinus strobus
Class Magnoliopsida
Class Pinopsida
baldcypress Taxodium distichum many simple leaves
boxelder Acer negundo one pinnately compound leaf
sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua one simple leaf
white mulberry Morus alba two simple leaves
American basswood Tilia americana one simple leaf
Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra one palmately compound leaf
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa one simple leaf
silver maple Acer saccharinum one simple leaf
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides one simple leaf
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos one doubly pinnately compound leaf
eastern white pine Pinus strobus five simple leaves
common persimmon Diospyros virginiana one simple leaf
sycamore Platanus occidentalis one simple leaf
river birch Betula nigra one simple leaf
sassafras Sassafras albidum three simple leaves
yellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipifera one simple leaf
sugar maple Acer saccharum one simple leaf
eastern redbud Cercis canadensis one simple leaf
flowering dogwood Cornus florida one simple leaf
V O L U M E I I
American basswood Tilia americana The American basswood, or linden, isfound statewide in Illinois. This treegrows in rich, moist upland woodlands.Its light, strong wood is not verydurable and is used to produce furni-ture, pallets and paper pulp.
General Description: An Americanbasswood tree may grow to aheight of 80 feet and a trunkdiameter of two feet. Thecrown is rounded.The bark is brown,scaly and deeply fur-rowed.
Leaf: The leaves are arrangedalternately on the stem. Eachheart-shaped leaf is up to eightinches long and about five and a halfinches wide. The leaf is pointed at thetip and asymmetrical at the base. Theleaf edges are toothed.
Flower: The green-yellow flowers areproduced in clusters on a long stalkattached to a paddle-shaped structure.Each flower has five petals. Floweringoccurs in June and July.
Fruit: The hard, spherical fruits oftenhave a point at the tip. Each lightbrown, hairy fruit may be up to one-third inch in diameter.
baldcypressTaxodium distichumBaldcypress grows inbottomland forests,swamps and otherareas with poorlydrained soil. Its soft,durable wood is usedfor lumber, veneer,doors, boxes, pallets, craftobjects and many otheritems. It grows naturally in the southernone-third of Illinois.
General Description: This speciesmay attain a height of 100 feet with atrunk diameter of eight feet. The treeoften has a pyramidal shape. The bark
is red-brown and shreds. “Knees” maybe present around the base of the tree.
Leaf: Each needlelike leaf may be up tothree-fourths inch long. These yellow-green leaves die and fall from the treein autumn.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are separate butoccur on the same tree. Male flowersare arranged in branched clusters,whereas female flowers are in smallgroups near the end of the twigs.
Fruit: The fruit is a cone that is almostspherical. Up to one inch in diameter,the wrinkled cone is green to brown.
boxelderAcer negundoThe boxelder, or ashleafmaple, is foundstatewide in Illinois.This tree often growsalong streams andother water bodies. Itslightweight soft wood is usedto produce furniture, palletsand crates.
General Description: A boxelder treemay grow to a height of 60 feet and atrunk diameter of three feet. The crownspreads widely. The bark is light brownwith ridges that become deep furrowsas the tree ages.
Leaf: The leaves are arranged opposite-ly on the stem. Each pinnately com-pound leaf is made up of three to sevenleaflets. A leaflet may be up to fourinches long and two inches wide.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are produced on sep-arate trees. These green-yellow flowersdevelop in clusters. Flowers appear asthe leaves begin to unfold in spring.
Fruit: The fruit is a seed and itsattached, curved wing. Each green-yel-low fruit may be up to two inches long.
common persimmonDiospyros virginianaThe common persimmon occurs in the
southern two-thirds ofIllinois. This tree grows ina variety of locations,from upland forests to
bottomland woods. Itswood is used for golfclub heads, lumber,
furniture, railroadcrossties, tool handles, bob-
bins, spools and otheritems.
General Description: The commonpersimmon may grow to 50 feet tallwith a trunk diameter of two feet. Itsbark is dark gray to black and developsfurrows that make the bark appear tohave square sections.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately along the stem. The leaf ispointed at the tip and smooth along theedges. A leaf may be up to five incheslong and two and a half inches wide.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are usually on sepa-rate trees, although sometimes they areborne on the same tree and sometimesin the same flower. The tube-shapedflowers may be up to one-half inch longand appear in clusters of two to three.Flowering occurs soon after the leavesappear.
Fruit: The fleshy, spherical fruit may beup to two inches in diameter. Whenripe, it is yellow-orange to orange incolor. The fruit is an important foodsource for wildlife.
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoidesThe eastern cottonwoodgrows throughoutIllinois alongstreams and in bot-tomland woods. Itswood is used for lumber,furniture, baskets andother items.
Fruit: The fruit is a pod that can be upto four inches long. Each fruit containsseveral seeds.
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginianaThe eastern redcedar grows statewidein Illinois in upland forests, on dryridge tops, on slopes and in abandonedfields. The wood ofthis tree is usedfor lumber, fur-niture, storagechests, pencilsand manyother items.
General Description:This conifer may grow to a height of 80feet with a trunk diameter of three feet.The crown is either rounded or pyrami-dal. The red-brown bark splits intoshreds as the tree grows.
Leaf: There are two types of leaves onthis tree: those that are flat, triangularand arranged oppositely on the stem;and those that are needlelike. The tinyflat leaves may be up to one-sixteenthinch long, while the needle-shapedleaves may be up to three-fourths inchlong.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are on separate trees.The male flowers are arranged in nar-row yellow spikes. The female flowersare in small purple clusters.
Fruit: The fruit is spherical and similarto a berry. Up to one-fourth inch indiameter, each dark-blue fruit containsone or two seeds.
eastern white pinePinus strobusThe eastern white pineoccurs naturally in a fewnorthern Illinois coun-ties. It has been plantedextensively throughoutthe rest of thestate, however. Itprefers well-drained, upland
woods but grows in most uplandareas as long as enough light is pres-ent. Its soft wood is used for interiorfinishing and construction.
General Description: The easternwhite pine may grow to a height of 120feet or more and a trunk diameter ofthree feet. Its brown bark has broadridges.
Leaf: The leaves, called needles, are inbundles of five. These long (up to fiveinches) flexible leaves are blue-green.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are separate butoccur on the same tree. The yellowmale flowers are arranged in shortspikes (up to one-third inch long). Thefemale flowers are pink to purple andcrowded into small groups.
Fruit: The cones produced are oblong,curved and drooping. A cone may beup to eight inches long. The seed isabout one-fourth inch long with a three-fourths-inch wing.
flowering dogwoodCornus floridaThe flowering dogwood naturally grows
in rich woods in thesouthern half of thestate. This tree’s hard,
strong wood isused for tool han-
dles, shuttles, bobbinsand other items. It is
often grown as anornamental plant.
GeneralDescription: The flowering dogwoodmay grow to a height of 40 feet and atrunk diameter of two feet. The crownis rounded. The bark is brown anddivided into small square plates.
Leaf: The leaves are arranged opposite-ly along the stem. Each leaf is pointedat the tip and may be up to six incheslong and about three inches wide. Theleaf edges are smooth.
Flower: Flowers are crowded togetherin clusters. Each cluster is surrounded by
It can be recognized by its distinctive,fragrant leaves and green twigs.
General Description: The sassafrastree may grow to a height of 80 feet anda trunk diameter of two feet, althoughmost trees of this species rarely pass 40feet tall. Its crown is flat-topped andirregular. The bark is dark red-brownand furrowed on mature trees.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately along the stem. There arethree leaf shapes: one-lobed; two-lobed;and unlobed. Leaf edges are smooth.Leaves turn yellow, red and orange inthe fall.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are on separate trees.The small (about one-third inch long)flowers are arranged in clusters. Thisspecies flowers as its leaves begin toopen in spring.
Fruit: The fruit is a dark-blue berry,about one-third inch long.
silver mapleAcer saccharinumSilver maple trees growthroughout Illinois inbottomland forests. Thewood is used tomake lumber,veneer, furniture,cabinets, railroadties, pallets and otheritems. Maple syrupcan be made fromthe sap of this tree.
General Description: The silver maplemay attain a height of 100 feet and atrunk diameter of up to five feet. Itscrown is broadly rounded. The gray orsilver bark of the young tree becomesloose and scaly as the tree ages.
Leaf: Leaves are arranged oppositelyon the stem. Each simple leaf has fivelobes and may be up to eight incheslong and nearly that wide. The leafedges are toothed.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are usually on separatetrees. The small green-yellow flowers arearranged in clusters. Flowers are pro-duced in February and March before theleaves open.
Fruit: The fruit is a winged structurewith the seed at the base. Fruits developin pairs. Each green or yellow fruit maybe up to three inches long.
sugar mapleAcer saccharumSugar maple occursthroughoutIllinois. It growsin well-drainedupland forests.The light brownwood is used to makemany productsincluding: lumber;veneer; furniture;cabinets; flooring; paneling;sporting goods; and butcher’s blocks.The sap is a source of maple syrup. Thetree is often planted as an ornamental.
General Description: The sugarmaple may attain a height of 100 feetand a trunk diameter of up to threefeet. Its crown is broadly rounded withmany branches. The gray, dark brownor black bark becomes scaly and fur-rowed as the tree ages.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedoppositely on the stem. Each leaf maybe up to five inches long and nearlythat wide. The three- to five-lobedleaves are toothed.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are usually on sepa-rate trees. The green-yellow flowers arearranged in clusters. Flowers open asthe leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: The fruit is a winged structurewith the seed at the base. Fruits devel-op in pairs. Each green or yellow fruitmay be up to one inch long.
sweetgumLiquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum grows naturally inbottomland forests inthe southern half of thestate, but it will grow indrier locations and iswidely planted as anornamental. The hardwood is used forveneer, furniture, pulp-wood, cabinets, ply-wood, railroad ties and otheritems.
General Description: The sweetgummay attain a height of 100 feet and atrunk diameter of more than three feet.Its crown is pyramidal. The dark-graybark is broken into scaly ridges.
Leaf: Leaves are arranged alternatelyon the stem. Each simple, toothed leafis shaped like a five- to seven-pointedstar. A leaf may be six inches long andnearly that wide. Leaves of this treeturn shades of red, yellow and purple inautumn.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are separate but onthe same tree. The rounded flower clus-ters bloom about the same time that theleaves start to open.
Fruit: The fruit is a spherical structure,about one inch in diameter, containingmany tiny seeds. Small sharp projec-tions cover the surface of the fruit.
sycamore Platanus occidentalisThe sycamore occursstatewide in Illinois. Itgrows in bottomlandforests and alongstreams. Its hard,strong wood is used tomake lumber, veneer, furni-ture, food containers, boxes,baskets, railroad ties andother items.
General Description: This large treemay attain a height of more than 100feet and a trunk diameter of about eightfeet. Its crown is broad and irregular.The red-brown bark of the young tree
falls off in patches as the tree ages, leav-ing large areas of the white or greeninner bark exposed.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately on the stem. Each leaf hasthree to five sharp-pointed lobes. A sin-gle leaf may be seven inches long andnearly that wide.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are separate but onthe same tree. The tiny flowers are verynumerous and clustered into dense,spherical heads.
Fruit: The fruit is a spherical, lightbrown head about one inch in diame-ter. It contains many tiny seeds, eachsurrounded by hairlike structures.
white mulberryMorus albaThe white mulberry can befound statewidein Illinois inforests as wellas in disturbedareas and alongroads. Theorange-brownwood is used forfence posts. The fruit is asource of food for wildlife.
General Description: The white mul-berry may attain a height of 50 feetand a trunk diameter of three feet. Thecrown is broadly rounded. The bark islight brown and divided into long,scaly plates.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately along the stem. Leaf shapesare variable. A leaf may be five incheslong and nearly that wide. The leafedges are toothed.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are separate and mayor may not be on the same tree. Maleflowers occur in narrow clusters; femaleflowers grow in short spikes. Flowersappear as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: The fruit is a cluster of tiny dru-pes which are usually white or pink.Each fruit may be up to one and one-fourth inch long.
four large, white bracts that look likepetals. Flowers appear in April and May.
Fruit: The fruit is a red, ovoid berrythat may be up to one-half inch long.Each berry contains one or two seeds.
honeylocustGleditsia triacanthos
The honeylocust grows throughoutIllinois in bottomland woods, dry
upland sites and inwooded areas thathave been altered insome manner. Its
hard, red-brownwood is used forlumber, furniture,
railroad crossties andfence posts. The tree usually
has big, three-parted spines.
General Description: The honeylocustmay grow to a height of 70 feet and atrunk diameter of three feet. The crownis rounded. The bark is dark brown,furrowed and scaly.
Leaf: The leaves are alternate and oftendoubly pinnately compound with manyleaflets. Each leaflet may be up to oneand one-half inches long.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) reproductive structures maybe in the same or separate flowers. Thesmall yellow flowers appear in clustersup to three inches long. This tree flow-ers from May through June.
Fruit: The fruit is a pod that may be upto one and one-half feet long and twoinches wide. Purple-brown at maturity,the pod is flat, though often twisted,and contains several seeds.
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosaThe northern catalpa isalso known as the Indianbean or lady cigar tree.Found statewide, it occursnaturally in southernIllinois. It is a tree of bot-tomland forests but hasbeen planted in many dif-ferent habitats. The light,soft wood is used for
fence posts, interior finishing and rail-road ties.
General Description: The northerncatalpa may grow to a height of 60 feetand a trunk diameter of nearly threefeet. Its crown is broad and wide-spreading. Its bark may be shades ofbrown or black and usually has deepfurrows.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arranged inwhorls. Each leaf has a long point at thetip. A leaf may grow to 12 inches longand about eight inches wide. The leafedges are smooth.
Flower: Flowers are large and showy,appearing in clusters that may be sixinches long. The petals are white andlined with purple. Flowers open in Mayand June.
Fruit: The fruit is a capsule that may beone and one-half feet long. The capsulecontains numerous winged, hairy seeds.
Ohio buckeyeAesculus glabraThe Ohio buckeye
occurs throughoutIllinois in bot-tomland forestsalthough it willgrow in drierconditions, too. Thesoft, light wood is usedfor lumber, veneer andpulpwood.
General Description: An Ohio buck-eye tree may grow to 75 feet tall witha trunk diameter of two feet. Itscrown is rounded. The bark is grayand furrowed.
Leaf: Leaves are palmately compoundand arranged opposite each other alongthe twig. Five to seven leaflets are pres-ent, each up to six inches long andthree inches wide. The edges of theleaflet are toothed.
Flower: The yellow-green flowersdevelop in clusters that may be up toone foot long. Flowers are producedfrom April through May.
Fruit: The fruit is nearly spherical andcovered with prickles. Up to one andone-half inch in diameter, each fruitcontains a single, large seed.
river birchBetula nigraThe river birch occurs throughoutmost of Illinois growing in bot-tomland forests, alongstreams and sometimes indrier locations. This tree’swood is light andstrong. It is used tomake lumber, furniture,cabinets, basket hoops,artificial limbs andmany other prod-ucts. River birch iswidely planted as anornamental.
General Description: This tree maygrow to a height of 75 feet with a trunkdiameter of two feet. Its crown is irregu-larly rounded. The bark is brown-pinkto red-brown in color, and it curls andshreds as the tree grows.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately along the stem. Each leaf iscoarsely double-toothed and up to threeinches long. The leafstalk is woolly.
Flower: The tiny male (staminate) andfemale (pistillate) flowers are separatebut occur on the same tree. Male flow-ers are in drooping clusters; femaleflowers are in small, conelike groups.Flowers are produced in April and May.
Fruit: The fruit is a tiny hairy nut witha three-lobed wing. Nuts are arrangedin cones that may be one and a halfinches long.
sassafrasSassafras albidumSassafras occurs in dry soils in the south-ern two-thirds of Illinois. The wood issoft and orange-brown.Commercial uses forsassafrasinclude oils,boxes, crates,pallets, fire-wood, fenceposts and mine timbers.
More information about Illinois trees is available from theIllinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). TheIDNR Divisions of Education and Forest Resources offerforestry-related materials for educators (see list below).The Illinois Natural History Survey studies trees and main-tains a research collection of tree materials.
Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROM Series: The three CD-ROMs in this series are field guides to more than 1,000species that live in or pass through the state. Life historyinformation, images, sounds and range maps are just someof the included features of these searchable CDs.Configured to play on both personal and MacIntosh®computers, the CDs are also capable of being used on anin-school network. These CDs are available to teachers inIllinois by written request on school letterhead. Mail to theIDNR Division of Education (see address below).
Forest Trees of Illinois: This publication of the IDNR’sOffice of Public Services provides identification keys, lifehistory information, illustrations and other features specificto tree species in Illinois. Purchase the book through theIllinois Conservation Foundation gift shop athttp://www.ilcf.org/shop/default.asp?force=ICF.
Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grants: This competitivegrant program offers funds for teachers to take their stu-dents on a field trip to study Illinois’ biodiversity. Fieldtrip destinations must be in Illinois and can include stateparks, nature centers and museums. For more information,visit http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education and click onthe link to “Grants.”
Illinois Tree Trunk: Everything you need to teach a unitabout trees is contained in this resource available for loanfrom about 50 locations statewide. Produced by the IDNRDivision of Education, each “trunk” has posters, fieldguides, a video, books, tree inquiry kits, lessons, studentactivities, models, equipment, CDs, DVDs and otheritems. Go to http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education thenclick on “Items for Loan” to find the lending location thatis nearest to you.
Kids for Trees CD-ROM: Lessons, background informa-tion, student activities, videos and other tree-related activi-ties are contained on this CD-ROM targeted to gradeskindergarten through three. The CD-ROM is available toteachers in Illinois by written request on school letterhead(mail to the IDNR Division of Education – see addressbelow).
National Arbor Day Poster Contest: The IDNR Divisionof Forest Resources conducts the Illinois portion of theannual National Arbor Day Poster Contest (fifth grade). Aninformational packet is mailed each fall to all Illinoisschools that contain fifth grades.
Professional Development: Workshops through theENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute forConservation Education) and Project Learning Tree®(PLT®) programs offer teachers the opportunity to earnContinuing Professional Development Units while learningabout forestry-related topics. Teaching resources are alsoprovided. PLT® is the environmental education programof the American Forest Foundation and is administered inIllinois by the IDNR Division of Education. Online andgraduate-level courses are also available. To see the cur-rent schedule and/or to register for workshops, visithttp://www.ilcf.org/Workshop/Courses.asp. For moreinformation about the graduate-level courses, go tohttp://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education and click on thelink to the “Online Graduate Courses.”
Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program: These grantsare used for development or enhancement of wildlife habi-tat on or near school grounds. The application deadline isNovember 30. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/educationand click on the link to “Grants.”
Supplemental Materials: Natural resources tradingcards, posters (including the Illinois Trees: Seeds and Leavesposter), activity books and activity sheets are just some ofthe Illinois-specific teaching aids available from the IDNRDivision of Education. Both English- and Spanish-languageversions are available for some items. Place your orderonline at www.idnrteachkids.com.
W Mature baldcypress in swamps may develop several descending roots that provideanchorage and numerous lateral roots that develop "knees." These knees vary inheight from several inches to more than 12 feet. They may be beneficial for aerationor to anchor the tree because they develop large masses of roots.
W Illinois forests provide habitat for more than 420 vertebrate species.
W About 120 bird species use Illinois forests for their primary nest sites.
W In 1820, forests covered 13.8 million acres (38 percent of the state). The United StatesForest Service (USFS) 1998 inventory estimated 4.9 million acres of forests (14 percentof the state) in Illinois. The USFS estimated that between 1962 and 1998 forest cover inIllinois increased by more than 10 percent.
W The IDNR Divisions of Forest Resources and Natural Heritage are authorized by theState Forest Act to conduct an annual Seed Collection Program. Collected seeds areused to propagate native trees and shrubs.
W Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and treecare. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872, National Arbor Day is cele-brated each year on the last Friday in April.
W The majority of trees in Illinois have leaves arranged alternately on the stem. The onlytrees with oppositely arranged leaves are the maples, ashes, dogwoods, buckeyes andhorse chestnut.
Correlation to Illinois Learning Standards Information provided on this poster may be useful to educators when teaching aboutplants, trees, adaptations, seeds, leaves, Illinois species and other topics. Illinois LearningStandards and Benchmarks: Science 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.A.2a, 12.B.1a, 12.B.2b; SocialScience 17.A.2a.
I l l i n o i s
V O L U M E I I
General Description: The easterncottonwood may grow to 100 feet tallwith a trunk diameter of six feet. Thecrown spreads widely with somedrooping branches. The bark is grayand becomes deeply furrowed as thetree ages.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately on the stem. Each leaf is tri-angular and coarsely toothed. A leafmay be up to five inches long and fiveinches wide.
Flower: Male (staminate) and female(pistillate) flowers are borne on separatetrees. Male flowers are arranged in redcatkins; female flowers are in narrowyellow-green catkins. This tree flowersbefore its leaves unfold.
Fruit: The fruit is a green-brown cap-sule that may be up to one-fourth inchlong. Many seeds with cottonlike hairsare enclosed by each capsule.
eastern redbudCercis canadensis Found in all of Illinois except a fewcounties near thenorthern border,the eastern redbudgrows in richwoodlands. Itshard, red-brownwood has no com-mercial value, butthe tree is used asan ornamental.
General Description: The eastern red-bud may grow to 35 feet tall with atrunk diameter of one foot. Its red-brown bark has plates and scales.
Leaf: The simple leaves are arrangedalternately on the stem. The heart-shaped leaf may be up to six incheslong and about that wide. The leafedges are smooth.
Flower: The flowers develop on theprevious year’s branches or on thetrunk. Each flower is rose-purple andabout one-half inch in length. Flowersappear as the leaves are beginning tounfold.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies isavailable to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contactthe funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required. Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance.
Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois.PRTXXXXXXX XXM 9/07 • IISG08-137
Division of EducationOne Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271
http://dnr.state.il.us
Division of Forest ResourcesOne Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271
217-785-8774http://dnr.state.il.us/conservation/forestry/
Division of Natural HeritageOne Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271
217-785-8774http://dnr.state.il.us/conservation/naturalheritage
Illinois Natural History Survey1816 South Oak StreetChampaign, IL 61820
217-333-6880http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/
Simple
PinnatelyCompound
PalmatelyCompound
DoublyPinnately
Compound
Opposite
Alternate
Whorled
LEAF SHAPES
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Elliptical
Ovate
Obovate
yellow-poplar Liriodendron tulipiferaYellow-poplar, also know as tulippoplar or tulip tree, grows in rich,moist upland forestsin east centralIllinois andsouthern Illinois.The soft, durablewood has manyuses including:cabinets; veneer;lumber; furniture; ply-wood; musical instru-ments; and pallets.
General Description: The yellow-poplar may attain a height of 120 feetand a trunk diameter of up to four feet.Its crown is oblong or pyramidal. Thegray bark becomes deeply furrowed asthe tree ages.
Leaf: Leaves are arranged alternatelyon the stem. Each of the simple leavesis divided into four broad lobes. Thesebright green leaves are from four to sixinches long and nearly that broad.
Flower: The flowers are about twoinches long. These cup-shaped struc-tures have six yellow-green petals withan orange base. Flowers are producedin May.
Fruit: The fruit is a cluster of wingedseeds.