michigan trees by: andrea berry michigan water stewardship program
TRANSCRIPT
Kinds of Trees• Gymnosperms
– Conifers– 10 native to
Michigan– Leaves remain for
several years• Exception:
tamarack (e. larch)– Evolved during
Mesozoic times• 245-145mya• Triassic 245mya• Jurassic 208mya• Cretaceous 145mya
• Angiosperms– Flowering plants– Deciduous (North
Temperate Zone)• “Hardwoods”
– Evergreen (Tropical)• None native to MI
– First appeared during Cretaceous
– Became widely abundant during Tertiary 65mya
– Today far outnumber conifers in # & diversity of species
Parts of a Tree
• Stem– Bark
• Dead material• Protects
– Cambium • Living material• Produces bark
– Phloem • Moves nutrients “down” stem from leaves to
roots
– Xylem• Moves water “up” stem from roots
Parts of a Tree cont’• Leaves
– Chloroplasts • Photosynthesis
– Stomata• Control water pressure
– Simple • Not divided into distinct parts, may be lobed
– Compound• Divided into leaflets
– Arrangement• Alternate, opposite, whorled
– Venation• Netted=reticulate, eucicots (aka dicots)• Parallel=striate, monocots
Monocots vs. Eudicots
• Monocotyledons– Monocots – 1 seed leaf – 65,000 species– Grasses, lilies,
irises, orchids, cattails, palms
– *Conifers*– Parallel veination
• Eudicotyledons– Eudicots – 2 seed leaves– Trees, shrubs,
herbs (nonwoody plants)
– Not conifers!– Netted veination
Ashes
Black Ash
•9 leaflets
•Wet, low swampy areas
White Ash
•7-9 leaflets
•Upland drier sites
American Mountain-Ash
•9-17 leaflets
•N. acidic bogs, ornamental
Aspens
• Boreal, northern species• Dry or moist soils• Reproduce by cloning• Adapted to fire • 2 species
– Large-toothed– Trembling (quaking)
Aspens
Big-toothed aspen Trembling aspen
Birches
Yellow birch
Gray birch
Paper birch
Cedars
Eastern Red cedar
Northern White cedar
Balsam Fir
•Needles 2-ranked
•Needles spirally arranged
•Multiple white “lines” on underside of needles
•Distinct balsam smell
•Seed cone smooth & upward
Maples
• 7 species native to Michigan (5 trees)• *All leaves are arranged opposite*• *All leaves are simple*
– Except Boxelder, compound
• Winged-fruit – samara• Cool, moist habitats• Sensitive to fire b/c bark is thin• Shade-tolerant (except Boxelder)• Black, Norway, Red, Silver, Striped,
Sugar, Boxelder
Oaks
• 400 species, 12 native to Michigan• Massive trunks, thick, fire-resistant bark,
large, deep roots• Broad wide spreading crown• Fruit – acorn• Monoecious – male & female flower on
different part of the same tree• Young oaks retain leaves in winter• Very long-lived• Black, Bur, N. Red, Pin, Swamp White, White
Pines
• 36 species in US, 3 native to MI• Extensively logged, some with poor
management, ex. White pine• All pines survive well in dry coarse soils – very
deep root system• Many require fire to regenerate• Cones require 2 years to mature• Leaves persist for several years• Distinguishing feature: needle clusters from 2-5
– Soft Pines – 5 leaves in a cluster– Hard Pines – 2-3 needles in a cluster
Jack Pines
•Require fire (natural or prescribed) to regenerate
•Thrive on very sandy dry soils
•Kirtland’s Warbler nesting habitat
Spruces
• 7 species in US, 2 native to MI• “Triangle” shaped• Tolerate acidic, undrained soils
– Shallow roots – Low nutrient requirement
• Needles are 4-sided & persist 5-10 years
• White, Black, Norway Spruces
Spruces
•Whitish glow, upward branches
•Upland sites
•Green-yellow glow, droopy branches
•Introduced ornamental