Identification Key for Coniferous Trees in Maryland By: Kerry Wixted & Madeline Koenig January 2017 Common Coniferous Tree Guide Key 1. Leaves scale-like……………………………………….…………pg 1 1. Leaves needles……………………………………………………2 2. Leaves in clusters/bundles…………………………….………..3 2. Leaves not in clusters/bundles………………………………....4 3. Leaves in clusters of 2……………………………………………pg 2 3. Leaves in clusters of 2-3……………………………….…………pg 3 3. Leaves clusters of 3…………………………………………….…pg 4 3. Leaves in clusters of 5………………………………………....…pg 6 4. Needles four-sided, stiff…………………………………...……pg 7 4. Needles flat, flexible & blunt………………………………..…pg 8 Larry Hogan, Governor Mark Belton, Secretary dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife i How To Use This Guide This guide was created as an easy-to-use reference for beginner identification. It is not a comprehensive guide for all conifers found in Maryland. Trees represented in the guide include those that are native to Maryland, those that are introduced (exotic), and those that are exotic and create ecological problems (invasive). To use this guide, begin with the key on the previous page. Read the statements and choose the statement that best matches the specimen you are viewing. Proceed to the next statement that matches the specimen you are viewing. Eventually, the key will lead you to the identification. Terms used in the key are illustrated on pages ii - iii. Photographs and images selected for this guide are intended to represent commonly found phenotypes. Images are not to scale. The following information will be listed for each species: • Common Name (Scientific name) • Leaf Description • Cone Description • Bark Description • Description of Overall Form Common Identification Terms: Scale-like Versus Needle Scale-like and needle refer to the shape of the leaf. Are the leaves flat and pressed against the twig? Or, are they narrow and elongated, extending outwards from the twig? SCALE NEEDLE Most cedars have scale-like leaves Pines, firs, spruces, and hemlocks typically grow leaves as needles. ii Common Identification Terms: Woody Cones Versus Berry-like Cones Cones can be woody or berry-like. Is the cone woody, or is it fleshy? rd Jensen, rd Jensen, Alex JohnNiemiera, & Peterson dwa WOODY BERRY-LIKE CONE CONE Common Identification Terms: Clustered Versus Not Clustered Clustered and not clustered refer to the arrangement of needle-like leaves. Do multiple leaves appear to grow from the same point on the twig? Or, do they appear to grow individually? CLUSTERED NOT CLUSTERED Pines grow needles in clusters, Spruces, firs, and hemlocks grow sometimes called bundles or needles individually. fascicles. Common Identification Terms: Cone Prickles Cone prickles refer to spines that may be found on the tips of cone scales. Does the cone have prickles? If it does, then are the prickles thin (easy to break) or stout? THIN STOUT © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos by: John E Seiler, iii Scale-like Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis); aka Arborvitae; commonly planted* Leaves Cone Bark Form • Scale-like & 0.25 inch • Leathery • Fibrous, red-brown • Small-medium long • 0.5 inches long in color & turning • Pyramid shaped • Scales overlapping • Oblong & borne gray • Often has several • Leaf sprays flattened upright main trunks Cone Cone by: 2016,© CopyrightVT of Dept. and Conservation Forest Resources Environ. *Note: Oriental arborvitae (Platycadus orientalis) looks similar is often planted too. It has small, fleshy , 0.75 inch long cones. Leaves, bark & form J.by "Steven Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana ( ) Leaves Cone Bark Form 1 • 2 types- /16 inch • Berry-like • Red-brown • Up to 60 feet tall scale-like & ¼ inch • ¼ inch in diameter • Long, fibrous • Oval or column- needle like • Spring- light green strips like in appearance • Fall- blue/glaucous All images by "Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" 1 Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 2 Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana); aka scrub pine Leaves Cone Bark Form • 2/fascicle • Woody • Young- orange- • Up to 70 feet tall • 1.5-3 inches long • 1.5-2.5 inches long brown & scaly • Sparse crown • Yellow-green • Long, thin prickle • Old- thick, scaly • Often has dead, gray branch stubs Form by: © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environ. Conservation • Twisted plates & cinnamon Leaves, & Cone bark by "Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" Red Pine Pinus resinosa ( ); commonly planted Leaves Cone Bark Form • 2/fascicle • Woody • Young- red-brown • Up to 100 feet tall (sometimes 3) • 1.5-3 inches long & scaly • Straight trunk • 4-6 inches long • Short prickle • Old- ridged & • Oval-open crown • Yellow-green furrowed Images J. by "Steven Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" 2 Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 2 Table-mountain Pine (Pinus pungens) Leaves Cone Bark Form • 2/fascicle • Woody • Scaly/ plates • Up to 60 feet • 2-3 inches long • 2-4 inches long • Dark red-brown or • Irregular crown • Sharp-tipped • Often as long as wide gray in color • Prickle stout rights reserved. Photos by: John Seiler, Edward Alex Niemiera, Jensen, & John Peterson Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 2-3 © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all Short-leaf Pine (Pinus echinata) “; Bark by http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/ Leaves Cone Bark Form • 2-3/fascicle • Woody • Young- scaly & • Up to 100 feet tall • 3-5 inches long • 1.5-3 inches long dark • Small, pyramid • Egg-shaped • Old- flat & scaly crown • Thin prickle • Resin pockets Images by "Steven J. Baskauf Jason Harrison 3 Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 3 Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)* Leaves Cone Bark Form • 3/fascicle • Woody • Young- dark & • Up to 80 feet tall • 2.5-5 inches long • 2-4 inches long scaly • Varies by site • Yellow-green to • Short, stout prickle • Old- red-brown • Often tuft of green plates w/ furrows needles on trunk *Pond and Pitch on the Eastern Shore form a continuous hybrid zone and are rarely separable in the field. Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda); commonly planted Images by "Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" Leaves Cone Bark Form • 3/fascicle • Woody • Young- red-gray & • Over 100 feet • 6- 9 inches long • 3-6 inches long scaly • Self prunes • Yellow-green • Stout prickle • Old- ridged & • Straight trunk & furrowed oval crown 4 Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 3 Pond Pine (Pinus serotina); found on Eastern Shore* Maryland Biodiversity - Leaves Cone Bark Form • 3/fascicle • Woody • Dark brown • Up to 70 feet tall • 4-8 inches long • 2-3 inches long • Broken to irregular • Often twisted • Globular scaly plates Project; http://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=328 • Prickle weak or absent Leaves form &by Jim Brighton;Cone & bark by Bill Hubick *Pond and Pitch on the Eastern Shore form a continuous hybrid zone and are rarely separable in the field. Pitch pine swamp by Jason Harrison 5 Needles, Clustered, Clusters of 5 Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus ( ) Leaves Cone Bark Form • 5/fascicle • Woody • Young- thin & • Up to 100 feet tall • 3-5 inches long • 4-7 inches long smooth • Straight trunk w/ • Blue-green • No prickle • Old- thick, reddish conical- wispy Bark & form J.by "Steven Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" brown w/ furrows crown White pine by "Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" 6 Needles, Not Clustered, 4-sided, Stiff Norway Spruce (Picea abies); commonly planted Leaves Cone Bark Form • 0.5-1 inch long • Woody • Red-brown & scaly • Over 120 feet tall • Sharp, pointed tip • 4-6 inches long • Becomes gray w/ • Conical shape • Borne on woody peg • Thin, irregularly age • Branches droop toothed scales • Scales or plates rights reserved. rights reserved. Photos & by: John Niemiera, JohnAlex Peterson Seiler, Edward Jensen, © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all Blue Spruce (Picea pungens); commonly planted Leaves Cone Bark Form • 0.75-1.5 inches long • Woody • Gray-red brown • Up to 80 feet • Stiff & sharp • 2-4 inches long • Young- thin scales • Pyramid shaped • Silvery blue to dark • Cylindrical • Old- furrows green • Scales flexible Images by "Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/" 7 Needles, Not Clustered, Flat, Flexible Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) rd Jensen, rd Jensen, Alex JohnNiemiera, & Peterson dwa Leaves Cone Bark Form • Up to 0.75 inches • Woody • Fibrous, red-brown • Up to 90 feet tall long • 1.5-2.5 inches long but may be gray • Pyramid shaped • Deciduous • Sphere shaped crown • Leaf branchlets • Base of trunks are resemble a feather buttressed Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Leaves Cone Bark Form • Up to 0.5 inch in • Woody • Young- gray- • Up to 80 feet tall length • Up to 0.75 inches brown & smooth • Conical shape • In 2-ranks long • Old- red-brown • Fine branches w/ • Dark green above & • Oval w/ round w/ ridges drooping end 2 white stripes below scales shoots © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos by: John E Seiler, 8 Native, Uncommon Conifers rd Jensen, rd Jensen, Alex JohnNiemiera, & Peterson dwa Red Spruce (Picea rubens) Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) • Leaves- needles up to 0.75 inches • Leaves- needles up to 0.75 inches long, 4- sided long, flattened • Branches not drooping • Cone- 2-3.5 inches long; upright • Cone- 1.5-2.5 inch long w/ round • Found in western Maryland scales; hang downward • Found in western Maryland Atlantic White Cedar Larch Aka Tamarack (Chamaecyparis thyoides) (Larix laricina) • Leaves- scaly & up to 1/8 inch long; • Leaves- needles up to 1 inch in aromatic when crushed length; deciduous & turn gold • Cone- up to 0.5 inch in diameter before falling • Found in swamps in coastal plain • Cone- up to 1 inch egg-shaped cone • Found in western Maryland © Copyright 2016,VT Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos by: John E Seiler, 9 Resources & References The key above is for commonly encountered conifers in Maryland.