Growth Form: Small to medium tree up to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 15 inches; crown broadly rounded or sometimes flat.
Bark: Dark brown, smooth at first, becoming scaly in age.
Twigs: Stout, dark brown, covered by velvety hairs; leaf scars nearly encircling the twigs, with 6-9 bundle traces.
Buds: More or less rounded, hairy, about ⅛ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with up to 31 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped, up to 5 inches long, less than 2 inches broad, pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the usually asymmetrical base, toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth except for the hairy veins on the lower surface. The leaves turn purple to red to orange in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate sometimes borne on separate plants, sometimes on the same plant, sometimes in the same flower, numerous in much branched clusters, appearing from June to August, each flower greenish, greenish-yellow, or reddish.
Fruit: Dense cluster of red berries, each berry round, conspicuously hairy, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, containing a single brown seed.
Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, orange.
Use: Sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Habitat: Woods and thickets.
Range: Nova Scotia across to Minnesota, south to Iowa and Kentucky, east to North Carolina.
Distinguishing Features: The densely velvety twigs are distinctive for this species.
Growth Form: Small tree or shrub to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 inches; crown narrowly rounded.
Bark: Gray, smooth.
Twigs: Rather stout, smooth, orange-brown to gray; leaf scars alternate, rounded except for where the bud is, with several bundle traces.
Buds: Rounded or somewhat pointed, about ¼ inch in diameter, except for the larger, terminal one, hairy, often purplish.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7-13 leaflets; leaflets elliptic to obovate, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 4 inches long, up to half as wide, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and usually smooth on the lower surface, the edges without teeth. The leaves turn a brilliant scarlet in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate sometimes borne on separate plants, sometimes on the same plant, sometimes in the same flower, numerous in much branched clusters, appearing from May to July, each flower greenish-yellow, small.
Fruit: Cluster of white or creamy berries, each berry round, smooth, shiny, up to ½ inch in diameter, containing a single yellow seed.
Wood: Soft, light in weight, coarse-grained, yellow-brown.
Use: Little used because of the extremely poisonous nature of most parts of the plant to the touch.
Habitat: Bogs and swampy woods.
Range: Maine across southern Ontario to Minnesota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: This species differs from other sumacs with numerous leaflets by the absence of teeth along the edges of the leaves and by the absence of a winged stalk between the leaflets.
Growth Form: Moderate tree up to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½ feet; crown narrowly oblong, with irregularly ascending or spreading branches.
Bark: Gray or black, deeply furrowed, with numerous, elevated, scaly ridges.
Twigs: Slender but strong, angular, often zigzag, reddish-brown, with a pair of short, sharp thorns where each leaf is attached; leaf scars alternate, three-lobed, with 3 bundle traces per lobe.
Buds: Sunken in the twigs, dark brown, without bud scales, up to one-eighth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with 7-21 leaflets; leaflets oval, rounded at both ends but usually with a short point at the tip, without teeth, blue-green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface except for the veins, up to two inches long and nearly half as wide. The leaflets turn yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: In long, drooping clusters, white with a yellow spot, very fragrant, up to 1 inch long, appearing in May and June.
Fruit: Legumes up to 4 inches long and about ½ inch wide, flat, smooth, reddish-brown, with 4-8 seeds.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong, brown.
Uses: Fence posts, tool handles; often planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Woodlands, thickets, roadsides.
Range: Pennsylvania across to Oklahoma, east to Georgia; often planted in other regions of the eastern United States.
Distinguishing Features: The pinnately compound leaves with up to 21 oval, smooth-edged leaflets, together with the pairs of spines, serve to distinguish this species.
Growth Form: Moderate tree up to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown narrowly rounded.
Bark: Grayish-brown, shallowly furrowed, becoming somewhat scaly.
Twigs: Slender, pale brown to grayish, smooth; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Small, oblong, brown, up to one-sixth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades broadly lance-shaped, long-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 5 inches long, finely toothed along the edges, dark green and shiny on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface; leaf stalks up to ½ inch long.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, minute, crowded into elongated catkins, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Several rather broad, flask-shaped, brown capsules up to one-sixth inch long, crowded in elongated clusters.
Wood: Light weight, soft, pale brown.
Use: Fuel.
Habitat: Along streams, around lakes and ponds.
Range: Vermont across southern Ontario to British Columbia, south to New Mexico, east across southern Illinois to central New York.
Distinguishing Features: This willow has broader leaves than almost any other willow in Illinois. The pale lower surface of the leaves also distinguishes it from the Black Willow.
Other Name: Ward’s Willow.
Growth Form: Medium tree to 40 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown widely spreading, often irregular.
Bark: Dark brown to gray to black, scaly and ridged.
Twigs: Slender, brown, usually finely hairy; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Small, oblong, reddish-brown, smooth, up to one-eighth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades lanceolate, long-pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, up to 5 inches long and up to 1 inch broad, finely toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, whitish and smooth on the lower surface; stipules conspicuous; leafstalks up to ½ inch long, hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold, crowded in elongated, yellowish, hairy catkins.
Fruit: Several narrow, flask-shaped, brownish capsules up to ¼ inch long, crowded in elongated clusters.
Wood: Light weight, soft, not strong.
Use: Fuel.
Habitat: Moist woods, along streams.
Range: Maryland across southern Illinois to Kansas, south to Texas and Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The leaves of the Carolina Willow are shaped similarly to those of the Black Willow, but differ by being whitened on the lower surface.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter less than 1 foot; crown irregular.
Bark: Gray, furrowed, broken into rough scales.
Twigs: Slender, grayish-green, smooth; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Small, oblong, pale brown, up to one-sixth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades very narrow, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, to 4 inches long, less than one-half inch broad, with widely spaced teeth along the edges, green and usually smooth on both surfaces when mature; leafstalks nearly absent.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, minute, crowded into elongated catkins, appearing when the leaves are partly grown.
Fruit: Several flask-shaped, brownish, smooth or silky capsules up to one-eighth inch long, crowded in elongated clusters.
Wood: Light weight, soft, weak.
Use: Fuel.
Habitat: Along streams, often forming thickets.
Range: Quebec across to Alaska, south to Oklahoma and Arkansas, east to Maryland.
Distinguishing Features: The best characteristics to identify this small tree are the narrow leaves with the teeth relatively far apart.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 90 feet tall; trunk diameter up to three feet; crown usually round-topped, but sometimes irregular.
Bark: Rough, furrowed, forming elongated, vertical, rather tight scales.
Twigs: Slender, olive-green, smooth; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Small, oblong, reddish-brown, up to one-eighth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades narrowly lance-shaped, usually curved, long-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering at the base, up to 6 inches long, finely toothed along the edges, green and shiny on the upper surface, smooth or hairy on the veins of the lower surface; leafstalks short, often surrounded at the base by a pair of green leaf-like stipules.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, minute, crowded in elongated catkins, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: Several narrow, flask-shaped, reddish-brown capsules up to one-eighth inch long, crowded in elongated clusters.
Wood: Light weight, soft, not strong.
Uses: Flooring, boxes, crates, fuel.
Habitat: Wet ground, frequently along rivers and streams.
Range: New Brunswick across to Ontario, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The narrow lance-shaped leaves which are green on the lower surface and which have many fine teeth along the edges distinguish this willow from other willows in Illinois.
Other Names: White Sassafras; Red Sassafras.
Growth Form: Usually small to moderate tree up to 40 feet tall, but rarely as much as 80 feet tall; trunk diameter usually up to 2 feet, rarely as much as six feet; crown flat-topped, irregular, oblong.
Bark: Greenish-gray when young, becoming deeply furrowed and dark reddish-brown when older.
Twigs: Slender, green, smooth, aromatic; leaf scars alternate, small, half-round, usually with three bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, scarcely pointed at the tip, greenish, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades of three different shapes, some 3-lobed, some 2-lobed, some unlobed, tapering to the base, up to 6 inches long, without teeth along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and either smooth or hairy on the lower surface. The leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow in the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate flowers borne on separate trees, in few-flowered clusters as the leaves begin to unfold, each flower about ⅓ inch long, greenish-yellow.
Fruit: Dark blue berries about one-third inch long in deep red cups and on stalks up to 2 inches long.
Wood: Soft, brittle, orange-brown.
Uses: Fence posts; the roots are strongly aromatic and are dug, dried, and used in the making of sassafras tea.
Habitat: Roadsides, old fields, woods.
Range: Maine across to Michigan and (formerly) Wisconsin, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The Sassafras is distinguished by its distinctively shaped, aromatic leaves and its green twigs.
Growth Form: Large tree to over 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 feet; crown open and spreading to pyramidal; base of trunk often swollen; “knees” usually produced if tree is growing in water.
Bark: Pale reddish-brown, broken into numerous thin scales, becoming fibrous.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown; leaf scars absent.
Buds: Spherical, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, pale brown.
Leaves: Needles borne singly, pointed at the tip, up to ¾ inch long, yellow-green, falling away during the autumn.
Flowers: Staminate borne in branched clusters up to 5 inches long, purplish; pistillate few to several near the ends of the twigs, spherical.
Fruit: Cones nearly spherical, up to 1 inch in diameter, green to brown, wrinkled in appearance.
Wood: Soft, durable, light in weight, brown.
Uses: Railroad ties, fence posts, barrels, bridges; often planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Swamps and low, wet woods.
Range: New Jersey across to southern Illinois and southern Missouri to eastern Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Bald Cypress is distinguished by the feathery appearance of its leaves and by its spherical, wrinkled cones.
Other Name: Linden.
Growth Form: Medium or large tree to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly rounded.
Bark: Brown, scaly, deeply furrowed.
Twigs: Slender, gray or brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-elliptical, with 3 to several bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, red, smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, heart-shaped at the very asymmetrical base, up to 8 inches long, up to ⅔ as broad, coarsely toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth or with tufts of hair on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 2 inches long, smooth.
Flowers: Few in clusters on a long stalk attached to a paddle-shaped structure, each flower fragrant, greenish-yellow, with 5 petals, appearing in June and July.
Fruit: Hard, spherical but often with a short point at the tip, up to ⅓ inch in diameter, light brown, finely hairy.
Wood: Light in weight, close-grained, strong, not durable.
Uses: Coarse construction, furniture, paper pulp, fuel.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: New Brunswick across to Manitoba, south to Texas, east to North Carolina.
Distinguishing Features: The large, heart-shaped leaves sometimes resemble the leaves of the Red Mulberry, but the leafstalks of the Basswood do not have milky sap in them. The Basswood differs from the White Basswood by the virtual absence of hairs on the lower surface of the leaves.
Growth Form: Medium to large tree up to 70 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet; crown broadly spreading.
Bark: Brown, scaly, deeply furrowed.
Twigs: Slender, pale red-brown, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-elliptical, with 3 to several bundle traces.
Buds: Ovoid, red, usually smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, heart-shaped at the asymmetrical base, up to 6 inches long, about half as wide, coarsely toothed along the edges, green and more or less smooth on the upper surface, densely covered with white hairs on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 2 inches long, more or less smooth.
Flowers: Several in clusters on a long stalk attached to a paddle-shaped structure, each flower fragrant, greenish-yellow, hairy, with 5 petals, appearing in June and July.
Fruit: Hard, more or less spherical, somewhat pointed at the tip, up to ⅓ inch in diameter, reddish-brown, finely hairy.
Wood: Light in weight, close-grained, strong, not durable.
Uses: Paper pulp, fuel.
Habitat: Low, moist woods.
Range: New York across to Missouri, south to Mississippi and Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The dense coat of white hairs on the lower surface of the leaves distinguishes the White Basswood from the Basswood.
Other Name: Wahoo Elm.
Growth Form: Small or moderate tree to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet, but usually much smaller; crown oblong and relatively narrow.
Bark: Dark gray, with shallow furrows.
Twigs: Slender, gray or brown, more or less zigzag, smooth, often with corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Narrow, pointed, brown, smooth or slightly hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, up to three inches long, doubly toothed along the edges, green and smooth or slightly roughened on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks short, stout, hairy.
Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-7, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish, hairy, small.
Fruit: Oblong, winged, up to one-third inch long, hairy along the edges, each wing notched at the top and surrounding a single central seed.
Wood: Heavy, hard, pale brown.
Uses: Tool handles, small wooden articles.
Habitat: Dry cliffs, wooded slopes, rarely low woods.
Range: Virginia across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The corky wings identify the Winged Elm from all other Illinois elms except the Rock Elm. It differs from the Rock Elm by its shorter, hairy leaf stalks and its usually smaller leaves.
Other Name: White Elm.
Growth Form: Large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown broadly rounded or sometimes flat-topped, usually with drooping branchlets.
Bark: Light or dark gray, furrowed, at maturity breaking into thin plates.
Twigs: Brown, slender, smooth or sparsely hairy, often zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Broadly ovoid, reddish-brown, smooth or sparsely hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to elliptic, pointed at the tip, strongly asymmetrical at the base, up to 6 inches long and about half as wide, coarsely doubly toothed along the edges, the upper surface dark green and smooth, the lower surface pale and either softly hairy or smooth; leafstalks very short, usually yellow.
Flowers: In drooping clusters of 3-4, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish-red, hairy, small.
Fruit: Oval, winged fruits up to one-half inch long, hairy along the edges, each wing notched at the top and surrounding a single central seed.
Wood: Heavy, strong, pale brown.
Uses: Flooring, farm implements, shipbuilding; frequently planted as an ornamental and as a shade tree, but greatly diminished in number by the Dutch Elm disease and phloem necrosis.
Habitat: Bottomland woods, along streams.
Range: Nova Scotia across to southern Manitoba, south to central Texas, east to south-central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: American Elm may be distinguished from the Winged Elm and the Rock Elm by its lack of corky wings on the branchlets. It differs from the Slippery Elm by its relatively smooth leaves and the lack of rusty-colored hairs on its buds. The Siberian Elm, which is also similar, does not have distinctly asymmetrical leaves. Hackberry leaves, which are also somewhat similar in appearance, have three main veins originating at the base of each leaf blade.
Growth Form: Small tree to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown broadly rounded, with slender branchlets.
Bark: Gray or brown, shallowly furrowed at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, brown or grayish, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Spherical, reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, somewhat hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades short-pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the asymmetrical base, up to 7 cm long, up to half as broad, mostly singly toothed along the edges, smooth on both surfaces; leafstalks very short, usually smooth.
Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-5, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold, greenish, small, without petals.
Fruit: Nearly round, winged fruits, up to ½ inch in diameter, not notched, smooth, 1-seeded.
Wood: Hard, heavy, pale brown.
Use: Grown chiefly as an ornamental and frequently reproducing around old buildings.
Habitat: Along roads, around buildings.
Range: Native of Asia; widely planted in the United States and naturalized from Minnesota to Kansas and eastward.
Distinguishing Features: The Siberian Elm is distinguished by its small, smooth, singly-toothed leaves.
Other Name: Red Elm.
Growth Form: Moderate tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown broadly rounded or occasionally flat-topped.
Bark: Reddish-brown to gray, with shallow furrows; the inner bark becomes slippery when chewed.
Twigs: Rather stout, reddish-brown, with short, gray hairs; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Nearly round, up to one-fourth inch in diameter, with rusty-colored hairs.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to elliptic, pointed at the tip, strongly asymmetrical at the base, up to 7 inches long, about half as wide, coarsely doubly toothed along the edges, the upper surface green and very rough to the touch, the lower surface smooth or hairy; leafstalks stout, hairy, up to one-half inch long.
Flowers: In drooping clusters, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish, hairy, small.
Fruit: Circular, winged fruits up to three-fourths inch in diameter, not hairy except over the seed, each wing surrounding a single seed.
Wood: Heavy, strong, dark brown.
Uses: Shipbuilding, farm implements, fence posts.
Habitat: Bottomland woods; along streams; rocky, upland woods.
Range: Quebec across Ontario to North Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The rough, sandpapery texture of the asymmetrical leaves distinguishes this elm from all others in the state.
Other Name: Cork Elm.
Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to three feet; crown narrow, oblong, with drooping branches.
Bark: Grayish-brown, with shallow furrows.
Twigs: Slender, brown, smooth or finely hairy, usually with corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Lance-shaped, pointed, brown, more or less hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to oblong, pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, up to 4 inches long, doubly toothed, green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to one-half inch long, smooth.
Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-4, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold, greenish-red, hairy, small.
Fruit: Oval, winged fruits up to one-half inch long, hairy, each wing with a shallow notch at the top and surrounding a single seed.
Wood: Hard, strong, heavy, close-grained, pale brown.
Uses: Railroad ties, farm implements, hockey sticks.
Habitat: Wooded slopes, rock ledges.
Range: Quebec to Ontario and Minnesota, southwestward to Kansas, east to Tennessee.
Distinguishing Features: Rock Elm differs from other elms in Illinois by its corky-winged twigs and its smooth leafstalks.
Other Names: Nannyberry; Wild Raisin; Sheepberry.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 inches; crown rounded.
Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into irregular plates.
Twigs: Slender, grayish, sometimes with orange dots, smooth; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Red, nearly smooth, long-pointed, up to ¾ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the base, up to 3 inches long, about half as wide, sharply and finely toothed along the edges, green and slightly hairy on the upper surface, yellow-green and minutely black-dotted on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 1½ inches long, sometimes rusty-hairy, winged.
Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, slightly fragrant, appearing during April and May, each flower small and creamy-white.
Fruit: Fleshy, oval to ellipsoid, blue-black, up to ½ inch long, sweet, containing a single stone.
Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, dark orange-brown.
Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Rocky woods; woods along streams.
Range: Quebec across to Manitoba, south to Colorado, east across northern Illinois to Georgia.
Distinguishing Features: The Sweet Viburnum, like other viburnums, has opposite, simple leaves which are finely and sharply toothed. It differs from other viburnums in Illinois by its long-pointed leaves and its winged leaf stalks.
Other Name: Nannyberry.
Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 6 inches; crown irregular.
Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into irregular plates.
Twigs: Slender, grayish, sometimes with orange dots, smooth; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Brown, nearly smooth, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades oval to ovate, short-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long and 2 inches broad, finely and sharply toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ⅔ inch long, smooth, scarcely or not at all winged.
Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, appearing during April and May, each flower small and white.
Fruit: Fleshy, oval to ellipsoid, blue-black, up to ⅔ inch long, sweet, containing a single stone.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong but brittle, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Rocky woods.
Range: Connecticut across to Michigan, southwest to Kansas, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Black Haw differs from the Sweet Viburnum by the absence of wings along the leafstalks. It differs from the Rusty Nannyberry by the absence of rusty hairs on the buds and leafstalks.
Other Name: Southern Black Haw.
Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown irregular.
Bark: Dark brown, broken into square plates.
Twigs: Slender, somewhat rusty-hairy; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Rusty-hairy, up to ½ inch long.
Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic to obovate, short-pointed or rounded at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long, about half as wide, sharply and finely toothed along the edges, dark green and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and with some rusty hairs on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ¾ inch long, rusty-hairy.
Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, appearing during April and May, each flower small and creamy-white.
Fruit: Fleshy, oblong, to obovoid, blue-black, up to ⅔ inch long. sweet, containing a single stone.
Wood: Hard, heavy, strong but brittle, close-grained, dark orange-brown.
Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.
Habitat: Dry, rocky woods.
Range: Virginia across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The most distinguishing characteristics of the Rusty Nannyberry are the rusty-hairy buds and leaf stalks.
A number of places in the state of Illinois provide opportunities to study and to observe woody plants. Some of the major ones are briefly described below.
A good place to learn the trees of Illinois firsthand is the Morton Arboretum at Lisle, some twenty-five miles west of Chicago. This privately endowed educational and scientific institution is devoted to growing all kinds of woody plants that will survive in northern Illinois. On the Arboretum’s 1500 acres one can find large collections of oaks, maples, elms, ashes, lindens, junipers, pines, firs, spruces, and numerous other groupings of woody plants from places throughout the temperate world.
Certain collections in the Arboretum are along designated trails and are especially useful in learning to identify trees. Perhaps the most popular is the Illinois Trees Trail, where native trees are identified by plaques that show common and scientific names and give other interesting information about the trees. Another is the Evergreen Trail, which features conifers.
Some trails emphasize ecology or other aspects of biology but also feature trees. One of these is the Thornhill Trail, a general nature trail on which trees are prominent. Another trail links nearby nature study areas, including a mini-prairie, a wild flower garden, a northern coniferous forest, and a pond-marsh. A short garden trail, the Viburnum Walk, is unusual in that it utilizes a grouping of Viburnums and their relatives to illustrate some of the principles of plant classification.
Landscape plantings are another important feature in the Arboretum, and the extensive forested areas provide a dramatic backdrop for cultivated plantings that have been blended skillfully into the natural landscape. These are especially spectacular in spring when flowering trees are in bloom and in fall when the foliage is in color.