Germany is a major buyer of Indiana white oak. This pine, native to the North woods, is identified by needles in groups of five. These pines have been planted to reclaim land eroded by poor farming practices of early settlers in many places in Indiana. As the pines die, they are naturally replaced by native species. This tree needs bare mineral soil to regenerate, and is often the first to grow after a forest fire.
Sumacs are colorful trees in autumn, and have compound leaves and red, lemony-tasting berries.
Shoots spread underground, helping the sumacs colonize edges of abandoned fields and roads. One poisonous variety, with white berries, is only found in swamps. The silver maple is easily recognized by its silvery bottomed leaves. Thousands of tiny seeds, enclosed in a white cottony substance, are released into the air by female cottonwoods each spring. This tree is very shade-tolerant.