TREE IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

MAIDENHAIR TREE
GINKGO BILOBA

Ginkgo is most closely related to
conifer or cone bearing trees.
It is an ancient species that has
changed little in the last 125
million years - often called
the "living fossil."

HONEY LOCUST
GLEDITSIA
TRIACANTHOS

Seed pods are green in early
summer and turn a dark brown
by the fall. The twisted pod is
crammed with seeds.

AMERICAN ELM
ULMUS AMERICANA

A species native to eastern North America, the American elm is characterized by a spreading canopy and alternate, double-serrate leaves. New cultivars, such as the Patriot and Valley Forge, are resistant to Dutch Elm disease.

LITTLELEAF LINDEN
TILIA CORDATA

Littleleaf, Silver and American Lindens (sometimes called Basswood) are common on NYC streets. The size and color of the leaves vary, but all have asymmetrical leaf bases.

JAPANESE ZELKOVA
ZELKOVA SERRATA

A member of the elm family, the Zelkova is not as large or as graceful as the American elm, but it is resistant to Dutch elm disease and other pests and has been widely planted in recent years.

GREEN PILLAR PIN OAK
QUERCUS PALUSTRIS

The leaf of the green pillar pin oak features deep-cut sinuses and tufts of pale orange down on the lower surface where its veins intersect. It is one of the most popular oaks used in landscaping and is found across the eastern United States.

ALLEGHENY SERVICEBERRY
AMELANCHIER LAEVIS

A small, deciduous, understory tree native to the woods of eastern North America, the Allegheny serviceberry features showy white flowers in early spring that give way to small, round, edible berries. The berries resemble blueberries in color and taste and are often used in jams, jellies and pies.

SWEETBAY MAGNOLIA
MAGNOLIA VIRGINIANA

Notable for its strongly fragrant white flowers and dark green leaves, the sweetbay magnolia was the first flowering plant to be scientifically described under modern rules of botanical nomenclature. It can be either evergreen or deciduous, depending on its surrounding climate.

CHINESE ELM
ULMUS PARVIFOLIA

Chinese elm has the most beautiful bark - green, gray, orange and brown mottled and flaking in small thin plates.

Foliage in autumn often turns shades of red and purple. With its multicolored exfoliating bark, Chinese elm is especially attractive in winter.

NORTHERN CATALPA
CATALPA SPECIOSA

Distinguishable by its large, heart-shaped leaves with softly hairy undersides, the catalpa tree features lovely, bell-shaped white flowers in late spring that give way to long, bean-like seedpods.

JAPANESE CHERRY
PRUNUS SERRULATA

Identifiable year-round by its smooth, chestnut-brown bark with prominent horizontal lenticels, the Japanese flowering cherry is well known for its spring cherry blossom displays and festivals, including the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

JAPANESE TREE LILAC
SYRINGA RETICULATA

A deciduous small tree, Japanese tree lilac is characterized by its white flowers, spreading branches and rounded crown. It is the largest species of lilac, and the only one that regularly makes a tree rather than a shrub.