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Checklist of the Native Trees
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Click on the underlined common names for a link to an amplifying web page.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Red Cedar | Juniperus virginiana | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP, | sunny open areas and forest edge | Uncommon due to mowing and forest succession. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Pitch Pine | Pinus rigida | rare | 7,5,1CP, | open canopy forest | Three sites in Park; a few more grow in Takoma Park. T. (A) |
Yellow/Shortleaf Pine | Pinus echinata | rare | 9,8,6, | open canopy forest with VA Pine | Three trees observed in Park. T. (A) |
Virginia Pine | Pinus virginiana | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,4,2,1P,1CP, | open canopy forest and forest edge | Regeneration limited due to mowing. T. |
Hemlock | Tsuga canadensis | very rare | 2, | steep dry slope with Chestnut Oak | Native to gorge. Planted elsewhere. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Glaucous Greenbrier | Smilax glauca | fairly common | all | moist or dry forest and forest edge | Easily overlooked. V. |
Common Greenbrier | Smilax rotundifolia | common | all | moist forest and wetland edges | Inpenetrable; good protection for wildlife from predators. V. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Black Willow | Salix nigra | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,5,1P,1CP, | streamside; wetlands and swales | Upright branches,not pendulous. T. |
Big-tooth Aspen | Populus grandidentata | rare | 8, | upland forest edge | Our Eastern version of Quaking Aspen. T. |
Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | uncommon | 9,6,4,2,1CP, | floodplain | Most plentiful south of Riggs Rd; T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Black Walnut | Juglans nigra | fairly common | all | floodplain and moist slopes | Leaves & nut husk have strong odor. T. |
Bitternut Hickory | Carya cordiformis | rare | 1CP, | floodplain on deep alluvial soils | Prefers circumneutral soil pH;nut husks flexible. T. |
Mockernut Hickory | Carya tomentosa | fairly common | all | moist or dry oak forest on slopes | Fragrant foliage; thick rigid nut husk. T. (A) |
Pignut Hickory | Carya glabra | fairly common | all | moist or dry oak forest on slopes | Nut smaller & husk thinner than Mockernut. T. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Hazelnut | Corylus americana | uncommon | 8,7,6,4,2, | moist forest and floodplain | Easy to find in March with catkins. S. (A) |
Ironwood | Carpinus caroliniana | fairly common | all | moist forest and floodplain | also called Musclewood,Hornbeam, Blue Beech. T. |
River Birch | Betula nigra | fairly common | 9,7,6,5,4,3,1P,1CP, | floodplain and streambanks | Papery bark when young. T. |
Smooth Alder | Alnus serrulata | uncommon | 8,6,5,3, | streamside and wetlands | Goldfinches like seeds. S. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
American Beech | Fagus grandifolia | fairly common | 9,8,6,5,4,3,2,1P,1CP, | moist forest on slopes | Look for beech-drops under trees. T. |
American Chestnut | Castanea dentata | rare | 8,7,5,3,1P, | acid oak forest on slopes | Trees sprout from old root systems. T. (A) |
Chinquapin | Castanea pumila | very rare | 8,1P | acid oak/Beech forest | Just a few plants observed. S. (A) |
White Oak | Quercus alba | common | all | moist or dry forest | Maryland State Tree. T. |
Post Oak | Quercus stellata | uncommon | 9,8,7,1P, | dry open canopy oak forest | Bark resembles white oak; leaves quite distinct. T. (A) |
Swamp White Oak | Quercus bicolor | very rare | 5, | Streambank | one very old tree.T.(A) Click here for photos. |
Chinquapin Oak | Quercus muhlenbergii | very rare | 8,7, | moist/dry open canopy oak forest | A few young trees observed. T. (A) |
Chestnut Oak | Quercus prinus | uncommon | 2,1P, | dry rocky slopes with heaths | Restricted to Sligo gorge. T. |
Red Oak | Quercus rubra | fairly common | all | moist slopes and stream banks | With beech and other oaks; buttressed trunk base. T. |
Black Oak | Quercus velutina | fairly common | all | dry forest on slopes | Resembles red oak; leaves leathery & glossy. T. |
Pin Oak | Quercus palustris | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,4,1P,1CP, | floodplain and wetlands | Small leaves and acorns; downswept lower limbs. T. |
Scarlet Oak | Quercus coccinea | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1P, | dry slopes with other oaks | Widespread but nowhere abundant. T. |
Spanish or Southern Red Oak | Quercus falcata | fairly common | all | dry slopes with other oaks | Distinctively shaped leaves. T. (A) |
Black-jack Oak | Quercus marilandica | very rare | 3,2,1P, | dry upland ridgetop | Found in watershed outside Park. T. |
Shingle Oak | Quercus imbricaria | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,5,4,3, | moist forest; slopes and floodplain | Leaves similar to willow oak but larger. T. |
Willow Oak | Quercus phellos | fairly common | 8,6,5,4,3,2,1P,1CP, | moist forest; slopes and floodplain | Native downstream of NH Ave. but naturalized upstream of NH in Piedmont. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
American Elm | Ulmus americana | common | all | floodplain | Seldom see large trees due to Dutch elm disease. T. |
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | uncommon | 7,6,5, | floodplain and moist slopes | Birds disperse seeds; no large trees observed. T. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Red Mulberry | Morus rubra | rare | 6,3 | Moist forest | Red fruit when ripe; Trees male or female. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Virgin's-bower | Clematis virginiana | very rare | 9, | moist sunny thickets and edges | The non-native clematis C. paniculata is a pest in Sligo Park. V. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Umbrella Magnolia | Magnolia tripetala | rare | 8,3, | mature oak forest on slopes | Showy flowers; has largest leaves of any native woody. T. (A) |
Tulip Poplar | Liriodendron tulipifera | common | all | floodplain and moist slopes | Grows fast and tall and large trunked. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Pawpaw | Asimina triloba | uncommon to rare | 8,6,3,2,1CP, | moist rich slopes and floodplain | Banana-like fruit valued by wildlife. T. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Sassafras | Sassafras albidum | common | all | open oak forest and forest edge | Three distinctive leaf shapes. T. |
Spicebush | Lindera benzoin | common | all | moist slopes and floodplain | Attractive red fruit for migrating birds. S. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Wild Hydrangea | Hydrangea arborescens | uncommon | 3,2,1P, | steep moist slopes | Restricted to Sligo gorge. S. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Witch-Hazel | Hamamelis virginiana | uncommon to fairly common | 5,4,3,2,1P, | moist slopes & streambank | Our latest blooming woody plant; flowers in Oct./Nov. S. |
Sweet Gum | Liquidamber styraciflua | uncommon | 9,7,5,1CP, | moist bottomland | Native downstream of East-West Hwy. on Coastal Plain but naturalized upstream in Piedmont zone. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Sycamore | Platanus occidentalis | common | all | floodplain | Distinctive white bark on upper trunk and limbs. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Downy Serviceberry | Amelanchier arborea | uncommon to fairly common | 9,8,7,6,4,3,2,1P, | dry slopes under oaks | Also planted on floodplain by Park's Dept. & volunteers. Prefers slopes. T. |
Allegheny Serviceberry | Amelanchier laevis | very rare | 2, | dry slope under chestnut oaks | Larger flowers than A. arborea; new leaves not downy. T. (A) |
Variable Hawthorn | Crataegus macrosperma | very rare | 8,7,5, | dry slope under oaks | Forms thickets. Very long thorns. S. (A) |
Northern Dewberry | Rubus flagellaris | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,5,2,1P, | sunny to part shade, forest & edges | Trailing across ground; large blackberry fruits in July. S. (A) |
Swamp Dewberry | Rubus hispidus | very rare | 9,7 | wet bottomland | Trailing across ground; flexible bristles. S. (A) |
Black Raspberry | Rubus occidentalis | rare | 8,6,2, | forest edge and open fields | Glaucous canes; fruit ripens June; leaves white underside. S. |
Tall Blackberry | Rubus argutus (syn. R. pensilvanicus) | fairly common | all | forest edge & open areas | The common blackberry in our area. S. |
Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | common | all | almost anywhere except wetlands | Valuable fruit for birds and mammals. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Redbud | Cercis canadensis | fairly common | 8,7,6,5,4,1P, | forest edges and understory | Perhaps not native to Sligo and has naturalized from yard & park plantings. T. |
Black Locust | Robinia pseudo-acacia | common | all | forest edges & open fields | Sweet blossoms in May; thorny when young. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Smooth Sumac | Rhus glabra | rare | 6,1P, | open field and forest edge | Red fruits; red fruited sumacs (Rhus sp.) are not poisonous. S. |
Shining (Winged) Sumac | Rhus copallina | rare | 9,6,1P, | open field and forest edge | Red fruits; leaf mid-rib winged; leaves shiny. S. (A) |
Staghorn Sumac | Rhus typhina | uncommon to rare | 8,6,5,1P, | open field and forest edge | Red fruits; new branches velvety like new deer horns. T. |
Poison Ivy | Rhus radicans | common | all | almost anywhere | White fruits; Skin poison; low shrub or high climbing vine. V. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
American Holly | Ilex opaca | fairly common | all | forest understory | Usually shrubby. Rarely a tree in the wild. T/S. |
Winterberry | Ilex verticillata | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,2, | wetlands, floodplains, and moist slopes. | Easily overlooked except when fruiting; red berries. S. (A). |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Strawberry Bush | Euonymus americanus | uncommon | 3,2,1P, | moist slopes in shade | Attractive heart's a burstin red & orange fruits; colonial. S. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Red Maple | Acer rubrum | common | all | almost anywhere; very adaptable! | Old hollow trunks and limbs provide den and nest sites. T. |
Silver Maple | Acer saccharinum | fairly common | all | streamside and floodplain forest | Squirrels relish eating the flower buds in late winter. T. |
Box Elder | Acer negundo | common | all | floodplain | A maple with compound leaves and green young twigs. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | common | all | almost anywhere | High climbing vine; showy deep red fall color; blue fruit. V. |
Fox Grape | Vitis labrusca | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,1P, | moist to wet floodplain thickets | Large sweet purple-black fruit; leaves white on underside & felty. V. |
Summer Grape | Vitis aestivalis | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1P, | moist or dry slopes in oak forest | High climber; blue fruit; Leaves glaucous. V. |
Winter Grape | Vitis vulpina | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,4,2,1P,1CP, | moist slopes and floodplain | High climber; small black fruit is sour; leaves green under. All of our grapes have shreddy bark. V. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
St. Andrew's Cross | Ascyrum hypericoides | uncommon to rare | 9,8,6,1P, | dry open or partly shaded uplands | Low semi-woody dwarf shrub S. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Black Gum | Nyssa sylvatica | fairly common | all | understory in moist or dry forest | Attractive early fall color; birds relish dark blue fruits. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Angelica-tree/Hercules' Club | Aralia spinosa | uncommon | 8,7,6,2,1P, | open canopy forest and forest edge | Leaves, trunk and branches very thorny; colonial. T. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida | common | all | forest understory & old fields | Declining due to dogwood anthracnose disease. T. |
Silky Dogwood | Cornus amomum | uncommon | 9,8,6,5,4,2,1P, | streamside, floodplain, and wetlands. | Red twigs in winter; sprawlingshrub. T or S. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Spotted Wintergreen | Chimaphila maculata | uncommon | 9,7,4,3,2,1P, | mature beech and/or oak forest | Semi-woody dwarf evergreen; fragrant flowers in summer. ESS. |
Pinxter Azalea | Rhododendron nudiflorum | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,4,3,2,1P, | oak forest; slopes and streambanks | Showy flowers in late April/early May; deciduous. S. |
Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia | uncommon | 9,5,4,3,2,1P, | oak forest; slopes and streambanks | Showy flowers in mid-late May; evergreen. S. |
Black Huckleberry | Gaylussacia baccata | rare | 9,1P, | dry oak forest with blueberries | Colonial; amber resin dotted foliage; resembles blueberry. S. (A) |
Deerberry | Vaccinium stamineum | uncommon | 9,8,7,4,3,2,1P, | dry oak forest with blueberries | Fruit dangles beneath foliage; easily overlooked. S. (A) |
Early Low Blueberry | Vaccinium vacillans | fairly common | 9,8,7,4,3,2,1P, | dry oak forest | Green twigs distinguish it from Huckleberry & Deerberry. S. |
Black Highbush Blueberry | Vaccinium atrococcum | uncommon | 9,8,7,3,2,1P, | moist or dry oak forest | Up to 6'-8' tall; black fruited. S. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Persimmon | Diospyros virginiana | fairly common | 9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP, | forest edges, old fields, open areas | Very important wildlife foodplant; nice winter silhouette. T. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
White Ash | Fraxinus americana | fairly common | all | moist slopes; well-drained floodplain | Easily confused with green ash. T. |
Green Ash | Fraxinus pensylvanica | fairly common | all | streamside; moist to wet floodplain | Prefers wetter soils than white ash. T. (A) |
Fringe-tree | Chionanthus virginicus | rare | 9,8,2,1P, | mature open canopy oak forest | Attractive fragrant drooping white flowers in May; blue fruit. T. (A) |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Trumpet-vine | Campsis radicans | very rare | 1P, | edge of powerline right-of-way | showy orange trumpet-like flowers in summer. V. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Partridge-berry | Mitchella repens | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,2,1P, | moist forest under oaks or pines | Semi-woody evergreen ground-cover with red berries. ESS (A). |
Buttonbush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | very rare | 9, | Swamp/wet meadow | Two plants observed. S. |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Occurrence | Sections Found MAP |
Habitat | Remarks |
Trumpet Honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens | very rare | 8,7, | moist hillside thickets | Our native honeysuckle. Showy flowers V. (A) |
Black Haw Viburnum | Viburnum prunifolium | fairly common | all | moist rich slopes and floodplain | Showy flowers in mid-late April; blue-black fruits in Aug. T. or S. |
Arrow-wood | Viburnum dentatum (includes V.recognitum) | fairly common | all | moist rich slopes and floodplain | Prefers wetter soils than black haw or mapleleaf Viburnum. S. |
Maple-leaved Viburnum | Viburnum acerifolium | fairly common | 9,8,7,5,4,3,2,1P, | moist to dry slopes under oaks | Prefers dryer soils than Black Haw or Arrowwood. Blooms May/June. S. |
Elderberry | Sambucus canadensis | uncommon | 9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP, | wetland & open floodplain thickets | Showy flowers in June; purplish-black fruits in late Aug. S. |