Detailed identification profiles for 40 common North American trees. Use the filters to narrow by region, type, or family. Click any card to expand identification features, care notes, and removal information.
How to Identify a Tree
Check the Leaves
Leaves are the single most useful feature for tree identification. Note whether the leaf is simple (one blade) or compound (multiple leaflets). Count lobes, check whether edges are smooth or toothed, and note whether lobe tips are pointed (bristle tips) or rounded. Also observe leaf arrangement on the twig: opposite each other or alternating. Many trees have distinctive undersides — fuzzy, silvery, or strongly two-toned.
Examine the Bark
Bark becomes more distinctive with age. Look for furrow pattern (diamond-shaped vs. vertical plates vs. circular blocks), whether it peels or shreds, color, and texture. Young trees often have smoother, differently colored bark than mature trees of the same species. Smell the bark — some species are diagnostic: ponderosa pine smells like vanilla, eastern red cedar smells like pencil shavings.
Look at Seeds and Fruit
Seeds and fruit narrow identification dramatically when present. Key forms include: acorns (oaks), winged samaras (maples, ashes, elms), compound winged keys (ashes), catkins (birches, alders), cones (all conifers — count needles per bundle for pines), berries, and pods. Note timing: some fruits appear in spring, others persist through winter. Acorn cap depth and nut shape reliably distinguish oak species.
Observe the Shape
Crown shape helps at a distance. Look for: pyramidal (most conifers, young deciduous), vase-shaped (elm), broad and spreading (white oak, live oak), columnar (lombardy poplar), weeping (weeping willow). Also note branching pattern: horizontal tiers are typical of spruces and firs, while oaks and maples branch more irregularly. Multiple-trunk vs. single-trunk form, and height relative to trunk diameter, all provide context.
36 of 36 species
White Oak
Quercus alba
deciduous
Fagaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-600 yr
NOTABLE FACT White oak acorns are a critical food source for over 180 species of birds and mammals. A single mature tree produces up to 20,000 acorns per year.
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra
deciduous
Fagaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
90 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
200-400 yr
NOTABLE FACT Red oak is the most commercially important hardwood lumber species in the eastern United States, used for flooring, furniture, and cabinetry.
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
deciduous
Sapindaceae
NortheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-400 yr
NOTABLE FACT It takes 40-50 gallons of sugar maple sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup. A single tapped tree produces 10-20 gallons of sap per season.
Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum
deciduous
Sapindaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
100-130 yr
NOTABLE FACT Silver maple is one of the first trees to flower in spring, often blooming while snow is still on the ground. The small red flowers appear before any leaves emerge.
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
evergreen
Pinaceae
NortheastMidwest
Max Height
150 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
200-450 yr
NOTABLE FACT Eastern white pine was so valuable for ship masts in colonial times that the British Crown marked the tallest trees with a broad arrow symbol, reserving them for the Royal Navy. This sparked colonial resentment that contributed to the Revolution.
Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
evergreen
Pinaceae
Southeast
Max Height
115 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
150-275 yr
NOTABLE FACT Loblolly pine is the most commercially planted tree in the United States and the second most common tree overall, covering more than 32 million acres primarily in the Southeast.
American Elm
Ulmus americana
deciduous
Ulmaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
175-300 yr
NOTABLE FACT Before Dutch elm disease arrived in the 1930s, American elms lined the streets of virtually every major U.S. city. The trees in Central Park and along the National Mall were once all elms.
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
deciduous
Oleaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwestWest
Max Height
70 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
120-175 yr
NOTABLE FACT Emerald ash borer is projected to kill virtually all 8+ billion ash trees in North America. Baseball bats are still made primarily from white ash; alternative woods are now being developed.
Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera
deciduous
Betulaceae
NortheastMidwest
Max Height
70 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
80-140 yr
NOTABLE FACT Indigenous peoples used paper birch bark extensively for canoes, baskets, and containers. The bark is waterproof, lightweight, and flexible — a birch bark canoe could last 10 years with proper care.
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
deciduous
Juglandaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
130-200 yr
NOTABLE FACT Black walnut lumber is among the most valuable in North America. A single large, straight-grained trunk can be worth $10,000-$20,000 at a sawmill. Poachers steal entire trees from private property.
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
evergreen
Cupressaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
65 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
150-300 yr
NOTABLE FACT Eastern red cedar wood is naturally aromatic and insect-repellent — it has been used to line closets and chests for centuries. The characteristic smell comes from cedrene, an oil toxic to clothes moths.
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
deciduous
Cupressaceae
Southeast
Max Height
120 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
600-1200 yr
NOTABLE FACT Bald cypress wood is so rot-resistant that logs buried in swamps for thousands of years have been excavated, milled, and used as lumber. Known as 'wood eternal' in the lumber trade.
Tulip Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
deciduous
Magnoliaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
150 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
200-300 yr
NOTABLE FACT Tulip poplar is not related to poplars or tulips — it is actually a magnolia relative. Its flowers are genuinely tulip-shaped: orange, yellow, and green, about 2 inches across, but often hidden high in the canopy.
Weeping Willow
Salix babylonica
deciduous
Salicaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwestWestSouthwest
Max Height
50 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
30-40 yr
NOTABLE FACT Weeping willow bark contains salicin, the natural compound that led to the synthesis of aspirin. Indigenous peoples and early settlers chewed willow bark to relieve pain and fever for thousands of years.
Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides
deciduous
Salicaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
70-100 yr
NOTABLE FACT Cottonwood is one of the fastest-growing trees in North America, capable of adding 6+ feet of height per year under ideal conditions. A 10-year-old tree can be 60 feet tall.
American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
deciduous
Platanaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
250-600 yr
NOTABLE FACT The largest American sycamore on record had a trunk circumference of over 50 feet. In hollow-trunked sycamores, early settlers reportedly sheltered entire families and stabled horses during harsh winters.
Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
evergreen
Pinaceae
WestPacific Northwest
Max Height
300 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
500-1000 yr
NOTABLE FACT Douglas fir is not a true fir (genus Abies) — it is in its own genus, Pseudotsuga, meaning 'false hemlock.' It is the second tallest tree species in the world and the most important timber tree in North America by volume.
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
evergreen
Pinaceae
WestPacific NorthwestSouthwest
Max Height
235 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
300-600 yr
NOTABLE FACT The vanilla or butterscotch scent in ponderosa pine bark is produced by compounds including vanilla in mature bark. On a warm day, walking through an old-growth ponderosa forest is genuinely fragrant.
Colorado Blue Spruce
Picea pungens
evergreen
Pinaceae
WestMidwestSouthwest
Max Height
75 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-600 yr
NOTABLE FACT Blue spruce was the most popular ornamental tree in North America through much of the 20th century. Millions were planted as screen plantings and windbreaks. Most planted in the Midwest and East are now in decline after 40-60 years.
Longleaf Pine
Pinus palustris
evergreen
Pinaceae
Southeast
Max Height
115 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
300-500 yr
NOTABLE FACT Longleaf pine once covered 90 million acres of the Southeast. Today less than 3% of the original extent remains. It is considered one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America.
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
deciduous
Fagaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
300-400 yr
NOTABLE FACT Smooth beech bark attracted the attention of Daniel Boone, who carved his name on beech trees throughout Kentucky and Tennessee. Many of those trees survived 150+ years before finally dying. The carvings are still legible.
Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos
deciduous
Fabaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
120-150 yr
NOTABLE FACT The thorns of wild honey locust are so large and strong they were used as pins and nails by indigenous peoples. Lewis and Clark documented trees where the thorns had been harvested systematically along their trail.
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
evergreen
Magnoliaceae
Southeast
Max Height
90 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
80-120 yr
NOTABLE FACT Magnolias are among the most ancient flowering plants on Earth — they evolved before bees, so they are pollinated by beetles. The flowers are so tough that beetles can walk all over them without damage.
Black Cherry
Prunus serotina
deciduous
Rosaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
150-250 yr
NOTABLE FACT All parts of black cherry except the ripe fruit contain cyanide compounds. Wilted leaves are especially dangerous to livestock — a horse eating a pound of wilted leaves can die within hours.
White Ash
Fraxinus americana
deciduous
Oleaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
150-200 yr
NOTABLE FACT White ash wood is the traditional material for baseball bats. It has the best combination of strength, flex, and lightness of any native wood. The shift to maple bats has reduced demand, but ash bats are still preferred by many major leaguers.
Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
deciduous
Ulmaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
60 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
150-200 yr
NOTABLE FACT Hackberry is one of the most ecologically valuable trees for wildlife in North America, hosting 43 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and being a primary food source for many migratory birds during fall migration.
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
deciduous
Nyssaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
75 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
400-650 yr
NOTABLE FACT Black gum trunks often become hollow with age but the tree remains alive and structurally sound for centuries. Early American beekeepers hollowed sections of black gum logs to make bee gums (log hives) — giving the tree its name.
River Birch
Betula nigra
deciduous
Betulaceae
NortheastSoutheastMidwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
75-150 yr
NOTABLE FACT River birch is the most heat-tolerant and southerly-adapted of the native birches, growing as far south as northern Florida. It is the only birch species native to the southeastern United States.
Live Oak
Quercus virginiana
evergreen
Fagaceae
Southeast
Max Height
60 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-500 yr
NOTABLE FACT Live oak wood is so dense and strong that it was the preferred material for the hulls of early American warships. USS Constitution ('Old Ironsides') was built with live oak frames — British cannonballs literally bounced off the hull.
Pecan
Carya illinoinensis
deciduous
Juglandaceae
SoutheastMidwestSouthwest
Max Height
100 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
200-300 yr
NOTABLE FACT Pecan is the only major commercial nut crop native to North America. The name comes from an Algonquian word meaning 'a nut requiring a stone to crack.' Native peoples harvested wild pecans as a critical winter food source.
Sabal Palm
Sabal palmetto
palm
Arecaceae
Southeast
Max Height
65 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-300 yr
NOTABLE FACT The Sabal palm is among the most hurricane-resistant trees in North America. Its flexible trunk can bend nearly to the ground in wind and spring back upright. British forces used Sabal palm logs to build Fort Moultrie — British cannonballs sank into the soft wood without shattering the walls.
Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
evergreen
Cupressaceae
Pacific Northwest
Max Height
380 ft
Growth
Fast
Lifespan
1200-2200 yr
NOTABLE FACT Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth. The tallest known living tree, Hyperion, stands 380.3 feet tall in Redwood National Park. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it from tourist damage.
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis
evergreen
Pinaceae
Pacific Northwest
Max Height
260 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
700-800 yr
NOTABLE FACT Sitka spruce wood has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any softwood in North America. It was the primary material for aircraft frames in WWI and WWII — the Spruce Goose was built from Sitka spruce.
Joshua Tree
Yucca brevifolia
evergreen
Asparagaceae
Southwest
Max Height
40 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
150-1000 yr
NOTABLE FACT Joshua trees can only be pollinated by the yucca moth (Tegeticula synthetica), and the moth can only reproduce in Joshua tree flowers. Neither species can survive without the other — a textbook example of obligate mutualism.
Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa
deciduous
Fabaceae
Southwest
Max Height
30 ft
Growth
Moderate
Lifespan
100-200 yr
NOTABLE FACT Mesquite roots hold the world record for deepest known root system: a mesquite root was found at 174 feet below the surface in a mine shaft in Arizona, still living and still reaching for water.
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii
evergreen
Ericaceae
Pacific Northwest
Max Height
80 ft
Growth
Slow
Lifespan
200-400 yr
NOTABLE FACT Pacific madrone is the only native broad-leaved evergreen tree in the Pacific Northwest. Many madrones are showing rapid decline due to a combination of climate change, drought stress, and introduced fungal diseases.
When to Call a Professional Arborist
If you suspect disease, storm damage, or a hazard tree — get a certified arborist on-site. Find rated tree service professionals by state.
Start by noting whether the leaves are simple (one blade) or compound (multiple leaflets on a shared stem). Then look at the shape: are the edges smooth, toothed, or lobed? Count the lobes if present, and check whether they have sharp points (bristle tips) or rounded ends. Also observe how leaves are arranged on the twig — opposite each other or alternating. Finally check the underside for distinctive color, texture, or hair patterns. Combining these features with your region narrows identification considerably.
What is the best time of year to identify trees?▼
Summer through early fall is the easiest time — trees have full foliage, and many are producing fruit or seed that provides additional evidence. Fall adds color as a clue. Winter identification by bark alone is challenging but possible with practice. Spring is excellent for flowering trees. Evergreens can be identified year-round since they retain needles.
Can I identify a tree from bark alone?▼
Yes, for many species. Distinctive bark patterns include: the chalky white peeling bark of paper birch; the alligator-skin blocks of black gum; the camouflage patchwork of sycamore; the corky warty ridges of hackberry; the fibrous reddish shredding bark of eastern red cedar; and the vivid orange-red peeling bark of Pacific madrone. For most other trees, bark helps confirm an identification started with leaves or fruit rather than being sufficient on its own.
When do I need to call an arborist to assess a tree?▼
Call a certified arborist when: a tree shows signs of disease (wilting, dieback, unusual growths, oozing sap); after major storms where structural integrity is in question; when you notice cavities, cracks, or dead branches over walkways or structures; when a tree leans significantly toward a building; or before any construction work near significant trees. Arborists can also help identify a tree when visual features are unclear.
Are trees with hollow trunks dangerous?▼
Not always. Many trees with hollow trunks remain structurally sound for decades or centuries — black gum and sycamore are famous for this. The critical factor is how much sound wood remains in the outer shell. A certified arborist can assess this with a rubber mallet test or resistograph drill. A tree is generally considered hazardous when the remaining sound shell is less than one-third of the trunk diameter at the hollow section.