Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs of
Gibson Woods Nature Preserve Hammond, Indiana


How to use this guide- A complete listing of native trees and shrubs (trees and shrubs indigenous to this area) are illustrated and described by leaf photo illustrations - bark photo illustrations - trunk (tree shape) illustrations - common names - scientific names - text information includes - height of mature trees - diameter of mature trees - size of mature leaves - general description of tree or shrub - Autumn leaf colors or other special information.

Note: to quickly find certain trees use the handy links below
| Ash-Birch | Boxelder-Cottowood | Dogwood-Maple | Mulberry-Oak | Pussy Willow-Sassafrass | Serviceberry-Witch Hazel |

White Ash Leaves White Ash Bark White Ash Trunk Ash, White
Franinus americana

dot Height mature 80 feet dot Diameter mature 2 feet dot Leaf size mature 8 to 12 inches dot General description - Large sized tree with a straight trunk and a dense rounded body of foliage dot In autumn season leaves turn yellow or purple
Quaking Aspen Leaves Quaking Aspen Bark Quakening Apsen Trunk Aspen, Quaking
Populus tremuloides

dot Height mature 40 to 70 feet dot Diameter mature 1 to 1 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 1 ¼ to 3 inches dot General description - One of the most common trees of North America, consists of thin foliage dot In autumn season leaves turn a golden yellow
Paper Birch Leaves Paper Birch Bark Paper Birch Trunk Birch, Paper
Betula papyrifera

dot Height mature 50 to 70 feet dot Diameter mature 1 to 2 feet dot Leaf size mature 2 to 4 inches dot General description - Beautiful native American tree, open crown of narrow drooping almost horizontal branches dot In autumn season leaves turn light yellow
Boxelder Leaves Boxelder Bark Boxelder Trunk Boxelder
Acer negundo

dot Height mature 30 to 60 feet dot Diameter mature 2 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 2 to 4 inches dot General description - Small to medium tree with a broad rounded crown dot In fall leaves turn yellow or sometimes red
Black Cherry Leaves Black Cherry Bark Black Cherry Trunk Cherry, Black
Prunus serotina

dot Height mature up to 80 feet dot Diameter mature 2 feet dot Leaf size mature 1 ¼ to 2 inches dot General description - Oblong crown with a tall trunk. Crushed bark and foliage have a distinguishing cherry like odor. Also called "Wild Cherry" or "Rum Cherry" dot Leaves turn reddish or yellow in fall
Eastern Cottonwood Leaves Eastern Cottonwood Bark Eastern Cottonwood Trunk Cottonwood, Eastern
Populus deltoides

dot Height mature up to 100 feet dot Diameter mature 3 to 4 feet dot Leaf size mature 3 to 7 inches dot General description - One of the largest of the Eastern hardwood trees. Name refers to its cottony like seeds dot Leaves turn yellow color in the fall
Flowering Dogwood Leaves Flowering Dogwood Bark Flowering Dogwood Trunk Dogwood, Flowering
Cornus florida

dot Height mature up to 30 feet dot Diameter mature 8 inches dot Leaf size mature 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches dot General description - One of the most beautiful of the Eastern North American trees, with its pretty early spring flowers dot Leaves turn bright red in autumn
Honey Locust Leaves Honey Locust Bark Honey Locust Trunk Locust, Honey
Gleditsia triacanthos

dot Height mature up to 80 feet dot Diameter mature 2 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature up to 1 ¼ inches dot General description - Large spiny tree with a flat open crown of spreading branches. Sometimes called "Sweet Locust" or "Thorny Locust" dot Leaves turn yellow in the fall season
Red Maple Leaves Red Maple Bark Red Maple Trunk Maple, Red
Acer rebrum

dot Height mature 60 to 90 feet or taller dot Diameter mature 2 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 2 ¼ to 4 inches dot General description - Sometimes refered to as the "Scarlet Maple" or "Swamp Maple". A large tree with rounded narrow compact crown dot Leaves turn to red, orange and yellow in autumn
Silver Maple Leaves Silver Maple Bark Silver Maple Trunk Maple, Silver
Acer saccharinum

dot Height mature 50 to 80 feet dot Diameter mature 3 feet dot Leaf size mature 4 to 6 inches dot General description - Large sized tree with a stout short trunk, with irregular crown of curly long branches dot Leaves turn a pale yellow in fall season
Red Mulberry Leaves Red Mulberry Bark Red Mulberry Trunk Mulberry, Red
Morus ruba

dot Height mature up to 60 feet dot Diameter mature 2 feet dot Leaf size mature 2 ½ to 5 inches dot General description - Short trunk, medium sized tree with a rounded broad crown. Wildlife is fond of its edible fruit berries dot Leaves turn yellowish color in autumn
Pin Oak Leaves Pin Oak Bark Pin Oak Trunk Oak, Pin
Quercus palustris

dot Height mature 50 to 90 feet dot Diameter mature 1 to 1 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 3 to 5 inches dot General description - Straight trunk tree with spreading horizontal branches and a broad conical crown dot Leaves turn to red or brown in fall
White Oak Leaves White Oak Bark White Oak Trunk Oak, White
Quercus alba

dot Height mature 80 to 100 feet dot Diameter mature 3 to 4 feet dot Leaf size mature 4 to 9 inches dot General description - Rounded crown with widespread branches. Trunk irregularly divided into spreading horizontal branches dot Leaves are brown or red in fall, often staying attached in winter
leaf01 Pussy Willow Bark Pussy Willow Trunk Pussy Willow
Salix discolor

dot Height mature up to 20 feet dot Diameter mature 8 inches dot Leaf size mature 1 ½ to 4 ¼ inches dot General description - Multi-stemmed shrub or small like tree with rounded open crown. dot Furry silky catkins in early spring and again in the late winter
Eastern Redbud Leaves Eastern Redbud Bark Eastern Redbud Trunk Redbud, Eastern
Cercis canadensis

dot Height mature up to 40 feet dot Diameter mature 8 inches dot Leaf size mature 2 ½ to 4 ½ inches dot General description - Rounded crown on a short trunk. In spring showy pink flowers cover the twigs, sometimes called the "Judas Tree" dot Leaves turn yellow in autumn
Sassafrass Leaves Sassafrass Bark Sassafrass Trunk Sassafrass
Sassafras albidum

dot Height mature 30 to 60 feet dot Diameter mature 1 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 3 to 5 inches dot General description - Aromatic tree or thicket-like shrub with various shaped leaves on a narrow short spreading crown dot Leaves turn red, orange or yellow in autumn
Serviceberry Leaves Serviceberry Bark Serviceberry Trunk Serviceberry, Downy
Amelauchier arborea

dot Height mature up to 40 feet dot Diameter mature 1 foot dot Leaf size mature 1 ½ to 4 inches dot General description - Narrow rounded crowned tree or irregularly branched shrub with star shaped white flowers dot Leaves turn yellow to red for fall
Black Willow Leaves Black Willow Bark Black Willow Trunk Willow, Black
Salix nigra

dot Height mature 60 to 100 feet dot Diameter mature 1 to 1 ½ feet dot Leaf size mature 3 to 5 inches dot General description - Irregular shaped or narrow crown with upright branches and leaning trunks dot 1 to 3 inch flowering catkins in the spring
Witch Hazel Leaves Witch Hazel Bark Witch Hazel Trunk Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana

dot Height mature 20 to 30 feet dot Diameter mature 4 to 8 inches dot Leaf size mature 2 to 3 inches dot General description - Small tree or shrub that's slightly aromatic. An open crown of spreading branches with small yellow flowers in fall or winter dot Leaves turn yellow in the autumn

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