Michigan Trees By Andrea Berry Michigan Water Stewardship
Michigan Trees By: Andrea Berry Michigan Water Stewardship Program
Kinds of Trees • Gymnosperms – Conifers – 10 native to Michigan – Leaves remain for several years • Exception: tamarack (e. larch) – Evolved during Mesozoic times • • 245 -145 mya Triassic 245 mya Jurassic 208 mya Cretaceous 145 mya • Angiosperms – Flowering plants – Deciduous (North Temperate Zone) • “Hardwoods” – Evergreen (Tropical) • None native to MI – First appeared during Cretaceous – Became widely abundant during Tertiary 65 mya – Today far outnumber conifers in # & diversity of species
Parts of a Tree • Stem – Bark • Dead material • Protects – Cambium • Living material • Produces bark – Phloem • Moves nutrients “down” stem from leaves to roots – Xylem • Moves water “up” stem from roots
Parts of a Tree cont’ • Leaves – Chloroplasts • Photosynthesis – Stomata • Control water pressure – Simple • Not divided into distinct parts, may be lobed – Compound • Divided into leaflets – Arrangement • Alternate, opposite, whorled – Venation • Netted=reticulate, eucicots (aka dicots) • Parallel=striate, monocots
Monocots vs. Eudicots • Monocotyledons – – Monocots 1 seed leaf 65, 000 species Grasses, lilies, irises, orchids, cattails, palms – *Conifers* – Parallel veination • Eudicotyledons – Eudicots – 2 seed leaves – Trees, shrubs, herbs (nonwoody plants) – Not conifers! – Netted veination
Ash Trees • Opposite, pinnately compound leaves • Black, white, mountain ash
Ashes Black Ash White Ash • 9 leaflets • 7 -9 leaflets • Wet, low swampy areas • Upland drier sites American Mountain-Ash • 9 -17 leaflets • N. acidic bogs, ornamental
Aspens • • • Boreal, northern species Dry or moist soils Reproduce by cloning Adapted to fire 2 species – Large-toothed – Trembling (quaking)
Aspens Big-toothed aspen Trembling aspen
Birches Gray birch Yellow birch Paper birch
Cedars Eastern Red cedar Northern White cedar
American Elm
Balsam Fir • Needles 2 -ranked • Needles spirally arranged • Multiple white “lines” on underside of needles • Distinct balsam smell • Seed cone smooth & upward
Eastern Hemlock • Needles 2 -ranked & spirally arranged • Needles flat • Seed cone round and droops
Sycamore
Black Willow – water-loving species associated with riparian areas
Maples • 7 species native to Michigan (5 trees) • *All leaves are arranged opposite* • *All leaves are simple* – Except Boxelder, compound • • • Winged-fruit – samara Cool, moist habitats Sensitive to fire b/c bark is thin Shade-tolerant (except Boxelder) Black, Norway, Red, Silver, Striped, Sugar, Boxelder
Maples
Maples
Maples Black Maple
Maples
Dogwood
Oaks • 400 species, 12 native to Michigan • Massive trunks, thick, fire-resistant bark, large, deep roots • Broad wide spreading crown • Fruit – acorn • Monoecious – male & female flower on different part of the same tree • Young oaks retain leaves in winter • Very long-lived • Black, Bur, N. Red, Pin, Swamp White, White
White Oak
Northern Red Oak
Bur Oak
Oaks Black Oak Swamp White Oak
Oaks Pin Oak
Pines • 36 species in US, 3 native to MI • Extensively logged, some with poor management, ex. White pine • All pines survive well in dry coarse soils – very deep root system • Many require fire to regenerate • Cones require 2 years to mature • Leaves persist for several years • Distinguishing feature: needle clusters from 2 -5 – Soft Pines – 5 leaves in a cluster – Hard Pines – 2 -3 needles in a cluster
Soft Pines – 5 Needles
Hard Pines – 2 Needles 2 -ranked long needles; plantation tree
Hard Pines – 2 Needles Scotch pine – “twisted” needles Jack Pine – straight needles
Jack Pines Before Burning After Burning
Jack Pines • Require fire (natural or prescribed) to regenerate • Thrive on very sandy dry soils • Kirtland’s Warbler nesting habitat
Tamarack • Looses needles in winter • Nodules on branches
Spruces • 7 species in US, 2 native to MI • “Triangle” shaped • Tolerate acidic, undrained soils – Shallow roots – Low nutrient requirement • Needles are 4 -sided & persist 5 -10 years • White, Black, Norway Spruces
Spruces • Green-yellow glow, droopy branches • Introduced ornamental • Whitish glow, upward branches • Upland sites
Black Spruce Wetland species
Thank You! Questions?
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