Tree Trail Project 7-12

Tree Descriptions 7-12 (Eagle Scout Project by George Atkinson)

7) Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)
The Winged Elm, also known as the Wahoo Elm is a deciduous tree that has been known to reach heights of almost 100 ft, although it more commonly grows to heights of 43 ft. It has double-toothed, dark green leaves. It has rough, grey bark, and has “wings” along the side of it. The winged elm has small, clustered, reddish-brown flowers during late winter to early spring and is wind-pollinated. During the fall, the dark green leaves turn a dull yellow. It attracts the Question Mark Butterfly and is used in hockey sticks, due to its resistance to splitting.

8) Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
The Red Maple is a deciduous tree that usually grows 40 to 60 feet tall, but can reach heights of 100-120 feet. The leaves are opposite, with 3-5 palmately lobed and toothed margins on long red stems. The bark of young trees is a smooth, silvery-grey becoming scaly and dark with age. Small, red flowers appear in clusters during the late-winter (occasionally during spring) and are one of the first trees to flower in early spring. In the fall the leaves turn orange-red, though the color can vary among individual trees. This tree makes an excellent lawn, park, or street tree, and has an average tolerance to air pollution and transplants well when young.

9) Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
The Willow Oak is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 120 feet in height, however they are commonly 60 to 70 feet tall. They thrive in moist soil, however they are drought resistant. They have no relation to willows, but they have willow-like narrow leaves. In the fall, the leaves can vary from yellow to orange in color. The flowers are yellowish, and the Oak produces acorns that take two years to fully mature. It is used as an ornamental tree, landscaping, paper pulp, and lumber.

10) Kwanzan Cherry (Prunus serrulata)
The Kwanzan Cherry, a variety of the Japanese Flowering Cherry ( Prunus serrulata), grows between eight and twelve feet high, and is deciduous. They are known for their pinkish blossoms, which appear in the spring. They have green, elongated ovulate (or sometimes ovate lanceolate) leaves, with small teeth on the edges. The trunk bark is smooth with large lenticels. It has an average life span of twenty years but is still used in gardening. The Kwanzan is one of the cherry trees that is celebrated in the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival.

11) Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
The Chinese Pistache is a deciduous tree that grows to heights of 25-35 feet and can be found growing throughout the lower half of the US (though the tree is native to South/Southeast Asia). The Chinese Pistache has lush green leaves, generally around 10" long with 10–12 (or as many as 20) leaflets. These leaves turn a vibrant orange/red in the fall, and provide a spectacular display of color. During the fall, the tree produces small drupes in the form of red berries (most are quickly eaten by birds) which are not toxic, though eating them is not recommended. The Chinese Pistache has excellent tolerance to heat and is critical to the survival of wildlife.

12) Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
The Canadian Hemlock is an evergreen tree, and is known to grow over 100 feet tall . The tallest recorded height for this tree was the National Champion in North Carolina, marked at 159 feet. It has brownish scaly bark with fissures running deeper in older trees. The leaves are dark green in color with 2 white bands underneath, with yellow flowers. It is frequently used as a graceful evergreen hedge, and the wood from the Canadian Hemlock is used in crates and railroad ties.

Tree Descriptions 13 - 18