Hiker's Guide to the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Ricketts Glen State Park

Hiker's Guide to the Trees, Shrubs,

and Woody Vines of Ricketts Glen State Park

Third Edition -- Internet Version

Introduction

References

Leaf Types

Leaf Arrangements

Leaf Edges

Identification Key

Descriptions

Species List

Vines Ground Covers Trees with Needle-Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Opposite and Simple Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Opposite and Compound Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Alternate and Compound Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Alternate and Simple Leaves

TREES AND SHRUBS WITH OPPOSITE (OR WHORLED) AND SIMPLE LEAVES

MAPLES

Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) Also known as Moosewood

Height to 15 ft, sometimes taller. Leaves 2 - 10 in; 3-lobed; double-toothed; whitenend on the underside; characteristic shape (pictured) best seen on older leaves - leaves on seedlings may resemble mountain maple. Bark of young trees with green and white vertical stripes. Fruits winged. Common in the understory, often shrubby. Large specimens in the open areas along the Old Beaver Dam Road. Found throughout the Park.

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Height usually to 60 ft. Leaves 2 - 10 in; 5-lobed. Bark becoming somewhat shaggy on older trees. Fruits winged. Terminal bud pointed, brown. Found throughout the Park.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Height usually to 40 ft. Leaves 2 - 8 in; 3 - 5-lobed. Bark somewhat brownish, becoming somewhat shaggy on older trees. Buds small, becoming red. Winged fruits reddish. Large trees often seen with black cherry in open fern meadows, especially along Cherry Run Trail and upper part of Mt. Springs Lake Road. Found throughout the Park.

Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum)

Height to 20 ft. Leaves 2 - 10 inches; 3 - 5 lobed. Bark brownish. Twigs velvety. Flowers in long, conspicuous clusters. Fruits winged. A small tree, most often seen in the upper parts of the Park, and along the Falls Trail.

The leaves of Alternate-Leaf Dogwood may appear to be opposite on young twigs due to crowding at the tips.

VIBURNUMS

Arrowwood (Includes Southern Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum; and Northern Arrowwood or Smooth Arrowwood, V. recognitum)

Height 10 - 15 ft. Leaves 2 – 3 in; with 4 – 22 pairs of marginal teeth. These shrubs are very similar, but the twigs are hairless in Northern Arrowwood and velvey-hairy in Southern Arrowwood. Flowers produced in flat-topped clusters (May – July). Fruits blue-black (July – September). Seen along Mt. Springs Lake Road.

Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides = V. alnifolium) Also known as Witch Hobble

Height to 10 ft. Leaves 4 - 8 in; toothed; brown-velvety, as are the buds and twigs. Buds naked (without protective scales). Flower clusters white (May - June). Fruits ovoid, at first red, then darker. A shrub commonly seen in wet areas or along streams, especially on the Evergreen Trail, Falls Trail, and Highland Trail.

Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)

Height to 7 ft. Leaves 2 - 5 in; 3-lobed. Twigs velvety. White flower clusters often tinged with pink (May - June). Red fruits turn bluish black in September. A shrub found along the Falls Trail and the Evergreen Trail.

Northern Wild-Raisin (Viburnum cassinoides) Also known as Witherod

Height to 10 ft. Leaves 2 – 5 in, sometimes obscurely toothed; petioles (leaf stalks) winged or wavy-margined. Flowers small, clusters stalked (June – August). Fruits blue-black, with a white bloom (September – October). Seen along Mt. Springs Lake Road, and on the Grand View Trail.

OTHERS

Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)

Height to 6 ft. Leaves 5 - 15 in; toothed. White flower clusters are flat-topped, resembling an inverted umbrella. Fruits dry and persistent throughout the winter and the next year. A shrub commonly seen along the Falls Trail, and the Evergreen Trail.

Canada Honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)

Height to 6 ft. Leaves 1 - 3 in; with hairs along the edges and on the petioles (leaf stalks). Flowers yellowish, appearing in late spring. Fruits bright red (summer). A shrub seen along the Falls Trail near Waters Meet, and the Evergreen Trail, near Adams Falls.

Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)

Height to 4 ft. Leaves 2 - 5 in; toothed. Twigs ridged, green in the spring and early summer, becoming brown. Flowers conspicuous in early summer, elongated and yellow; arising from the leaf axils (angle between the stem and leaf). Fruits are dry and light brown, with persistent hair- like stamens (pictured). True honeysuckles do not have toothed leaves but do have fleshy fruits. A low shrub common along the Falls Trail, and the Evergreen Trail.

WHORLED LEAVES

Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Height to 3 ft. Leaves to 2½ in; evergreen; sometimes slightly rusty beneath when young; opposite or whorled (in 3's). Flowers ⅜ - ½ in; very showy, pink to red; in clusters along the twigs, not at the twig tips (May - August). Fruits are dry capsules in 5 parts. The flowers and leaves resemble those of mountain laurel, but mountain laurel is a much larger shrub with whiter flowers borne on the tips of the twigs, and alternate leaves. Common along the Grand View Trail and the Ganoga View Trail; often associated with Blueberries, Huckleberry, Purple Chokeberry, and Mountain Laurel.

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Updated 10 July 2005.

MAPLES Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) Also known as Moosewood Height to 15 ft, sometimes taller. Leaves 2 - 10 in; 3-lobed; double-toothed; whitenend on the underside; characteristic shape (pictured) best seen on older leaves - leaves on seedlings may resemble mountain maple. Bark of young trees with green and white vertical stripes. Fruits winged. Common in the understory, often shrubby. Large specimens in the open areas along the Old Beaver Dam Road. Found throughout the Park.
*Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)* Height usually to 60 ft. Leaves 2 - 10 in; 5-lobed. Bark becoming somewhat shaggy on older trees. Fruits winged. Terminal bud pointed, brown. Found throughout the Park.
*Red Maple (Acer rubrum)* Height usually to 40 ft. Leaves 2 - 8 in; 3 - 5-lobed. Bark somewhat brownish, becoming somewhat shaggy on older trees. Buds small, becoming red. Winged fruits reddish. Large trees often seen with black cherry in open fern meadows, especially along Cherry Run Trail and upper part of Mt. Springs Lake Road. Found throughout the Park.
*Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum)* Height to 20 ft. Leaves 2 - 10 inches; 3 - 5 lobed. Bark brownish. Twigs velvety. Flowers in long, conspicuous clusters. Fruits winged. A small tree, most often seen in the upper parts of the Park, and along the Falls Trail.
The leaves of Alternate-Leaf Dogwood may appear to be opposite on young twigs due to crowding at the tips.
VIBURNUMS Arrowwood (Includes Southern Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum; and Northern Arrowwood or Smooth Arrowwood, V. recognitum) Height 10 - 15 ft. Leaves 2 – 3 in; with 4 – 22 pairs of marginal teeth. These shrubs are very similar, but the twigs are hairless in Northern Arrowwood and velvey-hairy in Southern Arrowwood. Flowers produced in flat-topped clusters (May – July). Fruits blue-black (July – September). Seen along Mt. Springs Lake Road.
*Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides* = V. alnifolium) Also known as Witch Hobble** Height to 10 ft. Leaves 4 - 8 in; toothed; brown-velvety, as are the buds and twigs. Buds naked (without protective scales). Flower clusters white (May - June). Fruits ovoid, at first red, then darker. A shrub commonly seen in wet areas or along streams, especially on the Evergreen Trail, Falls Trail, and Highland Trail.
*Mapleleaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)* Height to 7 ft. Leaves 2 - 5 in; 3-lobed. Twigs velvety. White flower clusters often tinged with pink (May - June). Red fruits turn bluish black in September. A shrub found along the Falls Trail and the Evergreen Trail.
*Northern Wild-Raisin (Viburnum cassinoides) Also known as Witherod* Height to 10 ft. Leaves 2 – 5 in, sometimes obscurely toothed; petioles (leaf stalks) winged or wavy-margined. Flowers small, clusters stalked (June – August). Fruits blue-black, with a white bloom (September – October). Seen along Mt. Springs Lake Road, and on the Grand View Trail.
OTHERS Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Height to 6 ft. Leaves 5 - 15 in; toothed. White flower clusters are flat-topped, resembling an inverted umbrella. Fruits dry and persistent throughout the winter and the next year. A shrub commonly seen along the Falls Trail, and the Evergreen Trail.
*Canada Honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)* Height to 6 ft. Leaves 1 - 3 in; with hairs along the edges and on the petioles (leaf stalks). Flowers yellowish, appearing in late spring. Fruits bright red (summer). A shrub seen along the Falls Trail near Waters Meet, and the Evergreen Trail, near Adams Falls.
*Northern Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)* Height to 4 ft. Leaves 2 - 5 in; toothed. Twigs ridged, green in the spring and early summer, becoming brown. Flowers conspicuous in early summer, elongated and yellow; arising from the leaf axils (angle between the stem and leaf). Fruits are dry and light brown, with persistent hair- like stamens (pictured). True honeysuckles do not have toothed leaves but do have fleshy fruits. A low shrub common along the Falls Trail, and the Evergreen Trail.
WHORLED LEAVES Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) Height to 3 ft. Leaves to 2½ in; evergreen; sometimes slightly rusty beneath when young; opposite or whorled (in 3's). Flowers ⅜ - ½ in; very showy, pink to red; in clusters along the twigs, not at the twig tips (May - August). Fruits are dry capsules in 5 parts. The flowers and leaves resemble those of mountain laurel, but mountain laurel is a much larger shrub with whiter flowers borne on the tips of the twigs, and alternate leaves. Common along the Grand View Trail and the Ganoga View Trail; often associated with Blueberries, Huckleberry, Purple Chokeberry, and Mountain Laurel.