It’s easy to identify trees by their leaves — but could you do it without looking up? Take this little quiz before your next winter woodland walk.
by Mike Dunn
An activity many educators do outside with young children is some version of “hug-a-tree.” Children are blindfolded and led to a tree, where they hug it and feel the texture and get to know their tree. They are then taken back to the starting point, the blindfold is removed and they are tasked with finding their tree. When they get it right, children are thrilled at making a new “friend.”
As adults, we rarely take the time to snuggle a tree, yet many of us are interested in which trees are in our yard or nearby public lands. What is it about trees that brings out this curiosity in us?
Trees definitely are beautiful and majestic, especially the tall ones. Here in the Piedmont, many change our surroundings with the seasons, bringing delight with their colors, flowers and fruit. And, unlike almost every other type of organism out there, they don’t run from us when we approach for a closer look!
Luckily, there are a lot of field guides and apps that can help you learn about your neighborhood trees. Most show you the range of each species, the likely habitat, its leaves, flowers, fruit and maybe the general growth form (shape) of the tree. Some show the bark or at least describe it. But think about it: for a large tree especially, you often can’t get a close look at the leaves, flowers or fruit (except maybe at certain times of the year when they fall to earth). Really, there’s only one very noticeable feature within reach: the bark.
What we see on a tree trunk is termed the outer bark and consists largely of dead cells. A tree’s bark is similar, in many ways, to our skin. Both are protective layers on the outside of the organism. Bark helps keep moisture in and infections out. It provides protection from certain insects, birds, mammals and fire. Bark can also be a habitat for a host of other organisms that can harm the tree, like lichens, mosses and a variety of insects, spiders and other woodland creatures. In his excellent book, Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, Michael Wojtech puts it simply: “If you want to experience a forest, mingle among the trees. If you want to know the trees, learn their bark.”
Identifying trees by their bark can be challenging. The bark of most tree species changes as the tree ages, usually starting out smoother on a young tree and finally acquiring its more distinctive characteristics later. The bark of limbs can often be smoother than that of the trunk, resembling that of a younger tree.
Several years ago, my wife, Melissa, suggested a challenge as we walked through the woods near our home: try to identify a tree without looking up. That usually meant identifying it using only the bark. It proved to be a worthy test, even for a couple of naturalists. But, with practice, we now can move through any similar forest and recognize most of its arboreal natives by glancing at them at eye level.
So, if you are up for a challenge, here are photos of the bark of some native trees in our area with some hints about the tree to help guide you. Can you identify these trees? (Don’t worry, scroll down to find the answers) I hope on your next walk in the winter woods you will try the eye-level challenge and see how many trees you can identify. And maybe even hug your favorite tree!
A. This large tree prefers moist soils, so you often see it growing along waterways. The distinctive bark has peeling green, brown and white patches that together resemble a camouflage pattern. The fruit is golf ball-sized and eventually splits apart into a puffball of seeds.
B. This is a small tree with dense, hard world. The bark breaks up into small squarish blocks. The red fruit (called drupes) are valuable wildlife food. Ironically, it is the state flower of North Carolina even though it is a tree.
C. This tree trunk is characterized by long, peeling strips of bark. Some animals, like certain species of bats, use the crevices beneath the loose bark as shelters. The wood is strong and durable, making it ideal for a variety of uses, such as flooring and furniture. The fruit is an edible nut with a hard outer husk that splits open when ripe.
D. The tree’s reddish-brown bark is furrowed and forms large scaly plates. It is an important lumber tree, with needles about 7 inches long. It is one of the most widespread trees in the Southeast.
E. This large tree has smooth, gray bark often showing patches of lichen. Sadly, the bark is sometimes defaced with carvings, which can be harmful to the tree and persist for decades or longer. Its pale, dried leaves often remain on twigs through winter.
F. This is a medium-sized tree that has light brown or silvery gray bark with corky warts and knobs. The warts are layered bumps that look like topographic maps when viewed from the side. The fruit is an important food source for squirrels and many birds. It’s also the host plant for several species of butterflies.
G. The bark on older trees has deep, interlacing furrows with rounded ridges. Native Americans used the bark to make healing tea. Freshly stripped bark can be made into baskets. Squirrels pull the inner bark off in strips for nesting material, and humans can use it to make cordage. It’s yellow, green and orange flowers resemble tulips.
H. The tree’s reddish-brown bark is fibrous and shreds easily, peeling off in thin, narrow strips. As the tree grows older, the bark may turn grayer and thicker. Dried strips of bark make an excellent fire starter. The fragrant, rot-resistant wood was once used to make pencils and is stilled used for furniture, fence posts and outdoor projects.
I. This small tree has blue-gray bark on a fluted trunk that has the overall appearance of something with sinewy muscles, which gives rise to one of its common names. The wood is extremely hard (which is the basis for another common name) and has been used for tool handles, bowls and other small implements.
Answer Key: A: American sycamore; B: Flowering dogwood; C Shagbark hickory; D. Loblolly pine. E; American beech. F. Hackberry (very similar to Sugarberry); G. Tulip Poplar (also called Tuliptree, Yellow poplar); H. Red cedar; I American hornbeam (also called Ironwood, Musclewood)
This article originally appeared in the January 2025 issue of WALTER magazine.
