Got Nature? Blog

The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet the Jack pine, or Pinus banksiana.

This conifer, also known as scrub pine, has clusters of two dark green needles, which are one to one and a half inches long, noticeably curved or arched like a bow and slightly twisted.

Bark on the jack pine is dark to medium gray, thin and flaky when young and features thick plates in older trees. This tree growth irregularly and can produce between one and three whorls of side branches annually. It tends to have a much lighter crown than white pine or the spruces.

The cones of jack pine are one to three inches long and remain closed while on the tree unless disturbed by a heat event such as fire. The cones may also be curved and twisted into many irregular shapes and tend to stay on the tree for many years.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Jack Pine, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Jack Pine
Morton Arboretum: Jack Pine
Jack Pine, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
Borers of Pines and Other Needle Bearing Evergreens in Landscapes, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Managing the Zimmerman Pine Moth, The Education Store
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet the scotch pine, or Pinus sylvestris, which is not native to Indiana, but has been widely planted in the state for Christmas tree production.

This conifer, also known as Scots pine, has clusters of two blue green or yellow green needles, which are one to three inches long and do not break when bent.

Bark on the scotch pine is light gray on the outside and orange in color on the inner bark, but it is not flaky like red pine. Bark on the lower end of the trunk is dark and blocky, while the upper bark is more orange.

On the tree, cones are cylindrical and pointed at the ends, approximately three inches long and do not have spines at the end of the scales. Cones become more egg shaped as the scales begin to open up once off the tree.

Scotch pine, which grows to between 25 and 60 feet tall, is typically found on acidic, moist, well-drained soil. It prefers full sun and has some drought tolerance. The species’ native range is Scotland, Scandinavia, northern Europe and northern Asia. According to the U.S. Forest Service database, It has been introduced across the United States and Canada and is naturalized in the Northeast and in the Great Lakes states.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Scotch Pine, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Scotch Pine
Morton Arboretum: Scotch Pine
A Choose-and-Cut Pine and Fir Christmas Tree Case Study
Diplodia Tip Blight of Two-Needle Pines, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Borers of Pines and Other Needle Bearing Evergreens in Landscapes, The Education Store
America’s Least Wanted Wood-Borers, Japanese Pine Sawyer, The Education Store
Managing the Zimmerman Pine Moth, The Education Store
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue Landscape Report: There have been a number of samples we have received at the PPDL in recent weeks that bear similar problems worth noting. It is still relatively early for significant in-season disease development due to how cold it has been, although we have certainly had enough rainfall to encourage fungal growth. We have received multiple samples of spruce and boxwood which will be covered.

Since the start of the year, we have been received spruce samples showing needle thinning, browning, and loss in the lower canopy (Fig 1, 2, 3). If I said these are Colorado Blue Spruce, we could call it Rhizosphaera and maybe call it a day, however, these samples are primarily from other species of spruce. An important thing to remember when it comes to evergreen conifers is that it takes time for symptoms to develop, whether due to disease or to abiotic factors. The majority of these branches lacked any discoloration within, suggesting that there was no infection and that the limbs were still living.

Last year, we had drought conditions during the summer throughout large parts of the state leading into the fall with below average precipitation (Fig 4). Since evergreen plants hold onto their foliage through the winter, desiccation can occur since they are still losing water to the air, especially when it is dry and windy. If these plants are not getting enough water going into winter, there is greater risk of winter injury or burn and needles may turn brown, especially near branch tips (exposed areas).

Irrigation during periods of hot and dry weather will mitigate drought stress, but irrigation may still be necessary in the fall to avoid needle desiccation. What about when trees of the same age, on the same property are showing different levels of severity or one tree is perfectly fine while the next is toast?

I think it is important to remember each tree is an individual. We may see similar patterns in the landscape across the same tree species when stress is caused by environmental effects, but if the overall health of that tree when it was first planted, the amount of love and care, and the site conditions (soil, light, general water levels) are different, then the trees may have vastly different reactions to stress. Determining this 5 years after planting can be difficult for someone just walking into the situation, or when dealing with 30ft tall trees, but it is something we have to keep in mind.

For more images and full article view: Early Season Samples: Spruce Needle Loss and Boxwood Leaf Spots

Subscribe and receive the newsletter: Purdue Landscape Report Newsletter.

Resources:
The Purdue Landscape Report
Purdue Landscape Report Facebook Page
Find an Arborist website, Trees are Good, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
Equipment Damage to Trees, Got Nature? Blog
Tree wounds and healing, Got Nature? Blog
Tree Defect Identification, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Pruning Essentials, Publication & Video, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Tree Risk Management – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Why Is My Tree Dying? – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Subscribe to Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel

John Bonkowski, Plant Disease Diagnostician
Departments of Botany & Plant Pathology

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Safety first! Stay clear and look for dangerous hanging limbs, broken branches and other failures before beginning cleanup or inspections. Keep others clear of the areas beneath and around damaged trees. Be alert for power lines that could be involved with damaged trees. All utility lines should be considered energized and dangerous.

Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Administrator & Master Arborist with Indiana Arborist Association, shares, “in my experience, during storm cleanup, many tree owners are faced with the decision of what to do with their trees relative to restoration or removal”.  There are several types of tree damage that occur from violent weather. Each has its own specific assessment considerations. All parts of the tree should be inspected during a post-storm assessment. This requires the expertise of trained, professional arborists to assist with the decision making regarding the best course of action. Unfortunately, there are those who take advantage of the situation and overcharge or provide poor advice when it comes to the best decision on their trees. Don’t make any hasty decisions and be sure you are hiring an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist, ask for references and proof of insurance in the process. To find an arborist near you, verify credentials and to find more information on trees view video: Find an Arborist, Trees are Good, ISA.

View publication Trees and Storms located in The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center, for more information.

Resources:
Find an Arborist video, Trees are Good-International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
Caring for storm-damaged trees/How to Acidify Soil in the Yard – In the Grow, Purdue Extension
Trees and Storms: Understanding Damage, Risk and Recovery – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Moist soil and rotten roots makes it easy for trees to come crashing down – Fox 59 News
Why Is My Tree Dying? – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
Tree Risk Management – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment – The Education Store
Trees and Electric Lines – The Education Store
Indiana Prepared (IN-PREPared), Purdue Extension

Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Administrator & Master Arborist
Indiana Arborist Association

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The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet the red pine, or Pinus resinosa, which is not native to Indiana, but has been planted widely across the state.

This conifer has clusters of two slender, flexible, green or yellow green needles, which are four to six inches long. If the needles are bent, they will break cleanly, unlike that of ornamentally planted Austrian pine. The long needles cause a very tufted look to the tree canopy.

Bark on the red pine is scaly and red-orange in color in younger trees and platy and reddish brown in older trees. Cones are egg-shaped, approximately two inches long and have smooth scales.

Red pine tends to be very, straight and tall, growing to between 50 and 80 feet tall. This species, which can be as tall as 200 feet, is typically found on sandy, well-drained soils with low pH and full sun. The natural range of the red pine is the northeastern United States and southern Canada near the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The species can be found as far west as Minnesota and into Manitoba. It can be found dipping south into Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to IN Trees: Red Pine, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Red Pine
Morton Arboretum: Red Pine
Diplodia Tip Blight of Two-Needle Pines, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Borers of Pines and Other Needle Bearing Evergreens in Landscapes, The Education Store
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue Landscape Report: Remember the pre-Christmas freeze? What about the extremely long fall? The Midwest experienced above-average temperatures through most of the winter, but those extremely cold temps in late December made for more than a few pipes to freeze in the southern part of the Midwest. The dichotomy in weather patterns over the last several years has been mind-boggling. We’ve gone from flooding to drought in most recent growing seasons, to the extremes in temperatures this winter. Though it’s an inconvenience for us, plants don’t have the option of heated seats or umbrellas, thus stress or death can occur in these extremes.

East of the Mississippi River, the 2022-2023 winter has been significantly milder than average, based on past climate models (Fig. 1).  We don’t typically have cold injury in late December, but drastic changes in temperatures can cause pernicious effects on plant health.  The entire state of Indiana had the drastic changes in temperature December 22-27, 2022 (Table 1).

There’s on-going evidence of damage across the Midwest from the late/long fall and extreme cold that was experienced in mid-late December.  We’ve observed some perennial evergreens, i.e., American holly, Meserve holly (Fig. 2), and skip laurel (Fig. 3), damaged or killed during this winter, especially in the southern parts of the Midwest. In addition, some deciduous trees have significant bark cracking (Fig. 4).  Though these plants are hardy well below the temperatures that were experienced, the maximum dormancy wasn’t yet reached by plants due to the warm temperatures so late into the winter season.

There’s on-going evidence of damage across the Midwest from the late/long fall and extreme cold that was experienced in mid-late December.  We’ve observed some perennial evergreens, i.e., American holly, Meserve holly (Fig. 2), and skip laurel (Fig. 3), damaged or killed during this winter, especially in the southern parts of the Midwest. In addition, some deciduous trees have significant bark cracking (Fig. 4).  Though these plants are hardy well below the temperatures that were experienced, the maximum dormancy wasn’t yet reached by plants due to the warm temperatures so late into the winter season.

Plants survive through the winter by entering a phase of dormancy in which the plant is in a state of suspended animation.  The dormancy process in plants is a complicated series of internal events caused by external events, that allow perennial plants to protect themselves during environmental changes, such as winter.

For more images and full article view: Cold Injury During a Very Mild Winter?

Resources:
The Purdue Landscape Report
Purdue Landscape Report Facebook Page
Fall webworms: Should you manage them, Got Nature? Blog
Purdue Landscape Report Team Begins New Virtual Series, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Tree wounds and healing, Got Nature? Blog
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Tree Risk Management – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – FNR
Why Is My Tree Dying? – Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Subscribe to Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel

Kyle Daniel, Commercial Landscape and Nursery Crops Extension Specialist
Purdue Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

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The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet the eastern white pine or Pinus strobus, which historically was one of the tallest trees in the eastern United States.

This conifer is the only five-needled pine native to Indiana, meaning that the bundles of needles coming off the branches in one location, also called fascicles, include five needles per bundle. These needles are typically between two and four inches long and are blue green in color. Needles remain on the tree for two to three years before dropping in the fall.

The bark on younger trees is dark and relatively smooth, and becomes quite furrowed in older trees. The eastern white pine adds a ring of side branches and a terminal shoot yearly with age.

The cones of this species are up to eight inches long, have relatively thin scales and are often covered with quite a bit of white sap or pitch. Cones remain on the tree for two years.

Eastern white pine trees typically grow to between 65 and 100 feet tall, but can exceed 150 feet tall in old growth forests. This species prefers acidic, moist and well-drained soil, but can tolerate alkaline soils. Eastern white pine is native to the central and eastern United States and Canada. Its range extends as far west as Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota in the U.S. and Manitoba in Canada. Its distribution reaches south through the Great Lakes states and in the Appalachian Mountains into northern Georgia as well as east along the Atlantic seaboard.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Eastern White Pine, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Eastern White Pine
Morton Arboretum: Eastern White Pine
Tree Diseases: White Pine Decline in Indiana
White Pine and Salt Tolerance
U.S. Forest Service Database – Eastern White Pine
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Extension Forester
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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In this webinar hosted by Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association, author Doug Tallamy discusses his book “The Nature of Oaks” and how Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. Doug has also written Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens which was awarded the silver metal in 2008 by the Garden Writers Association, Living Landscape, and Nature’s Best Hope. Tallamy has also founded Homegrown National Parks, a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks.

Join IFWOA for their upcoming webinar that will be recorded and placed on their YouTube Channel:

• April 12, 2023 – Magnificent Trees of Indiana

Check out their Indiana Forestry & Woodland Association YouTube Channel for videos including: What is IFWOA?; A New Carbon Program for Hardwood Landowners Webinar, 202 Charles Deam Forest Stewardship Award and much more.

The Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA) was founded in 1977 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation and sustainable management of woodlands in Indiana. IFWOA advocates for scientific best practices for management to achieve objectives of clean water, wildlife habitat, soil protection, native species diversity, timber production, recreation, carbon sequestration and many others.

IFWOA is an affiliate of the National Woodland Owners Association. IFWOA is a partner, collaborator or is represented on leading National and State organizations. These memberships or collaborations are selected to advance Indiana Woodland owner’s interests. IFWOA monitors and influences legislation and economic trends impacting Indiana woodlands and landowners for our members. Membership in IFWOA provides a valuable network linkage to information and resources at the leading edge of science, industry and politics impacting Indiana woodlands.

Resources:
Find an Indiana Professional Forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA)
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Diana Evans, Extension and Web Communication Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Liz Jackson, Engagement Lead
Indiana Forestry & Woodland Association

 

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The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet Butternut or Juglans cinerea.

Also known as white walnut, this species has slowly disappeared from the landscape due to a fungal disease. Butternut canker can cause large dead spots on the tree and can even girdle the tree and kill it before it can produce fruit.

Butternut has alternately held compound leaves that can be between one and two feet long, resembling a black walnut leaf with pairs of leaflets, but butternut often has a terminal leaflet. The toothed leaflets are green in the summer and yellow in the fall.

The bark is light gray and relatively smooth, but it may become furrowed with age, silver on top and darker between the fissures. Butternut twigs are light tan in color and have an elongated terminal bud. The leaf scar resembles the face of a monkey and it has a “hairy eyebrow” above the leaf scar/below the bud.

The fruit is a lemon-shaped edible nut approximately two inches in diameter with sharp ridges on the nut inside the husk. When they are green, the husk is sticky and clammy to the touch, unlike the smooth, thick skin of its cousin black walnut.

Butternuts, which grow 40 to 60 feet tall, prefer moist, well-drained, loamy soils, found in ravines and coves, but it can also grow on drier, rocky soil, especially that of limestone origin. It is usually scattered in the forest and associated with other species that prefer upland sites.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Butternut, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Butternut
Hardwoods of the Central Midwest: Butternut
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: Butternut
Morton Arboretum: Butternut
Identification of Butternuts and Butternut Hybrids, The Education Store
Conservation and Management of Butternut Trees, The Education Store
The Plight of the Butternut
HTIRC Seed Propagation Protocol for Purdue and Hybrid Butternut
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Butternut, Native Tree of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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The classic and trusted book “Fifty Common Trees of Indiana” by T.E. Shaw was published in 1956 as a user-friendly guide to local species.  Nearly 70 years later, the publication has been updated through a joint effort by the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Indiana 4-H, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and reintroduced as “An Introduction to Trees of Indiana.”

The full publication is available for download for $7 in the Purdue Extension Education Store. The field guide helps identify common Indiana woodlot trees.

Each week, the Intro to Trees of Indiana web series will offer a sneak peek at one species from the book, paired with an ID That Tree video from Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee to help visualize each species as it stands in the woods. Threats to species health as well as also insight into the wood provided by the species, will be provided through additional resources as well as the Hardwoods of the Central Midwest exhibit of the Purdue Arboretum, if available.

This week, we meet Black willow or Salix nigra. The black willow is one of several species of willow in Indiana, but it is the only tree-sized willow in the state.

This species has long, narrow leaves with short leaf stems, which are held alternately on slender, flexible twigs. Willows have a single scale covering the bud, which helps differentiate them from other species. The finely toothed leaves are medium green in the spring, changing to yellow-green in the fall.

The bark on young trees is smooth, but may be warty or feature some flaking. In old trees, the bark features prominent, light gray vertical flakes.

Black willows, which grow 50 to 70 feet tall, prefer moist or wet soils and often are found growing along streams or in other wetland areas. This species can tolerate alkaline soil, clay soil, occasional flooding and road salt.

For full article with additional photos view: Intro to Trees of Indiana: Black Willow, Forestry and Natural Resources’ News.

If you have any questions regarding wildlife, trees, forest management, wood products, natural resource planning or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Other Resources:
ID That Tree: Black willow
Hardwoods of the Central Midwest: Black willow
Hardwood Lumber and Veneer Series: Black willow
Morton Arboretum: Black willow
Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Black Willow, Native Trees of Indiana River Walk, Purdue Fort Wayne
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, U.S. Forest Service
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
ID That Tree, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
Woodland Management Moment , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana

Wendy Mayer, FNR Communications Coordinator
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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