Featured Species: Throughout the trail system of the arboretum, you will find dozens of interpretive signs providing detailed information for featured species of special importance or interest. That information is gathered here for easy reference. Featured species are listed by common names, with shortcut navigation by alphabet letter. You may also use the search blank to search by either common name or scientific name.

American Basswood (Tilia americana)
A fast growing tree with large, deciduous, heart-shaped leaves arranged alternately on long leaf stalks (petioles).
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American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
The slightly zigzagged twigs have long, pointed, scaly, brown leaf buds said to resemble a hand rolled cigar. The deciduous dark-green leaves are alternately arranged, turn copper-colored in the fall and remain on the branches for most of the winter. The trunk has smooth light gray bark.
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American Elm (Ulmus americana)
A fast growing, long-lived tree with a graceful, broad spreading crown and strong wood. The leaves, which are usually rough-textured and uneven at the base, are deciduous and alternately arranged. The base of the trunk is often buttressed like a cypress tree.
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American Holly (Ilex opaca)
A hardy evergreen tree with a pyramidal shape with leaves that are thick, leathery, and alternately arranged with one to several prominent spines.
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American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
American Hornbeam is also known as Ironwood, Blue Beech, and Musclewood. It is a small tree
with a smooth, light colored, "muscled” bark and alternate, deciduous leaves.

American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis )
Tall, massive tree with straight trunk, heavy spreading branches, large, alternate, deciduous leaves and mottled greenish-gray to brown exfoliating bark.
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Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
A large, deciduous, aquatic conifer with a swollen, ridged trunk at the base. The roots often send up cone-shaped knees surrounding the tree. Bald Cypress has a crown of widely spreading branches and red-brown to silver exfoliating bark.
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Bigleaf Snowbell (Styrax grandifolius )
Small, round crowned tree with alternate, deciduous, large, oval leaves; smooth, dark gray bark; white, fragrant bell-shaped flowers and small, brown nutlet.
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Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis)
This deciduous tree has alternate compound leaves with seven to eleven leaflets. The terminal buds of this tree are bright yellow.
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Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Leaves are alternate, deciduous with a lustrous dark green upper surface and red fuzzy hairs along the petiole underneath. The gray, white or red-brown bark is smooth with numerous short, narrow, horizontal slits when young; becomes very dark (nearly black) and blocky when mature.
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Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Alternate, compound, deciduous leaves have as many as 12- 24 leaflets along the stout, light brown twig. Leaf is aromatic when crushed.
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Blackjack Oak (Quercus marilandica)
Small tree with drooping, often crooked branches. It has alternate, deciduous, almost triangular leaves with 3 very large, square shaped, bristle tipped lobes.
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Boxelder (Acer negundo)
Boxelder is a small to medium-sized tree with a short trunk, widely spreading branches and light green foliage. It has opposite, compound poison-ivy like leaves with three to seven leaflets. A hardy, fast-growing tree that can survive dry and extremely cold conditions.
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Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Shrub or small tree with opposite or whorled, deciduous leaves and smooth gray to brown bark that becomes furrowed as it ages.
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Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana)
Dense shrub or small tree with simple, evergreen leaves arranged alternately along green, red or grayish brown slender twigs. Bark smooth and gray; with age becoming blocky and almost black.
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Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda)
Leaves are alternate and deciduous with dense, whitish hairs on the underleaf. The dark, scaly, rough bark on older trees resembles Black Cherry tree bark.
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Christmas Lichen (Cryptothecia rubrocincta)
Lichens are unique organisms created by algae and fungi that grow together using each other to survive. This type of lichen forms a crust-like growth on the tree’s bark. Its red and green colors give the appearance of a Christmas wreath for which it has been named.
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Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata)
Medium-sized tree with simple, large, alternate, deciduous leaves. Short, straight, stout trunk with furrowed gray-brown bark, narrow crown, and upright to spreading branches.
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Deciduous Holly (Ilex decidua)
A small tree or large bushy shrub with light gray bark and glossy, green, deciduous leaves arranged alternately along the stems. Also known as Possumhaw.
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Devil’s Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)
Large, upright, suckering, deciduous shrub 10-15’ tall, or a small, flat topped tree up to 35’ tall, with stout, sharp spines found on its leaf stalks, stems and branches. Typically naked at the bottom, but crowned at the top by umbrella-like canopies of huge compound leaves.
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Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor)
Common, fan-shaped palm, a small shrub, with star shaped, simple, evergreen leaves arranged alternately on long, thornless leaf stalks with the leaves arising from an underground stem. Trunk usually present only when grown in standing water.
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Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
A small to medium sized, graceful, deciduous tree with brown, shaggy to scaly bark and alternate leaves with serrated edges. Also known as Ironwood.
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Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
A small tree with a flat topped or rounded crown, often multi-stemmed with zigzagged, horizontal branching. The leaves are heart shaped, alternately arranged and deciduous.
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Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis)
Elderberry is a tall, multi-stemmed bush with compound, opposite, deciduous leaves, clusters of small, white flowers and small purplish-black drupes.
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Elliott’s Huckleberry (Vaccinium elliottii )
Shrub with alternate, deciduous leaves; reddish-brown, “shreddy” bark; small pinkish-white flowers and small black berries.
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Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Short tree with opposite, deciduous leaves, large white or pink flowers, alligator skin-like bark and small shiny red drupes.
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French Mulberry (Callicarpa americana)
French Mulberry, also called American Beautyberry, is a short shrub with opposite, deciduous leaves, pink-blue tubular flowers and bright purple berries that attach in rounded clusters around the stems.
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Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
Fringetree, also called Grancy Graybeard, is a tall shrub or short tree with opposite, deciduous leaves, drooping white “beard-like” flowers and dark blue drupes.
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Giant Cane (Arundinaria gigantea)
Tall, perennial grass, also called River Cane, with alternate, lance-shaped, evergreen leaves and woody, green, segmented stems.
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Horsesugar (Symplocos tinctoria )
Horsesugar, also known as Sweetleaf, is a multi-trunked shrub to small tree with alternate, evergreen leaves, striped grayish bark and fragrant showy blossoms on bare branches in spring.
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Indian Cherry (Frangula caroliniana)
Indian Cherry, also known as Carolina Buckthorn, is a small tree with alternate, deciduous leaves, grayish-brown blotchy bark, small yellow-green flowers and small red drupes.
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Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)
Loblolly pine is a tall tree with alternate, evergreen needles in bundles of three; deep-furrowed, rectangular bark; long yellow flowers and medium sized cones.
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Louisiana Iris (Iris spp.)
Wetland plant with bright green linear leaves forming a fan from base, an underground stem (rhizome). Large, colorful flowers bloom along stalk formed at growth tip of rhizome.
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Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa)
A tall tree with a rounded crown, alternate, deciduous, hairy-backed aromatic leaves with seven to nine leaflets, and dark gray, interlaced net-like bark.
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Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana )
Large tree with alternate, deciduous, sharply lobed leaves; grayish-brown, slightly fissured, warty bark and spreading, drooping branches.
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Parsley Hawthorn (Crataegus marshallii)
Shrub to small tree with irregular, open crown; alternate, deciduous lacy leaves; greenish-tan, exfoliating bark and twigs with sharp spines.
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Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)
Tall tree with irregular crown, alternate, deciduous leaves with 5 to 7 leaflets and smooth gray bark on young trees turning to scaly ridges as the tree ages.
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Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
Poison Ivy has a three-part, alternate, compound, deciduous leaf that may turn brilliant red in fall; vine has dark gray bark covered with “hairy” roots.
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Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia )
Deciduous shrub or short tree with opposite, palmately compound leaves and gray-brown, smooth, “splotchy” bark.
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Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)
Medium tree with alternate, deciduous leaves that can be unlobed or two or three-lobed; gray-brown, scaly bark.
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Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii )
Tall tree with broad, open crown; alternate, deciduous, shiny dark green leaves with 5 -9 bristled lobes; and reddish-gray bark either smooth or with small ridges.
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Southern Crab Apple (Malus angustifolia)
Small tree with a broad open crown, narrow, deciduous leaves arranged alternately along the twig, armed with thorns. Thin reddish-brown bark with vertical fissures.
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Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora )
Tall tree with alternate, large, dark green, shiny, evergreen leaves and smooth to scaly gray bark.
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Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata )
Tall tree with a rounded, open crown; alternate, deciduous leaves with 3 to 5 deep lobes, shiny green above and rusty and hairy below; and dark, deeply furrowed, scaly bark.
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Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata )
Medium sized tree with rounded crown and slightly drooping branches; alternate, deciduous leaves and grayish, warty bark. Also called Hackberry.
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Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)
Tall tree with rounded crown; deciduous, alternate, large leaves; light gray, scaly bark; and large acorns. Also known as Cow Oak or Basket Oak.
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Swamp Privet (Forestiera acuminata )
Tall bush or short tree with opposite, deciduous leaves; ridged, dark brown bark; small, fragrant yellow flowers and purplish-black drupes.
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Swamp Red Maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)
Medium sized deciduous tree with opposite, three lobed leaves with silver, hairy backs, shiny red twigs, and smooth-to-scaly gray bark.
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Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana )
Small to medium sized tree with alternate, tardily deciduous leaves that are white on the underside, and smooth, reddish-brown, mottled bark.
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Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
Multi-trunked shrub with erect, multiple stems creating a rounded outline; opposite, glossy, leathery, deciduous leaves and thin, light red-brown bark.
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Tree Huckleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)
Small tree or large shrub with flaking grayish-brown to reddish bark and crooked trunk with twisted contorted branches. Leaves arranged alternately along stem, tardily deciduous to evergreen, turning a pink to deep maroon during winter months. Winter Huckleberry, Farkleberry and Sparkleberry are other common names.
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Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
A large tree with a long, straight trunk and grayish-brown, deeply furrowed bark. Leaves are deciduous, alternate, tulip-shaped and bright yellow in the fall. Also known as Tuliptree or Yellow Poplar.
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Two-Wing Silverbell (Halesia diptera)
Delicate small tree or large shrub with branches growing from the base forming a multi-trunk with brown to reddish-brown bark. Light green, alternate deciduous leaves almost as wide as they are long, that are colorful in the fall.
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Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Virginia Creeper has a five-part, alternate, compound, deciduous leaf that may turn a pinkish red color in the fall; vine has gray-brown, thick, tendril covered bark.
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Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Deciduous shrub, also known as Virginia Willow, with slender, arching, brown to gray branches and smooth, scaly bark. Alternate, dark green leaves turning brilliant red, orange and yellow in fall and early winter.
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Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)
Large aquatic tree, with swollen base; long, straight trunk; narrow, open crown of spreading branches and light or dark gray bark. Arranged alternately along the twig, the large, dark green, deciduous leaves lighter and hairy on underside, turn red in fall.
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Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Medium to large southern oak with willow-like foliage, light gray bark when young, turning brown with narrow ridges when older; straight trunk with a cone-shaped crown which becomes round at maturity. Narrow leaves are simple and arranged alternately along the twig. Tardily deciduous.
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Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)
Small, fast-growing, deciduous tree with a variable shaped crown; corky, wing-like projections on opposite sides of twigs and branches; reddish brown to gray bark and alternate dark green leaves.
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Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
Large, deciduous shrub or small tree, with short, crooked trunk and open branching canopy. Bark smooth and papery, gray with gashes exposing a reddish color beneath. Glossy, dark-green, alternately arranged leaves with 7-17 leaflets turning reddish-purple in the fall.
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Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Small tree or shrub with arching branches growing as dense, multi-stemmed clump. Alternate, lettuce- green, deciduous, simple leaves turn brilliant gold in fall. Bark smooth and gray.
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