| Friends of the Louisiana State Arboretum

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.

A (7) | B (10) | C (4) | D (3) | E (4) | F (3) | G (2) | H (1) | I (1) | L (3) | M (2) | N (1) | P (5) | R (2) | S (13) | T (3) | V (2) | W (8) | Y (1)

Water Oak (Quercus nigra )

Medium to tall tree with alternate, small, thick, leathery, deciduous leaves variable in shape, but often wedge-shaped; and dark gray, smooth-to-scaly bark.

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.

White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

Large tree with straight trunk and rounded crown; ashy gray to brown bark with interlacing corky ridges in diamond pattern; opposite, compound, deciduous leaves with five to nine, mostly seven, leaflets.

White Oak (Quercus alba)

Wide-spreading, rounded crown with numerous horizontal branches. Loose shaggy, scaly, gray to whitish bark. Alternately arranged, deeply divided, lobed leaves with upper surface dark green and the lower surface a whitish color, turn red in the fall.

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.

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.

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.

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.