North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service
TREES and SHRUBS of North Dakota (continued)
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Our
State Tree
American Elm -- Ulmus americana
Click here for a 39Kb black and white photo of American elm.
Leaves: Simple, alternate, doubly serrate, sometimes rough on surface, with the base of the leaf blade inequilateral.
Buds: Small, smooth, reddish brown, sharp pointed.
Twigs: Slender, smooth, reddish brown to gray, bitter in taste.
Fruit: Samara with disc-like, hairy, membranous wing containing a keyhole shaped notch. Ripens in May.
Bark: Irregularly ridged and deeply furrowed, ashy gray-brown.
The Tree: Selected as the state tree of North Dakota, the American elm is our most beautiful shade and street tree. It is native throughout the state, especially along streams and lake shores. The vase-like shape, large size, and rapid growth in moist locations all commend it, but it has the drawback of being a preferred host to aphids and cankerworms. Dutch Elm Disease continues to decimate the native American elm stands in North Dakota. Research work is important to identify DED resistant selections. Currently NDSU is evaluating a number of American elm cultivars with high resistance to Dutch Elm Disease, and has named a new cultivar, `Lewis & Clark' - Prairie ExpeditionTM.
Wildlife Value: Good, used for food (wood, seeds, buds, twigs, foliage), cover and insect habitat. Used by waterfowl, upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game and hoofed browsers.
Deciduous Trees
GREEN ASH -- Fraxinus pennsylvanica
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Leaves: Opposite, compound, with five to nine finely serrated leaflets.
Buds: Broad, stubby, rusty brown.
Twigs: Brownish gray, stout, smooth, with light spots.
Fruit: A narrow-winged samara, ripening in the fall.
Bark: Finely furrowed, dark gray; inner bark creamy tan.
The Tree: Although a slow growing tree in early life, it is very hardy and persistent, often outgrowing temporary fast-growing trees when established on good sites. While one of the last trees to leaf out in the spring and first to drop its leaves in the fall, it is still one of our best shade trees and probably our most valuable shelterbelt tree. It is native throughout the state and furnishes wood for posts, fuel, and some rough dimension lumber. Superior cultivars are readily available in the nursery trade, including `Bergeson', `Patmore', and the NDSU cultivars `Rugby' - Prairie Spire® and `Leeds' - Prairie Dome®.
Wildlife Value: Good to excellent, fall food (seeds, buds, twigs, foliage) source and cover to many wildlife, including waterfowl, upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals, and hoofed browsers.
QUAKING ASPEN -- Populus tremuloides
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Leaves: Simple, alternate, serrate margin; petioles flattened.
Buds: Sharp, slender, incurved, small, dark colored.
Twigs: Slender, reddish-brown.
Fruit: A capsule ripening in the spring, containing numerous small seeds with a cottony covering.
Bark: Smooth, greenish white, becoming furrowed and darker on old trees.
The Tree: A slender short-lived tree found in clumps throughout the state, the aspen reaches its best development in the Turtle Mountains where it is the most common of all the trees. The flattened petioles permit the leaves to tremble in the slightest breeze, hence its common name. Its short life expectancy and high moisture requirements are two good reasons for not planting it in shelterbelts. It is one of the North Dakota trees producing locally-sawn lumber, but the wood is very susceptible to rot and should be used only where it is not exposed to moisture.
Wildlife Value: Good to excellent, winter source of cover and food (buds, catkins, bark, foliage) to wildlife species; upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
PAPER BIRCH -- Betula papyrifera
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Leaves: Alternate, simple, margin serrate.
Buds: Terminal bud lacking; lateral buds somewhat gummy, chestnut-brown in color, small, sharp-pointed.
Twigs: Slender, reddish brown, with prominent lenticels.
Fruit: A cylindrical, pendent, conelike strobile 1 inch long, disintegrating in the fall and winter, and liberating small winged nutlets.
Bark: At first dark brown but eventually becoming creamy white and separating from the tree in long, horizontal, papery strips which are highly flammable.
The Tree: Although common in the Turtle Mountains, it is of very scattered occurrence in other parts of the state. Short-lived at best, it quickly disappears from any heavily grazed area. A small amount of birch is cut into lumber for rough construction. The native species and the similar European white birch are popular ornamentals, but are susceptible to dieback injury from bronze birch borers. In 2003, NDSU introduced a superior paper birch named `Varen' - Prairie Dream® with high bronze birch borer resistance.
Wildlife Value: Fair, food (catkins, buds, seeds, twigs, foliage) source for butterfly caterpillars and other wildlife species such as upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
COTTONWOOD -- Populus deltoides
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Leaves: Simple, alternate, margin coarsely serrate; petiole flattened.
Buds: 1/2-inch long, light brown, pointed, shiny, and resinous.
Twigs: Moderately stout, grayish green.
Fruit: A June-ripening capsule containing numerous small seeds with a cottony covering.
The Tree: Although the largest and fastest growing tree in the state, the cottonwood is relatively short-lived and on dry upland sites is susceptible to many diseases and insects. It is native to moist soils along streams throughout the state and furnishes a considerable amount of rough sawn timber for home consumption. One of the most widely planted trees in the early days. Hybrid poplar cultivars such as `Walker' and `Northwest' differ in leaves, bark, petiole, and general shape but the growth characteristics are similar. `Siouxland' is a male clone propagated vegetatively to eliminate the cotton problems of the female tree.
Wildlife Value: Fair, summer cover and foods (buds, catkins, bark, foliage) to a number of wildlife species, including upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
CRABAPPLE -- Malus spp.
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Leaves: Alternate, simple, finely serrate.
Buds: Brown, stout, usually hair.
Twigs: Usually stout and varying in color, but usually some shade of brown.
Fruit: Pomes of varying sizes and colors.
Bark: Smooth, usually some shade of brown, lenticels quite prominent. Bark becomes flaky or platelike on older trees.
The Tree: The numerous horticultural cultivars are popular in that all have beautiful white to rose-pink spring flowers and colorful, sometimes edible, fall fruits. Fire blight and apple scab may cause disease problems, but some cultivars have high resistance.
Wildlife Value: Fair to good, food (fruit, seeds, buds, twigs, foliage, bark) and nectar source for hummingbirds and orioles. Used by upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
SIBERIAN ELM -- Ulmus pumila
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Leaves: Similar to American elm but smaller, darker green, smoother, and glossier, and base of leaf blade more equilateral.
Buds: Smaller, lighter colored, and more blunt than American elm.
Twigs: Very slender.
Fruit: Similar to American elm but glabrous and twice as large, without a keyhole shaped notch in the wing.
Bark: Grayish green and smooth on young trees; dark and furrowed on older trees.
The Tree: Commonly and improperly called "Chinese elm," a name properly applied to a similar species planted in the south which matures its seed in the fall. It has been a widely planted shelterbelt tree with a rapid growth rate and good drought resistance. Its susceptibility to herbicide and its relatively short life expectancy have discouraged its use in many parts of the state. It is not recommended for ornamental purposes. The `Dropmore' elm is a seed strain credited with being more winter-hardy. An invasive, weedy species.
Wildlife Value: Fair to good, used for food (wood, seeds, buds, twigs, foliage) by waterfowl, upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game animals and hoofed browsers.
COMMON HACKBERRY -- Celtis occidentalis
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Leaves: Simple, alternate, serrate, with acuminate apex and pinnate venation.
Buds: Small, light brown, appressed to twig.
Twigs: Zigzag, slender, reddish brown, pith finely chambered at the nodes; sometimes hairy.
Fruit: A drupe with dark maroon or purple skin, yellow flesh, and netted pit. It ripens in late fall and persists.
Bark: Grayish brown with characteristic eroded warts or ridges.
The Tree: A native tree of the eastern half of the state. Although a good shade or street tree, it is used sparingly in shelterbelts because of slow growth, difficulty of nursery propagation, and susceptibility to frost damage in the first five years of life.
Wildlife Value: Fair to good, winter food (fruit, twigs, foliage) and cover to over 40 wildlife species including upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
SIBERIAN LARCH -- Larix sibirica
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Leaves: About 20 needles coming from spur shoots on old growth but spirally (singly) arranged on first year twigs: deciduous.
Buds: Resinous, round or conical.
Twigs: Slender, marked by spur shoots on twigs over one year old.
Fruit: Cone matures in one season and consists of few scales.
The Tree: This introduction from Siberia has potential for shelterbelt use. The early flush of growth in the spring presents some problems in planting. The rapid growth rate, open crown, and deciduous needles seem to offer the features currently sought after in shelterbelts. The American larch (tamarack), native to the lake states, and European larch, native to Europe, are similar, but the former has smaller cones and the latter has more cone scales. Larch are attractive for landscape trees.
Wildlife Value: Fair, summer cover and food (leaves, buds, seeds, bark) to wildlife, including upland game and song birds, fur bearers and game animals.
AMERICAN LINDEN -- Tilia americana
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Leaves: Alternate, simple, coarsely serrate.
Buds: Terminal bud lacking; lateral buds reddish brown in color, 1/4-inch long.
Twigs: Gray or red, zigzag.
Fruit: Nut-like, round, woody, containing 1 or 2 seeds; several nutlets suspended from a leaf-like bract.
Bark: Gray-green to gray-brown; somewhat scaly.
The Tree: Native to the Red River, Sheyenne River and Devils Lake regions; this tree is rarely planted in the western half of the state. It is not used in shelterbelts because it is not drought resistant. The larger trees yield lumber of good quality. Basswood is another name used for American Linden. Lindens are increasing in popularity for planting in heavy clay soils of the Red River Valley.
Wildlife Value: Fair to good, summer cover and food (seeds, bark, twigs, foliage) for wildlife including upland game, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
BOXELDER MAPLE -- Acer negundo
Click here for a 52Kb black and white photo of boxelder maple.
Leaves: Opposite, compound, with three to five leaflets.
Twigs: Stout, green to purplish, covered at first with a bluish white bloom.
Fruit: A winged schizocarp borne in pairs, maturing in the fall and persisting on the tree into winter.
Bark: Finely ridged, light brown to almost black, with sometimes a greenish tinge.
The Tree: A fast-growing, relatively short-lived tree with a short-stemmed, branchy, irregularly widespreading crown, it has been one of the most widely planted trees in North Dakota. Native to the river bottoms, ravines, and hilly regions of the state, it survived the dry thirties by dying back to the ground and then springing up anew with the coming of moisture. Boxelder is highly sensitive to herbicide spray drift.
Wildlife Value: Fair, summer cover and food (buds, twigs, seeds, flowers, foliage) to several wildlife species, including upland game, song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
SILVER MAPLE -- Acer saccharinum
Click here for a 38Kb black and white photo of silver maple.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, palmately five lobed, toothed margin, silvery on bottom side.
Buds: Dark, reddish brown, 1/8-inch long, globose, often many buds together.
Twigs: Moderately stout, reddish brown.
Fruit: Paired schizocarps.
Bark: Silvery gray, flaky or platelike on mature trees.
The Tree: A few shelterbelts contain this tree. It is occasionally planted as a specimen tree, but lack of drought resistance discourages broader usage. The branches are easily broken by sleet or snow and it is susceptible to iron chlorosis on alkaline soils. `Silver Cloud' is a cultivar rated as more winter hardy than the typical species.
Wildlife Value: Fair, summer cover and food (buds, twigs, seeds, flowers, bark, foliage) to many wildlife species including upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
EUROPEAN MOUNTAIN-ASH -- Sorbus aucuparia
Click here for a 54Kb black and white photo of European mountain-ash.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, margin serrate.
Buds: 1/2-inch long, 1/4-inch diameter, reddish brown, scales covered with white hairs.
Twigs: Stout, reddish brown, lenticels quite prominent.
Fruit: An orange-red pome 1/4-inch in diameter borne in clusters and ripening in September.
The Tree: A decorative tree introduced from Europe where it is often called "Rowan Tree." This popular landscape tree is planted on many boulevards and lawns. Usually it does not exceed 18 feet in height nor 12 inches in trunk diameter. The white flowers of June and reddish fruits of September are very colorful. Some trees are damaged by fire blight. Several cultivars available.
Wildlife Value: Good, fall food (seeds, stems, foliage) source to wildlife species including marsh, shore, upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
BUR OAK -- Quercus macrocarpa
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Leaves: Alternate, simple, dark green, variable in shape, often with the middle sinuses (opening between leaf lobes) nearly reaching the midline of the leaf.
Buds: Small, light brown, clustered near the end of the twig.
Twigs: Stout, rough, often corky-barked.
Fruit: Acorn with mossy-fringed cup.
Bark: Distinct ridges with deep furrows, dark gray to nearly black in color.
The Tree: Native throughout the state on a great variety of soil types, it is drought resistant, perfectly hardy, slow growing, and may live for as many as 400 years on the best sites. The bur oak has a tremendous tap root.
Wildlife Value: Excellent, used for cover and food (acorns, twigs, buds, bark) source to numerous wildlife, including waterfowl, marshbirds, shorebirds, upland game, song birds, rodents, game animals and hoofed browsers.
OHIO BUCKEYE -- Aesculus glabra
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Leaves: Opposite, palmately compound with five to seven leaflets. The leaflets are 3 to 5 inches long, acuminate shape and finely serrate, hairy underneath. Yellow to red fall color.
Buds: Large, tan, with overlapping pointed scales.
Twigs: Stout, reddish brown changing to ash-gray, hairy becoming smooth and hairless.
Fruit: Large prickly round capsule, 1 to 2 inches in diameter which releases 2 to 3 dark brown seeds. The seeds resemble deer buck eyes.
Bark: Ashy-gray, thick, deeply furrowed and plated.
The Tree: Rounded canopy, the foliage has a fine texture and trees grow to about 35 to 40 feet. Native from Pennsylvania to Nebraska and south but is adapted to southeastern North Dakota and in many cities across the state. New released cultivars are far superior to the species in foliage quality, including autumn coloration. These hybrid cultivars include `Autumn Splendor', `Homestead' and `Bergeson' - Prairie Torch®.
Wildlife Value: Good, squirrels harvest nuts in late August at ripening. The nuts or seeds are considered poisonous but do not seem so to some wildlife.
BALSAM POPLAR -- Populus balsamifera
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Leaves: Alternate, simple, margin finely serrate; petiole round.
Buds: Large, long, pointed, brownish, resin-coated, sticky, fragrant.
Twigs: Stouter and darker in color than quaking aspen.
Fruit: Similar to quaking aspen.
Bark: Darker, rougher, and thicker than quaking aspen.
The Tree: A short-lived tree similar to the aspen. Found in association with it in the Turtle Mountains, particularly in areas adjacent to lakes. The odor of the wood and its tendency to warp discourage extensive use of the tree for purposes other than fuel wood.
Wildlife Value: Fair to good, food (buds, catkins, bark, foliage) source to butterflies. Used by upland game, song birds, fur beares, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
WHITE POPLAR -- Populus alba
Click here for a 52Kb black and white photo of white poplar.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, silver white and hairy below, variable in shape; commonly lobed, margin variable.
Buds: 1/4-inch long, reddish brown, often with white hairs.
Twigs: Slender, greenish, usually with short white hairs.
Fruit: Similar to cottonwood.
Bark: Smoothish, whitish or light gray.
The Tree: This European native has several horticultural strains, including Bolleana Poplar, a clone with a columnar shape. It is never planted in windbreaks but has been used as an ornamental. It is sensitive to drought, and unless well cared for, may not live long in North Dakota. Its suckering habit further limits its use as an ornamental tree, including a narrow, upright hybrid cultivar, `Tower'.
Wildlife Value: Fair, food (buds, catkins, bark, foliage) source for butterflies and wildlife species including upland game and song birds, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
RUSSIAN-OLIVE -- Elaeagnus angustifolia
Click here for a 44Kb black and white photo of Russian-olive.
Leaves: Simple, alternate, grayish green on upper surface, silvery gray beneath.
Buds: Small, light brown to silvery.
Twigs: Young shoots silvery gray, older shoots reddish brown.
Fruit: Drupe-like, silvery, more or less pulpy.
Bark: Irregular furrowed, dark brown colored.
The Tree: An introduction from Russia, this small tree is characterized by spiny thorns, silvery leaves and fruits. It is drought and alkali resistant, fast-growing in early life, and widely planted in shelterbelts. Susceptibility to stem canker diseases have reduced its popularity in the northern and eastern parts of the state. Naturalizes by seed and can become weedy.
Wildlife Value: Good, winter food (fruit, twigs, foliage) and cover to over 50 wildlife species including upland game, song birds, and hoofed browsers.
BLACK WALNUT -- Juglans nigra
Click here for a 31Kb black and white photo of black walnut.
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound with 15 to 23 lime green leaflets. The leaflets are 1 to 2 inches long, irregular serrate, sharply pointed, smooth above, pale and hairy below. Leaflets have a fragrant odor when crushed and produce a yellow fall color.
Buds: Pale, silky-downy, 1/3-inch long, lateral buds smaller gray, often superposed.
Twigs: Stout, gray to reddish downy to smooth and bitter to the taste. Heart-shaped leaf scar.
Fruit: Rounded, 1 to 2 inches, greenish rind, borne singly or in pairs, ripening in late fall. The nut is black with a very hard, thick, finely ridged shell, enclosing a rich, oily nut which is nutritious and used by many confectioners.
Bark: Thick, very dark brownish to black, with deep, roughly diamond shaped furrows and rounded edges.
The Tree: A slow growing, long-lived tree with an oval to rounded crown. It's native range is in eastern United States but has been planted throughout North Dakota. The wood of the black walnut is highly prized for furniture, veneer and gunstocks. A good shade tree. Plant northern seed sources.
Wildlife Value: Good, used for habitat and food (nuts), by song birds, fur bearers and game animals.
WILLOW -- Salix
Click here for a 49Kb black and white photo of willow.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, serrate.
Buds: Single caplike scale, appressed to the twig.
Twigs: Thin, flexible, tough.
Fruit: A spring ripening capsule containing numerous small seed with a cottony covering.
Bark: Varies greatly by species, from smooth on small forms to deeply furrowed on large trees.
The Tree: A great number of native species are found along rivers, coulees, and drainages in the state. Pictured are leaves of the peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides), which becomes a large tree. Other species may be small and brushy. European introductions such as white, golden, and laurel willows are the most popularly planted species and are often seen in shelterbelts.
Wildlife Value: Good, mainly cover along wetlands and food (buds, twigs, bark, wood, foliage, catkins) for wildlife. Nectar source to butterflies. Used by upland game and song birds, fur bearers, game animals, small mammals and hoofed browsers.
Contents | Deciduous Trees
| Deciduous Shrubs | Evergreen
Trees | General Identification Information
For more information on this and other topics, see: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu
EB-38 (Revised), August 2003
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture
and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon
D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the
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