A Guide to Deciduous Tree Knowledge

	Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) leaves are triangular in shape, leathery, coarsely-toothed with flattened leaf stem. Twigs are yellowish-brown, with large (3/4 inch long) yellowish-green buds. Cottonwood grows very rapidly and is North Dakota's largest tree. It is used in shelterbelts and windbreaks, but not recommended for residential plantings. Native. Siouxland cottonwood is a South Dakota selection with resistance to leaf rust. Numerous hybrid poplars have been introduced. Check with knowledgeable authorities for recommendations.
	Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) leaves are broadly-oval or rounded, short pointed, margin finely-toothed; leaf stem flattened. Twigs are slender, reddish-brown, smooth. Bark of the tree is yellowish-green, often marked with dark blotches. Not recommended for shelter plantings. Native.
	Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) leaves are egg-shaped, thick, 1� to 3 inches long, dark green above, pale green beneath; edges finely-toothed, leaf stem round. Twigs are reddish to dark brown, the terminal bud long, slender pointed, covered with a fragrant resin. Tree bark is greenish to brown on young trees, gray to grayish black and fissured on older trees. A native tree of eastern and northern areas of the state. Not generally recommended for planting.
	White poplar (Populus alba) has leaves that are shiny dark green above, dense felty and white below, oval to three-lobed in shape with coarsely-toothed margins. New twigs and buds are covered with a cottony down. A medium to large, fast growing tree, it suckers freely and is therefore not commonly recommended for landscape plantings. It does have better drought tolerance than most poplars. Not native.
	Columnar European Aspen (Populus tremula 'Erecta') is an excellent, usually non-suckering, canker-free replacement for the Lombardy poplar. Where an upright (fastigiate) form is desired, this should be the first choice. The leaf petioles are flattened and often as long as the blade. Leaves coarsely toothed.
	Tower poplar (Populus x canescens 'Tower') is another attractive upright or erect form of poplar that is a rapid grower, 30 feet in 10 years, but has a suckering character that could limit usefulness in the suburban landscape. A superior replacement for Bolleana poplar.
	Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) leaves are egg-shaped, 2 to 4 inches long, 1� to 2 inches wide; margin doubly-toothed; dark green upper surface, light green underneath. Bark is reddish-brown on young trees; chalky to creamy white and peeling off in thin layers on older trees. A medium-sized tree, native to northern and eastern North Dakota. It is a common ornamental tree and somewhat less susceptible to attack by bronze birch borers than European white birch.
	European white birch (Betula pendula) resembles the paper birch in appearance and growth, a medium-fast growing tree reaching a height of 35 to 45 feet. Needs supplemental subsoil moisture. Not native. Very susceptible to bronze birch borer attack.
	Cutleaf weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Dalecarlica') leaves are 1� to 3 inches long, 1 to 1� inches wide, and deeply-serrated. The branches are long, very slender and pendulous. Bark on trees 8 feet high or higher is creamy white. A fast-growing medium-sized tree, prized as a specimen tree. It needs subsoil moisture. A cultivar of the European white birch. Not native. Often short-lived due to bronze birch borer attack.
	American elm (Ulmus americana) leaves are 3 to 6 inches long, oval with a lopsided base; margins are doubly serrate; thick and firm in texture; dark green and somewhat rough above, paler below. A tall tree, 60 feet or more high, it is used in shelter plantings and ornamentally wherever height and shade are needed. Native throughout the state. Due to its susceptibility to Dutch elm disease, it has not been recommended for general planting. However, such new cultivars as 'Delaware,' 'Independence' and 'American Liberty' are slowly becoming available. They have good Dutch elm disease resistance.
	Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) leaves resemble American elm in size and shape. They are dull green above and below and thin in texture. The fruit, ripe in the fall, is a berrylike drupe the size of a pea, purplish-black in color and hard. The bark appears eroded and gray in color. Older trees appear as having corky ridges glued on a smooth bark. A medium tall tree valuable for windbreak, shelterbelt and ornamental planting, it reaches a height of 40 feet. Native.
	Ironwood or Eastern hop-hornbeam (syn. EASTERN HOP-HORNBEAM) (Ostrya virginiana) leaves are oblong, thin and paper-like; margin sharply and doubly serrate. The hanging fruit is enclosed in a papery sac. The bark of the tree trunk is grayish-brown, roughened by flattened, elongate scales that are loose at the ends. A small native tree that can be used ornamentally, but rarely for shelter plantings. It needs sufficient moisture, similar to birch, a closely related genus.
	Crabapple (Malus) leaves are oval to egg shaped, margins are finely toothed to irregularly toothed or lobed. Upper surface usually dark or olive green, paler beneath; on vigorous new growth often reddish. Twigs and buds are often covered with fine white hairs. Fruit ripens in late summer, yellow to red in color, small sized, 1/3 to 3/4 inch in diameter. Small trees to 25 feet, used in wildlife, farmstead, and ornamental plantings. All are hardy in North Dakota. Not native. Cultivars: Spring Snow Crabapple, Malus x 'Spring Snow' – a white flowering, fruitless cultivar. Dense oval to globe in form. Red Splendor Crabapple, Malus x 'Red Splendor' – pink flowers, with red, cherry-like fruits which cling all winter. Thunderchild Crabapple, Malus x 'Thunderchild' – pink flowers, purple leaves, very little fruiting. Essentially disease-free. Jack or Korean Crabapple, Malus baccata 'Jackii' – a white flowering, round headed form. Small 1/4 inch fruits. Selkirk Crabapple, Malus x 'Selkirk' – a rosy-pink flowered cultivar, fruits are 3/4 inch in diameter. Very hardy.
	Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) leaves are 4 to 10 inches long, lobes deep and rounded, nearly cut in half by two opposite center indentations. Upper half of leaf is broad. The fruit, an acorn, ripening in the fall, is over half covered by a fringed cup. A tall, fairly slow-growing, long-lived tree, highly desirable for windbreaks, shelterbelts and ornamental use. Native. Although not readily available, Mongolian oak (Q. mongolica) is another good species for Northern Plains planting.
	American linden (syn. BASSWOOD) (Tilia americana) leaves are broadly heart-shaped with unequal sides; 5 to 6 inches long; margin sharply-toothed. Seeds ripen in early fall, are pea-sized, greenish gray and hang from the center of a narrow leaf-like bract. Twigs are reddish-gray in the fall. The tree is tall, 50 or more feet high, and fairly fast growing. Suitable as a specimen or for shade and boulevard planting. Native. The cultivar Redmond is a handsomely pyramidal cultivar that has performed well as a street, boulevard, or residential specimen tree in southeastern North Dakota. Recently named American linden cultivars include 'Bailyard' (Front Yard™) and 'Boulevard.' The latter has a narrowly upright form. Tilia cordata is a similar species, known as the littleleaf linden. It maintains a strong central leader that results in a pyramidal growth habit, with a finer texture than the American linden. The smaller leaves are darker and glossier than the American counterparts. Ideal for smaller properties as a specimen tree. Numerous excellent cultivars, including 'Green-spire,' are available. Hybrid lindens resulting from crossing American x Littleleaf linden are also available and recommended for North Dakota. Several cultivars are T. x flavescens 'Dropmore,' 'Glenleven,' and 'Wascana.' Others include T. x 'Ronald' (Norlin™) and T. x 'Baileyi' (Shamrock™).
	Thornless cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli 'Inermis') is devoid of thorns, has dark glossy-green, holly-like leaves, and excellent orange-red fall color shades. It is a small tree, bears white flowers and rose-pink, 1/3 inch wide pomes. Another recommended white-flowered hawthorn is C. x mordenensis 'Snowbird.'

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 Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
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A Guide to Deciduous Tree Knowledge (continued)

C. Leaves — Simple and Alternate: Wide