Hiker's Guide to the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Ricketts Glen State Park

Hiker's Guide to the Trees, Shrubs,

and Woody Vines of Ricketts Glen State Park

Third Edition -- Internet Version

Introduction

References

Leaf Types

Leaf Arrangements

Leaf Edges

Identification Key

Descriptions

Species List

Vines Ground Covers Trees with Needle-Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Opposite and Simple Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Opposite and Compound Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Alternate and Compound Leaves Trees and Shrubs with Alternate and Simple Leaves

TREES AND SHRUBS WITH ALTERNATE AND SIMPLE LEAVES
Leaf Edges Wavy

Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana = Q. prinus)
Height to 75 ft. Leaves 4 - 9 in; with 8-16 rounded-wavy teeth on each side . Bark of trunk very deeply furrowed. Common along the Evergreen Trail, the Old Bulldozer Trail Road, the picnic area north of Rt. 118, the Grand View Trail, and the Ganoga View Trail.

Dwarf Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinoides). Also known as Scrub Chestnut Oak, and Dwarf Oak
Height to 12 ft. Leaves 3 - 6 in.; underside with white hairs (trichomes); with 3-8 rounded-wavy teeth on each side. This shrub can be found along the Grand View Trail, on the approach to the fire tower, with scrub oak and sweetfern.

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Height to 25 ft. Leaves 2 - 7 in; with characteristic uneven bases. Flowers with long, thin, yellow petals appear in the fall. Fruits dry, 4-parted capsules. Witch hazel was thus named because the leaves appeared to early European settlers to be similar to both the English Witch Elm, and to the hazel nut. Incidently, the witch elm has nothing to do with witches - the name is derived from wyches, or chests made from witch elm wood in medieval times. Witch Hazel oil has been used for a variety of (mostly topical) medicinal purposes, and is obtained by the distillation of young twigs with bark in boiling water. Leaves often possessing nipple-like galls, called Witch-Hazel Cone Galls, caused by the plant bug Hormaphis hamamelidis. Common throughout the Park.

Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrina = Myrica asplenifolia)
Height to 5 ft. Leaves 3 - 6 in; fern-like; basal stipules usually seen. Twigs lightly hairy; with yellow resin dots visible with a magnifying lens; emitting a spicy-sweet aroma, detectable when walking through a stand of these plants, and more intense upon crushing. Nodding, staminate catkins containing pollen are seen late in the season, and bur-like fruits with green seeds are seen in midsummer. Abundant along the Grandview Trail on the southeastern approach to the fire tower, among dense populations of Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia); also encountered on the Ganoga View Trail.

Beaked Willow (Salix bebbiana) - leaves may be somewhat wavy

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Updated 20 July 2008.

*Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana* = Q. prinus)** Height to 75 ft. Leaves 4 - 9 in; with 8-16 rounded-wavy teeth on each side . Bark of trunk very deeply furrowed. Common along the Evergreen Trail, the Old Bulldozer Trail Road, the picnic area north of Rt. 118, the Grand View Trail, and the Ganoga View Trail.
*Dwarf Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinoides). Also known as Scrub Chestnut Oak, and Dwarf Oak* Height to 12 ft. Leaves 3 - 6 in.; underside with white hairs (trichomes); with 3-8 rounded-wavy teeth on each side. This shrub can be found along the Grand View Trail, on the approach to the fire tower, with scrub oak and sweetfern.
*Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)* Height to 25 ft. Leaves 2 - 7 in; with characteristic uneven bases. Flowers with long, thin, yellow petals appear in the fall. Fruits dry, 4-parted capsules. Witch hazel was thus named because the leaves appeared to early European settlers to be similar to both the English Witch Elm, and to the hazel nut. Incidently, the witch elm has nothing to do with witches - the name is derived from wyches, or chests made from witch elm wood in medieval times. Witch Hazel oil has been used for a variety of (mostly topical) medicinal purposes, and is obtained by the distillation of young twigs with bark in boiling water. Leaves often possessing nipple-like galls, called Witch-Hazel Cone Galls, caused by the plant bug Hormaphis hamamelidis. Common throughout the Park.
*Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrina* = Myrica asplenifolia)** Height to 5 ft. Leaves 3 - 6 in; fern-like; basal stipules usually seen. Twigs lightly hairy; with yellow resin dots visible with a magnifying lens; emitting a spicy-sweet aroma, detectable when walking through a stand of these plants, and more intense upon crushing. Nodding, staminate catkins containing pollen are seen late in the season, and bur-like fruits with green seeds are seen in midsummer. Abundant along the Grandview Trail on the southeastern approach to the fire tower, among dense populations of Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia); also encountered on the Ganoga View Trail.
*Beaked Willow (Salix bebbiana) - leaves may be somewhat wavy*