Plant Species Guide & Trail Highlights
Plant Species Guide & Trail Highlights Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve
Now when I walk these paths, I realize that I am a guest in this forest. It is a privilege to be able to share this exquisite beauty, this lush paradise, with the plants and animals that live here. It is the right thing to protect the land of squirrel and warbler of oak tree and pine. One can tell what is right when a walk is rewarded by a soaring heart and a peaceful mind.
Adapted from How to Create and Nurture a Nature Center In Your Community —Carolyn Chipman Evans
December 2013
CONTENTS Acknowledgments ............................................................ i Introduction ...................................................................... ii How to Use the Plant Species Guide…………………..ii Trail Highlights ............................................................ 1–4 Plant Descriptions ............................................................ 5 Quadrant Maps (with plant species locations) ......... 25–28 Glossary……………………………………………...46–47 Plant Index ................................................................ 48–50 Full Preserve Map .......................................... Back Cover
Acknowledgments This booklet has been a true labor of love. In the winter of 2002, I asked Becky Estes if she would like to help create a plant species guide for the Preserve. At that time, Becky was working for the USDA Forest Service; she is now a Forestry graduate student. She immediately said, "yes!" This booklet would never have taken form if it wasn’t for the many hours and amount of care that Becky spent locating species, writing species’ descriptions, finding pictures, collecting descriptions from other contributors, and formatting the first edition. It was great fun exploring the trails (and often off-trails) with Becky. She has a wonderful knowledge of forest flora and her interest and enthusiasm for all things wild is contagious. Another person who put a lot of effort into this project was John Hogland. John is a Forestry graduate student and an officer in the War Eagle Chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and spending many hours at the Preserve and at his computer, he was able to produce an accurate map of the Preserve with the location of each plant. John was also instrumental in coordinating a Boy Scout Troop (#29) to help place markers next to each plant and at the same time teach them how to use a GPS receiver. An organization that also deserves tremendous gratitude is the War Eagle Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. They generously donated 100 of the metal markers and 100 numbered plates that mark the plants described in the booklet. SAF supports projects that help to educate citizens about the contribution forests make to our environment, our economy, and our psychological and emotional well being. A sincere thank you to Becky, John, and the War Eagle Chapter of SAF. Also a huge thanks to the species description contributors: Dr. Richard Brinker John Hogland Dr. Michael Golden Becky Estes Margaret Holler Bob Lowe Margaret Holler Coordinator
The funding for this booklet was made possible by a generous grant from the Alabama Forest Forever Foundation
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Introduction Welcome to the nature trails of the Forest Ecology Preserve. The Preserve identifies many trees, shrubs, and vines by a numbered marker. This trail guide provides plant descriptions and often includes some of their lore, historical significance, wildlife use, and economic importance. It is important to note this guide will not include some plants due to limited space; however these plants will be identified by name markers along the trails. "Trail Highlights" have been added, starting on page 39, to interpret some of the sights and sounds you might experience throughout the Preserve. Our hope is that these highlights, along with the many interesting plant descriptions, will enhance your visit so that you will enjoy, contemplate, and learn from the many wonders and miracles that nature and each new season holds.
How to Use the Plant Species Guide MAP INFORMATION - A full Forest Ecology Preserve map is on the back cover of this booklet. The map is divided into quadrants A, B, C, & D. Each quadrant has been enlarged and appears on one of the four center-fold pages. The numbers on the quadrant maps indicate locations of the plants. PLANT DESCRIPTIONS are in numerical order and correspond to the plant numbers. PLANT INDEX gives: • • •
•
COMMON NAMES (alphabetical) GENUS & SPECIES NAMES SPECIES numbers - found numerically next to plant descriptions, on maps, and plant markers (there may be two of the same species marked but in different locations). MAP QUADRANT LETTER - A, B, C, or D (shows which center-fold map to turn to)
FINDING A PLANT: 1. Locate the plant in the index 2. Find its number on the specified quadrant map (A, B, C, or D) 3. Hike to desired location.
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Trail Highlights This section has been added to interpret some of the sights and sounds you might (or will) experience throughout the 110 acre Preserve. Quadrant A - If you look at the Quadrant A (Q–A) map (in the center-fold), you will see where to find the first plant described in this guide. Number one will be found in the main parking lot area. The natural area next to the parking lot includes a winding, wood-chip trail, a comfortable hexagonal bench and many of our native plants. Some of the plants you see do not occur in this guide but they have markers, providing you with the common and scientific names. Wax Myrtle Lane will bring you to the recently constructed (2004) pavilion, office/information center, and restroom. An amphitheater and two more restrooms are adjacent to the pavilion but actually in Q–B. On Pond Way you’ll notice a Longleaf Pine Demonstration Area. Over the past couple centuries, the longleaf pine forest has greatly declined in the Southeast. Read more about this special tree and the ecosystem it provides on the kiosk at this site. Across from the natural area, mentioned above, you will see Rill and Dell. On Rill and Dell you will find a variety of large hardwood trees as the trail heads down toward Fern View. Quadrant B – Q–B begins in the middle of Rill and Dell. Rill and Dell leads you to Fern View where many beautiful ferns appear in mid-spring and throughout the summer. There are four overlooks along Fern View with information describing the ferns you will see. Continuing east from Fern View you will come to Tree Walk. Tree Walk will then follow along a portion of the 1
southern and eastern property lines toward Azalea Place. Azalea Place is especially beautiful in the early spring when the blood root, trillium, wild ginger, birdfoot violet, and Carolina silverbell flowers begin to bloom. You may choose to continue to the north portion of the Preserve by way of the little foot bridge and N.E. Pass or walk quietly toward Reptile’s Rest to see if you can view a five-lined skink or a fence lizard sunning itself on the rock wall. As you continue north from Reptile’s Rest and arrive at Power Line Trail, look and listen for some of the forest songbirds (a few sighted in 2004: yellow-breasted chat, common yellow throat, dark eyed junco and winter wren). Birds love forest edges, they also need water. Both are provided at this site. At this point, you may decide to enjoy the fall blooming wildflowers on Power Line Trail or cut across the power line to Hidden Trail which takes you to Quadrant C. Quadrant C - Q–C includes many wonderful water features. A spring (starting in Quadrant D) feeds the stream which fills the little pond where many water loving plants and creatures find a home. Can you hear the frogs croaking? See the turtles basking and the dragonflies alight on the reeds and rushes? The overflow of water is released through a spillway next to the dam, and then travels down to a rocky slope which forms a delightful waterfall called Hidden Falls (sit awhile on the little bench and enjoy the view). The water that cascades into the rocky creek below will flow beside Hidden Trail, through Azalea Place and out of the Preserve. To cross over the spillway, stepping rocks have been provided (always an adventure for the young visitors and the young-atheart). Also provided is a port-o-john at the north 2
parking lot (just off of Ct. Rd. 72) and a pavilion, just east of the pond, in case of inclement weather. As you make your way up Barn Trace from the pond, or if you follow Pond Way to Homestead Trail you’ll arrive at two interesting areas to visit. One is the beautiful Butterfly Garden. It is kept up by several faithful volunteers (additional help is always welcome). Get out those cameras, binoculars, and field guides as you identify the variety of butterflies that can be seen from mid-summer until mid-fall. Another area is the Homestead which brings you now to Quadrant D. Quadrant D - At the Homestead you will find the remaining rock foundation and the original fireplace bricks from the Cooper family home. It once stood on the site, before the turn of the century, until the early 1940's, when it burned down. A kiosk with pictures and information give a brief history. There is also an old barn that still stands. The side of the barn closest to the vegetable garden is the original portion that was once a smoke house and the other side was added when Louise Kreher Turner started raising cattle on the land in the late 1940's. If you head west on Homestead Trail, you’ll want to turn on Boulder Ridge. There you’ll find a beautiful outcropping of large boulders and a slopping, fairly open, hardwood forest. Many white oaks and hickories are on this hillside with the spring-head at the bottom of the slope. There are two benches just off the trail for you to sit and meditate, watch for wildlife, read poetry, or just enjoy the view. Walking on to reach Cemetery Trail you’ll see the back side of the Farmville Cemetery where Dr. and Mrs. Watkins and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, the first and second owners of the homestead, are 3
buried. Also buried there is Mr. Frank Turner, who, along with his wife, Louise K. Turner, in 1993 donated the 110 acre forest preserve to Auburn University School of Forestry (now the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences). Continue walking and choose either Ridge Path or Hi Lo Vista to bring you back to Pond Way (I’m told that if you look carefully on the north side of Ridge Path when the leaves have fallen, you may see the remains of an old still). Now, heading south on Pond Way you will reach the power line. The power line and some of the surrounding area was once the main cotton field on the property. If you look down (or up if you’re looking from the east end) you will notice the terraces that were made long ago to help keep the soil from washing away. Today, on the power line, we look forward to seeing the beautiful wildflowers and native grasses which are at their peak in the early fall. This is also a place where bluebirds, and often times titmice and chickadees, set up housekeeping, thanks to the lovingly donated and placed bluebird nest boxes. The insect eating birds (and entomologists) also love this area because of the abundance and variety of insects that hum throughout the grasses and flowers.
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Plant Descriptions sumac, smooth (Rhus glabra)
1–A
The smooth sumac is not as common as the winged sumac (5– A). This shrub, or small tree, has pinnately compound leaves with 11–31 leaflets attached to a smooth, wingless stalk. These leaflets are a dull green on top with a waxy-white underside. The twigs are hairless and emit a milky sap when broken. The smooth sumac can also be identified by its noticeable fruit in the late summer. The fruit becomes a velvet-red upright panicle of many small berries, which numerous birds and other wildlife Figure 1 Smooth sumac feed on. The flowers are greenishwhite and not as eye-catching as the fruit. Forest Fact: The smooth sumac is the only shrub or tree species native to all 48 contiguous states.
locust, black (Robinia pseudoacacia)
2–A
A member of the legume family, the black locust is a mediumsized tree with once-compound leaves. Each 8–14 inch leaf has 6– 20 egg-shaped leaflets. You will often find one-half–1 inch paired thorns at the leaf scars. The bark is rough and dark brown. On mature trees the bark is deeply ridged and furrowed. The fragrant, white clustered flowers are very attractive in early spring, and the fruits are 2–6 inch flat, oblong pods (legumes). Bobwhites, mourning doves, cottontail rabbits, and deer eat the seeds. Forest Fact: People often use the wood of a black locust for making fence posts and railroad ties because it is hard, durable, and rotresistant.
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sunflower, narrow-leaved; swamp
3–A
(Helianthus angustifolius) Unlike the large sunflowers people are most familiar with, the narrowleaved sunflower is only about two inches across. It is a native perennial reaching up to 7 feet tall and is the most common sunflower in the mid-southeastern Figure 2 Narrow-leaved swamp sunflower United States. As in all true sunflowers, what first appears to be the flower is actually an arrangement of individual ray flowers and hundreds of tiny flowers in the center called disc flowers. The narrowleaved sunflower displays yellow ray flowers, dark purple disc flowers, hairy stems, and long, narrow alternate leaves. Forest Fact: The swamp sunflower looks beautiful in the early fall since the flowers grow in dense clumps.
redbud, eastern (Cercis canadensis)
4–A
The eastern redbud is a large deciduous shrub or small tree, native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario, Canada south to northern Florida but can thrive as far west as California. It has a short, often twisted trunk and spreading branches. The smooth bark is scaly and dark with maroon patches. The leaves are alternate, simple, heart-shaped. Forest Fact: In some parts of southern Appalachia, people use the shrub’s green twigs to season wild game such as venison and opossum making it known as the spicewood tree in these mountain areas.
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dogwood, swamp (Cornus obliqua)
5–A
The swamp dogwood is a shrub with many stems and can grow up to 12 feet tall. The coloration of branch bark varies with age and the local ecotype; it can be gray, brown, reddish brown, yellowish brown, or red. The bark of young branches is smooth with scattered white lenticels (air pores), while the bark of older branches is more rough. Forest Fact: Observers often confuse the swamp dogwood for a red osier dogwood because of their similar reddish-brown bark and tendency to grown in the same habitats.
elm, winged (Ulmus alata)
6–A
The winged elm is easily identified because of its corky wings that often appear on the branches and twigs. It is also identified by its grayish-brown and somewhat scaly bark. The leaves of the winged elm are lance-shaped with hairy undersides and doublyserrated (toothed) edges. The winged elm is a common understory tree that often does not grow tall unless it is on the borders of swamps or rivers, where it can reach up to 100 feet. The samara (fruit) is a flat, winged capsule with dense Figure 3 Winged elm white hairs that mature in early spring before the leaves emerge. Forest Fact: The furniture industry often uses the heavy wood of the winged elm for crates and boxes because it is hard and strong.
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hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
7–A (60–C)
The hornbeam is also called ironwood or musclewood because of its smooth, gray bark that has a sinewy and muscular appearance. The zig-zag twigs are reddish in color with gray lenticels. The hornbeam’s leaves are doubly-toothed with hairy undersides. Its fruit, which matures in the late summer, is also very distinctive with nutlets that form in a three-lobed leafy bract. The nutlets are eaten by many songbirds, wild turkey, and squirrels. Reaching only about 30 feet in height, the hornbeam has very strong wood but has little economic value. Forest Fact: The leaves of the hornbeam enrich the litter/soil because major plant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus remain in the leaves when they are shed.
myrtle, wax (Myrica cerifera)
8–A (48–B)
Most botanists consider the wax myrtle a shrub although it can become a tree. Its leaves are evergreen and slender with several teeth at the tips. These leaves have a fresh, spicy fragrance. There are golden resin specks on both sides of the leaves, although they more typically appear on the underside. Male and female (staminate and pistillate) flowers grow on separate trees and bloom in the spring. The wax myrtle’s fruits are small, blue-gray berries that cluster along the branches in the fall. The wax myrtle has also been called southern bayberry and candleberry. Forest Fact: These berries have been used in candle and soap making.
hickory, pignut (Carya glabra)
9–A (32–B)
The pignut hickory’s bark is divided into closely-packed low ridges that form a diamond pattern. Its leaves are pinnately compound with five, but sometimes seven, leaflets that are usually hairless (glabrous) on the undersides. The tree’s fruit is very different from the mockernut because it is smaller, pear-shaped, thin-husked, and splits only halfway to its base. Forest Fact: The pignut hickory is known as a strong tree, making it perfect for such items as ax handles, wagon wheels, and even skis.
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buckeye, bottlebrush (Aesculus parviflora)
10–A
The bottlebrush buckeye, which can grow to approximately fifteen feet tall, is a rare plant only found in central Alabama and Georgia. Like the red buckeye (#38), the bottlebrush buckeye has leaves that are palmately compound with a nut-like fruit. The one feature that distinguishes the bottlebrush from the red buckeye is its flowers. The blooms are white and the flowers are clustered on an upright spike with extended anthers, giving it the appearance of a bottlebrush. In the fall, the leaves turn a vibrant yellow color. The buckeyes are common in rich woods along stream banks.
oak, southern red (Quercus falcate) 11–A The southern red oak is a common type of upland oak that is found in central and southern Alabama. The larger trees have rough bark on the lower trunk or bole. Its leaves are identified by the "U" or bell-shaped base (think of the Southern Belle). The lower shade leaves are commonly broad with only three lobes and are sometimes compared to a thick turkey foot. The sun leaves have more lobes and a long terminal lobe that sometimes curves to one side. Each lobe has a bristle tip, typical of red oaks. The mature leaves are somewhat rough and have a slightly yellowish or gray hairy underside. Because its acorns are small (one-half–three-fourth inch), they are readily carried by some birds, particularly blue jays, resulting in the southern red oak being more easily and widely dispersed than oaks with larger acorns. Therefore, this species invades open fields and openings in pine stands more quickly than those with large acorns. Forest Fact: Though the reason is unclear, early botanists and writers called this species the Spanish oak.
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maple, red (Acer rubrum)
13–A (46–B)
Often called Swamp Maple, the red maple can grow 60–90 feet tall with a diameter of 2.5 feet. The 2–4 inch leaves with three short pointed lobes grow on slender, reddish twigs. In spring, clusters of scarlet flowers appear before the leaves. The thin bark is smooth and grayish in color on younger trees and darker and more broken on older trees. Forest Fact: The bark of the red maple often provided pioneers with ink and dye. Usually found in wet, moist soils along stream banks and in swamps, this tree also grows on dry ridges and in mixed hardwood forests.
Figure 4 Red maple
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grape, muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) 14–B Most people in the South are familiar with the purple muscadine grape. The muscadine is a highly cultivated fruit because of its tolerance to pests. In the forest, the muscadine is a vine that can grow high into the trees or trail along the ground. The woody stem Figure 5 Muscadine grape will become quite stout with age, up to about two inches in diameter. Its leaves are alternate and heart-shaped, or rounded with toothed edges. Its yellow-green flowers are barely noticeable. There is also a green version of the muscadine fruit that botanists refer to as the scuppernong. Forest Fact: Southerners have a variety of uses for muscadine grapes; they eat them as a fruit, use them in jellies, and make them into wine.
blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
15–B (78–C)
The blackgum, occasionally called black tupelo or pepperridge, has many slender horizontal branches and thick, rough, dark grayish-black, indented bark. The leaves, which have a pointed tip, are leathery, dark green and very lustrous. They turn a scarlet color in autumn. The fruit is a juicy drupe (fleshy with one seed) growing in clusters of one to three on drooping stalks and serves as food for many birds and mammals. Heartwood decay is common in the blackgum, resulting in many hollow trees. Early settlers cut these hollow trees into short lengths and used them as beehives, earning them the name bee-gum trees. The blackgum is not highly regarded as a valuable commercial tree, but it did serve the early settlers of America in many important ways. The fibers are braided and cross-woven making the wood very difficult to split, causing warp and twist in sawn boards. Forest Fact: But because nothing can split it, blackgum was used as the handles of heavy-duty tools, served as gunstocks and pistol grips, was made into veneer for boxes and crates, and formed into chopping bowls and wooden parts for early farm equipment.
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dogwood, flowering (Cornus florida) 16–B (73–C) Considered one of the most beautiful trees in eastern North America, the flowering dogwood has noticeable early spring flowers. Its bark is dark reddish brown and is broken into small, square plates. The leaves are elliptical with slightly wavy edges that turn scarlet in the fall. The fruit of the dogwood is a small, elliptical, shiny red berry that provides an important food source for wildlife. The dogwood has a short trunk and a crown of spreading or nearly horizontal branches, attaining heights of up to 30 feet. The wood of the flowering dogwood is extremely shock resistant and has been useful throughout the years. Forest Fact: It has been used for making weaving shuttles, mauls, wedges, spindles, hayforks, chisel handles, and golf clubs. Forest Fact: Indians used the aromatic bark and roots as a remedy for malaria and extracted red dye from the roots.
magnolia, sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana)
17–B
The sweetbay magnolia is the most widely distributed magnolia and is often planted as an ornamental tree. Its leaves are thick and evergreen with white hairy undersides. When the sweetbay magnolia’s leaves are crushed, they have a spicy, pleasant aroma. Figure 6 Sweetbay magnolia Its flowers are similar to other magnolias but are smaller in size. The bark is dark gray and very smooth. Sweetbay magnolias are typically found in wet areas of the coastal plain and piedmont regions. Its fruit serves as a food source for many wildlife species and beaver will eat its bark. Forest Fact: In early America, settlers called the sweetbay magnolia the beaver tree because they used its fleshy roots to bait beavers.
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switchcane (Arundinaria gigantean)
18–B
Arundinaria is the largest native grass in the United States with only three subspecies. The only subspecies growing in the southeastern United States is spp. gigantea (giant cane). The common name is cane, or switchcane, and it grows in moist to wet sites. You will find it growing in several sites on the Preserve, all of which are near or next to a stream bank or low lying area. This bamboo-like grass can form open to dense stands or canebrakes; it is becoming less common as clearing and other land use occurs. The canebrakes provide excellent cover and nesting habitat for many wetland wildlife species.
elm, American (Ulmus Americana)
19–B (24–B)
Because of its height (up to 125 feet) and its drooping branches, the American elm is a favorite shade tree in neighborhoods and on school campuses. Identified by its gray bark with deep fissures and ridges, the elm is also characterized by its unusual leaves that do not meet equally at the base and have doubly-toothed edges. The elm’s fruits are saucer-shaped seeds that disperse on the wind. Forest Fact: Dutch Elm Disease, a nasty disease carried by a bark beetle, is a common foe of the American elm and has claimed many of these stately trees.
pine, shortleaf (Pinus echinata)
20–B (50–B)
The shortleaf pine is a valuable source of timber at a mature age, particularly in the Southeast. Its needles are short, usually only 3–5 inches in length, and grow with two, sometimes three, in each bundle. Its cones are very small and armed with prickles. Notice the loblolly next to this shortleaf pine. Compare the needles, the cones, and the flakier bark. Look also for the pin-sized resin holes in the shortleaf’s attractive red-orange bark. Figure 7 Shortleaf pine
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poplar, yellow (Liriodendron tulipifera)
21–B
Contrary to its name, the yellow poplar, or tulip tree, is not actually a poplar but a member of the magnolia family. It can grow to great heights (up to 150 feet) and its diameter can reach up to five feet across. Two of the country’s champion yellow poplar trees are located in Alabama. The tree’s tulipshaped flowers are greenish yellow with blotches of orange. Because they are moth Figure 8 Yellow poplar pollinated, these flowers have a strong yet pleasant odor. The yellow poplar’s seeds are wind-dispersed samaras, or winged fruit, that are contained in a cone-like structure. The unusual leaves are large with four lobes and have a broad notch at the tip (apex). Its trunk is straight with very smooth grayish bark on younger trees that will have deeper grooves with age.
birch, river (Betula nigra)
22–B
This particular species of birch grows farther south than any other birch species. It is recognizable by its bark that peels off in dark, reddish-brown scales, exposing a second salmon-colored bark beneath. The 2–4 inch leaves are triangular with edges that are doubly-serrated, having large and small teeth. The seeds of the river Figure 9 River birch birch are highly dependent on water for dissemination because when the seeds shed in May, the rivers, often at their peaks, carry the seeds for miles until they germinate on a muddy bank. Forest Fact: Although selling the wood of the river birch has never been profitable, the tree serves
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an important ecological role. It holds the banks of rivers intact, preventing erosion during excessive flooding.
oak, water (Quercus nigra)
24–B (52–B)
Widely distributed throughout the South, the water oak is one of the most common oaks in the Alabama Piedmont region. As its name implies, this tree achieves its best growth and largest size on bottomlands, but it also grows well on a wide range of upland sites and is widely planted along city streets. The tree’s leaves vary, even on the same tree. These trees will usually include leaves with the characteristic tapering, wedged-like base and broad, not lobed, or three-lobed blade end. Although botanists class the tree as a red oak, the leaves of the water oak do not have noticeable bristles. However, as with other red oaks, the acorns of the water oak take two seasons to mature and require cool, moist storage for germination. Though its acorns are small, this tree is one of the most consistent and prolific acorn producers among our native oaks. It is an extremely valuable source of food for wildlife, especially for deer, ducks, wild turkey, and squirrels. Like the southern red oak, the small size of the water oak’s acorns results in its wide dissemination by some birds, especially blue jays.
cedar, eastern red (Juniperus virginiana) 25–B (33– B) The eastern red cedar is a unique conifer because it is dioecious, meaning it can be either male or female. The female version has silky flowers and blue berries which have an unpleasant odor when smashed. The male version has small cones. The fruits of the eastern red cedar are a favorite among many birds,
Figure 10 Eastern red cedar
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especially the Cedar Waxwing, whose name stems from its love for the tree. The foliage consists of blunt, overlapping needles with a resin gland. Forest Fact: The fragrant juniper wood was used mainly in the production of pencils, but it is now utilized for much more. Because the bark peels even when the tree is young, it is a favorite among woodworkers.
holly, American (Ilex opaca)
26–B
Often seen during the Christmas season, the American holly has leaves that are thick and green with prickly points. The holly’s presence in the wild has decreased since it has become a popular holiday tree. The holly tree is dioecious, meaning it will have either Figure 11 American holly male or female flowers, but not both, on one tree. The female tree bears deep red berries that persist throughout winter and provides a favored wildlife food. The American holly can grow to a medium-sized tree with smooth gray, warty bark and is usually found growing in moist soils.
oak, post (Quercus stellata)
27–B (51–B)
The post oak is a medium-sized upland oak that is usually found with thick, somewhat contorted branches, particularly true of those that grow in drier areas. Its well-developed leaves are characteristically cruciform, or cross-shaped. These leaves have five major lobes, are somewhat rough in texture on the top, and have dense hairs underneath. The twigs are rather stout and quite hairy. The medium-sized acorns have caps that cover one-third to one-half of the nut. The post oak is classified in the white oak subgroup (Leucobalanus), meaning its leaf tips lack bristles and its acorns mature in one season. Although poorer in quality than the white oak, the wood of the post oak is tough and is suitable for fence posts, cross ties, and pallets.
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hickory, red (Carya ovalis)
28–B
The red hickory is similar to, and sometimes considered a variety of, the pignut hickory but with some distinct differences. The red hickory’s fruit has a rough husk, which splits to the base, and its bark has loose, scaly ridges. The leaves, when crushed, will produce a pleasant spicy aroma and, as with all hickories, will turn a beautiful yellow color in the fall. The red hickory you see on Tree Walk is the only one growing at the Forest Ecology Preserve so far.
pine, loblolly (Pinus taeda)
29–B
Also known as old-field pine because of its abundance in open fields, the loblolly is a very common species in the Southeast and is often seen along roadsides. Its needles usually grow in bundles of three (sometimes four) and are a pale green in color. The loblolly’s medium-sized cones are a light reddish brown with short prickles. Its bark is brown with red-brown plates. The loblolly’s lumber is used on a wide scale, not because of its quality, but because of its abundance, particularly in the Coastal Plain region.
oak, northern red (Quercus rubra)
30–B
The northern red oak is a large upland oak that occurs widely throughout most of the eastern United States and into Canada. Because of its relatively fast growth, typically straight, clear trunk, and beautiful wood, the northern red oak is a highly desirable timber species throughout the southern portion of its range. This tree also has large acorns that have shallow, platter-like acorn caps. These acorns are a favorite of deer and squirrels in the fall. The leaves are broad and are typically shiny on both sides, with 7– 11 bristle-tipped lobes. The bark on the middle and upper trunks of the mature trees have broad, flat, light gray ridges separated by dark grooves, giving the impression of having broad, gray streaks. In the South, the northern red oak typically grows in more mesic (moderately moist but not wet) upland habitats.
hickory, mockernut (Carya tomentosa)
31–B
Its stout branches and large, yellowish buds make the mockernut hickory very recognizable. Its bark is dark gray and becomes shallowly fissured with age. The leaves of the mockernut are composed of 7–9 leaflets with finely toothed edges, or margins,
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and hairy undersides. When crushed, the leaves emit a lemony scent. The mockernut’s fruit is a nut encased in a very thick husk that splits to the base. Many small mammals favor the fruit of all hickory trees.
hickory, pignut (Carya glabra)
32–B
For a description, refer to #9–A.
cedar, eastern red (Juniperus virginiana)
33–B
For a description, refer to #25–B. (Pictured on page 11)
witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
34–B
The essence of witch hazel is extracted from this tree’s inner bark and can be found on the medicine aisle of some stores as witch hazel astringent. One of the many distinguishing features of witch hazel is its oval-shaped, dark green, wavy-edged leaves. Its yellow flowers are unusual, with four stringy, somewhat curly petals, and bloom after the leaves have fallen from the tree, usually in fall or early winter. The two-beaked, orange-brown woody fruit does not ripen until late fall of the following year. When the fruit is ripe, the seeds shoot out of a capsule, sometimes traveling 30 feet. Witches in colonial America thought that using witch hazel branches would help them find water and gold.
croton, Alabama (Croton alabamensis)
35–B
The Alabama croton is a very rare shrub that grows in only two Alabama counties, Bibb and Tuscaloosa. The specimen at the Forest Ecology Preserve was planted on this site. The croton is normally partial to harsh environments such as limestone bluffs and shallow soils. Upon close inspection, you will notice the croton has silvery scales on its stems and leaves. The scales on the back of the leaf are so close together that the leaf appears to be silvery white in color. The croton’s flower is a yellow cluster, and its fruit is a silver capsule. The croton is at its peak in the fall, when the leaves turn a beautiful orange color.
silverbell, Carolina (Halesia tetraptera)
36–B
The bark of the silverbell is reddish brown and smooth on small trees. It becomes more gray-brown with scales on the larger ones. The silverbell’s twigs are reddish brown with shield-shaped leaf scars. Its leaves are elliptical with small sharp teeth around the edges. The silverbell’s bell-shaped, white flowers are beautiful in
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early April. In fall, its leaves turn a golden color and its fourwinged fruit becomes mature. The two-wing silverbell (H. diptera) is very similar to the Carolina silverbell and is also native to this area.
sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
38–B (76–C)
As its name describes, the leaves and twigs of the sourwood taste sour. Native Americans would often chew on a sourwood leaf to ward off thirst during long distance runs. Its leaves are elliptical in shape and turn bright red in early fall. The bark is grayish brown and deeply grooved. The sourwood’s flowers are small, white, and plentiful along a stalk that resembles lily-of-the-valley. Its fruits droop in clusters and remain on the tree throughout winter. They grow under the tree the next season. The South is prized for its sourwood honey—the finest around but difficult to find.
buckeye, red (Aesculus pavia)
37–B
With its bright red, tubular flowers and red stalk, the red buckeye is a favorite of hummingbirds, making it a very popular backyard bush. The leaves on the red buckeye are palmately compound, exhibiting a hand-like arrangement. The tree’s fruit is a nut-like capsule containing 1–3 large seeds. There has long been a legend that carrying a buckeye seed in your pocket will bring good luck. The foliage and seeds are very poisonous to both humans and livestock when eaten, so humans should not handle them. This particular specimen has been giving a spectacular spring showing!
azalea, coral (Rhododendron prunfolium)
39-B
“Coral Bells” azalea is an early-blooming, compact shrub that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9. It features masses of coral-pink blossoms supported by gray-green foliage. The blooms are termed “hose-in-hose,” which means a flower within a flower. With an average height and spread of 3’, “Coral Bells” azalea is suitable for borders, hedging, containers and woodland settings.
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paw-paw, dwarf (Asimina parviflora)
40–B
The dwarf paw-paw is a shrub that looks similar to many tropical plants. Its leaves are long with the widest part of the leaf in the middle. The leaves have smooth edges and smell like green pepper when crushed. The paw-paw’s flowers range from greenish purple to a deep red in color and smell like wine. Perhaps the most interesting part of the plant is its fruit, which consist of large, green, oblong berries that turn yellow and have a custard-like flavor in the late summer. At one time, the paw-paw had a very expansive range, but it now grows only as an understory plant in the South. Many Southerners still make its fruit into jellies.
honeysuckle, Japanese (Lonicera japonica) 41–B The Japanese honeysuckle is a vine native to Asia but has become naturalized across North America and commonly grows in backyards. The semievergreen leaves are opposite and the fragrant white to pale yellow flowers are twoFigure 12 Japanese honeysuckle lipped and tubular. Many people have tasted the sweet nectar and enjoyed the pleasant fragrance of the honeysuckle flowers, which bloom in April through June. Most birds eat the fruit of the Japanese honeysuckle and it is an important browse plant for white-tailed deer and our eastern cottontail. This honeysuckle species is a fastgrowing, invasive vine that often replaces the native vegetation of an area.
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beech, American (Fagus grandifolia)
42–B
The American beech can attain heights of 60–80 feet. It has a smooth, blue-gray bark and elliptical-shaped leaves. A distinctive feature of the beech is the long, pointed, cigar-like terminal bud. The leaves turn bright yellow in autumn, before turning brown where they remain on the tree throughout the winter. The fruit of the beech consists of nuts enclosed in four-cleft burs and is an important food source for wildlife. The American beech has deep historical roots and occupied vast expanses of forest throughout the eastern United States. Forest Fact: For years, people have been tempted to carve into the bark of beech trees. For example, Daniel Boone recorded one of his feats on a large beech tree in Washington County, Tennessee. It reads "D. Boone, Cilled a Bar, On Tree, In Year 1760." This tree fell in 1916 after growing 28 feet in girth and 70 feet tall. It was estimated to be 365 years old.
Figure 13 American beech
yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)
43–B
Yaupon is an evergreen shrub found on a variety of lands in the United States. It has an abundance of pine understories and is widely used as an ornamental plant. Along with the American holly, the yaupon is also a member of the holly family, which is native to much of the eastern United States. Its leaves are small with toothed edges. The stems of the yaupon are white, stiff, and almost like thorns. In the spring, small, white, four-petaled
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flowers bloom. Yaupons are dioecious, meaning the male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Its prominent red berries mature in the fall. Forest Fact: The scientific name comes from its ancient use as a tea that natives drank to purge their system of impurities. This tea is also used as a caffeinated drink in some cultures.
oak, white (Quercus alba)
44–B (70–C)
The white oak is among the widest of the American oaks and can grow laterally to a massive girth. It can grow on a wide variety of soil types except for extremely wet and extremely dry soils. Its bark is slightly grooved and is covered with loose scaly plates. The name, white oak, is derived primarily from its whitish, ashFigure 14 White oak gray bark and pale wood. The leaves are dark green on top and pale green underneath. The oak has seven to nine lobes that tend to be shallowly cut in the shade and very deeply cut in the sun. Its leaves lack bristles, like others in the white oak subgenus (Leucobalanus). The white oak’s acorns are typically medium-sized with bowl-shaped knobby caps and they have lower tannin levels than those of red oaks, making them a favorite of many wildlife species. They are a favorite of whitetail deer. Throughout history, the white oak has been the most commercially used of all the oaks. Because of its hardness and durability, the white oak has been used for such things as furniture, flooring, log cabins, and wooden bridges. While red oak wood is porous, white oak wood is not, so it has often been used for tight cooperage—containers for liquid, such as barrels and buckets. Forest Fact: This tree has been a favorite for use in weaving baskets as well as chair seats and backs from thin strips of its wood.
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honeysuckle, trumpet (Lonicera sempervirens)45–B For a description, refer to #4–A. (Pictured on page 2)
maple, red (Acer rubrum)
46–B
For a description, refer to #13–A. (Pictured on page ii)
persimmon, common (Diospyros virginiana) 47–B For a description, refer to #16–B. (Pictured on page 8)
myrtle, wax (Myrica cerifera) For a description, refer to #8–A. (Pictured on page 4)
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48–B
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
49–B
Sweetgum grow fast and thrive on a variety of soil types ranging from intermittently flooded bottomlands to somewhat dry uplands. Its leaves are star-shaped, with five pointed lobes arranged like fingers radiating from a palm. These Figure 15 Sweetgum leaves exude a strong, rather pleasant odor when crushed. The sweetgum’s abundant fruits are spiny, woody balls that litter the ground underneath large trees and prove to be quite a nuisance in yards. These balls are very prolific in producing tiny, winged, winddisseminated seeds. After cutting down the sweetgum, the stumps sprout vigorously. A circle of sprouts from shallow roots can grow one to ten (or more) feet from the original tree. As its scientific name describes, sweetgum trees exude a sticky, slightly sweet sap when wounded. This sap thickens and dries over time to an amber color. When it thickens to just the right consistency, this strong tasting "gum" can be chewed. Forest Fact: Confederate doctors during the Civil War used the gum to treat skin sores and dysentery. During World War II, the gum was an important base for salves, adhesives, soaps, and tobacco flavoring. At that time, a sweetgum tree tapping industry developed in southwestern Alabama. The gum was scraped, then heated, strained, and canned. The light-colored wood, termed "sap gum" in the timber trade, is soft and light and is used commercially for veneer, trim, pallets, and paper pulp. Some of the larger trees found growing in bottomlands develop a deep red heartwood that is much more valuable and used for more expensive furniture and veneer.
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Quadrant Map A #1–13
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Quadrant Map B #14–59
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Quadrant Map C #60–82
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Quadrant Map D #83–90
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pine, shortleaf (Pinus echinata)
50–B
For a description, refer to #20–B.
oak, post (Quercus stellata)
51–B
For a description, refer to #27–B.
oak, water (Quercus nigra)
52–B
Widely distributed throughout the South, the water oak is one of the most common oaks in the Alabama Piedmont region. As its name implies, this tree achieves its best growth and largest size on bottomlands, but it also grows well on a wide range of upland sites and is widely planted along city streets. The tree’s leaves vary, even on the same tree. These trees will usually include leaves with the characteristic tapering, wedged-like base and broad, not lobed, or three-lobed blade end. Although botanists class the tree as a red oak, the leaves of the water oak do not have noticeable bristles. However, as with other red oaks, the acorns of the water oak take two seasons to mature and require cool, moist storage for germination. Though its acorns are small, this tree is one of the most consistent and prolific acorn producers among our native oaks. Forest Fact: It is an extremely valuable source of food for wildlife, especially for deer, ducks, wild turkey, and squirrels. Like the southern red oak, the small size of the water oak’s acorns results in its wide dissemination by some birds, especially blue jays.
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hydrangea, oak-leaf (Hydrangea quercifolia)53–B Named for its oak-like leaves, the oak-leaf hydrangea is the state wildflower of Alabama. Forest Fact: While its leaves turn orange and red in the fall, it is this hydrangea’s flowers that most people consider the prettiest part of the plant. The oak-leaf hydrangea has Figure 16 Oak-leaf hydrangea white flowers that bloom in early summer and grow on large spikes. These flowers remain into the winter, turning reddish and then tan. The bark is visible as it peels throughout the year. Native to the Southeast, it is widely planted as an ornamental plant.
maple, ashleaf; box-elder (Acer negundo)
54–B
The name box-elder, which is widely used, fails to suggest that it is a member of the maple family. Box-elder’s winged fruit ("samara" or "key") and the placement of the leaves (directly opposite each other) on the stem are obvious characteristics of all maples. This tree’s opposite, pinnately compound leaves may be mistaken for an ash since the ashes also have the same leaf arrangement. The leaflets number 3–5 (commonly three, more rarely 7–9). When only three leaflets are present, the foliage often resembles poison ivy. This medium-sized tree has smooth, bright green twigs, sometimes with a whitish coating that rubs off. Forest Fact: Squirrels and songbirds love the fruit, and its soft white wood is used for making boxes and other items.
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plum, Chickasaw (Prunus angustifolia)
55–B
This shrub or small tree flourishes in disturbed areas and along fencerows. The Chickasaw plum consists of fragrant, white blooms that cover the entire tree before the leaves emerge. Figure 17 Chickasaw plum The sweet red plums, maturing by late summer, are used in making jellies and are consumed by a number of mammals. When formed into thickets, the trees also provide ideal nesting and cover for song and game birds. The leaves are often folded upward with a sharp point on the end and red glands at the base. The twigs are redbrown in color and shiny with thorns. The bark is also red-brown and shiny, becoming scaly with age.
blueberry, Elliott (Vaccinium elliottii)
56–B
Sometimes called mayberry or huckleberry, this medium-sized branchy shrub stands out because of its light green stems. The shrub has small, thick, glossy leaves that have fine, sharp serrations (teeth) along the edges and often turn bright red in the fall. The flowers, which appear in early spring, are shaped like a vase and are white or pink. The fruit resembles a small blueberry, with many animals enjoying the berries and deer often munching on the leaves of the Elliott blueberry plant.
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sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)
57–B
Related to the blueberry, the sparkleberry can grow to either a bush or a small tree. Its oval- to round-shaped leaves are alternately arranged on the stem and turn golden to red in the fall. Clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers appear in spring to early summer. The bark on the mature sparkleberry is fragmented and red. Unlike other vaccinium species, the sparkleberry’s blueberry-like fruit is not a favorite of wildlife because of its gritty texture; however, its nectar and leaves are preferred foods of certain butterflies and caterpillars.
devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa)
58–B (63–C)
The prickly bark and twigs of this plant give its common names— devil’s walking stick or sometimes hercules club. A native shrub, devil’s walking stick has extremely large bipinnately compound leaves. The creamy white, visible flowers appear at the top of the shrub between July and August. The fruit is a purple berry, a favorite of songbirds and other wildlife. Devil’s walking stick is often used as a border plant by landscapers.
maple, Florida (Acer barbatum)
59–B (88–D)
The Florida maple is often noticed for its dangling clusters of small, yellow flowers that appear in the spring and its brilliant fall colors of red, orange, and yellow. The leaves are palmately three to five lobed with smooth, somewhat rounded edges and a white pubescent (hairy) underside. The fruit of this maple is a doublewinged samara (seed) that forms a 100-degree angle. Some say the sap of the Florida maple can be tapped for making syrup much like the famed sugar maple of the North. Because of other similarities, the Florida maple has often been called, “southern sugar maple.” (Notice young Florida maple behind longleaf pine Kiosk)
hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) For a description, refer to #7–A.
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60–C
pine, loblolly (Pinus taeda)
61–C (29–B)
Also known as old-field pine because of its abundance in open fields, the loblolly is a very common species in the Southeast and is often seen along roadsides. Its needles usually grow in bundles of three (sometimes four) and are a pale green in color. The loblolly’s medium-sized cones are a light reddish brown with short prickles. Its bark is brown with red-brown plates. The loblolly’s lumber is used on a wide scale, not because of its quality, but because of its abundance, particularly in the Coastal Plain region.
sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
62–C
The American sycamore is one of the largest of the eastern hardwoods. It grows often on stream banks and in bottomlands. The bark peels off in large flakes revealing patches of a whitish, mottled color. Forest Fact: Buttons were once made from the core of the ball-shaped fruit. (Large FEP specimens have not been found near a trail.)
Figure 18 Sycamore
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devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa)
63–C
For a description, refer to #58–B.
sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
64–C
The strong spicy or licorice aroma of its leaves, twigs, bark, and roots often identifies the sassafras. It is found in the understory of forests but can also grow into a large tree in wetter areas. The leaves of the sassafras have three distinct shapes—an oval (no lobes), a mitten (one Figure 19 Sassafras lobe) or three lobed. Its fruit, which are dark blue berries, appear in early fall and are enjoyed by a variety of wildlife. A delicious tea can be made by boiling the outer layer of the roots while a sassafras oil extract is used in soaps, perfumes, and sometimes as a flavoring in candy.
oak, laurel (Quercus hemisphaerica)
65–C
The laurel oak is nearly evergreen and often found on relatively dry, sandy, or upland sites. It has narrowly oblong, bristle tip leaves. The acorns are small, round, and have flat-topped caps that cover only about one-fourth of the nut. This oak is often planted as a landscape tree because of its shiny evergreen leaves.
azalea, wild (Rhododendron canescens)
66–C
Often called “wild honeysuckle,” the wild azalea is a woody shrub with light pink, sweet-smelling flowers. These 4–5 foot shrubs typically grow along streams and in moist woods. Forest Fact: The wild azalea was first discovered by Mark Catesby around 1730.
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magnolia, southern (Magnolia grandiflora)
Figure 20 Southern magnolia
67–C
The southern magnolia is one of our most beautiful native trees and is a popular ornamental that is planted around the world in temperate climates. An evergreen with a straight trunk, the southern magnolia grows as tall as 80 feet with a diameter of three feet. It produces large, white flowers and cone-like fruit. It grows best in moist soils in both valley and low upland regions. The wood from this tree is used for furniture, cabinetwork, boxes, and doors. In addition, the large, glossy leaves are often used by florists in floral arrangements.
oak, black (Quercus velutina)
68–C
Named for the rough, dark bark found on the lower trunk of larger, older trees, the black oak is one of the large upland oaks commonly found in the Piedmont region. Its leaves have five to seven broad lobes, with striking bristle tips. These leaves are thick, sometimes slightly rough on the upper surface and often with a hairy underside. They vary in shape with 5–9 lobes that are either shallowly or deeply lobed. Its medium-sized acorns have scales on the bowl-shaped acorn cap producing a slightly loose, downward fringe at the edges. The black oak is classified in the red oak subgroup (Erythrobalanus), which can be identified by its bristle tipped leaves and its acorns which take two seasons to mature. This is the only red oak that has an orange to deep yellow inner bark compared to the pink to red inner bark of the other trees in the red oak family. The black oak’s wood is useful for flooring, trim, cabinets, and furniture. In addition, its inner bark has been used in making a yellow dye.
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maple, red (Acer rubrum)
69–C (13–A)
Often called Swamp Maple, the red maple can grow 60–90 feet tall with a diameter of 2.5 feet. The 2–4 inch leaves with three short, pointed lobes grow on slender, reddish twigs. In spring, clusters of scarlet flowers appear before the leaves. The thin bark is smooth and grayish in color on younger trees and darker and more broken on older trees. The bark of the red maple often provided pioneers with ink and dye. Usually found in wet, moist soils along stream banks and in swamps, this tree can sometimes be found on dry rdges and in mixed hardwood forests.
oak, white (Quercus alba)
70–C
For a description, refer to #44–B. (Pictured on page 18)
catalpa, southern (Catalpa bignonioides)
71–C
Also known as a "cigar tree" because of its long, pod-like fruit, the southern catalpa grows well in rich, moist soil. They are often found growing next to ponds and riverbanks—convenient for fishermen who use the catalpa worm for bait. The tree has large, heart-shaped leaves and its flowers are white and trumpet-shaped with purple and yellow markings. Its pods will hang on the tree through the winter then split open to release winged seeds that will float in the wind.
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willow, black (Salix nigra)
72–C
Sometimes called swamp willow, the black willow has one of the most extensive ranges across the country. This tree grows on wet soils, especially along stream and lake banks. It often has multiple, leaning trunks and reaches a height of 100 feet. This deciduous species has shiny, green, narrowly lanced-shaped leaves. The wood is considered a soft hardwood and is used for millwork, cabinetry, and boxes. Black willows are often planted because they are fast-growing shade trees; they also are used for stabilizing soils along rivers, ponds, and streams. Forest Fact: In pioneer times, the wood was converted into charcoal for gunpowder.
Figure 21 Black willow
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dogwood, flowering (Cornus florida) 73–C Considered one of the most beautiful trees in eastern North America, the flowering dogwood has noticeable early spring flowers. Its bark is dark reddish brown and is broken into small, square plates. The leaves are elliptical with slightly wavy edges that turn scarlet in the fall. The fruit of the dogwood is a small, elliptical, shiny red berry that provides an important food source for wildlife. The dogwood has a short trunk and a crown of spreading or nearly horizontal branches, attaining heights of up to 30 feet. The wood of the flowering dogwood is extremely shock resistant and has been useful throughout the years. Forest Fact: It has been used for making weaving shuttles, mauls, wedges, spindles, hayforks, chisel handles, and golf clubs. Indians used the aromatic bark and roots as a remedy for malaria and extracted red dye from the roots.
Figure 22 Flowering dogwood
beautyberry, American (Callicarpa Americana) 74–C Named for its beautiful fruit, the American beautyberry produces pale pink flowers with bright purple berries clustered around the stem at regular intervals from mid-summer to fall. The leaves are opposite, meaning they grow directly across from each other on the stem. Forest Fact: The fruit is a favorite of more than 40 species of songbirds and a variety of mammals.
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jessamine, yellow (Gelsemium sempervirens)75–C The fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers of the yellow jessamine are one of the first flowers to appear in the woods at the beginning of spring. Their bright, golden appearance is extremely vibrant in the crown and branches of smaller trees. Yellow jessamine is a native vine that has semi-evergreen, slender leaves and a red-brown woody stem. Its fruit is a dry capsule that continues to bloom throughout winter and late spring. Forest Fact: Hummingbirds and butterflies frequently visit the flowers of the yellow jessamine, seeking its nectar. However, the nectar and all parts of the yellow jessamine are poisonous and are not to be eaten by humans.
sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
76–C
For a description, refer to #37–B. (Pictured on page 15)
sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
77–C
The glossy leaves, when crushed, and the burgundy-colored flowers both live up to the common name of this shrub. They exude a very sweet and pleasant fragrance. The elliptical-shaped leaves are opposite and have a white, waxy underside. The flowers bloom between March and May. The fruit will become an enlarged, fleshy tube that matures between August and April, containing many small seeds. The Preserve’s young colony of sweetshrub was a welcome sight as the bushes began growing up through the rocky outcropping. The rocks have also attracted the unique resurrection ferns that only look alive during, and soon after, a rain. Forest Fact: The sweetshrub’s scent has been compared to the scents of strawberries and bananas.
blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) For a description, refer to #15–B. (Pictured on page 7)
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78–C
alder, hazel (Alnus serrulata)
79–C
The hazel alder is a small tree found along stream banks and in wet areas. You will notice them in many areas surrounding the Preserve’s pond. A beautiful thicket of hazel alder can be seen in the area where the spring enters the pond. It is known as a nitrogen fixer. This characteristic allows the tree to occupy wet sites where the soil is not well-developed. Hazel alders are able to survive disturbances such as frequent flooding. The trees have alternate, broad leaves with a wavy outside edge or margin. Forest Fact: The hazel alder exhibits male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers are long, drooping catkins and the female flowers are short, erect spikes. The hazel alder’s fruit is enclosed in a woody cone. The cone becomes mature in the fall and remains on the tree through the winter.
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Hidden Falls History & Adventure:
Figure 23 Bobcat
80-C
Hidden Falls was named for its location and the fact that it was virtually hidden until about 1999 when Dr. Steve Taylor, AU Biosystems Engineering Professor, brought a GPS class to the Preserve. Although a true path wasn’t cleared for several years following the discovery, it was visited by those more adventurous.
Several years ago, on one particularly adventurous occasion, an illusive wildlife visitor appeared before my eyes. I was heading toward the falls and was about 10 feet off the Powerline Trail when a beautiful, big-eyed Bobcat stopped in his (or her) tracks! The bobcat was about 18 feet from where I was standing. I couldn’t take my eyes off this noble creature. We just stared at each other for a while, then he started to pant, which I took as a sign of fear. I tried to tell him that I wouldn’t hurt him, thinking my voice would scare him away, but he just stood like a statue. Then, as I took one step back, he ran off with this bobbed tail disappearing into the thick vegetation surrounding the falls. This was a sight I’ll never forget! Clearing a path to the waterfall had been a consideration ever since it had been discovered, but there were two things to consider: safety and wildlife habitat disturbance. The decision was constantly on the back burner until the day I took Michael, a hard working volunteer, to the falls and he immediately fell in love with them! That visit was all it took to convince him (and for him to convince me) that it would be a positive addition to the Preserve. He spent several long weekends, in the summer of 2003, clearing a beautiful new trail. If you head north from Reptile’s Rest, you’ll walk across the Powerline Trail to the trail’s entrance. To continue through the Preserve, you can follow the trail back out to the Powerline Trail, or walk past the falls to meet another trail, Pond View. We hope that you will sit awhile on the bench provided and enjoy the soothing sights and sounds of Hidden Falls. —Margaret Holler, Coordinator
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supplejack, Alabama (Berchemia scandens)81–C The Alabama supplejack is a twining native vine that grows on a variety of sites climbing high into trees and appearing shrub-like as it ages. The stem is tough, smooth, wiry, and green with alternate shiny, green leaves. The leaves have pointed tips and are pale or white underneath. Forest Fact: The fruit is a blue-black berry that is a favorite of the bobwhite, turkey, and squirrel.
hickory, pignut (Carya glabra)
81–C(9–A)
The pignut hickory’s bark is divided into closely packed low ridges that form a diamond pattern. Its leaves are pinnately compound with five, but sometimes seven, leaflets that are almost always hairless (glabrous) on the undersides. The tree’s fruit is very different from the mockernut because it is smaller, pear shaped, thin husked, and splits only halfway to its base. The pignut hickory is known as a strong tree, making it perfect for such items as ax handles, wagon wheels, and even skis.
poplar, tulip (Liriodendron tulipifera)
82–C
This plant is native to only eastern North America, from Canada to Central Florida. This species typically grows naturally in rich, loamy soils and along rivers. Its closest relative is found in China. Paleobotanists, scientists who study fossils, have found extinct Liriodendron species in Europe and well outside its range in Asia and North America. There appears to have been a continuous distribution of Liriodendron circling the northern hemisphere in prehistoric times. Tulip poplar is easily identified by its broad, lyre-shaped leaf and large tulip-like flower.
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chestnut, American (Castanea dentata) 83–D American chestnut is a large, monoecious deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. Before the species was devastated by the chestnut blight, a fungal disease, it was one of the most important forest trees throughout its range. There are now very few mature specimens of the tree within its historical range, although many small sprouts of the former live trees remain. However, there are hundreds of large (2 feet to 5 feet diameter) trees outside its historical range, some in areas where less virulent strains of the pathogen are more common, such as the 600 to 800 large trees in northern lower Michigan.
mulberry, paper (Broussonetia papyrifera)
84–D
The paper mulberry was originally introduced from Asia but has become naturalized in this region, and is often found along fences and roadsides. It has often been planted as a shade tree due to its rapid growth and beautifully spreading crown. The bark is tan and smooth (or on rare occurrences, only slightly furrowed). The leaves of sprouts and seedlings tend to be more variously lobed compared to the leaves of the mature trees that are usually not lobed. The upper surfaces of the leaves are extremely rough (like sandpaper) and the underside is velvety-pubescent (hairy). The first- and second-year twigs are especially pubescent and the sap, as with all mulberries, is milky. Unlike the tasty, blackberry-like fruit of our native red mulberry, this mulberry’s red-to-orange fruit is barely edible. The inner bark was once used to make paper. The red mulberry is the only native mulberry in our area. Its fruit resembles dark purple raspberries and is a favorite of many birds, other wildlife and humans. The leaves feel like sandpaper above and are hairy beneath. The leaves are generally not lobed and heart-shaped, sometimes having one, two or three lobes. Milky sap will form after breaking off a leaf. Forest Fact: The cousin of the red mulberry, the white mulberry, has provided humankind with silk since the beginning of civilization. The red mulberry never provided adequate food for the silkworm.
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honey-locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
86–D
A member of the Legume family, the honey-locust is identified by its bean-like fruit, which consists of 8–18-inch flat, brown pods with sweet pulp and seeds inside. The leaves are pinnately or bipinnately compound and have shiny, dark green leaflets with toothed edges. The honey-locust’s bark is iron gray in color and smooth on young trees; comparatively, the bark on the older trees has thick ridges or loose plates. The sweet-tasting fruit makes the tree a favorite of cattle, deer and other wildlife while bees love the sweet nectar of the flowers. Forest Fact: The twigs and bark of the honey-locust may have thorns which were, at one time, used for pins, spear points, and animal traps.
pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
87–D
Although it is often seen growing on plantations along roadsides throughout the South, the pecan is not native to this area. However, it thrives in Alabama as well as Georgia, which is the leading pecan-producing state. Each pecan leaf has 9–17 leaflets that are light green above and paler green underneath. The fruit is a popular sweet nut with a thin shell. Forest Fact: It is thought that these trees probably stood long unknown away from any shoreline until a chance discovery. From that time on, the pecan became widely planted and harvested.
Figure 24 Pecan
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maple, Florida (Acer barbatum)
88–D
For a description, refer to #59–B.
strawberry bush (Euonymus Americana)
89–D
The strawberry bush is sometimes referred to as hearts-a-busting because of the vibrant, bright red fruits that burst out of a foursectioned pink capsule each fall. Its stems are long and wiry with opposite (growing directly across from each other) leaves appearing near the ends. The leaves and stems are a favorite of whitetail deer. Its small yellow-green flowers emerge from the end of the leaf axis. Forest Fact: The bark and fruits of the strawberry bush are poisonous, so humans should never eat them.
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Guide Glossary A astringent - having a sharp or bitter quality; also used to cause contractions in soft organic tissues B bipinnately - resembling a feather especially in having similar and double parts arranged on opposite sides of an axis like the barbs on the rachis of a feather bract - a leaf from the axil of which a flower or floral axis arises C cruciform - forming or arranged in a cross D deciduous - falling off or shed seasonally or at a certain stage of development in the life cycle dell - a small, secluded wooded valley dioecious - having male reproductive organs in one individual and female in another dissemination - to spread abroad as though sowing seed; to disperse throughout G germinate - to cause (a seed) to begin to grow germination - the beginning of the growing process glabrous - having a surface without hairs or projections L leaf axis - a plant stem legume - a type of plant (such as a pea or a bean plant) with seeds that grow in long cases (called pods)
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lenticels - a loose aggregation of cells which penetrates the surface (as of a stem) of a woody plant and through which gases are exchanged between the atmosphere and the underlying tissues loamy – a soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand M mesic - characterized by, relating to, or requiring a moderate amount of moisture monoecious – having pistillate and staminate flowers on the same plant O opposite - situated in pairs on an axis with each member being separated from the other by half the circumference of the axis P palmately - resembling a hand with the fingers spread panicle - a pyramidal loosely branched flower cluster perennial - living for several years or for many years; having a life cycle that is more than two years long pinnately - resembling a feather especially in having similar parts arranged on opposite sides of an axis like the barbs on the rachis of a feather pistillate - having pistils; specifically, having pistils but no stamens (p. 4) R rill - a small stream or brook S
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serrated - notched or toothed on the edge serrations - a formation resembling the toothed edge of a saw staminate - having or producing stamens T tannin - a reddish acid that comes from plants, is used in making ink and leather, and occurs in various foods and drinks tapering - gradual diminution of thickness, diameter, or width in an elongated object U understory - an underlying layer of vegetation; specifically, the vegetative layer and especially the trees and shrubs between the forest canopy and the ground cover
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Plant Index Common Name
Genus & Species
Species # & Map Quadrant
alder, hazel
Alnus serrulata
79–C
azalea, Alabama
Rhododendron alabamense
39–B
azalea, wild
Rhododendron canescens
66–C
beautyberry, American
Callicarpa Americana
74–C
beech, American
Fagus grandifolia
42–B
birch, river
Betula nigra
22–B
blackgum
Nyssa sylvatica
blueberry, Elliott buckeye, bottlebrush buckeye, red
Vaccinium elliottii Aesculus parviflora Aesculus pavia
56–B 10–A 38–B
catalpa, southern
Catalpa bignonioides
71–C
cedar, eastern red
Juniperus virginiana
25–B & 33–B
cherry, black chinaberry croton, Alabama devil’s walking stick
Prunus serotina Melia azedarach Croton alabamensis Aralia spinosa
85–D 83–D 35–B 58–B & 63–C
dogwood, flowering
Cornus florida
elm, American
Ulmus Americana
elm, winged
Ulmus alata
groundsel-tree hawthorn
Baccharis halimifolia Crataegus spp.
hickory, mockernut hickory, pignut hickory, red holly, American
Carya tomentosa Carya glabra Carya ovalis Ilex opaca
holly, deciduous; possum-haw
Ulmus alata
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15–B & 78–C
73–C 19–B & 24–B 6–A 5a–A 12–A 31–B 9–A & 32–B 28–B 26–B 6a–A
Common Name
Genus & Species
Species # & Map Quadrant
honeysuckle, trumpet
Lonicera sempervirens
honeysuckle, Japanese
Lonicera japonica
hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
hydrangea, oak-leaf jessamine, yellow locust, honey-
Hydrangea quercifolia Gelsemium sempervirens Gleditsia triacanthos
locust, black magnolia, southern magnolia, sweetbay maple, ashleaf; box-elder maple, Florida maple, red
Robinia pseudoacacia Magnolia grandiflora Magnolia virginiana Acer negundo Acer barbatum Acer rubrum
mistletoe muscadine grape mulberry, paper
Phoradendron flavescens Vitis rotundifolia Broussonetia papyrifera
mulberry, red oak, black
Morus rubra Quercus velutina
oak, laurel oak, northern red
Quercus hemisphaerica Quercus rubra
oak, post
Quercus stellata
oak, southern red
Quercus falcate
11–A
oak, water
Quercus nigra
52–B
oak, white
Quercus alba
olive, autumn
Elaeagnus umbellate
54–B
paw-paw, dwarf
Asimina parviflora
40–B
pecan
Carya illinoinensis
87–D
persimmon, common
Diospyros virginiana
pine, loblolly
Pinus taeda
pine, longleaf
Pinus palustris
pine, shortleaf plum, Chickasaw
Pinus echinata Prunus angustifolia
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4–A & 45–B 41–B 7–A & 60–C 53–B 75–C 86–D 1a–A 67–C 17–B 57a–B 59–B & 88–D 13–A & 46–B 23–B 14–B 84–D 84a–D 68–C 65–C 30–B 27–B & 51–B
44–B & 70–C
16–B & 47–B 29–B 2–A 20–B & 50–B 55–B
Common Name
Genus & Species
Species # & Map Quadrant
poplar, yellow
Liriodendron tulipifera
21–B
privet, Chinese sassafrass
Ligustrum sinense Sassafras albidum
82–C 64–C
silverbell, Carolina sourwood
Halesia tetraptera Oxydendrum arboreum
sparkleberry
Vaccinium arboreum
57–B
strawberry bush
Euonymus Americana
89–D
sunflower, narrow-leaved; swamp
Helianthus angustifolius
3–A
sumac, smooth sumac, winged
Rhus glabra Rhus copallinum
1–A 5–A
supplejack, Alabama
Berchemia scandens
81–C
sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
49–B
sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridus
77–C
switchcane sycamore
Arundinaria gigantean Platanus occidentalis
18–B 62–C
thorny elaeagnus wax myrtle
Elaeagnus pungens Myrica cerifera
willow, black witch hazel
Salix nigra Hamamelis virginiana
72–C 34–B
yaupon
Ilex vomitoria
43–B
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36–B 37–B & 76–C
61–C & 90–D 8–A & 48–B
Style Guide Colors Hyphenated before but not after a noun. Chicago 7.85. Number ranges Use an en dash, except in cases when the range is preceded by “from.” Also, use Arabic numerals in number ranges. Punctuation Use the Oxford comma when listing items. Directions Adjectives not capitalized, e.g., the southeastern United States. Used as a noun, it should be capitalized, e.g., the Southeast or the South. however Rewrite sentences to avoid using it at the beginning. upward, backward, forward Eliminate the “s” after the word usage. showy Do not use this term as it has a negative connotation. Choose a related adjective to replace it. Fractions in text
Spell out with in text when not using as a mathematical equation. Scare quotes Use when implying “This is not how the term is usually applied.” Chicago 7.55. Units of measurement Always spell out. poison ivy Remove the hyphen, according to Webster’s Dictionary. occurs Replace with “grows” or another corresponding verb. site vs. sight site is used for physical, where sight is used for visual.
Formatting and Style Entries are set flush left, ragged right. For body text, use a serif, Book Antiqua, at size 10 within the actual guide. The inside cover used the same typeface, but at size 12. For headings and display text, use a sans-serif, Century Gothic. Plant names are at size 12, title on front cover is at 30, subtitle on front cover is at 20. Within the guide, the common names for plants are bolded and the scientific names are italicized. Location of species on the quadrants maps is listed by a number, en dash, and quadrant. Forest Facts are listed within the text, set in Book Antiqua, size 10 with the RGB 34-139-34 to break it from the original text color. Captions for photos are set in Book Antiqua, size 9, bold. Each caption is introduced with the term “Figure,” and the corresponding number starting from “1.” The entry then includes the species identification. Captions are located below each photo.