Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalisCommon hackberries tend to grow in river valleys and woodlands, and on slopes and bluffs. You will find this tree next to a parking lot at the edge of the IU Arboretum. This particular common hackberry stood out to me because its trunk has a fork near the base, from which two trunks of equal size and awe grew. The crown of this tree is much smaller than the trunk is tall; the branches are curved and assymetrical.
Sweetgum
Liquidambar styracifluaSweetgums tend to grow in habitats ranging from floodplains ans swamps to somewhat dry upland woods. You will find this sweetgum growing in a patch of grass near the IU Arboretum, outside of the Department of Kinesiology building. This sweetgum stood out to me due to its foliage: the leaves, which are star-shaped and remind me somewhat of Japanese maple leaves, were a bright, bold yellow. The fruits, which are encased in spiky balls, drop everywhere and are a telltale sign of sweetgums growing around Bloomington.
American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalisSycamores tend to grow along waterways and in floodplains, wherever they can be near water. You will find this sycamore hanging onto the bank of a creek bed in the Park Ridge East forest in Bloomington (although the picture of the whole tree with buildings in the background is of a sycamore at the IU Arboretum). The sycamore near the creek stood out to me because a large portion of its root system was exposed, likely because the creek has dried up and the soil has eroded away some. Despite this, the tree, which was supporting two trunks, still stood upright. I also find sycamore bark fascinating in general; I am very drawn to the camouflage-like pattern and how the bark sheds nearer the top of the trunk.
Red Pine
Pinus resinosaRed pines tend to grow in areas with sandy soils. You will find this red pine on the outskirts of the IU Arboretum, growing well even though it is not in sandy soil. This tree stood out to me because of its mottled, red-tinged bark, crooked branches, and crown that starts midway up the trunk.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensisEastern redbuds tend to grow in moist soil conditions; they are usually planted ornamentally and are drought tolerant. You will find a line of Eastern redbuds in the IU Arboretum, along the side of the Department of Kinesiology building. Eastern redbuds in general stand out to me because of their heart-shaped leaves, which turn from a deep green to a bright yellow in the fall.
Bradford Pear
Pyrus calleryanaBardford, or callery, pears, tend to grow in a range of conditions: they can grow in wet soils and full sunshine, but are also drought and shade tolerant. They are often planted ornamentally and may actually be invasive in North America. You will find this particular Bradford pear along the main sidewalk path in the IU Arboretum. This tree stood out to me because of its deeply furrowed bark and the spot on the trunk that, to me at least, looks like an eyeball. This sport on the trunk is likely a scar from where an old branch used to be. Although the branch may have been cut off, it is more likely it fell off from natural causes- "eyeballs" appear on trees whose branches have fallen off after atrophying (dying off).
Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboidesDawn redwoods grow in a variety habitats, but most commonly in shady, moist areas, like along ravines and stream banks. You will find a couple of dawn redwoods growing in some moist grass in a corner of the IU Arboretum. These dawn redwoods stood out to me because they are deciduous cypress trees, a sort of morph between deciduous and coniferous trees. They have several trunks forking off near the base of the tree, with flaky red bark and flattened, needle-like leaves.
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharumSugar maples tend to grow in moist forests. You will find this sugar maple in the Park Ridge East forest, growing a short distance from a creek bed. Sugar maples do not usually stand out to me since they are such a commonplace tree in North America, but this tree had a coin that had been stuck in it at some point that it is now growing around. I find it fascinating that trees can adapt so well to their environments and what is impsoed upon them: a tiny metal disk stuck in your trunk? No problem, just grow some bark around it.
Black Ash
Fraxinus nigraBlack ashes tend to grow in cold swamps and bogs. You will find several black ashes lining this path in the Park Ridge East forest. These trees stood out to me mainly because of their bark. I like camouflage-like pattern of white and black bark, and how it looks soft, almost like black ashes are covered in a layer of velvet.
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovataShagbark hickories tend to grow in a wide range of habitats, from fertile uplands to river bottoms. You will find this shagbark hickory growing on the bank of a creek bed in the Park Ridge East forest. This tree stood out to me because of how completely gnarled it was: from the branches to the bark to the shape of the trunk itself. Shagbark hickories all have quite shaggy bark, hence the name, which I like a lot in general.
Persimmon
Diospryos virginianaPersimmons tend to grow in a range of habitats, including river valleys, dry uplands, clearings, and roadsides. You will find this tree near a creek bed in the Park Ridge East forest. This particular persimmon stood out to me because most of the trunk had fallen over, but part of the outer trunk (the bark, made up of phloem, cork cambium, and cork) was left standing in the soil. The tree likely rotted from the bottom up; with a weakened base, it fell over and broke off at the point where the shell of the trunk is left.
Black Cherry
Prunus serotinaBlack cherries tend to grow in several habitats and conditions, excluding extreme wet or dry. You will find this black cherry in the Park Ridge East forest, in an area with more underbrush than trees. It is near an old teepee that was constructed with some branches. This tree stood out to me because its trunk has split into mutliple branches near the base; perfect for a good climbing tree. I am also drawn to black cherry bark in general: I like how dark and blocky-, flaky-looking it is.
Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacaciaBlack locusts tend to grow in understory-like conditions, such as fields, thickets, young woods, and roadsides. You will find this tree a little off the trail in the Park Ridge East forest. This black locust stood out to me in part because of how tall it was, but mainly because of its bark. I like that it has smoother bark (as opposed to flakier bark) and the strips of red-orange that peek through the furrows (hence the species name pseudoacacia). Note: I might be biased in liking this tree because acacias are one of my favorite trees.
American Basswood
Tilia americanaAmerican basswoods tend to grow in moist forests and lowlands. You will find this tree in the Park Ridge East forest, a little off the trail and up a slight slope. I like the heart-shaped leaves and sheer height of this particular tree, but I am most drawn in by the bark. American basswoods have highly textured, deeply furrowed bark which I find interesting to look at.
Bigtooth Aspen
Populus grandidentataBigtooth aspens tend to grow in sandy soils and are often found in stream valleys or on slopes. You will find a couple of bigtooth aspens a little off the trail and on a slight slope in the Park Ridge East forest. These trees stood out to me because of their bark, leaf shape, brilliant yellow foliage in the fall, and how high the crown is situated on the trunk. In the fall, it is easy to see the golden tips of these trees in the distance, towering slightly over the surrounding trees.
English Oak
Quercus roburEnglish oaks tend to grow in moist, well-drained soils, although they are drought tolerant. You will find this tree off the trail in the Park Ridge East forest, a little ways down a slope. This particular English oak is easily recognizable by its curved, C-shaped trunk, which is what stood out to me about it in the first place. The tree likely had competition from older trees for sunlight as it was growing, so it began growing towards where it could reach the sunlight. When the older trees died and fell, it was able to grow back towards the most easily accessible sunlight.
Black Oak
Quercus velutinaBlack oaks tend to grow in drier areas, like rocky ridges and slopes. You will find this particular black oak at the top of a hill in the Park Ridge East forest. I was drawn to this tree due to its sheer size: its trunk was approximately ten feet in circumference; I have no idea how tall it was, but black oaks reach an average height of fifty to eighty feet. Although I have not seen every tree in this forest, this black oak is the largest I have found to date.
Silver Maple
Acer saccharinumSilver maples tend to grow in floodplains, swamps, and along waterways. You will find a slew of silver maples lining the bank of North Fork Salt Creek. These silver maples stood out to me because they were all enormous, with trunks towering high into the air and crowns only near the tops of the trunks. The first silver maple I happened upon had a large split in the base of its trunk which caused it to grow at an angle.
Boxelder
Acer negundoBoxelders tend to grow in a range of habitats, including floodplains, streambanks, and waste places. You will find this particular boxelder sapling growing by the North Fork Salt Creek streambank, right next to the Kent Road bridge. This tree stood out to me because of the stage of growth it was in: a well-established sapling with portions of green branches that had not fully developed bark yet, although it was fall.
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum var. distichumBald cypresses tend to grow in permanent standing water and are usually found in swamps, creeks, bayous, and bottomland sites that regularly flood. You will find a grove of bald cypresses near Brummett Creek, which branches off of North Fork Salt Creek, on some land that does occassionally flood. In general, I find the furrowed bark and soft needles of bald cypresses cool; the orange foliage in particular caught my eye this fall. Bald cypresses also have "knees" which grow a foot or so out of the ground around the trunks. The purpose of these woody pillars is not known for certain, but it is likely they help with anchorage and/or aeration for the trees.
