Quaking Aspen
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)Here we’ve got a trembling tree, the Quaking Aspen, who’s name comes from the way its leaves seem to “quake” in the wind. This will be the first tree you see when leaving the house and headed towards the fields. I particulary appreciate this aspen, not only for its beautiful colors but for the sounds the leaves make when the breeze blows through. Growing to a height of 30-70 feet, with a trunk between one and two feet in diameter, this tree can grow in a pure stand or in a mixed-conifer forest. Pure stands can often be found after a heavy cut or burn. This tree does not do well in dense forests as it does not tolerate persistent shade. Just as it is the most widely distributed tree in North America, it is also one of the most highly distributed around my home and the surrounding woods.
Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)Being the most common species of oak in Maine, it makes sense that these are also very common around our house. If you’re looking down, the biggest indicator that these trees are present is the immense number of acorns that they drop, which our resident squirrels really appreciate. These 60-90-foot trees thrive in moist woods, slopes, valleys, and in urban areas as well. At this time of year, I can still recognize these trees around my home as some of their leaves are still hanging on and shaking in the breeze.
Paper Birch
Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)While it is the state tree of New Hampshire, this tree is historically very valuable to many lucrative Maine exports like the toothpick. The Paper Birch is also called the “Canoe Birch” for how it was used by early settlers and indigenous populations to craft canoes. Occurring in pure stands or mixed in with other species, it thrives in rich, moist soil along streams, the borders of lakes, near ponds, and usually in young forests. As a young child, I remember learning about the dangers of removing bark from living trees only after being reprimanded by a teacher for peeling a large and satisfying sheet from a paper birch on a field trip. Never did that again!
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)Now the Sugar Maple, also called the “Rock Maple”, is a really great example of what those leaf-peepers come up North for. Besides beautiful colors from its fall foliage, it also produces some very heavy and strong wood that has many uses. These trees can grow up to 70-100 feet with a 2-3 foot diameter. They prefer moist, upland soils but also grow on rocky slopes throughout the state. The 5-lobed leaf with horseshoe shaped samaras are also a well-known feature of the Sugar Maple.
Northern White Cedar
Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)Dense stands of the Northern White Cedar are commonly found statewide in Maine. The trunk of this 40-70 foot tall tree can range between one and three feet and is a cinnamon red color with shredding fibrous. This cedar grows in swamps, shores, slopes, and cliffs where it does best in alkaline soils. The wood is used for many purposes including shingles and boats, and is valued for its natural weather resistant characteristics which make it perfect for decks, fencings, and outdoor furniture. These trees have been known to live for over 1,000 years!
Silver Maple
Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)The shape of the Silver Maple leaves are some of my favorite; it sort of looks like the Sugar Maple leaf went on a diet. These guys also boast the largest samaras of all the maples and rock a very nice silver undercoat to the leaves. These trees generally grow to be about 50-80 feet tall and thrive in floodplains, swamps, and along waterways. You won’t find many of these trees on the coast, however.
Balsam Fir
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)These interesting trees are the most abundant tree in the state of Maine and North America’s most widely distributed fir. Balsam Firs prosper in moist, acidic soil from swamps to mountains. They are medium sized trees, generally growing to about 4-60 feet tall with a 1-1.5 foot diameter. Their bark is covered with prominent blisters, filled with a resinous liquid. This clear pitch, known as “Canada balsam”, is collected and used to mount microscope slides and to attach theatrical costumes to bare skin. Very cool.
Black Ash
Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra)Black Ash trees grow best in cold swamps and bogs, which is why I can find them in the woods beyond the heath. It is a rather slender tree that can grow up to 70 feet tall. The leaves on this tree stand out to me, as they are relatively large with 7-11 leaflets and can be seen from the ground even though branch growth on this tree often occurs a considerable distance from the ground.
Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)It would be odd to not include the official tree of the State of Maine on my list. These evergreens stand out during this time of year, when they are one of the only sources of color. These trees grow in cool, upland forests and prefer moist sand or acidic soils. These very large trees can become victims of damage from the larva of the white pine weevil (its most destructive pest). Luckily this normally does not kill the tree but may stunt the growth, make the tree crooked, or result in a forked white pine.
White Spruce
White Spruce (Picea glauca)White Spruce is one of North America’s hardiest tress, ranging as far as the Arctic Circle. This tree can be found in every Maine county except York. They can grow anywhere between 40-100 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet. White Spruce does not tolerate shade and prefers boreal forests, bogs, and rocky uplands. The needles of this tree have a strange odor to them, earning the tree nicknames like “Cat Spruce” and “Skunk Spruce”. I included this tough and smelly tree because of it’s perfectly shaped small cones, which my partner has collected and included in her moss terrarium.
White Ash
White Ash (Fraxinus americana)I love the rough pattern of the bark on these White Ash trees. They get pretty large, at 70-100 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. These common and very valuable trees grow in moist slopes and valleys with rich soil. They are often planted as a shade tree, with the largest specimen in Maine being 95 ft tall and having a 70 ft crown spread.
Roundleaf Serviceberry
Roundleaf Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)The Serviceberry is a small-sized tree, that generally grows to 5 to 20 feet tall with a 4 to 6 inch trunk diameter. These trees thrive in rocky, open woods – especially on steep slopes or stream banks. The fruit of the serviceberry is rich in copper and iron and is edible to humans, which I think I will try to remember when it ripens early next summer so I can give it a try.
Red Pine
Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)The Red Pine is a medium-sized evergreen, generally growing to 70-80 feet tall with a 1-3 foot trunk diameter. These trees often establish themselves after fires and will rarely come up in established forests. The Red Pine, also known as the Norway Pine (named after the town in Maine that it was found in, and not the Country) thrives in dry and rock ridges, or light and sandy soil. These trees have an eye-catching reddish-brown bark, which is why I include them in my list of favorites.
Red Maple
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)The Red Maple is really a nice tree to see around in the springtime. With its striking scarlet flower clusters followed by huge clusters of helicoptering seeds, it is one of the first trees to signal the end of winter. This rapidly growing tree can tolerate a wide range of conditions from dry ridgetops to wet bogs. This tree can grow up to 60-80 feet tall with a trunk diameter of one to two feet and a dense, oblong crown branching near to the ground.
Norway Maple
Norway Maple (Acer plantanoides)I included the Norway maple because it is an invasive threat to our native flora. Since being introduced from Europe it has thrived and naturalized here. It is an easy tree to propagate and as such has been commonly used in landscaping. It has since escaped into the Maine woods where it can be found growing comfortably about 40 to 70 feet tall in a variety of conditions and casting a deep and dangerous shade.
Eastern Hemlock
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)However common the Eastern Hemlock may be, it doesn’t make its purple bark any less cooler. Cut into it with a knife and see why it is prized for the naturally pigmented mulch you can produce from it. Growing about 60-70 feet tall, with a trunk diameter between one and three feet, this conifer can withstand considerable shading and can thrive on moist slopes, in rocky areas, and near narrow stream valleys. Another recognizable trait of this Hemlock is the slightly drooping crown leader, which bends away from prevailing winds.
American Basswood
American Basswood (Tilia americana)You can find American Basswood scattered throughout the state, mostly in the southern two-thirds. These trees can get pretty large at 60 to 120 feet tall and between 3 and 5 feet wide. They grow among North American hardwoods, and their life expectancy is around 200 years. On this tree, I like the consistently uneven and heart-shaped leaves, and the zigzag patterned twigs with bright red buds.
Green Ash
Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)The Green Ash tree grows in seasonally flooded forests along streams, swamps, and rivers. They are resistant to wind and flooding, making it a common tree to be planted as a shelterbelt. It is most common in Central Maine, generally grows to about 60-70 feet tall with a 1.5-2 feet diameter, and can easily be mistaken for Black Ash.
Bur Oak
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)The only native oak to the great plains, the Bur Oak generally grows in the southern two-third of the state. It is a medium sized tree which is generally 60-80 feet tall and 2-4 feet in diameter. It thrives in bottomlands and poorly drained woods. The acorn of the Bur Oak is pretty distinctive, as the margin of the cup is fringed with long hairy scales.
