Tree Identification

Pin Oak

The pin oak is native to the United States.  It is found in the eastern part of the United States. It has lobed leaves (5-7 deep lobes), acorns and grows to approximately 60-70 feet. It likes acidic soil but is easy to grow. The pin oak is used as an ornamental tree.  It was used by Native Americans to treat intestinal pain.  It is used for general construction. The pin oak is also used as firewood.  It is sold as red oak but is not as good. It is weaker than red oak and has small knots.


Dogwood

The dogwood is known for its four petal flowers. It has beautiful dense hard wood. It can be found in US in all but hottest driest places. The dogwood gets its name from the word dag (like in dagger) because it can be sharpened into a sharp hard point.  It has many uses because of the hard wood. During the Industrial Revolution the wood was used as a shuttle in weaving.  It also is used for tool handles and wooden golf clubs. Native Americans used it for arrows and daggers. It was also used for medicinal purposes. During the Civil War when Quinine could not be aquired dogwood was used for malaria and was almost as effective. It is the state tree and flower of Virginia. I was told it was illegal to cut dogwood       trees unless it was on your own land.  

Spruce

  



Spruce



The spruce tree is a conifer from the northern regions. It is used as Christmas trees, but it also has many different uses.  The most interesting fact about the spruce is that spruce beer was used by Captain Cook to keep his sailors from getting scurvy.  This is because spruce has a lot of vitamin C.  Spruce beer is said to taste like root beer. The sap was used on cuts,burns and rashes. The sap was as afire starter and even chewing gum. The roots were used to make nets, baskets and to sew birch bark canoes. Today we use it to make paper and as Christmas trees.





The White Pine was pushed as far south as North Carolina in the last ice age. Native Americans burnt down white pine to make canoes with fire (see blog). The Native Americans to seal canoes.  They used the inner bark as emergency food source. In th 18th century it was used by England's navy and was a building material as people went westward. It was used in the building of the USS Constitution, which is celebrating its heyday in the War of 1812 this year in Boston.  The wood is soft and easily worked and carved. It has a straight grain. it is used for cabinet making, furniture,window sashes, doorframes,coffins boxes plus other things. It is also a Christmas tree.

The Sugar Maple is the most common of the maples. The leaf on the Canadian flag is a sugar maple. In the 1600's the Europeans saw Native Americans gathering maple sap and that was how we ended up getting maple syrup and sugar. In early America it was used for apple grinders, rolling pins etc. Maple is a hardwood. Now days general construction, flooring, woodenware and also to burn.





 The American Holly is a Christmas decoration because of its beautiful leaves and red berries.  the tradition of using the tree branches came from celebrations of the winter solstice. It is eaten by many animals but its berries are mildly posoinous to humans.Indians used the berries as decorative buttons. the leaves were used as medicine and during the Civil war it was used as tea. The wood is light in color so it is used for inlays,piano keys, engravings and violin pegs.  Interestingly material inside of the bark is made into birdlime which is a sticky substance that ironically was spread on branches to catch birds.

The Magnolia tree is one of the oldest species of plants. Fossils have been found that are over 36 million years old. They were even older than bees so they were pollinated by beetles. The bark has been used to cure coughs fevers and colds. Pioneers built furniture with it, while Native Americans made boats and canoes out of it. today it is valued for as a decorative tree.



Cedar trees are talked about in the Bible.  Cedar is well known for cedar chests that repel insects. Cedar is used to build fencing and outdoor furniture.It insulates, repels termites, durable, absorbs sound and does not burn easily so it is a good building wood. Cedar oil has many uses.  In ancient times it was used to preserve dead bodies. It repels insects, is used as a medecine helps stop dandruff, and preserves spices.

The catalpa tree is named after the Catawba Indians. The wood is soft and light.The wood shrinks very little an resists roting It was used in early times as fences. It is used for furniture, trim and cabinetry. It is good for boats and carving but it often does not grow straight. 

The Tre of Heaven is a fast growing short lived (50 years) tree from China. It was mentioned in the first Chinese dictionaries and was known for its medical uses in China. It is still used in China as an astrigent.  It is also the home of the ailanthus silkworm. It is very invasive It can be used to make paper and reseacher believe in can produce a natural herbicide. 



The red mulberry was first mentioned in North Americaby the English colonists. The Powhatan boiled the fruit and ate it.American Indians used the roots to make medicine and the sap to cure ringworm .It is now eaten in jams, jellies tarts and pies. It is used for fence posts and can be used as furniture and  tool handles.

The weeping willow is a fast growing tree. Its bark has salicylic acid in it that is used to make aspirin. It can be used to fix articular bleeding, heartburn and stomach ailments. Furniture, boxes whistles and flutes are made from the willow wood.Stems are used to make baskets and fish nets. They are also planted in areas where there is unwanted water to clear the water up.  Do not plant it  close to your hous because their roots spread out far seeking water and busting pipes. Huntington WV will be using weeping willows in rain gardens to absorb 200-800 gallons to help in their storm water problem and to come to a settlement with the EPA. http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/EPA_Settlement_with_Huntington_Means_More_Green_Space_157936285.html