Tree Identification

Before learning how to ID a tree, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the parts of a tree (flowers, seeds, leaves, twigs & buds, bark, and roots). Check out the anatomy pages for information on the variation within the different parts of a tree. Once you’ve got that down, use one of the keys below to find ID a tree!

Conifers

Conifers – also known as gymnosperms – lack flowers, but have cones (except redcedar and yew), needles, scales or awls, and are evergreens (except larch). Their branches are typically whorled, most species have dark brown bark, and scars on the tree often ooze resin.

Broad-leaf trees

Broad-leaf trees – also known as flowering trees or angiosperms – are characterized by flowers and, not surprisingly, broad, flattened leaves that are deciduous. Seeds range greatly in variety, but always develop from flowers.

Dichotomous Key

The dichotomous (well, almost dichotomous) key below is useful for quick reference if you don’t need visual references to help you along. The key mostly stops at genus, but goes to species for a few. If the key stops at genus, the link will take you to a page that will help you separate out the different species in that clade.

Conifers
1a. Leaves are flattened scales or awl-shaped
  2a. Tree with awls and bluish berry-like cones Juniperus
  2b. Tree lacking awls and with brown cones pointing up Thuja
1b. Leaves are single needles Spruce, fir, hemlock, yew
  3a. Picea
  3b. Leaves are single needles Abies
  3c. Leaves are single needles Tsuga
  3d. Leaves are single needles Taxus
1c. Leaves are needles in clusters Pines & Larches
  4a. Needles in clusters of 2-5 Pinus
  4a. Needles on little knobby spur shoots with up to 20 deciduous needles Larix
Broad-leaf trees with ALTERNATE branching
1a. Leaves are flattened scales or awl-shaped
  2a. Tree with awls and bluish berry-like cones Juniperus
  2b. Tree lacking awls and with brown cones pointing up Thuja
1b. Leaves are single needles Spruce, fir, hemlock, yew
  3a. Picea
  3b. Leaves are single needles Abies
  3c. Leaves are single needles Tsuga
  3d. Leaves are single needles Taxus
1c. Leaves are needles in clusters Pines & Larches
  4a. Needles in clusters of 2-5 Pinus
  4a. Needles on little knobby spur shoots with up to 20 deciduous needles Larix
Broad-leaf trees with OPPOSITE branching  MAD Capped Bucking Horse
1a. Compound leaves
  2a. Juniperus
  2b. Thuja
1b. Simple leaves Spruce, fir, hemlock, yew
  3a. Picea
  3b. Abies
  3c. Tsuga
  3d. Leaves are single needles Taxus
1c. Leaves are needles in clusters Pines & Larches
  4a. Needles in clusters of 2-5 Pinus
  4a. Needles on little knobby spur shoots with up to 20 deciduous needles Larix