Native + Naturalized Trees of Vermont

The list below is a pretty complete list of the woody trees (and shrubby trees and some common shrubs) that grow wild in Vermont. I’ve split the list first by conifers (gymnosperms) and flowering plants (angiosperms), and then nested species by family. For taxonomy, I used Magee and Ahles. I made a few (arbitrary) cuts from the list based on prevalence in Vermont, or lack thereof, so don’t get angry if you don’t find your favorite Euonymus here. For some genera (like Crataegus or Salix) where variation between species is difficult to discern but the genus is easily identifiable I chose not to list individual species. Species with profiles will appear as active links after I create them. Be patient, this process takes time!

* = species not native to Vermont
§ = shrub
spp. = multiple species within the genus

Note: We recently merged this site with another one and so the links currently are not showing up. We’re in the process of updating this page. Stay tuned!

Origins + Meanings of Tree Names

Curious about the origins and meanings of tree names? Check out the full guide to translating the common and scientific names of Vermont’s trees, available as both a full booklet PDF and a Google Sheet document.

Taxaceae (yews)

  • § Taxus canadensis (American yew)

Pinaceae (Pines, yews, firs, hemlocks)

  • Abies balsamea (balsam fir)
  • * Larix decidua (european larch)
  • Larix laricina (tamarack)
  • Pinus banksiana (Jack-pine)
  • Pinus resinosa (red pine)
  • Pinus rigida (pitch pine)
  • Pinus strobus (white pine)
  • * Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine)
  • * Picea abies (Norway spruce)
  • Picea glauca (white spruce)
  • Picea mariana (black spruce)
  • Picea rubens (red spruce)
  • Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock)

Cupressaceae (cypresses, cedars)

  • Thuja occidentalis (northern white cedar)
  • Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar)

Salicaceae (willows, aspens, cottonwoods)

  • * Populus alba (white aspen)
  • Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar)
  • Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood)
  • Populus grandidentata (big-toothed aspen)
  • Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)
  • Salix fragilis (crack willow)
  • Salix nigra (black willow)
  • § Salix spp. (20+ species of shrub willows)

​Juglandaceae (Walnuts, hickories)

  • Carya cordiformis (bitternut hickory)
  • Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
  • Carya glabra (pignut hickory)
  • Juglans cinerea (butternut)
  • Juglans nigra (black walnut)

Betulaceae (Birches)

  • Alnus incana subsp. rugosa (speckled alder)
  • § Alnus viridis (mountain alder)
  • Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch)
  • Betula lenta (sweet birch)
  • Betula papyrifera (paper birch)
  • Betula populifolia (gray birch)
  • Carpinus caroliniana (musclewood)
  • Ostrya virginiana (hophornbeam)

Fagaceae (Oaks, beeches)

  • Castanea dentata (American chestnut)
  • Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
  • Quercus alba (white oak)
  • Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)
  • Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak)
  • Quercus rubra (red oak)
  • ​Quercus velutina (black oak)

Ulmaceae (elms, hackberry)

  • Ulmus americana (American elm)
  • Ulmus rubra (slippery elm)

Cannabaceae (hackberry)

  • Celtis occidentalis (hackberry)

Moraceae (mulberry)

  • ​* Morus alba (white mulberry)
  • Morus rubra (Red mulberry)

Magnoliaceae

  • Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar)

Lauraceae (Laurel)

  • Sassafras albidum (sassafras)

Hamamelidaceae (witch hazel)

  • § Hamamelis virginiana (American witch-hazel)

Platanaceae (plane-trees)

  • Platanus occidentalis (Sycamore)

Rosaceae (Roses)

  • § Amelanchier spp. (shadbushes)
  • § Crataegus spp. (hawthorns)
  • § Malus spp. (apples)
  • § Prunus pensylvanica (pin cherry)
  • Prunus serotina (black cherry)
  • § Prunusvirginiana (chokecherry)
  • § Sorbus americana (American mountain ash)

Fabaceae (beans)

  • * Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)

Rutaceae (Rue)

  • § Zanthoxylum americanum (prickly ash)

Anacardiaceae (Cashew)

  • Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
  • § Toxicodendron vernix (poison sumac)
  • § Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)

Sapindaceae (Maple)

  • Acer negundo (ash-leaf maple, boxelder)
  • Acer nigrum (black maple)
  • Acer pensylvanicum (striped maple)
  • * Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
  • Acer rubrum (red maple)
  • Acer saccharinum (silver maple)
  • Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
  • § Acer spicatum (mountain maple)
  • Aesculus hippocastanum (horse-chestnut)

Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn)

  • * Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)
  • *§ Rhamnus frangula (glossy buckthorn)

Malvaceae (Mallow)

  • Tilia americana (American basswood)

Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster)

  • *§ Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)

​Cornaceae (Dogwood)

  • § Cornus alternifolia (alternate leaf dogwood)
  • § Cornus amomum (silky dogwood)
  • § Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
  • § Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)
  • § Cornus rugosa (round-leaved dogwood)
  • § Cornus sericea (red-osier dogwood)

Nyssaceae (Tupelo)

  • Nyssa sylvatica (Black gum)

Oleaceae (Ashes)

  • *§ Forsythia sp. (golden bells)
  • Fraxinus americana (white ash)
  • Fraxinus nigra (black ash)
  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)
  • *§ Syringa vulgaris (common lilac)

Bignoniaceae (trumpet creeper)

  • Catalpa spp. (Catalpa)

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)

  • § Lonicera canadensis (fly honeysuckle)
  • § Lonicera dioica (wild honeysuckle)
  • § Lonicera hirsuta (hairy honeysuckle)
  • *§ Lonicera morrowii (gray honeysuckle)
  • § Lonicera oblongifolia (swamp fly honeysuckle)
  • *§ Lonicera tartarica (Tartarian honeysuckle)
  • § Lonicera villosa (mountain fly honeysuckle)
  • § Sambucus nigra (Common or black elderberry)
  • § Sambucus racemosa (red elderberry)
  • § Viburnum acerifolium (maple-leaved viburnum)
  • § Viburnum dentatum (arrow-wood)
  • § Viburnum edule (squashberry)
  • § Viburnum lantanoides (hobblebush)
  • § Viburnum lentago (nannyberry)
  • § Viburnum nudum (possumhaw)
  • § Viburnum opulus var americanum (highbush cranberry)​