The display of spectacular leaf colors in autumn across Michigan is an opportunity to appreciate Michigan’s extraordinary forests and native trees. The colors help viewers pick out different deciduous trees but these few weeks of peak color pass by late October in much of the state.
However, appreciating and identifying Michigan trees year-round is a wonderful way to explore and enjoy the wide range of habitats in the Great Lakes state. Michigan has the second most diverse range of ecosystems in the lower 48 states after the Pacific Northwest. From floodplain forests and oak barrens in southern Michigan to the boreal forests of Isle Royale, Michigan trees provide structure, habitat, food, shelter and security for wildlife and plants. Michigan tree identification books, including the classic, 'Michigan Trees' by Barnes and Wagner or the Trees of Michigan Field Guide by Stan Tekiela, provide in-depth sources of information. Online resources are readily available as well. Michigan State University extension provides a detailed guide online here.
Identifying coniferous evergreens is fairly simple based on the needles, the location, the height, the cones and general appearance. Multiple types of pines are found across the state, and most are distinctive. The jack pine, found in the center of the lower peninsula and parts of the eastern Upper Peninsula, is a scraggly tree best known as the essential nesting habitat for the rare Kirtland warblers. Jack pines grow in dry, sandy conditions and rely on fire for regeneration. It is unlikely even a casual observer will confuse the jack pine with its magnificent cousins, the red and white pines. These majestic trees are distinguished by the color of their bark (red pine is reddish, white pine is gray), the number of needles clumped together (red pine has three, white pine has five) and the shape of the top of the mature trees (top branches of white pines reach upward in a pagoda-like shape). Other evergreens including cedars, hemlock, spruce and firs vary in the shape of their needles, the type of bark and generally where they grow.
Identifying deciduous trees when their leaves have fallen can be a bit more challenging, but recognition is possible with a little research and good resources. Observers can first look closely at the bark of the tree for identification. Several native trees have distinctive bark, including the shagbark hickory, the "burnt potato chip" bark of the wild cherry, the bright white bark of the paper birch or the very smooth gray bark of the American beech. Eastern cottonwoods have deeply rutted bark but can also be identified because they are found along waterways in the southern part of the state. White ash have diamond-shaped ridges on its bark. Sadly, these trees are dying off as the result of an invasive insect, the emerald ash borer.
The bark of some trees may be more confusing at first, mainly depending on the size and age of the tree. Mature oaks and maples can have deeply rutted bark in hues of gray or black and even side-by-side can be confusing. Another way to identify the trees is by looking at their buds. Guide books will often provide helpful descriptions or photographs of buds, bark, whole trees or branches. Several apps can help identify trees and other plants by photograph, usually providing a set of possible options with additional photographs for comparison.
Learning to identify trees can enhance a walk through the woods or even walking through a neighborhood. Michigan is blessed with exceptional forests: get up close and personal and learn to see the trees for the forest.