Ornamental Tree Leaf Identification
- Tree leaf types are divided into three main categories. These categories are needled, scalelike and flat leaves. Ornamental trees like the blue spruce (Picea pungens) or the white pine (Pinus strobus) are examples of trees with needled leaves. Two examples of ornamental trees with scalelike leaves are cedar (Cedrus sp.) and juniper (Juniperus sp.). When most people think of a leaf, they think of the third variety: flat leaves. Examples of trees with flat leaves are maple (Acer sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) and ash (Fraxinus sp.).
- A flat leaf is sometimes divided into two categories: broad or narrow. Broad flat leaves are the type you see on maples, oaks, ash and a number of other ornamental trees. Narrow flat leaves will slightly resemble that of a needle. Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) are two good examples of ornamental trees with narrow flat leaves.
- Other parts of the leaf will help you identify it. Look to see if the leaves are alternate or opposite each other on the branch. Additionally, look at the number of lobes the leaf has (if any) and the length of the leaf (usually a relative measurement). In rare cases, you may even be able to tell what the leaf is simply by its color scheme. Lastly, look at the arrangement of the veins on the leaf.
- Consult a horticultural encyclopedia or online database to narrow down a list of possible choices through the analysis of different features on the leaf. For example, if you enter the qualities "broad," "opposite" and "five lobed" into a database, the system will give you a list of possible trees it could be, such as horse chestnut or red buckeye. The encyclopedias, however, are usually more useful to confirm or deny a guess as to the identity of a tree than to give a definite identification based on a single leaf.
- Withe the help of horticultural resources such as these, you should be able to make a positive tree identification using only one leaf. However, this process has its limitations. For example, it can be very difficult to identify a particular cultivar of ornamental tree because the leaf may be consistent among the entire species. A good example of this is in the identification of maple trees. Their leaf is very recognizable and there are some differences among species, but it is sometimes impossible to tell the difference between, for example, an October glory red maple and an autumn flame red maple.
