Leaf Key for Common

Broadleaf Trees in
Maryland

By: Madeline Koenig & Kerry Wixted

January 2016
Tree Guide Key
I. Leaves alternate
A. Leaves simple
1. Margins entire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
a. Leaves oval to elliptic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
b. Leaves not oval or elliptic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2
i. Leaves lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2
ii. Leaves not lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5
2. Margins toothed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6
a. Leaf bases uneven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6
b. Leaf bases even . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7
i. Leaves lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7
ii. Leaves not lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7
B. Leaves compound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10
II. Leaves opposite
A. Leaves simple
1. Margins entire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13
a. Leaves lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13
b. Leaves not lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13
2. Margins toothed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
a. Leaves lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
b. Leaves not lobed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
B. Leaves compound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 15

i
How to Use this Guide
This guide was created as an easy-to-use reference for beginner tree
identification. It is not a comprehensive guide. Trees represented in the guide
include those that are native to Maryland, those that are introduced (exotic),
and those that are exotic and create ecological problems (invasive).

To use this guide, begin with the key on the previous page. Terms used in the
key are illustrated on pages x - xii.

Please note that leaves can be highly variable in shape, size, appearance, and
color. Leaves selected for this guide are intended to represent commonly
found phenotypes. Leaves represented are not shown to scale.

Common Name
Under each leaf, the following (Scientific name)
Native, Exotic or Invasive
information will be listed: •Distinguishing characteristics

Common Identification Terms: Simple Versus Compound

Simple and compound refer to whether or not a leaf the leaf is divided.
Simple leaves have a single blade attached to a stem known as a petiole.
Compound leaves have multiple blades known as leaflets. To make sure
you are looking at a leaf and not a leaflet, look for the lateral bud where
the petiole meets the twig. All leaves have this trait, but leaflets do not.

This is a lateral bud.

SIMPLE COMPOUND
ii
Alternate Versus Opposite Leaves
Alternate and opposite refer to the arrangement of leaves along the twig.
Do the leaves appear to zig-zag along the twig, or are they directly across
from one another?

ALTERNATE OPPOSITE

Entire Versus Toothed Leaf Margins

Entire and toothed refer to the edge of the leaf. The edge of a leaf is also
known as a margin. Do the leaf edges seem to zig-zag, or are they smooth?

ENTIRE TOOTHED

iii
Even Versus Uneven Leaf Bases
Even and uneven refer to the shape of the base of the leaf. Do both sides
of the base of the leaf line up with one another; or are they uneven?

EVEN LEAF BASE UNEVEN LEAF BASE

Lobed Versus Not Lobed Leaves

Lobed and not lobed refer to the shape of the leaf. Does the leaf have
sections that jut out, or does it have a consistent leaf edge?

This is a lobe.

LOBED NOT LOBED

iv
 Alternate, Simple, Entire, Oval - Elliptic

Southern Magnolia
(Magnolia grandiflora)
Exotic
•Underside orange and hairy
•Evergreen

Umbrella Magnolia Common Pawpaw

(Magnolia tripetala) (Asimina triloba)
Native Native
•Leaves 10-24” • Leaves 6-12”
• Edible fruit

Sweetbay Magnolia
(Magnolia virginiana)
Common Persimmon
Native
(Diospyros virginiana)
•Underside white
Native
•Bark broken in small squares
•Edible fruit

Pg. 1
 Alternate, Simple, Entire, Oval – Elliptic; Cont’d

Bradford Pear Spicebush

(Pyrus calleryana) (Lindera benzoin)
Invasive Rhododendron sp. Native
•White flowers with unpleasant smell (Rhododendron sp.) •Shrub
in spring Native/Exotic •Aromatic when crushed
•Small, round fruit in fall •Variable leaf shape •Red berries in fall
•Evergreen

Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum)
Native Black Gum
•Hairy leaves (Nyssa sylvatica)
•Variable leaf shape (see pg. 4) Native
•Aromatic when crushed •Dark, shiny leaves
•Underside lighter
•Blocky bark

Pg. 2
 Alternate, Simple, Entire, Not Oval, Lobed
All leaves on this page have bristle-tips.

Scarlet Oak Southern Red Oak Blackjack Oak

(Quercus coccinea) (Quercus falcata) (Quercus marilandica)
Native Native Native
•Twigs reddish-brown •Top lobe elongated •Leaf lobes broad
•Buds hairy, pointed •Leaf base rounded •Leaf is triangular
•Tufts of hair on underside
•Inner-bark orangish-pink

Pin Oak Northern Red Oak Black Oak

(Quercus palustris) (Quercus rubra) (Quercus velutina)
Native Native Native
•Deep lopes •Variable leaf shape •Hairy near veins on underside
•Twigs shiny •Leaves never hairy •Twigs light brown
•Buds light brown, hairless •Twigs reddish-brown •Buds tan, oval-shaped, hairy
•Inner bark pink •Buds hairy, pointed •Inner bark orange or yellow
•Inner bark pink

Pg. 3
 Alternate, Simple, Entire, Not Oval, Lobed; Cont’d
All leaves on this page do not have bristle-tips.

Chestnut Oak Post Oak White Oak

(Quercus montana) (Quercus stellata) (Quercus alba)
Native Native Native
•Shallow lobes •Big lobes •Deeply lobed
•Leaf is cross-shaped •Leaf shape variable
. •Grayish-green on top

Sassafras Tulip Poplar

(Sassafras albidum) (Liriodendron tulipfera)
Native Native
•Hairy leaves •Has 4 lobes
•Leaf shape variable (see pg. 2) •Flowers resemble tulips
•Aromatic when crushed
Pg. 4
 Alternate, Simple, Entire, Not Oval, Not Lobed

Ginkgo
(Ginkgo biloba)
Exotic
•Fan-shaped
•Commonly planted

Eastern Redbud
(Cercis canadensis)
Native
•Heart-shaped
•Flowers pink-purple, present
before leaves
•Has pea-like pods in fall

Willow Oak
(Quercus phellos)
Native
•Narrow with bristle-tip

Pg. 5
 Alternate, Simple, Toothed, Leaf Bases Uneven

American Basswood American Elm Siberian Elm

(Tilia americana) (Ulmus americana) (Ulmus pumila)
Native Native Invasive
•Smooth to touch •Mostly smooth to touch; Slippery •Leaves narrow
•Finely toothed Elm sandpapery with hairy •Leaves up to 3” in length
•Small fruits with leafy “wings” underside •Fruit round, winged
in fall •Tree is vase-shaped
•Commonly planted

Mulberry sp. Witch-hazel

(Morus sp.) (Hamamelis virginiana)
Native/Invasive Native
•Leaf shape variable (see pg. 7,9) •Yellow flowers in fall
•Fruit resembles blackberries
•Milky sap

Pg. 6
 Alternate, Simple, Toothed, Leaf Bases Even, Lobed

American Sycamore Sweetgum Mulberry sp.

(Platanus occidentalis) (Liquidambar styraciflua) (Morus sp.)
Native Native Native/Invasive
•Leaves large, broad •Leaves star-shaped; •Leaf shape variable (see pg. 6,9)
•Bark gray, white, pale green •Tree produces spiky, ball-shaped •Fruit resembles blackberries
seed pods in fall •Milky sap

Alternate, Simple, Toothed, Leaf Bases Even, Not Lobed

American Hornbeam
River Birch Hophornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
(Betula nigra) (Ostrya virginiana) Native
Native Native •Buds square
•Bark peeling, bright •Buds round •Leaf veins never forked
orange or reddish-brown •Leaf veins sometimes forked •Fruit winged
•Fruit round, winged •Bark smooth, gray
•“Ironwood” •“Musclewood”
Pg. 7
 Alternate, Simple, Toothed, Leaf Bases Even, Not Lobed; Cont’d

American Chestnut Chinese Chestnut American Beech

(Castanea dentata) (Castanea mollissima) (Fagus grandifolia)
Native Exotic Native
•Leaves long, narrow •Leaves oval •Bark smooth, gray
•Leaf base tapers •Leaf base rounded •Buds slender, golden,
•Feels thin, papery •Feels thick, waxy pointed

Black Cherry Japanese Flowering Crabapple

(Prunus serotina) (Malus floribunda)
Native Exotic
•Underside has hair along the main leaf vein •Flower small, white or pink in spring
•Two small glands located near leaf base •Fruit round, red or yellow in fall

Pg. 8
 Alternate, Simple, Toothed, Leaf Bases Even, Not Lobed Cont.

Hawthorn sp. American Holly Mulberry sp.

(Crataegus sp.) (Ilex opaca) (Morus sp.)
Native Native Native/Invasive
•Flowers small, white with •Leaves dark, shiny, prickly •Leaf shape variable (see pg. 7)
unpleasant smell in spring •Evergreen •Fruit resembles blackberries
•Fruit reddish in fall •Persistent red berries in winter •Milky sap
•Wild varieties have thorns

Eastern Serviceberry Crape Myrtle

(Amelanchier canadensis) (Lagerstroemia indica)
Native Exotic Willow sp.
•White flowers in spring •Bark peeling, smooth Salix sp.
•Underside lighter •Flower color variable Native/Exotic
•Leaves narrow, elongated

Pg. 9
 Alternate, Compound

Black Walnut Tree of Heaven

(Juglans nigra) (Ailanthus altissima)
Native Invasive
•7-23 leaflets •Leaflets mostly smooth, few teeth
•Nuts round with green husk, woody near base
shell •Seeds have papery wings
•Bark deeply furrowed

Smooth Sumac Staghorn Sumac Winged Sumac

(Rhus glabra) (Rhus typhina) (Rhus copallina)
Native Native Native
•Leaflets toothed •Leaflets are toothed •Leaflets not toothed
•Twigs flat-sided, not hairy •Twigs hairy •Twigs hairy
•Reddish berries in upright •Reddish berries in upright •Leafstalks winged
cluster in winter cluster in winter • Reddish berries in upright
cluster in winter

Pg. 10
 Alternate, Compound Continued

Bitternut Hickory Mockernut Hickory

(Carya cordiformis) (Carya tomentosa)
Native Native
•7-11 leaflets •7-9 leaflets
•Twigs somewhat hairy •Twigs reddish brown, hairy
•Buds yellow, powdery •End buds more than ½” long
•Nut husk thick

Shagbark Hickory Pignut Hickory

(Carya ovata) (Carya glabra)
Native Native
•5-7 leaflets •5-7 leaflets
•Twigs reddish-brown, smooth •Twigs smooth
•End buds more than ½” long •Buds silky
•Bark shaggy •Nut husk thin
•Nut husk thick
Pg. 11
 Alternate, Compound Continued

Honey Locust Black Locust

(Gleditsia triacanthos) (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Native Native
•Twigs, branches, and trunk have •Twigs, branches, and trunk
thorns up to 3” long have thorns up to ½” long

Mimosa/Silk Tree Golden Rain-tree

(Albizia julibrissin) (Koelreuteria paniculata)
Invasive Invasive
•Leaves doubly compound •7-17 leaflets
•Flowers lacy, pink in spring and •Yellow flowers in summer
summer •Seeds enclosed in lantern-like capsule

Pg. 12
 Opposite, Simple, Entire, Lobed

Sugar Maple Norway Maple

(Acer saccharum) (Acer platanoides)
Native Invasive
•5 lobes •Lobes broad
•Twigs and buds brownish •Twigs and buds grayish-brown
•Flower pale yellow •Flowers and fruit green
•Wings of fruit at right angles •Milky sap when broken

Opposite, Simple, Entire, Not Lobed

Princess Tree Catalpa sp. Flowering Dogwood

(Paulownia tomentosa) (Catalpa sp.) (Cornus florida)
Invasive Exotic Native
•Leaves heart-shaped •Leaf veins curve to follow edge of
•Leaves hairy, heart-shaped
•Flowers white with yellow purple, leaf
•Flowers pale purple, blue in
pink markings in spring •Flowers with 4 white bracts
spring before leaves
•Long seed pods through winter •Red berries in fall

Pg. 13
 Opposite, Simple, Toothed, Lobed

Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)
Native
•Twigs, buds, leafstalks reddish Silver Maple
•Flowers and fruit pink/red
(Acer saccharinium)
Native
•Twigs and buds brownish
•Flowers green
•Underside silvery-white Japanese Maple
(Acer palmatum)
Invasive
Maple-leaved Viburnum •5-9 lobes
•Leaves red to purple in fall
(Viburnum acerfolium)
Native
•3 lobes
•Leaves coarsely-toothed

Opposite, Simple, Toothed, Not Lobed

Cherry-leaved Viburnum
(Viburnum prunifolium)
Native
•Leaves resemble cherry leaves
•Buds brown, not hairy

Arrowwood Viburnum
(Viburnum dentata)
Native
•Leaves coarsely-toothed

Pg. 14
 Opposite, Compound

Buckeye sp. Box Elder

(Aesculus sp.) (Acer negundo)
Native/Exotic Native
•5 leaflets arranged in a whorled pattern •3-5 leaflets
•Horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) •Papery fruit with wings
have 7-9 leaflets •Twigs green

White Ash Green Ash

(Fraxinus americana) (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
Native Native
•5-9 leaflets •7-9 leaflets
•Leaf scar is “U” shaped •Leaf scar is semi-circular
•Leaflet stalks have narrow wings

Pg. 15
 Index
American Sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis) . . Pg. 7 Oak
Ash Black (Quercus velutina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3
Green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 15 Blackjack (Quercus marilandica) . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3
White (Fraxinus americana) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 15 Chestnut (Quercus montana) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4
Basswood, American (Tilia americana) . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Northern Red (Quercus rubra) . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3
Beech, American (Fagus grandifolia) . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Pin (Quercus palustris) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3
Birch, River (Betula nigra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7 Post (Quercus stellata) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Scarlet (Quercus coccinea) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 3
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2 Southern Red (Quercus falcata) . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10 . White (Quercus alba) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4
Box Elder (Acer negundo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 15 Willow (Quercus phellos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5
Buckeye sp. (Aesculus sp.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 15 . Pawpaw, Common (Asimina triloba) . . . . . . Pg. 1
Catalpa sp. (Catalpa sp.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13 Pear, Bradford (Pyrus calleryana) . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2
Chestnut Persimmon, Common (Diospyros virginiana) Pg. 1
American (Castanea dentata) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) . . . . . . . .Pg. 13
Chinese (Castanea mollissima) . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Rhododendron sp. (Rhododendron sp.) . . . . . . Pg. 2
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9 Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pgs.2,4
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5 Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2
Eastern Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) Pg. 9 Sumac
Elm Smooth (Rhus glabra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10
American (Ulmus americana) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Staghorn (Rhus typhina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10
Siberian (Ulmus pumila) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Winged (Rhus copallina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 10
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) . . . . . . . Pg. 13 Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) . . . . . . . . Pg. 7
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5 Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) . . . . . . . Pg. 10
Golden Rain-tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) . . . Pg. 12 Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipfera) . . . . . . . . Pg. 4
Hawthorn sp. (Crataegus sp.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9 Viburnum
Hickory Arrowwood (Viburnum dentata) . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
Bitternut (Carya cordiformis) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Cherry-leaved (Viburnum acerifolium) . . . Pg. 14
Mockernut (Carya tomentosa) . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Maple-leaved (Viburbum prunifolium) . . . Pg. 14
Pignut (Carya glabra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Willow sp. (Salix sp.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9
Shagbark (Carya ovata) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6
Holly, American (Ilex opaca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 7
Hornbeam, American (Carpinus caroliniana) . . Pg. 7
Japanese Flow. Crabapple (Malus floribunda) Pg. 8
Locust
Black (Robinia pseudoacacia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 12
Honey (Gleditsia triacanthos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 12
Magnolia
Southern (Magnolia grandiflora) . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana) . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
Umbrella (Magnolia tripetala) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
Maple
Japanese (Acer palmatum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
Norway (Acer platanoides) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13
Red (Acer rubrum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
Silver (Acer saccharinium) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
Sugar (Acer saccharum) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 13
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 12
Mulberry sp. (Morus sp.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pgs. 6,7,9
 Credits and Resources

Images:
American Basswood and Post Oak Images: Earl “Bud” Reaves.

Blackjack Oak Image: The original uploader was Ed Uebel at English Wikipedia [GFDL
(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Hophornbeam Image: Matthew Sarver.

Pignut and Shagbark Hickory Images: David Mow,

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90940641@N08/with/11802696515/

Scarlet Oak Images: Evelyn Fitzgerald https://www.flickr.com/people/evelynfitzgerald/

Smooth Sumac Image: Micah Hahn,

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Survival/Pages/about.html

All images other taken by Kerry Wixted and Madeline Koenig.

Resources:
Kundt, J.F. & Baker, R.L. (1983). Leaf Key to Common Trees of Maryland (Extension Bulletin 238).
College Park, MD: Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland.

Maryland Plant Atlas webpage.

http:// www.marylandplantatlas.org/index.php

Petrides, G.A. & Wehr, Janet (1998). Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Trees. New York, NY: Houghton
Mifflin Company.

Sibley, D.A. (2009). The Sibley Guide to Trees. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Stein, J., Binion, D. & Acciavatta, R. (2003). Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North
America (USDA, USFS, Publication No. FHTET-2003-01). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing
Office.

Virginia Tech Dendrology webpage. http://www.dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/main.htm

Wojtech, M. (2011). Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast. Lebanon, NH: University Press of
New England.

Larry Hogan, Governor Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Secretary

dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife