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To give your trees the kind of care they deserve, you have to understand their basic needs and know the kinds of problems you’ll want to watch for. After all, you shouldn’t water a pine tree like you would a willow, nor should you spend time inspecting maples for hemlock woolly adelgids.
But to understand your trees’ needs, you have to first learn how to identify the species growing on your property.
With that said, tree identification is a skill that takes time to learn. It often means learning to compare subtle characteristics, ranging from acorn caps to tiny tufts of hair along leaf axils. But you can often learn to identify some of the most common residential landscape trees by committing a few key characteristics to memory.
We’ll try to help you do exactly that below.
Tree Identification Vocabulary
When you first begin trying to learn how to identify local trees, you’ll often encounter a variety of esoteric terms you’ve never heard of, let alone understand. So, we’ll start by identifying some of the most common terms used in the world of tree identification.
- Alternate: Leaves, buds, or branches that emerge singly from one side of the twig or the other.
- Opposite: Leaves, buds, or branches that occur in pairs across from each other on the twig.
- Simple Leaf: A leaf consisting of a single, undivided leaf blade.
- Compound Leaf: A leaf divided into multiple smaller leaflets attached to a single stalk.
- Leaflet: One of the individual blade-like portions that make up a compound leaf.
- Lobe: A rounded or pointed projection extending from the main body of a leaf.
- Sinus: The indentation or space between two lobes of a leaf.
- Leaf Margin: The outer edge of a leaf, which may be smooth, toothed, or otherwise shaped.
- Petiole: The stalk connecting a leaf blade to the twig or stem.
- Fascicle: A bundle or cluster of pine needles that emerge together from the same point on a twig.
- Scale-Like Leaves: Tiny, overlapping leaves that resemble scales rather than leaves or needles.
- Cones: The reproductive structures produced by conifers.
- Samaras: Dry, winged fruits; they’re often called “helicopters” or “whirlybirds.”
- Exfoliating Bark: Bark that naturally peels or flakes away from the trunk.
Different Approaches to Tree Identification
There are a few different ways you can try to identify trees. Some approaches will give you a good idea about the tree’s identity, but they aren’t especially accurate or rigorous. Others will help you zero in on an exact identification, down to the subspecies or variety, but they require considerable effort and familiarity with trees.
- Dichotomous Keys: Dichotomous keys guide you through a series of either-or choices about a tree’s characteristics until you arrive at an identification. They can be very accurate when used correctly, but they can be tricky and require you to understand some basic botanical terminology.
- Tree Identification Apps: Tree identification apps allow you to upload photos of leaves, bark, flowers, or other features and receive a list of possible matches. They’re fast and convenient, but they often make mistakes, so confirmation is usually necessary.
- Learning Easy ID Characteristics: You can also learn a handful of distinctive characteristics that make common trees relatively easy to recognize. This method won’t turn you into a tree-ID expert, but it can help you recognize the trees you’re most likely to encounter on your property.
While all three approaches are valid, we’ll embrace the third method below and focus on sharing some of the easiest ways to identify some of the most common trees on Michigan properties.
How to Identify Common Trees in Southeast Michigan
Southeast Michigan is home to a variety of native and introduced trees, and learning to recognize all of them takes time. Fortunately, many of the trees you’re likely to encounter in residential landscapes have one or two characteristics that make them relatively easy to identify.
We’ll introduce you to 15 of the most common below and share some of the easiest ways to tell them apart.
1. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
One of the largest conifers — as well as one of the largest trees in general — within our region, the eastern white pine is Michigan’s state tree. The easiest way to identify an eastern white pine is by noting its long, soft needles, which occur in bundles of five.
2. Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Scots pine is a European species that has been widely planted across Michigan, particularly in older landscapes. To identify this species, look for needles occurring in bundles of two, as well as the tree’s distinctive reddish-orange bark that’s often found on the upper trunk and larger branches.
3. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
A beautiful but threatened Michigan native, the eastern hemlock generally prefers cool, moist, relatively sheltered sites. You can recognize it by noting its short, flat needles that have two pale whitish bands underneath. It also has small, dangling cones that are typically less than one inch long.
4. Northern White-Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
Commonly called arborvitae, northern white-cedar is another Michigan native, though you’re more likely to encounter one of the numerous cultivars that are often planted in residential landscapes. To find it, look for flattened, fan-like sprays covered in tiny, overlapping, scale-like leaves.
5. Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
Colorado blue spruce is not native to Michigan, but it has historically been a popular landscape tree. Most individuals bear blue foliage (though there are exceptions), but you can also look for its stiff, sharply pointed needles, which are attached to the twig on tiny woody pegs or projections.
6. Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Norway spruce is another non-native conifer commonly encountered in Michigan landscapes. Mature trees are especially easy to recognize by the smaller branchlets that droop conspicuously from the main branches. It also has exceptionally large, elongated cones that hang downward from the branches.
7. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Sugar maple is a native Michigan tree famous for both its brilliant fall color and the sap used to produce maple syrup. Its leaves usually have five lobes with relatively smooth, U-shaped sinuses between them, as opposed to the serrated margins of some other maples.
8. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Red maple is a common native tree capable of thriving under a broad range of site conditions. Its leaves typically have three to five lobes with serrated margins, and some part of the tree — including the flowers, developing seeds, petioles, twigs, buds, or fall foliage — often provides a reddish clue to its identity.
9. Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Norway maple was widely planted as a shade and street tree but is now considered invasive in Michigan. One of the easiest ways to distinguish it from similar maples is to break a leaf petiole and look for the milky white sap that emerges. Its leaves also tend to be broad and dark green with sharply pointed lobes.
10. Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
One of Michigan’s most important native oaks, the northern red oak can become an enormous canopy tree. Look for either its leaves, which bear pointed lobes tipped by tiny bristles, or its acorns, which have relatively shallow, saucer-like caps that generally cover only a small portion of the nut.
11. White Oak (Quercus alba)
White oak is another large, long-lived native oak that’s ecologically important in our state. Unlike the northern red oak, the white oak’s leaves have rounded lobes that lack bristle tips. Mature trees commonly develop light gray bark that becomes broken into scaly or somewhat flaky plates.
12. American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
American sycamore is a massive native tree frequently associated with streams, floodplains, and other moist areas, though it is also planted in landscapes. The easiest identification characteristic is usually the upper trunk, where exfoliating bark produces a striking patchwork of white, cream, tan, and gray. The tree also produces very large leaves and distinctive round seed balls that hang from slender stalks.
13. Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
Honeylocust is frequently planted along streets, parking lots, and residential properties because it often tolerates difficult growing conditions. Its compound leaves contain numerous small leaflets, giving the canopy a fine-textured, almost airy appearance, and wild trees may bear formidable, branched thorns.
14. Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Though it’s sometimes called the tulip poplar or yellow-poplar, the tuliptree is not closely related to true poplars at all. It’s actually a member of the magnolia family. Aside from noting its tulip-like flowers, you may recognize its leaves, which have four prominent lobes and a squared-off or notched tip.
15. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
Black walnut is a large native hardwood valued for its dark, attractive wood and edible nuts. Look for long, pinnately (feather-like) compound leaves containing numerous narrow leaflets and round, green fruits containing the familiar hard-shelled walnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tree Identification
Learning to identify the trees growing on your property can help you better understand their needs, recognize potential problems, and make informed decisions about their care. But that doesn’t mean tree identification is easy. In fact, it often leads to a number of questions.
To help, we’ll answer some of the most common questions Southeast Michigan homeowners have about identifying their trees below.
What is the easiest way to identify a tree?
Leaves are often the easiest place to start. Look at their overall shape, as well as their arrangement on the twig (opposite or alternate), margins, lobes, and whether they are simple or compound. Meanwhile, needles are usually the best starting point for conifers.
After starting with the leaves or needles, you can consider characteristics like bark, buds, flowers, fruits, cones, and overall growth habit to confirm your identification.
Can you identify a tree by its bark?
Sometimes, but it can even be tricky for experienced arborists to identify a tree solely based on the bark (though there are some species for which the bark is distinctive enough to provide a positive identification).
Bark is generally more useful when considered alongside other characteristics. It’s also important to note that the bark of many species can change significantly with age.
How can you identify a tree in winter without leaves?
Trees do still provide plenty of identification clues in winter, but they’re not always easy criteria for homeowners to rely on. Twig arrangement, buds, leaf scars, bark, branching habit, persistent fruits, and overall form can all help.
What are the most common trees in Southeast Michigan?
Southeast Michigan supports a diverse mixture of native and introduced trees. Some commonly encountered species include eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, sugar maple, red maple, northern red oak, white oak, American sycamore, black walnut, and tuliptree.
Residential landscapes also contain many introduced species, including Norway maple, Norway spruce, Colorado blue spruce, and Scots pine.
How can I tell the difference between a pine, spruce, and fir tree?
Start by looking at how the needles are attached. Pine needles grow in bundles of two, three, or five, depending on the species. Spruce and fir needles are attached individually. Spruce needles are generally stiff, sharp, and square (you can roll them between your fingers); fir needles are softer and flat.
Are tree identification apps accurate?
Tree identification apps can be helpful for narrowing down the possibilities, but they aren’t foolproof. Photos may not capture the characteristics necessary for a reliable identification, and many closely related species look quite similar.
Treat these kinds of apps as a starting point, but be sure to consider several characteristics and submit multiple photos of different parts of the tree for the most reliable results.
Why is it important to know what kind of tree I have?
Different tree species have different requirements and vulnerabilities. Knowing the species can help you understand its preferred growing conditions, anticipate common insect and disease problems, and determine which pruning, fertilization, or other tree care practices are appropriate.
No Matter What Kind of Tree You Have, We Can Help Care for It
Identifying the trees on your property is a great first step, but keeping them healthy requires understanding what each species needs. The experienced arborists at Treemendous Tree Care can help you identify your trees, spot potential problems, and provide the pruning, plant health care, and other services they need to thrive.
Contact us today to schedule a free onsite evaluation and estimate for any services you may need.
Sources and References
- MSU Extension – “Identifying Trees of Michigan (E2332, Revised 2022)”
Extension bulletin providing a dichotomous key and species descriptions for identifying Michigan’s native and naturalized trees by leaf, bark, and fruit characteristics.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/identifying-trees-of-michigan-e2332-revised-2022 - Michigan Department of Natural Resources – “Michigan Trees” (Plants & Trees species index)
State agency directory of Michigan tree and plant species profiles, each covering identification, characteristics, and habitat.
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/education/michigan-species/plants-trees - City of Ann Arbor – “Native Trees”
Municipal Natural Area Preservation guide to native trees recommended for the Ann Arbor area, with identification and landscape-use notes to support local planting.
https://www.a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/natural-area-preservation/native-plants/native-trees/ - ClickOnDetroit (WDIV) – “How to Identify the Most Common Trees in Michigan”
Local news feature offering a general-audience overview of recognizing Michigan’s most common tree species by their basic identifying features.
https://www.clickondetroit.com/all-about-michigan/2019/07/22/how-to-identify-the-most-common-trees-in-michigan/
