Part 14

Wood: Light in weight, close-grained, strong, not durable.

Uses: Paper pulp, fuel.

Habitat: Low, moist woods.

Range: New York across to Missouri, south to Mississippi and Georgia.

Distinguishing Features: The dense coat of white hairs on the lower surface of the leaves distinguishes the White Basswood from the Basswood.

WINGED ELM _Ulmus alata_ Michx.

Other Name: Wahoo Elm.

Growth Form: Small or moderate tree to 60 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2 feet, but usually much smaller; crown oblong and relatively narrow.

Bark: Dark gray, with shallow furrows.

Twigs: Slender, gray or brown, more or less zigzag, smooth, often with corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Narrow, pointed, brown, smooth or slightly hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, up to three inches long, doubly toothed along the edges, green and smooth or slightly roughened on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks short, stout, hairy.

Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-7, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish, hairy, small.

Fruit: Oblong, winged, up to one-third inch long, hairy along the edges, each wing notched at the top and surrounding a single central seed.

Wood: Heavy, hard, pale brown.

Uses: Tool handles, small wooden articles.

Habitat: Dry cliffs, wooded slopes, rarely low woods.

Range: Virginia across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The corky wings identify the Winged Elm from all other Illinois elms except the Rock Elm. It differs from the Rock Elm by its shorter, hairy leaf stalks and its usually smaller leaves.

AMERICAN ELM _Ulmus americana_ L.

Other Name: White Elm.

Growth Form: Large tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown broadly rounded or sometimes flat-topped, usually with drooping branchlets.

Bark: Light or dark gray, furrowed, at maturity breaking into thin plates.

Twigs: Brown, slender, smooth or sparsely hairy, often zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Broadly ovoid, reddish-brown, smooth or sparsely hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to elliptic, pointed at the tip, strongly asymmetrical at the base, up to 6 inches long and about half as wide, coarsely doubly toothed along the edges, the upper surface dark green and smooth, the lower surface pale and either softly hairy or smooth; leafstalks very short, usually yellow.

Flowers: In drooping clusters of 3-4, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish-red, hairy, small.

Fruit: Oval, winged fruits up to one-half inch long, hairy along the edges, each wing notched at the top and surrounding a single central seed.

Wood: Heavy, strong, pale brown.

Uses: Flooring, farm implements, shipbuilding; frequently planted as an ornamental and as a shade tree, but greatly diminished in number by the Dutch Elm disease and phloem necrosis.

Habitat: Bottomland woods, along streams.

Range: Nova Scotia across to southern Manitoba, south to central Texas, east to south-central Florida.

Distinguishing Features: American Elm may be distinguished from the Winged Elm and the Rock Elm by its lack of corky wings on the branchlets. It differs from the Slippery Elm by its relatively smooth leaves and the lack of rusty-colored hairs on its buds. The Siberian Elm, which is also similar, does not have distinctly asymmetrical leaves. Hackberry leaves, which are also somewhat similar in appearance, have three main veins originating at the base of each leaf blade.

SIBERIAN ELM _Ulmus pumila_ L.

Growth Form: Small tree to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown broadly rounded, with slender branchlets.

Bark: Gray or brown, shallowly furrowed at maturity.

Twigs: Slender, brown or grayish, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Spherical, reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, somewhat hairy.

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades short-pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the asymmetrical base, up to 7 cm long, up to half as broad, mostly singly toothed along the edges, smooth on both surfaces; leafstalks very short, usually smooth.

Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-5, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold, greenish, small, without petals.

Fruit: Nearly round, winged fruits, up to ½ inch in diameter, not notched, smooth, 1-seeded.

Wood: Hard, heavy, pale brown.

Use: Grown chiefly as an ornamental and frequently reproducing around old buildings.

Habitat: Along roads, around buildings.

Range: Native of Asia; widely planted in the United States and naturalized from Minnesota to Kansas and eastward.

Distinguishing Features: The Siberian Elm is distinguished by its small, smooth, singly-toothed leaves.

SLIPPERY ELM _Ulmus rubra_ Muhl.

Other Name: Red Elm.

Growth Form: Moderate tree up to 80 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 4 feet; crown broadly rounded or occasionally flat-topped.

Bark: Reddish-brown to gray, with shallow furrows; the inner bark becomes slippery when chewed.

Twigs: Rather stout, reddish-brown, with short, gray hairs; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Nearly round, up to one-fourth inch in diameter, with rusty-colored hairs.

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to elliptic, pointed at the tip, strongly asymmetrical at the base, up to 7 inches long, about half as wide, coarsely doubly toothed along the edges, the upper surface green and very rough to the touch, the lower surface smooth or hairy; leafstalks stout, hairy, up to one-half inch long.

Flowers: In drooping clusters, appearing before the leaves unfold, greenish, hairy, small.

Fruit: Circular, winged fruits up to three-fourths inch in diameter, not hairy except over the seed, each wing surrounding a single seed.

Wood: Heavy, strong, dark brown.

Uses: Shipbuilding, farm implements, fence posts.

Habitat: Bottomland woods; along streams; rocky, upland woods.

Range: Quebec across Ontario to North Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The rough, sandpapery texture of the asymmetrical leaves distinguishes this elm from all others in the state.

ROCK ELM _Ulmus thomasii_ Sarg.

Other Name: Cork Elm.

Growth Form: Medium tree up to 75 feet tall; trunk diameter up to three feet; crown narrow, oblong, with drooping branches.

Bark: Grayish-brown, with shallow furrows.

Twigs: Slender, brown, smooth or finely hairy, usually with corky wings; leaf scars alternate, half-round, each with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Lance-shaped, pointed, brown, more or less hairy, up to one-fourth inch long.

Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades oval to oblong, pointed at the tip, rounded at the slightly asymmetrical base, up to 4 inches long, doubly toothed, green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface; leafstalks up to one-half inch long, smooth.

Flowers: In drooping clusters of 2-4, appearing before the leaves begin to unfold, greenish-red, hairy, small.

Fruit: Oval, winged fruits up to one-half inch long, hairy, each wing with a shallow notch at the top and surrounding a single seed.

Wood: Hard, strong, heavy, close-grained, pale brown.

Uses: Railroad ties, farm implements, hockey sticks.

Habitat: Wooded slopes, rock ledges.

Range: Quebec to Ontario and Minnesota, southwestward to Kansas, east to Tennessee.

Distinguishing Features: Rock Elm differs from other elms in Illinois by its corky-winged twigs and its smooth leafstalks.

SWEET VIBURNUM _Viburnum lentago_ L.

Other Names: Nannyberry; Wild Raisin; Sheepberry.

Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 5 inches; crown rounded.

Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into irregular plates.

Twigs: Slender, grayish, sometimes with orange dots, smooth; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Red, nearly smooth, long-pointed, up to ¾ inch long.

Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the base, up to 3 inches long, about half as wide, sharply and finely toothed along the edges, green and slightly hairy on the upper surface, yellow-green and minutely black-dotted on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 1½ inches long, sometimes rusty-hairy, winged.

Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, slightly fragrant, appearing during April and May, each flower small and creamy-white.

Fruit: Fleshy, oval to ellipsoid, blue-black, up to ½ inch long, sweet, containing a single stone.

Wood: Hard, heavy, close-grained, dark orange-brown.

Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.

Habitat: Rocky woods; woods along streams.

Range: Quebec across to Manitoba, south to Colorado, east across northern Illinois to Georgia.

Distinguishing Features: The Sweet Viburnum, like other viburnums, has opposite, simple leaves which are finely and sharply toothed. It differs from other viburnums in Illinois by its long-pointed leaves and its winged leaf stalks.

BLACK HAW _Viburnum prunifolium_ L.

Other Name: Nannyberry.

Growth Form: Small tree to 25 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 6 inches; crown irregular.

Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into irregular plates.

Twigs: Slender, grayish, sometimes with orange dots, smooth; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Brown, nearly smooth, up to ½ inch long.

Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades oval to ovate, short-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long and 2 inches broad, finely and sharply toothed along the edges, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ⅔ inch long, smooth, scarcely or not at all winged.

Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, appearing during April and May, each flower small and white.

Fruit: Fleshy, oval to ellipsoid, blue-black, up to ⅔ inch long, sweet, containing a single stone.

Wood: Hard, heavy, strong but brittle, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.

Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.

Habitat: Rocky woods.

Range: Connecticut across to Michigan, southwest to Kansas, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: Black Haw differs from the Sweet Viburnum by the absence of wings along the leafstalks. It differs from the Rusty Nannyberry by the absence of rusty hairs on the buds and leafstalks.

RUSTY NANNYBERRY _Viburnum rufidulum_ Raf.

Other Name: Southern Black Haw.

Growth Form: Small tree to 30 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown irregular.

Bark: Dark brown, broken into square plates.

Twigs: Slender, somewhat rusty-hairy; leaf scars opposite, crescent-shaped, with 3 bundle traces.

Buds: Rusty-hairy, up to ½ inch long.

Leaves: Opposite, simple; blades elliptic to obovate, short-pointed or rounded at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, up to 3 inches long, about half as wide, sharply and finely toothed along the edges, dark green and usually smooth on the upper surface, paler and with some rusty hairs on the lower surface; leafstalks up to ¾ inch long, rusty-hairy.

Flowers: Many in broad, round-topped clusters, appearing during April and May, each flower small and creamy-white.

Fruit: Fleshy, oblong, to obovoid, blue-black, up to ⅔ inch long. sweet, containing a single stone.

Wood: Hard, heavy, strong but brittle, close-grained, dark orange-brown.

Use: Sometimes planted as an ornamental.

Habitat: Dry, rocky woods.

Range: Virginia across to Missouri, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The most distinguishing characteristics of the Rusty Nannyberry are the rusty-hairy buds and leaf stalks.

Special Places to Study Trees

A number of places in the state of Illinois provide opportunities to study and to observe woody plants. Some of the major ones are briefly described below.

The Morton Arboretum

A good place to learn the trees of Illinois firsthand is the Morton Arboretum at Lisle, some twenty-five miles west of Chicago. This privately endowed educational and scientific institution is devoted to growing all kinds of woody plants that will survive in northern Illinois. On the Arboretum’s 1500 acres one can find large collections of oaks, maples, elms, ashes, lindens, junipers, pines, firs, spruces, and numerous other groupings of woody plants from places throughout the temperate world.

Certain collections in the Arboretum are along designated trails and are especially useful in learning to identify trees. Perhaps the most popular is the Illinois Trees Trail, where native trees are identified by plaques that show common and scientific names and give other interesting information about the trees. Another is the Evergreen Trail, which features conifers.

Some trails emphasize ecology or other aspects of biology but also feature trees. One of these is the Thornhill Trail, a general nature trail on which trees are prominent. Another trail links nearby nature study areas, including a mini-prairie, a wild flower garden, a northern coniferous forest, and a pond-marsh. A short garden trail, the Viburnum Walk, is unusual in that it utilizes a grouping of Viburnums and their relatives to illustrate some of the principles of plant classification.

Landscape plantings are another important feature in the Arboretum, and the extensive forested areas provide a dramatic backdrop for cultivated plantings that have been blended skillfully into the natural landscape. These are especially spectacular in spring when flowering trees are in bloom and in fall when the foliage is in color.

At the Morton Arboretum there is a continuous effort to learn more about the adaptability of trees and shrubs to the special growing conditions of northern Illinois, especially the soils and climate. The natural forests are being used as an outdoor laboratory for ecological studies, and certain cultivated collections are experimental. The Street Tree Collection, for example, is a large experimental assemblage of various trees thought to be suitable for street and shade purposes. The Heath (Ericaceous) Collection is valuable in determining the cultural requirements for growing certain azaleas and rhododendrons in northern Illinois.

The Morton Arboretum has been designed for learning through outdoor experiences. The grounds are open every day of the year, and visitors are always welcome. A modest admission fee is charged for each car entering. In the Visitor Center, an overall orientation is offered through exhibits and audio-visual presentations explaining the purposes and functions of the Arboretum. Groups planning to visit should request advance information about seasonal features, current hours, special programs, and eating facilities. The varied opportunities and abundant facilities at the Morton Arboretum make visits both pleasant and memorable.

Illinois Natural History Survey

The Illinois Natural History Survey is a research organization devoted to the scientific study of the living natural resources of Illinois. It is one of the Divisions of the Department of Registration and Education and is administered by a Board of Natural Resources and Conservation, consisting of the Director of the Department, the President of the University of Illinois, or his representative, the President of Southern Illinois University, or his representative, members and experts in the fields of geology, biology, chemistry, forestry, and engineering.

The Survey is organized into sections, five of which are engaged in scientific pursuits. These are aquatic biology, botany and plant pathology, economic entomology, faunistic survey, and wildlife. These sections pursue basic and scientific research in systematics, ecology, environmental quality, and control of plant diseases and insect pests. The zoological collections of the Survey, numbering about 8,800,000 specimens, rank among the largest and most valuable in the world. The botanical collections are smaller in size. The vascular plant collections number over 145,000 specimens that are most representative for studies of distribution in Illinois. The mycological collections, with more than 35,000 specimens, include numerous types that are basic to scientific research.

The Survey is housed in the Natural Resources Building and the Natural Resources Studies Annex on the campus of the University of Illinois, Urbana. In addition, the Survey maintains special research facilities at Fox Ridge State Park, Stephen A. Forbes State Park, Havana, Sullivan, and elsewhere for studies of pond management, prairie chickens, pheasants, waterfowl, fish, and wildlife.

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, has both a Department of Botany and a Department of Forestry where students may select courses from a broad curriculum to study various aspects of plant life. Many forest-oriented courses are available, and most of them include actual work in the field. The University has an arboretum on campus where ornamental species are emphasized. Guided tours of these arboreta, as well as of the display greenhouse, can be arranged by contacting the Chairman of the Department of Botany, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901.

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The department has programs in instruction, research and public service. The instructional program offers professional undergraduate training in forest science and wood science and these are accredited by the Society of American Foresters. Graduate training is provided only at the Master’s level within the department. Doctoral work can be pursued through interdisciplinary programs in genetics, ecology, and plant physiology under the general direction of forestry staff who are members of these respective faculties.

Research is conducted at the main campus, the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center in southern Illinois (Pope County), Sinnissippi Forest in northern Illinois (Ogle County), and at other smaller outlying areas. Support is provided by the Agricultural Experiment Station and grants from industry and governmental agencies. Projects cover a wide range of subjects related to the production and utilization of wood as well as the use of forests for non-timber values. The latter includes recreation and watershed management, with special emphasis on the role of forests and forestry in water quality.

At Dixon Springs the emphasis has been on the ecology and management of pine plantations. These plantings represent plant communities that have been interjected by man into the natural succession of abandoned agricultural land to forest. Factors affecting the growth of pine, and the effects of pine on soil conditions, stand composition, and the regeneration of native hardwood species are being investigated. Watershed management studies are also concentrated at Dixon Springs.

The 2,500-acre Sinnissippi Forest, a private estate provides the department with research opportunities. A nature tail is maintained as an outdoor laboratory that is widely used by both adult and youth groups. Sinnissippi Forest emphasizes the fact that a managed forest can be aesthetically pleasing.

Public service activities are carried on through the Cooperative Extension Service and provide advice and information to landowners, youth groups, and other citizens of the State. This is accomplished largely through group meetings and demonstrations and direct replies to individual requests for information. Major emphasis has been on establishment of windbreaks on farms in the prairie region; promotion of sound management practices for farm woodlands; and the care of trees in plantations and on farmsteads. Extension education emphasizes the development of an appreciation by Illinois youth for conservation of the forest resource; the promotion among adults of sound management of rural and urban woodlands; and program for primary and secondary industries that concerns the conversion of wood into useful products.

Shawnee National Forest

Much of the forested land in the southern tip of Illinois is in the Shawnee National Forest. The 257,000 acres of rolling topography in the forest contain 208 different kinds of native, woody plants. Some of the areas which have a high concentration of unusual plant life have been designated Botanical Areas by the United States Forest Service. At these areas, such as Little Grand Canyon, Jackson Hollow, Stone Face, and six others, plant life is protected. These are excellent places to observe many of the woody plants of the State.

At other areas in the Shawnee National Forest, various forest management practices, such as selective timber-cutting, erosion control, and watershed protection, can be observed.

Numerous recreation facilities are dotted throughout the Shawnee. At many of these, nature trails have been developed which bring the hiker closer to nature. Descriptive brochures are available for most of the recreation areas. They may be obtained by visiting the district ranger offices at Vienna, Elizabethtown, Jonesboro, or Murphysboro, or by writing to the Forest Supervisor, Shawnee National Forest, Harrisburg, Illinois.

White Oak, the State Tree of Illinois

In 1972, the school children of Illinois selected the white oak, (_Quercus alba_ L.), as the state tree. It is truly representative for it can be found throughout the state on a variety of sites. It grows to its largest size on upland, cool, well-drained coves, slopes, and terraces where it often reaches 100 feet of height and 3 feet of diameter.

White oak is one of Illinois’ most valuable trees. It makes an excellent shade tree of majestic beauty with a broad round head and wide spreading branches. Commercially it is an extremely valuable species used for lumber, veneer, barrels, furniture, flooring, and construction.

This species is also a part of our national heritage. In the war of 1812, sailors reported that during battle, cannon balls bounced off the hull of the U.S.S. Constitution. White oak helped make her “Old Ironsides” and a part of our history.

DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION DIVISION OF FORESTRY

The Legislature has given this Division the responsibility for all activities concerning the forest and tree resource of Illinois. The Division strives to fulfill its responsibilities by:

—protecting the resource against all detrimental factors such as fire, insects and diseases, improper harvesting, etc.

—making the public aware of the importance of this resource to the state’s health and economy.

—motivating and providing technical guidance to forest and tree owners for proper management.