Identifying Trees in Winter
By Kevin McIntyre, Forestry Supervisor
A question that is often asked while I am out in the field is how I am able to identify trees while the leaves are off. While it might be true that it can be more challenging to identify trees in the winter, it is certainly not impossible if you know what to look for. In fact, it can actually be much easier to identify a tree from a distance with the leaves off than if the leaves were on.
One such tree is the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Flowering dogwood is one of the many Missouri native tree species we have here in the park and is easily one of the most recognizable in the very early spring with its white or pink "flowers." It's also Missouri's state tree. In the dead of winter, however, the flowering dogwood exhibits some peculiar traits that not only make it easily distinguishable, but also add a touch of beauty to the winter landscape.
One such trait are its terminal flower buds. These buds found at the tips of branches have the distinct appearance similar to that of an onion, and are what eventually give way to the beautiful "flowers" we see in the early spring. However, the white or pink "petals" you see aren't actually flowers… or even petals! In fact, the flower of flowering dogwood are the clusters of small greenish-yellow petals in the middle of the inflorescence (which is the botany term for the entire flower head). The white or red "petals" you see on the inflorescence are what are known as bracts, which are specialized leaves on a plant. Now, the terminal flower buds alone of the flowering dogwood are enough to easily distinguish it, but let’s take a look at some of the other interesting features that really make it stand out.
As I mentioned earlier about the terminal flower buds, they sit at the tips of the branches. These branch tips have a upward sweeping appearance, making it look as though they're reaching up toward the sky. That upward sweeping appearance almost naturally commands your gaze towards those onion-shaped terminal flower buds, further aiding in the identification of flowering dogwood in the winter.
Finally, the bark of flowering dogwood has a very "scaley" appearance that almost resembles the scales of an alligator. Therefore, by combining the distinct buds, upright appearance of the branch tips, and the bark you should be able to identify the many flowering dogwoods we have here at Tower Grove Park even with the leaves off!
If you think you can identify flowering dogwood, head out to the park and use our interactive GPS-enabled online map to see if the tree your looking at is a flowering dogwood! You can find it at: www.towergroveparkmap.org
Onion-shaped terminal flower buds on a flowering dogwood branch.
Upright growth of branches on flowering dogwood.
Closeup of the bark of Flowering Dogwood. Notice the scale-like appearance.