Forest Trees of Illinois Part 1

Forest Trees of Illinois.

by Fuller George D. and Nuuttila E. E. and Mattoon W. R. and Miller R. B.

+WHITE PINE+ _Pinus strobus_ L.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WHITE PINE

Two-thirds natural size.]

THE white pine is found along the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan in Lake and Cook counties and is also scattered along river bluffs in Jo Daviess, Carroll, Ogle and LaSalle counties. The only grove of this beautiful tree in Illinois is in the White Pines Forest State Park near Oregon, Ogle County, where there are trees over 100 years old that have attained a height of 90 feet with a diameter of 30 inches. This tree formerly formed the most valuable forests in the northeastern United States, stretching from Maine through New York to Minnesota. The straight stem, regular pyramidal shape and soft gray-green foliage made it universally appreciated as an ornamental tree and it has been freely planted throughout the State.

The _leaves_, or needles, are 3 to 5 inches in length, bluish-green on the upper surface and whitish beneath, and occur in bundles of 5, which distinguishes it from all other eastern pines. The pollen-bearing _flowers_ are yellow and cl.u.s.tered in cones, about 1/3 inch long at the base of the growth of the season. The seed-producing flowers occur on other twigs and are bright red in color. The cone, or _fruit_, is 4 to 6 inches long, cylindrical with thin usually very gummy scales, containing small, winged seeds which require two years to mature.

The _wood_ is light, soft, durable, not strong, light brown in color, often tinged with red, and easily worked. It was formerly much used in old colonial houses where even the shingles were of white pine. It is excellent for boxes, pattern making, matches, and many other products.

Its rapid growth and the high quality of the wood make it one of the best trees for reforestation on light soils in the northern part of the State. The white pine blister rust was introduced into America about 35 years ago, and has since become widespread and highly destructive of both old trees and young growth.

The Austrian pine, _Pinus nigra_ Arnold, has been naturalized in Lake County and has been planted as an ornamental tree throughout the State. Its leaves in 2's, from 3 to 5 inches long, stiff and dark green. The cone is heavy, 3 inches long with short p.r.i.c.kles.

+SHORTLEAF PINE+ _Pinus echinata_ Mill.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SHORTLEAF PINE

Leaves, one-half natural size. Fruit, natural size.]

THE shortleaf pine, sometimes called yellow pine, occurs in very small stands in the "Pine Hills" of Union County, in Jackson County, in Giant City State Park, and near "Piney Creek" in Randolph County. It forms forests on light sandy soils in Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

At maturity, the tree has a tall, straight stem and an oval crown, reaching a height of about 100 feet and a diameter of about 4 feet.

The _leaves_ are in cl.u.s.ters of two or three, from 3 to 5 inches long, slender, flexible, and dark blue-green. The cones are the smallest of our pines, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long, oblong, with small sharp p.r.i.c.kles, generally cl.u.s.tered, and often holding to the twigs for 3 or 4 years.

The _bark_ is light brownish-red, broken into rectangular plates on the trunk but scaly on the branches.

The _wood_ of old trees is rather heavy and hard, of yellow-brown or orange color, fine grained and less resinous than that of other important southern pines. It is used largely for interior and exterior finishing, general construction, veneers, paper pulp, excelsior, cooperage, mine props, and other purposes. The tree transplants readily, grows rapidly, succeeds on a variety of soils and has proved valuable for reforestation.

A few trees of jack pine, _Pinus banksiana_ Lamb., are found in Lake County. It is a small northern tree with leaves about an inch long, borne in 2's, with cones about 2 inches long. It is planted for reforestation in the State. The Scots pine, _Pinus sylvestris_ L., has been freely planted in Illinois and may be known by its orange-brown bark and its twisted leaves 2 to 3 inches long, arranged in 2's. It has become naturalized on the sand dunes in Lake County.

The Norway spruce, _Picea abies_ Karst., has been freely planted throughout the State. It forms a dense conical spire-topped crown and reaches a height of 50 to 70 feet. The leaves are needle-shaped, about an inch long, dark green, and persist for about 5 years. The pendulous cones are from 3 to 6 inches long. It is desirable for ornamental planting.

+BALD CYPRESS+ _Taxodium distichum_ Richard

[Ill.u.s.tration: CYPRESS

Natural size.]

THE bald cypress is a tree found exclusively in deep swamps and was found in southern Illinois from the Mississippi bottoms to Shawneetown.

Its straight trunk with numerous ascending branches, and narrow conical outline makes the tree one of considerable beauty. In old age, the tree generally has a broad fluted or b.u.t.tressed base, a smooth slowly tapering trunk and a broad, open, flat top of a few heavy branches and numerous small branchlets. The original-growth timber attained heights of 80 to 130 feet and diameters of 5 to 10 feet.

The _bark_ is silvery to cinnamon-red and finely divided by numerous longitudinal fissures. The _leaves_ are about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in length, arranged in feather-like fashion along two sides of small branchlets, which fall in the autumn with the leaves still attached.

The _fruit_ is a rounded cone, or "ball", about one inch in diameter, consisting of thick irregular scales.

The _wood_ is light, soft, easily worked, varies in color from light to dark brown, and is particularly durable in contact with the soil. Hence it is in demand for exterior trim of buildings, greenhouse planking, boat and shipbuilding, shingles, posts, poles and crossties.

The tamarack, or American larch, _Larix laricina_ K. Koch, resembles the bald cypress in growing in swamps and in shedding its leaves in autumn. This tree is found in Illinois growing in bogs in Lake and McHenry counties. The leaves are flat, soft, slender, about one inch long and borne in cl.u.s.ters. The cones are only 1/2 to 3/4 inch long.

The European larch, _Larix decidua_ Mill., may be distinguished from the native species by having slightly longer leaves and larger cones that are more than an inch long.

+RED CEDAR+ _Juniperus virginiana_ L.

RED cedar, the most plentiful coniferous tree in the State, is very valuable, growing on a great variety of soils, seeming to thrive on hills where few other trees are found. It is more common in the southern counties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED CEDAR

Natural size.]

There are two kinds of _leaves_, often both kinds being found on the same tree. The commoner kind is dark green, minute and scale-like, clasping the stem in four ranks, so that the stems appear square. The other kind, often appearing on young growth or vigorous shoots, is awl-shaped, quite sharp-pointed, spreading and whitened beneath. The two kinds of _flowers_, appearing in February or March, are at the ends of the twigs on separate trees. The staminate trees a.s.sume a golden color from the small catkins, which, when shaken, shed clouds of yellow pollen. The _fruit_, ripening the first season, is pale blue with a white bloom, 1/4 inch in diameter, berry-like with sweet flesh. It is a favorite winter food for birds.

The _bark_ is very thin, reddish-brown, peeling off in long, shred-like strips. The tree is extremely irregular in its growth, so that the trunk is usually more or less grooved.

The _heartwood_ is distinctly red, and the sapwood white, this color combination making very striking effects when finished for cedar chests, closets, and interior woodwork. The wood is aromatic, soft, strong, and of even texture, and these qualities make it most desirable for lead pencils. It is very durable in contact with the soil, and on that account is in great demand for posts, poles and rustic work.

The arbor vitae or northern white cedar, _Thuja occidentalis_ L., is found occasionally on the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, on the cliffs of Starved Rock, in Elgin City Park, and in bogs in Lake County. The leaves are aromatic, scale-like, 1/8 inch long, arranged to give small flat branches. The fruit is a cone 1/2 inch long. The wood is light, soft, durable, fragrant, and pale brown.

+QUAKING ASPEN+ _Populus tremuloides_ Michx.

THIS is one of the most widely distributed trees in North America. Its range goes from Labrador to British Columbia and from New England and New York far south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona. In Illinois it is common in the north, but of infrequent occurrence in the south.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ASPEN

Three-fourths natural size.]

The aspen is a small tree, reaching heights of 40 to 60 feet and diameters of 10 to 20 inches. The young branches are reddish-brown soon turning gray. The _winter buds_ are about 1/4 inch long, pointed and shining. The _bark_ is thin, smooth, light gray tinged with green.

The _leaves_ are on slender flat petioles, arranged alternately on the twigs, and broadly oval, short pointed and shallowly toothed. They are green, shiny above and dull below, ranging from 2 to 4 inches long and about the same in breadth.

The _flowers_ are in catkins and appear before the leaves begin to expand. The two kinds are borne on separate trees, the staminate catkins are about 2 inches long, but the seed-producing flowers form a long slender cl.u.s.ter 4 inches in length. The _fruit_ is a conical capsule filled with tiny cottony seeds which ripen in late spring before the leaves are fully expanded.

The _wood_ is light brown, almost white. It is light, weak and not durable, and is used for pulpwood, fruit-crates and berry boxes.

The large-tooth aspen, _Populus grandidentata_ Michx., is found in the northern half of Illinois and frequently grows alongside the quaking aspen. Its leaves are larger than those of the quaking aspen and the edges are coa.r.s.ely and irregularly toothed. The winter buds have dull chestnut-brown scales and are somewhat downy. The bark is light gray tinged with reddish-brown.

+COTTONWOOD+ _Populus deltoides_ Marsh.

THE cottonwood, or Carolina poplar, is one of the largest trees in Illinois, growing on flood plains along small streams and in depressions in the prairie. It is one of the best trees for forestry purposes for planting where quick shade is desired. The wood is soft, light, weak, fine-grained but tough. It is good for pulp, boxes and berry baskets.