Northern Coniferous Forest

White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Characteristics Height: 40’ – 100’ Diameter: 1’ – 2’ Needles: evergreen, ½ - ¾’’ long, blue-

green color, stiff & sharp, four angles on each needle

Cones: 1¼ - 2½’’ long Uses

Lumber & pulp production Wood used in musical instruments, ie:

piano sounding boards, violins, guitars

Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Characteristics

Height: 30’ – 70’ Diameter: up to 1’ Needles: evergreen, 2 in bundle, stiff Cones: 1¼ - 2’’ long

Located in areas after fire or logging Uses

Pulpwood source for paper industry

Black Spruce (Picea mariana) Characteristics

Height: 20’ – 60’ Diameter: 4-12” Needles: evergreen, .25-.65” long,

blue-green color, stiff and sharp, four angles on each needle

Cones: .65 – 1.25” long Uses

Paper production

Tamarack (Larix laricina) Characteristics

Height: 40 – 80’ Diameter: 1-2’ Needles: deciduous, ¾ - 1” long,

soft, slender, 3 angles per needle Cones: ½ - ¾” long

Deciduous & Conifer Sheds leaves in fall, seeds in

cones Uses

Lumber – railroad cross-ties, pulpwood, poles

Northern Hardwoods Forest

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Characteristics

Height: 70-100’ Diameter: 30” Bark: silver-gray, or shiny yellow Leaves: 3-5” long Cones: ¾ - 1¼” long

Uses commercial

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Characteristics

Height: 60-80’ Diameter: 1-2½’ Bark: smooth, gray Leaves: two rows, spreading 2½ - 5”

long, elliptical, pointed tip Uses

Beechnuts – used for food for birds, squirrels, bears, and other mammals

Quacking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Characteristics

Height: 40-70’ Diameter: 1-1.5’ Leaves: 1.25-3” across, nearly

round, shiny top, dull underneath Bark: white color, thin & smooth

except on old trees – becomes thick with dark-colored ridges

Uses Fuel Pulpwood

Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) Characteristics

Height: 70-80’ Diameter: 1-3’ or larger Needles: evergreen, 4.25-6.5”

long, 2 slender needles in cluster

Uses Lumber Shade tree in parks and yards

European Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Characteristics

Height: 50-70’ Diameter: 1-2’ Leaves: elliptical to round,

double saw-toothed edge, shiny green top, light green underneath

Bark: smooth when young, forms broad plates at maturity

Uses Ornamental or shade

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) Characteristics

Height: 70-100’ Diameter: 2-3’ Leaves: palmately lobed with 5

long pointed lobes, 3.5-5.5” long & wide

Uses Hardwood flooring Fine quality furniture Maple syrup

Up to 60 gallons from a single tree 32 gal. of sap => 1 gal. maple

syrup

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) Characteristics

Height: 100’ Diameter: 3-4’ Needles: evergreen, 2.5-5” long, five per

bundle, blue-green Cones: 4-8” long

Most valuable tree Selective harvesting led to low

population Uses

Plantation tree Millwork, construction, pulpwood industries

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Characteristics

Height: 60-70’ Diameter: 2-3’ Needles:

evergreen, .375-.625” long, flexible, flat

Cones: .625-.75” Uses

Tannin – cures hides in leather production

Wood is brittle – limits uses, detracts from value