Every species of tree has unique characteristics, from its bark to its leaves, that you can use as clues to identify ...

This is a yearly event, and every year, it is an education. This year, I discovered that I thought I knew how to identify young birch trees by their bark, but didn’t.

The trunk of the tree is covered with thin, mostly smooth bark, and even on small trees it is commonly rippled and waved, appearing to some like taut muscle.

A walk in the woods this time of year is different. It’s quiet and monochromatic. Other than the crunch of your shoes on frozen ground, there isn’t as much to see or hear as a forest in spring ...

Identifying trees will sharper your skills and can help you get others interested in nature. ... The easiest and most common rule to follow is the “three B’s” — branches, buds and bark.

As the tree matures, the bark transforms into sizable, dull gray or black plates. Winter unveils 3-4 pre-formed staminate catkins on shoots that blossom in early spring, complemented by yellowish to ...

It can be tricky to use bark to identify a young tree. But there is another way to tell: scratch and sniff. The bark of some trees even has a scent in winter.

No discussion of beautiful-barked trees would be complete without mention of the lemon-scented gum (Eucalyptus citriodora). The alabaster bark of this beauty gives it a unique presence.

Trees are nearly always selected for their flowers, foliage, or form. Yet, at this time of year, there is an often overlooked arboreal feature that may achieve sudden prominence in the garden. In ...