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, ” 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: ’  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: ” 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, ” 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: ’  Diameter: 2-3’  Leaves: palmately lobed with 5 long pointed lobes, ” 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, ” long, flexible, flat  Cones: ” Uses  Tannin – cures hides in leather production Wood is brittle – limits uses, detracts from value