This is a guide to the trees, shrubs, and woody vines of New England. It includes both native plants and established non-natives, enabling the naturalist to identify the woody plants encountered in forest and field throughout the region. Each species has its own page of photographs that are accompanied by a description of growth form, leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, and habitat. This website covers 114 of the most common trees, shrubs and vines. A future print book, due out in 2024, will expand on that to include over 240 species.
The range of each species is generally described – for precise range information to the county level, see the distribution maps of The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
The tree, shrub, and vine species are organized into basic Leaf Form Categories, explained below:
Conifers – the leaves are needle-like or scale-like.
Opposite, Compound Leaves – two leaves grow from each stem node and each leaf has smaller leaflets.
Alternate, Compound Leaves – one leaf grows from each stem node and each leaf has smaller leaflets.
Opposite, Simple Leaves – two leaves grow from each stem node and each leaf has a single blade.
Alternate, Simple Leaves – one leaf grows from each stem node and each leaf has a single blade.
In each category the plants are grouped in alphabetical order by Plant Family, permitting easier comparisons. Leaves and buds, in season, are obvious features to view, and cones, flowers, and fruits, if present, should be observed. The bark of a tree typically changes over its lifetime, so may be less helpful, although that will vary by species. Some trees can be identified by a single characteristic (White Pine, for example, is our only pine with five needles in each fascicle), but many species require a bit more sleuthing, two or more characteristics are needed for a positive identification – yet this is an aspect that makes the process both compelling and rewarding for the field naturalist!
A guide to the trees, shrubs, and woody vines of New England.
Nantucket Shadbush (Amelanchier nantucketensis)