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Tree Walk ¹

Bill Hubbard and Joel Smith²

When most people think of the campus at the University of Florida in Gainesville, they think about beautiful buildings and thousands of students. Few realize that this campus is also home to close to 200 different kinds of trees. Years ago, the Botany department undertook the task of identifying all the trees on this campus. In the process, over 1000 trees were mapped and tagged. Many tags from that survey still remain. More recently, the School of Forest Resources and Conservation (then the Department of Forestry) tagged a large loop of trees in the southeastern quadrant of the campus (near Newell drive and Museum road) for a campus tree walk. That walk is shown on the map on the reverse side of this brochure.

Using the map ( Figure 1 ), start anywhere in the loop you choose, following the dashed lines of the suggested route. Use the map to find the approximate location of a particular tree: its species number is noted on both the map and on the text listed with it. Trees that are identified should have this numbered tag. Each species listed with the Tree Walk map contains a common name, (the scientific name in italics in parentheses), a short description, and the tree's native region in boldface.

Figure 1 .

• 1. Slash Pine (Pinus elliotii) Originally named for the marks left after turpentining, it is pesently grown in plantations for pulp used in the paper-making process. Southeast U.S.

• 2. Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) The loblolly is often seen growing on fallow or cutover lands.This pine actually grows faster than any other southern yellow pine but its wood is inferior in quality. Southeast U.S.

• 3. Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) This is the largest of the southern yellow pines. Most of the South was once covered with this majestic tree. It is easiest to recognize because of its long needles. Southeast U.S.

• 4. Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) This oak is a common ornamental in the South. It grows to be a medium-sized tree. The tree suplies plenty of acorns which are eaten by many different animals. Southeast U.S.

• 5. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) One of the most common and traditional southern trees. The live oak can reach massive proportions. It was once used by the United States Navy for ship building. Southeast U.S.

• 6. Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Also known as the Bull bay. It is another of the South's finest evergreen trees. Its flowers are among the showiest in the world. Southeast U.S.

• 7. Sabal Palm (Sabal palmetto) The official state tree of Florida, it is the most common tree-size palm in the state. It is also known as the Cabbage Palm. Southeast U.S.

• 9. Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) Introduced to Florida over 100 years ago this palm is an excellent ornamental and street tree. Canary Island.

• 11. Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora) The camphor tree is the source of the medicinal oil camphora. The leaves are very aromatic upon grinding. Tropical Asia.

• 12. Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) Also known as the Tulip tree because of its tulip-shaped leaves. This hardwood is one of the most important cornmercial and ornamental hardwoods in the South. East U.S.

• 16. Sand Live Oak (Quercus geminata) Similar to the Live Oak but smaller in size. The leaves are also more revolute, or "boat" shaped. Florida.

• 19. Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) This tree is characterized by its fruit. Many tiny slender stalks combine to form a ball about 1.5 inches in diameter. The tree is sometimes planted along watercourses to prevent erosion. East U.S.

• 26. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) A rapid grower, the red maple is used as an ornamental in the eastern part of the country. East U.S.

• 30. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Recognized by its star-shaped leaves, this tree is a highly prized ornamental. Leaves turn brilliant colors in autumn. East U.S.

• 35. Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) Known for the "corky warts" on its bark, the sugarberry commonly grows on stream banks and river bottoms. Southeast U.S.

• 36. Spruce Pine (Pinus glabra) The spruce pine, usually found in swamps, ravines, and along stream banks has very little commemial value. Southeast U.S.

• 37. Water Oak (Quercus nigra) A common, fast-growing tree of the mixed hardwood forests of Florida. A short-lived oak that easily develops heart rot makes it unsuitable as an ornamental tree. Southeast U.S.

• 43. Carolina Basswood (Tilia caroliniana) Found in rich, moist woods and dense hammocks, the basswood is a favorite of wood-carvers because of its light, soft, and pale-colored wood. East U.S.

• 59. Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) Hickories are mostly abundant on upland slopes and ridges. The nuts are edible and the wood is used for smoking food. East U.S.

• 71. Bluebeech (Carpinus caroliniana) It is an understory tree found in deep, rich, moist soils along streams, in swamps, and in wet bottoms. Another name is the American Hornbean. East U.S.

• 74. Chinese Tallowtree (Sapium sebiferum) Also known as the popcorn tree because of the appearance of its seed head. In China, the Tallowtree berries are made into candles and soap by boiling them in water. China.

• 81. Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) This tree gets its name from the corky wings on some or all of its branches. Usually found on uplands, but sometimes grows in moist areas. Southeast U.S.

• 85. White Ash (Fraxinus americana) The ash is a very important timber species because of the density of the wood. Its many uses include veneer, paneling, furniture, and baseball bats. East U.S.

• 86. Red Bay (Persea borbonia) The red bay is probably best known for its aromatic leaves which can be used fresh or dried to flavor soups and other dishes. Southeast U.S.

• 87. Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii) This oak grows as far north as southem Illinois and Missouri. Deer, turkey, bear, and squirrels often eat its large acorns. East U.S.

• 89. Bluff Oak (Quercus durandii)The bluff oak is found only in a band in the Deep South where it grows in rich, moist soil on bluffs near streams. Southeast U.S.

• 126. Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) A large native oak of the well-drained lowlands that is becoming rapidly popular as a streetside ornamental due to its lustrous dark green foliage. It is used for flooring, furniture, trim and cabinetry. Southeast U.S.

• 154. Boxelder (Acer negundo) This tree is a member of the maple family. It is widely planted as an ornamental and windbreak. This tree has been introduced into Europe where it grows well along rivers and streams. It is often mistaken for an ash because of the similarity in leaves. East U.S.

• 156. River Birch (Betula nigra) A lowland tree, this birch grows best in the Mississippi Valley. It is also used nationwide as a street tree and ornamental landscape tree. Southeast U.S.

• 163. Florida Sugar Maple (Acer barbatum) Often mistaken for the sugar rnaple, this tree is smaller with blue-green leaves. It grows not only in Florida, but in most of the southern states from Texas to Virginia. Florida.

• 164. Chinese Holly (Ilex comuta) This is a rare tree introduced from China. The tree has thick spiny leaves. Southern U.S.

• 165. Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) Unlike most other pines, this pine can sprout if the original stem or seedling is destroyed. It grows best on sandy or silty soils. The bark of this pine breaks into heavy reddish brown plates of rectangular shape. East U.S.

• 166. Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima) This oak is native to Asia. It is rare here but is used as an ornamental. Its acorns are used by wildlife. East U.S.

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Footnotes

1. This document is FOR 46, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published August 1989; reviewed March 2000. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Bill Hubbard and Joel Smith, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

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