This week’s topic is dendrology; we were tasked to study the trees surrounding the watershed we are studying or on our way to work. Unfortunately, I was not able to make out to the watershed so I studied the trees on my way to work.
Like in most of the Northern Virginia and DC area I found the following trees:
Gingko Biloba (Maidenhair Tree)
General: This trees is considered both a shade and ornamental tree and can be expected to grow in hardiness zones 3-8. Works well as a street tree and tolerates heat, air pollution, and soil salt. Gingko family trees are virtually free of disease and pest problems. May grow slowly for several years but can live as long as 3,000 years!
Bark/Trunk: Light brown to brownish-gray, deeply furrowed and highly ridged with age.
Leaf: Simple, fan-shaped bright green leaves that are 2-3” long and just as wide
Chinese Kousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa)
General: The kousa dogwood can be expected to grow in hardiness zones 5-8 and is considered both a flowering tree and an ornamental tree. The kousa dogwood grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, and well drained and clay soils. It prefers average moisture b
ut is somewhat drought-resistant. Blooms May-June, with distinctive white bracts surrounding small, greeinish-yellow flowers.
Bark/Trunk: Develops a camouflage pattern of tan and brown on the trunk due to exfoliation.
Leaf: Features dark green leaves that are 2-4” long and elliptic ovate in shape
Chestnut Oak ( Quercus Prinus)
General: The chestnut oak can be expected to grow in hardiness zones 4-8 and can serve a shade or street tree. Chestnut oak is a medium to large sized deciduous oak of the white oak group that typically grows 50-70’ tall with a rounded grown.
Bark/Trunk: The common name of the chestnut oak is in reference to the chestnut like bark on mature trees (dark brown to black and coarsely furrowed)
Flowering and Fruiting: Chestnut oak is monoecious (having both the male and female reproductive organs). Obovate, coarsely-toothed, almost leathery leaves (to 7″ long) and dark green above. Fruits are oval acorns with warty cups that extent to approximately 1/2 the acorn length.
White Oak (Quercus Alba)
General: The white oak tree is expected to grown in hardiness zones 3-9. It is a shade tree, featuring a spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight. It prefers slightly aciding to neutral, deep, moist, well- drained soil. While adaptable to other soil textures, it is intolerant of alkali
ne, shallow or abused urban soils.
Bark/Trunk: Light gray, varying to dark gray and to white; shallow fissuerd and scaly.
Leaf: Alternate obovate or oblong leaves, five to nine inches long, three to four inches wide. White oak also has acrons similiar to the chestnut oak. Acorns are one of the best sources of food for wildlife and gathered, hoarded and eaten by birds, hoofed browsers, and rodents.
Pond Cypress (Taxodium ascendens)
General: The pond cypress can typically grown in hardiness zones 5-11 and occurs naturally in shallow ponds and wetlands along the southeastern U.S. coast from Virginia to Louisiana. Pond cypress have a characteristics growth trainc called cypress knees; these are woody projections pneumatophores sent above the water from the roots, probably enabling the tree to breath air in habitats with waterclogged soil
Bark/Trunk: The trunk is expanded at the base, assisting the tree in anchoring in the soft, muddy soil. The bark is a plae gray color.
Leaf: Pond cypress has awl shaped or scalelike leaves which are closesly appressed and overlapping on the twigs. They are slender and on shoots that tend to be erect rather than spreading.
Yoshino Cherry (Prunus yedoensis)
General: The yoshino cherry tree can be expected to grow in hardiness zones 5-8 and is considered both a flowering tree and an ornamental tree. It grows to a height of 40-50′ and spread of 25-50′ at maturity. It is very versatile growing in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. While it prefers moist conditions it is somewhat drought tolerant.
Leaf: Features alternating leaves with a simply shape, often reddish as they emerge and turning dark green by summer. In the summer it produces an many white-pink flowers.
While observing the tree and taking pictures I noticed something gooey coming out of it. Can anyone tell me what it could be? 
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
General:The northern red oak can be expected to grow in hardiness zones 3-8 and is typically used as a shade tree, featuring a spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight. It grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. White it prefers normal moister, the tree has some drought tolerance. The northern red oak grows more than two feet per year for 10 years.
Bark/Trunk:It is a deciduous tree that grows straight and tall (92ft) with a trunk up to 20-39 inches in diameter. The Northern red oak is easy to recognize by its bark, because its bark ridges appear to have shiny stripes down the center. ( I will try to get a better picture for you to highlight the shiny bark).
Leaf: Alternating leaves that are 4-8″ long and have 7-11 waxy, spine tipped lobes. The northern red oak also yields acorns, that the squirrels love!
TOP FIND ON MY DENDROLOGY JOURNEY!
Lastly I leave you with Maclura pomifera also known as Osage Orange. it is a small decidous tree or large shrub, typically growing 30-50 feet tall. The distinctive fruit (shown below) is roughly spherical, bumpy (almost cerebral like) and turns bright yellow-green in the fall. The fruits exude a sticky white latex when cut or damaged. Have to admit freaked me out a little when I saw the fruit on the ground, had to come home and research it.
Have a great week!
Sources: Arbor Day Foundation, Missouri Botanical Garden, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech
Pond Branch Potomac Wathershed Exploration 