LEAF KEY

1. • Leaves are shaped like needles, go to 2
   • Leaves are broad and flat, go to 9
2. • If the needles are long, 1/2 inch to 6 inches, go to 3
   • If the needles are short, scale-like, forming a flattened spray, and the tree is in a wet area, it is NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR
3. • Long needles are in bundles or tufts, go to 4
   • Needles are short, and grow singly along the branch go to 6
4. • If the needles are in bundles of 5, it is WHITE PINE
   • If there are 2 or 3 needles in a bundle go to 5
5. • If the needles are in bundles of 2, it is RED PINE
   • If the needles are in bundles of 3, it is PITCH PINE
6. • If the needles are stiff, sharp, 4-sided, (can be twirled between the thumb and finger), and leave the twig rough when they fall off, go to 7
   • If the needles are flat and pliable, go to 8
7. • If the needles are 1/2 inch or more, and the twigs and buds are hairy, it is RED SPRUCE
   • If the needles are blue-green, and the twigs are hairless, it is WHITE SPRUCE
   • If the needles are short, less than 1/2 inch, and the buds and twigs are hairy, it is BLACK SPRUCE
8. • If the needles are two-ranked (like hair divided by a comb), whitened beneath, have broad bases, and leave twig smooth when they fall, it is BALSAM FIR
   • If the needles are two-ranked, whitened beneath, are about 1/2 inch long, have a narrow base, and leave twig rough when they fall, it is EASTERN HEMLOCK
9. • Leaves are opposite, go to 10
   • Leaves are alternate, go to 13
10. • If the leaves are simple, go to 11
    • If the leaves are compound, composed of several leaflets, it is probably a member of the OLIVE FAMILY, and one of the ASHES
11. • Leaf has 3 - 5 lobes and the notches between the lobes are V shaped (either broad or narrow V), go to 12
    • If the leaf is lobed and the notches are U shaped, it is SUGAR MAPLE
12. • If the lobes are coarsely toothed, and the upper surface of the leaf is light green, while the lower surface is whitish, it is RED MAPLE
    • If the leaves are large and are finely toothed, bark green with white stripes, it is STRIPED MAPLE
    • If the leaves are coarsely toothed and white-hairy beneath with hairy twigs, and the veins on the top surface of the leaves have a sunken appearance, it is MOUNTAIN MAPLE
13. • Leaves are simple, not composed of leaflets and are lobed, go to 14
    • Leaves are simple, not composed of leaflets and are toothed, go to 17
14. • If the leaf is small, with only a few short, triangular lobes with a bristle tip, and is white-downy beneath on a small tree, it is SCRUB OAK
    • If the leaf is thin, smooth beneath, 5 inches to 9 inches long, with 7 - 11 pointed, toothed lobes, it is RED OAK
15. • If leaf is broad and heart-shaped or nearly round in appearance with the long leaf stalk (petiole) flattened near the leaf, go to 16
    • If the leaf has noticeably toothed margins and a short petiole, go to 17
16. • If the leaf is broader than long, and the teeth are many and fine, it is TREMBLING ASPEN
    • If the leaf is longer than broad with teeth coarse and few, it is BIG-TOOTHED ASPEN
17. • If the leaf is triangular with a long tapering tip, it is GRAY BIRCH
    • If the leaf is oval, go to 18
18. • If the leaf is oval with a rounded or heart-shaped base, pointed tip and doubly toothed margins and the bark is white, peeling into long, narrow horizontal strips, it is PAPER BIRCH
    • If the base of the doubly toothed leaf is slightly heart-shaped and the bark is bronze or silvery, peeling in thin, curly flakes, it is YELLOW BIRCH