Ponderosa Pines and Quaking Aspens
I’ve wanted to become better at identifying the trees I encounter on my hikes in the mountains for many years. And yet, for one reason or another, I never seem to find the time—which is why I can be called upon to reliably identify a whopping two tree species: ponderosa pines and quaking aspens. Not impressive. But that’s about to change.
This morning: I dust off a tree identification book that I’ve neglected for too long and sink into my reading chair. I thumb through pages of drawings, diagrams, and photographs. I ponder descriptions and study distribution maps. And, finally, I begin to compile a beginner’s list, an inventory of the trees I’d like to know better.
I sort species into simple categories (coniferous, deciduous, shrub) and note scientific names and subspecies designations, where appropriate. It’s not an exhaustive list, but it serves as a starting point:
Conifers
Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta)
Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis)
Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii)
Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa)
Western Larch (Larix accidentalis)
Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
Deciduous Trees
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Narrowleaf Cottonwood (Populus angustifolia)
Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera)
White Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Shrubs
Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum)
Wild Rose (Rosa woodsii)
Wax Current (Ribes cereum)
Boulder Raspberry (Oreobatus delicious)
Mountain Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata vaseyana)
Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum)
Yellow Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)
Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Creeping Orange-Grape (Mahonia repens)
Chokecherry (Padus virginiana melanocarpa)
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa)
Willow (Salix)
I study how to identify trees—basic stuff, like conifer needle classification (single, clustered, scaly) and deciduous leaf types (simple, lobed, compound, twice compound, palmate compound). My eyes glaze over. I need to get out in the field and actually look at some trees. If I manage to identify just one or two species every time I venture out into the woods, I’ll make some progress. Of course, with my car still in the shop, a field trip is not an option. So, I’ll continue my research and craft my plans.