Some trees are really obvious and easy to ID but, to make ID easier, my habit is to include photos of:

• the whole plant to show overall form/stature,

• a very closeup of leaves,
  on big trees when I can not get close to leaves, I might use a telephoto to get the best view possible.
  In pines, looking for number of needles per fascicle and needle length; in the cypress family, juniper in
  particular, looking for scale leaf overlap, tip shape and leaf gland visible or not.

• close up of seed cones (in pines, what looks like miniature cones are likely pollen cones; in junipers, tear
  open a fleshy seed cone to check seed(s) size and shape.
  Notice if both pollen and seed cones (monoecious) or only one or the other (dioecios)

• a portrait, so to speak, of mature bark.

Posted on November 28, 2020 04:45 PM by chauncey