1. The trees are armed. (have thorns or spines) | Go to #2 | |
+ The trees are unarmed. (no thorns or spines) | Go to #4 | |
2. Thorns on thorn, often extremely thorny, leaves once or twice compound. Fruit a wide, flat pod, dark brown when mature, 10-18" long. |
HONEY LOCUST |
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+ No thorns on thorns | Go to #3 | |
3. The bark has corky outgrowths tipped with short thorns. Leaflets often have prickles |
HERCULES CLUB |
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+ Compound leaf branches into two parts; stout straight thorns up to 2" long. Fruit a rounded pod, 6-9” long |
HONEY MESQUITE |
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4. Leaves are twice-compound, leaflets coarsely toothed or lobed. Fruit a small round ball, green or yellow when mature |
CHINABERRY |
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+ Leaves are once-compound, margins smooth or toothed, but leaves are not lobed. | Go to #5 | |
5. Leaflets are finely toothed. | Go to #6 | |
+ Leaflets have smooth margins. | Go to #7 | |
6. Largest leaflets near the middle of leaf, last leaflet often small or missing. 15-23 leaflets, bark is dark and cracked into rough diamonds when mature. |
BLACK WALNUT |
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+ Largest leaflet near the end of the leaf, and there is usually a terminal leaflet present; leaf has 11-17 curved leaflets. Bark is gray, very rough and craggy. | PECAN |
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7. Leaflets are oval shaped, small. Fruit hanging in a "string of beads." |
EVE’S NECKLACE |
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+ Leaflets are lanceolate | Go to #8 | |
8. Bark is light gray; leaflets 7-19, alternate on rachis, usually no terminal leaflet; mild smell when crushed. |
SOAPBERRY |
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+ Bark is cinnamon colored; usually has a terminal leaflet, except on very young trees; leaflets have strong, peppery scent when crushed. | CHINESE PISTACHE |
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