Unit IV Kansas Plants:
Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines
Information
Trees, Shrubs and Vines
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Eastern Kansas is the boundary between eastern deciduous forest
and the tallgrass prairie.
There are many different types of forest ecosystems, just as there
are many different types of prairie ecosystems.
The main forest community in eastern Kansas is the oak-hickory
forest. These are the largest and most predominant trees here.
We will focus here on trees that are very common in eastern
Kansas, and that can also be found in riparian areas of western
Kansas.
Riparian is the forested area along streams and rivers.
Western Kansas does not have many trees, but there is good
riparian habitat along the waterways, and many of these trees can
be found along the streams and rivers as you move west.
Trees, cont.
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Tree identification: the easiest way is to look at the leaf.
(the bark and overall height and shape are also valuable
for identification)
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Leaf shape
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Leaf margin (edge)
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Oval, heart-shaped, oblong, lance-shaped, etc.
Smooth, serrated (toothed), lobed, etc.
Whether it is simple or compound
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Simple, pinnately compound or palmately compound.
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Where the leaf attaches to the branch you will find a fatter part of the
leaf stem called the “petiole”. Look for this petiole, and you will be able
to tell where the actual leaf begins. On compound leaves, the entire
structure from the petiole to the tip is one leaf, and each blade is called
a “leaflet”. Leaflets do not have a petiole.
Trees with simple leaves
Simple leaf with
serrated margin
Simple leaf with smooth
margin (edge)
Simple leaf with lobes
Trees with compound leaves
Palmately compound
leaf—all leaflets are
joined in center.
Pinnately compound
leaf—all leaflets are
attached to a central
shaft. (The leaf begins
where my index finger is.
This is the petiole
attached to the branch).
Bi-pinnately (or doublepinnately) compound
leaf—leaflets are
pinnately compound and
attached to a central
shaft.
Trees with Simple Leaves
Black Willow
Black Willow
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Long narrow serrated leaves
Trunk usually leans instead of growing erect.
Lives at edges of ponds and streams in Kansas
Inner bark layer of willow trees contains salicylic
acid, the original active ingredient in aspirin and
where aspirin as a medication was derived from.
Native Americans used to make a tea out of
willow bark which they used for the same
purposes that we use aspirin.
Osage Orange (Hedge Apple)
Osage Orange (Hedge Apple)
Osage Orange
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Locally called the hedge-apple tree
Produces the large, green hedge apples
Has small thorns all over the branches
Planted by people and bird/animal droppings
along fences as a windbreak. People have
planted this tree as a windbreak (hence the term
hedge row) since the Dust Bowl era in order to
help prevent wind erosion.
Mulberry
Mulberry
Mulberry
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Note the variation in leaf shape—some leaves
are heart-shaped with serrated edges, and many
leaves have one to several deep lobes. All
leaves have a serrated edge.
Flowers in May when the leaves emerge.
Fruits in May and June, with a blackberry-type
fruit that is red when immature and blackish
purple when mature. They are very good to
eat!
Many animals eat the fruits of Mulberries.
Elm sp.
Elm sp.
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Several species of Elm trees occur in Kansas, and the
American elm used to be the most common.
Many American Elm trees died in this country in the last
50 years due to Dutch Elm disease, a fungal disease
which was spread by elm bark beetles. American Elm
trees are still getting sick and dying from this disease,
and resistant hybrids are trying to be cultivated.
Various species of Elm trees, along with remaining
American Elms, can still be found throughout Kansas.
Dogwood
Dogwood
Dogwood
Dogwood
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Smaller, under-story tree
Grows in dense thickets along roadsides, streams,
fences, woodland edge
Excellent for controlling erosion
Slowly and carefully, split a leaf horizontally and you can
slowly pull the two halves apart and you will see cottony
fibers where the veins are. Only dogwoods do this.
There are ornamental varieties of dogwoods because
they have very pretty flowers and leaves turn nice colors
in fall. Very hardy.
Cottonwood
Cottonwood
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Kansas State Tree
Fast-growing tree and becomes massive
Leaf is triangle-shaped and has a flat stem, and makes a
lot of noise in the wind—sounds like rain.
In June, the females of this tree produce the huge
clouds of cotton fluff that you can see floating around in
the wind. There are very small seeds attached to the
fluff and this is how cottonwoods are dispersed.
Turns a beautiful golden yellow in fall.
Sycamore
Sycamore
Sycamore
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The sycamore has large, broad leaves with
pointed lobes.
Bark peels away to reveal the white trunk and
branches.
Has pendant fruit balls hanging off by October.
One of the largest trees in Kansas, and it grows
usually along streams and rivers in the eastern
half of the state.
Red Oak
Red Oak
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Tapered lobes ending in a point on the
leaves
Acorns about size of penny
Wood is good quality and often used in
woodworking furniture or finish work in
homes.
This is also a popular landscaping tree and
is found in many suburban yards.
Hackberry
Leaf—notice the base of the
leaf is uneven. This makes
ID easy.
Hackberry
Bark—notice how deep the
bark appears.
Hackberry
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Narrow leaves with long, tapered tips and
teeth all around; dark purple berries and
warty bark.
Very common tree in Kansas, often near
water but can be found anywhere.
Maple sp.
Maple sp.
Maple sp.
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Acer is the genus, and there are several Maple species
found in Kansas such as silver maple and sugar maple
(eastern border).
All species have a simple leaf with deep lobes, usually
with five points.
Popular landscaping tree genus because the leaves turn
such beautiful colors in the fall, ranging from bright reds
to oranges and yellows.
Economically important because maple is a wood used
for furniture and cabinetry. Sugar maples are the trees
that provide the sap for maple syrup.
Eastern Red Cedar
With berries
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar
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The only native evergreen in Kansas
Planted as a wind barrier and is very effective
Spreads rapidly on prairie and is difficult to
control.
Highly flammable. NOT for use as a Christmas
tree—has volatile oils that ignite and burn hot
and fast.
Wood used for fence posts, chests, closet
linings, and pencils. The oil from the tree is
distilled for use in soaps, perfumes and cleaners.
Redbud
Redbud
Redbud
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Unmistakable in spring, with bright purple
flowers like a pea flower, heart-shaped leaves.
Common in eastern Kansas
Ornamental tree for landscaping because if its
smaller size and very pretty pink flowers that
cover the branches in spring.
Beautiful, but somewhat delicate. Breaks easily
if people climb or swing on it.
Trees with Compound Leaves
Black Walnut
Black Walnut
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Long, pinnately-compound leaves
Fruit is about the size of a golf ball, green then
turns black, with a thick husk. The nuts inside
are edible. Drop from trees in October.
Common in eastern Kansas. Most large trees
have been harvested for lumber.
Wood is dark brown, used for furniture and
musical instruments, and is very beautiful.
Smooth
Sumac
Smooth Sumac
Smooth Sumac
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Small tree, generally found about 6 feet tall, in large
clumps of sumac trees.
The large clumps of sumac trees are actually all the
same individual that has put up many little trees.
Leaves have a local anesthetic in them. You can chew
them up and spit them out (they taste terrible—don’t
eat!) and your mouth will be numb for awhile.
Berries in the fall, when red, are very tasty to suck on
and then spit out (bitter if chewed up). You can also
steep the berries in hot water and make a tea that tastes
like the fruit. Can add sugar.
Honey Locust
Notice the extremely long thorns that
cover the branches and trunk. Most
of these in the picture are about 4”
long.
Honey Locust
Honey Locust
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Large pinnately compound leaves
Long twisted brown bean pods, flat, about 1 inch wide
and 10 inches long. Can vary in lengths.
VERY thorny bark—cannot miss the thorns that can
exceed 6 inches in length! Thorns are found in clumps
all over the tree.
First tree to grow on prairie near forest—initiates the
invasion of prairie by forest.
Some birds, like the Loggerhead Shrike, will use the
thorns to “save” prey items. Once in a while you can
find small lizards, mice, birds or frogs impaled on thorns.
Shrubs with Simple Leaves
Yucca
Yucca (a.k.a. Soapweed)
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Liliaceae, the Lily family.
2-10’ tall.
Stout stem rises from rigid, sword-like leaves.
Flowers are 1.5” across, white.
Typical of southwestern deserts, but they are
also found across Kansas.
Large petals are edible and are sometimes
added to salads.
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
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Also called Coralberry
Grows in low (3 feet high) patches in open
pastures or open woods.
Has clusters of purple-red fruits that
remain on plant all winter (too waxy for
most birds, except Yellow-rumped
warbler)
Very common and spreads quickly
Shrubs with Compound Leaves
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy rash after two days
Poison Ivy
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Can grow as a shrub (with compound leaves) or as a vine!!!
Three, mitten-shaped leaves sometimes with a red center where
leaves all meet.
Vines are “hairy” and can contain the oils even when dead. Don’t
ever burn firewood that has the hairy vines—oils can get in smoke,
and then your eyes and lungs.
Most people will react to the oils on leaves.
Leaves have different amounts of oils at different times, so it is
possible not to get poison ivy sometimes, and get it others.
Peppermint soap and oatmeal soap both help dry and soothe the
itch from poison ivy.
If you know you touch it, you have about 20 minutes to wash the
affected area of your skin to wash off oils.
Vines
Bittersweet
Bittersweet
Bittersweet
Bittersweet
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Climbing vine, often along roadsides and near
woodland edges
Simple, alternate, deciduous leaves
Fruits covered by an orange coat which splits
into three sections
Fruits open in late September, exposing brilliant
red seed cover
Often taken by humans for decoration- but only
take short side branches instead of main stem,
which will kill the plant
Bristly Greenbriar
Stem is covered with
very sharp thorns.
Bristly
Greenbriar
Stem is covered with
very sharp thorns.
Bristly Greenbriar
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Simple, broadly egg-shaped leaves with 5 main
veins that are obvious to the observer.
Vine that grows in the woods and along fence
rows in the eastern part of state—very common.
Note the extremely thorny, black prickles that
cover the main stem.
Doesn’t form dense masses, but grows long.
Riverbank Grape
Riverbank Grape
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Very common grape vine in Kansas
Grows as name suggests—along rivers
and streams.
Smooth vine, unlike poison ivy.
Grapes are small and an important food
source for fruit-eating birds.
Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper
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High climbing vine
5 palmately compound leaflets
Bright red fall foliage—can’t miss it in the fall.
Often seen growing on tree trunks or utility
poles, and keeps its red leaves longer than the
trees around it, so you can see it very easily in
fall when other trees are bare.
Many people think this is poison oak—we don’t
have poison oak in Kansas.
Not poisonous at all.
Trumpet
Creeper
Trumpet
Creeper
Trumpet Creeper
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High climbing vine.
Can grow to the top of a 20 meter tree, or
sprawl over rocks and dirt banks.
Excellent for erosion control.
Provides great cover for animals and
hummingbirds visit it.
Spreads aggressively and will dominate an
area.
References
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Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Kansas
by H.A. Stepehns, 1969, University of
Kansas Press