Los árboles de madera dura norteamericanos más comunes

El aliso rojo es la especie de aliso nativo más grande de América del Norte con un rango limitado al oeste de los Estados Unidos y Canadá. También es el más ampliamente utilizado de cualquier especie de aliso nativo. los alisos rojos invaden claros o áreas quemadas y forman bosques temporales. Con el tiempo, los alisos rojos construyen el suelo con su abundante basura y lo enriquecen con compuestos de nitrógeno formados por bacterias simbióticas que viven en pequeños nódulos en sus raíces. Los rodales de aliso rojo finalmente son reemplazados por el abeto Douglas, la cicuta occidental y el abeto sitka.

La ceniza verde es la más ampliamente distribuida de todas las cenizas americanas. Naturalmente, un árbol húmedo de fondo o de ribera, es resistente a los extremos climáticos. Los grandes cultivos de semillas proporcionan alimento a muchos tipos de vida silvestre. La ceniza verde está seriamente amenazada en algunas áreas, particularmente en Michigan, por el barrenador de la ceniza esmeralda, un escarabajo introducido accidentalmente desde Asia, al que no tiene resistencia natural.

el nombre ceniza blanca deriva de la parte inferior blanca azulada de las hojas. Es similar en apariencia a la ceniza verde, lo que dificulta la identificación. La ceniza blanca se cultiva ampliamente como árbol ornamental en América del Norte. Los cultivares seleccionados para un color de otoño superior incluyen 'aplausos de otoño' y 'púrpura de otoño'.

el nombre de álamo temblón hace referencia al temblor o temblor de las hojas que ocurre incluso con una ligera brisa debido a los pecíolos aplanados. los álamos producen semillas pero rara vez crecen de ellas. el álamo temblón se propaga principalmente a través de brotes de raíz, y son comunes las colonias clonales extensas. Es un árbol clave de madera dura muy importante en todos los estados del oeste de América y sorprendentemente hermoso en otoño.

la haya americana es una especie tolerante a la sombra, que favorece la sombra más que otros árboles, y se encuentra comúnmente en los bosques en la etapa final de sucesión llamada bosque clímax. Aunque la madera de haya americana es pesada, dura, resistente y fuerte, el árbol generalmente se deja durante la tala y, a menudo, se deja sin cortar para crecer. Como resultado, muchas áreas hoy en día todavía tienen extensas arboledas de hayas viejas.

el tilo americano es dominante en la asociación de arce azucarero-tilo más común en el oeste de Wisconsin y el centro de Minnesota. Puede ocurrir tan al este como Nueva Inglaterra y el sur de Quebec, donde los suelos son mésicos con un pH relativamente alto. el tilo es un árbol de germinación prolífico e incluso puede formar grupos a partir de tocones. las flores de tilo atraen hordas de abejas y otros insectos. se le ha llamado el "árbol tarareando".

El abedul de papel es una especie pionera y es el primero en aparecer después de una perturbación forestal. Necesita suelos ricos en nutrientes y mucha luz solar. La corteza es altamente resistente a la intemperie. a menudo, la madera de un abedul de papel caído se pudrirá dejando intacta la corteza hueca. esta corteza de abedul fácilmente reconocible y pelada es un alimento básico de invierno para los alces a pesar de que la calidad nutricional es pobre. Aún así, la corteza es importante para la invernada de los alces debido a su gran abundancia.

Si bien el hábitat nativo del abedul de río es tierra húmeda, crecerá en tierras más altas, y su corteza es bastante distintiva, lo que lo convierte en un árbol ornamental favorito para el uso del paisaje. Varios cultivares tienen una corteza muy atractiva y seleccionados para la plantación de jardines, incluidos el "patrimonio" y el "calor de duramadre". los nativos americanos usaron la savia hervida del abedul salvaje como un edulcorante similar al jarabe de arce, y la corteza interna como alimento de supervivencia. Por lo general, es demasiado retorcido y nudoso para ser valioso como un árbol de madera.

el nombre "abedul amarillo" refleja el color de la corteza distintiva del árbol. Betula alleghaniensis es el árbol provincial de Québec, donde comúnmente se le llama merisier, un nombre que en Francia se usa para el cerezo silvestre. El abedul amarillo prospera en bosques húmedos y a menudo se ve en zancos de raíz que se han desarrollado a partir de plántulas que han crecido sobre tocones podridos.

los nombres "anciano de caja" y "arce de boxelder" se basan en la similitud de su madera blanquecina con la del boj y la similitud de sus hojas compuestas pinnadas con las de algunas especies de saúco. el arce menos que "respetable" no es particularmente deseado en el paisaje debido a la rápida descomposición del tronco, la proliferación prolífica y el desprendimiento de ramas. aún así, se ha plantado en ciudades y granjas debido a su rápido crecimiento.

Juglans cinerea, comúnmente conocido como butternut o nuez blanca, es una especie de nuez nativa del este de los Estados Unidos y el sureste de Canadá. la nuez, una vez abundante, ahora rara vez se ve. Si encuentra un suministro, ha encontrado una nuez con el mayor contenido de aceite y el mayor valor alimenticio de todas las nueces y nueces. Butternut está seriamente amenazado por una enfermedad de chancro introducida llamada melanconis. En algunas áreas, el 90% de los árboles de butternut han sido asesinados. Sobreviven algunos árboles aislados.

La cereza negra es una especie pionera . en el medio oeste, se ve que crece principalmente en campos viejos con otras especies amantes de la luz solar, como el nogal negro, la langosta negra y la almeja. Es un árbol moderadamente longevo, con edades conocidas de hasta 258 años. el cerezo negro es propenso al daño de la tormenta con ramas que se rompen fácilmente, pero cualquier descomposición resultante progresa lentamente. Es el cerezo nativo más grande y uno de los árboles frutales silvestres más abundantes.

El álamo negro, también conocido como álamo del bálsamo occidental o álamo de California, es una especie de árbol caducifolio de hoja ancha nativa del oeste de América del Norte. Es la especie más grande de América del Norte en la familia de los sauces y fue la primera especie de árbol en secuenciarse genéticamente. El álamo bálsamo de Galaad es un clon ornamental e híbrido de este árbol.

el álamo oriental suele vivir entre 70 y 100 años. Los árboles con una genética superior y ubicados en un buen ambiente de crecimiento pueden potencialmente vivir de 200 a 400 años. la hoja es única, algunos dicen que parece una "pirámide egipcia, con sus dientes gruesos como escalones de piedra". el álamo oriental tiene un rápido crecimiento y un sistema de raíces en expansión que controlará la erosión pero también dañará el pavimento y obstruirá las alcantarillas. normalmente se ve a lo largo de los sistemas fluviales más grandes.

La magnolia de pepino es una de las magnolias más grandes y una de las más resistentes al frío. Es un gran árbol forestal del noreste de los Estados Unidos y el sureste de Canadá (Ontario), pero se vuelve más pequeño en el rango sur. Es un árbol que tiende a aparecer individualmente como especímenes dispersos, en lugar de en arboledas. Cucumbertree es un excelente árbol de sombra para parques y jardines y recibe su nombre común por el color y la forma de una fruta única que se asemeja a un pepino.

El cornejo en flor es uno de los árboles de paisajes ornamentales más populares del este de América del Norte. Por lo general, se muestran debajo de grandes robles o pinos, tanto en la naturaleza como como ornamentales. los cornejos se encuentran entre los primeros árboles florecientes de primavera. Con su corona densa, el cornejo en flor proporciona buena sombra y, debido a su pequeña estatura, es útil en los patios más pequeños. Este querido árbol es el árbol estatal de Missouri, Carolina del Norte y Virginia.

El olmo americano ha sido durante mucho tiempo muy popular como árbol de la calle o la avenida, pero nunca se llevó a parques y ciudades. ahora está siendo reemplazado por mejores árboles como london planetree (platanus x acerfolia) y japonés zelkova (zelkova serrata). una vez ampliamente plantada como un árbol de sombra, la enfermedad del olmo holandés ha matado a muchos de estos. los árboles aislados parecen ser menos susceptibles a la enfermedad, mientras que las plantaciones masivas tienden a exacerbar los problemas. El olmo americano tiene poco valor como producto forestal.

Rock Elm o Cork Elm es un árbol caducifolio nativo principalmente del medio oeste de los Estados Unidos y a lo largo del borde de la pradera y el bosque. La madera es el olmo más duro y pesado de todos. También es muy fuerte y tiene un alto esmalte que ofrece una amplia gama de usos, especialmente la construcción naval, muebles, herramientas agrícolas e instrumentos musicales.

El olmo resbaladizo es, según se dice, menos susceptible a la enfermedad del olmo holandés que otros olmos de América del Norte, pero está gravemente dañado por el escarabajo de la hoja del olmo. el olmo resbaladizo es uno de los olmos nativos más pequeños de América del Norte pero con una de las hojas más grandes. el árbol nunca crece en rodales puros. el árbol tiene una corteza interna viscosa (resbaladiza), sabe a regaliz y tiene algo de valor alimenticio y medicinal.

hackberry se distingue fácilmente por su corteza de corcho con protuberancias parecidas a verrugas. las hojas son claramente asimétricas y de textura gruesa. produce bayas pequeñas (comestibles) que se vuelven de color rojo anaranjado a púrpura oscuro. hackberry no es un árbol maderero importante. la madera se parece al olmo pero es difícil de trabajar, se pudre fácilmente y es una mala elección para plantar en el paisaje.

bitternut hickory is probably the most abundant and most uniformly distributed of all the hickories. bitternut hickory grows in moist mountain valleys along streambanks and in swamps. although it is usually found on wet bottomlands, it grows on dry sites and also grows well on poor soils low in nutrients. because bitternut hickory wood is hard and durable, it is used for furniture, paneling, dowels, tool handles, and ladders. it is a choice fuel for smoking meats.

mockernut hickory is very common and abundant southward through virginia, north carolina, and florida but grows from massachusetts south to northern florida, west to kansas and texas and up to iowa. the tree grows largest in the lower ohio river basin. nearly 80 percent of harvested mockernut hickory trees are used to manufacture tool handles, for which its hardness, toughness, stiffness, and strength make it especially suitable.

pignut hickory (carya glabra) is a common but not abundant species in the oak-hickory forest association in the eastern united states. the range of pignut hickory covers nearly all of eastern united states. pignut hickory frequently grows on dry ridgetops and side slopes throughout its range but it is also common on moist sites, particularly in the mountains and piedmont.

the shagbark hickory (carya ovata) is a common hickory in the eastern united states and southeast canada. shagbark hickory has the most distinctive of all the hickory bark because of its loose-plated bark. its hickory nut is edible and has a very sweet taste. shagbark hickory wood is used for smoking meat and was used for making the bows of native americans of the northern area.

shellbark hickory nuts are the largest of all hickory nuts and are sweet and edible. wildlife and people harvest most of the nuts and those remaining produce seedling trees readily. this hickory is distinguished from other hickories by large leaves, large nuts and orange twigs.

american holly typically grows as an understory tree in forests. it is rare in the north of its range (new england and new york) and always small there. it is abundant further south on the southern coast and in the gulf states, reaching its greatest size on the bottomlands of southern arkansas and eastern texas. holly boughs and leaves are popular christmas decorations and inseparably connected with the christmas season. a north american custom is to use holly and mistletoe for decorating of homes and churches. the american holly is the state tree of delaware.

black locust has nitrogen-fixing bacteria on its root system. for this reason, it can grow on poor soils, increase soil fertility and is an early colonizer of disturbed areas. the wood is extremely hard, resistant to rot and longlasting, making it prized for fence posts and small watercraft. as a young man, it is reported that abraham lincoln spent a lot of time splitting rails and fence posts from black locust logs. black locust attracts bees and is a major honey plant in the eastern united states. having been transplanted in france, it is the source of the renowned french acacia monofloral honey.

the southern magnolia or bull bay, is a magnolia native to the southeastern united states, from coastal virginia south to central florida, and west to east texas. the tree is a very popular ornamental tree throughout the southeastern united states, grown for its attractive foliage and flowers. the southern magnolia is the state tree of mississippi and the state flower of mississippi and louisiana.

acer macrophyllum (bigleaf maple or oregon maple) is a large deciduous tree in the genus acer. it is native to western north america, mostly near the pacific coast, from southernmost alaska south to southern california. bigleaf maple is the only commercially important maple of the pacific coast region.

acer rubrum or red maple is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern north america. red maple is adaptable to a very wide range of site conditions, perhaps more so than any other tree in eastern north america. its ability to thrive in a large number of habitats is largely due to its ability to produce roots to suit its site from a young age. red maple is widely grown as an ornamental tree in parks and in the landscape. dozens of red maple varieties have been developed and the tree is prized for its fall color.

silver maple is a weak tree but often introduced in the landscape to the dismay of many who plant it. it can be saved for planting in wet areas or where nothing else will thrive. the maple is also aggressive, growing into septic tank drain fields and undermines water and sewer pipes. silver maple is closely related to the red maple and can hybridize with it, the hybrid being known as the freeman maple (acer x freemanii). the freeman maple is a popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, combining the fast growth of silver maple with the less brittle wood. the tree has very little value as a forest product.

sugar maple is a maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern north america, from nova scotia west to southern ontario, and south to georgia and texas. sugar maple is an immensely important species to the ecology of many forests in north america. sugar maples engage in a "hydraulic lift," drawing water from lower soil layers and exuding that water into upper, drier soil layers. this not only benefits the tree itself but also many other plants growing around it. sugar maple is the major source of sap for making maple syrup and prized for furniture and flooring.

black oak has readily hybridized with other members of the red oak group of oaks, being one parent in at least a dozen different named hybrids. this single species' compatibility is fairly uncommon in the quercus genus group. black oak is seldom used for landscaping. the inner bark of the black oak contains a yellow pigment called quercitron, which was sold commercially in europe until the 1940s.

the bur oak, quercus macrocarpa, sometimes spelled burr oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group. bur oak typically grows in the open, away from a forest canopy. for this reason, it is an important tree on the eastern prairies, where it is often found near waterways in more forested areas, where there is a break in the canopy. it is an excellent landscaping tree.

cherrybark oak (q. pagodifolia) is a fairly common large tree of bottomland forests, similar to the upland southern red oak (q. falcata), of which it was formerly considered a variety. the cherrybark tree has heavy strong wood that makes it an excellent timber tree for furniture and interior finish. it is a commercially desirable tree and managed for various forest products.

laurel oak or (quercus laurifolia) is commonly used as an ornamental tree in landscaping because of its fast growth and pleasing appearance; it is planted with little regard to soil type. the latin "laurifolia" means laurel-leaved or having leaves like a laurel. swamp laurel oak grows rapidly and usually matures in about 50 years, which has led to its wide use as ornamental landscaping.

live oak is a symbolic tree of the deep south. quercus virginiana has a squat and leaning form with a large diameter tapering trunk. the angel oak near charleston, south carolina, is a live oak that has been determined to be the oldest tree in the eastern united states at 1400 years. live oak is the state tree of georgia and a favorite in the coastal landscape.

oregon white oak is the only native oak in british columbia and washington and the principal one in oregon. though commonly known as garry oak in british columbia, elsewhere it is usually called white oak, post oak, oregon oak, brewer oak, or shin oak. its scientific name was chosen by david douglas to honor nicholas garry, secretary and later deputy governor of the hudson bay company, 1822-35.

overcup oak is a medium-sized deciduous oak that is valued as a "white oak" wood. commercial overcup oak varies extremely with every site, fire damage, and degree of insect and decay defect. it is a quite ordinary oak with a unique acorn. the large acorns with hardened cups that enclose all or most of the nut are diagnostic.

pin oak is one of the most overused landscape oaks in the midwest and the eastern united states. the oak is popular due to an attractive pyramidal shape and straight, dominant trunk, even on older specimens and because of availability. a lot of that popularity has been challenged because of iron-deficiency chlorosis, persistent brown leaves on the tree into the winter, and a ragged look with the stubby twig "pins" that stand out and is a negative to some.

the name post oak refers to the use of the wood of this tree for fence posts. its wood, like that of the other white oaks, is hard, tough and rot-resistant. the "maltese cross" form of the distinctive post oak leaf is a key identifier. both the post oak and the blackjack oak are the major trees of the "cross timbers" area in texas and oklahoma. this area comprises the border where trees transition to prairie grassland.

any oak with pointed, bristle-tipped leaf lobes belongs to the red oak group, including northern red oak. red oak is the fastest growing of all oaks and when on the right site, one of the largest and longest-lived. northern red oak is an easily transplanted, popular shade tree with good form and dense foliage. northern red oak is well adapted to periodic fires.

nuttall oak (quercus nuttallii), not distinguished as a species until 1927, is also called red oak, red river oak, and pin oak. it is one of the few commercially important species found on poorly drained clay flats and low bottoms of the gulf coastal plain and north in the mississippi and red river valleys. the acorn or winter buds identify nuttall oak, easily confused with pin oak (q. palustris). the lumber is often cut and sold as red oak. in addition to producing timber, nuttall oak is an important species for wildlife management because of heavy annual nut or "mast" production.

scarlet oak (quercus coccinea) is best known for its brilliant autumn color. it is a large rapid-growing tree of the eastern united states, found on a variety of soils in mixed forests, especially light sandy and gravelly upland ridges and slopes. best development is in the ohio river basin. in commerce, the lumber is mixed with that of other red oaks. scarlet oak is a popular shade tree and has been widely planted in the united states and europe.

shumard oak (quercus shumardii) is one of the largest southern red oaks. other common names are spotted oak, schneck oak, shumard red oak, southern red oak, and swamp red oak. it is a lowland tree and grows scattered with other hardwoods on moist, well-drained soils associated with large and small streams. it grows moderately fast and produces acorns every 2 to 4 years that are used by wildlife for food. the wood is superior to most red oaks, but it is mixed indiscriminately with other red oak lumber and used for the same products. this tree makes a handsome shade tree.

all the red oaks, including southern red oak, are the most prized hardwood species in the united states. the uses of oak include almost everything that mankind has ever derived from trees - timber, food for man and animals, fuel, watershed protection, shade and beauty, tannin, and extractives.

the water oak is also called possum oak or spotted oak. the oak's habitat is commonly found along southeastern north america watercourses and lowlands on silty clay and loamy soils. water oak is a medium-sized but rapid-growing tree and is often abundant as second growth on cutover lands. water oak is planted widely as a street and shade tree in southern communities.

the white oak family members also include the bur oak, chestnut oak, and oregon white oak. this oak is immediately recognized by rounded lobes plus the lobe tips never have bristles like red oak. white oak is less favored than red oak because it is difficult to transplant and has a slow growth rate.

the medium to large willow oak has unique willow-like foliage and is known for its rapid growth and long life. a favored shade tree, willow oak is widely planted as an ornamental. it is also a good species to plant along margins of fluctuating-level reservoirs.

the osage orange creates a dense canopy, making it useful as a windbreak. young osage orange trees can develop an upright, pyramidal habit and the fruit is unique, rough textured, heavy green balls which ripen to yellow-green and fall in october and november. the large, three to six-inch long by two to three-inch-wide, shiny, dark green leaves turn bright yellow in fall and are quite noticeable in the northeastern united states.

royal paulownia is an introduced ornamental that has become well established in north america. it is also known as the "princess-tree," empress-tree, or paulownia. paulownia has a tropical look with very large catalpa-like leaves although the two species are not related. the paulownia has been touted as growing very valuable wood under correct management strategies.

pecan is, economically, the most important member of the hickory family, of the genus carya. pecan production is a multi-million dollar business and one of north america's favorite nuts. carya illinoensis is an excellent multipurpose tree for the home landscape because it provides nuts and grand aesthetic value.

common persimmon is an interesting, somewhat irregularly shaped native small to medium tree. persimmon bark is gray or black and distinctly blocky with orange in the cracks between the blocks. except for cleaning up the messy fruit if it falls on a patio or sidewalk, persimmon maintenance is quite easy and it could be planted more. locate it where the slimy fruit will not fall on sidewalks and cause people to slip and fall.

redbud is a small tree that shines early in spring (one of the first flowering plants) with leafless branches of magenta buds and pink flowers. quickly following the flowers come new green leaves which turn a dark, blue-green and are uniquely heart-shaped. cercis canadensis often has a large crop of 2-4 inch seedpods that some find unappealing in the urban landscape.

young sassafras seedlings are usually unlobed but older trees add unique mitten-shaped leaves with two or three lobes on other leaves. in addition to sassafras' value to wildlife, the tree provides wood and bark for a variety of commercial and domestic uses. tea is brewed from the bark of roots and leaves are used is as a thickener in soups and sauces.

sourwood is one of the first trees to turn colors in the eastern forest. by late august, it is common to see foliage of young sourwood trees along roadsides beginning to turn red. the fall color of sourwood is a striking red and orange and associated with blackgum and sassafras.

sweetgum is sometimes called redgum, probably because of the red color of the older heartwood and its red fall leaves. sweetgum grows from connecticut southward throughout the east to central florida and eastern texas and is a very common commercial timber species of the south. sweetgum is easy to identify in both the summer and in winter. look for the star-shaped leaf as foliage grows in the spring and look for the dried seed balls in and under the tree.

american sycamore is a massive tree and can attain the largest trunk diameter of any of the eastern u.s. hardwoods. the native sycamore has a grand branch display and its bark is unique among all trees - you can always identify a sycamore just by looking at the bark. the alternate maple-looking leaves are large and also unique to those familiar with sycamore.

black gum trees have moderate growth rate and longevity and are an excellent food source for wildlife, fine honey trees, and handsome ornamentals. black tupelo (nyssa sylvatica) is divided into two commonly recognized varieties, typical black tupelo (var. sylvatica) and swamp tupelo (var. biflora). they are usually identifiable by their differences in habitats: black tupelo on light-textured soils of uplands and stream bottoms, swamp tupelo on heavy organic or clay soils of wet bottomlands.

water tupelo (nyssa aquatica), is a large, long-lived tree that grows in southern swamps and flood plains where its root system is periodically underwater. it has a swollen base that tapers to a long, clear bole and often occurs in pure stands. a good mature tree will produce commercial timber used for furniture and crates. many kinds of wildlife eat the fruits and water tupelo is a favored honey tree.

the black walnut used to be a very common old-growth forest tree. black walnut wood is now relatively scarce and highly coveted, used mainly for high-quality woodworking and produces a delicious nut. the tree hates shade (intolerant) and best growth occurs in a sunny open location and a moist rich soil, common along stream banks in its native habitat.

black willow is named for its dark gray-brown bark. the tree is the largest and most important new world willow and is one of the first trees to bud in the spring. the numerous uses of the wood of this timber-sized willow are furniture, doors, millwork, barrels, and boxes.

yellow poplar or tulip poplar is the tallest hardwood tree in north america with one of the most perfect and straight trunks in the forest. the yellow poplar tree has very unique leaves with four lobes separated by rounded notches. the tree is a valuable source for lumber products.