1)   Castanea dentata                                                                    American Chestnut

American Chestnut once dominated many forests from Maine and southern Ontario to Mississippi and from the Atlantic coast to the Appalachian Mountains, and was once one of the most common trees in the northeastern United States. American Chestnut suffered a catastrophic population collapse due to the chestnut blight, a disease caused by an Asian bark fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). Very few mature specimens of the tree exist within its historical range, although many small shoots of the former live trees remain.

Ryan Garrison

2)   Castanopsis cuspidata                                                        Japanese Chinquapin

Japanese Chinquapin is native to southern Japan, where it is common from Tokyo southward. It can be also be found in southern Korea and China. It grows in woods and ravines, especially near the sea, and its dead wood serves as host to many mushroom types, including the shiitake.

Ryan Garrison

3)   Fagus grandifolia var. caroliniana                                        American Beech

American Beech is native to the eastern United States and extreme southeastern Canada. The variety caroliniana is found in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina, and can be distinguished from the typical F. grandifolia by being white and fuzzy underneath. The smooth bark, sharply-toothed thin leaves with straight veins, and long sharply-pointed buds make this tree very easy to identify.

Ryan Garrison

4)   Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides                          Tanoak

Tanoak is native to the western United States, in California as far south as the Transverse Ranges and north to southwestern Oregon. It is one of the species most seriously affected by “sudden oak death” (Phytophthora ramorum) with high mortality reported over much of the species’ range. The variety echinoides, found in in the northern Sierra Nevada and the Klamath Mountains, are smaller, rarely exceeding 3 meters (9.8 feet) in height and are often shrubby, with smaller leaves.

Ryan Garrison

5)   Quercus garryana var. breweri                                                   Garry Oak

The range of Garry Oak stretches from southern California to southwestern British Columbia. Garry Oak woodlands depend on disturbance (traditionally fire) to avoid being overtaken by Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).  These oak woodlands are critical habitats for a number of plant and animal species that are rare or extirpated in these areas, but are threatened by fire suppression. The variety breweri is found in the Siskiyou Mountains and the leaves are distinguished by having leaves that are velvety underneath.

Ryan Garrison