The abundant trees and forests are among the appealing aspects of central North Carolina. With the right tools and some careful observation, identifying the species of trees around you provides a way to better understand and appreciate your environment. Knowing a tree’s identity can help you make appropriate management decisions, including diagnosing problems, determining if it is invasive, or assessing how species can support wildlife. While smartphone identification apps are improving, their accuracy is usually limited to the genus level, and that accuracy is dependent on the quality and context of the photo. Relying on phone apps also degrades observational skills that cultivate a deeper appreciation of nature. Instead, we should learn how to identify local trees by carefully observing the morphology and form of their leaves, bark, flowers, and fruit.

Join Matt Jones (Extension Horticulture Agent) and the Master Gardener Volunteers of Chatham County for a hand-on workshop about how to identify trees in the North Carolina Piedmont. Participants will learn about plant morphology and the terminology helpful for identification, as well as how to find and use dichotomous keys for plants in our region. We’ll then practice using these keys in the classroom with sample tree parts. The workshop will conclude with a brief hike at White Pines Nature Preserve to learn about some of the field characters to ID local trees.

QUESTIONS? Contact N.C. Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center by calling 919-542-8202 or email matt_jones@ncsu.edu