New Guide Takes The

Guesswork Out Of Identifying Trees

With hundreds of different species of trees growing in Connecticut and throughout the Eastern and Central regions of the United States, the average person might be hard-pressed to recognize and name more than just a handful.

What Tree Is That?, a unique 72-page pocket guide available from The National Arbor Day Foundation, makes this detective work fun and easy by showing how to identify trees in a simple step-by-step process.

The guidebook begins by noting the distinguishing characteristics that separate one tree species from another. Dozens of richly detailed drawings accurately illustrate the specific shapes and textures of different leaves, needles, acorns, berries, seed pods, cones, and other identifying features.

Popular trees such as oaks, maples, firs, and pines are covered. The pocket guide also goes beyond these familiar species to include the lesser-known horse chestnut, mockernut hickory, sassafras, shadbush, persimmon, pawpaw, pagoda tree, and pecan.

“Helping people enjoy and appreciate trees is central to the educational mission of the Arbor Day Foundation,” said John Rosenow, the foundation’s president. “Being able to identify trees is important to knowing how to care for them and how to plant the right tree in the right place.”

To obtain a copy of the tree ID guide, send name and address and $3 for each guide to What Tree Is That?, The National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City NE 68410, or go online to arborday.org to order.