Trees dominate the landscape and provide habitat structure for a multitude of other plants, animals, invertebrates, and microorganisms, thereby protecting biological diversity. An iron furnace required 20,000-35,000 acres of forest to support it on a sustainable basis. More non-native plants are introduced every year. There are always opportunities to help, regardless of your level of expertise. Recent outbreaks of native insects such as elm spanworm, forest tent caterpillar, eastern tent caterpillar, and cherry scallop-shell moth have caused extensive tree death in some parts of the state. American beech 4. Pennsylvania native plants are plants that thrived in the area before settlement. The current owner, a horticulturist, places the tree's age at approximately 700 years. We have over 1000 trees listed across the state that are big locally, or are the biggest in the state. Width: 1-2'. Other accounts describe extensive grasslands and gallery-type forests in which one could "drive a carriage unhindered," apparently the product of Native Americans' regular use of fire to manage the landscape. Two trees that once grew here, Atlantic white cedar and swamp cottonwood, are extirpated (gone from the state). Oak and other hardwoods are also important. Pennsylvania, with its unique geographical position, has 102 kinds of trees native to the State, although there are numerous introduced species growing and thriving in this latitude and climate. Classified as threatened are American holly, umbrella magnolia, sweetbay magnolia, and common hop-tree. Before 1910, American chestnut was an important component of Pennsylvania's oak forests, but the accidental introduction of chestnut blight in New York City in 1904 resulted in chestnut's shift from widespread canopy dominant to minor status within just a few decades. We have listed them by scientific name because it is a constant and does not vary region to region or person to person. The "Great Clearcut"—The invention of the geared logging locomotive set the stage for the great clearcut of Pennsylvania's forests that took place between 1890 and 1930. Others including corktree, bee-bee tree, callery pear, and mimosa are just beginning to show invasive tendencies. The mixed mesophytic forests, which reach their greatest development in the Smoky Mountains, just reach southern Pennsylvania. Welcome to the Pennsylvania A-Z native species list. Clearcutting was frequently followed by fires; started by sparks from the railroads, the fires burned rapidly and fiercely through the slash left after logging. There are always opportunities to help, regardless of your level of expertise. Pennsylvania is host to one national forest; the Allegheny National Forest contains just over half a million acres. The Forest TodayDespite dire predictions of Rothrock and others, Pennsylvania's forests did recover in the years following the great clearcut. Pennsylvania's State Tree is quite versatile in the ways it can be used in the landscape. Development of a system of forest reserves, now known as state forests, began in 1897 with the acquisition of abandoned cut-over lands that were sold at tax sales. A second wave of timber harvesting focused on hemlock bark, which was used in the leather tanning industry. These forests have a dense layer of shrubs such as mountain laurel and black huckleberry. The gypsy moth, which spread into the state following its accidental release in eastern Massachusetts in 1869, reduced the importance of oaks through preferential feeding on members of the genus Quercus. Fencing to exclude deer is now a standard practice on state forest lands when timber is harvested; this is necessary to allow new trees to become established and grow beyond the browse line (the height deer can reach). Some native species such as umbrella magnolia and American holly are frequently cultivated and sometimes spread into nearby woodlands from cultivated sources, making a determination of their true status more difficult. Some of them such as Norway maple, tree-of-heaven, and empress-tree have seriously impacted remnant forests in urban and suburban areas. Forests and the trees and other species that comprise them are constantly changing systems. Don’t worry if you see beetles on the flowers – they are the only pollinators who will visit. Old photographs record the boom days at Masten, Golinza, Laquin, and many other sites that today are only names on a map, a few old foundations, or perhaps the site of a hunting camp. Rail beds were constructed up every hollow, far into forests unreachable when proximity to water was necessary to transport the logs to markets. Learn More about PNPS. Heart's Content, also in the Allegheny National Forest, has 100 acres of old growth hemlock-white pine forest. You are being redirected to the DCNR eLibrary. Their banana like fruits add interest to the landscape. Wood not needed for fuel or building material was often burned early in the process of clearing the land; after all, there was a seemingly unlimited supply. They protect the soil and facilitate ground water recharge by reducing runoff and erosion. Beech, sugar maple, and hemlock are so-called late successional trees because of their ability to grow and reproduce in low light conditions. Serpentinite rock, which occurs in a band of outcrops stretching across southern Delaware, Chester, and Lancaster counties, supports forests of pitch pine or Virginia pine, coupled with red cedar, scrub oak, blackjack oak and sassafras. Initially open land will be colonized by species such as eastern red cedar, tuliptree, aspens, or red maple that grow well in the high light conditions of open fields. Charcoal making was another forest industry that thrived before the discovery of coal as a fuel. Others, such as chestnut and butternut, have become rare through the impact of insects or diseases. IMAGE INFORMATION; Striped Maple Moisture: Med Sun: Part/Shade Hgt. An introduced or non-native plant is one that has been brought into the state to become established in the wild. The major forest types are northern hardwood forest, oak-hickory forest, Great Lakes beech-maple forest, and mixed mesophytic forest. What wasn't usable as lumber was treated by slow heating and distillation in "chemical factories" that produced acetate of lime, wood alcohol, wood tar, charcoal, and gases. Black walnut is one of the last trees to leaf out in the spring and one of the first to lose its leaves in the fall. Others, such as American holly, sweetbay magnolia, southern red oak, willow oak, chinquapin, and short-needle pine, just reach the state from the south. Today many of the old railroad beds are the basis for a network of hiking trails. ISA Certified Arborist® Shale barrens and limestone barrens of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province contain drought-tolerant species including red cedar, Virginia pine, table mountain pine, yellow oak, post oak, hackberry, and sumac. Historically, the tree's lumber was important in making whiskey barrels and in ship building. 243979, Member of the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce. Red maple is a moderately fast-growing Pennsylvania-native shade tree best known for its brilliant red (sometimes red/gold) fall foliage. A colonial shrub species, grows from 3’ to 15’ tall, prefers full sun, low drought tolerance, blooms from April to July, white flowers, produces pear shaped red fruit that per- sists into winter. Gaining in popularity, Pawpaws have the largest fruits of native fruit trees. American sycamore 3. Appears as a tuft of grass. The Sacred Oak is currently the biggest tree in Berks County and is on the Pennsylvania Forestry Association's Champion Trees of Pennsylvania website. Altered ForestsImpact of pests and diseases—Pennsylvania's forests have also been profoundly affected by pests and diseases introduced from different parts of the world. Others, such as American holly, sweetbay magnolia, southern red oak, willow oak, chinquapin, and short-needle pine, just reach the state from the south. The cooling effect from transpiration and shading add to our comfort. Elders of the Lenni Lenape tribe have certified the tree has been venerated for 480+ years. Never needs cutting unless to tidy. Menu. In Pennsylvania, the clearing for farming and cutting trees for commercial uses that began with the first European arrivals had, by 1900, reduced the forest cover from 90-95 percent of the land area to 32 percent. However, that forest is a fairly recent product of the geological evolution of Pennsylvania's landscape. In the northeastern and northwestern corners of the state, in areas covered by ice during the most recent glaciation, peat deposits support forests with a northern character dominated by black spruce and tamarack. With seasonal pruning it can be formed into an effective screen or hedge plant. A small tree can bring beauty and diversity into your yard while taking up very little space. Height: 8-16". You probably even see these in your own yard and don’t even know it. PH: 814-443-2991, Nate Shumaker However, current interpretation is to view the forest as a constantly shifting mosaic of patches created by individual tree falls and other small-scale change. Cat/R/M/S. The “white oak group” includes all oaks without bristle-tipped lobes and acorns that ripen in one season. Trees of Pennsylvania All 40; Taxonomy; 30 Flowering Plants Subphylum Angiospermae; 10 Conifers Class Pinopsida; Search. Pennsylvania's location spanning 40 degrees - 42 degrees north latitude and its varied terrain support 108 species of native trees and many other introduced from Europe and Asia. Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica) - PART TO FULL SHADE. 2004 | 416 pages | Cloth $59.95 Botany / Ecology/Environmental Studies View main book page, Chapter 1. The piles of logs were covered with earth and burned to produce charcoal that was then hauled by wagon to the iron works. Deer have consumed the lower layers of vegetation including tree seedlings and saplings, shrubs, and herbaceous species. Trees with a more western distribution that reach Pennsylvania include Shumard oak, bur oak, shingle oak, and Kentucky coffee-tree. Quercus rubra. See more ideas about native plants, plants, wild flowers. Trees are primarily identified by three things: their leaves, seeds, and bark. Like other green plants they utilize carbon dioxide and produce oxygen and sugars. While those are the most common trees of Pennsylvania there are dozens of trees you will likely see in a walk in the woods. Here are some of the most common trees of Pennsylvania. Fall 2020 Photo Contest Winner. Charcoal making utilized small trees and could be done on a 25-year rotation in most areas. Too many deer—Over-abundant deer are a serious threat to the health of forests throughout the state. Rare SpeciesThe abundance of individual tree species varies greatly from those that are found throughout the state in a variety of habitats such as red maple, beech, and red oak, to those that are very limited in their occurrence. Wood products including barrel staves, lath, shingles, boxes, and kindling wood were produced in hastily built factories located in temporary towns that sprang up throughout the northern tier of Pennsylvania. .". Home; About; Contact; Our Plants. One hundred and thirty five species of trees are considered native to Pennsylvania. Paw Paws are taprooted plants that transplant most successfully while dormant or nearly so. Mild winters have allowed the adelgid to spread rapidly. Apr 4, 2015 - Explore Lynn's board "Native plants of Pennsylvania", followed by 211 people on Pinterest. Living here, you see trees everyday, but when was the last time you really looked at the ones surrounding you? Wild black cherry reaches its best development in this zone, especially in the northwestern part of the state. The oak-dominated forests that persist today, and native grasslands, most of which disappeared soon after Native Americans were ousted from the land, almost certainly owe their existence to traditions of large-scale burning among some groups of people for centuries or thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. By 1904 the system held about half a million acres; today the state forests total 2.1 million acres. Living here, you see trees everyday, but when was the last time you really looked at the ones surrounding you? Full-Part Sun; Full-Part Shade; Shrubs & Trees; Shrubs & Trees. We propagate and grow more than 80 species of perennial plants from local seed we collect in the wild. Plant two for better fruit set. Allegheny plum and pumpkin ash have been recommended for endangered status. Pennsylvania is full of sprawling forests that are home to some truly beautiful trees! northern red oak 1. Sort Guide order; Alphabetical by display name; Alphabetical by scientific name; Grid Card. Four other tree species, short-leaf pine and three hawthorns, have been recommended for listing but a specific status has not yet been determined. Hemlock logs were cut and the bark stripped off and hauled to tanneries located in many parts of the state near the source of bark. The state distribution maps in the species info boxes below are from the USDA NRCS PLANTS Database at plants.usda.gov.In instances where state specific maps are unavailable, the US distribution map will be used in its place. In turn, trees that have National champion potential will be forwarded to American Forests. Dutch elm disease and dogwood anthracnose have taken their toll. Native American populations were much larger before contact with Europeans introduced smallpox and other diseases; the extent of land impacted by their management was large. It also occurs further south on north-facing slopes and cool, moist ravines. The Great Lakes beech-sugar maple forest is represented at the western end of the state. The chestnut blight fungus, first discovered in New York City in 1904, swept through Pennsylvania reducing what had previously been our most abundant tree to minor status. Native PA Species TREES for Stormwater Management in Erie County. Fossil pollen and charcoal preserved in bogs and lake sediments all across the eastern half of North America, as well as many of the earliest written observations, record wide-scale use of fire by Native Americans to manage their landscape. The Tionesta Scenic and Natural Area in Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania includes the only sizable tract of old growth forest that remains in the state. We consider the flora present at the time Europeans arrived in North America as the species native to the eastern United States. Pennsylvania's Forest Heritage. Trees listed as endangered in Pennsylvania are balsam poplar, beach plum, southern red oak, willow oak, Shumard oak, and showy mountain ash. We have included the various common names associated with each scientific name to help you find the right tree. The 65 nonnative trees included in this book are species that have spread into our native forests or other natural habitats. Pennsylvania native trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous material, seeds. . Abandoned farmland, and cleared or timbered land will become forested again through a natural process known as secondary succession. As early successional species modify the environment by increasing the organic matter and shading the forest floor, more shade tolerant species invade. Sumac fruit is included, Article and photo courtesy of Karen Smith. State and federal officials want to stop it, and they’ve spent about $20 million this year on research and eradication efforts. The white oak is a widespread forest tree in Pennsylvania and can reach 80 to 1,000 feet high. Early accounts of the landscape of the interior of Pennsylvania contain frequent references like this descriptive passage by Fortescue Cumming while crossing Tuscarora Mountain in 1807, "view to the westward, though extensive, was cheerless and gloomy, over a broken and mountainous or rather hilly country, covered with forests, chiefly of the dark and sombre pine . Today, it is not unusual to come across old charcoal hearths, level areas about 40 feet in diameter, scattered throughout the forests in areas where charcoal making occurred. Trees provide a renewable source of lumber, paper, nuts and chemicals. Influence of Native AmericansThe popular notion that European explorers and early settlers found a primeval forest free of human influence is inaccurate. The railroad logging era, as it is known, allowed loggers to reach the vast interior of the state's forests. A Brief History of Penn's WoodsThe land that greeted the earliest Europeans to arrive in Pennsylvania was primarily forested, broken only by rivers, occasional wetlands, and clearings associated with Native American villages. In addition, at least 21 large native shrubs sometimes grow to tree size and form. It is one of the most valuable timber trees, and often planted for ornamental purposes in open spaces. State game lands, administered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, contain another 1.4 million acres in the public domain. Spreads by underground stolons and self-sows. Swamp forests along Lake Erie are the only locations where pumpkin ash occurs. Fall foliage red to red orange. The Value of TreesThe ecological importance of forests and trees to the well-being of the state is enormous. The most recent invader, hemlock woolly adelgid, is killing our state tree the Canadian hemlock in southern and eastern parts of the state. Some of the same trees that are native to Delaware can also be found in Pennsylvania, as we are close neighbors. Congratulations to Pete … Trees came back not only on cutover lands, but also on abandoned farmland; today, second growth forests cover 59 percent of the state's land area. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, there are 134 native and 62 introduced species of trees found in the state. Most of Pennsylvania’s forest lands fall into two types: Mixed oak forests cover about 54 percent of the commonwealth -- mostly in the south -- and include trees such as northern red oak, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, red maple, and tulip poplar. Thanks to all for your continued support of this program. The resulting scenes of devastation generated concern by groups throughout the state and led to the formation of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Big Trees of Pennsylvania Register. Fagus grandifolia. River birch occurs along rivers and streams in the eastern part of the state but not in the west. To learn more about the native plants we currently offer, select the appropriate native plant type. Part to full shade. Commercial uses include flooring, whiskey barrels and boat building. The rarest native species are designated by the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI) and protected under the Wild Plant Conservation Act. There are approximately 2,100 native plants in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is home to a wide variety of trees, some living no where in the world, not to mention some of the oldest and longest living in the world. You can support us by becoming a member, making a donation, and/or volunteering . The northern hardwood forest occupies the northern third of the state and extends south at high elevations along the Allegheny Front. The herbaceous layer is very rich and diverse. Pennsylvania's Forest HeritageA brief history of Penn's WoodsCutting down the trees—Early lumbering—The "Great Clearcut"The forest todayToo many deerImpact of pests and diseasesNative versus introduced speciesRare speciesForest successionMajor forest typesThe value of trees, Chapter 3. At the turn of the 21st century, about 1,300 species of non-native plants existed in Pennsylvania outside of … Some particularly attractive varieties are the: Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) with its bright pink burst of color in spring; Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) is showy in the fall with brilliant red leaves. Eighteen thousand years ago the northeastern and northwestern corners of the state were covered with ice, and tundra and boreal forests covered the rest of the state. 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