Tree Profiles

These pages provide information about specific trees. You can use this information to help you identify trees in your area and to understand the role they play in their environment.

Identifying Features:

Trees are identified by several common features.

Leaf Arrangement
Bark Texture
Leaf Scar Patterns
Fruit, Bud and Leaf Characteristics

If you find a group of this tree, also look for:

Plants often grow in specific communities so that if you find one plant, you can predict what other plants will be growing nearby.

Succession Status

This section of the profile gives a description of how the tree fits into its changing environment. Knowing the sucession status of a tree will tell you a lot about the larger community you are in when you are with a tree.

Read more about Succession here.

Ecological Use

Trees play numerous roles in their environments. Each species provides food and shelter to different animals. Knowing who relies on a tree will give you a sense of the larger community you are in when you are with a tree.

Tree Profiles

Big Leaf Maple
Black Cottonwood
California Buckeye
California Laurel
Coast Live Oak
Redwood