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how many species of trees are in pennsylvania

by Marietta Tremblay Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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About 134 native and 62 introduced tree species grow across Pennsylvania. Its range of topography and climate—from coastal plain to mountain ridge-top and high plateau—allows the Commonwealth to support the many different kinds of trees that make our forests unique and special.

Full Answer

What are the best evergreen trees in Pennsylvania?

Let’s look at some evergreen trees you can find around PA. 1. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginiana) The most populous eastern conifer, the eastern red cedar is native in 37 states. Its success is due to its resistance to extremes of heat, drought, and cold. Eastern red cedars are aromatic, with a compact and narrow columnar crown when young.

Are holly trees evergreen in Pennsylvania?

There are many different kinds of Holly native to PA, but many are deciduous and not evergreen. American Holly is a small tree or shrub that can easily be identified by its alternately arranged, thick evergreen leaves with sharp spines on the tip and further spines along the edges.

Where do Pennsylvania’s forests produce natural gas?

Far beneath the soil, they yield a home-grown energy source of natural gas. 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.

What does an Atlantic cedar tree look like in Pennsylvania?

The Atlantic cedar is frequently used as a specimen tree in PA, where space allows it. Young trees are usually stiff and erect, with a central leader and a pyramidal shape. Maturity sees them develop flatter top and horizontal branches. It has a pleasing form throughout all stages of development.

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What is the most common tree in PA?

Red maple, also called "soft maple" or "swamp maple," is the most common tree species in Pennsylvania in terms of both the actual number of trees and the volume of wood available. This species grows over a wide range of conditions. It has simple, opposite leaves, with three and sometimes five pointed lobes.

What type of trees does Pennsylvania have?

Northern hardwoods cover about 32 percent of Pennsylvania, mostly in the high elevations of the north. Common trees include sugar maple, black cherry, aspen, birch, hemlock, and ash.

What is the oldest tree in Pennsylvania?

The Sacred Oak is a more-than-500-year-old Chinkapin Oak located in the Oley Valley, Pennsylvania.

What is the largest tree in PA?

Pennsylvania's biggest tree, a sycamore in Mercersberg, has 529.

Which state has the most trees?

MaineList by state, district, or territoryRankState, district or territoryPercent forest (2016)1Maine89.46%2New Hampshire84.32%3American Samoa80.84%4Northern Mariana Islands80.37%53 more rows

How much of PA is forest?

Pennsylvania's forest land area totals 16.9 million acres and occupies 58 percent of the State's land area (Table 1).

What is the largest forest in Pennsylvania?

Sproul State Forest is located in north central Pennsylvania, primarily in western Clinton and northern Centre counties. The largest in the state forest system, Sproul covers 305,450 acres, or slightly more than 476 square miles.

Are there any virgin forests in PA?

Cook Forest is the most important tract of virgin timberland to be found in Pennsylvania, and is without rival for size East of the Rockies. Once called the "Black Forest", the area is famous for its towering white pines and hemlocks.

What tree is sacred to Native Americans?

Cedar is one of the most important Native American ceremonial plants, used by many tribes as an incense and purifying herb. Cedar is especially associated with prayer, healing, dreams, and protection against disease.

What's the oldest tree in the world?

Great Basin Bristlecone PineThe Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old. The bristlecone pine's success in living a long life can be attributed to the harsh conditions it lives in.

Where is the tallest tree in Pennsylvania?

Cook Forest State ParkIn this table of height records in Pennsylvania only height measurements made by laser (like eg....Height.Nr1Tree speciesPinus strobus (Eastern White Pine)Height51.97 mLocationCook Forest State Park, Cooksburg, Clarion CountyMeasurementDale Luthringer9 more columns

Where are the tallest trees in PA?

Cook Forest State Park in Pennsylvania has some of the largest trees.

What are the trees in Pennsylvania?

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.

What are the most common hardwoods in Pennsylvania?

Common trees include sugar maple, black cherry, aspen, birch, hemlock, and ash.

What is DCNR's Bureau of Forestry?

DCNR's Bureau of Forestry is charged with conserving the forests and native wild plants of the commonwealth. The bureau accomplishes this by: Managing the state forest system sustainably for a variety of ecological, economic, and recreational values.

What is the role of the Forests of the Commonwealth?

Protecting the forests of the commonwealth from damage from wildfire and destructive insects and diseases. Promoting forestry and the stewardship of the commonwealth’s forest resources. Protecting and managing native wild plants.

How many trees are there in Pennsylvania?

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. In addition, at least 21 large native shrubs sometimes grow to tree size and form.

How many native trees were selected for the booklet?

But research in wood uses is rapidly progressing and some of the so-called “weed trees” may assume considerable importance in the future. The selection of 50 native trees and 4 introduced species described in this booklet was based chiefly on numerical occurrence and value for timber, shade or ornamental purposes.

What is a medium sized tree?

A medium -sized tree; usually found as a native near streams; also planted as a shade tree. Branched thorns on the trunk and limbs make it easy to identify in winter. There is a thornless variety. Wood is mainly used for fence posts, general construction, and furniture.

What is a red-brown tree?

Buds egg-shaped, about ⅓″ long, red-brown. Fruit: A cone, 2″ or less in length, reddish brown, remains attached for one to several months after ripening in the fall. General: Bark red-brown, rough, scaly. A medium to large -sized tree. Wood used chiefly for paper pulp, boxes, crates and lumber.

How many species of plants are there in Pennsylvania?

Species and Natural Features. From the Atlantic Coastal Plain to the Appalachian Plateaus, Pennsylvania’s diverse landscapes support more than 3,000 plant species, 2,500 aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, and over 800 fish and other vertebrate species.

What is the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program?

Each Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) partner agency is responsible for managing specific taxonomic groups of rare, threatened, and endangered species, as well as species of concern and rare natural features.

When did rare species conservation begin?

By the 1960s, sustainable land management, rare species conservation efforts, and environmental regulations began to aid species in their recovery across the U.S., but many still face multiple challenges that threaten their persistence today.

Is Pennsylvania a rich biodiversity state?

While Pennsylvania hosts a rich diversity of species, our natural landscapes are still recovering from a long history of environmentally destructive practices that imperiled many of our most sensitive species and ecosystems.

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1.12 Different Types of Pennsylvania Native Trees - Tree …

Url:https://www.treevitalize.net/pennsylvania-native-trees/

11 hours ago  · 12 Different Types Of Pennsylvania Native Trees. Pennsylvania is home to over 2,100 native plant species. The translation of Pennsylvania from Latin is ‘Penn’s Woods,’ which is a testament to the array of different species that originally hail from this area. Of these 2,100 species, 134 are native trees, alongside 62 introduced ones.

2.Forests and Trees - Pennsylvania Department of …

Url:https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/ForestsAndTrees/Pages/default.aspx

24 hours ago Trees of Pennsylvania. All 40. Taxonomy. 30 Flowering Plants Subphylum Angiospermae. 10 Conifers Class Pinopsida. Guide order. Alphabetical by display name. Alphabetical by scientific …

3.Trees of Pennsylvania · iNaturalist

Url:https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/7451

28 hours ago 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. Trees …

4.Common Trees of Pennsylvania

Url:http://av.pasenategop.com/brochures/comm-trees.pdf

5 hours ago  · 11 Different Evergreen Trees In Pennsylvania. Evergreen trees are those that keep their leaves over the winter. Whilst there are plenty of PA deciduous natives that will add winter …

5.Common Trees of Pennsylvania, by Pennsylvania …

Url:https://www.gutenberg.org/files/53535/53535-h/53535-h.htm

19 hours ago 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 …

6.Species Lists - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

Url:https://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/Lists.aspx

27 hours ago There are around 200 common species of trees in Pennsylvania, and about two-thirds are natives.

7.Forests of Pennsylvania, 2016. - US Forest Service

Url:https://www.fs.fed.us/nrs/pubs/ru/ru_fs132.pdf

23 hours ago The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources estimates approximately 2,100 native plant species are present in Pennsylvania. Of those, almost 7% are threatened or …

8.Identifying Pennsylvania Trees - Pennsylvania Envirothon

Url:https://www.envirothonpa.org/pdfs/1-3_PSU%20TreeID%20Program.pdf

4 hours ago top 12 species (hemlock, white ash, American beech) had higher rates of annual mortality than annual net growth. The net volume of trees on forest land increased by 6 percent since 2011 …

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