How to Identify Ohio Trees

Most of Ohio is in USDA Hardiness Zone 5, with small areas south of Columbus and a narrow strip of northeast Ohio along the shore of Lake Erie claiming Zone 6. According to Ohio State University, almost any kind of tree will grow in Ohio, but the majority of Ohio's native trees are deciduous hardwoods, with a few conifers such as white pine and hemlock sprinkled in.

Field guide for tree identification

Digital camera

Go leaf-peeping in the early summer in Ohio when leaves are fully out and green. Many types of hardwood trees are easily identified by the shape of their leaves, from the five-lobed, toothy-edged maple and the fern-like locust to the jagged-edged, palm-sized oak leaf. Compare leaf shapes to the illustrations in your field guide until you find a match. If you don't have a guide, snap a digital picture and head for the library later.

Identify native hardwoods by their bark if you can't reach high enough to grab a leaf. You'll quickly learn the differences between the smooth bark of beech trees, the rough-textured walnut and the black-and-white, peeling bark of birch.

Identify Ohio evergreens by the length and texture of their needles. White pine has long, soft needles while hemlock has short, delicate and broader needles. Scotch pine and Norway spruce bristle with pointed needles that can prick your fingers.

Check out Ohio's fruit trees in late summer and early fall. They can easily be identified by the type of fruit they produce, from wild cherry to crab apple, black walnut, hickory and the famous Ohio buckeye, named for its resemblance to the eye of a deer.

Try "Trees of Ohio Field Guide" by Stan Tekiela, for identifying Ohio native trees.

Avoid hiking on private property without permission from the owner. Ohio has an enormous number of parks, arboretums, botanical gardens and recreational areas that are open to the public, so there's absolutely no need for trespassing.