Twig Key

So far you have made the following choices...

• deciduous leaves
• opposite arrangement
• from a tree or shrub
• broad leaf scars

It could be one of the species in the table below. Let's narrow our choices based on the shape of the end bud.

My twig has a short, rounded bud	My twig has a tall, pointed bud

Possible Matches:

Family	Genus	Species	common name
Bignoniaceae	Catalpa	speciosa	northern catalpa
Caprifoliaceae	Sambucus	cerulea	blue elderberry
Caprifoliaceae	Sambucus	racemosa	red elderberry
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	glabra	Ohio buckeye
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	hippocastanum	horsechestnut
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	octandra	yellow buckeye
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	parviflora	bottlebrush buckeye
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	pavia	red buckeye
Hippocastanaceae	Aesculus	sylvatica	painted buckeye
Hydrangeaceae	Hydrangea	macrophylla	bigleaf hydrangea
Hydrangeaceae	Philadelphus	coronarius	mockorange
Hydrangeaceae	Philadelphus	lewisii	mockorange
Oleaceae	Chionanthus	virginicus	fringetree
Oleaceae	Fraxinus	caroliniana	Carolina ash
Oleaceae	Fraxinus	nigra	black ash
Oleaceae	Fraxinus	pennsylvanica	green ash
Oleaceae	Fraxinus	profunda	pumpkin ash
Rubiaceae	Cephalanthus	occidentalis	buttonbush
Scrophulariaceae	Paulownia	tomentosa	royal paulownia
Staphyleaceae	Staphylea	trifolia	bladdernut
Verbenaceae	Callicarpa	americana	American beautyberry

 

to the top