Identifying Tree Characteristics and Features

The video tutorial by Skip Smith discusses the identification of key tree species in the Black Hills, focusing on Ponderosa Pine, White Spruce, and several deciduous trees like Paper Birch and Burr Oak. It explains the unique characteristics of each tree, such as bark texture, leaf arrangement, and other identifying features.

What is the most common tree in the Black Hills?

• Paper Birch

• Ponderosa Pine

• White Spruce

• Quaking Aspen

How does the bark of a young Ponderosa Pine differ from an older one?

• It becomes smoother

• It turns from black or gray to orange

• It turns from orange to black

• It becomes thicker

What is a distinctive feature of Ponderosa Pine needles?

• They are round and smooth

• They are long and grouped in fascicles

• They are flat and wide

• They are short and single

What is another name for the White Spruce?

• Green Spruce

• Black Hill Spruce

• Silver Spruce

• Mountain Spruce

How are the needles of the White Spruce described?

• Flat and wide

• Short and sharp

• Round and smooth

• Long and grouped

What is a unique feature of the Paper Birch's bark?

• It is thick and deeply furrowed

• It is orange and platy

• It is smooth and white

• It peels off like paper

What type of leaf does the Burr Oak have?

• Needle-like and sharp

• Classic oak leaf with deep lobes

• Flat and wide

• Round and smooth

Which tree can be both a shrub and a tall tree?

• Quaking Aspen

• Burr Oak

• White Spruce

• Ponderosa Pine

What is a characteristic of the Quaking Aspen's bark?

• Thick and deeply furrowed

• Platy and gray

• Orange and rough

• Smooth and white-ish

How do the leaves of the Quaking Aspen behave in the wind?

• They fall off

• They flutter or quake

• They remain still

• They curl up