Leaftypes of Native West Virginia Trees

Karen Posten

The following list of terms and examples will be helpful in identifying various West Virginia trees according to leaf-type.

Alternate leaves arranged singly at intervals along the twigs (ex: rhododendron, American beech, and black locust).

Photograph of American Beech

American Beech

Compound leaf leaf, with bud in axis, consists of more than one leaflet (ex: buckeye, honeylocust, pignut hickory)

Photograph of Pignut Hickory

Pignut Hickory

Conifers A conebearing tree of the Pine family, usually evergreen (ex: Virginia pine)

Photograph of a Virginia Pine

Virginia pine

Needles
Lobed Edges Leaves that are wavy, turned under, or deeply divided (ex: silver maple, yellow popular)
Deciduous Shedding leaves seasonally and leafless for part of the year (ex: buckeye, American dogwood)

Photograph of a Dogwood

Flowering Dogwood

Opposite Leaves Either simple or compound type and occur in opposing pairs along the twigs (ex: boxelder, buckeye)

Photograph of Buckeye Leaves

Buckeye Leaves

Simple Leaf One leaf attaches to twig with bud in axis (ex: post oak, sourwood)

Photograph of Post Oak

Post Oak

Photograph of Sourwood

Sourwood

Toothed Edges Leaves having edges finely divided into short, toothlike projections (ex: black cherry, hawthorne)

Photograph of Hawthorne

Hawthorne

Whorled Leaves May occur where three or more leaves arise together and their attachments encircle the twigs at intervals.
Palmately Compound Leaflets arise from the same point (ex: buckeye)

Photograph of Buckeye Leaf

Buckeye Leaf

Pinnately Compound Leaflets arise along the axis (ex: tree of heaven, hickory, and black walnut)

Reference Materials