Field Guide

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines

Showing 1 - 10 of 29 results
Photo of a heavenly bamboo, nandina, plant growing in the woods.
Heavenly Bamboo
Nandina domestica
Heavenly bamboo is hardly “heavenly” when it comes to its negative effects on our native plants and animals. A tremendously popular landscaping plant, it readily escapes and is difficult to eradicate.
Illustration of common elderberry leaves, flowers, fruits
Common Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Common elderberry is a colony-forming shrub with opposite compound leaves. Its large, flattened clusters of small white flowers produce purple or black berrylike fruits.
Illustration of buckbrush leaves, flowers, fruits
Buckbrush (Coralberry)
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Buckbrush, or coralberry, grows throughout Missouri. This familiar thicket-forming shrub bears dense clusters of pinkish-red berries that persist through most of the winter.
Illustration of golden currant leaves, flowers, fruits
Golden Currant
Ribes odoratum (syn. R. aureum)
Golden currant is an erect to arching, spineless shrub up to 6 feet high that bears edible fruit. It is uncommon in the western part of the Ozarks. The flowers have a strong fragrance reminiscent of spicy cloves or sweet carnations.
amur corktree
Amur Corktree
Phellodendron amurense
Amur corktree is a non-native tree that is becoming naturalized in our state. Originally introduced for landscape planting, it has proven itself invasive in the northeastern United States and has shown invasive tendencies in St. Louis.
Illustration of bald cypress leaves and cones.
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress is an “evergreen” tree that is not evergreen! Like the leaves of hardwoods, its needles turn yellow in the fall and are shed. A tree associated with swamps, its impressive form also graces many public landscapes.
Illustration of eastern red cedar stem, leaves, and fruits.
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
By far the most common native conifer in the state, eastern red cedar is useful for its aromatic, red wood and beloved for its greenery, its resinous blue “berries,” and the spicy odor it lends the outdoors.
Illustration of sassafras leaves, flowers, fruit.
Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Sassafras, with its aromatic oval, mitten- , and trident-shaped leaves, is rich in both human and natural history, and it can be a spectacular tree for fall color.
Illustration of American holly leaves, flowers, fruit.
American Holly
Ilex opaca
American holly is Missouri's most durable broad-leafed evergreen tree. It is best known for its bright red berries and spiny green leaves at Christmas.
Illustration of autumn olive leaves, flowers, fruit.
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Autumn olive can be found all over the state, since it was planted widely with the best of intentions. Despite its “pros,” this shrub has proven to be very invasive. It threatens native ecosystems and should not be planted.
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About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri

There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.