Field Guide

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines

Showing 1 - 9 of 9 results
Illustration of winter grape leaves, flowers, fruit
Winter Grape
Vitis cinerea
Winter grape is a wild grapevine that can climb up to 50 feet. It occurs in low woods and along streams, in thickets, and in fencerows. It’s common in the southern two-thirds of Missouri.
Illustration of frost grape leaves, flowers, fruit
Frost Grape
Vitis vulpina
Frost grape is a vigorous vine climbing to 60 feet in length using tendrils. It is scattered statewide, growing in bottomlands, along streams, in low, wet woods, at bases of bluffs, and in thickets.
Leaves of riverbank grape in a thick growth of the vines
Wild Grapes
Vitis species
Eight species of grapes in the genus Vitis are native or naturalized in Missouri. All bear edible fruits. Like their relatives elsewhere, they have important connections to humans and to nature.
Illustration of overcup oak leaf.
Overcup Oak
Quercus lyrata
Overcup oak is fairly easy to identify. The acorns are almost completely covered by their knobby cups. The leaves have long, narrow lobes and wide sinuses. In Missouri, it grows naturally only in wet forests along the Mississippi and Meramec rivers.
Illustration of spicebush leaves, flowers, fruit.
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Spicebush is a stout, smooth, aromatic shrub of the damp woods. Its eye-catching, early-blooming flowers and its bright red fruits make it a popular native ornamental for shade gardens.
Illustration of black gum flowers and fruits.
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
A close relative of water tupelo, black gum is very popular as a landscaping tree. In the wild, it’s usually found in the Ozarks and Bootheel, but with its high popularity in landscaping, you might find it anywhere in the state.
Illustration of swamp chestnut oak leaf.
Swamp Chestnut Oak (Basket Oak)
Quercus michauxii
Swamp chestnut oak grows in Missouri's Bootheel swamps. The leaves look something like those of true chestnut trees.
Illustration of persimmon leaves, branch, fruit.
Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
Persimmon is best known in the fall, when its orange, plumlike fruits come on. Be careful, however, to make sure a persimmon is ripe before you pop it into your mouth, or you could have a puckery surprise!
Illustration of American hazelnut leaves, flowers, fruits.
American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
American hazelnut is a thicket-forming shrub that grows to about 10 feet high. It is prized for its edible nuts, which are covered by a distinctive leafy or papery, jagged-edged bract.
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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.