Field Guide

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 results
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
Eastern, or Canadian hemlock is usually encountered only in landscaping in Missouri. But based on one instance in Oregon County, we know it can reproduce and spread here on its own. So if you find it on a hike, it was almost certainly planted there at some point. Look around for a cistern, old home foundation, and other persisting garden plants nearby.
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.
Austrian pine
Austrian Pine
Pinus nigra
Primarily a landscaping tree, Austrian pine sometimes reproduces here on its own, and for this reason it's officially included in the flora of our state. Usually, you find it in urban and suburban ornamental plantings or, if you're out hiking, persisting at old home sites.
Illustration of sweet gum leaves and fruit
Sweet Gum
Liquidambar styraciflua
The star-shaped leaves of sweet gum become even more striking in the autumn, when they turn various shades of gold, red, pink, and purple, often on the same tree — sometimes even on the same leaf!
Illustration of tulip tree leaves, flowers, fruit
Tulip Tree (Yellow Poplar)
Liriodendron tulipifera
Though it only occurs naturally in the southeastern part of Missouri, the stately tulip tree is planted widely in lawns, parks, and cemeteries. The distinctive leaves and tulip-shaped flowers make it easy to identify.
Illustration of cucumber magnolia leaves, flower, fruits.
Cucumber Magnolia
Magnolia acuminata
Cucumber magnolia is an impressive, large, broad-spreading shade tree native to southern Missouri. It is often cultivated in the eastern United States because, compared to more southern magnolias, it is relatively cold-hardy.
european black alder
European Alder (Black Alder)
Alnus glutinosa
Native to Europe and Asia, European, or black alder is planted widely as an ornamental. In some parts of the United States and elsewhere in the world, this species becomes weedy, even invasive. In Missouri, you are most likely to encounter it in landscaped areas, and not in the wild.
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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.