Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Cotinus obovatus
Description
American smoke tree is a tall shrub to small tree whose unusual flower stalks look like smoke from a distance. In Missouri it occurs naturally in the western Ozarks, but people use it in landscaping statewide.
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Rhamnus caroliniana (syn. Frangula caroliniana)
Description
Carolina buckthorn occurs in the southeastern half of Missouri. It’s a shrub with several main stems, or a small tree potentially reaching 40 feet high, with a trunk diameter of up to 8 inches. Despite the name, there are no thorns.
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Species Types
Scientific Name
Nyssa aquatica
Description
Water tupelo, or tupelo gum, is a large tree with a large, swollen, sometimes buttressed base, a tapering trunk, and a flattened, spreading crown. It and bald cypress are the dominant trees in Missouri’s Bootheel swamps.
See Also
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.