Field Guide

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines

Showing 41 - 50 of 103 results
Illustration of willow oak leaf.
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
Willow oak's leaves are narrow, pointed, and willowlike, and like willows, this oak is associated with wet ground. In Missouri, willow oak is only found natively in our southeastern counties.
Illustration of Japanese honeysuckle leaves, flowers, fruits.
Japanese Honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
Don’t kid yourself about this invasive, exotic vine: Japanese honeysuckle is an aggressive colonizer that shades out native plants and harms natural communities. Learn how to recognize it!
Illustration of American bittersweet leaves, flowers, fruits
American Bittersweet
Celastrus scandens
American bittersweet is a native woody vine that climbs into trees or sprawls on bushes or fences. Its clusters of orange fruits split into sections to reveal seeds covered with a bright red, fleshy coating.
Illustration of wintercreeper leaves, flowers, fruits.
Wintercreeper
Euonymus fortunei
Introduced from Asia as a groundcover, wintercreeper has escaped cultivation in all the eastern states. It’s frequently found near urban centers, with heavy infestations in woodlands around St. Louis and Kansas City.
Illustration of Russian olive leaves, flowers, fruits, twigs, thorns.
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Russian olive is a small tree with distinctive silvery leaves. It was introduced to America in the late 1800s and widely planted as an ornamental and windbreak. But in many states it has proven to be invasive. It is not recommended here in Missouri.
Illustration of shingle oak leaf.
Shingle Oak
Quercus imbricaria
Shingle oak got its name because the naturalist who discovered it noticed that French colonists in Illinois were using the wood to make roofing shingles. The leaves resemble those of laurel (bay), lacking lobes or teeth — but laurel trees don't bear acorns!
Illustration of corkwood leaves and fruits.
Corkwood
Leitneria floridana
Corkwood is a rare and unusual small tree that doesn’t have a problem with having its feet wet for long periods of time, but it grows rarer as its swampy habitat is converted to cropland.
Photo of smooth sumac.
Sumacs
Rhus spp.
Sumacs are shrubs or small trees that often form colonies from their creeping, branched roots. The foliage usually turns brilliant shades of red in early autumn. The clusters of berrylike fruits are red.
Illustration of alternate-leaved dogwood leaves, flowers, fruits.
Alternate-Leaved Dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
Dogwoods usually have leaves arranged opposite one another on the stem, except for the alternate-leaved dogwood! This shrub or small tree is a popular ornamental, especially in the northern parts of Missouri, where it can be too cold to grow flowering dogwood.
Illustration of swamp dogwood leaves, flowers, fruits.
Swamp Dogwood (Silky Dogwood)
Cornus amomum
Swamp dogwood, or silky dogwood, grows nearly statewide in wet locations. Recognize it by its reddish-brown or dark brown young branchlets and blue, berrylike fruit, conspicuous in late fall.
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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.