White Oak Stand
As fall and winter arrive, plants inevitably lose their foliage and reveal just branches and bark. For the nature enthusiast, identifying trees and other plants becomes increasingly difficult as variations in flower, fruit, and leaves can no longer be observed. Yet, there are some tricks to make winter plant identification easier.
The first step is to use a twig key. Plant-identification keys break down identification by asking you broad questions that eliminate other options all the way down to the species level. By using a twig key (search the web to find one), you will notice highly individual features that will also help you to identify trees during the spring and summer. Other features to look for when identifying trees in the winter are crown shape, bark, persisting fruit, seeds or seed pods, and site condition.
