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What’s the best tree ID resource?

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    What’s the best tree ID resource?

    I’ve wanted to get better at identifying tree types for a long time, but I’m really a hands on learner.

    Reading a book or looking through pictures is more difficult for me than having someone walk through the forest and saying, “That’s an ABC tree. You can tell it’s an ABC tree because....”. I’ll remember that forever. Reading it in a book or looking at pics... not so much.

    But there’s no one around me that can do that (I’m in VA), so I’ll likely have to rely on the other types of resources, so I’m looking for the best one(s).

    All the best,
    Glenn

    #2
    Not sure if it’ll work for trees but there is an app called PictureThis that’s been crazy good at identifying plants for me at our new house. Take a picture of the plant and it tells you what it is. It might work on trees too.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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      #3
      Take a college dendrology class. There is usually one in the spring and another in the fall

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        #4
        "Trees of Texas" by Carmine Stahl and Ria McElvaney is pretty good. I bought mine at a Texas Big Game event 10-12 years ago for $40 and when I got home saw it on amazon for $12! Look there first.

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          #5
          The iNaturalist app, or one of its variants (Seek, etc.). I use it every day.

          I also like this book for a hard-copy field guide.

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            #6
            Learn to use a "key".
            Get "Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Virginia" book.
            You should contact the VaTech forestry dept and see what book they use for their dendrology lab field work- the key they use.
            Va Tech has tree identification link on their website :https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/main.htm
            Scroll down to the Trees of where you are standing link.

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              #7
              Originally posted by wytex View Post
              Learn to use a "key".
              Get "Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Virginia" book.
              You should contact the VaTech forestry dept and see what book they use for their dendrology lab field work- the key they use.
              Va Tech has tree identification link on their website :https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/main.htm
              Scroll down to the Trees of where you are standing link.
              Thank you. I searched for that book. I guess they make them for several states, as I found "Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of (many different states)", but couldn't find one for VA.

              However, one of the Google responses was the VA DWR store (VA Department fo Wildlife Resources), and they had two books - one was the "Common Native Trees of VA" book (and they mentioned it having a winter "key" so I could identify trees year round - thank you for that tidbit of info - I didn't know about that), and a "Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of VA" book. So I just ordered them both. I'll keep searching to see if there is a VA variant of the book you mentioned, but the ones I just bought may be the VA variant.

              I just bookmarked that VA Tech tree id page, and will look through it tonight. I'll also contact their forestry dept as you recommended.

              Thank you very much.

              All the best,
              Glenn

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                #8
                Originally posted by EarleyBird View Post
                "Trees of Texas" by Carmine Stahl and Ria McElvaney is pretty good. I bought mine at a Texas Big Game event 10-12 years ago for $40 and when I got home saw it on amazon for $12! Look there first.
                Worked with Carmine years ago.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by 30-30 View Post
                  The iNaturalist app, or one of its variants (Seek, etc.). I use it every day.

                  I also like this book for a hard-copy field guide.

                  https://www.amazon.com/Trees-Texas-F...49365918&psc=1
                  Thanks. Just downloaded the INaturalist and Seek apps. They were together on the iPhone.

                  All the best,
                  Glenn

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by EarleyBird View Post
                    "Trees of Texas" by Carmine Stahl and Ria McElvaney is pretty good. I bought mine at a Texas Big Game event 10-12 years ago for $40 and when I got home saw it on amazon for $12! Look there first.
                    But I live in VA.

                    All the best,
                    Glenn

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by jaspermac View Post
                      Take a college dendrology class. There is usually one in the spring and another in the fall
                      I'll look into that. Thank you.
                      All the best,
                      Glenn

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by mooch View Post
                        Not sure if it’ll work for trees but there is an app called PictureThis that’s been crazy good at identifying plants for me at our new house. Take a picture of the plant and it tells you what it is. It might work on trees too.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        Thanks. I have that app. I deleted it for some reason, but it still showed in my cloud on the App Store. I think that was the one with in-app purchases, or a fee after the first month. I don't remember. I just added it back to my phone and will check it out.
                        All the best,
                        Glenn

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                          #13
                          A winter key uses twigs to key out, summer uses leaves.
                          They will be a huge help to you at VT.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by cajuntec View Post
                            Thanks. I have that app. I deleted it for some reason, but it still showed in my cloud on the App Store. I think that was the one with in-app purchases, or a fee after the first month. I don't remember. I just added it back to my phone and will check it out.
                            All the best,
                            Glenn
                            Great app, I use it on all greenery. Trees, shrubs, grass, weeds.....

                            It's free, just hit the X in the top right corner when you open the app, then hit the camera button. It gets addicting walking around and trying to guess what every this is.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by kurt68 View Post
                              Great app, I use it on all greenery. Trees, shrubs, grass, weeds.....

                              It's free, just hit the X in the top right corner when you open the app, then hit the camera button. It gets addicting walking around and trying to guess what every this is.
                              Good question OP, and thanks to those who posted this useful info, will look into these references and apps.

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