Types of Trees Found in the Forest

Many types of trees are in the forests of North America. These trees have diverse sizes and locations where they are found across the continent. Each species has its own specific characteristics and attributes that make the tree distinctive.

The Eastern white cedar is commonly found in the northern United States as well as southern Canada. This tree thrives in the wet, boggy forests of the cold wilderness. It is a conifer, which means it is a cone-bearing tree that contains the seeds to reproduce. It ranges in heights up to 124 feet. The bark is usually a reddish brown to gray and the tree can live for extended periods. The oldest living tree known dates back to A.D. 952.

The red maple is in a broad area of eastern North America. It is located from Nova Scotia in eastern Canada all the way to southern Florida. It also grows in eastern Oklahoma and Texas. It has an average height of around 90 feet. The leaves have three to five broad lobes extending from the base of the leaf. The edge of the leaf has a serrated, jagged appearance. The bark is smooth and gray with the younger red maples but becomes very dark and rough as the tree ages.

Redwood trees grow in California. The tree is one of the largest trees found in North America. It is common to find a red wood that is more than 200 feet tall. The largest redwood measured was 367.8 feet in 1964. The redwood is also known for its longevity. The oldest known redwood found is more than 2,200 years old.

The live oak grows in the southeastern United States near the coast. It grows in a moisture rich forest. These trees are not very tall but are extremely broad. The average height is about 50 feet, but a large live oak can reach a width of 150 feet across the top of the tree. The tree flowers in the spring and produces acorns as its method of reproduction. This tree is known for having the Spanish moss draped across it.