Forest Trees of Illinois Part 6

+HACKBERRY+ _Celtis occidentalis_ L.

THE rough-leaved hackberry is found spa.r.s.ely throughout the State. It occurs most abundantly and of greatest size in the rich alluvial lands in the lower part of the State, but thrives, however, on various types of soil, from the poorest to the richest. It is usually a medium-sized tree from 30 to 50 feet high and 10 to 20 inches in diameter, but trees 3 feet in diameter are found in the Wabash bottoms in southern Illinois.

Its limbs are often crooked and angular and bear a head made of slender, pendant branches or short, bristly, stubby twigs. In the open the crown is generally very symmetrical. It makes an excellent shade tree.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HACKBERRY

Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, one-half natural size.]

The _bark_ is grayish and generally rough with scale-like or warty projections of dead bark. In some instances the bark is smooth enough on the limbs to resemble that of the beech.

The _leaves_ are simple, ovate, alternate, one-sided, 2 to 4 inches long, the edges toothed towards the long point.

The _flowers_ are inconspicuous, and the two kinds are borne on the same tree. They appear in April or May, and are of a creamy, greenish color.

The _fruit_ is a round, somewhat oblong drupe, or berry, from 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch in diameter. It has a thin, purplish skin, and sweet, yellowish flesh. From this characteristic it is sometimes called sugarberry. The berries frequently hang on the tree most of the winter.

The _wood_ is heavy, rather soft, weak, and decays readily when exposed.

It is used chiefly for fuel, but occasionally for lumber and railroad ties which are given preservative treatment.

The southern hackberry, _Celtis leavigata_ Willd., having narrow leaves, is found occasionally along the streams in southern Illinois.

The fruit hangs from the axils of the leaves on slender stems. It is orange-red in color, changing to purple-black as it matures.

+OSAGE ORANGE+ _Maclura pomifera_ Schneid.

THE osage orange, hedge apple, or mock orange, although not a native of Illinois, is found distributed throughout the State, but does not as a rule occur as a forest tree. It grows chiefly in open fields along fence rows, and as a pure hedge fence. Occasionally it reaches a height of 60 feet and a diameter of 30 inches, but more usually it is found from 20 to 40 feet in height and from 4 to 12 inches in diameter. This tree is sometimes used for shade, but mostly for hedges, and as living fence posts. The _bark_ is thin, gray, sometimes tinged with yellow, and on old trees divided into strips or flakes. The bark of the root is used as a yellow dye; that of the trunk has been used for tanning leather.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OSAGE ORANGE

Leaf and fruit, one-quarter natural size. Twig, two-thirds natural size.]

The _leaves_ are deciduous, with milky sap and producing stout axillary thorns. They are green on the upper surface, 3 to 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, and turn bright yellow in the autumn.

The yellowish _flowers_ appear in May. They are of two kinds on the same tree--the staminate flowers in a linear cl.u.s.ter and the pistillate flowers in a rounded ball. The _fruit_ is globular, from 2 to 5 inches in diameter, somewhat resembling a very rough green orange.

The _wood_ is heavy, exceedingly hard, very strong and very durable in contact with the soil. The heartwood is bright orange in color, turning brown upon exposure. The Indians called it "bois d'arc", or bow-wood, and used it for their finest bows. It does not shrink with weather changes. It is largely used for posts; sometimes for wheel-stock, lumber and fuel.

+RED MULBERRY+ _Morus rubra_ L.

THE red mulberry occurs throughout the State. It prefers the rich, moist soils of the lower and middle districts, but it is nowhere abundant. It is a small tree, rarely 50 feet high and 2 feet in diameter, often growing in the shade of larger trees.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED MULBERRY

Twig, two-thirds natural size. Leaf, one-third natural size.]

The _bark_ is rather thin, dark reddish-brown, peeling off in long narrow flakes.

The _leaves_ are alternate, thin, rounded or somewhat heart-shaped, toothed, pointed, 3 to 5 inches long, rough hairy above and soft hairy beneath. Often some of the leaves, especially on the young trees and thrifty shoots, are mitten-shaped or variously lobed.

The _flowers_ are of two kinds, on the same or different trees, in drooping catkins. The catkins of the staminate flowers are about 2 inches long; the spikes of the pistillate flowers are about half as long and stand on short stalks. The _fruit_ is dark red or black, and resembles a blackberry; however, a stalk extends through it centrally, and it is longer and narrower. The fruit is sweet and edible and greatly relished by birds and various animals.

The _wood_ is rather light, soft, not strong, light orange-yellow, very durable in contact with the soil. It is chiefly used for fence posts.

The tree might be planted for this purpose and to furnish food for birds.

The white mulberry, _Morus alba_ L., is a native of China, where its leaves are the chief food of the silkworm. Several varieties are planted for ornamental purposes. Its leaves are broad and smooth; its fruit is long, white, sweet, and insipid. A variety, under the name of the Russian mulberry, _Morus alba_ var. _tatarica_ Loudon, has been introduced into this country and has been cultivated for its fruit.

This fruit varies from creamy white to violet and almost black.

+CUc.u.mBER MAGNOLIA+ _Magnolia ac.u.minata_ L.

THE cuc.u.mber magnolia attains an average height of 40 to 80 feet and a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. It occurs singly among other hardwood trees throughout the richer, cooler north slopes and bottom lands of southern Illinois, in Union, Johnson, Pope, Alexander and Pulaski counties.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CUc.u.mBER MAGNOLIA

Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, two-thirds natural size.]

The _bark_ is aromatic and bitter; that of the young twigs is a l.u.s.trous red-brown, while the bark of the trunk is rather thin, dark brown, furrowed and broken into thin scales.

The _leaves_ are alternate, oblong, short-pointed, rounded at the base, silky, hairy when unfolding, later smooth or slightly silky, 6 to 10 inches long, 4 to 6 inches wide, often with wavy edges, dark green above, lighter beneath.

The _flowers_ are single, large--though smaller than those of the other magnolias--2-1/2 to 3 inches long. The six upright petals are whitish-green tinged with yellow.

The _fruit_ is a smooth, dark red, often crooked "cone", 2-1/2 to 3 inches long, somewhat resembling, when green, a small cuc.u.mber. The seeds are 1/2 inch long, and covered with a pulpy, scarlet coat, which attracts the birds, particularly as the seeds hang by thin cords from the opening "cones."

The _wood_ is light, soft, close-grained, durable, of a light yellow-brown color and is used for the same purposes as yellow poplar.

It is quite desirable for roadside and ornamental planting.

+TULIP TREE+ _Liriodendron tulipifera_ L.

THE tulip tree, tulip poplar, is one of the tallest trees in the State with its straight trunk rising to a height of 125 feet. It is one of the largest and most valuable hardwood trees of the United States. It reaches its largest size in the deep moist soils along streams and in the cool ravines of southern Illinois. Vermilion County on the east and Randolph on the west side of the State represent its northern limit. As more commonly seen, it has a height of 60 to 100 feet and a diameter of 3 to 4 feet. Growing with a straight central trunk like the pines, and often clear of limbs for 30 to 50 feet, it has a narrow pyramidal head which in older age becomes more spreading. The tree has been extensively cut, but is reproducing rapidly and remains one of the most abundant and valuable trees in our young second-growth forests. It has been planted as an ornamental and shade tree.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TULIP TREE

Leaf, one-third natural size. Twig, two-thirds natural size.]

The _leaves_ are simple, 4 to 6 inches in length and breadth, 4-lobed, dark green in summer, turning to a clear yellow in fall.

The greenish-yellow tulip-shaped _flowers_ appear in May or June. The _fruit_ is a narrow light brown, upright cone, 2 to 3 inches long, made up of seeds, each enclosed in a hard bony coat and provided with a wing which makes it easily carried by the wind.

The _wood_ is light, soft, easily worked, light yellow or brown, with wide cream-colored sapwood. It is extensively cut into lumber for interior and exterior trim, vehicle bodies, veneers, turnery and other high-grade uses. It is marketed under the name yellow poplar, because of the yellow color of the heartwood.

The tulip tree transplants easily, grows rapidly and forms a tall stem.

It is one of the best trees for forest planting on good moist soil. It can be recommended for roadside planting because it grows tall and has a deep root system. Where conditions of life are not too severe, it may be used for shade tree planting.

+PAPAW+ _Asimina triloba_ Dunal