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Woody Plants of Athens County, Ohio

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This page was last revised on November 20, 2017.

This list is not yet complete, and is in process. Any input is very welcome. The list has been compiled primarily from four sources:

Plants that are not native but are introduced from elsewhere have names in italics.

Gymnosperms

Taxaceae

Yew Family

Taxus cuspidata: Japanese yew
Shrub: Occasionally remaining from homesite or other plantings.
Taxus canadensis: Canada yew
I don't know of a site in the county, but supposedly here; rare, in cool, rocky ravines

Pinaceae

Conifer Family

Picea abies: Norway spruce
Medium to large tree: Remaining from homesite and other plantings, also sometimes escaped into the wild.
Tsuga canadensis: Canadian hemlock
Medium to large tree: Frequent, in coves, often near streams.
Larix laricina: tamarack or American larch
Medium to large tree: Possibly still a few surviving from experimental plantings in Athens State Forest.
Pinus strobus: white pine
Large tree: Actually a little outside its native range, but extensively used in reforestation plantings.
Pinus resinosa: red pine or Norway pine
Medium to large tree: Close to but outside its native range; sometimes used in reforestation plantings.
Pinus nigra var. austriaca: Austrian pine or black pine
Medium to large tree: Remaining from homesite and other plantings, sometimes used in reforestation plantings.
Pinus sylvestris: Scotch pine
Medium tree: Used in reforestation plantings.
Pinus echinata: shortleaf pine or yellow pine
Medium tree: Sometimes used in reforestation plantings.
Thuja occidentalis: arborvitae, northern white cedar
Medium tree: Rare, most likely planted.
Juniperus virginiana: eastern redcedar
Small to medium tree: Occasional, sometimes planted.

Monocotyledonous (Flowering) Woody Plants and Vines

Liliaceae

Lily Family

Smilax glauca: glaucous greenbriar
Shrub or scrambling vine: Frequent in dry uplands, forming thickets.
Smilax hispida: hispid greenbriar
Shrub or scrambling vine: Occasional in dry uplands, forming thickets.
Smilax rotundifolia: greenbriar or sawbriar
Shrub or scrambling vine: Common in dry uplands, forming thickets.

Dicotyledonous (Flowering) Woody Plants and Vines

Salicaceae

Willow Family

Salix nigra: black willow
Small to large tree: Common along waterways and in swampy areas.
Salix babylonica: weeping willow
Small to medium tree: Planted only.
Salix interior: sandbar willow
Shrub: Frequent, on sandy banks and bars of waterways.
Salix rigida: stiff willow
Shrub: Common in low wet places.
Populus grandidentata: bigtooth aspen
Small to medium tree: Frequent in upland areas.
Populus tremuloides: quaking aspen
Small tree: Occasional in upland areas.
Popululus deltoides: cottonwood
Large tree (sometimes very massive): Common along waterways.

Juglandaceae

Walnut Family

Juglans nigra: black walnut
Large tree: Common, moist to mesic woods.
Juglans cinerea: butternut
Medium tree: Occasional, moist woods.
Carya cordiformis: bitternut hickory
Large tree: Common, in mesic woods.
Carya ovata: shagbark hickory
Medium tree: Common, in mesic to dry woodlands.
Carya laciniosa: shellbark hickory
Large tree: Occasional, favoring sheltered, moist areas.
Carya tomentosa: mockernut hickory
Large tree: Frequent, favoring upland woods, especially southern exposures.
Carya glabra: pignut hickory
Large tree (occasionally one of the tallest eastern US trees): Common in dry upland woods.

Betulaceae

Birch Family

Betula nigra: river birch
Common, small to medium tree, sometimes large tree, along streamways, distinctive, peeling, peachy-pink bark
Betula lutea: yellow birch
Rare, small to medium tree, clinging to rock, known only from one small hollow in the western county
Alnus serrulata: common alder
Occasional, in acid, swampy areas, mostly in westernmost county

Corylaceae

Hazel Family

Corylus americana: American hazel
Shrub: Frequent, favoring woodland borders, especially moist but not saturated areas.
Ostrya virginiana: hop hornbeam or ironwood
Small to medium tree: Common throughout the area.
Carpinus caroliniana: blue beech, musclewood, or hornbeam
Small tree: Common in moist woods.

Fagaceae

Beech Family

Fagus grandifolia: beech
Large tree: Common in mesic woods.
Castanea dentata: American chestnut
Small saplings (formerly large tree): Rare, surviving from sucker shoots from old stumps
Quercus alba: white oak
Large tree: Common throughout the area; the Ohio champion white oak is located in East Millfield
Quercus bicolor: swamp white oak
Large tree: Occasional in swampy areas; the world-champion swamp white oak is nearby in Marietta, Ohio
Quercus stellata: post oak
Medium tree: Occasional in dry, open areas
Quercus prinus: chestnut oak or rock oak
Medium to large tree: Common on dry ridges and in mesic woods
Quercus muehlenbergii: chinkapin oak or yellow oak
Medium to large tree: Occasional, locally common, around limestone outcrops
Quercus rubra: northern red oak
Large tree: Common in many types of woodlands
Quercus shumardii: Shumard oak
Medium to large tree: Occasional throughout area
Quercus coccinea: scarlet oak
Medium to large tree: Common in upland areas
Quercus velutina: black oak or quercitron
Large tree: Common throughout upland woods
Quercus imbricaria: shingle oak or laurel oak
Medium tree: Frequent, favoring woodland borders

Ulmaceae

Elm Family

Ulmus rubra: slippery elm or red elm
Medium tree: Common throughout the area
Ulmus americana: American elm
Large tree (sometimes quite massive): Common in moist woods, especially near watercourses.
Ulmus thomasi: cork elm
Small to medium tree: Frequent in low areas.
Celtis occidentalis: hackberry or sugarberry
Large tree: Frequent in many types of woods.

Moraceae

Mulberry Family

Morus rubra: red mulberry
Small to medium tree: Frequent, favoring woodland borders.
Morus alba: white mulberry
Small to medium tree: Frequent as an escape.
Maclura pomifera: Osage-orange, hedge-apple
Medium to large tree: Rare, only remaining from plantings (native to small area in Oklahoma/Texas).

Berberidaceae

Barberry Family

Berberis thunbergii: Japanese barberry
Shrub: Occasional, remaining or escaping from plantings.

Menispermaceae

Moonseed Family

Menispermum canadense: moonseed
Vine: Occasional, favoring woodland borders and thickets.

Magnoliaceae

Magnolia Family

Magnolia acuminata: cucumbertree magnolia
Medium to large tree: a few trees near Strouds Run State Park and at Lake Snowden
Liriodendron tulipifera: tuliptree, yellow poplar or tulip poplar
Large tree (sometimes quite massive): Common in moist and mesic woods.

Annonaceae

Custard-apple Family

Asimina triloba: pawpaw or papaw
Small tree: Common in moist areas of woods.

Lauraceae

Laurel Family

Sassafras albidum: sassafras
Small to (occasionally) large tree: Common throughout the area, favoring dry, open woods.
Lindera benzoin: spicebush
Medium to large shrub: Common throughout the area, especially in moist areas.

Saxifragaceae

Saxifrage Family

Hydrangea arborescens: wild hydrangea
Shrub: Common, favoring moist or seasonally moist slopes.
Philadelphus pubescens: mock-orange
Shrub: Occasional, remaining or escaped from cultivation.

Hamamelidaceae

Witch-hazel Family

Hamamelis virginiana: witch-hazel
Shrub: Occasional, favoring moist woodlands and valleys.

Platanaceae

Plane Tree Family

Platanus occidentalis: sycamore or buttonwood
Large tree (often quite massive): Common along waterways.

Rosaceae

Rose Family

Spirea vanhouttei: spirea
Shrub: Rare, only remaining from cultivation.
Spirea prunifolia: bridal-wreath
Shrub: Occasional, remaining or escaping from cultivation.
Pyrus communis: pear
Small to medium tree: Occasional, remaining or escaping from cultivation.
Pyrus malus: apple
Small to medium tree: Occasional, remaining or escaping from cultivation.
Pyrus coronaria: wild crabapple
Small tree: Frequent in marginal areas.
Chaenomeles lagenaria: Japanese quince
Large shrub: Rare, remaining from cultivation.
Amelanchier sanguinea: serviceberry, shadblow or June-berry
Large shrub or small tree: Rare, in open woodlands.
Amelanchier arborea: serviceberry, shadblow or June-berry
Large shrub or small tree: Occasional, in mesic woods and ridgtops.
Crataegus spathulata: hawthorn
Small tree: Frequent, favoring woodland borders.
Crataegus marshallii: hawthorn
Small tree: Occasional in bottomlands.
Crataegus intricata: hawthorn
Small tree: Rare, in low areas.
Crataegus macrosperma: hawthorn
Crataegus coccinea
Other possible hawthorn: Crataegus crus-galli, Crataegus pruinosa, Crataegus punctata
Small tree: Rare, rocky slopes.
Crataegus pruinosa: hawthorn
Small tree: Frequent, favoring upland areas and woodland borders.
Rubus occidentalis: black raspberry
Shrub: Common throughout the area.
Rubus flagellaris: dewberry
Ground vine: Frequent in moist, open areas.
Rubus allegheniensis: blackberry or bramble
Shrub: Common throughout the area.
Rosa setigera: prairie rose
Shrub or scrambling vine: Occasional along woodland borders and along fencerows.
Rosa multiflora: multiflora rose
Shrub or climbing vine: Occasional along woodland borders, in meadows and along fencerows.
Rosa carolina: Carolina rose
Shrub: Rare, in meadows, woodland borders and along fencerows.
Rosa palustris: swamp rose
Shrub: Frequent, in swampy, open areas
Rosa virginiana: pasture rose
Shrub: Frequent, in upland meadows, woodland borders and along fencerows.
Rosa odorata: tea rose
Shrub: Rare, remaining from cultivation.
Prunus domestica: cultivated plum
Small tree: Rare, remaining from cultivation.
Prunus persica: peach
Small tree: Occasional, escaped from cultivation, favoring woodland borders.
Prunus cerasus: sour cherry
Small tree: Rare, remaining or escaping from cultivation.
Prunus serotina: wild black cherry
Medium to large tree: Frequent throughout the area.
Prunus virginiana: chokecherry
Large shrub to small tree: Occasional, favoring woodland borders.

Leguminosae (Fabiaceae)

Legume Family

Gleditsia triacanthos: honeylocust
Medium tree: Frequent in low, moist areas.
Cassia nictitans: sensitive plant, wild mimosa
Small shrub: Occasional, in dry, sandy, open areas.
Cercis canadensis: redbud or Judas tree
Small tree: Common throughout the area.
Robinia pseudo-acacia: black locust
Medium tree: Common, largely due to planting; on the fringe of its native range.
Wisteria macrostachya: wild wisteria or Kentucky wisteria
High-climbing vine: Rare, favoring woodland borders; probably planted.
Vicia villosa: hairy vetch
Herbaceous vine: Occasional in open areas, forming mat of vines.
Amphicarpa bracteata: hog-peanut
Herbaceous vine: Occasional in upland woods.

Simaroubaceae

Quassia Family

Ailanthus altissima: tree of heaven
Small to large tree: Occasional, escaped from cultivation, surviving in wide variety of habitats.

Anacardaceae

Cashew Family

Rhus glabra: smooth sumac or sumach
Large shrub: Common in open areas, forming thickets.
Rhus copallina: shining sumac or winged sumac
Medium to large shrub: Frequent in open upland areas, forming thickets.
Rhus typhina: staghorn sumac
Large shrub to small tree: Frequent where found, but have only seen it close to the Ohio River and one stand just outside the county , to the west along the Hocking River
Toxicodendron radicans: poison ivy
Small to medium shrub, ground vine, or (most commonly) climbing vine: Abundant, favoring woodland borders and fencerows.

Celastraceae

Staff-tree Family

Euonymus atropurpurea: wahoo, spindletree
Shrub or small tree: Frequent, favoring woodland borders.
Euonymus alata: burning bush
Shrub: Common in many areas close to Athens city; non-native escape
Celastrus scandens: bittersweet
Climbing vine: Frequent throughout the area.
Celastrus orbiculatus: Oriental bittersweet
Climbing vine: Very common, much more so than the native species

Staphylaceae

Bladdernut Family

Staphylea trifolia: bladdernut
Shrub or small tree: Frequent in woods on slopes.

Aceraceae

Maple Family

Acer saccharum: sugar maple (including A. nigrum, black maple)
Medium to large tree: Common throughout the area.
Acer rubrum: red maple
Medium to large tree: Common throughout the area.
Acer saccharinum: silver maple or water maple
Large tree: Common along waterways and in low, wet areas.
Acer negundo: boxelder
Small to medium tree: Common along waterways.
Acer platanoides: sycamore maple
Medium tree: Rare, remaining from cultivation.

Hippocastanaceae

Buckeye Family

Aesculus octandra: yellow buckeye or sweet buckeye
Small to medium tree: Common throughout the area in open areas.

Rhamnaceae

Buckthorn Family

Ceanothus americanus: New Jersey tea
Shrub: Occasional in open woods.

Vitaceae

Grape Family

Parthenocissus quinquefolia: Virginia creeper or woodbine
Ground or climbing vine: Common throughout the area.
Vitis aeastivalis: summer grape
Climbing vine: Common throughout the area.
Vitis vulpina: frost grape or winter grape
Climbing vine: Common throughout the area.

Tiliaceae

Linden Family

Tilia americana: basswood
Large tree: Frequent in moist forests and near waterways.

Malvaceae

Mallow Family

Hibiscus syriacus: rose of Sharon or rose of Althea
Shrub: Occasional, escaped or remaining from cultivation.
Hibiscus moscheutos: wild hibiscus
Herbaceous shrub: Frequent, locally abundant, in wet areas - actually an herbaceous plant that looks like a shrub

Thymelaeaceae

Mezereum Family

Dirca palustris: leatherwood
Shrub: Rare, in high but moist woods.

Nyssaceae

Tupelo Family

Nyssa sylvatica: black gum, tupelo, sour gum or pepperridge
Medium tree: Frequent, in a variety of woodland types.

Cornaceae

Dogwood Family

Cornus florida: flowering dogwood
Small tree: Common throughout the area.
Cornus alternifolia: alternate-leaf dogwood or green osier
Shrub or small tree: Rare, along waterways.

Ericaceae

Heath Family

Kalmia latifolia: mountain laurel
Shrub or large shrub: Frequent on upland slopes and on rock shelves in acid soil, at ridge tips
Rhododendron maximum: great laurel
Large shrub or small tree: Two naturalized plantings in Waterloo Township only
Oxydendron arboreum: sourwood or sorrel tree
Small to medium tree: Frequent in acid soils.
Vaccinium stamineum: deerberry or squawberry
Large shrub: Occasional on dry hillsides.
Vaccinium vacillans: early sweet blueberry
Shrub: Occasional on dry hills.

Ebeneaceae

Ebony Family

Diospyros virginiana: persimmon
Medium tree: Occasional in mesic to moist woods.

Oleaceae

Olive Family

Fraxinus americana: white ash
Large tree: Common in mesic to moist woods.
Fraxinus biltmoreana: Biltmore ash
Large tree: Frequent
Fraxinus pensylvanica: green ash
Medium to large tree: Common in bottomlands.
Fraxinus quadrangulata: blue ash
Medium to large tree: One or two small stands near Athens
Syringa vulgaris: lilac
Shrub: Rare, remaining from cultivation.
Forsythia viridissima: forsythia
Shrub: Rare, remaining from cultivation.
Ligustrum vulgare: privet
Shrub: Occasional, remaining or escaping from cultivation.

Apocynaceae

Dogbane Family

Vinca minor: periwinkle or myrtle
Ground vine: Occasional, escaping from cultivation.

Bignoniaceae

Bignonia Family

Catalpa speciosa: northern catalpa or cigar tree
Medium tree: Rare, remaining or escaping from cultivation.
Campsis radicans: trumpet creeper
Climbing vine: Common, favoring fencerows.

Caprifoliaceae

Honeysuckle Family

Lonicera japonica: Japanese honeysuckle
Ground or climbing vine: Common throughout the area, escaped from cultivation.
Viburnum prunifolium: blackhaw
Large shrub or small tree: Common throughout the area.
Viburnum acerifolium: maple-leaved viburnum
Shrub: Common throughout the area.
Viburnum dentatum: arrowwood
Shrub: Frequent in moist woodlands.
Sambucus canadensis: elder or elderberry
Large shrub: Common throughout the area.

End of listings

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