This document summarizes the dendrology of trees found along the Elizabeth River and surrounding areas in southeastern Virginia. It provides details on the habitat and physiographic region, which includes coastal plains and low-lying alluvial plains prone to flooding. Eight significant native tree species are described in detail, including their leaves, flowers, bark, and growth form. The species include Red Maple, Pumpkin Ash, Water Tupelo, Blackgum, Black Willow, American Elm, Arrowwood, and Northern Red Oak.

1. Dendrology of
the Elizabeth
River
And surrounding areas

2. Location
Founded in 1610, Hampton Roads
is located on the eastern coast of
Virginia. Home to 16 military
bases, there are over 1,716,624
residents throughout the 7 cities
located in this area.

3. Habitat
There are five physiographic regions of
Virginia; Hampton Roads is located in the
Coastal Plains region. The Elizabeth River
is in the CL-Lowland subprovince.
Described as a “flat, low-relief region
along major rivers and near the
Chesapeake Bay.”(VirginiaStudies)
Elevation ranges from 0-60’ in this area.
This area is a low-lying alluvial plain;
flooding is frequent and often cause for
concern to human residents as well as
natural habitats. Natural wetlands in this
area are often inundated with saltwater.

4. Significant Trees
● Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
● Pumpkin ash (Fraxinus profunda)
● Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)
● Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
● Black Willow (Salis nigra)
● American Elm (Ulmus americana)
● Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
● Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

5. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Leaf: Opposite, simple, 3 to 5 palmate lobes with serrated
margin, 2 to 4 inches long; green above
Flower: Attractive but small, occur in hanging clusters,
usually bright red but occasionally yellow, appear in early
spring, usually before leaves.
Bark: On young trees, smooth and light gray, with age
becomes darker and breaks up into long, fine scaly plates.
Form: Medium sized tree up to 90 feet. In forest, trunk
usually clear for some distance, in the open the trunk is
shorter and the crown rounded.
More data here

6. Pumpkin Ash (Fraxinus profunda)
Leaf: Opposite, pinnately compound, 7 to 9 leaflets, each
leaflet 3 to 6 inches long, elliptical to lanceolate, entire or
slightly serrated, dark green above, paler and velvety below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; in clusters, green to purple,
appearing in spring.
Bark: Light gray-brown, interlacing ridges to nearly blocky.
Form: Medium sized tree up to 90 feet tall but typically
smaller with a narrow open crown. When grown under
flooded conditions the base of the trunk is clearly swollen.

7. Water Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica)
Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 4 to 8 inches long,
oblong to obovate, entire margin but may have a few large
teeth.
Flower: Small, greenish white, usually in hanging clusters,
appearing with the leaves.
Bark: Brownish gray, scaly ridges or even blocky
(somewhat variable).
Form: Large tree to 100 feet, several feet in diameter, clear
trunk which is typically swollen at base, roots often grow out
of soil.

8. Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, oblong in shape
with an entire margin, 3 to 5 inches long, occasionally
shallow lobes (or coarse teeth) near tip, dark green above
and slightly paler below.
Flower: Species is usually dioecious; not showy, light green
in color, in clusters hanging from slender stalks, appearing
with the leaves.
Bark: Gray-brown and shallowly, irregularly furrowed, on old
stems it can become quite blocky, resembling alligator hide.
Form: A medium sized tree reaching up to 80 feet tall on
moist sites, generally much shorter in the mountains. On
younger trees the branches often stand at right angles to the
trunk with numerous short, curled spur shoots present.

9. Black Willow (Salix nigra)
Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, lanceolate in
shape, 3 to 6 inches long, with a finely serrate margin.
Leaves are dark and shiny above, light green below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; flowers are tiny, green, borne
on catkins, 1 to 3 inches long, early summer.
Bark: Brown to gray-black, with thick, somewhat scaly
ridges and deep furrows.
Form: A small to medium sized tree that can develop a
massive trunk with a spreading, irregular crown. Black
willows are often affected by crown gall, and witches brooms
and trunk sprouting are common.

10. American Elm (Ulmus americana)
Leaf: Alternate, simple, ovate to oblong, 3 to 5 inches long,
1 to 3 inches wide, margin coarsely and sharply doubly
serrate, base conspicuously inequilateral, upper surface
green and glabrous or slightly scabrous, paler and downy
beneath.
Flower: Species is monoecious; small, in drooping clusters
of 3 to 5, appear in early spring before leaf buds open.
Bark: Dark, ashy gray, flat-topped ridges separated by
diamond-shaped fissures; outer bark when sectioned shows
distinct, alternating, buff colored and reddish brown patches.
When young it is often quite spongy.
Form: In the open, the trunk is usually divided into several
large, ascending and arching limbs, ending in a maze of
graceful drooping branchlets.

11. Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
Leaf: Opposite, simple, oval to elliptical, coarsely serrated
margins, 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long, shiny dark green above,
paler and finely pubescent below.
Flower: Small, white in flat topped clusters, 2 to 4 inches
across, yellow stamens, appearing in late spring.
Bark: Gray to grayish brown, smooth getting finely scaly
with size.
Form: Many branching shrubs to 10 feet, arching branches
forming an overall rounded crown.

12. Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
Leaf: Alternate, simple, 5 to 8 inches long, oblong in shape
with 7 to 11 bristle-tipped lobes, sinuses extend 1/3 to 1/2 of
the way to midvein, generally very uniform in shape, dull
green to blue-green above and paler below.
Flower: Species is monoecious; males in yellow-green
slender, hanging catkins, 2 to 4 inches long; females are
borne on short axiliary spikes, appearing with the leaves in
spring.
Bark: On young stems, smooth; older bark develops wide,
flat-topped ridges and shallow furrows. The shallow furrows
form a pattern resembling ski tracts.
Form: A medium sized to large tree that reaches up to 90
feet tall, develops a short trunk and round crown when open
grown, straight with a clear, long bole when grown with
competition.