FG-0057 · Wild Plants · 6 species
Identifying Trees in Pennsylvania
By Derek Gauger · Updated
Overview
Pennsylvania is heavily forested, with northern hardwoods, oak-hickory ridges, and cool hemlock ravines. A few leaf and bark clues quickly narrow down its common trees.
This guide covers common and iconic Pennsylvania trees — how to tell them apart by leaf, bark, and habit. Pair it with a photo of the leaf or bark and the app to confirm any tree you find.
Key species to know
FG-0057.01
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
The Pennsylvania state tree — a graceful evergreen with short, flat needles (white-striped beneath) and tiny cones, shading cool ravines and stream gorges.
Habitat: Cool ravines, streamsides, and north-facing slopes.
FG-0057.02
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
A hardwood with five-lobed leaves that blaze orange and red in fall, and the source of maple syrup. Smooth gray bark furrows with age.
Habitat: Rich upland forests, woodlots, and streets.
FG-0057.03
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
A very tall, straight hardwood with distinctive four-lobed "tulip"-shaped leaves and orange-and-green tulip-like flowers high in the crown.
Habitat: Rich coves, moist slopes, and second-growth forest.
FG-0057.04
White Oak
Quercus alba
A stout oak with rounded-lobed leaves (no bristles) and pale, flaky gray bark. Long-lived and a mainstay of Pennsylvania ridges.
Habitat: Upland forests, ridges, and parks.
FG-0057.05
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
A hardwood with smooth, gray "elephant-skin" bark and oval, toothed leaves that fade to pale tan and often hang on through winter.
Habitat: Mature hardwood forests and shaded slopes.
FG-0057.06
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
A tall, soft-needled pine with needles in bundles of five and long, slender cones. The largest conifer of the northeastern forest.
Habitat: Mixed forests, old fields, and lakeshores.
Through the seasons
- Fall: sugar maple, tulip tree, and oaks paint the ridges in color.
- Winter: smooth gray beech bark and pale flaky white-oak bark are easy to pick out.
- Summer: hemlock and white pine give the forest its dark evergreen backdrop.
Questions
- What is the state tree of Pennsylvania?
- The eastern hemlock — a shade-loving evergreen of the state's cool ravines and stream gorges, adopted as the state tree in 1931.
- How can I identify a tree in Pennsylvania?
- Note the leaf shape, bark, and overall form, then take a photo of the leaves or bark and use an app like Spotter to confirm the species.
From Field Notes
Not sure what you found?
Take a photo with Spotter for the name, field marks, look-alikes and safety notes in seconds.
In this guide
- Species
- 6
- Region
- Pennsylvania