Shenandoah National Park Trees and Shrubs

This September I was able to attend the Statewide Conference for Virginia Master Naturalists held near Charlottesville Virginia. 

Shenandoah River from the overlook at Shenandoah River State Park Photo credit: E.Ames Oct 2011

Two of the field trips were hikes up in the Shenandoah National Park. Here is a bit of information on what trees and shrubs we saw on this hike:

Trees and Shrubs seen on Jarman's Gap to Sawmill Run Field Trip by Tom Dierauf
Catoctin Formation

North facing and lower (concave) slopes

            A. Canopy species seen

Yellow poplar,the predominate species, forms nearly pure stand in places

Red oak

White ash

Basswood

Red maple

Black locust, most already dead

Shagbark hickory

Black birch

Black cherry

Mazzard cherry, Prunus avium

Black walnut

Black gum

American elm

Sycamore

            B. Understory species seen

Spicebush, often dense under yellow poplar

Hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana

Hop hornbeam, Ostrya virginiana

Striped maple?

Redbud?

Sassafras, no trees were seen, just small sprouts

East facing middle and upper (convex) slopes

            A. Canopy species not seen on lower slopes

Chestnut oak

Black oak

White oak

White pine

Red hickory, Carya ovalis

Pignut hickory, Carya glabra

            B. Understory species not seen on lower slopes

Deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum

Low-bush blueberry, Vaccinium pallidum

Maple-leaf viburnum

Black haw viburnum

Witch hazel

Hawthorn sp.

Flowering dogwood

Weverton and Harpers Formations

Predominant Trees seen

Scarlet oak

Chestnut oak

Bear oak, Quercus ilicifolia

Black gum

Red maple

Shadbush or Serviceberry

Pitch pine

Table mountain pine

American chestnut, repeatedly killed back by the blight

Chinquapin, will grow as a small tree, but repeated killing back by the blight makes them shrubby

Sassafras

Less common trees

Hickories

Red oak

Black oak

White pine

Blackjack oak, I seldom see this in the Shenandoah National Park

Shrubs seen

Black huckleberry, Gaylussacia baccata, the most abundant shrub seen

Low bush blueberry, Vaccinium pallidum

Deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum

Mountain laurel

Minnie bush, Menziesa pilosa

Wild azalea

Maleberry, Lyonia ligustrina

Witch hazel

Learn more about the Virginia Master Naturalist program here!  BRFAL Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist wants you to get outside, explore and learn something new today. 

Get involved in something cool, our next basic training will be held at The Franklin Center in Downtown Rocky Mount beginning March 2012, feel free to email us for more details: contact@brfal.org