S6 Native Trees of Kentucky 



as a shade tree. Ornamental at every season, it displays the 

 greatest charms in the autumn when the star-like leaves turn from 

 golden yellow to richest shades of red and purple. 



The flowers of Sweet Gum are inconspicuous, growing in 

 separate clusters on thesanic tree: staminate, in terminal, hairy 

 racemes ; pistillate, in single, long-stemmed balls, pendent from 

 the axils of the leaves. 



Tree tall and cone-shaped, with one unbroken main shaft. 



Bark scaly on old trunks ; young twigs blue gray, covered 

 with wing-like, corky ridges. 



Leaves alternate, simple, long stemmed, star-shaped. 



Fruit many two-beaked seed cells, forming woody balls that 

 swing from trees all winter. 



b. iritch Hazel Hainainclis virginiana. 



The Witch Hazel found on the sides of deep ravines or rich 

 mountain sides, -is valuable for the medicinal properties of its bark, 

 leaves and twigs. 



The origin of the common name of the tree is doubtful ; it 

 may have been suggested by the use of the forked twigs of Hazel 

 as a divining- rod to indicate hidden springs of water. "Witch" 

 is a modern spelling of the Saxon "wych,"' but in England "wych" 

 was applied to an elm. 



This tree has the unique habit of blooming in the autumn as 

 its leaves fall. The flowers, with their small, ribbon-like, yellow 

 petals, grow in clusters in the axis of the leaves. As the flowers 

 fade, the fruit of a previous year ripens, the pods bursting with 

 such explosive force that the small black seeds are hurled far 

 away. 



Tree small, shrubby. 



Bark light brown, smooth or scaly. 



Leaves alternate, simple, unequal at base, strongly veined, 

 margins wavy or toothed. 



Fruit two-celled, two-beaked, woody pods. 



