ID THESE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TREES

*Ailanthus altissima (Tree of Heaven, Chinese Sumac)- Leaves alternate, aromatic, may reach 36 inches in length, 11-41 leaflets, entire leaf margin except near the base where 1-2 pairs of blunt dentate teeth usually occur, fall color yellow. flowers in spring, fruit samara. polygamo-dioecious. Introduced/non-native/escapes cultivation/invasive.
To easily identify Tree of Heaven, look for a lot of leaflets, each having the tell-tale tooth or two near the base.

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*Sapindus drummondii formerly known as Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (Western Soapberry, Jaboncillo)- Leaves alternate, 5-18 in. long, leaflets usually between 9-18 but may have up to 22. Leaflets 1 1/2-4 in. long, 1/2-3/4 in. wide, falcate, lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, asymmetrical at the base, veiny, yellowish green, glabrous above, soft pubescent or glabrous beneath. not aromatic, rachis may be winged. terminal leaflet often absent, entire leaf margin, veins of leaflets off center. fall color yellow. flowers in May-June in showy panicles 5-10 in. long and 5-6 in. wide. fruit September-October translucent amber drupe, Globular, fleshy, yellow turning blackish, persistent and shriveled. seed 1, obovoid, dark brown. dioecios. Texas native. often suckers and forms groves.
Sometimes confused with Chinaberry but more similar to Chinese Pistache, there is never a hint of red on Western soapberry leaves. If you see red, it will likely be chinese pistache or a sumac you have found.

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*Pistacia chinensis (Chinese Pistache) - Leaves alternate, 7-12 in. long, 10-16 leaflets to 4 in. long, entire leaflet margins, slightly aromatic, occasionally will have terminal leaflet, esp on sapling trees, fall color orange/red. flowers in spring before leaves, fruit is small red drupe turns blue when ripe. dioecious. Introduced/non-native/escapes cultivation/invasive.
In fall, the red leaf color separates Pistache from Soapberry. In the spring, you can often see a hint of red at the base of each leaf where it connects (the leaf is what the leaflets are attached to) otherwise you will rely on the cinnamon color of the bark or twigs to identify, especially on young trees. Soapberry has a much lighter, almost white bark and twigs when young. Soapberry also differs from Pistache in that the terminal leaflet sometimes merges with first pair of leaflets.

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*Rhus lanceolata (Prairie Flameleaf Sumac)- Leaves alternate, 5-9 in. long, 9-21 leaflets, typically 13-17, entire leaflet margin, or with small teeth, aromatic, rachis winged, fall color red. flowers in late spring early summer, fruit red-brown drupe in tight cluster. diocecios. Texas native.
R lanceolata is probably mostly confused with Chinese Pistache. The winged rachis and narrower leaflets (usually not more than 1/2 inch wide) of R lanceolata aid in identification. R lanceolata is also sometimes confused with R copallina, of which it was formerly considered to be a variety. The key to identification is again the narrower leaflets of R lanceolata, but also form, which often is that of a small rounded tree rather than a small straggling shrub like R copallina. R lanceolata also has longer panicles and larger fruit than R copallina, among other differences.

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*Juglans & Carya (Walnut family) - Leaves alternate, aromatic, finely serrate leaf margin, fall color yellow. flowers in spring catkins, fruit is round nut. monoecious. Texas natives.
J micro leaflets 11-25 / leaf length 10-14 in. / leaflet size 2-3 in. x .5-.75 in. / fruit: .5-.75 in. diameter
J major (syn J microcarpa var. major) leaflets 9-15 / leaf length 7-14 in. / leaflet size 2.5-4 in. x .6-1.3 in. / fruit: 1-1.5 in. diameter
J nigra leaflets 11-23 / leaf length 12-24 in. / leaflet size 3-5 in. x 1-2 in. / fruit: 1.5-2.5 in. diameter
C illinoensis leaflets 9-17 / leaf length 9-20 in. / leaflet size 4-8 in. x 1-2 in.
C texana leaflets 5-7 / leaf length 8-12 in. / leaflet size 4-6 in. long / fruit: hull of nut 1.5-2 in. diameter.
Trees of the Walnut family will have serrate margin of the leaflet, distinguishing it from the trees above. Juglans and Carya are typically devoid of red coloration.

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