Know Your Trees

Preface

Know Your Trees is an identification guide to some of the commercially important or common trees native to Mississippi. While we do not identify all native trees in the state, we do cover all areas of the state. In addition, Know Your Trees covers all tree species that 4-H youth need to learn for the Forestry Judging competition.

Of special note, the first printing of this publication was in April 1925. W. R. Mattoon, Extension forester, USDA Forest Service, and Dr. J. M. Beal, professor, Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College, authored the original publication (Extension Bulletin No. 32), titled Forest Trees of Mississippi: How to Know Them. The book gave “a brief, general description of the more common forest trees of the state.” It provided identification characteristics with leaf, twig, and fruit drawings, and uses for 74 different tree species. The publication was reprinted in March 1936 and stood for another 21 years.

In June 1957, J. S. Therrell, Extension forester with Mississippi State College, made a major revision using the current title Know Your Trees, as Extension Publication 146. This revision included the addition of an identification key and eliminated substantial portions of the original text. It retained the drawings and species selections from the original book. The publication was reprinted in 1971.

In October 1993, Dr. Thomas Monaghan, Extension forestry coordinator with the Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi State University, made another major revision. His revision highlighted 63 species, strengthened descriptive text, and incorporated black and white photographs as a replacement for drawings throughout the book. Know Your Trees had further minor revisions and reprints in 2006 and 2011. Consequently, this publication has remained in use over the last 99 years!

We are proud to update the publication with this latest major revision. This version includes 65 tree species with updated text providing more accurate descriptions of identification characteristics. There is a focus on plant taxonomy, which is the science of classification and naming of organisms. This current revision also includes color photography showing leaves and other distinguishing tree characteristics.

With the changes we have made in this revision of Know Your Trees, we hope you will find the publication more useful. Learning taxonomy can help with tree identification, even with species not highlighted in this publication. Furthermore, color photographs show detail not available in previous versions. We hope these changes will be helpful with identification and that you enjoy using this publication.

A. Brady Self and John D. Kushla

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