Many people think that identifying trees after they’ve dropped their leaves is a difficult challenge. Most guides focus on leaf form and arrangement. In this workshop we will learn that there are other clues to tree identification that, if you know what to look for, are just as reliable as growing season leaves. The winter tree ID workshop will have three parts; 1) a visual guide with slides to how to look at trees in the winter, 2) an indoor exercise using collected samples to observe important distinguishing features of the twigs, buds, and the scars left by the shed leaves. If you have any kind of magnifier, especially a 10x field lens, bring it to the workshop. 3) We will also try to identify them using a reference book for winter ID. Then we will take a hike on the Floracliff trails to see if we can use tree form, bark, twigs (if we can reach them) and hanging or dropped fruit as clues to tree identification.

Program Leader: Rob Paratley, Curator of the University of Kentucky Herbarium

Hiking Level: moderate

Bring: water

Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera, binoculars

Floracliff has multiple entry gates. The meeting location for this program will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.