Large Trees

Canopy, 40+ ft

Common

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes
Loblolly Pine	Pinus taeda	Uplands, disturbed areas	Most common tree in the region
Red Maple	Acer rubrum	Wet to mesic forests	Ubiquitous; brilliant fall color
Sweetgum	Liquidambar styraciflua	Mesic to wet forests	Star-shaped leaves
Tulip Poplar	Liriodendron tulipifera	Rich mesic forests	Tallest eastern hardwood
White Oak	Quercus alba	Mesic uplands	Keystone species for wildlife
Willow Oak	Quercus phellos	Floodplains, wet soils	Fine-textured leaves
Southern Red Oak	Quercus falcata	Dry to mesic uplands	Dominant on well-drained ridges
Water Oak	Quercus nigra	Bottomlands	Semi-evergreen
Black Gum / Tupelo	Nyssa sylvatica	Wet to mesic forests	Spectacular fall color
Sycamore	Platanus occidentalis	Streambanks, floodplains	White bark, massive leaves
American Beech	Fagus grandifolia	Rich mesic forests	Smooth gray bark
Black Cherry	Prunus serotina	Forests, edges	Important wildlife food
American Holly	Ilex opaca	Maritime forests, understory	Evergreen
Eastern Red Cedar	Juniperus virginiana	Old fields, dry uplands	Evergreen; pioneer species

Uncommon / Less Frequent

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes
Bald Cypress	Taxodium distichum	Swamps, river edges	Deciduous conifer; develops "knees"
Post Oak	Quercus stellata	Dry sandy ridges	Drought-tolerant
Swamp Chestnut Oak	Quercus michauxii	Bottomland forests	Large acorns
Swamp Laurel Oak	Quercus laurifolia	Wet forests	Nearly evergreen
Pignut Hickory	Carya glabra	Dry to mesic uplands	Hard mast
Mockernut Hickory	Carya tomentosa	Mesic forests	Largest hickory nut
River Birch	Betula nigra	Streambanks, wet areas	Peeling bark
Green Ash	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Floodplains	Threatened by Emerald Ash Borer
Pond Pine	Pinus serotina	Pocosins, wet flats	Serotinous cones
Virginia Pine	Pinus virginiana	Dry poor soils	Short-lived pioneer
Black Walnut	Juglans nigra	Rich bottomlands	Valuable timber
Persimmon	Diospyros virginiana	Old fields, edges	Edible fruit
Sweetbay Magnolia	Magnolia virginiana	Swamps, bogs	Semi-evergreen; fragrant
Black Willow	Salix nigra	Streambanks, wet soils	Fast colonizer

Rare / Conservation Concern

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Notes	Status
Atlantic White Cedar	Chamaecyparis thyoides	Acidic swamps, bogs	Highly restricted habitat	S2 — State Rare
Live Oak	Quercus virginiana	Maritime forests, coastal	Southern species at northern limit	Range-edge in VA
Water Tupelo	Nyssa aquatica	Deep swamps	Buttressed trunk	Uncommon regionally
Pond Cypress	Taxodium ascendens	Depression ponds	Extremely limited in VA	S1 — State Very Rare
Redbay	Persea borbonia	Maritime forests	Threatened by laurel wilt / ambrosia beetle	Declining