Home ▪ Trees Count Slide Show ▪ Common Trees ▪ Deep Roots ▪ Virtual Tour ▪ Georgia Southern Botanical Garden ▪ Georgia Southern University ▪ Contact Us

    1. Quercus virginiana (Southern Live Oak)

     The Southern Live Oak is in the genus Quercus, characterized by large terminal buds and acorns for fruits.  The leaves of the Southern Live Oak are alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong or elliptical in shape with an entire or spiny and revolute margin. Leaves appear to be curled at the edges.  Male flowers are borne on catkins and female flowers are borne on spikes appearing in Spring.  Acorns are in clusters of 3 to 5, 3/4 in. long, and 1/3 covered by a bowl shaped cup.  The bark grows in red-brown furrows with small surface scales, later becoming black and very blocky.  This tree is very large with massive crowns sometimes reaching 150 feet across.

     On average, Southern Live oaks provides return benefits to the campus community totaling $82.60 per tree annually.  The largest value that they offer is aesthetic and they are commonly cultivated throughout Georgia.  These trees are also moderate suppliers of energy savings, carbon dioxide filtration, and are useful in controlling stormwater runoff.  They do not benefit overall air quality.  These trees are the most common species found on campus are a great value to the University.

     2.  Lagerstroemia indica  (Common crape myrtle)

     The deciduous crape myrtle is among the longest blooming trees in existence with flowering periods lasting from 60-120 days. Crapes come in heights as short as 18 in (46 cm) and as tall as 40 ft (12 m). Leaves are alternate and smooth, but leaf size depends on variety. Flowers are borne in summer in big showy spike-like clusters and come in white and many shades of pink, purple, lavender and red. The fruits that follow are brown or black. When mature they dry and split releasing disk shaped seeds.

     Crape myrtles only contribute returns totaling $5.73 per tree annually.  The only significant value they offer is their aesthetic beauty and they are common cultivars.  These trees do not significantly contribute to air quality, stormwater control, or energy savings.  They only filter small amounts of carbon dioxide.  These trees are planted along the center of campus and they are the second most common species.  While nice to look at, we should consider diversifying areas where these trees are present as they offer little value.

     3.  Pinus taeda  (Loblolly Pine)

     This is the most common species of pine in the area.  It has evergreen needles, 6 to 9 inches long, with three yellow-green needles per fascicle.  Cones are 4 to 5 inches long with a stout sharp prickle which distinguishes this species from the Slash Pine which has weakly armed cones.

     Loblolly pines contribute returns totaling $62.80 per tree annually.  They are the most important tree to the timber industry in the United States.  These trees are also moderately valuable in the amount of stormwater control, carbon dioxide filtration, and energy savings they provide.  They are not beneficial to overall air quality.  As the third most common species on campus, these trees are very valuable

     4.  Pinus elliottii  (Slash Pine)

      This species of pine has evergreen needles, 7 to 11 inches long, with 2-3 needles per fascicle.  Cones are 3 to 7 inches long with a small recurved thorn that is only slightly prickly.

     Slash pines contribute returns totaling $79.88 per tree annually.  They are important in absorbing stormwater runoff and for energy savings.  These trees also filter a moderate amount of carbon dioxide but are not significant in raising overall air quality.  They are common in the naturally wooded areas of campus and are a great value to those areas.

     5.  Cornus florida  (Dogwood)

     Flowering dogwood is a small tree, up to 30 ft (9 m) in height and 35 ft (10.7 m) across, but the typical size is more like 15 ft (4.6 m) tall and 15-20 ft (4.6-6 m) across. It has a short trunk and a full, rounded crown with horizontal branches often in layered tiers, spreading wider than its height. The bark on mature trees is broken up into small square blocks. Flowering dogwood has opposite, deciduous midgreen leaves, 3-6 in (7.6-15 cm) long, which turn red and purple in autumn. Flowering dogwood blooms in the spring, as its new leaves are unfolding, and usually remains showy for 2-3 weeks. The inflorescence consists of four showy petal-like bracts, usually snow white or pink, surrounding a cluster of tiny inconspicuous yellowish flowers. The bracts are 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) long and obovate in shape, usually with a cleft at the tip. Clusters of bright red football shaped fruits, about a half inch long, follow the flowers and often persist into winter.

     Flowering dogwoods contribute $11.96 per tree annually in benefits.  They are commonly planted along streets and walkways for their aesthetic value.  However, they provide little benefit to stormwater control, air quality, carbon dioxide filtration, or energy savings.  Although a beautiful sight while in bloom, these trees provide little return value to the campus.

     6.  Magnolia grandiflora  (Southern Magnolia)

     Southern magnolia is a large, broad-leafed evergreen tree that can grow 60-90 ft (18-27 m) in height with a trunk up to 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m) in diameter. It's trunk is typically straight and erect with spreading branches that form a dense, broadly pyramidal crown. The evergreen leaves are large 5-8 in (13-20 cm) long, leathery and dark glossy green above with rusty, velveteen undersides. Southern magnolia has large, showy white flowers that are 8-12 in (20-30 cm) in diameter. These have a pleasant fragrance and appear throughout the spring and summer. The fruits are reddish-brown conelike structures, 2-4 in (5-10 cm) long, with bright red kidney shaped seeds that hang from little threads when fully mature in autumn.

     Southern magnolias contribute returns totaling $36.14 per tree annually.  Although these are large trees most of their value is only aesthetic.  They contribute very little to stormwater control, air quality, carbon dioxide filtration, or energy savings.

     7.  Ilex opaca  (American Holly)

     Most of us have seen holly leaves and berries in Christmas decorations. The tree from which those pretty wreaths are made, American holly, is evergreen, rarely more than 50 ft (15.2 m) tall, with light gray bark, short, crooked branches and a pyramid-shaped crown. The oval leaves are shiny dark green, 2-4 in (5.1-10.2 cm) long, rather stiff, and armed with sharp spines. The flowers are tiny with 4-6 creamy-white petals; the male flowers in clusters of 3-9, and the female flowers (on separate trees) in clusters of 1-3. The berries (actually drupes: each seed within the fruit is encased in a stone-like covering) are red (occasionally orange or yellow), about 1/3 in (0.8 cm) in diameter and persist into the winter until hungry songbirds find them. American holly is a very popular ornamental tree and there are more than 1000 named cultivars.

     American hollies contribute returns totaling $11.64 per tree annually.  Their main value is aesthetic and they contribute a small amount to stormwater control, air quality, carbon dioxide filtration, and energy savings.  There is a large diversity of holly species on campus, but they provide little return value to the campus.

     8.  Carya illinoensis (Pecan)

     The pecan tree can grow to enormous heights, sometimes to 180 feet, and has an upright growing pattern. The bark is pale gray or whitish brown, scaly, and deeply furrowed. The heartwood is solid brown and black.  The leaves grow in groups of 11-17. Each leaf is slightly pointed at the tip. The width of the leaves are approximately 3 inches. Each full grown leaf is about 5 inches top to bottom.   The fruit of this tree is the easily recognized "pecan".

     Of the most common trees on campus the pecan tree is the most beneficial.  It contributes $160.38 per tree annually.  It is valuable aesthetically and for its fruit which are a major food source.  Also, these large trees are useful for energy savings, stormwater control, and carbon dioxide filtration.  This tree is also exceptionally great at improving air quality.  Their abundance on campus is of major value as their return benefits are so great.

     9.  Juniperus virginiana  (Eastern Red Cedar)

     Red cedar is an evergreen conifer that grows 40'-50' in height with a trunk up to 2' in diameter. This aromatic tree often has a symmetrical, pyramidal shape and has thin, fibrous, reddish-brown bark. The trunk is noticeably tapered, often becoming fluted at the base.  The leaves are scale-like with glandular yellow dots.  It bears cones 1/4 in. in diameter and the fruits are blue and berry-like.

    Red cedars contribute to the aesthetic value and energy savings of the campus community but they contribute very little to anything else.  They are found in many planted areas around the University.

     10.  Pinus palustris  (Longleaf Pine)

     The longleaf pine is a majestic tree with a towering, straight trunk, and a relatively small, open crown. The bole lacks branches for most of its length. Mature longleafs on the best sites can get up to 100 ft (30 m) tall with a trunk up to 3 ft (0.9 m) in diameter, but trees this size are very rare. On poor sites, longleaf pines even older than 200 years may have trunk diameters less than 12 in (30 cm). Old longleafs (more than 150 years old) tend to develop a flat and spreading crown because the tip loses its apical dominance over other branches. The needles and cones of longleaf pine are larger than in other pines: needles 12-18 in (30-46 cm) in length, and cones 7-10 in (18-25 cm) long. The needles are borne in tufts at the tips of stout branchlets with 3 needles per fascicle. 

     Longleaf pines contribute returns totaling $74.00 per tree annually.  They are mainly valued aesthetically but they do provide significant energy savings, carbon dioxide filtration, and control for stormwater runoff.  This species is mainly present in the naturally wooded areas of campus and they are a great value to those areas.