Forest Trees of Florida

Leaf Identification Key | Tree Identification Key | Publication Key

Tree Search Select a tree (A-F)American BeechAmerican ElmAmerican Holly American HornbeamAmerican PlumAtlantic White Cedar Bald Cypress Basswood Bigleaf Magnolia Bitternut Hickory Black Cherry Black MangroveBlack OakBlack Titi Black TupeloBlack Walnut Black Willow BlollyBluejack Oak Boxelder Cabbage PalmCarolina Ash Carolina Laurelcherry Chinquapin Chinquapin Oak Downy Serviceberry Eastern Hophornbeam Eastern Red CedarEastern RedbudFlorida ElmFlorida Maple Florida Royal Palm Florida Thatch Palm Florida Torreya Florida Yew Flowering DogwoodFringetree     Select a tree (G-N)Gum BumeliaGumbo LimboHawthornInkwoodJamaica DogwoodLive Oak Loblolly Bay Loblolly PineLongleaf PineMahoganyMastic Mockernut Hickory Select a tree (O-T)Overcup Oak PersimmonPigeon PlumPlaner-TreePoisonwood Pond Apple Pond Cypress Pond PinePost OakRed Bay Red BuckeyeRed MangroveRed MapleRed Mulberry Rusty Blackhaw Sand Pine SassafrasSeagrapeShortleaf Pine Shumard OakSlash Pine Slippery ElmSouthern CatalpaSouthern MagnoliaSpruce Pine Strangler Fig SugarberrySwamp Chestnut OakSwamp Cottonwood Swamp Laurel Oak Sweetbay SweetgumSycamoreTuliptree Turkey Oak Select a tree (U-Z)Water HickoryWater LocustWater OakWater TupeloWax MyrtleWhite MangroveWhite OakWild TamarindWillow OakWinged ElmWitch-Hazel

Florida has a great variety of native trees, more than any other state in the U.S. other than Hawaii. Over northern Florida, particularly in the western section, many of the trees that range widely and are well known over the eastern U.S. find their southern limit. Here are many kinds of hickory, elm, ash, maple, magnolia, basswood and locust, while a large number of different kinds of pine, gum and oak are at home throughout the state. Many tropical and subtropical plants found in the Caribbean have their northern limit in south Florida.

“Forest Trees of Florida” has been a standard handbook for tree identification since its first printing in 1925. The original book was prepared by Wilbur R. Matton, an extension forester with the U.S. Forest Service. Over the years the list of pictured trees has changed slightly, but for the most part the book has remained as it was in the original printing.

Most of the original drawings were prepared by Mrs. A.E. Hoyle of the U.S. Forest Service. The Florida Forest Service is also grateful to the Houghton-Mifflin Company for its permission to use the following drawings from “The Native Trees of Florida” by West and Arnold: Pond Cypress, Seagrape, Black Cherry, Eastern Redbud, Florida Mahogany, Fringetree and Black Mangrove.

Twenty-four editions of “Forest Trees of Florida” have been issued, and we are pleased now to be able to bring you the most current edition online. Our online version offers the same helpful text, maps and drawings, but in a convenient, easy-to-search format.

To obtain a printed copy of “Forest Trees of Florida,” contact your local Florida Forest Service Field Unit office.

U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, Digital representation of "Atlas of United States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr.: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1650