Identitree Quiz: How Well Can You Identify Trees?
Are you a tree savant? Prove it! Take our quiz below and see if your true life calling was (or is) to become an arborist. Don't forget to post your score in the comments section and share any neat tree facts you know. And don't even think about using a search engine!
Tree Identification Quiz
1) Growing roughly 40 ft. tall, this species of tree is deciduous and produces a unique flower known as a catkin. With over 60 species, it is best known for its flaky bark and is found all over the world, from the U.S. to Japan to Ireland. It is the national tree of Finland.
Am I a...
a) Birch Tree
b) Mahogany
c) Pine Tree
2) These trees like to stay hydrated are therefore often planted near bodies of water to help keep their roots saturated. Salicylic acid can be extracted from the tree and used to make aspirin. Growing nearly as wide as they grow tall, this tree is easily recognizable by its bowing branches and narrow leaves.
Am I a...
a) Chestnut
b) Birch Tree
c) Weeping Willow
3) Capable of growing 2,000 years old and over 300 ft. tall, these trees are found on the west coast of the United States. This tree grows in a very specific environment where it needs fog to acquire a large percentage of its water.
Am I a...
a) Mangrove
b) Redwood
c) Ginkgo
4) With dark green spiky leaves and little bright red berries, this tree is, for some, synonymous with Christmas. It can grow anywhere from six to 70 ft. tall, depending on the type and is found in North America, Japan, Northern Africa and Europe.
Am I a...
a) Holly Tree
b) Cypress Tree
c) Maple
5) From the fruit it produces to the shape of its leaves, these trees have very distinguishing characteristics. The national tree of the United States, it can grow 100 ft. tall and have an even larger spread. There are more than 600 species and a mature tree can draw 50 gallons of water a day!
Am I a(n)...
a) Weeping Willow
b) Oak Tree
c) Eucalyptus
6) Best known for their peculiarly shaped leaves, this trees leaves turn a beautiful yellow color in the fall. In a U.S. study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2010, evidence was found that supplements of this tree "slow(s) the rate of cognitive decline or dementia in older adults" but in 2013 a study done by the National Toxicology Program found that animals given supplements from this tree resulted in high rates of cancer among lab animals. For more information click here AFTER you finish the quiz. Further studies are underway.
Am I a...
a) Mahogany
b) Dogwood
c) Ginkgo
7) It allows us to produces the mate to pancakes, the Canadians love it, and it's known for beautiful fall foliage. Capable of reaching 60 ft. tall with sharp jagged leaves, this tree produces fruit called samaras by scientists, often nicknamed helicopters.
Am I a(n)...
a) Oak Tree
b) Maple Tree
c) Pine Tree
8) Although there are over 3,000 different types of species in this tree family, these guys are highly identifiable. The leaves, known as fronds, are divided into two categories, fan-shaped and feather-shaped, and they prefer warmer climates.
Am I a...
a) Chestnut
b) Palm Tree
c) Dogwood
9) These trees form forests along coasts in tropical areas. They act as a nursery for fish and certain species can excrete salt from their leaves, an adaptation that allows them to survive in environments with high salinity.
Am I a...
a) Mangrove
b) Redwood
c) Fir Tree
Answers:
1) A 2) C 3) B 4) A 5) B 6) C 7) B 8) B 9)A
SCORES:
Less than four:
Let's be honest, this was an easy quiz. The Ents are disappointed in you and you've now been blacklisted by the Whomping Willow. The time has come to branch out; start taking note of the trees you pass on the way to work or while you are walking the dog.
Four to Seven:
You're tree savvy but you're no Judi Bari. Try developing a deeper, truly profound love of trees by watching FernGully on repeat and by climbing trees barefoot.
More than Seven:
There's no denying it, your kindred spirit is a tree. In fact, it's highly likely you have a tree inspired tattoo, paying homage to those oxygen producers! When hiking, you are constantly tripping as you gaze upwards in awe of the sprawling tree canopies, while battering your comrades with your crash course of Tree 101. Stay evergreen, my friend.
-- Image courtesy of iStockphoto/3ajchik, iStockphoto/JeffHeronPhoto, iStockphoto/9comeback
Christine Coester is an editorial intern at Sierra. A fan of flora and fauna, she has a passion for conservation and environmental stewardship. Currently a graduate student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, she is studying journalism with the hopes of making the world a better and greener place.
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