From a distance most twigs of deciduous trees, those that lose their leaves in the fall, seem bland and identical. What’s brown and sticky? A stick! Twigs are essentially small branches that shoot off larger ones and the terms stick and twig are roughly interchangeable. Why are twigs interesting? When you look closer, you’ll realize that some twigs have bright red buds, some have smiley faces, some smell like winter green, and some have tiny fuzzy hairs that you can see through a hand lens! Although trees and shrubs can appear dead or dormant in winter, it is a great opportunity to fine-tune your observational skills and admire the amazing details of nature.
Without leaves, bark can be a useful identification tool to identify trees. However, there can be quite a lot of variation among the bark of the same species. As the tree ages, bark patterns, textures, and colors can look quite different from a younger tree of the same species. Twigs on the other hand, show little variation among species. Once you recognize what a Sugar Maple or White Ash twig looks like, you won’t be able to un-see it!
As you begin to look closer at twigs, you’ll notice they are composed of different parts. You don’t have to get too technical, but awareness of the simple terms will be helpful. Knowing where the buds are located, if the buds are opposite or alternate, the difference between terminal and lateral buds, if the buds have scales that protect them, and the general shape of the bud are all useful things to be aware of. Another feature to know about is the location and shape of the leaf scars. This is where the leaves used to attach before they fell off. Does the twig or the buds have an odor when scratched or crushed? Does the twig have hairs? What color is the twig? What color are the buds? What is the shape and texture of the pith? The pith is where water and nutrients travel through the plant and can be seen when you take a clipping of the twig. In Butternuts, the pith is hollow. Oaks have a star shaped pith, and in Walnuts, the pith is broken up into chambers. Who knew twigs have so much detail!
These features can help you determine what species you are looking at and are usually consistent from individual to individual. As Jerry Jenkins points out in his book Woody Plants of the Northern Forest there are some particularly difficult groups where twigs alone will not help in identification. A combination of twigs, leaves, bark, and sometimes flowers are the only way to know for sure.
Speaking of Jerry Jenkins, if you are a visual learner, we highly recommend using Woody Plants of the Northern Forest for twig identification. The pages are filled with high resolution photographs that show the important details of twigs and leaves. Jenkins has published several other books in the Northern Forest Atlas Guide Series that cover mosses, grasses, and sedges. They are all inexpensive and easy to stick in your backpack! Some of the guides in the series are available to download for free online. There are more detailed Winter Tree keys that exist, but we recommend something simple if you are just beginning your twig journey.
Another important fact about twigs is that they serve as a critical winter food source. In the summer, trees form and prepare the next season’s buds, packing them with energy and nutrients for the spring. During the winter when other food sources become scarce, twigs and their energy packed buds are consumed by many wildlife species including Deer, Moose, Ruffed Grouse, Porcupine, and Snowshoe Hare.
By taking a closer look at twigs, you’ll soon get a glimpse of the immense variety of trees that fill Vermont forests and the tiny but beautiful details that have always been there, but often go unnoticed.
Click HERE to learn more about the Northern Forest Atlas Guide Series!