Baker's Field Park:
Red Oak
The red oak is one of the largest and most important timber trees. One of the fastest growing of the oaks, it attains a to 80 feet and a diameter of two to three feet. It has a wide, spreading head with few far reaching branches. Found growing over southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, it reaches west to central Minnesota, eastern Nebraska and Kansas. It is found over most of Iowa on a variety of soils, except on the drier clay uplands. It prefers moist, rich soils on north, east or northeast exposures. The tree has a single, lobed leaf with seven to eleven pointed or bristly-tipped lobes. The lobe sinuses reach one-half way to mid-vein. The leaves are thin, firm, dull green above, yellow-green below, varying considerably.
Sycamore
Sycamore trees are one of the oldest species of trees on Earth, and are known for their longevity and hardiness. There are several varieties of sycamore trees, but they all share similar characteristics. Sycamore trees produce large leaves that have a distinctive deep green. These plumes of leaves grow on branches that can reach up to 175 feet tall. As the leaves measure up to 6 inches long, a fully grown sycamore tree can be one of the densest trees in appearance.
Red Maple
Red Maple is one of the most common trees in our area. It is usually a medium-sized tree, but it can grow up to 90 feet. This tree can be found just about anywhere, including forests, stream banks, and fields. It is a pioneertree, which means it is one of the first to take over a field. It is also often anunderstory tree, growing beneath larger trees. Red Maple leaves are three-lobed, with small teeth. They are dull green on top, and pale green or whitish on the bottom. Leaves grow up to four inches long.
Yellow Poplar
Yellow Poplar leaves are shaped like a tulip blossom. Some people even call this tree a "tulip-tree." Leaves are usually three to six inches long, with four lobes. They are dark or shiny green above, and pale green underneath. Yellow Poplar bark is dark gray, and it becomes thick and furrowed as it gets older.The trunk of this tree can reach three feet across.This tree is found with other hardwood trees, such as oaks, American Beech, maples, Black Cherry, Eastern White Pine, and hickories. Hummingbirds, Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, Tiger Swallowtails and other insects help pollinate this tree when they visit flowers.
American Linden
A mature American linden exhibits a more rounded and less pyramidal crown, the spread of which often equals the tree's height. The bark of a young linden is gray and relatively smooth; it becomes more deeply furrowed over time. The tree's dark-green, heart-shaped leaves are 5 to 6 inches long with toothed edges, turn yellow in fall, and are slightly hairy on a young tree. Tea can be brewed from the tree's flowers.
