Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (2024)

To the untrained eye, many trees look the same. They’re tall and leafy, aren’t they? Must be a tree. But to the more discerning eye, understanding the variations between common Georgia trees is not only a satisfying skill to have, but it can also help you make better decisions in your own garden. With this in mind we’ve outlined some of the most common Georgia trees and how to spot their distinguishing characteristics using your plain old peepers!

Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (1)

Maple

A wide variety of maples grows in Georgia, the most prominent being red maple and sugar maple. It’s easy to spot these trees due to their large leaves, which are palmate (leaf lobes spreading from the stem) and typically display bright autumn colors. Sugar maple is orange to red in autumn, while red maple is yellow to red in autumn and a deeper but rustier red the rest of the year.

Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (2)

Shagbark Hickory with its fall colors reaching for the sky

Hickory

Hickories tend to be quite large – usually taller than 60 feet – with pinnate leaves (veins in neat rows spreading from the long center vein of the leaf) that grow in compound sets. They are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in fall and grow new ones in spring. Trunks are gray to brown, grow coarser with age and often display a diamond pattern once mature.

See Also
Marigolds

Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (3)

Oak

Oaks have lobed, waxy leaves and large, spreading crowns that may be globular or semi-circular in nature. Their branches typically start low to the ground, giving them short trunks and making them excellent shade trees for properties and parks. Common species include white oak, scarlet oak, and water oak, though there are many more.

Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (4)

Pine

Pine trees are another common Georgia tree with a huge variety of species. They are evergreen and grow quickly relative to other trees, their needles growing in bunches along the branches. Young pines typically have a more slender form and often round as they age. Species include white pine, Virginia pine and longleaf pine, among others.

Of course, there are many other trees in Georgia, including ash, gum, chestnut, and buckeye. American beech, Sugarberry, American Yellowwood, holly, Eastern Red Cedar and others all abound as well!

If you need further help with trees in your yard, please feel free to give Premier Tree Solutions a call at 404-252-6448 or contact us here! We’re a growing tree removal business in Atlanta and can help you with all your tree-related needs. We also assist with storm cleanup, stump removal and grinding, tree trimming and branch removal and more.

Common Trees In Georgia and How to Spot Them - Premier Tree Solutions (2024)

FAQs

How can I find out what type of tree I have? ›

You can usually identify a tree through various features, including leaves, bark, shape, height, flowers, and fruit. Collecting information about what your tree looks like helps you search for your own answers and narrow down the possibilities.

What is the rarest tree in Georgia? ›

The Franklin tree or lost camellia (Franklinia alatamaha) is an unusually beautiful tree, once native only to Georgia, that is also one of the rarest trees in the world. Discovered in the mid-eighteenth century, the Franklin tree was last recorded in the wild by a nurseryman and plant collector in 1803.

What is Georgia's national tree? ›

Is there an app that helps identify trees? ›

Download Leafsnap and enjoy identifying flowers, trees, fruits, and plants on the go! You can subscribe to a monthly or yearly subscription.

What is the best website for identifying trees? ›

Tree Identification Guide at arborday.org.

Can I identify a tree by taking a picture? ›

Leafsnap is a free app that identifies plant species of all kinds, from flowers and bark to fruit and trees. Go for a walk, take a shot of a leaf, and this little wonder will identify it and give all kinds of additional information.

What does an ash tree look like? ›

Twigs are gray to brown and do not have a waxy coating. Leaves are compound, 8 to 12 inches long, 5 to 9 leaflets/leaf. Leaves may be finely toothed or have smooth edges. The most common ash trees planted in the landscape are white ash (Fraxinus americana) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica).

What are the four main types of trees? ›

What are the main types of trees? We divide tree into 4 main categories: deciduous trees, evergreens, fruit trees and coniferous trees, each of which has specific characteristics that should be known.

How to identify a tree without leaves? ›

Branches and twigs of trees grow in specific patterns. Knowing these patterns can be a valuable tool in tree identification. In an alternate pattern (left), the twigs are staggered along each side of the branch; in an opposite pattern (center), the twigs are directly across from each other on each side of the branch.

What is the purple tree in Georgia? ›

Eastern Redbud

You cant miss a redbud by its bright purple-pink blossoms and its thin papery leaves. These are very commonly planted as ornamental species but are native to the area so will also be found throughout wooded areas in Georgia.

What is the most famous tree in Georgia? ›

The Candler Oak Tree is located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, and is estimated to have been growing since the 1700s, making it one of the oldest living landmarks in the area. It is 54 feet (16.5 meters) tall, has a circumference of 17 ft (5.2 m) and a 63-inch (160 cm) diameter.

What city in Georgia has the most trees? ›

The city of Atlanta, Georgia has a reputation as the "city in a forest" due to its abundance of trees, uncommon among major cities.

What tree is native to Georgia? ›

Top Ten Native Georgia Trees:
  • Hazel Alder (Alnus serrulata) ...
  • Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) ...
  • Florida Maple (Acer floridanum) ...
  • Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) ...
  • Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) ...
  • Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) ...
  • Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) ...
  • American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Jul 10, 2023

What is the most common tree? ›

Red Maple or (Acer rubrum)

Red maple is the most common tree in North America and lives in diverse climates and habitats, mainly in the eastern United States. Acer rubrum is a prolific seeder and readily sprouts from the stump which makes it ubiquitous in both the forest and in the urban landscape.

What does Georgia's state tree look like? ›

The Southern Live Oak is an evergreen oak tree that can grow up to 80 feet tall and 100 feet wide. Its broad canopy is formed by dense, strong branches adorned with dark green elliptical leaves. This majestic oak tree can live for up to 400 years.

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