How to Observe - Trees

Trees, they’re everywhere. We see them in parks, yards, cities. I think all of us feel pretty confident that we could draw a tree if we were asked to. The casual familiarity with trees can leave us blind to actually seeing them. Think back to the last time you drove down the street, I’m sure you saw trees, but how many different kinds of trees did you see? Were they growing in unique ways? Were they there naturally or have they been planted intentionally? 

To begin to understand trees, let’s start in our own yards. I recommend using a notebook to record observations, but it’s not necessary.


Pick one tree to observe

• Observe it from afar
  • What does its overall shape look like?
  • Do the branches grow up, out, or down?
  • Are there any leaves left on the tree? 
  • Can you see any nests among the branches?
  • What does the bark look like from afar? 
  • Are any animals using the tree? 
  • Does the tree lean in one direction?
  • When a breeze picks up, how does it respond? Do the leaves rattle? Does the tree sway or stand still?
  • What kind of shadow does it cast?
  • Does anything collect underneath?
  • Does it protect anything underneath?
  • Note any other unique observations.
• Observe it near
  • Is there a scent from the tree? Could be from the leaves, pine needles, bark, etc.
  • What does the bark look like? Is it smooth, rough, patterned, flaking, peeling?
  • What does the bark feel like? 
  • Are there any holes/bare spots/unique blemishes/fungi/lichen?
  • Do any outside vines grow up the tree? If so, and if fuzzy, it’s likely poison ivy - do not touch, even in the winter - but do observe.
  • Look down, what shape is the base of the tree? 
  • Are the roots visible?
  • Look up, can you see through the branches to the top?
  • Notice how the branches grow.
  • Are there any unique splits in the branches?
  • Do you see any nests now that you didn’t see before?
  • If there are leaves, notice the shape, are they all similar or do they vary? What color are they?
  • Are there any seedpods/nuts? How are they encased? How do they open?
  • Are there any berries? What color? Any spots or patterns? Do they grow in clusters or individually?
  • Are there pinecones? How do they grow? Are they large or small? Do they grow upward or downward? Do they come apart easily or are they tightly contained?
  • Note any other observations 

Check on the same tree regularly, once a week, month, or season and go over your observation checklist, note how it goes through various stages of growth and shedding.

After you note these observations you may find it’s much easier to spot other trees of the same kind now. Being able to observe the finer details of trees, plants, or anything else will make it much easier to make proper identifications as well as gain a greater appreciation for the unique qualities of the plants, trees, animals, and even people, around you.