Since 1998 - Historical and Genealogical
Resources
for the Upper New River Valley of North Carolina and Virginia
As you may be aware, the timber industry was the principal employer in the Upper New River Valley in the early 20th century. Logging and sawmilling continue to the present day at a smaller scale in the area. Prior to that, the forest gave the settlers products to build their homes; habitat for game; food, and recreation. This is intended to be a listing of the common species of forest trees found in this geographic area
| Common Name | Latin Name |
|---|---|
| White Pine | Pinus Strobus |
| Short-leaf Pine | Pinus echinata |
| Scrub, Jersey or Virginia Pine | Pinus virginiana |
| Tamarack (or common larch) | Larix americana |
| Hemlock | Tsuga canadensis |
| Balsam Fir (Fraser Fir) | Abies balsama |
| Arbovitae | Thuja occidentalis |
| Red Cedar | Juniperus virginianan |
| Black Willow | Salix nigra |
| Trembling Aspen | Populus tremuloides |
| Large Toothed Aspen | Populus grandidentata |
| Carolina Poplar | Populus deltoidea |
| Butternut | Jaglans cinera |
| Black walnut | Juglans nigra |
| Shellbark Hickory | Hicoria ovata |
| Mockernut Hickory | Hicoria alba |
| Blue Beech | Carpinas caroliniana |
| Ironwood | Ostrya virginiana |
| Black Birch | Betula lenta |
| Yellow Birch | Betula lutea |
| Red Birch | Betula nigra |
| Paper Birch | Betula papyrifera |
| American Beech | Fagus americana |
| Chestnut | Castanea dentata |
| Chinquapin | Castanea pumila |
| White Oak | Quercus alba |
| Chestnut Oak | Quercus prinus |
| Red Oak | Quercus rubra |
| Pin Oak | Quercus palustris |
| Scarlet Oak | Quercus coccinea |
| Black Oak | Quercus velutina |
| American Elm | Ulmus americana |
| Slippery Elm | Ulmus fulva |
| Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis |
| Mulberry | Morus rubra |
| Cucumber Tree | Magnola acuminata |
| Yellow Poplar | Liriodendron tulipi fera |
| Sassafras | Sassafras sassafras Karst |
| Witch Hazel | Hamamelis virginiana |
| Black Gum | Nyssa sylvatica Marsh |
| Sycamore | Platans occidentalis |
| American Crab Apple | Malus coronaria |
| Service Berry (Sarvis) | Amelanchier canadensis |
| Cockspur thorn | Crataegus crus-galli |
| Dotted Thorn | Crataegus punctata |
| Wild Cherry | Prunus serotina |
| Wild Plum | Prunus americana |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudacacia |
| Red Bud | Cercis canadensis |
| Dwarf Sumac | Rhus copallina |
| American Holly | Ilex opaca |
| Mountain Maple | Acer spicatum |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum Marsh |
| Silver Maple | Acer saccharinum |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum |
| Sweet Buckeye | Aesculus octandra Marsh. |
| Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida |
| Rhododendron | Rhododendron maximum |
| Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum aboreum |
| White Ash | Fraxinus americana |
| Black Haw | Viburnum prunifolium |