the map and tree guide

STEWARDSHIP
Be a steward of the earth and of the natural splendors of the Aquinas College campus.
The marvelous collection of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers which you see and enjoy is
here because of the care and interest of many who preceded you.
TREE GUIDE
WELCOME TO THE AQUINAS COLLEGE CAMPUS
HISTORY
The Aquinas campus was the former Holmdene Estate of Edward and Susan Blodgett
Lowe. The estate consisted of 69 acres of farm, park and wooded land. The manor
house, consisting of twenty-two rooms and built in the English Tudor Renaissance style,
was completed in 1901. This house, the Carriage House, Winery, Stable, and many
parts of the estate remain as originally planned.
COLLECTION HINTS
LANDFORM AND FLORA
• Make your leaf collection a learning experience by utilizing botanical terminology
and recognizing the distinguishing characteristics of each leaf and tree.
The campus is a heavily wooded area, and represents, among other plant communities,
two types of forest: the Beech-Maple Deciduous Forest and the Coniferous Forest.
These forests contain most of the trees native to Michigan. The landscaped areas are
famous for their variety of introduced species. The area also boasts two streams that run
across the campus as well as an active pond community.
Explore this beautiful area by transversing our two marked trails, Squirrel Run
(.85 miles) and Deer Trail (1.23 miles). Trails begin at the West side of the Performing
Arts Center parking lot and are designated by wooden signs.
• PLEASE ONLY COLLECT LEAVES FROM THE GROUND. Do not take leaves
or a section of a branch from a living tree. Continued growth of the trees depends
on the bud formation at the tips of the live branches.
Horse
Chestnut
Green Ash
• Properly identify each specimen you collect with the help of an area tree guide.
CHARACTERISTICS
Use the following characteristics to help properly identify leaves.
How is the leaf attached to the twig?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Box Elder
Sister Annabel Bollman. O.P., M.S.
Michelle Lindale, Graphic Services Coord.
Chris Madziar, Class of 2011
Elliot Sedlecky, Class of 2010
For compound blades, how are the leaflets arranged?
Palmately Compound
leaflets radiate from a center
point on the leaf stalk
Pinnately Compound
leaflets attach in pairs all
along the leaf stalk
How do the edges or margin of the leaf appear?
Bur Oak
Redbud
Summer Silvieus, Ph.D.
Jim Williams, Director of Grounds
Sister Alice Wittenbach, O.P., Ph.D.
Elm
Mulberry
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Aquinas Biology Department : http://www.aquinas.edu/biology/
Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr
USDA Plant Database : http://plants.usda.gov/
Aquinas Undergraduate Admissions http://www.aquinas.edu/undergraduate/
To see a world in a grain of sand
Opposite
Alternate
Is the leaf blade divided?
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Green Ash
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
Tulip Poplar
Entire
smooth
Toothed
fine, course, or doubly
Lobed
rounded
How do the veins appear?
Norway
Maple
American
Beech
And eternity in an hour – William Blake
1607 Robinson Road S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799
At Aquinas, we want to protect both the forest and the trees. Pass this brochure on to a
friend! In accordance with EPA guidelines for recycled paper, this publication is printed
on paper that contains 50% recycled waste.
Palmate veins radiating from a central point
Pinnate
veins alternating along a main vein
What are other characteristics?
Yes
The leaf is compound
No
The leaf is simple
Buds - color, size
Overall Tree - size, height, form
Tree Bark - color, texture
Location of Tree
TREES AND SHRUBS
1. Acer ginnala (Amur Maple)
2. Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)
3. Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore Maple)
4. Acer rubrum (Red Maple)
5. Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple, Soft Maple)
6. Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)
7. Acer plantanoides (Norway Maple)
8. Acer plantanoides schwedleri (Schwedler Maple)
9. Acer negundo (Ash-leaved Maple, Box Elder)
10. Aesculus glabra (Ohio Buckeye)
11. Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut)
12. Ailanthus altissima (Tree of Heaven)
13. Amelanchier arborea (Juneberry Serviceberry)
14. Betula papyrifera (White Birch, Canoe Birch)
15. Betula allegeniensis (Yellow Birch)
16. Betula lenta (Black Birch, Cherry Birch)
17. Carpinus caroliniana (Ironwood)
18. Carya cordiformis (Bitternut Hickory)
19. Carya glabra (Pignut Hickory)
20. Carya ovata (Shagbark Hickory)
21. Carya tomentosa (Mockernut Hickory)
22. Castanea dentata (American Chestnut)
23. Cercis canadensis (Red Bud, Judas Tree)
24. Cladrastis lutea (Yellowwood)
25. Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
26. Cornus stolonifera (Red Osier Dogwood)
27. Cornus amomun (Silky Dogwood)
28. Cotinus coggygria (Smoke Tree)
29. Crataegus crus-galli (Cockspur Hawthorn)
30. Crataegus oxyancantha pauli (Paul’s Scarlet Hawthorn)
31. Crataegus punctata (Dotted Hawthorn)
32. Euonymus atropurpureus (Burning Bush)
33. Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian Olive)
34. Fagus grandifolia (American Beech, White Beech)
35. Fagus sylvatica (European Beech)
36. Fagus laciniata (Cutleaf Beech)
37. Fagus purpurea (Purple or Copper Beech)
38. Forsythia intermedia (Early Forsythia)
39. Fraxinus americana (White Ash)
40. Fraxinus pennsylvania (Green Ash)
41. Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo, Maidenhair)
42. Gleditsia triacanthos inermis-varieties (Thornless Honey Locust-seedless)
43. Gymnocladus dioica (Kentucky Coffee Tree)
44. Hamamelis virginiana (Common Witch Hazel)
45. Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
46. Ilex-verticillata (Michigan Holly)
47. Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
48. Larix laricina (Tamarack)
49. Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum)
50. Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Poplar)
51. Lonicera tatarica (Tartarian Honeysuckle)
52. Lonicera morrowii (Morrow Honeysuckle)
53. Lonicera villosa (Northern Honeysuckle)
54. Ligustrum vutgari (Common Privet)
55. Maclura pomifera (Osage Orange)
56. Magnolia soulangiana (Saucer Magnolia) 57. Magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia)
58. Malus-varieties (Flowering Crabapple)
59. Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly)
60. Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood)
61. Morus rubra (Red Mulberry Tree)
62. Ostrya virginiana (Hop Hornbeam)
63. Philadelphus virginalis (Common Mockorange)
64. Picea abies (Norway Spruce)
65. Picea canadensis (White Spruce)
66. Picea pungens (Colorado Blue Spruce)
67. Pinus resinosa (Red Pine, Norway Pine)
68. Pinus strobus (White Pine)
69. Pinus sylvestris (Scotch Pine)
70. Plantanus occidentalis (Sycamore)
71. Populus deltoides (Cottonwood)
72. Prunus avium (Sweet Cherry)
73. Prunus serotina (Wild Black Cherry)
74. Prunus subhirtella penula (Weeping Cherry Higan)
75. Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)
76. Quercus alba (White Oak)
77. Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak)
78. Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak)
79. Quercus palustris (Pin Oak)
80. Quercus rubra (Red Oak)
81. Quercus velutina (Black Oak)
82. Rhamnus cathartica (Common Buckthorn)
83. Rhamnus frangula (European Buckthorn)
84. Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac)
85. Robina pseudo-acacia (Black Locust)
86. Salix alba (White Willow)
87. Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow)
88. Salix fragilis (Crack Willow)
89. Salix matsudana tortuosa (Corkscrew Willow)
90. Salix nigra (Black Willow)
91. Sambucus canadensis (Common Elderberry)
92. Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)
93. Sorbus aucupara (European Mountain Ash)
94. Spiraea varieties
95. Syringa varieties (Lilacs)
96. Taxus cuspidata (Japanease Yew)
97. Tsuga canadensis (Canadian Hemlock)
98. Thuja occidentalis (Arbor Vitae)
99. Tilia americana (Basswood)
100.Ulmus americana (American Elm)
101.Ulmus pumila (Siberian Elm)
102.Ulmus rubra (Slippery Elm)
103.Ulmus thomasii (Cork Elm, Rock Elm)
104.Viburnus lantana (Wayfaring Tree)
105.Viburnum trilobum (Highbush Cranberry)
106.Viburnum varieties
107.Weigela varieties
108. Zelkova serrata (Japanese Zelkova)
Campus Safety
Off Campus: (616) 632-2462
On Campus Emergency: Ext. 3333
www.aquinas.edu/campus_safety
In order to protect the trees for the enjoyment of others,
ONLY TAKE LEAVES FROM THE GROUND.
Collecting leaves off trees is prohibited.
Aquinas College welcomes you to our campus to view the natural beauty that exists here. As you travel about
our campus, please understand that you are doing so at your own risk. Aquinas College does not assume liability
for those risks that you may encounter in a natural environment.
General Parking (Commuter/Guests)
No Parking 2 a.m. - 6 a.m.
B – Fulton Lot
C – Bukowski Chapel Lot
E – Lower St. Joseph Lot
L – Plymouth Lot (Noon to Midnight)
M – East Science Lot
Q – Browne Center Lot
T – Woodward Lot
The nature trails’ renovation and brochure were made possible through the
generous support of Universal Companies, Inc., and the Wege Foundation.