The bark of a tree is what we can all see readily as leaves, needles and buds are usually above eyesight. All trees have distinguishing characteristics but can be similar at times. Wet bark looks different compared to dry. Look for leaves on the ground to confirm. Some species like red spruce can be difficult to identify, fortunately red spruce is found in the Denbigh area and east.
​The tree to the left is beech with beech bark disease that breaks up the smooth grey appearance.

Green Ash 

Found associated with heavier soils, flat topped ridges with elongated diamonds between ridges, not as pointy as white

White Ash

Pointed ridges with diamond shape in between ridge. Not as soft as basswood

White Ash

Mature bark loses it's pointy ridges but will still have evidence of​ diamond shape.

Trembling Aspen

Balsam Fir

Smooth gray bark with mottling, frequently found with resin pockets

Basswood

Basswood

Flat topped ridges, bark soft, peel top layer off, dark brown underneath​

Basswood

Mature bark, ridges still flat, often find multiple stems from base, can stick pencil in bark

Beech

Smooth grey bark like elephant leg, retains smooth appearance  to maturity​

Beech

White Birch

White peeling bark, saplings have bronze look under peel. Bark peels horizontally.

White Birch

Mature bark loses glossy white, infrequent over 46 cm in diameter​

Yellow Birch

Yellow golden in colour, bark peel much thinner than white birch. Peels in little shreds

Yellow Birch

Mature bark loses golden colour, look carefully, can be confused with hard maple when old

Butternut

Flat topped ridges with canoe shaped sections between ridges. Often with black sooty seepages​

Red Cedar

Similar to white cedar, likes to hang on to lower branches, older stems bole looks corrugated

White Cedar

Thin strips not completely vertical. Often associated with water, can be found on upland sites

Black Cherry

Burnt corn flake bark, often found with resin seeping from cracks in the greater Quinte area

White Elm

Thin flaky bark in canoe shaped sections. Peel a piece off and look at cross section for white lines​

Hackberry

Interesting bark, forms elevated ridges at 30-40 year old mark
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Eastern Hemlock

Conifer capable of great age, purple underbark found when older

Bitternut Hickory

Shagbark Hickory

Uncommon,  when mature large strips start to peel giving shaggy appearance​​

Ironwood

Very thin flaky bark in in parallel strips, normally in the 8 - 20 cm range

Hard Maple

Mature tree with irregular bark, lighter grey in colour, no distinct pattern

Hard Maple

Irregular bark lighter in colour, difficult to peel, can peel horizontally on some trees​
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Red Maple

Irregular pattern, thinner than hard maple, often reddish under-bark, peels vertically
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Silver Maple

Found in wetter area, light coloured bark, irregular strips less dense than hard maple​

Soft Maple

Better quality red maple (soft maple), thin outer bark, look for reddish underbark

Burr Oak

Blocky light coloured bark, irregular pattern, frequent small twig scars, capable of growing 350 years plus

Red Oak

Coarse heavy bark, orangish sections between raised sections, can look purplish

Pitch Pine

Rare in south central Ontario, found a natural stand north of Marmora, similar to red pine, needles thinner

Red Pine

Flaky bark, red when mature, separates into large sections, Scots pine are orange in appearance. 

Red Pine

Thin flaky bark, frequently in rows, reddish under thin flakes​

White Pine

Darker almost black compared to red pine, not flaky​

White Pine

Conifer with irregular shaped long patterns, can be almost black looking​

Poplar

Large elongated raised sections, similar to red oak but lighter in colour and less dense bark

Red Spruce

Elongated sections of bark compared to white spruce, will have reddish tinge to bark​​

White Spruce

Thin flaky bark, irregular sections, reddish orange under bark​
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Walnut

Cross between elm and butternut bark, longer canoes with white tinges, likes moisture and warmth
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Willow