The University of Georgia campus is one of the most beautiful in the United States. Stately, noble trees provide human scale, a sense of place, cooling shade, and tranquility to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. To walk this hallowed campus is to sense the pride in its heritage and hope for the future. The designation of the campus as an arboretum not only insures sustained, energetic tree planting and maintenance but also presents opportunities for studying trees. This “Tree Walk” is the first project of the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum initiative. Lake Herrick was commissioned by the UGA in 1982 as a recreational resource for Athens and UGA. After 20 years of use, Lake Herrick was closed to swimming and boating in 2002 and underwent restoration led by Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Odum School of Ecology River Basin Center, and the Office of Sustainability. In 2018 it reopened for public use and is once again a popular recreation space as well as a living laboratory for research in the natural and social sciences. Begin this tour at the Lake Trail which begins just east of the IM Fields parking deck as you walk toward the highway. Follow the trail and take a right when the trail splits from the main pathway. The first tree is located next to the trail shortly after this split. To advance from tree to tree scroll downwards or click/tap on the numbered circles on the map.
If using a mobile device, tap on the square in the upper right corner of the map to view your location.
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SOUTHERN WAX MYRTLE
Myrica cerifera The southern wax myrtle is a small evergreen tree or large shrub that is native to the southeastern United States. The foliage of the wax myrtle is aromatic when crushed. Southern wax myrtles are known for their waxy fruits and their use as a medicinal plant. The fruits can be boiled to extract the waxes which are used to make barberry candles. Choctaw peoples used the plant medicinally to treat fevers and research has since shown that the chemical myricetin in the plant is an effective anti-fever, antidiarrheal, and antibiotic. The southern wax myrtle is also a larval host to the banded hairstreak and the red-banded hairstreak moths.
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PERSIMMON
Diospyros virginiana The persimmon is native to the southeastern and parts of the midwestern United States. Persimmons are famous for their peculiar fruit that is beloved by wildlife and humans alike. The fruit is a favorite of deer, foxes, skunks, birds, and of course, raccoons and possums. People collect the fruit once the skin has wrinkled and the flesh has softened. If the fruit is unripe, the fruit has an astringent, bitter taste. The large seeds were used as makeshift buttons during the Civil War and used to predict the weather in southern folklore.
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AMERICAN BEECH
Fagus grandifolia The American beech is a common forest tree of the eastern United States. American beeches will sometimes be found in nearly pure stands due to their ability to propagate by sucker shoots. The seeds from the beech are high in oil, making them a valuable food source for wildlife. The tree is easily identified by its smooth blue-gray bark. Cherokee legend says that the bark of the beech was inscribed to indicate the location of buried treasure.
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BLACK GUM
Nyssa sylvatica Native to the eastern United States, the black tupelo is a widely distributed tree found in a multitude of regions depending on the variety. The black tupelo is an important species for wild honey production and is one of the main sources of tupelo honey. Hollows of the tree were used as bee gums and the small flowers of the black tupelo produce large amounts of nectar and are beloved by bees. The black tupelo is also a cherished tree in the landscape for its interesting blue-black fruit, stunning fall color, and great architecture.
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TULIP POPLAR
Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip poplars are fast-growing, native trees and are often the tallest trees in the forests. It is not uncommon for them to reach heights of 140 feet with the tallest recorded tulip poplar being 192 feet tall. The name of the tulip poplar comes from the large tulip-like flowers the tree produces in the spring. These flowers are a favorite of bees, which makes this tree an important species for honey production. The rich greenish-orange color of the flowers produces dark honey which is a favorite of bakers. The flowers give way to an abundance of fruit and seeds that mature and shed in the fall.
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PIGNUT HICKORY
Carya glabra The pignut hickory is native to the eastern woodlands of the United States. Pignut hickories are one of the main components of oak-hickory forests. Pignut hickories are able to live in dry sites because of their tendency to produce deep taproots. The hickory nuts are a staple in the diet of many woodland animals including squirrels, chipmunks, and raccoons. Their common name is derived from early American settlers observing the wild hog’s affinity to the nuts. The pignut hickory has stunning yellow fall color.
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MAPLE LEAF VIBURNUM
Viburnum acerifolium The maple leaf viburnum is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. It is typically found as an understory plant, preferring to grow in the shade of larger trees in moist woodlands. The maple leaf viburnum has attractive inflorescences that appear in mid to late summer. The flowers give way to attractive berry-like fruits which are eaten by a variety of birds. The maple-like leaves of the maple leaf viburnum have beautiful reddish-purple fall color.
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MOCKERNUT HICKORY
Carya tomentosa The mockernut hickory is a common species of hickory in the eastern United States. The leaves of the hickory have a downy underside and pubescent petioles, making them easily identifiable from other hickory species. The timber of the mockernut hickory is one of the densest of all the native hickories, making it a useful wood for early settlers making tools and furniture. Mockernut hickories are impactful trees ecologically. Like other hickories, mockernut produces nuts that are valuable to wildlife. The foliage also supports several moth species including luna moths and giant regal moths.
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SWEETSHRUB
Calycanthus floridus Native to the Southeastern United States, the sweet shrub is a deciduous shrub named for its fragrant foliage and flowers. Their maroon flowers bloom in late spring and often have a fruity fragrance. When crushed, the scabrous leaves emit an herbal fragrance. Sweet shrubs are spread by suckers and can form quite large thickets. According to Southern folklore, the bark of the sweet shrub can be used as a substitute for cinnamon.
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WHITE OAK
Quercus alba The white oak is native to the midwest and the eastern United States. White oaks are at home in a variety of environments and have the ability to withstand wildfire. They produce large crops of sweet acorns that are a beloved wildlife food source. The lumber of white oaks is the premier wood for making barrels to age wine and bourbon.
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LOBLOLLY PINE
Pinus taeda The loblolly pine is a common pine tree in the southeastern United States. Loblolly pines favor the long, humid, hot summers and mild winters of this region. Because of the abundance of loblolly pines, the seeds produced are a valuable food source for a variety of small animals and birds. The loblolly pine is the most important species for commercial forestry in the South.
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SERVICEBERRY
Amelanchier arborea Serviceberries are small trees that range from eastern Canada to the southern United States. They thrive in a variety of locations, including woodlands, swamps, and rocky slopes. They prefer to grow in the understory of larger trees. The tree has fragrant flowers that bloom in early spring that contrast the still leafless branches. The common name of serviceberry comes from one of the uses of the tree. In the Appalachian Mountains, settlers would wait until the serviceberry bloomed to hold funerals since the ground would be soft enough to bury their deceased. The flowers give way to juicy red berries that wildlife feed on throughout the summer. The fruit is fit for human consumption as well.
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SMALL FLOWER PAWPAW
Asimina parviflora The small flower pawpaw is a rare understory shrub of the Southeastern United States. The small flower pawpaw is a smaller species than the common pawpaw (A. triloba). The small tree blooms in late April. The flowers have a strange, fleshy appearance and turn from yellowish-green to maroon.
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POST OAK
Quercus stellata The post oak is a widespread oak throughout the southern United States. The post oak is a hardy species. They are quite drought resistant. This coupled with the fact that they are slow-growing means that post oaks can reach up to 450 years of age. Their acorns serve as food for many southern woodland animals including whitetail deer, squirrels, turkey, raccoons, and various bird species.
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TAG ALDER
Alnus serrulata The tag alder is a member of the birch family native to the eastern United States. Tag alders typically are multitrunked and will grow in boggy soils around bodies of water. Here, they often form dense thickets along the edge of the water. Tag alders have root nodules that help fix nitrogen and are often used to stabilize and restore wetlands. Like other plants in the birch family, tag alders have medicinal properties. Teas can be made from the bark to treat a variety of ailments.
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RIVER BIRCH
Betula nigra River birches are a medium-sized tree native to the eastern United States. The tree has distinctive, attractive exfoliating bark that peels from the tree in papery curls. Native Americans boiled the sap to make a sweetener similar to maple syrup. The inner bark of the tree was also used as survival food in times of need. The leaf, bark, and flowers of the river birch contain essential oils that have demonstrated, insecticidal, antibacterial, and nematocidal properties.
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SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA
Magnolia grandiflora The southern magnolia is an icon of the South. This handsome evergreen tree is native to the Coastal Plain of the Southeast, ranging from southeast Virginia to Mississippi with some pockets in Texas and Louisiana. Southern magnolias occur in moist, rich, lowland soils. They grow in association with other hardwoods. Southern magnolias produce breathtakingly elegant white flowers in the heat of the summer in the South. These very showy and fragrant flowers turn into aggregate fruits adorned with red berries that are consumed by wildlife. A variety of bird species call the dense foliage home. The oldest tree on the White House property is a southern magnolia.
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EASTERN RED CEDAR
Juniperus virginiana The eastern red cedar is a common and widespread conifer occurring in the eastern United States. Eastern red cedars can live up to 350 years and grow quite slowly. Chests are often made of cedar because the oils in the wood deter moths from eating the woolen inside.
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WHITE OAK
Quercus alba The white oak is native to the midwest and the eastern United States. White oaks are at home in a variety of environments and have the ability to withstand wildfire. They produce large crops of sweet acorns that are a beloved wildlife food source. The lumber of white oaks is the premier wood for making barrels to age wine and bourbon.
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AMERICAN HAZEL
Corylus americana The American hazelnut is a deciduous, multi-trunked shrub or small tree native to the eastern and central United States and Canada. The tree has showy flowers that bloom in early to mid-spring with male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flowers give way to hazelnuts which are similar to European hazelnuts (C. avallana) which are the typical hazelnuts sold in grocery stores. The genus, Corylus, is derived from the Greek word korylos which translates to helmet. This refers to the unique husk that is present on the tree’s nuts. The nuts are an important food source for many woodland animals, especially large birds.
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RED MULBERRY
Morus rubra This native mulberry occurs from southeastern Canada to southern Florida and eastern Texas. The red mulberry prefers rich soils of moist low hillsides, river valleys, and floodplains. Red mulberries are often seen peeking out of shaded woodlands. They grow in association with box elder, red maple, sugar maple, sugarberry, honeylocust, sweetgum, back oak, and American elm. Red mulberries bloom in early spring and produce raspberry-like fruits. These fruits are a beloved food source for song and game birds, foxes, squirrels, opossums, and raccoons. Red mulberry fruits are also enjoyed by humans in their raw form or in jams, pastries, and wine. The fruit was an important food source for the Powhatan Native American tribes. The tree has interesting, often dimorphic, foliage with shapes ranging from standard obovate leaves to mitten-like leaves. The inner bark of the tree was used by Cherokee tribes to weave fine fabrics that were comparable to linen.
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SCARLET OAK
Quercus coccinea Scarlet oaks are native to the upper and middle ridges of eastern North America. This fast-growing oak is an important member of the eastern deciduous forests and is associated with a multitude of species. Horticulturally, the scarlet oak is a beloved tree for its brilliant crimson fall color.
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SOUTHERN RED OAK
Quercus falcata The southern red oak is a large native oak to the southern and eastern United States. They are often found growing in pine-hardwood forests. Like many other oaks, the acorns produced by the tree are a vital food source for many animals.
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LOBLOLLY PINE
Pinus taeda The loblolly pine is a common pine tree of the southeastern United States. Loblolly pines favor the long, humid, hot summers and mild winters of this region. Because of the abundance of loblolly pines, the seeds produced are a valuable food source for a variety of small animals and birds. The loblolly pine is the most important species for commercial forestry in the South.
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WILLOW OAK
Quercus phellos Willow oaks are native to the eastern coast of the United States. They prefer to grow in swampy regions along bodies of water, but they are tolerant of many difficult sites. Because of their adaptability, willow oaks are the most common oak planted in landscapes in the southeast.
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RED OAK
Quercus rubra The northern red oak is native to the eastern half of the United States, extending into southeast Canada. Like many other oaks, it hybridizes readily with other oaks and the acorns are an important food source for many different kinds of wildlife. The northern red oak is one of the most important lumber trees in the United States and is widely used commercially. As its name implies, the northern red oak has spectacular red fall color.
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BALD CYPRESS
Taxodium distichum Bald cypress is a deciduous conifer of swampy coastal regions of the southeastern United States. The trunk of bald cypress is flared accompanied by buttressing. The bald cypress will also put out protruding roots called “knees.” Bald cypress swamps are rich environments for wildlife, vegetation, insects, and crustaceans. Bald cypresses are slow to moderate growth and can live upwards of 500 years. The valuable timber of the tree and the millions of acres of swampland that are being drained has led to a severely decreased population of mature trees. The bald cypress acts as the state tree of Louisiana and serves as a symbol of Southern swamps.
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BOX ELDER
Acer negundo The box elder is a unique tree species in the maple genus (Acer). It is widely distributed in North America and has naturalized in many parts of the world. Box elders are the only species of maple with pinnately compounded leaves. Because of this, some botanists classify Acer negundo into its own genus, Negundo aceroides. Its common name, box elder, refers to its historical use as material for wooden boxes and crates and the leaves bearing resemblance to elders (Sambucus). Like other trees in the maple genus, the sap of box elders can be boiled down to a sweet syrup that has been used for centuries by indigenous peoples in North America.
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OVERCUP OAK
Quercus lyrata Overcup oaks are a species of oak native to lowland areas of the southeastern United States, particularly in the Coastal Plain. Like many other oaks, the acorns produced are beloved by wildlife including deer, turkeys, squirrels, and small mammals. The specific epithet of lyrata translates to “lyre-like” in Latin which refers to the shape of the leaf which resembles three lyres stacked on top of one another.
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BLACK WILLOW
Salix nigra Black willow is the largest native North American species of willow, growing 35 - 100 feet tall. It can be found growing in moist to wet soils of floodplains, stream /river banks, swamps, marshes, sloughs, and ponds. It has a shallow, spreading root system that is good for stabilizing soils and makes the tree an effective selection for site reclamation and erosion control. Black willow provides many wildlife services; it is the host plant for several butterfly species and provides food and leaf cover for birds in wetland sites. Native Americans also had many uses for black willow including basketry, and treatment of fever, headache, and coughs. The bark of the tree contains salicylic acid, a chemical compound similar to aspirin.
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FOTHERGILLA
Fothergilla major Fothergilla is a species in the witch-hazel family native to the woodland swamps of the southeastern Appalachian Mountains. It is currently listed as a vulnerable species. Fothergilla is known for its beautiful bottlebrush-like flowers that bloom in early spring. The deciduous shrub also has a gorgeous red-orange fall color. The genus Fothergilla honors the English botanist, Dr. John Fothergill. There are many popular cultivars of fothergilla than lend themselves to landscape plantings.
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EASTERN RED BUD
Cercis canadensis The redbud is a small attractive tree native to eastern North America. The tree flowers on its stems and trunks from April to May with the flowers turning into legume pods around June. Redbuds were used as a food source for Native Americans. In the spring, the flowers were eaten either raw or boiled. Later in the year, the seeds were roasted and consumed. Redbuds serve as the state tree of Oklahoma.
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FREEMAN MAPLE
Acer x freemanii The Freeman maple is a naturally occurring hybrid of red maples (Acer rubrum) and silver maples (Acer saccharinum). It is known for its spectacular show of red-orange fall foliage. It is commonly used in landscapes because the trees feature the best characteristics of its parents. The name, Freeman maple, honors Oliver M. Freeman who performed the first controlled cross between red and silver maples at the National Arboretum in 1933.
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SWEET BAY MAGNOLIA
Magnolia virginiana The sweetbay magnolia is a native tree to the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of the eastern United States. They tend to grow in wet, sandy soils along streams, swamps, and bottomlands. They grow in association with redbay, red maple, American holly, and loblolly bay. It is a beloved ornamental tree for its semi-evergreen foliage and mid-spring to summer flowers that boast a lemony scent. The sweet bay magnolia was the first magnolia to be cultivated in England after John Banister collected the plant.