Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Introduction to Tree Anatomy
Introduction to Tree Anatomy
Knowledge check
Q1. Which part of a tree is primarily responsible for absorbing water and minerals from the soil?
- A. Leaves
- B. Roots ✓
- C. Bark
- D. Branches
Why: Roots anchor the tree and absorb water and dissolved minerals from the soil through root hairs, which greatly increase the surface area available for absorption.
Q2. What is the name of the layer just beneath the bark that transports sugars produced in the leaves to the rest of the tree?
- A. Heartwood
- B. Xylem
- C. Phloem ✓
- D. Cambium
Why: Phloem is the living tissue that carries sugars and other organic compounds from the leaves to the roots and other parts of the tree, a process called translocation.
Q3. Which tissue carries water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots to the leaves?
- A. Phloem
- B. Xylem ✓
- C. Epidermis
- D. Pith
Why: Xylem is made of dead, hollow cells that form continuous tubes, allowing water and dissolved minerals to move from the roots up through the trunk and into the leaves.
Q4. What is the thin layer of living cells between the bark and the wood that produces new xylem and phloem each year?
- A. Cambium ✓
- B. Sapwood
- C. Cuticle
- D. Medulla
Why: The vascular cambium is a thin band of dividing cells that adds new xylem toward the inside and new phloem toward the outside, which is what causes the trunk to grow in girth.
Q5. What is the central, usually darker wood in the trunk called, which no longer transports water and provides structural support?
- A. Sapwood
- B. Cambium
- C. Heartwood ✓
- D. Phloem
Why: Heartwood is the inner core of older xylem. Its cells are no longer conducting water, but it gives strength to the trunk and often becomes darker due to deposited compounds.
Module 2
Module 2: Identifying Trees by Leaf and Bark
Identifying Trees by Leaf and Bark
Knowledge check
Q1. Which leaf type has a single blade that is not divided into separate leaflets?
- A. Compound leaf
- B. Simple leaf ✓
- C. Pinnate leaf
- D. Palmate leaf
Why: A simple leaf has one continuous blade attached to the stem by a petiole. A compound leaf is divided into multiple leaflets, so it is not the correct answer.
Q2. What is the arrangement called when leaves grow in pairs directly opposite each other along a stem?
- A. Alternate
- B. Whorled
- C. Opposite ✓
- D. Rosette
Why: Opposite leaf arrangement means two leaves emerge from the same node on opposite sides of the stem. Alternate arrangement has one leaf per node, staggered along the stem.
Q3. Which bark feature is most characteristic of a River Birch?
- A. Smooth gray bark with horizontal lenticels
- B. Thick, deeply furrowed dark bark
- C. Peeling, papery bark that is cinnamon-colored or white ✓
- D. Corky bark with ridges along the trunk
Why: River Birch is known for its peeling, papery bark that ranges from salmon-pink to cinnamon and white, which sets it apart from other birches and trees.
Q4. A leaf with five or more leaflets radiating from a single point at the tip of the petiole is best described as what?
- A. Pinnately compound
- B. Bipinnately compound
- C. Palmately compound ✓
- D. Simple lobed
Why: Palmately compound leaves have leaflets that all attach at one point, like fingers on a hand. Pinnately compound leaves have leaflets arranged along a central rachis.
Q5. Smooth gray bark that remains smooth as the tree ages is most typical of which tree?
- A. Oak
- B. Pine
- C. American Beech ✓
- D. Black Walnut
Why: American Beech is famous for its smooth, thin, gray bark that stays smooth for decades. Oaks, pines, and walnuts develop distinctly ridged, furrowed, or scaly bark as they mature.
Module 3
Module 3: Identifying Trees by Shape and Form
Identifying Trees by Shape and Form
Knowledge check
Q1. Which tree shape is best described as having a single straight trunk with a narrow, cone-like or spire-shaped crown?
- A. Oval
- B. Columnar ✓
- C. Weeping
- D. Vase-shaped
Why: Columnar trees, such as Lombardy poplar, grow tall and narrow with a crown that stays close to the trunk, giving a spire or column silhouette.
Q2. A tree with a broad, rounded crown that is wider than it is tall, with branches that spread outward evenly, is said to have which form?
- A. Pyramidal
- B. Columnar
- C. Spreading ✓
- D. Fastigiate
Why: Spreading trees have a wide canopy, often wider than their height, which makes them good shade trees. Fastigiate refers to upright, narrow branching rather than a wide spread.
Q3. Which characteristic describes a weeping tree form?
- A. Branches that grow upward at sharp angles
- B. Branches that arch downward toward the ground, creating a cascading look
- C. A single trunk with no branches below the crown
- D. A dense, round crown that stays close to the ground
Q4. When identifying a tree by its overall form, what does a pyramidal shape look like?
- A. A wide, flat-topped canopy like an umbrella
- B. A wide base that tapers to a point at the top, like a triangle
- C. A tall, narrow column with no taper
- D. A round, ball-like crown on a short trunk
Q5. Which feature is most useful for identifying a tree's form during winter when leaves have fallen?
- A. Leaf color in autumn
- B. Flower fragrance
- C. The branching pattern and overall silhouette of the crown
- D. Fruit taste
Module 4
Module 4: Seasonal Tree Identification
Seasonal Tree Identification
Knowledge check
Q1. Which feature is most useful for identifying a deciduous tree in winter?
- A. Its flower color
- B. Its bark texture and branching pattern ✓
- C. The color of its fallen leaves
- D. The scent of its sap
Why: Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter, so bark texture, branching pattern, and bud arrangement become the key clues for identification.
Q2. Which tree is typically identified in spring by its early catkins and opposite-free, alternate buds?
- A. Maple
- B. Ash
- C. Birch ✓
- D. Oak
Why: Birch trees produce distinctive catkins in early spring, and their buds are arranged alternately along the twig, which helps separate them from opposite-budded trees like maples and ashes.
Q3. What is a common sign that a tree is an opposite-branching species such as maple or ash?
- A. Its buds grow in pairs directly across from each other on the twig ✓
- B. Its bark peels in thin paper-like sheets
- C. Its leaves are needle-shaped
- D. Its fruit grows in clusters of berries
Why: Opposite-branching trees have buds, leaves, and branches arranged in pairs across from each other on the stem, a useful clue for identification in any season.
Q4. In autumn, which change helps you identify a tree species most reliably?
- A. The leaves turning color and the shape of the leaves ✓
- B. The temperature of the soil beneath it
- C. The number of birds nesting in it
- D. The sound the wind makes through it
Why: Autumn leaf color and leaf shape are highly species-specific, with trees like sugar maples turning brilliant orange or red while oaks often take on browns and russets.
Q5. Evergreen trees such as pines are best identified in winter by which feature?
- A. Whether their leaves fall off
- B. The arrangement and number of needles in each bundle ✓
- C. The color of their trunks after snowfall
- D. The presence of fallen leaves nearby
Why: Pine species are often distinguished by how many needles grow in each bundle (fascicle) and how those needles are arranged, which remains visible year-round.
Module 5
Module 5: Planting and Establishing Young Trees
Planting and Establishing Young Trees
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the most important factor to check before choosing a planting site for a young tree?
- A. The color of the nearby fence
- B. Mature size of the tree, including its height, spread, and root space, compared to overhead wires, buildings, and underground utilities ✓
- C. How many birds visit the yard
- D. Whether the soil is covered in mulch
Why: A tree's mature size determines whether it will fit the space long term. Checking for overhead wires, buildings, and underground utilities before planting prevents costly conflicts and damage later.
Q2. How deep should the planting hole be for a young tree?
- A. As deep as the root ball, so the root flare sits below the soil surface ✓
- B. Two to three times deeper than the root ball
- C. Exactly the same depth as the root ball, with the root flare buried
- D. Only 2 centimeters deep to keep roots near the surface
Why: The hole should be only as deep as the root ball. Planting too deep buries the root flare, which can cause roots to rot and the tree to decline. The hole should be wide, often two to three times the root ball width, to loosen surrounding soil.
Q3. What is the recommended way to apply mulch around a newly planted tree?
- A. Pile it directly against the trunk to keep it warm
- B. Spread a 5 to 8 centimeter layer in a wide ring, keeping it a few centimeters away from the trunk ✓
- C. Cover the entire root zone with a thick layer of gravel
- D. Apply a 30 centimeter layer right at the base of the trunk
Why: A layer of 5 to 8 centimeters of organic mulch in a wide ring conserves moisture and suppresses weeds. Keeping it away from the trunk prevents bark rot, rodent damage, and insect problems at the base.
Q4. How often should a newly planted young tree typically be watered during its first growing season?
- A. Once a year, during planting only
- B. Daily, with a small amount of water each time
- C. Deeply and regularly, roughly once or twice a week depending on weather and soil, so the root zone stays moist but not waterlogged ✓
- D. Only when the leaves turn brown
Why: Young trees need consistent deep watering to establish roots. Shallow daily watering encourages shallow roots, while infrequent watering stresses the tree. Soil should be moist but never soggy, and rainfall should be factored in.
Q5. Why should you remove or loosen the tree's container or burlap wrapping at planting time?
- A. Because the tree will die without sunlight reaching the roots
- B. Because wrapping and circling roots can restrict growth and eventually girdle the trunk or roots ✓
- C. Because burlap attracts pests that eat the bark
- D. Because the tree needs to be planted bare-root to survive
Why: Container roots often grow in circles, and wrapping or circling roots can continue to constrict as the tree grows, strangling the trunk or roots. Removing synthetic materials and burlap from the root ball and loosening or spreading circling roots helps the tree establish properly.
Module 6
Module 6: Pruning and Routine Tree Maintenance
Pruning and Routine Tree Maintenance
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the most important reason to prune dead, diseased, or damaged branches first?
- A. To make the tree look more symmetrical
- B. To reduce the risk of decay spreading and of branches falling on people or property
- C. To encourage the tree to produce more flowers
- D. To increase the tree's overall height
Q2. What is the best time of year to prune most deciduous trees?
- A. In the middle of summer during peak growth
- B. In late autumn just before the first frost
- C. During late winter while the tree is dormant
- D. In early spring just as buds begin to swell
Q3. Where should a pruning cut be made on a branch?
- A. Flush against the trunk to ensure a clean wound
- B. Just outside the branch collar, leaving the collar intact
- C. Halfway between the branch collar and the branch tip
- D. Several inches beyond the branch collar to leave a stub
Q4. What does the three-cut method help prevent when removing a large branch?
- A. Sap from flowing out of the tree
- B. Bark tearing down the trunk as the heavy branch falls
- C. The tree from producing new shoots
- D. Insects from entering the pruning wound
Q5. What is the recommended maximum proportion of a tree's live canopy to remove in a single pruning session?
- A. About 10 to 25 percent
- B. About 50 percent
- C. About 75 percent
- D. Up to 90 percent if the tree is healthy
Module 7
Module 7: Recognizing and Managing Common Tree Pests and Diseases
Recognizing and Managing Common Tree Pests and Diseases
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following is the most common sign of an emerald ash borer infestation in an ash tree?
- A. Bright white sap oozing from small holes in the bark
- B. D-shaped exit holes and S-shaped galleries under the bark ✓
- C. Sticky honeydew coating the leaves below the canopy
- D. Round, papery galls forming on the trunk and branches
Why: Emerald ash borer larvae feed under the bark in S-shaped galleries, and adults emerge through distinctive D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch wide. Honeydew and galls are signs of other pests, not this one.
Q2. What is the primary cause of the white, powdery coating often seen on leaves of lilac, dogwood, and many other trees in late summer?
- A. Aphids excreting waste onto the leaf surface
- B. A fungal infection called powdery mildew ✓
- C. Mineral deposits left by irrigation water
- D. Wax secreted by scale insects
Why: Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that appears as a white, dusty layer on leaves. It is common in warm days and cool nights and rarely kills the tree, though it can weaken its appearance.
Q3. Which practice is most effective for preventing the spread of Dutch elm disease?
- A. Applying broad-spectrum insecticide to the trunk every spring
- B. Pruning and removing diseased elm branches promptly, and controlling the elm bark beetles that carry the fungus ✓
- C. Fertilizing heavily with nitrogen to strengthen the tree
- D. Watering the tree deeply once a week during summer
Why: Dutch elm disease is spread by elm bark beetles that carry the fungus between trees, and by root grafts. Prompt removal of infected wood and beetle control are the core management strategies.
Q4. A tree has yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and the leaves appear pale between the veins while the veins stay green. What is the most likely problem?
- A. Chlorosis caused by nutrient deficiency, often iron or manganese in alkaline soil ✓
- B. Fire blight bacteria infecting the vascular system
- C. Root rot from overwatering
- D. Sunscald on the leaves from direct afternoon sun
Why: Interveinal chlorosis, with green veins and yellow tissue between them, is a classic sign of iron or manganese deficiency, which is often caused by high soil pH that makes these nutrients unavailable to roots.
Q5. Which tool and timing combination is recommended for pruning a tree to reduce the risk of spreading fungal diseases?
- A. Dull tools used during wet weather in spring
- B. Sterilized sharp tools used during dry weather, with cuts made when the tree is dormant or diseases are less active ✓
- C. Any tools used at any time, since disinfecting is unnecessary
- D. Chainsaws used in the middle of summer for fastest results
Why: Clean, sharp tools make smooth cuts that heal faster, and disinfecting between trees prevents transferring pathogens. Pruning in dry conditions and during dormancy reduces exposure to many fungal and bacterial pathogens.