CONIFERS AT RICE CREEK FIELD STATION

Cupressaceae: Evergreen trees or shrubs. Seeds borne on the inner surface of the oppositely arranged scales of small woody cones or the scales fleshy and fused to form a small berry-like cone. Leaves small and scale like, opposite or whorled and often overlapping, or occasionaly awl-like or needle-like.

Juniperus communis var. depressa (Old-Field Common Juniper)

Common Juniper is one of three species of Juniper native to New York State. The small specimen pictured is one of only two so far found on the Rice Creek properties. It was discovered in 2003 in open second growth forest well up on the hill near the north boundary of the college properties.

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Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar)

Eastern Redcedar is one of three species of Juniper native to New York State. Two wild specimens grow near where the trail to Fallbrook branches off from the Green Trail and one other has been found in the second growth forest nearby. There may be others yet to be discovered on the property.

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Thuja occidentalis (Northern White-cedar)

White-cedar grows naturally on limestone derived soils and in calcareous swamps and fens. It is widely used as an ornamental. Two planted trees grow in front of the building at Rice Creek.

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Pinaceae: Evergreen or occasionally deciduous trees with elongate, needle-like leaves. Seeds produced in more or less woody cones with spirally arranged scales. Two seeds are produced near the base of the upper surface of each cone scale.

Abies balsamea (Balsam Fir)

There are a few Balsam Fir mixed with Norway Spruce in the plantation along the west border of the old growth hardwood forest at Rice Creek Field Station. They are not vigorous here. Balsam Fir grows naturally at higher elevations in New York State. The photographs used here were taken in the Adirondack Mountains.

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Larix decidua (European Larch) and L. kaempferi (Japanese Larch)

Both of these exotic species have been planted at Rice Creek Field Station. The trees on the Blue Trail along the outlet to the pond all seem to be European larch. At least some of the trees along the entrance drive are Japanese larch. The two are very similar but can be distinguished by their cones. The native Eastern larch (L. laricina) occurs only in bogs and fens in our area but is more common in the Adirondack forests.

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Picea abies (Norway Spruce)

The conifer plantation along the western edge of the old growth hardwood forest at Rice Creek Field Station is composed primarily of Norway Spruce. This European species has been planted widely in the Northeast as an ornamental and as a plantation tree. It becomes a tall tree often with gracefully drooping limbs and branches.

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Picea glauca (White Spruce)

White Spruce is one of three species of spruce native to New York State. It occurs naturally on thin, limestone derived soils in Jefferson County. It occupies a large range in Canada and Alaska. It has commonly been planted for Christmas trees in our area but is not as popular as Fraser Fir or Douglas-fir. It is occasionally planted as an ornamental but lacks the size and grace of Norway Spruce and the compact habit of high quality ornamental Blue Spruce. Most of the spruce plantations at Rice Creek are White Spruce.

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Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine)

Most of the pines with two long needles per bundle on campus and at Rice Creek are Austrian Pine. Some of the campus plantings appear to contain a mix of Austrian Pine and Japanese Black Pine (P. thunbergii). The two are very difficult to distinguish. Austrian pine is also quite similar to our native Red Pine (P. resinosa).

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Pinus resinosa (Red Pine)

Red Pine is native to New England, New York, the northern lake states and adjacent Canada. It prefers sandy soils of moderate fertility. It is frequently used in reforestation plantings and sometimes as an ornamental. There is a small stand of planted Red Pine midway on the east side of the Norway Spruce plantation which borders the old growth woodlot at Rice Creek. There are Red Pines on campus immediately east of Culkin Hall and Hewitt Union. From their appearance, the soils there do not favor them.

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Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine)

White Pine grows naturally in our area prefering moderately rich sandy soils or certain swamps and fens. Most of the trees at Rice Creek and on campus were probably planted. This is the only five-needled pine native to eastern North America.

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Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine, Scotch Pine)

Scots (or Scotch) pine has been widely used for reforestation plantings in the northeastern United States. It occasionally reproduces from seed in our area but most trees we see have been planted. Most of the Scots Pine plantations established at Rice Creek in the 1960's are now being taken over by native deciduous trees.

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Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock)

Eastern Hemlock, Northern Red-cedar, and possibly Eastern White Pine are the only conifers growing naturally at Rice Creek. There are small hemlocks growing on the point across Rice Pond from the classroom building. A moderately large hemlock growing at the edge of the pond on the point was undermined by a beaver burrow and fell into the pond in 2005. Hemlock is the most widespread native conifer on the Lake Ontario plain west of Oswego. It is under attack by an exotic insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), which is spreading northward and has currently reached the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

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