A Guide To North American Trees and Plants

North America is home to a wondrous and wildly diverse number of tree and plant species. From the enormous ancient Sequoias of California, to the tiny verdant mosses that carpet forest floors across the continent from east to west, seemingly endless species abound. Spring blooms and riotous fall foliage are eagerly awaited by gardeners and outdoors enthusiasts alike. The pleasure that these inhabitants of the natural world bring is outweighed only by their contributions to the well-being of humans, and the living environment as a whole. Across North America, as around the globe, plants and trees also provide shelter, food sources, and are widely valued for their medicinal qualities.

• Aceraceae (common name: maple): The maple family of trees boasts members that are valued for timber, sap for making syrup and landscaping.

• Adoxaceae (common name: Viburnum): Adoxaceae includes ornamentals and elderberries used to make wine and jelly.

• Anacardiaceae (common name: cashew, other name: sumac): These trees and shrubs are grown for food, medicines, timber and landscaping.

• Annonaceae (common name: custard-apple, other name: pawpaw): With approximately 2,300 species, The Annonaceae family is made up of trees, shrubs and vines.

• Aquifoliaceae (common name: holly): Hollies or Aquifoliaceae are comprised of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs.

• Araliaceae (common name: ginseng): Members of the family araliaceae are seen worldwide, but mostly in tropical regions. 

• Arecaceae (common name: palm): Widely cultivated, palms can be found in temperate, tropical and sub-tropical area.

• Betulaceae (common name: birch): The birch family includes alders, hazels and hornbeams in addition to birches and grows mainly in the temperate regions of North America.

• Bignoniaceae (common name: Trumpet-creeper, other name: Catalpa): Among the Bignoniaceae are trumpet vines, trumpet trees and the cat's claw vine.

• Boraginaceae: The borage family of mostly herbs includes some interesting names like hounds-tongue, stickweed and madwort.

• Burseraceae: Frankincense and myrrh are relatives of the torchwood family.

• Cactaceae (common name: cactus): The cactus family is filled with beautiful blooming varieties as well as many prickly plants of the desert.

• Calycanthaceae: The sweetshrub, also called Carolina allspice or strawberry bush, belongs to the Calycanthaceae.

• Canellaceae: Florida is home to some members of this fragrant evergreen plant family.

• Caprifoliaceae (common name: honeysuckle): Caprifoliaceae includes more than 800 plants, generally vines and shrubs.

• Celastraceae (common name bittersweet): Sometimes also called staff vine, the bittersweet family is spread across temperate and tropical areas.

• Combretaceae: This close-knit family of less than 300 species is composed of vines, shrubs and trees.

• Compositae (common name: sunflower): This extremely large and diverse family makes up ten percent of angiosperms.

• Cornaceae (common name: dogwood): A favored plant in Canada and the southern United States, the dogwood is surrounded by legend and folklore.

• Cupressaceae (common name: redwood, other name: juniper): The cone-bearing Cupressaceae includes the very long-lived and largest of trees, the Sequoiadendron giganteum.

• Cyrillaceae: The titi and the buckwheat tree are both included in the Cyrillaceae.

• Ebenaceae (common name: ebony, other name: persimmon): The ebony family appears mostly in the eastern hemisphere, with a few species growing in North America.

• Elaeagnaceae (common name: russian olive): This thorny family of shrubs and small trees is native to the northern hemisphere's temperate zones.

• Ericaceae (common name: heath): The plant family Ericaceae includes neotropical blueberries, along with the cranberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, heathers and heaths.

• Euphorbiaceae (common name: euphorbia): The beautiful and prolific euphorbia grows around the world, with its succulents occurring in the tropical areas of America.

• Fabaceae (common name: legume): With more than 18,000 species, the legumes occupy the third spot among the world's largest families.

• Fagaceae (common name: beech, other name: oak): This familiar family group of trees includes the beech and chestnut, along with the oaks.

• Guttiferae: The very shady pitch apple and the variegate pitch apple are part of the Guttiferae. 

• Hamamelidaceae (common name: witch hazel): This ornamental group includes witch hazels that grow across the northern U.S.

• Hippocastanaceae (common name: horse-chestnut, other name: buckeye): In the plant group are the buckeyes, as well as the horse-chestnut.

• Juglandaceae (common name: walnut): This native to the Americas includes the well-known walnut, hickory and pecan nut bearers.

• Koeberlinaceae: The crucifixion thorn and the althorn belong in this group of plants that grows in the desert areas of Mexico, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

• Lauraceae (common name: Laurel): The avocado and many species valued in spice and perfume production belong to the Laurel family that also includes many species valued as timber.

• Leitneriaceae: Leitneria floridana Chapm, which grows in Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia and Florida belongs to this corkwood family.

• Liliaceae (common name: lily): The daylily and tulip are part of this large family that also included chives, garlic, shallots and onions.

• Loranthaceae: The desert mistletoe of the American Southwest belongs to this worldwide family of mistletoes.

• Magnoliaceae (common name: magnolia): The tulip tree joins the magnolia in this family of flowering plants.

• Malpighiaceae: The southernmost part of the United States is home to some of the flowering herbs, shrubs and trees in the Malpigniaceae.

• Melastomataceae: This very large family is found around the world's subtropical and tropical regions.

• Meliaceae: The non-native Chinaberry tree, seen across the southern United States, belongs to the Meliaceae or Mohogany family.

• Menispermaceae: Plants of the Menispermaceae family grow in eastern North America as well as in mostly tropical areas.

• Moraceae (common name: mulberry): These flowering plants include not only the mulberry, but banyan, breadfruit and fig.

• Myricaceae: Sweetfern and bayberry belong in this group of trees and shrubs.

• Myrsinaceae: North American members of this tropical family grow in Mexico and Florida.

• Myrtaceae: The eucalyptus, allspice, clove and guava join the showy myrtle in the family Myrtaceae. 

• Nyctaginaceae: The Four O'Clock family includes the ornamental of the same name and the Bougainvillea.

• Olacaceae: These climbing vines, shrubs and trees are found in tropical zones.

• Oleaceae (common name: olive, other name: ash): This family includes many valued ornamentals, such as jasmine, privet, lilac and forsythia, as well as the olives from which comes fruit and oil.

• Pinaceae (common name: pine): No longer considered a part of the larger conifer family, Pinaceae includes the spruce, larch, hemlock, fir and cedar, in addition to pines. 

• Platanaceae (common name: sycamore, other name: plane): Though native to the northern hemisphere, sycamores can be found in landscaping around the world.

• Polygonaceae: This small family is comprised of herbs, vines, shrubs and trees.

• Rhamnaceae: The strictly American Ceanothus includes many highly ornamental plants.

• Rhizophoraceae (common name: red mangrove): The mangrove family has high salt tolerance and grow in swampy areas.

• Rosaceae (common name: rose): Flowering favorites abound in this large family.

• Rubiaceae: This large, mostly tropical group of plants includes not only ornamentals, but those that produce coffee and quinine.

• Rutaceae (common name: rue): The lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange belong to the genus Citrus.

• Salicaceae (common name: willow, other name: poplar): These moisture-loving plants grow in most of the world except for New Guinea and Australia.

• Santalaceae: This family of flowering plants that includes the Christmas mistletoes, grows across the United States, part of eastern Canada and all of Mexico.

• Sapindaceae (common name: soapberry): The Sapindaceae family includes the familiar lychee nut and the desert hopbush.

• Sapotaceae: The shea from which we get shea butter and the miracle-fruit belong to this family of flower-producing plants.

• Simaroubaceae (common name: quassia): The invasive tree-of-heaven that grows aggressively in North America is part of the quassia family.

• Solanaceae: Along with tobacco, the potato, tomato, eggplant, chili pepper and other common food plants, compose this large family.

• Staphyleaceae (common name: bladdernut): The American Bladdernut belongs to this family of shrubs and smaller trees.

• Sterculiaceae (common name: sterculia): The best known sterculia are those from which chocolate and cocoa, while

• Styracaceae: The silverbells, snowdrops and snowbells of this plant family are native to the United States. 

• Symplocaceae: More than 300 species of this subtropical/tropical evergreen family grow in North America.  

• Taxaceae (common name: yew): Yews are evergreen cone-bearing shrubs and small trees that in North America, range from Alaska and Canada to Florida and Mexico.

• Theaceae (common name: tea): Many of the Theaceae are grown in ornamental landscaping, while the Camellia is probably best known as it is used to make tea.

• Theophrastaceae: This flowering family of shrubs and trees is native to the Americas' tropical regions.

• Tiliaceae (common name: Linden, other name: basswood): Basswood and Linden are native to North America, with basswood native only to the eastern areas.

• Ulmaceae (common name: elm): The American elm which has succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease belongs to this family that also includes the hackberry.

• Verbenaceae: From herbs and shrubs to trees, these plants grow mostly in subtropical and tropical areas.

• Zygophyllaceae: Plants of Zygophyllaceae grow in temperate and tropical zones, including dry climates like the desert areas of Arizona.