What is the name of that Tree?
When it comes to tree names, there are two main categories – common names and botanical names. Common names are the everyday terms we use to refer to trees, like oak, maple, birch, and pine. They can vary regionally and don’t definitively identify a tree. Botanical names are the scientific Latin names that pinpoint the exact species. These consist of a genus and species name, like Quercus alba for white oak.
To identify an unfamiliar tree, look closely at characteristics like the leaves, bark, branching pattern, and fruit. Then reference field guides or online tree identifier tools that catalog visual features and common/botanical names. If you can match the patterns observed on the mystery tree to one in a guide, you can determine its name. Botanical names are universal for scientists and horticulturists, but common names are the familiar handle most people associate with trees. Knowing key features and both common and scientific naming conventions helps unlock the name of that unknown tree in your landscape.
Here is our list of Botanical and Common Tree Names for many trees.
Botanical and Common Tree Names
| Botanical Tree Names | Common Tree Names |
| Alder | Oak |
| Apple | Maple |
| Ash | Pine |
| Aspen | Birch |
| Basswood | Aspen |
| Beech | Poplar |
| Birch | Willow |
| Blackgum | Spruce |
| Black Walnut | Fir |
| Buckeye | Cedar |
| Butternut | Cypress |
| Catalpa | Hickory |
| Cedar | Walnut |
| Chestnut | Chestnut |
| Cottonwood | Linden |
| Cypress | Sycamore |
| Dogwood | Douglas fir |
| Douglas Fir | Beech |
| Elm | Ash |
| Eucalyptus | Elm |
| Ginkgo | Cherry |
| Hackberry | Pear |
| Hawthorn | Plum |
| Hazelnut | Apple |
| Hemlock | Peach |
| Hickory | Apricot |
| Honeylocust | Almond |
| Hornbeam | Fig |
| Kentucky Coffeetree | Prunus |
| Linden | Olive |
| Locust | Coconut |
| Madrone | Palm |
| Magnolia | Rubber |
| Maple | Banyan |
| Mesquite | Neem |
| Mulberry | Teak |
| Oak | Mahogany |
| Osage Orange | Sandalwood |
| Paulownia | Rosewood |
| Pecan | Ebony |
| Pine | Bamboo |
| Plane | Balsa |
| Poplar | Jacaranda |
| Redbud | Catalpa |
| Redwood | Dogwood |
| Sassafras | Magnolia |
| Serviceberry | Redbud |
| Spruce | Mimosa |
| Sycamore | Hawthorn |
| Tamarack | Mesquite |
| Tulip Tree | Mulberry |
| Tupelo | Locust |
| Walnut | Boxelder |
| Willow | Cottonwood |
| Yellowwood | Willow oak |
| Yew | Pecan |
| Arborvitae | Buckeye |
| Boxelder | Horse chestnut |
| Cherry | Bottlebrush |
| Chestnut Oak | Mountain ash |
| Chinquapin | Elderberry |
| Cottonwood | Hornbeam |
| Elder | Sweetgum |
| Elm | Persimmon |
| Fir | Sassafras |
| Holly | Hackberry |
| Jack Pine | Serviceberry |
| Larch | Red cedar |
| Mahogany | Hemlock |
| Palm | Larch |
| Pear | Ginkgo |
| Pine | Tupelo |
| Plum | Catalpa |
| Red Oak | Yellowwood |
| Sweetgum | Redwood |
| Teak | Arborvitae |
| Tree of Heaven | Silver maple |
| White Oak | Sugar maple |
| Willow Oak | River birch |
| Basswood | White oak |
| Beech | Pin oak |
| Birch | Red oak |
| Cedar | Black oak |
| Cypress | Bur oak |
| Douglas Fir | Live oak |
| Hemlock | Laurel oak |
| Hickory | Willow oak |
| Larch | Southern magnolia |
| Maple | Bald cypress |
| Oak | Tamarack |
| Pine | Dawn redwood |
| Poplar | Leyland cypress |
| Redwood | Eastern white pine |
| Spruce | Virginia pine |
| Sycamore | Ponderosa pine |
| Walnut | Loblolly pine |
| Willow | Slash pine |
| Yew | White fir |
| Zelkova | Douglas fir |
| Gingko | Norway spruce |
Related Post: 9 Oldest, Tallest, and Biggest Tress
FAQ’s
What is a cute tree name?
A cute name for a tree could be something descriptive like Shady or something silly like Sir Branches.
What is the most popular tree name?
The most popular tree names are generic ones like Oak, Maple, Pine, Cedar, and Spruce.
What is the name of the tree?
The technical name for a tree’s name is its botanical or scientific name, which is usually Latin-based.
What should you name a tree?
Good names for a tree are descriptive ones related to its appearance, location, or your feelings about it.
What is a unique tree?
A unique tree name could come from a unique characteristic like Twisty for a twisting trunk or from a fun fictional name like Treebeard.
Is tree a real name?
Tree is not commonly used as a literal given name for people, though plant-related names are an emerging trend.
Is the tree a boy or a girl?
Tree is not strongly associated with either gender though some view it as slightly more masculine.
Who is the king of all trees?
The giant sequoias of California are considered the largest and oldest trees, earning them the title King of Trees.
Who named a tree?
Most trees are named informally by people, though scientists give them formal Latin names to universally identify them.
