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12. Dogwood (Cornus florida) - The flowering
dogwood, found throughout Georgia, is a showy and
beautiful native tree. It is probably the most
widespread ornamental tree in North America. The
wood of flowering dogwood is very heavy and hard; it
was once a major source of shuttles and spools for the
textile industry.
13. Laurel Oak (Quercus hemisphaerica) – Laurel
oak is often planted as a shade tree in cities and yards.
Leaves are persistent until new foliage appears. It is
quite common throughout the Coastal Plain.
14. River Birch (Betula nigra) - River birch is a
medium-sized tree, often 60-80’ in height, usually with
a short trunk and forked spreading crown. It occurs
throughout Georgia, particularly along streams, rivers,
and wet bottomlands. River birch is most recognized
by its peely thin papery bark.
15. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Sweetgum is named such for the gummy sap which was
once used as a poor substitute for chewing gum.
Leaves are palmately lobed, turning yellow to crimson
or maroon in the fall. Its fruit is a spiny ball of many
capsules that matures in late summer.
16. Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) - The legume native
to southern and eastern Asia is also known as silk tree.
The deciduous tree, which grows 15-40 feet high, has a
broad crown of arching branches. Its bipinnate leaves
close slowly in the night and during rain. Widely
planted as an ornamental, mimosa is known for its
fragrant pink blooms. The tree produces numerous
seed pods. It is invasive in nature and difficult to rid.
17. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) –
Originally from Asia, the crape myrtle has been
naturalized throughout the United States where it can
grow as a small shrub at 12” to a large tree at 20’. In
general, they are extremely vigorous and hardy. The
crape myrtle, an outstanding ornamental, rewards with
a long blooming season of showy flowers and a winter
season of dramatic architectural beauty highlighted by
distinctive exfoliating bark.
18. Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) - With
its straight trunk and characteristic conical crown,
yellow poplar is a distinct and valuable hardwood trees
occurring in Georgia. Its characteristic leaves have 4-6
broadly notched lobes. Leaves turn bright yellow in the
fall. The flowers are tulip shaped, greenish yellow in
color. The tree is also known as the tulip poplar. The
tree is a much prized shade and park tree.
19. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) - Black cherry
is a medium to large sized tree that grows rapidly.
Fruit of the tree is dark purple to black, small, and
bitter-tasting. It is consumed by a number of wildlife
species. Wild Cherry cough syrup is made from
extracts of the inner bark. Because of its rich color
and close-grained structure, the wood is valuable for
furniture manufacturing.
20. White Oak (Quercus alba) - White oak is a
large, long-lived tree occurring throughout Georgia.
Bark is light gray, often loose and flaky. White oak
wood has long been used for whiskey and wine
barrels. It is an attractive, long-lived shade tree,
although it is slow-growing.
21. Catalpa (Catalpa bignoniodes) - Catalpa, a
typically medium sized tree, has a broad and open
crown. It occurs throughout Georgia but was native
originally only to the south-western part. The large
leaves are somewhat heart-shaped. Fruit of the tree is
an elongated capsule, 6-18” long. The tree has been
planted
extensively as an ornamental and for
the culture of “catalpa worms”, a large black
caterpillar that is highly prized for fishbait.
Trees Columbus, Inc.
LAKEBOTTOM
PARK
TREE WALK
22. Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata) Southern red oak is often planted around homes for
shade because it grows well on drier sites and is a
somewhat long-lived tree. The tree is common
throughout the state. The leaves are prominently
lobed and bristle-tipped. The wood is used in
quantity for furniture, flooring, and heavy
construction.
Special thanks to Steve Smith, Georgia Forestry
Commission (retired), and Bill Consoletti,
MeadWestvaco. For additional information on tree
species, refer to Trees of Georgia and Adjacent States by
Claud L. Brown and L. Katherine Kirkman.
303 12th Street
The Lakebottom Park Tree Walk is partially funded by
the generosity of the Mildred Miller Fort Foundation.
Post Office Box 1531
Columbus, Georgia 31902
Phone: 706-571-0436
www.treescolumbus.org
Trees Columbus, Inc. is a non-profit advocacy group focused on planting, preserving, and protecting Columbus’ trees
and its natural environment to improve the community’s quality of life.
Lakebottom Park
Band Shelter
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1. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) - A
large, long-lived tree reaching heights of 70-100’,
bald cypress occurs in alluvial swamps and along
major rivers and stream banks. In the original
Southern forest, it was prized for excellent form and
wood quality for making timbers, docks, boats, and
exterior siding. The heartwood is decay-resistant.
2. Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) – Common
along moist stream banks and in alluvial forests
throughout most of Georgia, sugarberry is often
used in urban settings as a shade or street tree
because it adapts to a wide range of conditions. The
fruit is a food source for song and game birds.
3. Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima) – One of
the fastest growing trees in its youth, the sawtooth
oak is an attractive shade tree with dark lustrous
summer foliage and yellow to golden brown fall
leaves. They produce acorns at a very young age,
providing food for many kinds of wildlife. Sawtooth
oak native habitat is Japan, Korea, and China.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) – Ginkgo is a
survivor from ancient times. Fossil evidence
indicates that 150 million years ago great
forests of ginkgo covered much of North
America and Asia. The irregular branching
pattern is visually appealing as are the unique
fan shaped leaves, which turn a golden yellow
in the fall. Native to China the ginko is now a
prized tree for temperate areas everywhere.
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9. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
- Eastern red cedar is a medium-sized, aromatic
tree, up to 40-60’ tall. This evergreen tree occurs
throughout Georgia. It is not shade tolerant and
cannot exist long in heavy overstory.
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7. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) – Live oak is
a large, spreading, evergreen tree with a short,
massive trunk and large, horizontally spreading
branches. It is most common in the Coastal Plain.
Previously the strong, tough wood was used for
ship building. The live oak is the official state tree
of Georgia.
4. Water Oak (Quercus nigra) - A common tree in
the Piedmont and Coastal Plains, water oak grows
rapidly but retains numerous dead branches. It is
often planted as a shade and street tree because of its
early rapid growth. The annual heavy acorn crop is a
major food source for a number of wildlife.
5. Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) - Loblolly pine, one
of the largest of the four southern pines, is prevalent in
the Piedmont. Wood is used for lumber, construction
timbers, pulp, and plywood. Needles are 6-9” in
length, three per fascicle.
6. Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii) Because baskets were once woven from its strips of
wood, it is commonly known as the basket oak. Wood
is of excellent quality. Acorns from this tree are a
preferred food for wildlife because of their size and
sweetness.
10. Snag— A snag is a standing dead tree that
provides vital wildlife habitat, including places to
live, a food source, and a hiding place for insects,
birds, and animals. As the snag decomposes, it
continues to provide habitat. For example, a
woodpecker feeds on insects in the decomposing
wood of a snag.
11. Florida Maple (Acer barbatum) - Also
known as the Southern sugar maple, this tree is
more heat tolerant than sugar maple. Sap is not
tapped for production of maple syrup. Attractive
bright yellow to red fall foliage makes this tree a
nice small shade or lawn tree, growing well in
some shade or openings.