Description - broad, rounded crown.

 

Leaf - leaves are made up of many finely toothed smaller leaflets (compound), opposite each other on the leaf stem.  7 - 9 leaflets.

 

Bark - grey or light brown, shallow furrows which fork into scaly ridges.

 

Bud - bright yellow slightly flattened buds which appears at the end of the twig. Bud scales do not overlap.

 

Twig - easily identified by slender twigs.

 

Flower -  appear before leaves, male flowers in slender drooping catkins, three hanging from one stalk, 1 - 2 female flowers at the tip.

 

Fruit - nearly round with 4 wings rising from the tip, the thin shell contains a nearly smooth bitter nut inside.

 

Habitat - moist soils of valleys, and dry upland soils.

 

Uses - early settlers used oil extracted from the nut for oil lamps and believed the oil was a cure for rheumatism.