Tennessee’s diverse landscape supports an extensive variety of tree species, creating rich, verdant forests across the state. These forests contribute significantly to the state’s beauty, ecological health, and support a wide range of wildlife.
Factors Shaping Tennessee’s Tree Diversity
Tennessee’s varied geography and climate drive its tree diversity. The state includes distinct regions like the Appalachian Mountains, Cumberland Plateau, Central Basin, and Mississippi Alluvial Plain. These areas offer diverse elevations, soil types, and moisture levels, supporting different forest ecosystems. Tennessee’s temperate climate, with four distinct seasons, also supports both deciduous and coniferous trees. Over 50% of the state is forested, making it the most biologically diverse inland state.
Prominent Deciduous Trees of Tennessee
Deciduous trees, which shed their leaves seasonally, predominantly compose Tennessee’s forests. Oak and hickory species are the most common forest type, especially in drier, upland areas and across Middle Tennessee. White Oak and Red Oak are prominent examples.
Maple trees are also common, including Red Maples (Acer rubrum) and Sugar Maples (Acer saccharum). Red Maples adapt well, often displaying vivid fall colors, and typically grow 40 to 60 feet tall. Sugar Maples, valued for their brilliant autumn foliage and sap for syrup, can reach 50 to 70 feet, growing slower.
Hickory trees, such as Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) and Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), are widespread. Shagbark Hickories are identified by their distinctive peeling bark and produce sweet, edible nuts. Some specimens exceed 150 feet. Black Walnuts prefer moist, well-drained soils and are valued for their large, edible nuts and rich, dark wood. Other common deciduous trees include American Beech and various Ash species, often in bottomland hardwood forests.
Coniferous and Evergreen Varieties
While deciduous trees dominate, Tennessee also has coniferous and evergreen species. Pine trees are common, especially in drier upland and eastern plateau regions. Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda), a fast-growing species, is widely planted for timber and pulpwood, reaching 60 to 90 feet. Shortleaf Pine and Eastern White Pine are also present in mixed forests.
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), technically a juniper, is a widespread evergreen. It has scale-like leaves and produces bluish, berry-like fruits, a winter food source for birds. These cedars adapt to various soil types, including the shallow limestone bedrock of Tennessee’s cedar glades.
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is another evergreen, found particularly in East Tennessee’s cooler, moister mountain coves. Known for its short, flat, dark green needles with two white lines underneath, these long-lived conifers grow to considerable heights. They also help maintain cool stream temperatures, benefiting aquatic life.
Iconic and Unique Tree Species
Tennessee features several iconic trees with distinctive features or cultural importance. The official state tree, the Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), is a prominent native hardwood. It has unique four-lobed leaves resembling a tulip and large, cup-shaped, yellow-green flowers with orange bases blooming in late spring. This fast-growing tree often reaches 70 to 90 feet, with some over 190 feet. Historically, its straight trunk was valued for canoes.
The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is a beloved tree, known for its striking white or pink blooms that herald spring. These smaller understory trees enhance Tennessee’s forests and landscapes.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) trees are identified by their unusually shaped leaves, with a single tree bearing oval, mitten-shaped, and three-lobed forms. Their leaves and bark are aromatic, and foliage transforms into vibrant orange, red, and yellow in fall.
In West Tennessee’s wetlands, the Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a unique deciduous conifer. Unlike most conifers, it sheds needles in fall, which turn rusty brown before dropping. Bald Cypress trees are known for their “knees,” woody protrusions from their root systems emerging above water, and their fibrous, shredding bark. These long-lived trees grow 70 to 100 feet tall. A famous specimen, the “Tennessee Titan” in Weakley County, was once the largest known tree east of the Mississippi River.