>>2074713I knew zero trees when I took dendrology, now I know most of the native species and a handful of ornamentals in my state. Here's how our class was structured:
Find a tree ID book for your state/province/region. If you can't find one for your exact location, find one for an area close by with similar topography and climate. Get a book with a dichotomous key too. We obviously had a professor to identify trees for us, but dichotomous keys will help you narrow down your specimen to a couple of close possibilities.
Once you have the book, go to a local woodlot when leaves are out. In the beginning, it's much easier to ID trees by their leaves, obviously. Don't just look at the leaves, though. Pay attention to the bark and, most importantly, terminal buds. Terminal buds will be present year-round and are more consistent than leaves (sun/shade leaves can differ greatly). It is also important to consider site. If you can narrow a tree down to the maple genus and are in a wetland, it's likely a red or silver maple and not a sugar maple.
Lastly, don't overlook Linnaean names. They're not necessary for casual ID, but can help avoid some of the confusion caused by different common names and can also act as a mnemonic device. For example, swamp white oak is Quercus bicolor and has leaves with a dark green topside and white underside (bi color). Quizlets with pictures and names are a good way to study too.
Again, the only way to truly learn is go out and practice. Good luck anon, if you can pick up a few species it makes going out a lot more interesting/fun.
