As winter approaches, tree identification can pose many problems to those of us who typically rely on flowers, fruits, and foliage for clues.
Fortunately, trees don’t completely disappear during the coldest months, and although their winter outfits may conceal several diagnostic features, dormant trees still offer us a few critical pieces of information.
Take smell, for instance.
Many trees produce unique aromas and odors that can be detected when we scratch their fresh twigs. These aromas will oftentimes lead us to a positive identification when other features fail to do so.
In the following video, I discuss six trees that you can easily identify by smell. If you’re interested in improving your winter tree identification skills, check it out!