Conifer Silhouettes

Did you know that it is possible to identify a tree simply by itssilhouette? The silhouette is very important in dendrology. But it does take an expert eye to identify the exact species of a tree by its silhouette alone. Often, you will need to observe the leaves, fruit and bark to correctly identify a tree.

Although conifers are generally all cone-shaped, there are differences between the species, as you can see in the illustrations to the left. How does the silhouette of a black spruce differ from that of a balsam fir? Do the eastern hemlock and eastern redcedar have the same silhouette? Are branches on the trunk of a lodgepole pine distributed in the same way as those on a white spruce? By asking yourself these kinds of questions, you will begin to see the different silhouettes.

The black spruce, the narrowest conifer, ressembles a cylinder more than a cone, whereas the white spruce is wider and is shaped more like a cone.

The lodgepole pine and the balsam fir are both cone-shaped. However, the lodgepole pine does not have many branches near the base of the trunk, unlike the fir. Notice how the fir is tapered and pointed at the top!

The Douglas-fir is neither quite cone- nor cylinder-shaped. Its silhouette is somewhat similar to that of the black spruce, but without branches at the base of the trunk.

The larch has a lot fewer needles than other conifers. Moreover, this cone-shaped tree is the only conifer that loses its needles in winter.

The branches of the eastern white pine branches are at right angles to the trunk, giving the tree the shape of a cylinder. The eastern redcedar has branches that shoot upward, giving it a cone-shaped silhouette.

The eastern hemlock has a distinctive silhouette. It becomes narrow toward the base, which makes it appear diamond-shaped.

When observing trees outdoors, it is recommended that you look at a single, isolated tree. This will enable you to observe the shape of its silhouette, without interference from other trees.