Can You Identify the Tree From Its Bark?

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Identify the Tree From Its Bark?
Image: By H. Zell, from Wikimedia Commons /// Public Domain via Wiki Commons /// By Robertito1965, from Wikimedia Commons

About This Quiz

Will you stand tall or bend from the force of this quiz?

When you think of trees, what is usually the first thing that comes to mind? A hardy and shady oak tree, a luminous and decorated Christmas tree, or a slender and towering coconut tree? The fact of the matter is that while our backyards or hometowns may served as home to only a handful of different types of trees, the world at large has an extensively diverse array of tree species. In fact, it is estimated that there are between 60,000 and 100,000 different species of trees worldwide and trillions of individual trees as well; that's a lot of trees! 

We wanted to make a quiz with a few dozen or so of some of the more common trees from around the world, but then we realized that this may have been too easy for you aspiring arborists. So, instead we've taken it a step further to see if you will be able to correctly guess the name of the tree from just a single picture of its bark! This is truly a challenge that only hardcore hardwood heads and true tree lovers will excel at. Let's jump right in and see what you've got!

American Beech
By Rob Duval, from Wikimedia Commons
This is a picture of which tree's bark?
American beech.
Eastern hemlock.
White ash.
Eastern cottonwood.
Quaking Aspen
By Famartin, from Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of the tree bark in this photo?
Sycamore.
Quaking aspen.
Sri Lankan ironwood.
Eastern red cedar.
Black Birch
By Thayne Tuason, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree's bark is showcased in this picture?
Scarlet oak.
Bhutan cypress.
Black birch.
Pin cherry.

Advertisement

Cuban royal palm
By Photo by David J. Stang , via Wikimedia Commons
This is an image of which tree's bark?
Sugar maple.
American hophornbeam.
American hophornbeam.
Cuban royal palm.
Hawthorn
By Robertito1965, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree's bark is showcased in this photo?
Black walnut.
American chestnut.
Hawthorn.
Balsam fir.
Indian sandalwood
By J.M.Garg, from Wikimedia Commons
What is the name of the tree bark in this photo?
Eastern hemlock.
Pignut hickory.
Cucumber tree.
Indian sandalwood.

Advertisement

Shadbrush
By Photo by David J. Stang, via Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this image?
White ash.
Shadbush.
Bitternut hickory.
Sycamore.
Honey-Locust
By The original uploader was Rei at English Wikipedia., via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is this?
Honey locust.
American larch.
Gray birch.
Balsam fir.
American Hornbeam
By Rob Duval, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this picture?
American chestnut.
American hornbeam.
Pitch pine.
Eastern red cedar.

Advertisement

Sassafras
By Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), from Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of the tree bark in this picture?
Cucumber tree.
American hornbeam.
Eastern cottonwood.
Sassafras.
Bigtooth Aspen
By Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, from Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify this tree bark?
American beech.
Bigtooth aspen.
Shagbark hickory.
Bhutan cypress.
West Indian mahogany
By Miguel Vieira from Redwood City, CA, USA, via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this photo?
West Indian mahogany.
Black birch.
Basswood.
Pitch pine.

Advertisement

Japanese cherry
Yasushi HASHIGUCH, via Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this picture?
Yellow birch.
American hornbeam.
Japanese cherry.
Bitternut hickory.
Black Locust
By Beyond My Ken, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this image?
Hawthorn.
Black locust.
Weeping willow.
Gray birch.
White Spruce
By Rob Duval, from Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this photo?
Pignut hickory.
Sugar maple.
White spruce.
Quaking aspen.

Advertisement

Butternut
By Illustratedjc, from Wikimedia Commons
What is the name of the tree bark in this image?
Indian sandalwood.
Bigtooth aspen.
Yellow birch.
Butternut.
Arborvitae
By MONGO, from Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of the tree bark in this image?
Shadbush.
Black locust.
Arborvitae.
Black walnut.
Yellow Birch
By © Sue Sweeney (http://www.inmygarden.org/), via Wikimedia Commons
What is the name of the tree bark in this picture?
Yellow birch.
Honey locust.
Japanese cherry.
Butternut.

Advertisement

Basswood
By Rob Duval, from Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of this tree bark?
Cuban royal palm.
West Indian mahogany.
Scarlet oak.
Basswood.
Shagbark Hickory
By Dcrjsr, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is showcased here?
Shagbark hickory.
Sassafras.
White spruce.
Pin cherry.
Pin Cherry
By Bill Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org, via Wikimedia Commons
Can you correctly name this tree bark?
Eastern hemlock.
Indian sandalwood.
Shagbark hickory.
Pin cherry.

Advertisement

Scarlet Oak
By Crusie, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is showcased in this image?
Shadbush.
Scarlet oak.
White ash.
Honey locust.
Sugar Maple
By Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) , from Wikimedia Commons
This is a photo of which tree bark?
American larch.
American hornbeam.
Basswood.
Sugar maple.
Black Walnut
Public Domain via Wiki Commons
What is the name of this tree bark?
Arborvitae.
Black walnut.
Sassafras.
Cuban royal palm.

Advertisement

Sri Lankan ironwood
By Yercaud-elango, from Wikimedia Commons
Do you recognize this tree bark?
Sri Lankan ironwood.
Eastern redcedar.
Butternut.
American chestnut.
Pignut Hickory
By Rob Duval, from Wikimedia Commons
This is a picture of which tree bark?
American beech.
Cucumber tree.
Pignut hickory.
White spruce.
Gray Birch
By © Sue Sweeney (http://www.inmygarden.org/), via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is showcased in this picture?
Black birch.
Eastern cottonwood.
Gray birch.
Black locust.

Advertisement

Bitternut Hickory
By J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, via Wikimedia Commons
This is an image of which tree bark?
Sri Lankan ironwood.
Bitternut hickory.
American hophornbeam.
Japanese cherry.
Pitch Pine
I, KENPEI, via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is showcased in this photo?
Pitch pine.
Hawthorn.
Sycamore.
West Indian mahogany.
Bhutan cypress
By Trongsa_Dzong.jpg: WindHorsederivative work: MPF (This file was derived from: Trongsa Dzong.jpg:), via Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of the tree bark in this photo?
Quaking aspen.
Balsam fir.
Bhutan cypress.
Bigtooth aspen.

Advertisement

Eastern Cottonwood
By Jay Sturner from USA (Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trunk), via Wikimedia Commons
What is the name of the tree bark in this photo?
Shagbark hickory.
Eastern cottonwood.
Gray birch.
Sassafras.
American Hophornbeam
By Photo by David J. Stang, via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is this?
Basswood.
Pitch pine.
Cuban royal palm.
American hophornbeam.
Balsam Fir
By Treetime.ca, from Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this image?
American hornbeam.
Bhutan cypress.
Balsam fir.
Honey locust.

Advertisement

Sycamore
By Richard Stephen Haynes, from Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this picture?
Arborvitae.
Bitternut hickory.
Shadbush.
Sycamore.
Cucumber Tree
By Crusier, from Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of the tree bark in this picture?
Butternut.
Cucumber tree.
Pignut hickory.
Indian sandalwood.
Eastern Redcedar
By Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States (Elm Creek Park Reserve), via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this photo?
White spruce.
Yellow birch.
Quaking aspen.
Eastern red cedar.

Advertisement

American Chestnut
By H. Zell, from Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this picture?
American chestnut.
Black locust.
Hawthorn.
Black walnut.
American Larch
By Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester, PA., via Wikimedia Commons
Which tree bark is in this image?
Japanese cherry.
Sugar maple.
American larch.
Sri Lankan ironwood.
White Ash
By Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), from Wikimedia Commons
What is the name of the tree bark in this image?
White ash.
West Indian mahogany.
Scarlet oak.
Black birch.

Advertisement

Eastern Hemlock
By Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), from Wikimedia Commons
Can you identify the tree bark in this photo?
Bigtooth aspen.
Pin cherry.
Eastern hemlock.
American beech.