The 10 Most Iconic Trees Native to West Virginia

The Mountain State is also a tree-filled state, boasting thousands of acres of coverage. Did you know that nearly 80% of the entire state of West Virginia is covered in forests?

Mike Lansing, the co-founder and managing director of Planters Digest, shared his passion for native plants with A-Z Animals. “For those keen on experiencing these trees, places like Monongahela National Forest and Blackwater Falls State Park offer a pristine view of West Virginia’s arboreal wonders.”

With so much forested land, West Virginia is a tree-filled treasure trove, perfect for exploring. When on an educational or scientific hike, environmentalists, researchers, and hobbyists should keep their eyes peeled for West Virginia’s most iconic, native tree species.

Keep reading to discover 10 unique and iconic trees native to West Virginia. 

10 Native Trees to West Virginia 

While West Virginia is only the third-most forest state behind Maine and New Hampshire, the native trees within its limits don’t disappoint. 

Sugar Maple

The sugar maple is the state tree of West Virginia. Voted on in 1949, public school students and civilians in community organizations decided on the state tree in March of that year to honor the many different sugar maples growing throughout the Mountain State. 

“This tree is not only known for its stunning fall foliage but also for the sweet sap it produces. It’s a testament to the state’s natural bounty and the traditions rooted in its landscapes,” said Lansing.

Sugar maples have gray bark with deep furrows in their trunks. These furrows rise to proffer striations of thick, irregular plates. The leaves of a sugar maple tree have medium-sized leaves that usually measure between three to five inches in diameter. They have a circular outline dotted by five lobes with smooth ends.

Red Maple

The red maple remains an interesting tree to see in the wild, especially for novice arborists. When red maples are young, the tree’s bark is light gray and smooth. However, as it grows in age, the bark begins to crack and produces scale-light plates of bark that have fissures in between them. Leaves remain three-lobed and circular, though some red maples have five-lobed leaves. 

Yellow Buckeye

Did you know that the fruit of a yellow buckeye is poisonous to humans, domesticated pets like dogs and cats, and other animals? However, deer and squirrels can eat buckeyes without intestinal issues. The earliest settlers who farmed near buckeye trees purposefully attempted to keep their cattle away from yellow buckeyes, as it could cause significant poisonings and loss of herds.

American Sycamore

Sycamore trees are one of the most recognizable species in America, thanks to the unique bark on their trunks and branches. The outermost bark of a sycamore is brown, but mottles to both gray and white as the trunk exfoliates — meaning, it flakes off to expose lighter inner layers. Usually, the base of a sycamore tree has a brown, scaly bark. Sycamore leaves range between four to seven inches in diameter with three or five lobes. They have toothed margins, creating a spiky-looking outline. 

“With its distinctive bark and grand stature,” started Lansing, “the American Sycamore is a symbol of resilience and strength, much like the people of West Virginia.”

Hazel Adler

Also known as the smooth Adler, the hazel Adler remains a far-reaching native tree to much of North America. You can find it not only in West Virginia but as far north as Canada and as far south as Florida. These deciduous trees grow between 10 and 15 feet tall around streams and bogs. Most of the leaves on a hazel Adler have the same look: an elongated oval shape with wavy, toothed margins and a hairy underside. As for the hazel Adler’s bark, the tree has a gray-brown and smooth type of park that appears fluted.

Downy Serviceberry

One of West Virginia’s most notoriously difficult-to-identify trees is the downy serviceberry because it often hybridizes with other similar species. The downy, or common serviceberry, tree grows tall — up to 66 feet — and has smooth, gray bark. The leaves look a bit like those of the hazel adler; however, they’re much bigger around the middle to create a thicker oval leaf. They are also lighter in color. Their finely-pointed tips mature with age. When the leaves are young, they have a “downy” or soft underside.

Eastern Hemlock

Aaditya Bhatta, a passionate plant lover, gardener, and editor and founder of Plants Craze, shared their excitement about one of the most iconic native trees to West Virginia with A-Z Animals: the eastern hemlock.

“These Eastern hemlocks are not just trees; they are living monuments to the natural splendor of West Virginia, and their preservation is vital for future generations to appreciate and enjoy,” they gushed.

“These majestic evergreens are iconic for their role in shaping our pristine forested landscapes. Often referred to as the ‘old-growth sentinels,’ Eastern hemlocks are known for their towering heights, dense canopies, and the sense of serenity they bring to our wilderness areas.”

As Bhatta indicated, these hemlocks have multiple uses. Throughout West Virginia, loggers, construction workers, and industrialists used Eastern hemlocks for the leather tanning industry and railroad ties.

“What makes these trees great is their unique ecological significance. Eastern Hemlocks provide critical habitat for a variety of wildlife. “[However,] the Eastern hemlock forests are under threat from the invasive hemlock wooly adelgid insect, making conservation efforts all the more important.”

Lansing added to the ecological significance of the Eastern hemlock. “A sentinel of West Virginia’s waterways, the Eastern hemlock plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems, ensuring cool water temperatures vital for native species.”

Devil’s Walking Stick

Names of this iconic tree vary between the prickly ash, the prickly elder, and Hercules’ club in addition to the Devil’s walking stick. Its interesting name comes from the spikes or spines on the branches and bark of the tree.  The Devil’s walking stick has light brown bark with scattered prickles along the entire length of it. Trunks and branches have rounded broken ridges and leaf scars, giving the weathered appearance of even the youngest of trees. The leaves of a Devil’s walking stick tree grow on a three-foot stem in clusters. 

Paper Birch

Similar to the sycamore, the paper birch remains one of West Virginia’s most iconic trees thanks to its bark. The perpetually peeling white bark tends to look like rolls of parchment or paper, which is where the tree got its name. Paper birches have dark green leaves with smooth upper sides and hairy or scaly undersides. In the fall, the deep green color transforms into a bright yellow, creating a stark contrast and picturesque look in the forest.

American Hornbeam

The small hardwood American hornbeam occurs naturally in shaded forest areas near streams and rivers with moist soil. The tree’s most iconic characteristic — its fluted or crooked trunk — makes it easily identifiable among other trees in the forest. During its old age, the bark can become fissured. Until then, it’s a smooth green-gray color for most of its life. The American hornbeam subspecies Carpinus caroliniana subsp. virginiana also covers much of West Virginia’s land near the Appalachian mountains. 

Wild, Wonderful, Wooded West Virginia

“West Virginia, with its diverse landscapes, is a haven for many iconic trees that have stood the test of time and have become emblematic of the state’s natural beauty,” finished Lansing. 

Along with pepperoni rolls, black walnuts, and golden deciduous apples, the 10 ionic trees listed above are proud West Virginia natives. Standing tall in their own right, these deciduous trees add to the beautiful rolling hills of the Mountain State with their diverse appearances, the variety of fall colors, and rich natural habitats for the state’s native animals.

The next time you go hiking in the foothills of West Virginia’s mountain ranges, see how many native trees to the area you can spot.