Striped maple
Acer pensylvanicum is one of two shrubby maples found in the shady understory. When it is young, it is easily identifiable by the long “stripes” that run up and down the trunk. As it ages, the bark turns from greenish-yellow to red-brown to grey-brown when mature. Like all maples, the leafs are opposite to each other on the branch, as shown by the buds in the left of the picture. The leaves are larger and more rounded at the base than other maples. One of its common names, moosewood, highlights its importance as a winter food source for moose and deer.