Monroe County's Remarkable Urban Forest
Monroe County sits near the northern edge of the Mixed Mesophytic forest region — one of the most biologically diverse temperate forest zones in North America. That means Bloomington's residential neighborhoods, parks, and woodlots contain a remarkable variety of native hardwood species, many of which have grown on this land for a century or longer.
Knowing which species you have matters in a practical way. Different trees have different optimal pruning seasons, different vulnerabilities to pests and disease, and different care requirements. Pruning a red oak in May can introduce oak wilt. Ignoring a white ash can leave a structurally dangerous emerald ash borer snag in your yard. This guide covers the 12 most common tree species in the Bloomington area to help you identify what you have and understand how to care for it properly.
Oaks: The Backbone of Bloomington's Canopy
White Oak (Quercus alba): White oak is among the most majestic trees in Monroe County. Identify it by rounded leaf lobes with no bristle tips and scaly, light-gray bark. Mature specimens can reach 80 to 100 feet with spreading canopies of equal width. White oak is slow to close pruning wounds, making cut timing critical. Prune outside the April through July window to minimize oak wilt risk, which is spread by sap beetles drawn to fresh cuts during their peak active season in central Indiana.
Red Oak (Quercus rubra): Red oak is the fastest-growing native oak in Bloomington and one of the most common large trees in older city neighborhoods. Its leaves have pointed lobes tipped with small bristles, and its bark shows dark gray, flat-topped ridges on mature trees. Red oak is susceptible to oak wilt — a vascular disease that can kill a tree within a single season. Avoid all pruning between April and July. Co-dominant stems are also common in red oak and should be addressed early through structural pruning.
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris): Pin oak is frequent in lower, wetter areas of Monroe County and is widely planted as a street tree. Its deeply cut leaves are similar to red oak but lower branches characteristically droop toward the ground. Pin oak strongly prefers acidic soil and develops iron chlorosis — yellowing between the leaf veins — when grown in the alkaline or high-pH conditions common near Bloomington's limestone geology. Targeted soil amendments or trunk injection treatments can correct this condition in affected trees.
Sugar Maple, American Beech, and Shagbark Hickory
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum): Sugar maple is the classic shade tree of southern Indiana's hill country, identified by its five-lobed leaf, smooth gray bark on younger specimens, and brilliant orange-red fall color. Sugar maple prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil and struggles in compacted urban soils or roadside locations with road salt exposure. It is common in Bloomington's older residential neighborhoods and along campus edges. Prune in late winter before sap flow begins — late February through early March is the ideal window for Monroe County's Zone 6a climate.
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia): American beech is easy to recognize by its smooth, silver-gray bark — often etched with carvings by hikers over the years — and its lance-shaped toothed leaves, which remain on the tree as tan papery skeletons through winter. Beech develops a broad, spreading form with multiple sturdy scaffold branches and is typically long-lived. Beech bark disease, caused by an introduced scale insect and subsequent fungal infection, is an emerging threat documented in Indiana. Monitor smooth-barked beeches for crusty discolored patches or white waxy deposits from scale activity.
Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata): The shagbark hickory is unmistakable — long, loose strips of gray bark peel away from the trunk in a distinctive curling pattern. Shagbark produces large edible nuts critical to Monroe County's wildlife. The wood is among the densest of any native Indiana hardwood, making removal labor-intensive and costly. Trees are generally long-lived and structurally sound. The primary care concern is periodic removal of deadwood that accumulates in the lower crown and becomes a falling hazard over time.
Tulip Poplar, Black Walnut, and Sycamore
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera): Tulip poplar — also called yellow poplar — is the tallest native tree in the eastern United States and one of the most common large trees in Monroe County's woodlots and older neighborhoods. Its uniquely four-lobed leaves look as though they were trimmed at the top, and it produces showy tulip-shaped flowers in spring. Tulip poplar grows fast with a strong straight trunk, but it has a notable tendency to drop large branches during summer drought stress. Its root system sprouts aggressively after cutting, making thorough stump grinding essential to prevent regrowth.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra): Black walnut is a valuable native hardwood found throughout Monroe County's residential and rural landscapes, identified by its compound leaves of 15 to 23 leaflets, deeply furrowed dark bark, and round green-husked nuts in fall. Black walnut produces a natural compound called juglone in its roots, leaves, and husks that is toxic to many landscape plants — tomatoes, apples, blueberries, and rhododendrons are especially sensitive. Plan plantings accordingly. Walnut commonly develops inner crown deadwood that benefits from periodic removal.
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis): Sycamore is the largest hardwood native to North America and a common sight along Monroe County's creek corridors and older city neighborhoods. Its most distinctive feature is its upper bark, which sheds plates to reveal smooth white, tan, and olive patches — giving the upper canopy a mottled, camouflage-like appearance. Sycamore grows fast and large, and older specimens are prone to internal decay. Anthracnose, a fungal disease that causes early leaf drop and twig dieback, is common on sycamore in wet Indiana springs but rarely fatal to established trees.
White Ash, Eastern Redbud, and Sweetgum
White Ash (Fraxinus americana): White ash was once among the most common shade trees in Bloomington. Most are now dead or dying due to emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle from Asia that arrived in Monroe County in the late 2000s and has eliminated the vast majority of the region's ash population. Ash trees still standing that have not received systemic insecticide treatment should be evaluated immediately for structural integrity. Dead ash wood becomes increasingly brittle and unpredictable with each passing season and can fail without warning. Living ash trees in good overall health can be protected with TREE-äge trunk injections or soil-applied systemic treatments. Trees that have already lost more than 30 to 40 percent of their canopy to borer damage are generally better removed before they become a safety hazard.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis): Eastern redbud is Indiana's most beloved ornamental tree and a native species that thrives in Monroe County's woodland edges and residential landscapes. In early spring — typically late March and early April in Bloomington — redbud produces a stunning flush of pink-magenta flowers directly on its branches before any leaves emerge. It is a small tree, generally reaching 20 to 30 feet, with heart-shaped leaves and attractive multi-stemmed forms. Redbud is susceptible to canker diseases and Verticillium wilt and should not be planted in poorly drained or waterlogged soils. Prune immediately after flowering to avoid removing the following season's flower buds.
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua): Sweetgum is identified by its distinctive star-shaped leaves with five to seven lobes and its spiky round seed balls — called gumballs — which drop continuously from fall through spring. Those seed balls are the most common maintenance complaint among sweetgum owners, creating a slipping hazard on lawns and driveways and requiring consistent cleanup. Sweetgum is otherwise a vigorous and adaptable tree with few serious pest or disease concerns in Monroe County. Its brilliant multi-color fall foliage is a genuine highlight. Surface roots can become a nuisance in turf areas as the tree matures.
Working With a Certified Arborist in Bloomington
Knowing your tree species is the first step toward proper care. The second step is working with a professional who can evaluate your specific trees — their health, their structural condition, and the risks they may present to your property and family.
At Bloomington Tree Service Pros, our ISA-certified arborists serve Monroe County homeowners with everything from tree identification and health assessments to pruning, removal, and emerald ash borer treatment programs. If you are not certain what species are growing in your yard, or you have noticed signs of decline or structural concern, call us at (812) 432-2013. We offer free on-site estimates throughout the Bloomington area and will give you a straightforward assessment of what you have and what it needs.