The Red River Prairie and Aspen Parklands subsections cover all or parts of Becker, Beltrami, Big Stone, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin counties.

Bounded to the west by the Red River and extending eastward to the limits of continuous tall grass prairie presettlement vegetation, much of the Red River Prairie is a large lake plain formed by the Glacial Lake Agassiz. Soils range from clays to sandy/gravelly beach ridges, may be poorly to moderately well-drained, and are often very alkaline. Originally, the area was vegetated by bluestems, Indian grass, and other grasses. Narrow, forested floodplains were common along larger streams and rivers. Broader zones of woodland were common along the fire shadows of streams.

The Aspen Parklands is a low, level plain that is a transition zone between conifer peat bogs to the east and tallgrass prairie to the west. Soils range from loamy to gravelly, poorly- to well-drained, and acidic to very alkaline. Originally, the area was vegetated by various types of prairies, aspen, silver maple, elm, cottonwood and ash.

The following species are not currently native to Ecoregion 10, but this region's future climate may be suitable  to support habitat for these species. Extension Forestry is interested in learning more about these species, and we want to know if any of these species are already present on the landscape in Region 10. Learn more about each species using the drop-down buttons below.

Photo by Justin Meissen, Flickr

Silver maple is also native in much of MN and a common river corridor tree. It can become very large and "messy" in yards. Like all maples the leaves are opposite. Silver maple has red flowers in the spring and the leaves emerge red and transition to green when mature. Leaves have 5 deep lobes, long pointy tips and many serrations. Fall colors can range from yellow, pale green to orange and deep red.  It's considered hardy for plant zones 3-9. To learn more about this species visit the UMN website. 

Photo by mnprairiegal on iNaturalist.

Yellow birch is a beloved native planted in yards and growing in MN's forests. It has conspicuous yellow-gray to golden bark with small, fine paper-like strips that peel off. The leaves look similar to sweet birch: alternate, simple and double serrate. Yellow birch is the longest living of all Minnesota's native birch trees; up to 150-300 years.  It is considered hardy from plant zone 2-7. To learn more about this species and how to identify it visit the NC State Extension Horticulture page or the UMN website. 

Photo from iNat mschlaef.

Bitternut hickory, a tall broadleaf tree , native to southeastern quarter of Minnesota and small packets of northern Minnesota but considered migration potential for ecoregions 1, 2 and 10.  Its name was inspired by the inedible nuts and it has alternate, pinnately compound leaves with 7 -9 leaflets. The  bright yellow buds are a distinguishing characteristic. It's considered hard from plant zones 4-9.  To learn more about identification visit the UMN website and the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Photo leaf and bud by Paul Wray & Chris Evans, Bugwood.org

Shagbark hickory is native to the central and eastern United States, and can be found growing in southeastern Minnesota. This species is considered migration potential for ecoregions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10. Like other hickories, it's a large broadleaf tree with alternate, pinnately compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets. It can be distinguished from other hickories by its mature bark, which is shaggy, light gray, and separating into thick vertical strips that seem to be sloughing off the trunk. Learn more about shagbark hickory, visit the UMN website and the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Photo by Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Hackberry is a very common urban tree and can be found growing along river terraces and floodplains in southern and central Minnesota. Its range covers much of the central and eastern U.S. Th leaves are alternate and simple, and the twigs grow in a zig-zag pattern. The fruit looks like small, dark berries (drupes). The bark is easily distinguishable due to its warty appearance. Hackberry is hardy to zones 2-9. Learn more about hackberry on the UMN website.

Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org

Honeylocust is a large deciduous tree with alternate and compound leaves that have many small, round leaflets. Wild-grown honeylocust trees have large thorns, while other varieties lack the thorns. A member of the legume family, honeylocusts have long seed pods. Honeylocust is native to the central U.S. and the northern end of its range extends into Iowa. It's hardy to zones 3-8. Learn more about honeylocust on the UMN website and the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Photo by Franklin Bonner, USFS (ret.), Bugwood.org

Black walnut is a medium to large overstory tree with leaves that are alternate and compound, with 15-20 long and narrow leaflets. The fruit is baseball sized, green and fleshy, with an edible nut inside. The wood of black walnut is extremely valuable for wood products, including furniture, lumber, and paneling. Black walnut is native in southeast Minnesota, and is hardy to zones 4-9. Learn more about black walnut on the UMN website.

Photo from Rebeckah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Ashe juniper  a conifer native to Texas and parts of Arkansas and is hardy to zones 6-9.  The needles are scale-like, and the tree produces green berry-like seed cones. This species can be found growing in thickets in its native range due to its multi-stemmed growth form. Learn more about ash juniper on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center page.

Photo by Joseph A. Marcus, Wildflower Center Digital Library

Eastern redcedar is a coniferous tree with thin, peeling bark and two different forms of needles. Most needles are dark green and scaled (somewhat similar to northern white cedar), while other needles sharp and awl-shaped (more similar looking to hemlock or spruce needles). It produces a blue berry-like cone that is preferred by birds during the winter. Eastern redcedar is hardy to zones 2-9 and is native to southern Minnesota. Eastern redcedar may become aggressive near native grasslands. Learn more about eastern redcedar on the UMN website.

Photo by Joh Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Tamarack is a deciduous conifer (it drops its needles in the winter) that is native the Great Lakes region and much of Canada. Tamarack is hardy to zones 2-5. The leaves are short and soft, and grow on the twigs from tiny pegs. The needles turn a brilliant yellow in the fall. The cones are small, reddish-purple while young, and light brown at maturity. Learn more about tamarack on the UMN website.

Forest health threat: Eastern larch beetle is a native insect that has been infesting tamarack at unprecedented rates in Minnesota. Infestation can result in wide-spread mortality in tamarack stands. Learn more about ELB on the MN DNR website.

Photo from iNaturalist by mpelikan

Red mulberry is very rare in Minnesota and should be reported anywhere in the state. It's a small, understory, shade tolerant tree that is often confused, and can hybridize with, non-native white mulberry, Morus alba.  Red mulberry leaves are dull, rough on the top and slightly haired on the underside and have small pointed serrations on the leaf edge. White mulberry leaves are shiny, smooth on the top and the serrated edges are larger and less pointed. Berries are likely present around the 4th of July. Red mulberry is considered hard from plant zones 5-10.  For more about mulberry identification visit this Purdue University publication.  In 2021, Extension ran another participatory science project looking specifically for rare red mulberry, project results and details can be found here.

Photos: leaves by Sally Weeks, Purdue University, fruit by David Stephens, Bugwood.org 

Eastern white pine is an iconic Minnesota species that is native to much of the eastern U.S. and hardy to zones 3-8. It is a 5-needled pine, and the needles are soft and flexible. The bark is grayish-brown and deeply furrowed. The cones are long, usually between 4-8 inches. Learn more about eastern white pine on the UMN website.

Photo from iNaturalist by evangrimes

Eastern cottonwood is a large, dominant canopy tree planted in urban areas and found naturally in moist, well drained sites and along riverbeds. Large trees are preferred nesting places for bald eagles. Cottonwood is native to southern Minnesota but considered migration potential to ecoregions 1, 2 & 10 along the Canadian border. It's considered hardy for plant zones 2 - 9. Cottonwood's almost triangular shaped, simple, alternate leaves are fairly easy to identify.  To learn more about this species visit the UMN website and the NC State Extension Horticultural page.

Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org 

Bigtooth aspen is a medium sized, root spreading tree with white-gray bark at the bottom and greenish bark at the top. Catkins can be obvious in spring. The simple, alternate leaves are oval shaped with blunt tooth-like edges that inspire its name. Bigtooth aspen is common in central and eastern Minnesota but considered migration potential for ecoregion 10, the far northwestern corner.  It's considered hardy for plant zones 3-6. To learn more about this species visit the UMN website.

Photo by University of Minnesota UFOR lab.

White oak is a long-lived overstory tree that is native to most of the eastern U.S., and the northern end of its range extends into east-central MN. White oak prefers moist, nutrient-rich sites and its acorns are an important food source for many wildlife species. A member of the white oak group, this tree has round lobes that are deeply divided. White oak is hardy to zones 3 through 9. Learn more about white oak on the UMN website.

Forest health threat: White oak is susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills white white oaks are less quickly than red oaks (such as northern red oak and northern pin oak).

Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

Swamp white oak is a large overstory tree that is native to southeast MN and much of the eastern and central U.S.  As a member of the white oak group, swamp white oak has rounded lobes, but not nearly as deeply divided as white oak. Some of the leaves on swamp white oak can resemble a diamond in shape. The undersides of swamp white oaks are light green and slightly hairy. Swamp white oak is hardy to zones 3-8. Learn more about swamp white oak on the UMN website.

Forest health threat: Swamp white oak is susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills white white oaks are less quickly than red oaks (such as northern red oak and northern pin oak).

Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org

Northern pin oak is a species in the red oak group that is native to the north-central U.S. and hardy to zones 4-7. Like other oaks, the leaves are alternate and simple. Northern pin oak leaves have seven lobes that are bristle-pointed and with lobes that extend almost to the midrib. Learn more about northern pin oak on the UMN website. 

Forest health threat: Northern pin oak is very susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills red oaks more rapidly than white oaks. 

Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org

Pin oak, a different species than northern pin oak, is a medium-sized red oak family tree.  It's scientific name,  palustris, refers to its prefered swampy habitat. It's considered native  the lower mid-west through the mid-Atlantic. It is commonly planted in cities. Leaves are 3-5” long with 5-7 pointed lobes with deep, C-shaped sinuses. The bark is smooth, grayish brown, and develops ridges with age. It's considered hardy in zones 4-8.  For more information visit the UMN website and the NC State Extension Horticulture page. 

Forest health threat: Pin oak is very susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills red oaks more rapidly than white oaks. 

Photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org 

Post oak is a species in the white oak group that is native to much of the eastern and southeastern U.S. The leaves can be distinguished from other white oaks by the two middle lobes that are square-shaped, which gives the leaves a cross-like appearance. Post oak is hardy to zones 5-9. Learn more about post oak on the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Forest health threat: Post oak is susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills white white oaks are less quickly than red oaks (such as northern red oak and northern pin oak).

Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

Nuttall oak, also known as Texas red oak, is a species in the red oak group that is native to the southern U.S. and hardy to zones 6-9. The leaves are simple and alternate, with 5-9 deeply cut lobes. The acorns are oval-shaped and have a shallow thin scaly cap that covers half or a third of the acorn. Learn more about nuttall oak on the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Forest health threat: Nuttall oak is very susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills red oaks more rapidly than white oaks. 

Photo by Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org 

In the red oak group, black oak is a large overstory tree that looks similar to northern red oak. The acorns on black oak are elliptical in shape, and the leaves have 7-9 shallow or deep lobes. Acorns are an important food source for many wildlife species. Black oak is native to the southeast corner of MN, and is hardy to zones 3-9. Learn more about black oak on the UMN website.

Forest health threat: Black oak is very susceptible to oak wilt, a fungal pathogen that kills oaks. Oak wilt kills red oaks more rapidly than white oaks. 

Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org.

Unlike Minnesota oak species, live oak is a long-lived evergreen tree that develops a wide crown. The leaves are glossy and oblong with no lobes like other oaks. The acorns are egg-shaped and often black in color. Live oak is native far from Minnesota along the coastal plains of Virginia, North Carolina and along the Gulf Coast. Live oak is hardy to zones 8-10. Learn more about live oak on the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Photo by Franklin Bonner, USFS (ret.), Bugwood.org

Chittamwood, or gum bumelia, is native to the south-central U.S. and northeastern Mexico. This is a tree of many names - in addition to chittamwood or gum bumelia, it can be called by some other interesting names such as gum bully, gum woolybucket, shittamwood, or false buckthorn. It's hardy to zones 6-10. It has simple, alternate, oblong leaves and the branches can develop thorns. It also produces small black fruits that are eaten by wildlife, and pollinators visit the flowers. Learn more about chittamwood on the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Photo by John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Northern white cedar is a common species in the forests of northern MN and is planted widely as an urban tree, with over 120 different cultivars currently available. It's native to the Great Lakes region and parts of Canada, and is hardy to zones 2-7. The needles are scale-like and grow flat, with a pleasant aroma when crushed. The cones develop at the ends of branches and are small and yellowish-brown. The cones are a great food source for birds and small mammals, especially in the winter. Northern white cedar is loved by deer as browse. The bark develops long, vertical, and narrow shreds/strips. Learn more about northern white cedar on the UMN website.

Photo by Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Winged elm (also called wahoo) is native to much of the central and south-eastern U.S., and is hardy to zones 6-9. Like other elms, the leaves are alternate, ovate, doubly-toothed and rough-textured. The bark developed irregular fissures and flat topped ridges. Winged elm provides food and habitat to many species of wildlife, including the larvae of several butterfly species. Learn more about winged elm on the NC State Extension Horticulture page.

Forest health threat: Like other elms, winged elm is susceptible to Dutch elm disease.

Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

In the elm family, cedar elm has smaller leaves than American elm that are thick and oblong.  The thick leaves have a scale-like texture and are evergreen in its southern range. Native to Texas and parts of Louisiana and Arkansas, cedar elm is hardy to zones 6-9. Learn more about cedar elm on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center page.

Forest health threat: Like other elms, cedar elm is susceptible to Dutch elm disease.

Photo by Charmaine Richardson, Wildflower Center Digital Library