| The Temperate Forest is full of
various plants and trees. There are Pine Fir, Hemlock,
Spruce, and Sequoias just to name a few. Woodpeckers eat
at the bark of some trees, and some squirrels and other
small animals feed on the seeds in the pinecones. |
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Some plants are used to make
medicines for people. Many plants flourish in this
environment because of the rich soil that the Temperate
Forest has. |
| The Sweet Gum tree's gum is used
in chewing gum and medicines. The tree can grow up to 120
feet high and 5 feet high in diameter. Its leaves are up
to 7 inches across, and have either 5 or 7 pointed fine
toothed edges. This tree survives in this biome by
growing burred ball fruit in the fall. These balls
protect seeds, and as the balls drop, the seeds
eventually make their way into the ground. The burs
protect the seeds from animals that might want to feed
upon them. |
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The sweet gum trees roots hold
the tree in place (like holdfast) and absorb water for
food. This tree is found in the Taiga as well because
that biome overlaps the Temperate Forest. It is found in
the southern states, south of Connecticut. The trees'
wood is used for furniture and boxes. The most beautiful
time of year for this tree is in Spring when clusters of
flowers appear on the tree. |
| Some native tribes considered the
Sitka Spruce magical. This tree grows to be between 55
and 80 meters. The Sitka Spruce is the largest Conifer in
North America, and is also the largest of the Spruces. It
can live to be 700 to 800 years old. The needles are
pointed flat, often at a 90-degree angle to the twig. The
fruits are a brownish yellow seed cone. Woodland
creatures and the Woodpeckers eat the seeds and the
Woodpecker eats the wood on the bark. |
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The Sitka Spruce survives because
it prefers well-drained soil and the Temperate Forest has
that type of soil. It is found in parts of North America,
off the coast of British Columbia, and Northern Europe.
Its high quality wood was used in the construction of the
famous Mosquito Bomber in WWII. |
| The Scots Pine Tree is the most
popular Christmas Tree. The bark of the tree is orange
near the top of the tree, and near the trunk it is gray
with a reddish-brown. It has blue-green needles, short
and pointed, from 1-3". It is in the Pinoceae family.
Its scientific name is Pinus Sylvestris. This tree
survives in this biome because it absorbs water from its
roots. It survives on nutrients that it gets from the
water. It is located in Northeastern United States. You
can recognize this tree easily since the bark peels into
papery flakes. |
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