Native trees and shrubs of the UP generally flower early in the growing season, especially the species that are wind pollinated (anemophily), such as birch, willow, and spruce. Fewer species, like black cherry and mountain maple are pollinated by animals (zoophily), mostly insects (entomophily). And some species are primarily insect pollinated but make so much pollen that they are also wind pollinated (ambophily). Red maple and sugar maple are examples of such mixed pollination life styles. Native tree flowers are seldom seen as they are generally small and high above the ground, but they’re worth a close look.

Paper Birch catkins (male flowers)

Yellow Birch catkin (male flowers)

Willow catkin (male flowers)

White Spruce ‘flowers (female left, male right)

Black Cherry (cosexual flowers)

Mountain Maple (cosexual flowers)

Red Maple (male flowers)

Sugar Maple (male flowers)