the native forest canopy is mainly oak, redbud, hickory, poplar, tuliptree, pine, and sweetgum, with chestnut having been common decades before in what is now considered oak-hickory forest. traveling from the south, the metro area is generally the first area in which autumn leaf color can be seen, due to the different trees growing at the higher elevation and latitude. underneath, the flowering dogwood is very common, the black cherry are quite prolific, with mulberry popping up sometimes as well. sourwood is also in its native range, and is easily identified by the fact that it turns fiery red in early october, much brighter and weeks earlier than most other trees (which usually peak in early november).