skip to main content

Help with tree identification (please)?

13 years ago

I've been trying to identify all of the plants in my new backyard, and this guy has been a bit of a puzzler to me! I think I've narrowed it down to two possibilities (although I could be COMPLETELY wrong since I'm new to this). I think the bark looks like a cherry tree, but the "fruits" look like a sourwood (http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/sourwood/sourwood.html).

Here are some photos of it:

1) LEAF: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/27AqM_kT0QZ8H2_EOXMi8g?feat=directlink

2) Branch with buds/fruits(?): https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KtJ3yjwlM4xem_8nVFKjWw?feat=directlink

3) BARK: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nBHBsZ65jOy93IYk6ffPuQ?feat=directlink

I would appreciate any input! Btw, long-time lurker, first time poster :) Hi there!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

j0nd03
13 years ago
Definitely cherry most likely prunus serotina.

Where do you live?
0
briggszilla
Original Author
13 years ago
Rhode Island
0
Related Discussions
Tree identification help please
Q
Comments (11)
100% roundup [which the label says is 41%] ... cut tree to ground level .... apply to the cambian layer ... which is the green layer just under the bark ... applied with the very expensive applicator at the link ... RU only kills on green tissue.. and becomes inert on soil contact.. but you will apply so little.. that it will never come in contact with the soil ... return to the stump once a month with applicator.. and hand pruners .. and snip any shoots and apply ONE DROP to the cut ... sooner or later it will figure out.. it is dead.. lol ... welcome to the country .... which i presume means you have some property.. when i made such a move.. to 5 acres.. leaving a stump to rot in the ground became the norm ... no need to pay for grinding or any such thing ... hopefully you have enough space.. to make it fall down safe.. with your own chainsaw ... aka a country toy.. lol ... ken Here is a link that might be useful: think dollar store.. precise application is the key.. not the brand name
...See More
Trees identification- help please
Q
Comments (10)
The Magnolia is Magnolia macrophyla (Big leaf magnolia). It is deciduous in the north but semi-deciduous in the South. Btw, it is cold hardier than you think, thriving into Pa., NJ, Southern NY State and Connecticut zones 7 or even a bit under. Should be okay in SC I would think. I notice them doing well in quite shaded areas as an understory tree, but for whatever reason, it is not commonly planted in suburbia...maybe the leaves are viewed as too large and coarse and a pain to clean up in the Fall. Probably one of the most tropical-looking of trees that will grow in the Northeast (maybe even more so than grandiflora as the leaves are enormous!) Occasionally, I see them for sale in northern nurseries, but not typically. I recall the first time I saw one...looked like something that should be growing in Brazil but it was in Queens, NY.
...See More
Tree identification help please
Q
Comments (6)
You think perhaps Serviceberry? Related to Crabapple, the internet says. I'll try to snap a pic of the berries and tree when I get a chance.
...See More
tree identification help please
Q
Comments (7)
Definitely a mountain ash. Grandparents and parents had a bunch of them. They are not really long lived trees like oaks , I think 30 years or so. Us kids used to throw them at each other, ouch! The berries that make it through the winter will ferment and the birds can get "drunk" on them, really funny to see.
...See More
j0nd03
13 years ago
If it is growing wild there, serotina sounds right but the leaves in your second pic look a tad off for serotina to me for some reason. Bark, flowers, and leaf arrangement are all a match though.
0
hortster
13 years ago
My first reaction was P. serotina or P. virginiana because of the fruit, but the bark has a resemblance to P. maacki. What thinkest thou?
hortster

Here is a link that might be useful: P. maacki bark
0
briggszilla
Original Author
13 years ago
Very interesting! I've Googled prunus serotina and it does look right to my untrained eye :) Thank you very much!
0
j0nd03
13 years ago
It does have a brownish tint like p. maacki hortster (that is a new species to add to my tree list for future reference). Now wouldn't that have to be planted to exist in her yard? They have not escaped from cultivation in the NE correct? I would think if it was wild it would have to be p. serotina or virginiana.

I tell you one thing, I LOVE young cherry bark! It is so smooth, vibrant, and beautiful with the polished look broken up by the white/silver streaks. So lovely when young. I do not care for the mature shaggy bark at all though.
0
hortster
13 years ago
Not being familiar with P. maackii propagation, I referenced an article from the Arnold Arboretum on the subject to see if it could escape. They say it can be propagated from seed (mostly spread by birds). The USDA plant database does not list it as invasive on the fact sheet for that plant. So, to answer out of both sides of my mouth...maybe! But, from the "prolificacy" point of view either of the other two are more likely.
hortster
0

Related Stories

WINTER GARDENING How to Help Your Trees Weather a Storm

By Paintbox Garden

Seeing trees safely through winter storms means choosing the right species, siting them carefully and paying attention during the tempests

ORGANIZING Help for Whittling Down the Photo Pile

By Jennifer Phelps: Organize. Design. Reinvent!

Consider these 6 points your personal pare-down assistant, making organizing your photo collection easier

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Ceanothus Pleases With Nectar and Fragrant Blooms

West Coast natives: The blue flowers of drought-tolerant ceanothus draw the eye and help support local wildlife too

HOUSEPLANTS Mother-in-Law's Tongue: Surprisingly Easy to Please

By creative jewish mom.com

This low-maintenance, high-impact houseplant fits in with any design and can clear the air, too

GARDENING GUIDES Pathway Plantings That Please the Senses

By LuAnn Brandsen

Add some color, life and intrigue beside your sidewalk with these 7 suggestions

PRIVACY SCREENS Privacy Please: Outdoor Walls

By Becky Harris

Ideabook 911: I Need Help Staging for Resale

By Becky Harris

EXTERIORS Help! What Color Should I Paint My House Exterior?

By Jennifer Ott Design

Real homeowners get real help in choosing paint palettes. Bonus: 3 tips for everyone on picking exterior colors

MOST POPULAR 7 Ways Cats Help You Decorate

By Molly Brandenburg

Furry felines add to our decor in so many ways. These just scratch the surface

DECORATING GUIDES Slow Design: Today's 'Wabi-Sabi' Helps Us Savor the Moment

By Robyn Lawrence

Learn about the design movement that's aiming to satisfy our real needs, leaving materialism in the past

Sponsored

More Discussions

Sassafras Foliar Peculiarity

15

Does this crabapple require a professional trimmer?

1

Juniper virginians problem

6

how do I know if my maple tree is dead

7

Sorbus alnifolia

5