# Tree Identification



## Treecutr (Jan 15, 2010)

Need some help with these trees. No leaves left on it to make it easy, and I'm not quite good enough with just bark and buds yet. Attached a few pics. There were some leaves on ground under the snow, but too many species to help.


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## NCTREE (Jan 15, 2010)

American Elm


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## NCTREE (Jan 15, 2010)

NCTREE said:


> American Elm



or some sort of elm from looking at the buds


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## highpointtree (Jan 15, 2010)

Shanandoa dogwood


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## Treecutr (Jan 15, 2010)

I'm in Massachusetts, and leaves that were most predominant on ground looked similar to beech leaves, but I know it's not a beech.


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## JeffL (Jan 15, 2010)

Basswood

Tilia americana


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## Woodcutteranon (Jan 15, 2010)

I was leaning elm. The buds kinda threw me however. The last photo I thought I saw some elm features... the vase-like classic elm shape. I wish I could see more of it though to be sure. Here is a picture of my elm. Ain't she a beauty?


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## JeffL (Jan 15, 2010)

Yeah, its got the very "rubbing/crossing branches, horrendous structure" look to it that alot of basswoods do.


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## Lawnmowerboy48 (Jan 15, 2010)

Chinese or Siberian Elm leaning closer to Chinese Elm because of the buds.


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## Mikecutstrees (Jan 15, 2010)

JeffL said:


> Basswood
> 
> Tilia americana




I agree with Jeff... buds say basswood, the other pics came out tiny.... Mike


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## NCTREE (Jan 16, 2010)

Treecutr said:


> I'm in Massachusetts, and leaves that were most predominant on ground looked similar to beech leaves, but I know it's not a beech.



Elm leaves look similar to beech accept that elm are more finely serrated and beech are more coursely serrated.

Heres a link to some pictures of elm leaves:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...S295US295&sa=X&um=1&ei=YZxRS8WPM4GzlAfO2dGaCg


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## NCTREE (Jan 16, 2010)

*Siberian Elm*

Heres a link to a Siberian Elm which shows the buds and leaves

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=134


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## Treecutr (Jan 16, 2010)

I'll get another couple pics, it's only 2 houses down where I am hoping to do the work, god knows they need these things gone. Bark coming off on most, a lot of dead wood at tops. I really didn't see any cottonwood leaves on ground ( they're pretty big ) But I had thought either elm or cottonwood myself, I'll take a closer look today.


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## Plasmech (Jan 16, 2010)

Treecutr said:


> Need some help with these trees. No leaves left on it to make it easy, and I'm not quite good enough with just bark and buds yet. Attached a few pics. There were some leaves on ground under the snow, but too many species to help.



I'm in the market for a high quality tree ID book, one with lots of nice color glossy photos and the whole bit. Anybody have any suggestions? Not to hijack this thread but it's all for the good of people trying to ID trees anyway.


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## Treecutr (Jan 16, 2010)

Heres 2 more pics, hope they help.


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## bayard (Jan 16, 2010)

*linden*

could it be little leaf linden? k


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## Treecutr (Jan 16, 2010)

Leaning away from Cottonwood because everyone I have seen doesn't have the " drooping " end branches at the crown.


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## Treecutr (Jan 29, 2010)

Ok, now I have a picture of the grain, don't know if it helps. I can also tell you wood is real heavy, like Oak, but I KNOW it's not oak. HO says the leaves are small. again a lot of leaves on ground similar to Beech leaves, but not a Beech. Driving me crazy

View attachment 123404


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## Treecutr (Jan 29, 2010)

Pic of Twig with buds, close up

View attachment 123406


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## JeffL (Jan 29, 2010)

Basswood and linden are incredibly light, and easy cutting wood. Pruning them I wont even haul a saw up unless I have several cuts over 6-7".

Thats probably siberian elm there like the other guys were saying.


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## Treecutr (Jan 29, 2010)

Also, I split some up to see how it would burn. too wet, and it stinks. smells stagnant. Not like a willow, but nasty.


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## Golf (Jan 29, 2010)

All of the pictures you have shown and the smell you described are all indicative of Siberian Elm. I believe someone said that already. And another thing, you should smell one with slime flux.


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## Woodcutteranon (Jan 29, 2010)

Treecutr said:


> Heres 2 more pics, hope they help.



Ok

With these pictures I feel strongly we are in the "elm" family.

Anytime I think of elm...especially in my and your area it is very easy just to say its an American elm...but...again the buds have me scratching my head. An earlier member posted buds that strongly resembled the Siberian...and to be honest...the odor you speak of does not in my memory stay consistent with American elm. I have always found American elm to have a sweet powdery smell when I first toss it onto the fire. 

I remember cutting down a live American elm once in the spring and the sap shot about 15 feet in the air when it hit the ground. Real wet stuff that elm.

Let me ask...How tough was it to split? Let me know. American elm is a bugger to split. I don't have experience with Siberian elm but I heard it, along with Chinese elm splits much easier.


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## Toddppm (Jan 29, 2010)

If the leaves you found are from this tree an easy well to tell if they're elm is at the base of the leaf the sides don't match, 1 side will be lower than the other on the petiole.


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## ChuckMI (Jan 29, 2010)

Siberian Elm. Siberian elm winter flower buds are relatively large, dark reddish-brown, globose (round). The wood is the color shown, it is fairly heavy and it isn't very hard to split.

Basswood winter buds are not as big, not as round, and are red or green. The wood is light.

Cottonwood buds are slender, long-pointed, and yellowish-brown, not round and not reddish-brown. The wood is heavy when first cut and light after it dries.

Siberian elm is often mistakenly called Chinese elm. Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia, is rarely cultivated. It has smaller leaves, flowers in early autumn, and is used for bonsai culture.

A good tree ID book, and the one I used for this, is Michigan Trees by Burton V. Barnes and Warren H. Wagner, Jr.


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## Treecutr (Jan 30, 2010)

Very helpful. I would say it is Siberian Elm based on all input. I couldn't find my maul to split a piece last night, so I split an 8"-10" piece with a hatchet. had to hit it on edges, but not too difficult. I am confident that with maul it would pop right open. Wood is also frozen, I can see all the ice crystals in the wood when I split it, even a couple pieces of ice about the size of pencil eraser. Again heavy wood. Also I will look closer at leaves that are on the ground. There are NO other trees anywhere near here like it, so if I find Sib Elm leaves, we're in. Thanks.


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## Golf (Jan 30, 2010)

Treecutr said:


> Very helpful. I would say it is Siberian Elm based on all input. I couldn't find my maul to split a piece last night, so I split an 8"-10" piece with a hatchet. had to hit it on edges, but not too difficult. I am confident that with maul it would pop right open. Wood is also frozen, I can see all the ice crystals in the wood when I split it, even a couple pieces of ice about the size of pencil eraser. Again heavy wood. Also I will look closer at leaves that are on the ground. There are NO other trees anywhere near here like it, so if I find Sib Elm leaves, we're in. Thanks.



Try spliting one when it has been dead for a year or two


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## adkranger (Jan 30, 2010)

Siberian Elm is my web-guess........ the stink seals it. Burned that stuff once.....never again.


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## electrictrimmer (Jan 30, 2010)

Definitly an Elm. remember Basswoods have zig-zag twig patterns, sound hollow when you pound on them and have huge heart shaped leaves. Good luck with this one


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## caliman99 (Feb 3, 2010)

:agree2:

- wood grain and color
- thickness of sapwood layer
- annual rings in the heart lighter than surrounding wood instead of darker
- "slick" look on the end-grain face

*= Elm* (90% sure)

- smell

*= Siberian Elm* (70% sure)


Absolutely not a Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia). Chinese Elm has unmistakable bark. Really unusual and beautiful.


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## Loraxguy (Feb 3, 2010)

*tree ID*

If you pull the bark off and look at it's edge it should have a layerd look. Dark brown then a white, brown and white etc. It reminds me of the look of a oreo cookie. Well if it does it's a American Elm. Those buds however appear to be Siberian elm...


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## brisawyer (Feb 3, 2010)

Plas I like this id book lots of color pics.http://www.amazon.com/National-Audubon-Society-American-Trees-E/dp/0394507606


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## Woodcutteranon (Feb 3, 2010)

I took my saw outside and cut off a piece of semi green American elm I had laying from this fall. I wanted to see the color of it as compared to yours. All four pictures are of the same logs. I put a piece of walnut next to the elm just for scale as I'm not sure if the pictures color truly reflects reality. And, I think, the walnut is a gorgeous piece of dark wood...don't you think? The elm ain't too shabby either. 

I went ahead and posted four pictures of the same logs all taken from different angles. I was worried of the flash and lighting. So...this is a known American elm. How does it compare to your specimen?


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