# Can you identify this?



## Sapling (Apr 8, 2008)

We were looking at a condo site today and I noticed this 'tree' outside one of the buildings. All of the branch ends are pointed like thorns and have these little clusters of round 'things' (thats my technical term) on them. I saw another similar to this one which had many large thorns and small orange berries. And ideas?


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## Adkpk (Apr 8, 2008)

Hawthorn is my guess. By the thorns. Not sure what they look like at that stage. I like the pic.


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## Sapling (Apr 9, 2008)

My partner seems to think it is not Hawthorn based on the bud arrangement....? Any other thoughts......?


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## Metals406 (Apr 9, 2008)

Here's some photo's of a mostly dead Hawthorn at my place.


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## Sapling (Apr 9, 2008)

Holy that thing looks scary! I can see the resemblance in my little branch.


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## Kate Butler (Apr 9, 2008)

It could be Pyracantha coccinea, too. Do the 'red thingys' look like miniature apples? If yes, hawthorn. If no, probably Pyracantha. Also, are the fruits truly red or are they scarlet/orange? Pyracanthas lean toward the scarlet/orange.


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## ATH (Apr 10, 2008)

Neither hawthorn or Pyracantha.

The plant in question has opposite branching. That elimates everything except for the genuses (sp?)
Acer (maple)
Fraxinus (ash)
Cornus (dogwood)
Aesculus (buckeye)

or a shrub from the family Caprifoliaceae

I think we can rule out ash, dogwood, and buckeye. It is not a maple that I can find, but it does look a little maple-like.

I'll look in another book at the office tomorrow and get back to it.

I was thinking Buckthorn - it is not opposite, but it sometimes looks close. However, this is definately opposite branched so not buckthorn either.


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## ropensaddle (Apr 10, 2008)

Prickly Ash has small orange berries!


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## ATH (Apr 10, 2008)

Prickly ash is not really an ash. It is _Zanthoxylum americanum_.

I looked it up, and it is altnerate branching, so I don't think this is it either.


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## hermit63 (Apr 11, 2008)

Ash, green, or white


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## ATH (Apr 11, 2008)

Oops... I didn't describe the choices of opposite-branched options right. It is not just _Fraxinus_ spp. But the entier Oleaceae family.

My best guess right now is that it is a privit (_Ligustrum_ spp.), but I am not entirely convinced of that...


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## Kate Butler (Apr 11, 2008)

The only privet I've ever used did not have thorns and the flowers appeared more at the leaf axils than terminally. I'm not saying it's not a privet, but if it is, it isn't one of the common forms.


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## Sapling (Apr 22, 2008)

I found out that the one with the orange berries is Sea Buckthorn (_hippophae rhamnoides)_. 
The other, which I have posted pictures of, looks somewhat similar as far as thorns on it go. 

Maybe it is the male version of the same bush (I just read that the orange berries overwinter on the female shrubs).....? I will have to go back and look at it. I will take a sample of the one with the orange berries and compare (they weren't close to each other when I first looked at them).


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## KiwiTreeSteve (Apr 30, 2008)

ok can ya Id this, easy if ya know trees from New Zealand 

View attachment 70210


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## masterarbor (May 1, 2008)

it has fungal rust like the stuff that hits the hawthornes here. my vote is hawthorne too.


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## broadside (May 10, 2008)

buffalo berry, sheperdia argentea


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## Sapling (May 10, 2008)

broadside said:


> buffalo berry, sheperdia argentea


Hummmmmm Looks kinda similar. We do Buffalo Berry removal in the eastern rockies region so we are fairly familiar with it (not me specifically ...obviously). Never considered it. I will look into that too. Thanks.


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## broadside (May 11, 2008)

listen for the buzz of pollinating insects during the coming weeks, a sure sign spring has arrived in Calgary, the fruit tastes best after the first frost in the fall. It may also be russet buffalo berry, but not likely, sheperdia canadensis is less showy than argentea


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## Sapling (May 12, 2008)

We did some hiking in the Banff area this past weekend and sure enough tons of Buffalo berry. You were right....looks identical. See attached photo.....

Lets hope spring is coming. We have had a slow start to the season. Thanks!!


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