How many of you can ACTUALLY tell?!

[CanopyGorilla]

Specific cultivars from one another? Like the multitude of different Acer Platanoides, or the Abies Lasiocarpa from Abies Concolor? Acer x Framanii from Acer Saccharinum as a young tree before the bark has really defined itself? Quercus cultivars? Populous Deltoides from Populus Trichocarpa? I feel like I have a grasp on some of this but wondering if anyone feels they can nail every variety every time?

 

[Zale]

It can be challenging but knowing the specific cultivar sometimes doesn't matter unless you are replacing the tree. There are something like 600 cultivars of jap. maples and I only know 597 of them. Learning the nursery trade is probably the best way to learn. Knowing who is growing what and whats available.

 

[treesmith]

I'm learning the Aussie natives at the mo, sometimes the only way is close examination of leaves and fruit, they cross breed too

 

[sac-climber]

Knowing the genus is the most important thing but species, cultivars, and varieties can be very useful when trying to determine specific issues or abnormalities. There are a few I struggle with but I have a pretty good grasp on ID. College helps too

 

[BC WetCoast]

You need to work with them consistently as well. I'll learn a variety and then not see it for several months - gone. But I have problems remembering what I had for breakfast.

 

[ATH]

Sometimes you cannot know just with a one time look. For example, if it is a cultivar known for fall color, how are you going to know that the other 10 months? If it is a tree cultivated for a certain form, that is pretty tough to know early on in life, or if it had been pruned contrary to that form, etc, etc, etc.

Having said that, I do have a lot to learn. I can get genus and species almost all the time...I just haven't studied cultivars or varieties enough.

 

[Swamp Man]

I know pine, cypress, oak, poplar, maple, sweetgum, and hickory lol

 

[treesmith]

I used to own the catalogues for a few commercial nurseries, never really needed them, own one local one now used by councils for street trees but I did just change continents so need all the help I can get