Please Please ID this Tree

[trax]

Not sure if this is the right place topost this but here goes

I have a neighbor that has a bunch of these in his yard that he wants down. I think it is elm. The leaf looks like elm and they are full of water. We took two of them down tonight no one agrees but they don't know what they are

 

[ropensaddle]

My thoughts as well but zelcova spelling wrong, looks like elm as well as
hop horn beam!

 

[pdqdl]

I had to do some digging for this:

Not a hop Hornbeam fruit is not correct, lower side of leaf will be hairy (can't tell from here)

Definately an elm: leaves with 6-20 main nerves on each side of midrib (yes), the lowest pair above the base of the blade, all the nerves at nearly the same angle parallel to one another (yes); margins of leaves toothed rather regularly from base to summit (yes), branches with solid pith, fruit dry, either a flat winged fruit (samara) (yes) or wingless bur-like nut, ripening and falling before June (yes)



Hold the leaf between thumb & finger, slide back and forth. If it is real sticky in one direction from the "hairs" on the topside, it's probably a "slippery elm", Ulmus rubra: bud scales conspicuously covered with dense orange-brown or rusty-colored hairs; inner bark slippery when chewed.

Otherwise: I vote for siberian elm, Ulmus pumila: leaves nearly equal-sided at the base; margins of leaves simply toothed (without any break or cut on each tooth); lower surface of leaves glabrous [without hairs]; flowers nearly without stalks (sessile), not drooping; margins of fruits without hairs projecting (Looks like it to me!)

The presence of the tree in a residential yard, filled with water suggests Siberian elm, right off the bat, since they are notorious for that.

Another possibility: American (white) elm: Ulmus Americana: None of the branches developing corky wings or woody outgrowths (yes); flowers occuring in clusters or groups, their stalks originating from the same point (yes); fruits glabrous [without hairs] on the side which covers the seed; flowers with long stalks, soon drooping; lower surface of leaves hairy or becoming glabrous.

Slippery and American elms have rather large leaves, Siberians have the smallest. If I could see the tree in person, they are all easy to tell apart with a glance at the bark & leaves. Not so easy from pictures.

 

[skid row]

Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)
Introduced to replace the american elm in the states.

Just my .02 worth

 

[trax]

I kind of knew it was some sort of Elm but all I have cut were American Elm. This one had a dark reddish heart wood. After a little more searching and pdqdl's post I'm convinced it's a Slippery Elm (Red Elm)

 

[Zodiac45]

+1 on the Slippery Elm. (Red Elm)

 

[Ikeholt]

+1 Siberian elm

 

[pdqdl]

I kind of knew it was some sort of Elm but all I have cut were American Elm. This one had a dark reddish heart wood. After a little more searching and pdqdl's post I'm convinced it's a Slippery Elm (Red Elm)

Oops. I left something out: Slippery elm has a hollow pith in the twigs.

 

[buzz sawyer]

The leaf looks more like American Elm to me. Coarse serrated leaf edges and very even veins. Siberian and Slippery leaf serrations are smoother than the one pictured.

 

[redprospector]

My vote is for "piss elm".
I don't know the proper name, but that's all we have around here for elm. They are full of water, and when you burn it it smells like someone pissed on the fire.

Andy

 

[pdqdl]

I kind of knew it was some sort of Elm but all I have cut were American Elm. This one had a dark reddish heart wood. After a little more searching and pdqdl's post I'm convinced it's a Slippery Elm (Red Elm)

Now that we got started, inquiring minds want to know: Do the leaves feel like sandpaper on one side? That is almost definative for slippery elm.

 

[abohac]

Not sure if this is the right place topost this but here goes

I have a neighbor that has a bunch of these in his yard that he wants down. I think it is elm. The leaf looks like elm and they are full of water. We took two of them down tonight no one agrees but they don't know what they are

I'd say it was piss elm (at least that's what we call it in Michigan)