Hybrid trees- update got pictures

[Hiway40frank]

Has anyone ever come across hybrid trees? I found the oddest one on my land, it looks like an elm hybrid or ash and its growing in a white pine poplar stand without another similar tree within 100 acres also I must mention there is no elm on my land.

[rjwoelk]

Picture may help

[Hiway40frank]

Picture may help

ok I sent you a pm with a link to what it looks like, I cant upload pics using my mobile.

[mesquite buckeye]

I have a natural hybrid shingle oak X red oak on my farm in Missouri. ;D 8) 8) 8)

[bluthum]

Oaks hybridize pretty readily between  some species.  Never across genus I imagine and  expect that last part to hold true for any tree. I suppose it's impossible for trees to hybridize across family lines naturally. 

[mesquite buckeye]

The thing about relatedness and crossing is true. If two species aren't fairly close the cross either will be sterile (think mules) or not work at all.

Oaks do cross. I'm thinking not all that often, since you might find one hybrid oak in thousands of oaks. Second problem is you don't seem to get many F₂'s showing up resulting from these crosses.

[Clark]

Has anyone ever come across hybrid trees? I found the oddest one on my land, it looks like an elm hybrid or ash and its growing in a white pine poplar stand without another similar tree within 100 acres also I must mention there is no elm on my land.

I've no doubt you came across an odd looking tree but a quick look at the Silvics Manual says that the ashes do not form hybrids and it is very unlikely that the elms do either. There are plenty of trees out there that look a bit like two species. Paper birch can, in select locations, look like a very poorly growing yellow birch but it is most definitely one and not both.

I find elms interesting in part because their light seed seems to float everywhere which leads to some elm growing in unexpected places. I've spent a few minutes puzzling over why the top of a particular tree looks like an elm and the bottom looks like ash/balm/box elder/bur oak or some other hardwood. It looks like a hybrid but that is environmental, not genetic.

Clark

[Cedar Eater]

I have at least one natural hybrid maple on my land. It's called a Freeman's Maple or a smoothbark red maple. It's a cross between a red maple and a silver maple and it stands out like a diamond in the rough. I have plenty of reds, but I haven't found any silvers. I haven't really had a reason to look until I found the Freeman, but we're about 75 miles north of the natural distribution of them. I'm going looking for the silver in the woodpile when they leaf out.

[Hiway40frank]

Ok I will post pics today not that I know how to do so.

[Hiway40frank]

Here it is, I removed a piece of bark if that helps. Its going to be cut down within the next few weeks. Also its about 20-24in at the stump.

[square1]

Check the surrounding ground for nuts.

[Hiway40frank]

Im sure there are no nuts, but I will double check again. Any chance this could be sassafras? It has the same bark and people mention it has a "spicy smell" and this bark sure has a smell, but Im not sure if its "spicy" since I have nothing to compare it to.

[brendonv]

Could be. I've taken down a couple big ones.

[WDH]

Looks like a big ash to me.  Are the branches/leaves opposite on the stem rather than alternating?

[Hiway40frank]

Looks like a big ash to me.  Are the branches/leaves opposite on the stem rather than alternating?

They alternate, i have cut a lot of ash around here and I could tell smell of ash wood 10ft away. I have got to go out and smell it again its hard to describe its almost like the smell of old clothing or books that have been sitting for a long time. I must add its a very nice smell I guess its almost like a spice. Has anyone cut sassfras here and knows how to identify it? Leaves wont be out for another 2 weeks atleast so that wont help I need someone to describe the smell.

[WDH]

Smells like root beer.