Tree ID

[NE Woodburner]

Looking for some help to identify this tree located in the southern Adirondacks of NY. This is in a yard, so may have been planted years ago.



 

 

 

 

[WDH]

Are there any fruits?

[mike_belben]

Thats fixin to be a firewood tree.  Lostcausus Burnicus.

[AK Newbie]

Not a tree expert but looks like the Black Cottonwoods we have up here in AK...

[wisconsitom]

AK is on to something, but a bit of confusion on my part-this looks "close" to balsam poplar-similar to the more western black poplar, but an eastern tree until you get far, far north, where it goes west again.

In any case, the problem I have is that for balsam poplar, the buds should be a bit less pointed.  Genus Populus is promiscuous, i.e. species are prone to hybridize with each other.  This one might have such an origin.

Cottonwood would work too, especially trunk and bark characteristics, but leaves are shaped wrong for that species.

[NE Woodburner]

Are there any fruits?

No fruits.
There are two of these trees near each other. Roots tend to grow exposed above the ground. Lower branches tend to sag/hang down and are not easy to break off by hand (very flexible). I was thinking something in the poplar family, but these are not like poplars I am used to.

[WDH]

AK and Tom have this one sniffed out.  It is certainly one of the poplars in the genus Populus.  Balsam poplar looks right, leaves are right, long bud is right, ridged/furrowed bark is right.  The buds should be a little resinous (sticky to the touch).  

[Clark]

The buds should be a little resinous (sticky to the touch).  

Or very resinous and smell to high heaven. Some people claim to like the smell (very apparent in the spring) but usually they have a genetic deficiency. Trust me.

Clark

[KEC]

Looks like the sapsuckers really worked this tree over. There are a lot of sapsuckers in the southern Adirondacks.

[wisconsitom]

How can anyone not like the smell of balsam?  I mean, it's "balsam"!  That word means sweet smell.  Really not much different than your balsam fir Christmas tree.

[Clark]

How can anyone not like the smell of balsam?  I mean, it's "balsam"!  That word means sweet smell.  Really not much different than your balsam fir Christmas tree.

If you let the Christmas tree rot with silage and roadkill for a spell, I agree. Otherwise, very different. Can't stand that smell. And the tree doesn't do much for me either.

Clark

[SwampDonkey]

Check the buds, are they sticky? Balsam poplar and black cottonwood have sticky buds with an odor, so take a sniff.  ;D The first is in the east the second is in the west part of the continent.






;D  We also call balsam poplar, balm of gilead. And an island in the Tobique river.

[NE Woodburner]

Thanks for all the responses. Next time I am in that area I will check to see if the buds are sticky and have a balsam smell.

[wisconsitom]

Bark is more "cottonwood-like" than that of typical balsam poplar in this area.  I'm not visually familiar with black cottonwood, the western tree.  Maybe this is one of those out of place....or a hybrid of some sort.  Clearly in genus Populus, but not so simply a balsam poplar thinks I.

Er... could be variation of species across geographic range.