The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: Black_Bear on February 05, 2015, 10:33:57 AM

Title: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: Black_Bear on February 05, 2015, 10:33:57 AM
Found three of these trees growing together in a predominantly northern hardwood stand in northern Vermont; they were 11-12" on the stump. The stand contains sugar maple, soft maple, yellow birch, balsam poplar, quaking aspen and a small population of spruce/fir. Soils are marginal hardwood soils and the majority of the regen is spruce/fir. I've checked the hand lens ID book, but couldn't find anything. I did cut a cookie and plan to eventually sand it and look at with the hand lens. With 3 feet of snow the leaves are hidden. The tops are in the woods and I didn't see any of the buds, but the cutter said it didn't have the typical balsam poplar buds. The stand is growing on old pasture land and is 60-80 years old. The ID isn't necessary, I'm just curious if anyone has seen this species before
bb

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11252/IMGP9298~0.JPG) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11252/IMGP9297~0.JPG) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11252/IMGP9299~0.JPG) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11252/IMGP9300~0.JPG)
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: clww on February 05, 2015, 11:22:13 AM
Never cut that far north, but it looks like Beech to me.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: roger 4400 on February 05, 2015, 11:37:54 AM
On the last 2 photos the bark looks exactly like poplar that we have here in Québec.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: GAB on February 05, 2015, 01:56:09 PM
I agree with both previous posts.
The top two pictures look like beech and the last two are poplar.
If the top two photos are the same boles as the bottom two then it is poplar.
Gerald
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: Black_Bear on February 05, 2015, 03:32:19 PM
Quote from: GAB on February 05, 2015, 01:56:09 PM
I agree with both previous posts.
The top two pictures look like beech and the last two are poplar.
If the top two photos are the same boles as the bottom two then it is poplar.
Gerald

They are definitely not beech. The first two pics were taken to show the heartwood, and the last two were taken to show the bark. Pictures 1, 3 and 4 are the same stem. Picture 2 is a separate stem. I was just reading about hybridization of trees in the Populus genus and haven't ruled that out? We found another isolated tree today and left it standing, hoping to see the leaves next summer. The tops of these trees were crushed and in among other tops so I couldn't get a picture of the buds.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: coxy on February 06, 2015, 09:12:49 PM
have no idea   but never saw poplar with that big of heart wood at least not around here  but like I said i have no idea  ;D
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: SwampDonkey on February 07, 2015, 04:26:51 AM
Looks like aspen bark, but the heart speaks of balm-of-gilead (balsam poplar). Might just be heavily consumed by conk to on an aspen. The fruiting bodies come out an old dead branch nub.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: Black_Bear on February 07, 2015, 05:41:07 AM
Quote from: SwampDonkey on February 07, 2015, 04:26:51 AM
Looks like aspen bark, but the heart speaks of balm-of-gilead (balsam poplar). Might just be heavily consumed by conk to on an aspen. The fruiting bodies come out an old dead branch nub.

When I first saw the heart I thought of a diseased balm-of-gilead or a balm-of-gilead possibly growing in a wet environment. But then the bark looks like it could belong on an aspen, or a turnip?? Most of the balm-of-gilead that we have cut this winter has fairly indistinct cream colored or light brown heartwood, which is typical for the area. I'm hoping the leaves and buds will solve the mystery. The hand lens ID book didn't have any pictures of this type of heartwood, but I've yet to look at the rings with the hand lens.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: Forest Meister on February 10, 2015, 01:32:39 PM
If I would have seen only the first two pics I would have put even money on black ash.  After looking at the last two pics I would want some reasonable odds before sticking my neck out.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: Black_Bear on February 10, 2015, 07:05:20 PM
Quote from: Forest Meister on February 10, 2015, 01:32:39 PM
If I would have seen only the first two pics I would have put even money on black ash.  After looking at the last two pics I would want some reasonable odds before sticking my neck out.

There are a few black ash 6-700' below these trees, mostly in the swampy area where three brooks come together. I did think of black ash, mainly due to the heartwood, but even the black ash around here doesn't have such a reddish heart - it's generally light brown in color. And as you wrote, the bark isn't typical of black ash. We call it brown ash around here.
Title: Re: What kind of tree is this??
Post by: SwampDonkey on February 11, 2015, 06:40:42 AM
black ash, even the small ones 3" in diameter have corky rough bark that is brown. The ones I have grow in wet ground with standing water all around.