Tree ID

[WhitePineJunky]

 

 

 

 

 What is this tree with prickle on it? Can get photos in coming weeks when it leafs out if not enough to the pictures. Seem to grow around edges of old hay fields, sort of takes the form a a tree but will sprout out multiple shoots beyond a couple foot on the main stem typically

[dairyguy]

When I was growing up it was called thornapple in area.    I believe Hawthorn is the more common term in most of the world.

[Don P]

Yup, that's a stick a fork under it, lift and drive directly to the burn pile, do not pass go tree. Not that I have strong opinions about them.

[WhitePineJunky]

I hate them too, I heard another local refer to them as hawthorn as well but I just couldn't for sure match up any pictures I see online of hawthorn and be sure of it.

[KEC]

Hawthorn is the more proper name. The bigger stems are good stovewood and it has value to wildlife. Rabbits and deer browse on it, lots of birds like to nest in it, hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators feed on the blossums, which have an unpleasant odor;  some critters eat the fruit. And many people hate it anyway; those thorns are brutal.

[SwampDonkey]

Looks like hawthorn, although that one isn't as armed as the ones around here. Ours have way more thorns, a mass of'm. At my grandfather's place north of here the old fields were covered in the darn things. :D There are many species across the country.

Another thorny bush is Canada plum, but it's only in New Brunswick, not NS nor PEI. It has a very small range in Canada. And those aren't plum buds, plum buds are more cherry like with reddish brown bark. I have a couple on the lawn, more as ornamental, and they will soon be covered in pink blossoms.

[WhitePineJunky]

Seems to vary a little but I can find some that is more or less condensed with prickles. Il take some pictures maybe and post when they leaf out in a few weeks just to be sure it's hawthorn

[WhitePineJunky]

Hawthorn is the more proper name. The bigger stems are good stovewood and it has value to wildlife. Rabbits and deer browse on it, lots of birds like to nest in it, hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators feed on the blossums, which have an unpleasant odor;  some critters eat the fruit. And many people hate it anyway; those thorns are brutal.

I would think the prickles keep some animals away for sure, they are a pain in the butt when cutting them 

[brianJ]

Hawthorn is the more proper name. The bigger stems are good stovewood and it has value to wildlife. Rabbits and deer browse on it, lots of birds like to nest in it, hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators feed on the blossums, which have an unpleasant odor;  some critters eat the fruit. And many people hate it anyway; those thorns are brutal.

In my experience it burns and coals up just like rock maple though you want a hydraulic splitter to take on that curvy grain.

[WhitePineJunky]

 

 

[SwampDonkey]

Yup, hawthorn. There's 30 known species in Canada. Yours looks like Quebec Hawthorn Crataegus submollis perhaps?

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/crataegus/submollis

[KEC]

When hawthorn grows in a cow pasture the cows will browse the outer branches and "sculpt" it into different shapes and cause it to grow very dense. Smack in the middle of the center of it where it branches out the thorns are THICK. This is where Brown Thrashers like to put their nest and if a predator wants to raid it, it will be painfull. Many other birds nest in the branches. Robins, Mockingbirds, Eastern Kingbirds and others.

[SwampDonkey]

They are scarce around here, I've only seen 2 spindly ones here in the shade of trees. Up at mom's father's they were as common as popple trees. That and the staghorn sumac. No sumac here on the place at all. :D

[WhitePineJunky]

Yup, hawthorn. There's 30 known species in Canada. Yours looks like Quebec Hawthorn Crataegus submollis perhaps?

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/crataegus/submollis

Hope I can find out the specific one. I do not like these "trees" though lol. I have zero on my land but this was on a neighbours place I was working on, was a horse pasture and hay field up until 50 years ago, they're everywhere, and owner hates them so was my pleasure to cut them out. 

[SwampDonkey]

They are nasty for sure, especially in a tractor or truck tire. :D

A word from Bernstein. ;D

Thornapple tree - YouTube

[KEC]

The Staghorn Sumac is another that many people love to hate. But...deer and cottontail rabbits browse it in the winter and at least 30 species of birds eat the seeds in winter when many other foods are scarce. When birds come North in the Spring and the weather turns back to winter conditions the sumac is there above the snow. I once watched a flock of turkeys during some rough winter conditions feeding on sumac seeds. Some were up in the tops trying to keep their balance on the swaying limbs while the smarter ones were down below eating seeds that fell in the snow.

[SwampDonkey]

I like the fall colors and the flowering stage. Up here the turkeys eat a lot of burdock in winter, their feathers are covered in burs, spreading the seeds around for everyone. I've seen people confuse the bigger ones for butternut. I've seen them 6" in diameter, a know an old WW2 vet that had one milled for lumber. Made small boxes with it. Looks a lot like cherry. ;)

[KEC]

SD, What tree do you say looks like cherry? Staghorn Sumac wood is green.

[SwampDonkey]

I agree fresh cut sumac is greenish, yes. Once it oxidizes and has a finish it ain't green.

[Bnew17]

Look under a recent topic I posted. It has been 2 weeks and I still haven't had any replies to it yet  :D , but I believe the tree in your picture is the same as mine, a Hawthorn. I did not look closely at the limbs on my tree, but they do typically have pretty nasty thorns on them. I have several Mayhaw trees at my house,,,,which are in the Hawthorn family, and they have thorns like that as well.

[beenthere]

Referring to this topic?

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=122255.msg1982301#msg1982301