New and Unread Tree-Mails
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Central Ohio  wallyblackburn May 15, 2019 12:41 PM CST |
This little tree is growing in the shade of an evergreen on the edge of my woods - along my driveway. The leaves have a shiny look. I tore out the asian honeysuckle that was crowding it to try to get a better pic. It defies identification by the "answer questions roadmap" sort of stuff. Any help appreciated!     |
Name: John Scott County, KY (Zone 5b) You can't have too many viburnums..              ViburnumValley May 15, 2019 4:43 PM CST |
| My favorite tree to stump steadfast plant geeks: Nyssa sylvatica - the native Blackgum or Black Tupelo, or if you are from Martha's Vineyard off the Cape...Beetlebung. It revels in its innocuousness, looking like everything else and nothing. You will be amply rewarded for demolishing the honeysuckle and freeing this specimen to live long and prosper. John |
Central Ohio wallyblackburn May 15, 2019 5:44 PM CST |
ViburnumValley said:My favorite tree to stump steadfast plant geeks: Nyssa sylvatica - the native Blackgum or Black Tupelo, or if you are from Martha's Vineyard off the Cape...Beetlebung. Wow! Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but how sure are you of that? Any other pics I could provide that would make you more sure? I mean, how in the world did that end up here? Thanks, Wally |
Name: Lin Vosbury Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)         plantladylin May 15, 2019 6:07 PM CST |
| I'm not good at identifying trees but here's the link to our database entry for Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) that John suggested: And a few database photos from the database for comparison: ~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt! ~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot! |
Name: Sally central Maryland Seriously addicted to kettle chips.          sallyg May 15, 2019 6:36 PM CST |
| It is widespread across about 2/3 of the US. Why would it not be there? https://plants.usda.gov/core/p... i'm pretty OK today, how are you? ;^) |
Central Ohio wallyblackburn May 16, 2019 7:03 AM CST |
sallyg said:It is widespread across about 2/3 of the US. Why would it not be there? Guess I figured if it was hard to ID it must be rare. Oops... |
Name: Sally central Maryland Seriously addicted to kettle chips. sallyg May 16, 2019 8:58 AM CST |
| I'm no tree ID key pro, trust me! Can be frustrating. But the more you get to know individual species, the more of them you will find. This one has some unique features that may be in description but not easy for a key = scarlet red fall color, thin horizontal branching.. I came across paw paw trees for the first time and thought they were rare. I've seen lots since, in familiar parks. And now I have something of an eye for them. i'm pretty OK today, how are you? ;^) |
Central Ohio wallyblackburn May 16, 2019 9:09 AM CST |
| Yes! I've now found a few others close by - a cluster. Guess a bird must have made a "deposit". We have paw paws too. We have 4 acres that was all lawn at one time and then it was left to its' own after the owner died 40ish years ago. I am constantly amazed at the variety of trees. Thanks, Wally |
Name: John Scott County, KY (Zone 5b) You can't have too many viburnums.. ViburnumValley May 16, 2019 6:10 PM CST |
| I agree with Sally - with time/experience looking at plants through various seasons, you will come to know more and more of them. Because Nyssa sylvatica forms fleshy blue fruit from its pistillate flowers (not on every tree, as Nyssa tends to be dioecious), birds relish these and will deposit them around. I suspect that there is a larger parent tree somewhere around without branches low enough for you to notice it. "Hard to identify" is often because it doesn't have a particular OUTSTANDING feature at all times. Usually, fall color is only what catches peoples' eye. Seeing it just leafed out, with no dormant buds to compare with, is often the hardest time to ID these plants with simple elliptical leaves. Put it in a tough growing position fighting with invasive honeysuckle, and it doesn't even have the chance to have the conformation of an open grown plant - which is often all you can find images of to compare with. Yes, take more pictures of the other plants you've located and post here. You can keep this thread going on through the year, if you like - and show the progression of these plants now that they can stretch unrestricted. They may have been too suppressed to have the energy to flower this year, but if they do - show those images too, and we can ID whether you have male flowers or female flowers, or both. Finally, come fall you can show us whether these will have brilliant scarlet color foliage or something in the burgundy or orangish range. John |
Name: Sally central Maryland Seriously addicted to kettle chips. sallyg May 16, 2019 8:32 PM CST |
| Persimmon- another common one I thought was not anywhere near me. Oval leaves - God's way of saying "it's not all about the leaves, silly"? i'm pretty OK today, how are you? ;^) |
Name: John Scott County, KY (Zone 5b) You can't have too many viburnums.. ViburnumValley May 17, 2019 3:01 PM CST |
| If I had to list the woody plants that many people have a hard time identifying, it would include these top three: **Nyssa sylvatica - Blackgum **Diospyros virginiana - Persimmon **Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood All have simple elliptical/oval leaves with alternate arrangement. John |
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