This is the fruit/seed of a tree near a creek. I post a picture of the leaves when I get to work later today. Zone 5/6

Is anyone familiar with this tree?

Poplar?
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)

Someone ID'd this on another site:

It is Ostrya virginiana, Hophornbeam, or Ironwood Tree

Thanks.

Did the other site get more pictures such as leaves? I have Ostrya virginiana here and I don't recognize your picture. There's a picture of the seeds on this tree ID site:

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plan...

I have hop horn beam trees as well as poplar, and... I would never believe your seed pod came from the hornbeam.
They're called "hop" be cause the pods look like the pods from a hops vine.... Like you use in beer.

"By a creek" is not a likely location for ostrya to be growing...

What site gave you the hop hornbeam id?

Easy there.

I agree that the images (grainy and blurry as they may be) fit with Ostrya virginiana - Hophornbeam. I've grown and managed this species in a broad array of landscapes.

While riparian zones are not where I would plant this species (better choice is the similar appearing Carpinus caroliniana), the Hophornbeam certainly would have no compunction against growing there. Creek corridors all over central KY have this species evident, though usually not in the inundation zone. Some pictures which showed the whole plant and its growing context would resolve this question. I suspect that a closed canopy overhead and incomplete fertilization of the flower led to abbreviated seed cluster in this instance.

Here are some images of Ostrya virginiana that I know and love...

Viburnum Valley, that is the flower/seedpod, as it appears on this tree, the pods are sparse and smaller and shorter and look like hops.

Did not get the picture of the entire tree/leaves, today, too busy at work.

The tree is growing next to a creek in an understory site. The area is shaded by many large trees, including black walnut, oak and maple.

The tree was ID'd on Dave's Garden.

Leaves of the tree in question. This tree is situated in a strange area between a creek and a 8 foot tall fence... It is not a great place for any tree to grow. It is a thin tree with spindly branches that stretch over the creek.






I am sorry if my photos are not up to the quality of the discerning eye of the viewers of this forum. I did not think this was a photography forum.

You are correct, this is not the photography forum. That being said, the quality of our answers can only be as good as the quality, and quantity, of the photos offered. Judging by a single image, an answer was given. When more information was offered, a better answer was given. We are all here for the same reason - the share our love and knowledge of plants.

From these pictures I would agree it is Ostrya virginiana. The double-toothing on the leaves can be clearly seen and the fruits look more typical than the first picture.

It's not a question of being a photography forum as much as needing clear enough pictures of enough parts of a plant to be able to identify it and rule out similar plants. All we had to go on initially were two apparently identical pictures of an unclear fruit with a coin. Did you realize they were both the same picture? I would say also that the other two pictures you posted on Dave's Garden would have made it easier to identify here also.

obliqua said:Leaves of the tree in question. This tree is situated in a strange area between a creek and a 8 foot tall fence... It is not a great place for any tree to grow. It is a thin tree with spindly branches that stretch over the creek.






I am sorry if my photos are not up to the quality of the discerning eye of the viewers of this forum. I did not think this was a photography forum.

These are clearly hop hornbeam...

I'm still not convinced that the first picture was.

Thank you for posting a picture of the fruit that actually looked like what was on the tree...

Surely you will admit that the first picture looks nothing like these....

Bummer to hear that you are unhappy with the location of this fairly unusual tree... They're awfully slow growing, and unusual enough to make up for a world of unhappy placement...

Cut this tree down, and you'll never have another that large in this lifetime.

Leave it alone, and it will outlast that fence and 10 more.