I need help identifying this tree...rock or winged elm perhaps?

[Cacatch]

My pictures aren't very good at all but they are the best I could do. I cut this tree down a couple weeks ago, thinking it was rock or winged elm, but I'm not so sure at all. It was cut in southeastern Indiana...no leaves this time of year of course. But the bark is very fissured and is mostly dark grey. Some of the ridges in the bark are an inch high. Then, they level out and disappear after about 10' up the tree trunk. Here's the pics:

 
This is the big end of the largest trunk


Here a top view of the trunk laying down. It's about 9" diameter at the base. The color in the pic is very deceiving. It appears greenish here, but in reality is dark grey.


Here is a view of the top of the fallen tree. The limbs are short and they curve upward. None of them hang down or even straight out.


Here is the scar after I broke off a small twig



Any ideas much appreciated.

CP

[Cameroo]

This may not help you, but you might find it interesting.  I saw a video on youtube a few months ago with a guy that seemed to know what he's talking about.  I forget what types of trees he all covered, but I think there were 3 videos. Looking at the buds seems to be the easiest way to identify them in the winter. Here's a link to the first one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35outwAUBzk

[Hrothgar]

Would you discribe the twigs as reddish or more grey/grey-brown?

[Hrothgar]

If the bark and twigs have a reddish cast, and the leaves are slightly narrow with fairly deep teeth, its sounds like winged elm.

[beetlebailey1977]

If it is winged elm it should have the wings on the limbs and twigs.  Looks like a elm.  Bark reminds me of sweetgum.  Did it have any fruit on it?

[beetlebailey1977]

Could be Rock or slippery elm (red elm).  Going by the bark.

[osage outlaw]

Cacatch,
     What part of Southeastern IN are you from?  I'm in Switz. Co.  I've got some of those trees around my house too.  I don't know what they are either.

[Pappy]

Not sure but don't think winged elm.
   Pappy

[Marc St Louis]

The bark looks like Elm but the branches do not look like either Rock or Winged Elm.  The wood doesn't look like Elm either, Elm is ring porous.  This looks like diffuse porous wood

[Cacatch]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I got Dad to go out and look at it yesterday and he said right away that it's a sweetgum and he is pretty sure of it. So I guess it is. 66 years tend to be pretty good teachers. If there were leaves on it of course I would have known right away. That's what I get for cutting wood in winter that I'm not sure of.   

Cameroo - I haven't had a chance to check out the video yet, but I will. Thanks!

Hrothgar - The twigs are mostly reddish brown. There are no leaves to go by.
 
Beetle - Good call on the sweetgum.

Osage - I'm in Seymour Indiana. This wood was cut out closer to Westport though.

Thanks again guys!

CP

[Lombard]

Cacatch, if it is Sweet Gum, you should have no problem identifying the seed pods, as they are distinct. It is rare that they would have all fallen by now, as they cling on until early in the spring. See how the photo of the live tree is full of them. Every one I have checked is still holding the pods like that. Sweetgum will often times have cork like wings along the limbs and twigs, in Winged Elm the wings are tougher and more woody. If you do not find these pods it is unlikely that it is Sweetgum. If it is some type of Elm, you have found excellent bow wood. If it turns out to be Sweetgum, it will still make a serviceable bow if you make it longer and wider to handle the strain.  I have made several from Sweetgum. Weak in compression, excellent in tension, I firmly believe it will make an excellent backing, and have some drying for just that endeavor.

[Lombard]

I couldn't find the photos at first, found them on a disk seldom used. These show the cork like protrusions on the stems and branches.

[RidgeRunner]

Looks like a Sweet Gum to me.
Should still make a good bow.

Go back to the stump this summer.  If it is a Sweet Gum it will sprout out.  Then the leaves will tell you for sure.

David

[Cacatch]

Lombard, that's what I thought too. I didn't see anything on this tree at all - not a ball, no leaves, nothing. I too can recognize a sweetgum ball from a mile away and did not see a one anywhere. Also, I know what you mean about the winged protrusions on the twigs - didn't see any of those either. What about Blackgum? Is there a difference between it and Sweetgum?

It is already trying to bud some leaves out on the part of the tree I did not use. In a few weeks I might be able to look at a leaf and tell.

CP

[Lombard]

The leaves of Blackgum and Sweetgum are different. The Blackgum I've seen has been in areas that are fairly wet, although sometimes grows in dryer areas.