mystery tree ID - pics here

[snedeker]

I thought I new every tree in Pennsylvania but I found a cluster of specimens along the edge of a church parking lot, while dog walking., that has me stumped.  I'l go back and take a couple pics of the bark and leaves tonight.  A full size tree, has dark green broad-ovate leaves that are shiny.  Sort of like beech. Bark is smooth and resembles sycamore where the bark has scaled away and its bare.  Couldn't tell if leaves were alternate or opposite.  More later.

Dave

[snedeker]

pics.  Leaves are alternate.  about 3x2", slightly serate, some leaves in whorls, sort of like with Tupelo (black gum, Nyssa sylvatica) but that has rough bark



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[Pat B]

Dave, I don't know!   Maybe Hillbilly will.   Does it have a flower or fruit?     Pat

[Hillbilly]

Dave, it looks like some kind of apple/crabapple/pear. A couple of cherries look kind of like that, but I can't see the characteristic paired glands on the petioles that cherries usually have. My closest guess from the pics would be a crabapple or something related. Like Pat said, if there are any flowers, fruit, etc, that would help.

[snedeker]

must be past flowering time.  I didn't see fruits but I'll check again.  I pressed a good size twig and leaf sample and my botanist pal is going to ID eventually when he can get to it.

Its on a woods edge next to a church parking lot in what is otherwise a residential area.  the woods are a sort of a waste area no-man's land between highway and subdivision.   Something in the Rosaceae is not a bad thought with those leaves.  Maybe some ornamental hybrid spread by bird digestive power.

[sailordad]

looks an awfull lot like my neighbors crabapple tree


                                                                                   tim

[GraemeK]

Looks like a "Manchurian Pear " or one of that family -- there are a few and the are often planted as landscape trees -- if it is you would not see any flowers since they come very early in spring and las only a few days, then if they set you get a few smaller than cherry brown fruit but they often only have a few on the entire tree and the critters like to eat them.

Graeme

[snedeker]

Hey, thanks