Two trees I need help to ID please.

[lebhuntfish]

The first tree, if it's good bow wood then I'm going to cut it asap because Dad wants clean up the fence row.

The second tree, just not sure what it is. Any help would be great, thanks. Patrick

[Jim Davis]

First one looks like elm. Couldn't say what sort.

Jim Davis

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks Jim! I was hoping someone would say that. It would make great sapling staves. Patrick

[Hrothgar]

Agree elm on the first tree; the second I think is pecan??

[dylanholderman]

i agree the first one looks like a elm, second one is a crab apple maybe? 

[okie64]

Elm on the first one. Not sure on the second one, some kinda fruit tree

[Pat B]

The second is a plum , crab apple or other similar fruit.  I'd try it for bow wood.

[DC]

Can you cut open the fruit and see what's in it?

[DavidV]

First is an Elm, I'd need the twigs to see what kind it is. Second is either black cherry (Prunus serotina), American Plum (prunus americana) or one of the varieties of wild plum (prunus spp.) That's all we have in this area. I'm pretty sure it's one of the types of plum though.

Edit: I just got my ID textbook out, the first one is american elm.

[vtbow]

The spurs and fruit on the second look kinda like pear to me -- I'd like to see the form of the tree and bark. The leaves do look a little like a stone fruit though, so might go with a plum vote. Tough doing online what would go quickly in real life!

[Spotted Dog]

I would say the second is a plum. I had some like that at my dads place. Beautiful wood.
Never had anything big enough for a bow. That happens when you keep them pruned back.

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks very much for the replies fellas! I was pretty sure that the first was elm (American elm, thanks David). The second one my dad wants to keep for now. But now with all your help I'm pretty sure it's a wild plum. They are both pretty young trees. There is three of the elms and 4 of the possible wild plums. If he decides to cut any of the plum it is to small for bows. Maybe a billit. But the elm is perfect! Thanks very much again, Patrick

[joachimM]

Just as a reminder to recognize those trees:

elm always has doubly serrated (each tooth is in turn toothed with one or more smaller teeth) singular leaves, fish-bone branching leaf veins, and an asymmetric leaf basis. These traits show very well in the pics here. Moreover, the branching pattern is also fish-bone like, more or less all twigs of the same branch in a single plane (helps you to ID them in winter).
http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/ulpa100106.jpg
http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/ulpa100102.jpg

Pecan has pinnate leaves, whereas the leaves shown in the second pic are singular. When you crush the leaves, they have a typical walnut-like smell (same for hickory and walnuts; for those who don't know the smell of fresh walnut leaves: reminiscent of a dry sherry).


Plum (which this indeed is) has singular, finely serrated leaves, and has at the stalk-leaf transition little round paired glands (barely visible in the enlarged photobucket pic).
When you crush these leaves, or rip a bit of the bark-cambium, you get an acidic almond-like smell, caused by prunasin or a similar compound like amygdalin (toxic but volatile cyanogenic glycosides).

Joachim

[lebhuntfish]

Thanks  joachimM! That is an excellent explanation! Very helpful. Patrick

[bushboy]

I'd cut peel and seal asap that elm,cut some over the weekend and the bark is getting pretty tough up north here.