what kind of tree is this?

[woodlumn]

Hi there,

I posted this question in the Nursery forum, but I'm afraid that was the wrong place to try.

I've got tons of this type of tree growing on my property (virginia, foothills of the blue ridge mountains), and I haven't been able to ID it.

Mostly, they are saplings, but there are many that have grown to trunk diameters upwards of four inches. They seem to grow along with thorny briar. We also have a good amount of walnut, poplar, and sycamore. (Just trying to offer some clues!)

Here are some pics, my apologies that the last one (of the bark) is out of focus:

leaves:

fruit:

bark:

Any ideas? Thank you!

 

[Dixie1]

if you are talking about the plant with the blackish/blue fruit, it looks like Chinese Privet, Ligustrum sinense

http://www.invasive.org/eastern/srs/CP_EP.html

 

[yooper]

not sure my self, heres a helpful link to tree id I use sometimes.
http://www.oplin.org/tree/leaf/byleaf.html
Them little berrys look like they would be good in jam!

 

[capetrees]

Could they be choke cherry saplings? We have them where I am growing amonst the briars all the time and do produce fruit similar ,but are more red in nature when the fruit first appears. Is the fruit in the picture part of the plant/tree in question? They actually looks like Virginia Creeper berries.

 

[BayouTree]

I think so too.

+1

Invasive exotic.

 

[Woodie]

Any chance that it could be some variety of buckthorn? They have similar berries and fruiting habits. Another clue is that the pictured plants still have their leaves after the surrounding vegation have already lost theirs.

 

[woodlumn]

thanks for you suggestions, everyone!

I don't think it's buckthorn...the photos of buckthorn bark that I have found don't look like what I've got.

I've been looking at more pics of chinese privets online, especially shots of groves...

Man, we've got an ailanthus problem on the north side of the prop and privets everywhere else!

Thanks for the leads, I'm going to go off and see what I can learn about them now!

 

[2FatGuys]

+1

Invasive exotic.

+2 - I just cut down a bunch on my property, here in NC.

 

[Log Splitter]

Yep, it's privet for sure. It's not a tree but rather a shrub that was once used as hedges in the old country estates. Now it grows wild in the woods, chokes out any hope of decent trees getting established, resprouts after it's cut to the ground, does nothing to feed deer and other wildlife, and is difficult to kill with most any herbecide that you can buy without a license. Nasty stuff, and I've got it all over my place too.