Who knows what kinda tree this was>

[farmkid2590]

I've been clearing fencerows and have run across this tree before, kinda a strange one. You have to break the roots or when you push them over with the excavator they will split in half almost the entire length of the tree. I haven't seen one over 10" yet. Just curious as to what the heck it is.

 

[drogueman]

Not sure but it looks a lot like gum tree. If you try to split it with an ax it will bounce right off it. To split it you have to take pieces of the sides first until you get to the middle. When the wood drys out it is only half the weight and feels like balsa wood. Burns fast and hot but has no coaling, just turns to ash.

 

[7oaks]

Very interesting question. I have the same trees on my property and many books on trees and haven't been able to identify it either. Mine are in West Virginia. So I'd like to know the answer to this myself.

The wood is very light and white, doesn't make good firewood and never seems to get more than 6-8 inches in diameter...Carl

 

[Ed*L]

Hackberry.

Ed

 

[deer slayer]

I'm going w/gum also. not sure when they produce those pesky spiked balls I always run over w/grandmas lawnmower and become a lethal weapon from the Renascence days!! took it down after awhile and that thing twisted split in all kinda crazy ways.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Might be a corky elm.

 

[Urbicide]

hackberry.

Ed

+1. Post a pic of a leaf.

 

[7oaks]

I'm going w/gum also. not sure when they produce those pesky spiked balls I always run over w/grandmas lawnmower and become a lethal weapon from the Renascence days!! took it down after awhile and that thing twisted split in all kinda crazy ways.

I don't know but my trees don't look like this gum tree! :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

...Carl

 

[7oaks]

Okay, I think hackberry is the closest so far. This is from a N. Dakota U. page but applies across a lot of the US.

www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-119.pdf

Cheers...Carl

 

[gregz]

Hackberry.

Ed

Looks like could be hackberry

 

[PA Plumber]

Looks like every Hackberry we have around here.

I'm told it's decent firewood, but have had any to try, yet.

There is a local one that I've been keeping my eye on.

 

[Peacock]

Looks like every Hackberry we have around here.

I'm told it's decent firewood, but have had any to try, yet.

There is a local one that I've been keeping my eye on.

Looks like you got that one right!!!

Hackberry is good firewood.

 

[Nature1]

My original thoughts were hackberry, but I've found it to make good firewood. It definately isn't half weight when it dries out. Most of the time when you have a tree/plant that can't be identified with a few field guides, you have yourself a non-native invasive. You might do a search on the prevalent exotics in your area.

 

[Raymond]

Ed was the first one right about this, it's for sure hackberry.

You guys ever done one in the heat of summer?
Might be the first part of the year, I don't remember but the damn trees are covered with these little hackberry dog pecker gnats, BAD...They go up your nose, on your eyeballs..BAD .

It's bad for a month or more in the summer. Shake or disturb a limb and they're thick as smoke. Look at your chest and arms and you're covered in'em.

 

[Nature1]

I've gone back thru the thread and I was mistakenly under the impression that he said it was terrible for firewood. This is why I (and I'm sure others) dismissed hackberry. It is indeed a hackberry, most likely a northern. They do get to be large trees, if given enough time.

 

[Raymond]

The limbs itself are tough in storms and all but the big crotches below give out and put a lot of food on our table.

 

[Ed*L]

I've gone back thru the thread and I was mistakenly under the impression that he said it was terrible for firewood. This is why I (and I'm sure others) dismissed hackberry. It is indeed a hackberry, most likely a northern. They do get to be large trees, if given enough time.

There is currently at least one Hackberry log in the "to be milled" pile thats close to 24" dia.
In the last few years Hackberry has been really spreading in my woods, it grows fairly fast and has resisted storm damage rather well. The largest ones are pushing 16" dbh. It's a welcome addition to the woods, hopefully replacing some of the Ash trees I'm losing.

Ed

 

[blsnelling]

I agree that it looks like Hackberry. It's hard to mistake that bark. Make good firewood too.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Ya'll need to move south and get out of that cold climate with weird trees.

 

[farmkid2590]

I thought it was Hackberry while surfing the net but most of the pictures show they have large crotches. None of the ones I have seen so far have anything but one trunk and small branches coming out of it. Almost thought it was a Hickory since it has a small dark brown dot in the very center. Seems like it almost looked like a Gum so some sort but again they showed some with crotches. So what the hell is it?