American Hornbeam (right?)

[Bobosocky]

This is in Central NY / Southern Tier.

I should take pics of the trunk, I don't have any right at this moment, but I figure some of you might know the answer to this right away -

Several smaller, I'm pretty sure, American Hornbeam are on the property. DBH 4-6", smooth beech-like trunks. Here is the pic of the leaves from a few weeks ago

Tonight I was walking around, and by a seasonal stream there is a (maybe?) huge hornbeam that grew out of the side of the riverbed. Maybe 14+" DBH. All I did was take a branch

It had similar bark to the smaller ones, ba bit more beat up, but overall smooth. I didn't know American hornbeam could get this big.

Am I identifying this tree right? I'll take more pics of the tree tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[J.Walker]

Yes it is Hornbeam and it burns great!

 

[Zale]

You are correct.

 

[Raintree]

2nd pic = black birch.

 

[Bobosocky]

2nd pic = black birch.

Wow, I missed that. Here is a pic of the trunk - I'm still guessing 14" at chest height.

 

[jefflovstrom]

We dont have hornbeam, but it looks like a white alder to me.
Jeff

 

[whitepine2]

Wow, I missed that. Here is a pic of the trunk - I'm still guessing 14" at chest height.

That bark looks more like a maple Hornbeam or what we call Snag has a rough bark much like a white oak at least the one's
around here in Ma. are. One way to really tell is cut one and try to split it I say try because it usually just shreds as it grows
spiral,we cut cords of this stuff which was used for rollers on the fishing daggers because it don't split also was used as
rollers for boats and folks used them to move houses with several would roll a very large house and not split. Good luck
if you try to split any the mall will gust bounce off in most cases.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Still looks like white alder,,
Jeff,

 

[Bobosocky]

Well, I think Raintree's right about it being black birch. I actually have a cheat sheet for my property, as it is surrounded by state land and the management plan for the area has a list of the native trees:

Native Hardwood Species
Black cherry
White ash
American beech
Basswood
Red maple
Sugar maple
Aspen (big tooth & quaking)
Northern red oak
Black oak
White oak
Chestnut oak
Yellow birch
Black birch
Shagbark hickory
Pignut hickory
Bitternut hickory
Black locust
American hornbeam (blue beech)
Eastern hop hornbeam (ironwood)
Striped maple
Shadbush Apple (various species)

Native Softwood Species
Eastern white pine
Eastern hemlock

Plantation Softwood Species
Norway spruce
Japanese larch
Scotch pine
Red pine