Another tree ID request

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newstove

Member
Mar 25, 2009
139
Central MA
I'm trying to identify this tree (it is in my neighbors yard.) This is a small offshoot of it, so it's a picture of one of the leaves. The bark is a smooth, greyish color (no pics of the bark though.)

The interesting thing is that the leaves have an almost pure white underside, and the full grown trees look like silver leaves flowing in the breeze. Pretty cool looking... ;-)

Anyone have any idea what kinds of trees these are?
 

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I thought so too - but it looks like no maple I've ever seen.

I have been searching the 'net, and the closest I can find is a White Poplar. I am pretty sure that's it, but I'm hoping someone else will have an idea.
 
White Poplar has a very smooth shiny surface, not as veined and matte as your pic. There are some Maples that have that shape of leaf but the colour you describe doesn't match. The Silver Maple is more pointed, like a Pin Oak.
 
Definitely not red maple. It really looks like the white poplar, especially the full size tree pictures are almost an exact match.
 
newstove said:
I'm trying to identify this tree (it is in my neighbors yard.) This is a small offshoot of it, so it's a picture of one of the leaves. The bark is a smooth, greyish color (no pics of the bark though.)

The interesting thing is that the leaves have an almost pure white underside, and the full grown trees look like silver leaves flowing in the breeze. Pretty cool looking... ;-)

Anyone have any idea what kinds of trees these are?

Silver maple . . . no doubt . . . or at least what we call silver maple up this way . . . Edit . . . Now I'm doubting myself . . . it sounds very much like a silver maple, but in checking the on-line tree info for trees in New England the leaves are different. Perhaps a hybrid . . . I'm still betting that there is some silver maple in it, but perhaps it has been mixed with another species for another desirable trait (as an example cherry mixed with weeping willow for a weeping cherry tree) . . .

Take a leaf and turn it over to the white/silver underside . . . most times this section will have a soft almost velveteen feel to it. Mostly used as an ornamental tree around here . . . doesn't get too big . . . a soft hardwood.
 
Definitely not a silver maple unless they grow very different in your neck of the woods.
 
norway maple



"The interesting thing is that the leaves have an almost pure white underside, and the full grown trees look like silver leaves flowing in the breeze. Pretty cool looking"

this would lead me to beleive siver maple but its not a silver.
 
I think this is a White Poplar, but the leaf looks a little odd since we are looking at a sucker or lower branch. With many species of tree, sometimes you see oddly developed leaves on the suckers (basal shoots or shoots sprouting from the roots), or lowest branches. The description of the tree - leavees with a silvery underside - sounds exactly like White Poplar and unlike most other trees, and combined with the leaf shape, which is perfect for White Poplar, see,s to clinch the ID. This definitely isn't a Silver Maple, which has deep indentations between the lobes of the leaves.

White Poplar is native to europe and could be planted anywhere in the US, so no matter where you are you really aren't out of range for this tree. it is a true poplar (Populus alba) so I bet the wood is light like aspen or cottonwood, although I don't think the o.p. was talking about cutting this tree down. Apparently this is an invasive tree in parts of the midwest, but I have never seen a wild one here in PA.
 
Definitely not Silver Maple. I have a bunch of those and these aren't even close.

I'm pretty convinced now that it is White Poplar based on the leaves, look of the tree and the way the suckers go out an grow like weeds ;-)

No intention of cutting them down, just trying to identify them. I have never seen any other trees like these in these parts at all, so theyust be somewhat rare for this area.

Thanks all. ;-)
 
Eastern Sasparilla :)
 
smokinj said:
norway maple



"The interesting thing is that the leaves have an almost pure white underside, and the full grown trees look like silver leaves flowing in the breeze. Pretty cool looking"

this would lead me to beleive siver maple but its not a silver.

Me thinx u may B right!
 
HalfwittingLEE said:
smokinj said:
norway maple

Me thinx u may B right!

Only if it is a mutant. I've got 2 Norways in my front yard and that is not even close.
 
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