Another Wood ID

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Heaterhunter

Member
Dec 14, 2010
207
Maine
Here's some pics of some really accessible wood near my house. 2 are down but I have included pics of standing trees which are the same right next to the downed pieces. My guess is Ash but that is probably a pipe dream and I am certainly no arborist. I just hope i'ts hardwood. Good luck and thank you.
 

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Woops, didn't include the best pic.
 

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Pretty tough photos. From the two decent (lighter) shot, I'd guess ash. Hard to tell if the twigs are opposite from the photo. If you can snap a close-up of an intact twig, that would help a lot. Cheers!
 
pics are too small to tell for sure, but could be ash... are the branches opposite or alternate?
 
I believe oposite. Is that good or bad? Someone was asking about a good tree identity website, you guys know of any? I always seem to get poor looks at trees ie. no leaves(my most positive indicator).
 
Opposite is an indicator of ash, maple, and dogwood around here. If you have opposite, you likely have ash - certainly doesn't look like a maple IMO. Cheers!
P.S. there is a sticky for links to id.
 
Thanks. Sorry I missed the sticky. It will be some time but when I get it out C/S I'll post some more pics.
 
Better pictures would be a closer look at the bark, buds, butt end of a round, and inside the wood split.
Note that many species can be identified with high confidence by looking at buds and leaf scars.
 
TreePointer said:
Better pictures would be a closer look at the bark, buds, butt end of a round, and inside the wood split.
Note that many species can be identified with high confidence by looking at buds and leaf scars.

+1!!
 
Buds(like the ones that come out in the spring?) and leaf scars(???). Just trying to get educated (sometimes this is futile) :-S
 
Heaterhunter said:
Buds(like the ones that come out in the spring?) and leaf scars(???). Just trying to get educated (sometimes this is futile) :-S

The trees actually produce buds before winter, so they should be there, barring other issues (disease, etc.).

Most people can ID a tree by leaves and bark, but what do we do in winter?
We get a copy of the Winter Tree Finder! :)

Look at the buds in these two different species:
http://cnre.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=46
http://cnre.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=41

Also read the description in the "Twig" category for each tree. Clearly different, eh?
 
Heaterhunter said:
Buds(like the ones that come out in the spring?) and leaf scars(???). Just trying to get educated (sometimes this is futile) :-S

Buds in winter are the same ones that will swell and eventually sprout into leaves in the spring. Leaf scars are places where leaves grew previously. When the leaf falls off it leaves a dent in the twig. In general, if you can get a pic of the twigs, that will help. Closer pics of the bark will help.

I think the overall branching of the tree suggests elm, while the bark looks like it might be ash, but the pics make for a tough ID. I will say that it appears to be a decent firewood tree. It doesn't apear to be willow, poplar or ailanthus, it obviously isn't a 'softwood' like pine or spruce, and I think almost everything else falls in the category 'decent firewood.'
 
Wood Duck said:
Heaterhunter said:
Buds(like the ones that come out in the spring?) and leaf scars(???). Just trying to get educated (sometimes this is futile) :-S

Buds in winter are the same ones that will swell and eventually sprout into leaves in the spring. Leaf scars are places where leaves grew previously. When the leaf falls off it leaves a dent in the twig. In general, if you can get a pic of the twigs, that will help. Closer pics of the bark will help.

I think the overall branching of the tree suggests elm, while the bark looks like it might be ash, but the pics make for a tough ID. I will say that it appears to be a decent firewood tree. It doesn't apear to be willow, poplar or ailanthus, it obviously isn't a 'softwood' like pine or spruce, and I think almost everything else falls in the category 'decent firewood.'

BINGO!
 
Music to my ears. Thanks for all the input. I can't believe that these logs haven't been bucked up yet. :p They are on a main drag in a populated area. The trees are on a powerline so I hope that the power line lawyers don't come arrest me but I plan to be done with the chainsaw in about 15 minutes, loadthem on the trailor and be gone! Wish me luck.
 
Next time I drive by I will get good pics of the twigs, buds, and leaf scars. These trees that are down may be beyond that as mentioned but I can snap photos of the standing trees. I've learned quite a bit in this thread. Thanks a bunch and I will be getting a copy of "Winter Tree Finder"!
 
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