Downed tree ID

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TheAardvark

Burning Hunk
Oct 26, 2015
247
Central PA
[Hearth.com] Downed tree ID[Hearth.com] Downed tree ID[Hearth.com] Downed tree ID

Found this blown over while out hunting. Not sure of the species. Will probably cut it up after deer season. Any ideas?
 
No expert here but I am think-in American beech. The leafs helped me.
 
I want to say Beech too. But the trunk bark seems very rough for a Beech. That has me guessing at it being a Hornbeam. There bark at least the Americsn usually isnt rough either. So my best guess is European Hornbeam. It's not an Elm based on the leaves.
 
Looks like hornbeam to me too, might be a lucky score for you, they're usually small too so its about right size.
 
Silver maple
 
IMO: Serviceberry (Amelanchier) - downy, Allegheny, or shadblow ?
Serviceberry fall leaf color ranges from from yellows with reds & oranges.
The bud scales often have hairy margins. Closeup of buds ?
Bark of young serviceberry is smooth and grey, with stripes; but as it matures breaking up - "becoming rough with long splits and furrows".
https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/images/Amelanchier arborea/bark1.jpg

Not maple: branching habit in pic is alternate, not opposite.
Hornbeam has double-serrate leaf margin. It's bark looks muscular, but really doesn't break up.
Pic 2 looks like firelight on trunk (curled bark around necrotic areas), a bacterial, vascular disease, which is limited to Rosaceae species.

If serviceberry, good burning (dense wood), but very difficult to hand split (even small rounds).
 
IMO: Serviceberry (Amelanchier) - downy, Allegheny, or shadblow ?
Serviceberry fall leaf color ranges from from yellows with reds & oranges.
The bud scales often have hairy margins. Closeup of buds ?
Bark of young serviceberry is smooth and grey, with stripes; but as it matures breaking up - "becoming rough with long splits and furrows".
https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/images/Amelanchier arborea/bark1.jpg

Not maple: branching habit in pic is alternate, not opposite.
Hornbeam has double-serrate leaf margin. It's bark looks muscular, but really doesn't break up.
Pic 2 looks like firelight on trunk (curled bark around necrotic areas), a bacterial, vascular disease, which is limited to Rosaceae species.

If serviceberry, good burning (dense wood), but very difficult to hand split (even small rounds).



Definitely looks like that. Are they common? Never seen one. Smooth Serviceberry?
 
Last edited:
IMO: Serviceberry (Amelanchier) - downy, Allegheny, or shadblow ?
Serviceberry fall leaf color ranges from from yellows with reds & oranges.
The bud scales often have hairy margins. Closeup of buds ?
Bark of young serviceberry is smooth and grey, with stripes; but as it matures breaking up - "becoming rough with long splits and furrows".
https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/images/Amelanchier arborea/bark1.jpg

Not maple: branching habit in pic is alternate, not opposite.
Hornbeam has double-serrate leaf margin. It's bark looks muscular, but really doesn't break up.
Pic 2 looks like firelight on trunk (curled bark around necrotic areas), a bacterial, vascular disease, which is limited to Rosaceae species.

If serviceberry, good burning (dense wood), but very difficult to hand split (even small rounds).
Wow....i never even heard of that before
 
Silver maple
That leaf is nothing like a maple leaf, I think we can cross that one off the list. Now serviceberry, never heard of it but could be.
 
I have not heard of serviceberry either, but @CincyBurner is usually spot on when it comes to identifying trees. If he has ever been wrong, I think it has been intentional so people think he is human...lol.
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Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
 
Serviceberry is not uncommon here in Mass. The Iroquois used to plant their corn based on when the serviceberry would start to blossom.
 
Are they common? Never seen one. Smooth Serviceberry?
Amelanchier is often common in its range. I recall seeing more of it in Allegheny/ Appalachian Mountains than in SW Ohio where I live now. It's common in early successional areas. As an understory plant - shrub/ small tree it is probably overlooked while walking through woods, especially when not flowering or fruiting. Tall, large diameter specimens seem less common in my experience.
Smooth, gray bark with stripes is a good ID, as is its hairy buds. Carpinus which is in a different family, has smooth grey bark, but its muscle-textured trunk is a good identifying characteristic for it.

Amelanchier is also a common landscape plant (single trunk, or multi-stem) with a profusion of dainty white flowers, edible fruit, and good fall color. It's definitely an underutilized fruit that ripens late May into June (hence one of its common names June berry). Some specimens super abundant with fruit, so much so, that birds can't get to all of them when they ripen (reddish blue/ dark purple with glaucous cast). It's easy to pick a Super Gulp container within 15 minutes. Treat as you would blueberries - use in pies and pancakes, preserves, compotes, or eat fresh. The small edible seeds give a hint of almond flavor.

Not sure if it's smooth serviceberry, aka Allegheny serviceberry (A. laevis). Always had a tough time differentiating between the species. Lots of different common names for serviceberry.

Wood is very dense, and makes good firewood, usually what little there is of it, but its gnarly wood is super tough to split.
 
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Not beech for sure. I was thinking hornbeam, but I'll go with Cincy Burner (who's from a great town anyway). The bark definitely looks like serviceberry.

Great post -- thanks for keeping us on our toes. I never think of serviceberry as firewood. Beautiful tree. Makes good pie (the berries).