Northern Hackberry, Dwarf Hackberry or Other?

[Realstone]

My new next door neighbours want me to cut down a berry bearing tree that is obstructing their view (and giving the local squirrels access to my roof ). No problem says I, but I'd like to ID it first. It wasn't easy, the leaves are shaped differently depending on where on the tree you are looking. They grow in leaflet whorls, as simple leaves in opposite formation but mostly as simple alternate leaves. My Peterson Eastern Trees Guide suggests either a Northern Hackberry, a Dwarf Hackberry (my guess) or maybe even a Fire (Pin) Cherry. Here are the pics: Any ideas?

 

[Ralphie Boy]

It does not look like any hackberry I've got in my stacks. I would guess some type of cherry. The hackberry trees here have much smaller berries that what you show in your photos. Also, the bark looks more "flakey" than the the warty hackberry. Nothing else looks like a hackberry....

 

[fishingpol]

The bark and the suckers at the base look like apple. The fruit looks like crabapple to me. Good wood if so, it just needs time to season.

 

[Ironwood]

My guess would be crabapple. We have a crabapple on our property that is a match.

 

[muncybob]

Crabapple. We have a few and it's identical.

 

[ScotO]

Yep I'm agreeing with the others...that's a crabapple. They have some very dense grain, make fantastic cooking wood (I like using it for turnings on the lathe, then take the leftover slivers and use them in the smoker). Great wood, smells awesome when burning.

 

[fireview2788]

Crabapple.

fv

 

[Realstone]

Those berries in the pics are ~1/4" and the fruit is pithy, almost woody with a stone in the centre. Would you still suggest crabapple?

 

[ScotO]

Those berries in the pics are ~1/4" and the fruit is pithy, almost woody with a stone in the centre. Would you still suggest crabapple?

Those fruits are probably not fully mature yet, I looked at cherry trees and those clusters of fruits and it really looks like a crabapple. Are the fruits clustered together or are they on their own (each fruit has it's own spot on the limb)? You say they have pits, crabapples do NOT have pits. That would point towards some kind of ornamental cherry tree IMHO.

 

[Realstone]

Those fruits are probably not fully mature yet, I looked at cherry trees and those clusters of fruits and it really looks like a crabapple. Are the fruits clustered together or are they on their own (each fruit has it's own spot on the limb)? You say they have pits, crabapples do NOT have pits. That would point towards some kind of ornamental cherry tree IMHO.

Clustered, and the fruit has seeds, not a pit as I first thought. My wife reminded me that in the spring it blooms with a multitude of very fragrant fuscia coloured flowers that smell reminiscent to, but not exactly like, lilac. It also blooms the same time as lilac which made her wonder if it is in the same family as a lilac. I'm thinking the same as you; ornamental cherry or some other kind of ornamental tree.

But it's coming down next week