Possible Tree of Heaven ID help please

[FTG-05]

Are these two trees the notorious Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). The third pic shows the millions of little "helicopter" seeds that were near the bases of both trees.

Thanks,

(broken image removed) (broken image removed) (broken image removed)

 

[j7art2]

Helicopter leaves is a sign of maple. There are many species of maple, that's one of them.

 

[Oldman47]

Ash also reproduce using samaras. It is not exclusive to maples.

 

[j7art2]

The more you know.

Either or is golden for burning though. I don't recognize the bark as ash, but then again, all of the ash here has signs of EAB.

 

[Oldman47]

I don't ID it as ash either. It is just another species that I knew off hand reproduced using samaras, just as an example.

 

[j7art2]

This it? Red Maple?

http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/acru.html

Moss on the bark indicator, helicopters... I'd gander it's Red Maple.

 

[Oldman47]

Could be based on comparing his picture to the picture of a medium sized tree with lichen on the bark. The picture from the OP also has some cracks in the bark that I do not see in your example though. Maybe in transition from medium to large with the more flaky looking bark.

 

[Plow Boy]

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) have a papery wing on either side of their seeds.

Maples have winged seeds which float in a spiraling motion to the ground

Elms (Ulmus spp.) and hoptrees (Ptelea trifoliata) have seeds in the center of a round to oval wing.

 

[FTG-05]

Well, I guess I better take these two of the "to be chopped down" list until I can get one of the state foresters to come out and make a definitive id.

That's ok, I've got plenty of standing dead, broken, crooked or wolf trees I can take down. Gotta finish '16-'17 and start on '17-'18!

 

[Wood Duck]

I can't tell what type of tree it is from the photos. Can you post a photo of the branches? Especially a close-up of a twig or branch.

 

[FTG-05]

I can't tell what type of tree it is from the photos. Can you post a photo of the branches? Especially a close-up of a twig or branch.

It's pretty foggy right now plus the tree branches are pretty high up, but I'll see what I can do.

Thanks,

 

[Wood Duck]

In the original picture the trunk is almost completely covered in lichens, so you can hardly see the bark. That makes it tough to ID.

 

[FTG-05]

Both are Hackberry.

Had one of the TN Forestors over yesterday doing an inspection and assessment of my wooded forest acreage. Definitely not ToH.

The little seed pods are from the planted stand of Poplars that are not far off from where these two trees are.

Thanks,

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Both are Hackberry.

Had one of the TN Forestors over yesterday doing an inspection and assessment of my wooded forest acreage. Definitely not ToH.

The little seed pods are from the planted stand of Poplars that are not far off from where these two trees are.

Thanks,

That's MUCH BETTER than if they were Ailanthus

 

[Applesister]

So you were gonna cut the TOH but now?
Are you gonna cut the hackberry?

 

[FTG-05]

That's MUCH BETTER than if they were Ailanthus

Yes it is. But I still have a bunch of it elsewhere on my property that I need to start killing. As soon as it warms up, I'll be using it for 2016/2017 wood.

So you were gonna cut the TOH but now?
Are you gonna cut the hackberry?

After spending an hour or so with the TN forester, I now know how to definitely ID ToH. My first priority for my woods/forest is eradication of it.

I haven't decided on the final fate of the two Hackberrys. While they are not ToH, they are both crooked and of little economic use or value, so the decision to cut them down will depend on other factors i.e. they are in the way, pose a risk to my shop or truck due to storm damage etc. One major branch fell off of one of them during the last ice storm we had come through here.