Tree Guros! What is this?

[Safira]

Tree Gurus! What is this?

*GURU* gah.

Is there anyone that knows how to tell what a tree is by its leaf? I'm trying to look up this tree in my backyard.

I live in Maryland, so mid-atlantic. Here are pictures (sorry if they're oversized)

Please ignore the mess of my backyard in that first picture. My dog is hudini at its worst and breaks my fence, and everything else to escape.

I'm trying to find out what type of tree it is, so I know if its safe or not for using branches as perches.

I'm looking around online while I'm here at work, and thought I'd recruit some help if anyone else likes doing this sort of thing.

THANK YOU in advance.

 

[Safira]

I am leaning towards Mulberry, a male tree not the female since it doesn't bear any fruit (that I've seen.) But I think males do fruit too, so now I have to see if its got berries.. Gah.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

I have mulberry trees, and the leaves do not look like that, of course, the leaves in oklahoma may look different than the leaves in maryland???? lol. IDK

 

[Safira]

I may give up and take a branch to one of the landscape/nursery places to see if they can identify it.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

That is a good idea!

 

[Safira]

I hope whatever it is, its something safe. The other trees in my yard I'm 90% sure are a form of Oak, but i'm going to have to double check that too. I want to use natural branches darn it!

 

[Cliffordsmom]

Our mulberry tree, that has been there since 1908 or something like that was soooo tall that one of the branches fell down and it ws the same size as my house. I'm still trying to think of how I (the same person that cut through the extention cord while trimming the hedges) would be able to make a playstand (or 12, because there is enough tree for that) out of it. I do not own a saw or a power drill though. lol. Come on over and take your pick of the fallen tree, just make me a playstand while your at it (wink)

 

[MickeysMom]

I'm leaning towards bur oak

 

[Safira]

I just looked up the leaves, it doesn't look like the Bur oak tree. This ones got teeth along the ridge and the shape seems different.. I hope its not an oak. I have enough oak trees!

 

[MickeysMom]

It was the closest I could find...I'll keep looking

 

[Cliffordsmom]

the picture you posted of the secone leaf looks almost like a cottonwood leaf. but the other ones dont. I have no clue, and been looking at tree pictures for the longest time. Is there a tree forum? lol. no seriously

 

[Safira]

I know, I had to stop looking because they all were starting to blend! I joined the Arbor Day forum but I need to wait till i get home to register through my home email (I can't get to it here at work.)

 

[MickeysMom]

Now I'm back to Mulberry....but it's not quite like the pics I'm finding....

hmmmm Red Mulberry?

 

[Spiritbird]

https://www.google.com/search?q=pic...6KFBMau6AGFj_lR&ved=0CFwQsAQ&biw=1127&bih=545

 

[Cliffordsmom]

oh. well I guess the wait is on. You have to let me know what it is when you find out because its driving me crazy.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

It almost looks mulberry, but the ones in my yard are very dark green and shiny. and smaller in size

 

[MikeyTN]

That's a mulberry tree!!!

 

[Safira]

Round and round the Mulberry bush, the monkey chase the weasel.

I will keep an eye out for Berrys, I never see any on it. But if it is a Mulberry tree than I think its a Red one not the white variety.

Now to turn my attention to the other giant trees in my backyard to see if they really are oak. I failed at this part of girl scouts.

 

[Cliffordsmom]

Awesome, now that tune is stuck in my head.

 

[IcyWolf]

I don't know if they offer it everywhere but the high school I went to had a field biology course. Of course I took it and part of the course was identifying native trees and now I don't remember any of it(except oak, maple and sassafras), but if your local high school has this course you could always just take a sample in to whoever teaches the class and they should be able to identify it for you. If you have kids they could always find out for you