It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 6:23 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:39 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
I am trying to identify a tree. I am in Central Florida, Leesburg. It is in a bed on the side of the house I am renting. The bark is gray with brown grooves. Ht. just above the roof of single story. New leaves pointed ovals, not shiny, veined but not deep or noticable unless close up. Leaves are thin and small. Alternate on the branch. The older leaves smaller at bottom (not fan, but widens) and very top has top point, two pts to the side and two below that, kind of crown like. Not sharp, straight down or curved in like holly. So five pts. at the tip of the leaf. Indents between pts not deep at all, very tiny, less than 1/4 in. The rest of margin smooth. No nuts, flowers or fruit. The leaves are not all regular. Some are like a half of a leaf just plain irregular. The anoles like it and so does the black racer (prob. because of the anoles). The branches grow out and start at the base and some almost as thick as main trunk. The main trunk is maybe 3-4" in diam. and it's regular branches really start about 4 ft up. It may be because of the location (sun, soil etc) but there are very few leaves on the inner part of the branches and branches (really twig like) off the main branches. The grooves in the bark are vertical. That's all I can think of.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 8:39 pm 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:09 pm
Posts: 1917
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
Please post photos - closer of the leaves (with a ruler or hand or something for scale) and of the entire tree. I'm sure your description is accurate, but I have about three different trees in my minds' eye when I read it.

Thanks!

_________________
Northwesterner


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
Thank you very much for your response. Right this minute I don't have a charger, so I can't get a picture. That's why I tried to give so much detail. If I could have drawn or traced a leaf I would have. If you could provide the 3 trees maybe I can find a photo that will help me confirm. I've gone to at least a dozen websites and looked at hundreds of trees. Nothing looked the same. It may be that this is in fact some kind of fruit bearing or flowering tree but still too young or stunted because of location etc. I didn't look at those as closely. Most seemed to have waxy and uniform leaves. I've lived here for about 3 1/2 years and nothing has changed except growth. I don't know how old it actually is though. Hopefully I will receive my new charger shortly, but in the meantime your suggestions would be helpful. I'm grateful for your response. Thank you.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:18 pm 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:09 pm
Posts: 1917
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
This is an angiosperm (leaves, not needles) but do you know if it is evergreen or deciduous (loses leaves in winter).

How large (wide, long) are the leaves.

What does it kind of look like? You lose me at the "crown-like" description - there are too many kinds of crowns that no two us will visualize the same leaf.

I'm just going to throw a few out here, see if they are anything like what you're trying to describe:

Chinquapin oak
Attachment:
File comment: Chinquapin oak
qumu60714[1].jpg
qumu60714[1].jpg [ 55.38 KiB | Viewed 12597 times ]


Tulip tree

Attachment:
File comment: Yellow poplar (Tulip tree)
POPLAR_YELLOW2_leaves[1].jpg
POPLAR_YELLOW2_leaves[1].jpg [ 128.84 KiB | Viewed 12598 times ]


Sweetgum
Attachment:
File comment: Sweetgum
sweetgumleaves[1].jpg
sweetgumleaves[1].jpg [ 83.05 KiB | Viewed 12598 times ]


Basswood/Linden
Attachment:
File comment: Linden or Basswood
tilame_leaf01[1].jpg
tilame_leaf01[1].jpg [ 8.66 KiB | Viewed 12597 times ]


Do any of these have characteristics you're trying to describe?

_________________
Northwesterner


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:45 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
To start, I got out in the yard and looked at the other two large trees in the yard. Turns out a lot of what I described is entirely based on the location. These trees are full grown and away from the house with much better access to sun and water. Identical leaves. The bark is smoother. The trees are probably 25-30ft tall maybe taller. Both (and although distorted, so does the one by the house although it is at the base) have one thick branch that starts about 4 ft from the bottom. The branches grow upward in general, and the foliage is actually full. The leaves are not toothed. Even on the large trees they are small maybe an inch long and the width at the top is about a half inch. The lobes for lack of a better word are not like a maple or oak. It kind of reminds me of cilantro as far as size and how it widens at the top. Not the margins though or teeth/points. Most of my outdoor photos are still on my phone, I haven't imported in a while. I'm pretty sure now that I know the real shape I can find it. It isn't any of the 3, which is really due to the my inaccurate depiction because the tree is disformed because of its location. I realize you were going for leaf identification. I've tried a few different programs, but it is too limited because its not really any of them. It is kind of a combo. I appreciate the help though. I'm going to scan my photos and see if I can get a close up or clear zoom. Plus there was one site where I just looked at hundreds of trees for sale in Florida, and I think the Audubon Society site had a gallery of photos as well. When I figure it out now that I have a "real" tree to go by I'll post it. Just goes to show how much nature adapts to it's environment. Thanks again for the photos. Virginia


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:10 am 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:09 pm
Posts: 1917
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
Cilantro really makes it confusing!

Do the leaves have a scent when you bruise them? I use smell also during identification.

Your best bet might be to pick a handful of typical leaves and go visit a good plant nursery and ask if they can tell you what it is.

_________________
Northwesterner


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
Actually really bad example because I was basing it on the distorted tree. Just got charger. Here are the photos of the real healthier tree. Really, when I took these I realized how distorted the tree by the house was. Really almost another tree in and of itself gone wild. How do I attach the photos on this?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:08 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
I posted the tree photos on facebook. If you can acces them here is the URL

https://www.facebook.com/#!/bennie.norris/photos_albums


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 2:45 pm 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator

Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2003 1:52 pm
Posts: 2017
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
The tree whose leaves are not lobed , looks like a live oak.

_________________
Sandi
Texas Certified Nursery Professional
Texas Master Naturalist
Organic gardener
Tree-Hugger
Native Texan


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:03 pm 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:09 pm
Posts: 1917
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
I agree with Sandi, that's a live oak.

This is a Google search on Live Oak leaves. I think you'll see that while there are variations in exact shape, the leaves on your tree fit this pattern.

_________________
Northwesterner


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:58 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 6
Thank you both. The goolesearch actually had a photo where the shape is almost identical. Thanks again for your patience and help.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by eWeblife