Hackberry? Not sure

[Cmd5235]

Hey everyone- saw this in the field today. Trunk is a few inches across but no taper. Hackberry? I’m in SE Pennsylvania

 

[cbroad]

At least in my area, I see some sweet gum with that kind of corky growth (not all of my local ones get that kind of bark though), also winged elm but I don't think that's what you have.

If it has a fat terminal bud, it's probably sweet gum.

 

[penumbra]

Some of those leaves look as though they could be sweet gum.

 

[Cmd5235]

Some of those leaves look as though they could be sweet gum.

Not a sweetgum. I have quite a few and know this property- no sweetgum nearby

 

[JudyB]

Not hackberry, most have smooth skin

 

[penumbra]

The best clue may be the leaves on the ground.

 

[moke]

Looks like a Sugarberry, a species of Hackberry (Celtis laevigata)

 

[cbroad]

Not a sweetgum

Yeah, I found a thread on here after I posted where you and some other people were talking about that exact corky growth on sweet gums, so you are aware of that trait. But it is honestly looking like a sweet gum to me.

If you can get back out there easily, a picture of a bud will narrow it down for sure.

 

[cbroad]

@moke
looks about right:


EDIT: Haha looks like you found the same pic

 

[rockm]

I'd be very surprised if this is a Celtis Laevigata (sugarberry). Sugarberry is a southern U.S. native tree. It doesn't grow much past Southeastern Va. While some limited individual sugarberry might be found outside that range, finding one in the woods randomly 200-300 miles outside that range in Pennsylvania is highly unlikely. That's most likely a sweetgum.

Celtis laevigata

 

[JudyB]

Well that sure is interesting, I have never seen corky growth on Sugarberry, but have never seen a mature one. I did read the link rockm posted and it says younger trees are smooth barked. That photo is very corky, the description says mature ones can have corky areas with smooth interspersed. Very cool.

 

[JudyB]

Not a sweetgum. I have quite a few and know this property- no sweetgum nearby

But I bet you have birds, lol...

 

[rockm]

Judy brings up an important point--even mature sugarberry aren't really completely covered in warty bark. It can be intermittent even on big sugarberry--even the thick cork on the pic of the sugarberry above has some open spaces between the ridges. I have seen thick cork exactly like the one in your photo on more than a few sweetgum around here. Additionally, it might be instructive to look at the branches. Sugarberry produce berries (or as botanists call them "drupes") They can persist through winter, normally reddish small berries about the size of a pea.

Winged elm is another good guess for this tree as well.

 

[penumbra]

With baited breath..........

 

[jandslegate]

But I bet you have birds, lol...

I agree. Sweetgums are quite prolific, heh.

 

[cbroad]

Took a couple pics of some of my potted wing elms for comparison:




The younger wood on these definitely have more corking, but becomes more craggy as they weather and mature.

A picture of a younger branch on the OPs should also narrow it down, at least between sweet gum and winged elm (I'm not familiar with sugarberry). The wings on winged elm are pretty hard to confuse with other trees, sweet gums start out as more warty.

 

[Cmd5235]

I'll try to get out there this week after work to grab some photos

 

[GGB]

winged elm and southern hackberry don't grow in our area. Northern hackberry is a good guess but the bark doesn't look quite right

 

[GGB]

if you can get a good photo of the twigs and buds I can tell you sure sure if it's celtis occidentalis

 

[Cmd5235]