What is this tree?

[Redwood Ryan]

Hey all,

Found this little tree growing out bakc in the woods. While I probably won't dig this tree up, there are tons around with the same leaves. Any clue as to what it may be? It has a huge trunk (3-4 inches), the beavers sawed off the top. Thanks!

 

[rockm]

It's a hickory, either shellbark, or shagbark--carya species. BAD for bonsai. Those leaves are compound and do not reduce. Individual leaves are composed of six to 10 individual leaflets.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Oh okay thanks Rock. I was afraid that's what it was. Oh well. Thanks!

 

[discusmike]

definently not shagbark,i have tons of them in my yard,they have a rough bark,with leaves that are similiar to a red oak but the tips are more rounded,they would look super cool if they would reduce,cool looking bark pattern.

 

[bougie nights]

I think it is an ash tree.

 

[Klytus]

Ashes around here are very gluttonous.sort of like a deciduous ficus.

 

[subnet_rx]

It should be fairly easy to tell if it's an ash tree, since they have alternate branching. My other thought was a hophornbeam. But, with the leaf structure in that first picture, my guess would be a bitternut (or pignut) hickory. Many young trees don't have the same bark that they do when they get older.

 

[rockm]

It is not an ash. Klytus lives across the ocean and has absolutely no knowledge of American species, and not much about European species.

This is a hickory, most likely, as RX says, a pignut or a shellbark. Both are extremely common in N. Va.

It is most definitely not a hophornbeam. Bark and leaves are wrong. So is the location--it is apparently growing on a slope. Hornbeam, both Carolina and Hop, grow in wetter bottom land, usually between ridges in hollows and/or near streams where the soil remains moist constantly. Hickory prefer drier, well drained places.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Hornbeam, both Carolina and Hop, grow in wetter bottom land, usually between ridges in hollows and/or near streams where the soil remains moist constantly. Hickory prefer drier, well drained places.

Well, this one is near a sewer drainage stream, where runoff from the roads ges down past it. Just thought I would add that in there.

 

[rockm]

Drainage goes down past it means the soil is draining. It is not in the ditch in constantly wet soil...

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Pignut_hickory/pignhick.htm

 

[sfhellwig]

As mis-stated above ash trees are opposite whereas the link Rockm posted says the hickory would be alternate. That right there would be a very determining factor, all opinions aside. I am not in their area and do not have long term experience, but the pics look very similar to the ashes I have been playing with. They also look different than the shagbark picture in the link. However we all know leaf shapes can vary pending many factors so refer back to the alternate/opposite arrangement.