Need help identifying this tree

[Edgar]

A tree in my neighbor's yard died a few years ago & recently collapsed due to heavy rains and no remaining root support. Unfortunately, I wasn't into tree identification while it was alive and my neighbor doesn't know what it was either.

I cut it up for them and they let me have all I wanted, so I took everything that was at least 3" in diameter. It was about 15-20 feet tall and had two side-by-side trunks.

Here's some photos of the two trunks, a couple of limb pieces with an end view of one and some small slabs that I cut from one of the limbs. The wood really is pretty and those gnarly trunks look promising, so I'd like to know what it is.

Thanks for your help
Edgar

 

[mark james]

Sassafras... (This is a game right, )

 

[Cwalker935]

Looks similar to an apple or a wild cherry. What does the bark look like on the smaller limbs, do you have any that aren't covered in lichen?

 

[glenspens]

down & dead

 

[D.Oliver]

Sassafras... (This is a game right, )

Well if it's a game, I'm going with Weeping Fig.

 

[nativewooder]

Recently retired Texas hardwood?!:biggrin:

 

[Edgar]

Not a game this time - I honestly don't know.

Apple is possible - our neighbors are just renting & have lived there for a couple of years. I think it was already dead or nearly so when they moved in. She said that the owner told them that he thought it was some kind of citrus, but it was planted by a previous owner, so he wasn't sure. I don't think it's pear though - the tree shape didn't look like pear.

I'll shoot some more photos of the smaller limbs, but I'm not sure if there's much that isn't covered with lichen.

 

[1080Wayne]

A sanded end grain shot might help , but it is difficult to impossible to distinguish between fruitwoods

 

[Edgar]

A sanded end grain shot might help , but it is difficult to impossible to distinguish between fruitwoods

No problem - the ends are all sealed, but I'll slice off a small piece & sand it for a photo.

 

[terry q]

Apple would be a good guess. Does it have a sour smell when cutting?

 

[Edgar]

Apple would be a good guess. Does it have a sour smell when cutting?

Didn't notice one, but then my sniffer isn't the keenest.
I'll watch for it when I slice off a piece for a better end grain photo.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I'm guessing that it's some form of cherry... the bark looks a lot like the tree growing at the end of my porch... the pinkish wood also says cherry and it will have a sweet smell to it when you cut it.

Don't think it's apple as the apple I've had and turned didn't have the pinkish color.

 

[Edgar]

I don't know if these will help, but here's a few more photos.

Almost all of the limbs are covered with lichen. This limb has a small area that's relatively lichen free.

I also sanded the end of a limb, the end of a slab and the surface of that slab.

Chuck, I have my doubts about it being apple also, but I'm just not very familiar with citrus woods.

 

[robutacion]

Well, my first impression was also and Apple tree, I have no doubt that is a fruit tree and appart from the Apple tree, the only other fruit tree that I know that produces a cross cut section with the heartwood growing in such configuration, like this



and that is the Plum tree, one of many possible, Cherry-Plum tree is a possibility...!

Good luck,

Cheers
George

 

[1080Wayne]

Probably American plum . Would have had 1 1/2 - 2 inch long very sharp thorns .

 

[low_48]

I also vote plum. Those slight purples in the color give it away.

 

[Edgar]

Thanks everyone for all your help. I'm going to label this one as "probably plum". That was my semi-educated guess as well, but I didn't want to prejudice anyone's thinking.

I highly doubt if it's cherry or apple as they are rarely planted in these parts. We just don't have enough annual chilling hours for any of the high quality and popular varieties to do well. There are a couple of varieties of cherry & apple that have been developed for low chill hour environments, but they haven't really caught on much. People do sometimes plant some of the popular apple varieties like Granny Smith & others for ornamental purposes, but even that is rare.

Fruits like orange, grapefruit, lemon, plum, loquat and pear do quite well in this area and there are quite a few of each of these around here, so I think it is most likely one of those and plum does seem to be the most probable.

I don't think it's American plum or any of the other wild plum varieties though. This tree did not have any thorns and was in a prominent place in the front yard, so it was probably planted intentionally and was likely one of the half dozen or so plum varieties that does well in this area - which one though is anyone's guess.

Wild plums in Texas are usually the Mexican Plum. I don't think that I have any of them on my farms though - they generally grow a little outside of our area.

Thanks
Edgar

 

[The Penguin]

Sassafras... (This is a game right, )

Well if it's a game, I'm going with Weeping Fig.

Hills Weeping Fig if you're going to be guessing

looks kinda like a plum tree that I had in my backyard when I moved in. Not sure exact variety, going off what previous owner told me. I have a huge ash tree also - it blocked the sun from the plum and likely contributed to it's demise.

 

[Woodkiller]

It looks like what we call an ornamental plum around here. The plums get about quarter sized but taste pretty good. I have one in my yard and it looks like that.