Another what tree is this post?

[ecfinn]

Hi everyone,

I've gone through the resources other folks have posted and I still can't determine what tree this is so I'm hoping someone around here can help me out. The tree is located in Southeast Pennsylvania. I don't have any pictures of the fruit because it didn't have any. I've got pictures of the tree when it was downed, the bark, wood, and leaves. Any help would be appreciated. The owner of the tree said it was a walnut, but that doesn't look right at all.

Thanks,

Eric

 

[ecfinn]

More pics...

 

[ecfinn]

Final pics...

 

[ourhouse]

I am going to say hickory

 

[BrotherBart]

I am going to say hickory

I agree. I don't have a whole lot of hickorys, darn it, on the place but that looks like them.

 

[wg_bent]

Hickory!!

 

[BikeMedic2709]

Hickory. I have a-lot of these on my property. Great wood!

 

[ecfinn]

So, Hickory it is then. Was a bit concerned because the ohio site seemed to indicate this might be sumac, but I find it hard to believe someone would plant a sumac in the middle of their back-yard.

Is there a definitive website for this type of question as the ones I've found either seem to be regionally based or simply don't have many trees included in their database.

Thanks again everyone.

Eric

 

[BikeMedic2709]

Eric, I am in North-Central Ohio, and I have never seen a Sumac that big. (My property is lined with Sumac.)

 

[wg_bent]

I have bunches sumac on the property that would be tough to cut down with my 16"saw. They can get very large. Darned overgrown weeds, but if you season the wood it burns just like anything else, and it's easy to split, better wood than poplar too. I spend a lot of time killing them darned things, and they will sprout up in the middle of the lawn. That is not Sumac though. It's definitely Hickory. Only 1 or 2 other woods better than hickory too, maybe Locust.

 

[wahsega]

Butternut. Use a tree key to I.D.

 

[begreen]

Now that I've seen the tree and leaves I can say definitely not black walnut. Butternut and English Walnut are similar, though Butternut has more leaves on a stem and it usually has a very narrow sapwood area of white wood. So far I'm still sticking to English Walnut.

Butternut/English Walnut/Black Walnut leaves:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/butternut4.htm

English walnut base cut:
http://walnutwoods.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=NW&Product_Code=52-110-5L

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Most of the rounds look like Hickory to me, also. Put it this way; when you lifted them were they HEAVY (Hickory) or kind of heavy (Walnut)? Hickory is dang heavy when fresh, and also sometimes smells like "manure" when split. Walnut has it's own distinct smell. You might find it helpful to get yourself a copy of "The National Audubon Society Field Guide To North American Trees"-it has wonderful pictures of bark, leaves, fruit etc. and has helped me out many times. Check Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, etc. Good luck!

 

[pistonslap]

I agree with Warren. After cutting and splitting a large sumac, a friend told me that it wasn't a good wood to burn so I stacked what I had and didn't cut anymore. I really like sumac for starting your fire and building a fast bed of coals. It's burns too fast to be your primary heat, but it sure is good for starting. It's also good to put in with your large rounds to keep them burning. I intend to cut a cord of it this year just for that purpose.

 

[erikdhafaB]

There were butternut trees at the house where I grew up, and that does look like them to me. Ask the owner if the nuts were covered in a green, very sticky skin (kind of like flypaper). They were always a PITA to clean up before mowing. They do look like walnuts when shelled, which is probobly why he thought it was a walnut tree.

Here is an online tree identification tool:

(broken link removed)

and the section with Walnut / Butternut / Hickory:

(broken link removed)