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canadianplant

Please ID this really big, really old tree

canadianplant
10 years ago

This tree has been growing in this park for god knows how long. It survived what we call here the "green sky storm", which was a ectremely severe microburst storm in 96 which wiped out 1/4 of the cities street trees, mostly maples.

I remember going to this park, which is less them 400M from my parents house, and seeing at least 12 very old maples crashed down to the ground or litterally ripped out of the ground.

This tree, which I think may be some sort of willow survived with only one or two of the lower branches falling. Seeing how old it is i can only assume this tree has seen the worst this area has to offer and want to propagate it.

Any guess can help. I just want to know if trying to grow it from cuttings is even an option

Thans

Comments (20)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    Impossible to tell from that small a photo taken at that distance :-) To ID a deciduous tree at this time of year, one needs to see a close-up of the bark and twigs with buds. Even better to see when tree is full leaf!

    That doesn't look very willow-like to me......the form/habit is not quite right. And willows have notoriously brittle branches that fall apart easily in big storms. But there are a quite a few other trees that could grow to a considerable height - Robinia pseudoacacia, for one. That is a very tough wooded tree that can stand up to storms very well.

    Try getting a closer pic or wait until the tree leafs out and then a clean view of the foliage to confirm ID. And fwiw, most deciduous trees can be successfully started from cuttings. You just need to know the tree to determine the best time of year and best starting method.

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    the original photo is double that size. I dont like how the uploader makes them so small.

    Willow was the closest thing I can think of. I will say that the leaves dont match what I think of as willow, and definitely not black locust. The leaves arent close to the locust (but the growth habit is really similar!) The leaves are singular, like lindon (not in shape and style, just one leaf per stem) and not like ash, carya or juglans (I forget what the term is for this, compound? where the leaf stem has multiple leaves)

    Ill have to try to get some better pics, I dont live too far from that park at all...

  • mikebotann
    10 years ago

    Also, your location and Zone would help some. Before I looked at your page, I assumed you were in Canada someplace.
    Mike

  • robertz6
    10 years ago

    One picture of the trunk and bark.
    One picture of any leaves or flowers.

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The nickname helps a bit eh :P

    Im in NW ontario, zone3-4, depending on location (the location of that tree is probably a solid 4, like my yard) Ill try to get some pics today

  • mikebotann
    10 years ago

    Your Page says you're in the US. That's what had me confused.
    Mike

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here are a few pics.... still dormant.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    Hhmmmm. Not that I'm actually good at this, but if I had to guess based on your location and that picture, I'd guess a cottonwood of some kind.

  • viburnumvalley
    10 years ago

    Agree with davidrt28: trunk/bark looks a lot like Populus deltoides.

    Give us that address, and we can play the Google street view game, too.

  • Embothrium
    10 years ago

    I would have guessed willow family from the first picture. With cottonwood we are continuing in that direction.

  • Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
    10 years ago

    In Thunder Bay, I would look at Populus balsamifera (Balsam Poplar) before Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood). Either way, looks very much like Populus.

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I thought poplars that big are susceptible to breakage in storms. I never wouldve guessed that it would get this big with no damage. it never has the cotton either.

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Sorry I had to compress the other pics

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    another one

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    10 years ago

    If it's P balsamifera you should be able to smell it pretty soon as the buds start to open.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    Other than a fairly low (compared to US midwest) risk of tornados, northern Ontario probably isn't as subject to serious storm damage as you think. Not in hurricane alley, that's for sure.

    In relatively benign areas like the PNW, poplars can become large and stately trees.

  • Embothrium
    10 years ago

    You don't have to come to the PNW for there to be big poplars.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Trees Database

    This post was edited by bboy on Mon, Mar 17, 14 at 13:57

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    David - We get some nasty storms, especially in winter. We get storms with 70km sustained winds and 90km gusts off of the lake in the summer. Ive seen snow loads snap pine/spruce branches. Sure we arent tornado ally, but we get nasty storms. We are susceptible to weather bombs and wind sheer coming off of the lake. We have also gotten hit by remnants of hurricaines. We got nailed with the rest of katrina. Not as bad as toronto did mind you.

    I can see similarities between the tree im looking at and black poplar. The leaves are very close. The only thing I can see different is the growth habit from pictures. Black poplar seems to have a habit somewhat similar to ash, with upright branches. This tree as you can see in the last picture has weeping branches (which is why i was thinking willow). The first picture reminds me somewhat of an elm, at least in shape. I cant find any poplar that looks like that.

  • Embothrium
    10 years ago

    Tree is surely willow family, most likely poplar, and poplars get way bigger than this example is. It will also not be old, as poplars etc. do not get old. They do get to live all over most of the cold winter portions of North America, pretty much anywhere there is sun and moist or wet soil. Lombardy poplar and others have been planted as windbreaks for a long time, native poplars are often seen lining streams in deserts and dry plains areas, pretty much the only wild trees of much height to be seen in such environments for miles and miles.

    This post was edited by bboy on Tue, Mar 18, 14 at 1:39

  • canadianplant
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Theres tons of poplars here. The majority of them are quaking aspen. IF this tree is a poplar its definitely old, at least relatively speaking. I havnt seen one quite like that around here. Most of the big trees are pine spruce maples or one of the few american elms that survive DED.