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What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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Posted by slimwhitman 5b Kansas City (My Page) on Thu, Nov 5, 09 at 16:11
| I know people ask this question all the time….but this one is a hard one.
I found this one in Kansas City. An exposed suburban site with irrigation. It was about 14 feet tall and looking to have been planted about 10-15 years ago. Looks like it might be maxed out in height. I search for fruit…found none. I have ruled out any Prunus, Nyssa or Malus. I have not ruled out a Viburnum or Euonymus. This photo was taken 2 weeks ago. I plan to go back in the spring to see if it flowers.
Any of you have any guesses? Remember that this is Kansas! Zone 5b and brutal compared to the east coast. I was amazed to see such fiery red fall color and blemish-free foliage.
Photos:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2802/4078134957_6129ca780a_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2696/4078135023_164c4aeefc_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2776/4078889972_e8223fb225_b.jpg |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| You can rule out Viburnum because the leaves are alternate, not opposite. Looks like it might be a persimmon, but I can't say the bark is quite right for it. Beautiful indeed. |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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- Posted by hortster 6A, southcentral KS (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 5, 09 at 16:36
Looks like blackgum or tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica. Dependably bright red in fall, rivals burningbush! Slow grower, likes moist soil.
hortster |
Not either of those.
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Not a Persimmon. I know those well. Bark is way off.
Not a Blackgum. I own one of those and know it very well.
Keep trying..... |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| I have no idea what it is, but it's a gorgeous tree! |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 5, 09 at 17:41
| Leaves, twigs and buds look like those of Nyssa in these pictures. Since other kinds of trees produce variants with corky bark perhaps that is the case here. |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| How did you rule out Nyssa? |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| It really looks like a nyssa except the trunk. I am not too familiar w/ the trunks of smaller nyssa sylvatica's though. Would a Nyssa sinensis grow up there? |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| I only ruled out Nyssa because of the bark and the density of the crown. Maybe I am wrong? |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| That is indeed a gorgeous plant! I suspect Nyssa as well but the trunk is definitely not typical for them. I have a pic of a young Nyssa in full color from November 2006 that is a fairly close shot of leaves(although not nearly as nice as yours) with the trunk in the more distant background. See what everyone thinks of it compared to your plant. 
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RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| Nyssa my first guess as well, haven't pulled down any books yet to see if there is one without spatulate lvs. Maybe after coffee and the kid gets off to school. Dan |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| Reading through the description of Nyssa in Dirr he says leaves are "...ovate, obovate or elliptic.......". His decription of bark says "....terrific variation in bark color, texture and form...." |
Nyssa...it is.
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| Thanks for everyone's attempts to give me an answer. It looks like Nyssa is the answer. The bark really threw me, but after looking at more photos of Nyssa and seeing Dirr's note that the bark can be variable...even scaly, it seems Nyssa is the answer. This tree is much denser and squat that other Nyssa trees I know. |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| Someone once told me "if it has the characteristics of a Nyssa and you can't identify it to something else, it is a Nyssa." I took that to mean that there was some variability. |
RE: What is this small tree? (This is a hard one!)
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| Nyssa is my guess as well. |
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