Name that Tree Contest
I’m finding myself completely frustrated over the fact that, being such a tree nut, I had such a hard time figuring out what type of tree this is. I’m offering a $10 Amazon gift card to the next person who figures it out, or at least comes the closest. It is an absolutely beautiful tree when full grown. Most of the dark green leaves are similar to maple in size and shape, though some are more rounded. It also has very soft bright white “fuzz” completely covering the back of the leaves and also covering young branches and stems. I’ve only ever seen two full grown trees of this type in our area, and they both grow with in 200 ft. of each other. If you were to simply glance at the tree you would immediately think of a birch tree, with white bark spotted with dark black marks. It is extremely resilient. It grows in a flood prone area with poor draining soil. I’ve also seen it be brutally pruned, or have severe weather damage, only to come back looking absolutely gorgeous the next year. This is also posted on Decloned.com, a family site, so be sure to check out any clues or suggestions posted there.
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POSTED IN: Trees
8 opinions for Name that Tree Contest
Dave Zumeta
Aug 3, 2007 at 12:59 pm
The tree you describe is probably a London Plane Tree, generally considered to be a hybrid between the American Sycamore (a common eastern deciduous tree that occurs as far northwest as Iowa, but not in Minnesota) and a closely related species from Asia (Platanus orientalis). London Plane Tree is a common ornamental in the eastern U.S. Try googling on London Plane Tree, American Sycamore, and Platanus orientalis to get information relevant to the tree you describe. Note that the leaf shape can vary a fair amount, so photos on web sites may not be exactly like the leaves in the photo you posted.
Dave Zumeta, Executive Director
Minnesota Forest Resources Council
Rebecca
Aug 7, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Alas, it is not a London Plane Tree. Though a very good guess since the leaf shape is so similar. I wondered for a long time if the mysterious tree was a hybrid, since I couldn’t find it any where, but it is not. So again, good guess. The bark is pretty solid and does not peel away, which rules out the London Plane. The tree in question has a creamy white colored top bark with dark marks revealed beneath. (I’ll try to get a picture of the whole tree up soon!) On older trees the bark may turn dark and rough, but still no peeling. Also, the leaves are a darker green than the Plane. Keep on guessing!
What Tree is This? August Contest
Aug 18, 2007 at 5:16 am
[…] help you identify it. Pictures of the leaves and more descriptions of the tree can be seen in the original post. The answer will be revealed at the end of August. The person who guesses correctly will receive an […]
gw
Aug 19, 2007 at 7:25 am
Do you want us to post our findings in a comment, or e-mail you directly so as not to spoil the fun. I had an idea of what it might be, checked with some folks who would know for sure, and they found a European species that fits the bill. They said it’s very invasive, so you may see a grove develop there. :)
Rebecca
Aug 22, 2007 at 1:59 am
It is invasive! Little tiny trees bud up from the roots of these two all over the place! It’s like a tiny forest. They get mowed down though, but that doesn’t slow them much. They keep sprouting up.
Lori Davidson
Aug 28, 2007 at 11:32 am
This appears to be a silver poplar. We had these growing everywhere at our first house we owned about 30 years ago. The bark is white with diamond like pattern, and they sucker everywhere.
SherinSan
Aug 31, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I think it is a White Poplar. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Poplar
Rebecca Lehman
Sep 1, 2007 at 2:00 am
Check out the answer and the winner here:
http://www.motherearthsgarden.com/name-that-tree-august-contest-winner/
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