# Tree identification, I'm clueless



## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Can anyone help me identify these two trees? The small one we've been growing since it sprouted, but can't for the life of me figure out what it is. It sure does propagate easily though because I pulled off one branch and stuck it in the ground and it's growing now too.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

The red stemmed one with droopy leaves is a maple of some type.
The other might be English laurel but I'm not sure. Is it evergreen or did the leaves fall off for the winter?


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Thanks for the feedback. I haven't seen any other trees in the area that have leaves like the "maple" one. We have a ton of sweet gum but it's not that. 

I'll try to get better pictures. The leaves definitely fell off that one. Last year I never noticed the flowers on it but did see what I thought were a type of nut, but turned out it was weird nests of some sorts for some type of insect. It's a fairly large tree and we seem to have a several randomly growing around here. We're in the coastal region of SC.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

I've uploaded some more pictures, and as I think about it more, that tree might not have lost it's leaves. I thought it did, but the leaves on it are pretty large considering most trees that lost their leaves are just starting to get them back in the last few weeks.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

The little ones are definitely maple, I'm just not sure which type. Sweet gum has alternately placed leaves and branches. The ones on your little trees are opposite.

The other one with the single leaves with smooth edges is the one I don't know about. It's not one commonly found in Ohio. Can you get better pictures of the flowers?


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Thank you! I looked up some red maple seedling pictures and it looks a lot like what we have. I also was looking at other posts on this forum section and saw I had posted that same tree 2 years ago and you had commented on that as well. So good news is, it's still alive  

The others in that post turned out to be weeds (pretty sure). The number of seeds I had planted there year and was trying to keep up with got quite overwhelming. 

I'll try to get a close up of the flower and will also go look at a different tree that may have better indicators. 

Thanks again

Random question...are magnolia trees hard to grow from seed? We have one super huge magnolia tree on the property, but it appears to be the only one. Surprised no other seeds have sprung in all the years.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

According to my research, some magnolias are hybrid so the seeds won't produce trees with beautiful flowers. My magnolia is a hybrid.

Also, some animals eat magnolia fruit and seed, which explains why I never find seedpods a month after the flowers drop.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

This is a southern magnolia...it's gotta be about 50ft tall. 

I've attached a few more pictures of the tree in question. The other one didn't have any leaves or flower's low enough to get a picture of. One of the pictures shows a weird green growth. Not sure if it's pre flower pods or what.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Southern magnolias can be grown from seed.
https://www.thespruce.com/what-are-bumps-on-my-star-magnolia-2132827

After spending nearly an hour looking through white flowering shrub photos, I still have no clue as to what your other plants are. Sorry.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Thanks for the link! I'll have to give that a shot later this year. 

You and me both. I spent a few hours searching every way I could think of and found nothing that fit...got closeish. Not sure if it matters, but it's a a plant. It's about a 20ft tree. Not sure if you were just using the word interchangeably or if it looked more like a smaller plant in the picture. Thanks again for the help!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Looked shrubish in the pictures. Might take another look tomorrow.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

Here's a picture of the tree. There are two next to each other with one leaning left. Two gum trees are behind them. I'm trying to figure out what they are to decide if I want to remove these or the gum.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Are all the trees you are considering inside the black pipe outline? Those are all really close. I would remove all except one, but don't keep the leaning one. Decide if you want the ones that flower or the gum and thin out the smallest and weakest.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

No, only the one leaning and the one just to the right of it are the one the pictures came from. The others in that section are sweet gum. I have a ton of sweet gum and will keep one of those there but if these others are worth keeping I'll remove the gums. I guess it just comes down to if I like those flowering ones but I've only seen them flower once and they're still small so I'm not sure what it would be like as a full tree. Wish I knew what it was


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Do the flowers have any kind of scent?


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

I forgot to check for a scent. It almost looks like this but the flower has less peddles and more filaments http://plantstoknow.blogspot.com/2014/03/module-4-week-2.html That one is a yellow flowering rhododendron, which isn't a tree either.


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

I found another one of the trees. Not much if any smell to the flower. Maybe it's supposed to be a bush that's grown into a tree? Not really but this one looks a lot more full.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I was thinking it was a bush or shrub, not a tree. Since you have another I would probably remove the ones in the other spot. Keep that last one, it is pretty.

Try looking up sweetleaf tree, it looks pretty close.
https://www.carolinanature.com/trees/syti.html


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## chsdiyer (Feb 18, 2017)

By golly I think you found it. That exactly like what I have! Thank you!! 

Unfortunately the last one I posted is right on the side of the road. I'm going to thin out around the other couple that I have around the house and see if they'll start looking healthier. I certainly have a lot of gums so no loss there.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Glad I was able to help. I was surprised it was so hard to track down. It looks like a very nice tree.


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