Tree ID ??

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el_d

el_d

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Joined
Apr 26, 2007
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3,368
Location
Lockhart, Tx, USA.
Got a few of these trees on my land not sure what they are, havent taken any down to take a look inside yet either. Would anyone know what this tree is? Bark is "flaking" off and has a kinda smooth feel underneathe.


Thanks.
 
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The flaking bark looks something like sycamore. Is it whitish where the bark has peeled off the upper branches? Are most of them growing near ditches, low areas and other water sources?
 
Branches don't look right for a sycamore. They usually have little ball shaped areas where the multipule smaller branches tie together. Can't help with the ID though, sorry. Might be a soft maple variety, but don't think so.
 
Yeah Gerry kinda low area where water runs durring heavy rain. They are growing in densly populated areas with my Elms(I think there Elms). I think they do have a lighter color under the bark......
 
Could they be Crepe Myrtle? If they have long whip like new branches with very colorful frilly edged flowers in either white or red I would say Crepe Myrtle.

Here in GA - and else where I would imagine - we cut last years limbs off and leave the main trunk. This shapes the tree for next season. The tree replaces the branches elsewhere and seals off the cut wound, thus all the knot like thingies you see all up and down the trunk. The bark sheds easily if messed with and often the new exposed areas are greenish then turn to light brown in a day or two.

BTW, the wood is rather brittle, but the newer limbs make excellent 'switches ... DAMHIK as the memories are not all that fond ... :eek:
 
No whip like branches, and I havent noticed it flowering. I will get pics of the leaves/branches and post them.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
el_d said:
No whip like branches, and I havent noticed it flowering. I will get pics of the leaves/branches and post them.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If they are the sycamores of my childhood memories, they will have little seed balls hanging on them by mid summer... the bark flakes off in large chunks and the leaves will be relatively large, about the size of your opened hand. I don't remember the actual shape of the leaves, but thinking similar to a maple.

This is the link to wikipedia's article on them.. if you can believe wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus_occidentalis

Another look at the American Sycamore.
I'm only vaguely familiar with where Lockhart is in Texas, but this is the tree from my area - the Bi-stone area of Texas... 40-60 miles due south of the Dallas/Ft Worth area
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus_occidentalis
 
Get a pic of the leaf, it will tell for sure. I don't think it is Sycamore as they grow in abundance all around here. Do you plan to cut it for the burling? Might be some pretty stuff.
 
No Leaves yet, the branches are still bear.
Leaning towards it not being a sycamore, never seen any hangy balls near the thing, my grandmother had a sycamore in her front yard and the bark does peel like it but my trees leaves are smaller.
I do want to cut it down for the burl, and to get it out of the way, but I have other things I can do right now, Ill try to let the burl get a little bigger. I got a butload of others I can clear anyway.


They are growing at the base of a hill kinda like a dry runnoff, very thick n dense growth. I dont think I have ever cut one down so Im not sure what color the wood is.
 
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