ID This tree

[Aaron Dunham]

This tree is in the yard in my shop. I don't particularly like the looks of it, so I would like to harvest it for stock (if worthwhile). The replacement will be mesquites or other native desert trees. Not native to Arizona by the looks of it, but that's as much as I can tell. Any ideas?

[Eric Porter]

Aaron,
Based on the leaves and branch growth I would wager that it is some variety of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). My only experience with these is as ornamnetal landscape not as project stock, but I will add that they can be quite pricey.

Eric

[Travis Gauger]

I agree that it looks like a jap maple. I just bought a small one of these for in my landscaping and it was over a hundred dollars for it at the end of year close out. The one I got was in a 3 gallon bucket, so you can imagine the size, not very big but expensive. You should consider seeing if someone would want to transplant it to their yard or something. I have no idea what it looks like inside.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Don't have a clue what it is, but it looks like a good example of how not to trim a tree. It looks like the ends of the branches have just been whacked off and it caused "witches broom" (all those small limbs radiating from one spot) to form.

[Prashun Patel]

I ain't no "treeologist" but it sure doesn't look like any Japanese (or other) maple I've ever seen. Bark seems rougher. JM's don't typically branch like that either.

[alex grams]

A little off subject, but that has to be one of my biggest pet peeves ever is people who butcher trees like that (especially large oaks/sycamores and such).

For a trash tree or something that is just there, sure, but i nearly cringe when i see someone cut back a large oak like that It completely kills the beauty of what a tree is).

Please take no offense in regards if you did that to your tree, there is a difference in scrub trees and large beautiful full age trees.

*rant off*

I concur on jap maple btw.

[Travis Gauger]

I found a picture of a violin made of jap maple.

[Aaron Dunham]

Please take no offense in regards if you did that to your tree, there is a difference in scrub trees and large beautiful full age trees.

None taken, the tree was there and in that condition when I got the building. I have to agree with some of the sentiment that says the bark is too rough for a JM. The shoots coming off of the limbs are a light red/pinkish color if that is of any additional help.

[Russ Sears]

That looks like Silver Maple (Acer Saccharinum) to me although, bear in mind, I'm in the North East. It could be a species that we don't have here and there are a lot of maple species.

Silvers grow rapidly, have roots that stick up in your yard and generally make a mess.

[Joe Chritz]

Looks like a power company hack job.

It has been a lot of years since I was in landscape but I planted a lot of Japanese maples. The leaves look right but they wouldn't ever get that big here. With a real growing season and lots of sun it still could be.

Regardless I bet that top section will have some cool grain in it.

Joe

[Dave Verstraete]

My guess is silver maple because of the rougher bark and the narrow angle limbs to each other. It is just leafing out, so it is hard to see the mature shape of the leaf. Silver maple will have a silver sheen on the back side of the leaf.

[Brian Kent]

On the bright side, if the trim job was done right, you wouldn't have a trunk that stays thick all the way to the top of the tree.

[Todd Bin]

I cant' believe you don't recongize Fred the tree. I haven't seen Fred in a while.

Really, I have no idea (like you couldn't tell from the first part.)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

"Fence Tree" is the popular name. It is of the sub species Galvanusmetallicus Arboreedum which, as every one knows, is the one that grows next to galvanized metal wire fences.

[David Duke]

Looks like a power company hack job..........

Joe

I agree with Joe on this, around here I've seen trees basically cut off about 10' below the power lines leaving nothing but the trunk, on others removal of all branches/limbs on the line side leaving you a bare trunk on one side and the other with all of its God given glory (at least for the first year).