Hardwood Tree Identification

Question: Hello - 

I live SE of Salem in the Waldo Hills area - semi-rural, with lots of Douglas Fir and White Oak... but also a tree I haven't identified for sure.  One of my neighbors thinks they're Locust trees - from what I've seen of 'Tree Identification' sites, it appears to me that the nearest match with 'Locust would be the Black Locust - which seems to have a more rounded leaf.  I'm enclosing a photo of a branch end.  I'm wondering if you can pin it down for me.  A large one of these trees was blown down in a storm some years back, and the wood was quite hard and made wonderful firewood.  More have spontaneously sprouted around a pretty wide area, so I assume they've been in this vicinity for quite some time.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 30, 2023, 2:13 PM EDT
response: The leaves are definitely not black locust. There are a wide variety of trees with leaflets arranged in this opposite compound leaf pattern. Photos of the tree from a distance and closer look at tree bark and any flowers or fruits that show up (or residual from last season) would help.

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 31, 2023, 8:47 AM EDT
response: Thank you for your reply -  More photos attached - including distance and bark of a young tree.  The bark is pretty rough for a deciduous tree, in my experience.  I'm including a photo of the storm-downed tree - but it's been 10-15 years down, so not all that much detail.  The diameter of this mature tree was about 20 inches.Thanks again for your help, and olease let me know if I can provide more information - happy to.  I'd really like to know what these are!!  You're welcome to visit!  I'm only up in Salem...Dave DSC04532.JPG DSC04533.JPG DSC04534.JPG DSC04535.JPGOn Tue, May 30, 2023 at 11:13 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 05, 2023, 11:16 AM EDT
response: I am sorry to say I still cannot identify your tree from the photos. It is similar to trees that I know (ash, walnut, hickory), but there are slight differences that I can't reconcile. There are many exotic ornamental tree species that not familiar with (I am a forester most familiar with native trees). So I am sending photos to the dendrology instructor at OSU to see if they can help. It would help if there area any flowers or fruits developing that you could photograph.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 05, 2023, 2:36 PM EDT
response: I really appreciate your help!  It's nothing more than curiosity on my part - nothing critical about needing to know, so no rush of others are consulted.  I'd just like to know for sure if we can pin down just what they are. So there's no 'rush' of any kind - and again, if anyone there would like to run up to the South Salem area and take a look - or sample back - I have lots of 'volunteer' trees sprouting around this year - wet March/April does that.  I've been here since 2004 - and have never noticed any flowers, fruits, or seeds of any kind on these trees.  I have attached photos of a mature tree - there was a row of them, and for some reason the former neighbor to my east cut the tops off of all of them - maybe for firewood.  so this tree has grown back from a (tall) stump - and irregularly - as original, it was a bit more symmetrical - now a bit more formless, but... and I've included a photo of it's leaves - just a bit smaller overall than the younger tree I sent leaf-photos of previously.  It's on the very edge/border of my property.Dave James5735 72nd Ave. SESalem, OR <personal data hidden>On Mon, Jun 5, 2023 at 8:16 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 05, 2023, 2:55 PM EDT
response: The photos you sent most recently are a different species from your first inquiry. Notice that the leaves come off of the stem in alternating fashion, whereas the first specimen was more of an opposite leaf pattern. This one looks more like an elm.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 05, 2023, 3:26 PM EDT
response: Of course, I see what you mean.  I went back out and looked, and they kind of seem to vary a little - I've considered them the same variety, but... I took another photo of two of the younger trees - the branch on the top is one of this year's volunteers.  The one on the bottom is from the same tree as the original photo I sent in my first inquiry email.  I dunno..  And this is part of why I sort of gave up on the online 'Identify your Tree' websites on the internet - I spent time on the most prominent of them and finally gave up and sent an inquiry to you folks...DaveOn Mon, Jun 5, 2023 at 11:55 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 06, 2023, 10:32 AM EDT
response: Dave, you are finding quite the variety of similar but different leaf types! The very first one 4529 is quite different from the 4536, and then your last two are intermediate. Please keep an eye on these and look for any flowers. I will look for someone in the botany department at OSU to send these photos to as well.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 06, 2023, 5:52 PM EDT
response: I assure you, I'm not shining you on... the leaf/branch configuration are as I've stated.  If anyone feels like coming up to South Salem they're totally welcome to see for themselves. DaveOn Tue, Jun 6, 2023 at 7:32 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 12, 2023, 6:55 PM EDT
response: Dave, I don't have any more expert opinions on your mystery tree ID yet. Please feel free to contact me directly via email with your location and I will see about stopping by to look at your trees when I am traveling south. <personal data hidden>