Tree ID

I've searched the main tree id sites, and come up with noting. This tree our neighbor has has got to be a permaculture tree, but I have no idea what. It takes drought and summer heat, sends seedlings all over the place. Grows fast. I don't think it sheds its leaves. It is the weirdest thing. It has two types of leaves on the same tree. One leaf is oval, and the other leaf looks exactly the same, but it has lobes, different numbers depending on I don't know what. The leaves are not shiny but kind of velvety, and the bark is silvery. It doesn't look like anything from around here.

Can you get and post a picture of it? It *might* be one of the zillion varieties of oak.

Celia Revel wrote:I've searched the main tree id sites, and come up with noting. This tree our neighbor has has got to be a permaculture tree, but I have no idea what. It takes drought and summer heat, sends seedlings all over the place. Grows fast. I don't think it sheds its leaves. It is the weirdest thing. It has two types of leaves on the same tree. One leaf is oval, and the other leaf looks exactly the same, but it has lobes, different numbers depending on I don't know what. The leaves are not shiny but kind of velvety, and the bark is silvery. It doesn't look like anything from around here.

Just the description of the leaves makes me think of sassafras, but we really need pictures as Topher says. If it is sasafrass you should notice a really nice smell from the crushed leaves (used in gumbo) and definitely a 'sasafrass' smell from the roots.

Celia - It would be helpful if you would upload a photo of the leaves and tree . It sounds like either a sassafras or mulberry but they are usually deciduous . Also sassafras is highly unlikely in Californias desert . Could be a mulberry if watered .

Ok, so I think this will work. Let me know if the images don't appear. It's been a while since I've posted images.





The first one is a close up of the variable leaves. Note how some are lobed and others are not. The second one is an overall view of the tree as a whole. The bark is silvery.

That didn't look like it took. http://s275.photobucket.com/user/tempusthales/media/mysterytree_zps1d3d2ed9.jpg.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">photobucket
photobucket

I hope these appear.

Ok, at least the second one showed up. The one that says photobucket on it. I guess you have to use the URL button, not the Img button to link to pictures. Thanks for your patience.

What you got there is a sassafras.

Wow, that is exactly right. Thank You so much for this information. The only thing that diverges from all the descriptions of sassafrass is that that bark is silver and not furrowed, and there are no berries that I can see on the tree. Here is another picture of the bark: bark

Oh, one more thing. This thing gets absolutely no water from May until October. This is the third year we've had of drought, and these things are still kicking and multiplying. One observation is that the mature trees are on the east side and between two houses, so they are sheltered from the hottest part of the day. The sapplings are growing in full sun though.

Celia Revel wrote:Ok, at least the second one showed up. The one that says photobucket on it. I guess you have to use the URL button, not the Img button to link to pictures. Thanks for your patience.

Celia, After opening the reply box, you can use the 'attachment' button at the bottom of the reply box (to the right of the options button0. Then you can post the picture right with your reply and don't need a link.

Thanks Judith. Here they are.

the other one...

ok this time:

Mystery solved. After much searching, I have found that even though this has the distinctive marks of a sassafras tree, it is indeed not a sassafras. Apparently there is an imposter out there called the paper mulberry. It is native to Asia, a pioneer species, and considered invasive in some areas. I knew this had all the markings of permaculture.

Celia Revel wrote:Mystery solved. After much searching, I have found that even though this has the distinctive marks of a sassafras tree, it is indeed not a sassafras. Apparently there is an imposter out there called the paper mulberry. It is native to Asia, a pioneer species, and considered invasive in some areas. I knew this had all the markings of permaculture.

I had doubts about the sassafras ID. My yard has sassafras as a chop and drop weed and, although the leaves are similar, they did not look quite right. I've also never seen a sassafras nearly that big, as far as I can recall.