Tree I.d. help.

Trying to figure out what fruit trees these are. I thought they were citrus because of the glossy leaves and they freeze to the ground every year, but now I'm not so sure. They are definitely in the rosacea family of fruit trees. Originally collected from pig pens. I can usually tell an apple seedling from a mile away, but these are somehow different to my eye, and they freeze to the ground. Any ideas?

Not sure where you are, so the freezing to the ground doesn't help the diagnosis.

Based on the leaf pattern they look like cherries to me.

Tj Jefferson wrote:Not sure where you are, so the freezing to the ground doesn't help the diagnosis.

Based on the leaf pattern they look like cherries to me.

Sorry I should have added that I'm in zone 5 Michigan. The tree is about 4 years old and grows back every year. Cherries never freeze here. I have lots of wild and domestic cherries, but it could be some southern variety maybe.  It gets a little bigger every year but still freezes to the ground which is why I thought citrus. I have fed local cherries to my pigs, as well as apples, pears, plums, apricots, lemons and oranges.

Also it doesn't drop leaves like the apples it just hangs onto them until it's a frozen black stick.

The bottom one is a new one I found this year might not be the same.

Was going to say the bottom looks like a Camellia. If the "cherries" are from seed who knows what genetics they hold. Most should be Hardy there but culivated could be pretty weak.

Does it flower?   If little white flowers maybe Tea Olive?

No flowers yet, and it's definitely a rosacea member, that much I can say for certain.  But peaches and nectarines and cherries grow fine here with no freeze damage, only from seed though, store bought trees always die, but seedlings grow and produce fruit. I would definitely say closer to a cherry than than an apple, but then it's got finely serrated leaves like a citrus. I cant see any resemblance to olives or camellias, but I appreciate the feedback. Helping to narrow it down. I've collected lots of apple seedlings over the years from pig pens, and they have grown into decent trees already never freezing. They've even taken grafts from known varieties, but haven't fruited yet, but this one freezes to the ground. It's about 3 feet tall this year. It's grown about a foot a year after coming back up. The first couple years it didn't grow at all

I'm going to take them to Florida either way. If they freeze to the ground here maybe they'll be happy there. I dug them up and put them in the greenhouse. I bought some land down there to become a nomadic farmer. I was really hoping someone would say that's a citrus. Anyone ever see a southern crab apple firsthand?  

I have an ancient crabapple, variety unknown.   The leaves are smaller and rounder.  The leaves get splotchy with red at this time of year when they're starting to fall,   but it doesn't have the reddish tint on the stems like yours.   I'll try and get a picture tomorrow.

Could be a species of Viburnum? Or wild Plum (Prunus)?

Tyler Ludens wrote:Could be a species of Viburnum? Or wild Plum (Prunus)?

Or possible hybrid cherry, I was thinking maybe the cherries we ate (black cherries from store)  came from down south and possibly were pollinated by Laurel cherry, prunes caroliniensis.  Which would explain the frost sensitivity.  Plum is a good chance too, but those grow here without frost damage, and I never gave them to the pigs.  I have several domestic varieties as well as wild. I would be interested to compare to your crab apple.

Tyler Ludens wrote:Could be a species of Viburnum? Or wild Plum (Prunus)?

Also notice the petiole glands and the flattened and ribbed petioles. The glands are cherry like,  but the flattened ribbed petioles are unique. I checked the petioles on my cherry, plum, apple and apricot as well as the wild cherries, and they all have no flattened ribs on the petiole, just smooth and round. They do mostly have the little leaf glands though.

Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

Bradford Pear