Is this an elm tree? Or is it beech? My dad and I kept questioning it over whether it was an elm or beech tree, and none of us got to any conclusions: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284694@N02/8017653115/in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284694@N02/8017652910/in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284694@N02/8017654186/in/photostream Also is this another variety of wild rose? It has thorns, but rose hips aren't shaped like these berries, although they are the same color. We see this plant in the forests a lot in Michigan. http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284694@N02/8017187176/in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284694@N02/8017188680/in/photostream
Both sets of photos are not very clear. The first is probably Elm, either Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) or American Elm (U. americana). Elm teeth are sharper and more defined than those of Beech. Also Elm leaves are rough on at least one side and Beech leaves are smooth on both sides. The second looks like Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) to me.
The only thing however, was that I couldn't find keys or the seedlings on the tree. There was only leaves. We couldn't find any evidence that it was a beech tree either - There were no beech nuts. And I am taking this picture at the time of September - the time when elm trees and most trees are all supposed to produce their seeds, right?
I seriously doubt all or even most Elm or Beech trees produce nuts based solely on the time of year. There are a lot of other factors involved such as age, environment, whether the tree is male/female/both, etc. Beech and Elm leaves are different enough from each other so using other characteristics to make an identification is usually unnecessary. That said, the next useful characteristic would be to compare the trunks of mature trees - Beech has smooth gray bark and Elm has rough bark. See links below for a comparison between the two species: http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ulam.html http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/fagr.html
Yes. And Elm leaves are thicker and more opaque than Beech. Beech has leaves that are mostly smooth, papery and nearly translucent.
