Hello all, I have found a new tree (that's what it seems like) growing in my garden, and so far no nursery or web search yielded any identification. I live in Antelope Valley CA (NE of Los Angeles) where the winter is quite harsh (down to 15 Fahrenheit) and wanted to identify it in order to make sure that it would survive. Attached are pictures of the leaves (3 lobed long leaves) and I appreciate any input. Thanks, George
If you didn't plant it, it was probably brought in by birds or squirrels, so is likely a fruiting tree found in the region. You can deduce then that it survives to the fruiting stage locally. If it's current location in the garden will support a midsize tree, than, let it grow? If not you might want to transplant it. Looks like a Ficus, but I have no confirmation. Couldn't find this leaf on an image search. One thing to note, at immature stage of growth the leaves can be unusually large for the species; as it matures the leaves may be this shape but quite a bit smaller.
I can't make out the leaf arrangement. If they're opposite, maybe a maple, like field maple or trident maple?
Thanks so much for your kind reply Susan. Everything you said makes a lot of sense, and yes, I have re planted it and it's doing great. I agree with the assumption that it should be some local tree, but the main concern would be how it should be handled in the winter, especially at this stage. If it is, for instance a fig tree (Ficus Gerica) it would never survive the winter here without proper protection in the first 3-4 years. Thanks again Susan, George
Thank you, Yea, it looks somewhat like Field maple or Trident Maple. Not absolutely sure. Thanks again wculter
Thanks Michael, Every suggestion (including what I found) is 'almost', but not exactly. The leaves are very distinctive, 3 green lobed, quite long and nothing like I have seen before...
Morus alba sprouts with leaves like this are repeatedly asked about on the internet - leaf shapes of this species vary from those such as shown here to more or less completely simple (un-lobed).
Thanks much Ron and all the others who were trying to help. I believed that I (actually not I but a fellow gardener name Michael https://www.blogger.com/profile/03495668097562584397) solved the mystery for me and for another puzzled gardener in Texas). This is (as strange as it sounds) a Mulberry Tree, where some present the same leaves pattern at this (early) stage of their growth. If interested please visit http://annieinaustin.blogspot.com/2010/10/fast-growing-5-lobed-mystery-plant.html where I found the info and pictures (scroll down to comments). Thanks again to all of you, George
"a Mulberry Tree, where some present the same leaves pattern at this (early) stage of their growth." Thanks for confirming that this happens with many young trees... and Michael, at the site you recommended who successfully identified the leaf, did say "they are bird-planted, they tend to spring up in surprising places, often in the middle of beds or hedges, or under other trees."
Yes, and as you have indicated in your original response "at immature stage of growth the leaves can be unusually large for the species; as it matures the leaves may be this shape but quite a bit smaller".
Note that I identified it as a mulberry, Morus alba is white mulberry if you did not put that together.
oh, I didn't know. Thanks. I guess mystery solved. Mulberry is doing great in our area, so I'll just have to plant that big tree in a different place.
