Hi, we're just starting to work on this property, and woudl liek to ask for some help identifying this tree. The closest match I could find for the stem and leaf type was a Horse Chestnut, or an apple tree of some sort? the leaf doesn't quite match the photos I can find. We would really like to try to save this one and bring it back to life if possible, but need to know what it is first. Please let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions for pruning and moss removal, it woudl be appreciated. Thanks, Ryan
Re: Tree Identification? Apple? Thanks for the feedback! So is there any way to tell what type of apple without fruit? This tree has been neglected for a lot of years. Any suggestions about pruning and care?
Personally, I can't tell until they fruit. Other people might be able to. In the fall, get a certified arborist in to have a look at it. He/she will know exactly what to do about pruning, and may also know what type of apple it is just by looking at it. This is, in my opinion, worth paying for, because next year it will be far more likely to set fruit for you.
Horse chestnuts have stout straight stems with large pointed buds at the tips. And the large palmately compound leaves and terminal spikes of flowers, producing prickled fruits with "buckeyes" inside are of course also completely different from those of apple trees.
Thanks Ron, we are very new to this, so I'd interpreted the leafs as being palmately compounded, which steered me towards the buckeye catergory, but then the leaves didn't really match anything in there. Is there much we should do in the spring / summer, other than clear out some of the underbrush? I assume it's best to wait until fall for any pruning?
Heres another couple of simple ones, I'm guessing a Beech for the first one, but no idea on the second or third.
Alnus rubra Malus pumila (M. domestica) Salix scouleriana Alnus rubra IF any of the apple trees are planted specimens of named grafted cultivars taking 6 fruits of each to a fruit identification table at a local fruit show may yield some names. If instead spontaneous seedlings growing from discarded fruits or other means of dispersal then these will not have individual variety names. They will just be "apple trees".
