Unidentified Tree in my backyard. Please help!!

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by wierdtreeinmybackyard, Oct 4, 2008.

  1. wierdtreeinmybackyard

    wierdtreeinmybackyard Member

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    This summer I noticed a small tree sprouting up in my backyard. It is now over 8 feet tall and has a very broad long leaf. Can anyone help me identify what it is. Here is a picture of the leaf... It also looks like it has some sort of fungus, any suggestions on how to get rid of it?

    Leaf
    Leaf2
    fungus
     

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  2. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    I don't know what the tree is, but it looks like it's got mites, not fungus. I'd try insecticidal soap first.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Morus alba.
     
  4. wierdtreeinmybackyard

    wierdtreeinmybackyard Member

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    I don't think it is a mulberry!
     
  5. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Ron B knows whereof he speaks, weirdtree.... Young mulberries have different leaf-shapes from the mature plants. I happen to agree with him, because the suckers on my Morus alba have the same leaf shape.
     
  6. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Doesn't Morus alba have toothed leaf margins?
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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  8. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    OK...the pictures show toothed leaf margins.
     
  9. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Togata: try http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Morus_spp.htm and pay special attention to what it says under morphology.

    If you refine Ron B's search using "leaves" you get this set which shows the variation fairly well. Particularly the one from duke.edu
     
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Lobed leaves are shown in more than one view in the result I posted.
     
  11. wierdtreeinmybackyard

    wierdtreeinmybackyard Member

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    Does anyone else think it is mites and not some fungas/bacteria? And will Insecticides work?
     
  12. wierdtreeinmybackyard

    wierdtreeinmybackyard Member

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    Thanks by the way!!
     
  13. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    i don't think mites would cause that kind of damage. seems more like it's fungal. OR it could just be that the leaves are getting ready to drop for winter.

    i'm seeing many trees (all different types) that aren't doing the usual leaf-color change - the leaves just up and died and are hanging there all dried up. we didn't have good rains this summer and that always affects the quality of the leaf color changes. could be the same conditions where you are.
     
  14. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    that's a good site, beth! thanks for posting it!!
     
  15. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    You can tell if its mites by looking on the undersides, with a magnifying lens if you have to.
     
  16. togata57

    togata57 Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    I do not question the lobed-ness or variations thereof of the leaves of Morus alba. Still unanswered is my actual query as to the toothed nature of the leaf edges.
     
  17. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    That is another thing easily seen to be part of the variation of the species by looking at the pictures linked to. White mulberry is one of those plants frequently asked about on the internet, often it is the maple-like leaf type that generates puzzlement or interest.
     

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