Leaf Identification
Forum Archives
sunrose
Posted: Dec-20-2005 at 3:01pm
Can anyone ID this leaf? It's from an 18" sapling that came in with a chipped fir mulch, or something, this summer. The first two images are the fronts of 2 leaves; the second two images are the backs of 2 leaves showing the veins, no bigger than 2". Deciduous, as the leaves just dropped. The edges have turned a rusty brown while the centers lean toward a green-yellow, more green than yellow. Five lobes, or what might be seven lobes, three of which are at the top, and each lobe has jagged edges sort of like a Saw Tooth. The stem, no more than 3/16" at the base, is gray with a few tiny lighter colored dots (".") but smaller than that period near the base, and some light vertical lines further up, and of course loaded with tiny reddish buds, three at the top. I've checked several oak images, even Saw Tooth, but nothing comes close. I just clicked on the image of the tree above to Add Image, but it requests an http link. I have the image scanned, a jpg file. Can I somehow bring that in? Thanks for your time.
The first two are fronts, the second two are backs.
Fern
Dec-20-2005 at 11:08pm
Wild guess, without seeing a picture, but Mountain Ash? Really common, basically a weed, but I still like it.
Fern
mdvaden
Dec-21-2005 at 9:43am
Without more details - the lobe and sawtooth description reminds me of hawthorn for some reason. It has lobes and serrations of a sorts.
M.D. Vaden
sunrose
Dec-21-2005 at 10:02am
I took a leaf to a local nursery and it could be a Hawthorn; though this sapling is very young, the tiny leaflets at the base of the stem were tell-tale. If you think it's a Crataegus laciniata - Oriental Hawthorn, please let me know because I'll pull it out. It seems that if a plant is succeptible to something, my plants get it and from what I've read in Sunset's book, there's only one Hawthorn that is pest or disease free...the Green Hawthorn? Do you have any recent good news on Hawthorns in amended clay soil? Thanks Debbie, for your time.
Fern
Dec-21-2005 at 8:18pm
I think it is probably Crataegus monogyna. It will get big thorns and doesn't have too much to recommend it. It is naturalized around here.
Fern
sunrose
Dec-22-2005 at 2:58pm
Thank you everyone...Wow, MDVaden called it without even seeing a picture. Move up here; we need your skills in this area! And, thank you Fern for coming up with a type of Hawthorn and sharing the pictures. Debbie TT, thank you again for your time...I really appreciate the help, not to forget this splendid web site! I love plants...even if it's a run-away seed from someone else's garden, which is why I really wanted to know what this leaf was...It's in a bed with an Alaskan Cedar sapling now so I'll either move it to a spot for the birds and bees, see how it grows, or pull it out. Thanks again, everyone, and have a splendid holiday season.
mdvaden
Dec-24-2005 at 12:12pm
Before the image went up, sunrose did a fairly decent means of describing it.
When I teach the Tree Care class in Medford in February, I'm planning to cover basics of plant ID.
If we can't ID them all, maybe we can effectively describe them all.
M.D. Vaden
Fern
Dec-26-2005 at 7:50pm
Good identifying, Mario.
At the nursery we do a far amount of identification for people and it is one of my favorite things to do. It is great when they bring in a leaf on a stem and really great if they bring in a flower, too. Pictures can be a problem if they are not close-ups. Please, don't bring a picture on your phone, my eyes are not that good. A lot of our customers are very knowledgeable but I have to tell you about an actual conversation from last summer.
Customer "It has green leaves and a flower."
Me "What color is the flower?"
Customer "I don't remember."
Me "Can you describe the flower?"
Customer "I can't really remember."
Me, giving the standard reply when it is impossible or we just don't know, "Well, I just don't know, it would be best to bring in a piece of the plant, a flower would be really nice, then we can identify it for you."
If they bring in a sample we can almost always figure it out, though sometimes we have to call them back because so one of the other nursery people can look at it. I am not the Rhododendron or Japanese maple person to go to and I admit it. Fern
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton