Tree ID help

[Pandabean]

My tree ID is really poor and worse in winter. Just going through my old photos and wondered what a couple of them were.

Ok I know this is a Birch but could anyone tell me if it is Downy or Silver? I read that silver birch has black spots/lenses in the bark whereas Downy doesn't but has greyish white bark with horizontal grooves. This appears to have both to my eyes.




Interesting way it has grown. Would this be a grown up Sycamore?




More a bushy shrub and an evergreen...

[Davidn]

As far as Birch goes probably pendula(silver) not sure what Downey is.
Second looks like Beech.
Third possibley Arbutus.
Hope this helps!
David.

[Mesquite]

3 looks like rhodedendron or laurel

[southey]

Third look Rhodi to me too, the birch is easy to tell if you look at the whole tree, the silver will have droopy new growth twigs, where as the downy will have new growth twigs that look stiff and have an uprightness about it, the downy will also have a covering of down on its branches ( you'll need a magnifying glass to see.

Silver (note the droopy branches at the ends)


Downy ( uprite and PERT!)

[Harvestman]

Just a note on the birches, downy and silver - they can hybridise!

[Davidn]

And also if pic was of two trees the same age would be difficult to tell them apart. Only thing i can think is Downey Birch would be Betula pubescens AKA White Birch.

[DMadden]

1, Birch - easiest to tell if its downy or silver by looking at the branches. southey's example is good for that. I just remember, 'Downy = uppy (branches)'. Daft, but it works for me. and Silver birchs bot. name is Betula pendula. Pendula = pendulum (sp?) or weeping, reffering to the branches.
2, Beech - they got a nice lovely, smooth, greyish bark. - not adviseable for attaching your hammock to in heavy rain the rain rushes down the trunk like a torrent!! learnt that one the hard way!! - but ive seen some huge Beechs before, and most grow wierdly!
3, pretty sure its Rhododendron, although it has got a resemblance to a laurel.

Hope that helps
Dan

[northernranger]

hi pandabean..
think your questions are already answered.. it is difficuilt to see from the birch picture wether it is downy or silver, or even a hybrid but the advice about looking at the crown rings true, probably the best winter recognition, in spring the twigs of the downy will have a soft downy feel at the tip and new growth has a reddish colour unlike the silver...
another way of telling the difference in the winter is to look at the base of the tree... especially in older trees the bark of the silver birch becomes fissured and breaks into rectangular plates this is not so with the downy..
just for future help if you return when the tree is in leaf the big difference is that the downy has a much rounder leaf at the base where as the silver leaf has more of a triangular shape to it and is more pointed, these trees often grow alongside of each other, so return in the spring and see the difference, then note all other differing features for easier future winter recognition..
tree 2 is beech (fagus sylvatica) there are different species of these too, but this looks to have the smooth grey bark of the common beech, just check it hasnt got purple leaves in spring, wich would make it a purple beech..
plant 3 looks to me to be rhodedendron but a close inspection could reveal otherwise..
all the best..
NR

[blacktimberwolf]

The 3rd photo does look like a rhododendron, which means you're on acid soil, it may start to flower soon or at least have some juicy buds...these escapee's usually have pinky/ purplish flowers, also if you look around there may be more.......