Help identifying tree please

[red911sc]

Any idea what kind of tree this is? Was at my neighbors when he moved in, we are thinking of redoing our landscaping and this is a perfect little tree for one of our available areas. TIA!



Close up of leaves...


Close up of bark...

[TimT]

grab a few leaves, go to a local nursery, and ask... or walk around and try and match the leaves to what they offer...

[peppy]

LEAF Tree ID Key

Maybe this will help.

[sammyg2]

That a tree fiddy.

[Zeke]

I think it's a rhododendron of some sort and getting too much sun. Looks to be otherwise poorly cared for as well. Lack of iron.

[Joe Bob]

Looks like a sick Ficus....

[Crowbob]

Not knowing where it is nor if it blooms, nor how old it is, I would say the leaves look like an ornamental crabapple. The tree has been tightly pruned for 10 years, at least. I see two shapes of leaves. One is the classic ovoid of an apple, the other is tri-lobed: the yellowish one right of center with another in the lower left. These lobed leaves look like what an immature apple produces. It could be yellowed due to excess watering. Apples are generally drought tolerant once established. There are some inconsistiencies with my theory of it being a crab, however. Crabs I am familiar with tend to have more exfoliation of the bark and the leaves are thinner. The brown spots are not inconsistent with several fungi, to which fruit trees are prone. Just my guess, though.

[Esel Mann]

Is it a tree or is it shrubbery?

[red911sc]

Tree is in the middle of Ohio, hardy zone 5. The owner told me today that it does bloom in the spring. And yes, while there tonight I noticed it does have 2 different leaf patterns as Crowbob pointed out. I have a sample of each and will stop by a nursery tomorrow. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Peppy, thanks for the link but I must have misled the questionnaire, I don't think it is an American Birch.

[EarlyPorsche]

Its not a Rhodo from what I can tell but it would help to know if it has little red berrys at all?

Here is an important tip: If you move that shrub you want to dig it up BIG. Try and go as wide as the branches span. Of course this will be a massive weight to carry.

[Crowbob]

You should also root prune it one year prior to transplant. There are two ways to transplant (tx) a deciduous tree. Root ball or bare root. Root ball tx has a higher probability of success as is described by EarlyPorsche above. To root prune sever the roots using a sharp (I mean sharp as in sharpened with a grinder) shovel 1/3 to 2/3 the size of the spread of the crown and as deep as you can get. There are specialty shovels for this. Inject the shovel in a circle with the blade angled toward the trunk as if you were going to remove the tree. This does several things. 1) it reduces the size of the root ball, 2) stimulates new growth of the root system inside the ball 3) causes the ball to be more dense reducing the possibility of it disintegrating (which it will to some extent, anyway) when you dig it up the next year.

Bare root tx should only be attempted if absolutely necessary and the time from unburial to burial should be as short as possible: minutes. The roots MUST be kept wet while they are exposed to the air; a wet canvas or other absorbent cloth should be wrapped over the roots if they are transported by a vehicle, including a wheel barrow. The root hairs are a mechanical device that continuously function transporting moisture. If they become dry, they die immediately. The receiving hole should be prepared in advance to minimize exposure time. The tree can tolerate some loss of the root system by pruning, an extreme would be up to 1/2 the root system. Do not tear any roots-cut them cleanly, if necessary.

Transplantaion shoould only be done when the tree is dormant (i.e., after the leaves have fallen and before any new growth on the buds). The exact time is dependent on the zone. Just before the first very hard freeze is most effective followed by just after the first thaw in spring as soon as sufficent warmth allows you to dig. Once in the ground, (do not bury the tree below the graft) watering is absolutley essential. Run the hose while back filling. You want to reduce or eliminate any air pockets. If you tx in the spring, liquid root hormone is a good idea. NOT in the fall. It stimulates new growth just to die due to winter dieback. Organic, slow relese wide spectrum plant food the first year helps. YOU CANNOT OVER WATER-IT IS IMPOSSIBLE for a newly transplanted tree in the spring. Water is the most important nutrient. Be mindful of standing water or slowly draining soil. In clay or heavy soil root rot, fungus, insects and vermin to thrive. In sandy soil, water everyday for an hour-let the hose run.

Lastly, once planted and staked (for a minmum of one year-depending on the height and wind exposure) you need to convey to the tree that it is now in a new home, that you have done everything you can to help it survive and that it is now up to it to survive. You do this by actually telling it so and heeling the disturbed soil around the trunk as you command: "NOW GROW!"

Mulch, feed and water as necessary.

[red911sc]

Verdict is - Sargentina Crabapple

Thanks again everyone!

[Crowbob]

AH HA!

I have several Sargeant Flowering Crabapples. I'm assuming this is a miniature. Sargeants are fairly inconsistent with bloom (they skip a year once in a while for no known reason that I can discern). Sargeants are alleged to be of the most resistent to insect infestation and other diseases.

[red911sc]

From what I was told the Sargentina is a Sargent that only grows to about 4' tall and 3'-4' dia.