Timber identification, please

[Rob_H]

We just had two smallish trees chopped down which were blocking light to the cottage and a cherry tree we quite like. I think one is fruitwood - it had small green fruit acorn shaped (without the bottom bit). The other with teh darker centre I'm less clear as to what it was. It look like it was on its last legs. The three had been planted too close together. I was hoping to cut some of these into boards (and then dry out) on my new bandsaw but just wondered if anyone could help with identifying the wood. Thanks in advance....

Note sure what this is - have an idea but would appreciate suggestions..

 

[Rob_H]

I'll try again.....I think this is fruitwood? Small green acorn shaped fruit.

 

[marcros]

walnut for the top one

 

[Rob_H]

That’s what I was hoping but someone has mentioned cherry which threw me !

 

[Beau]

Looks more like apple to me

 

[Rob_H]

Hi, so far i’ve had people suggest cherry, apple, walnut and someone else has said magnolia. If anyone knows would appreciate a definitive. Thanks to all though, appreciated

 

[ED65]

About the one that might be walnut, if you knew the tree in life there'd be no mistaking it for anything else for one unequivocal reason: it would have produced walnuts!

The fruit bodies are produced in abundance by even a smallish tree and after they fall and begin to rot down they go from a bright green through yellowish to black, and if you handle them you get persistent dark stains on your fingers. And of course inside the husks are walnuts in their shell, which if you got to them before they've been on the ground too long will be the freshest, tastiest walnuts you've ever had

 

[ED65]

Rob, getting a definitive ID can be difficult or impossible from photos. Even with the wood in hand it is not always possible to give more than an educated guess.

The only way to get a surer ID is by analysis of the end grain under magnification, comparing features to known or textbook examples. This requires the end grain to be pared dead smooth, or sanded very smoothly, and if the wood is dry to be wetted to bring out the features.

 

[Harbo]

Trees are identified by their shape, leaves, fruit/flowers, bark and mass.
Identification from a photo is difficult.

Rod

 

[Woodmonkey]

Looks like cherry plum to me. Don't think it's walnut, the bark is all wrong and walnut doesn't go orange like that.

 

[custard]

You could pretty much ignore the wood and just work from the leaves. Those leaves are very distinctive, and by themselves rule out most of the options previously mentioned, for example they don't look like either Cherry or Walnut leaves.

If you go on line you'll find some guides to identifying trees from their leaves, they generally follow a straightforward, mechanical process of elimination.

Complete guess, but maybe Mulberry?

 

[Rob_H]

Thanks all, unfortunately the tree has had no leaves on since we moved in as it was cramped between two other trees and dying off. All comments appreciated. It produced no fruit etc and we never saw it with leaves.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I can only see Ivy leaves !

That picture and #2 of the original post look exactly like wild plum, which I have used a lot at Wimpole.

 

[Woodmonkey]

You could pretty much ignore the wood and just work from the leaves. Those leaves are very distinctive, and by themselves rule out most of the options previously mentioned, for example they don't look like either Cherry or Walnut leaves.

If you go on line you'll find some guides to identifying trees from their leaves, they generally follow a straightforward, mechanical process of elimination.

Complete guess, but maybe Mulberry?

Must be an ivy tree then!

 

[custard]

Must be an ivy tree then!

 

[Rob_H]

Ha! Yes the only sign of leaves was the ivy growing up it.....

 

[profchris]

The description of the fruits suggested bullace (wild plum) to me.