Stumped me, how about you?

[overpaidmuniguy]

I ran into this head-scratcher, see if you can figure it out. I ended up getting a hand from a fella at the OSU Extension office, as any book I had on hand was getting me no closer toward actually identifying it.

If anyone knows what it is, first of all you are smarter that me, and maybe you could help out on figuring out a management approach for the tree...

With the first picture, keep in mind with this particular plant the bud arrangement tended to be variable, mostly opposite, but occasionally in whorls of 3, and even a few twigs with "sub-opposite", just shy of alternate. As a hint the powers that be have categorized it as "Opposite"

 

[overpaidmuniguy]

here's a view of the overall habit...

 

[overpaidmuniguy]

and here's twig detail...

 

[TreeCo]

Is that a chinaberry leaf?

My guess anyway.

http://www.hear.org/starr/images/full/starr-030202-0105.jpg

You posted your second photo.....I withdraw my guess!

 

[theXman]

treeco, that picture you posted is compound leaf. leaves he showed were simple.

 

[TreeCo]

[ QUOTE ]
treeco, that picture you posted is compound leaf. leaves he showed were simple.

[/ QUOTE ]

He posted that photo and his second and third posting while I was writing my post and searching the web. His first photo didn't make it clear it was a compound leaf he was asking about. Note the last sentence in my first response to him.

 

[roxy]

Looks like blue ash, but not with simple leaves...tough one! Is it native?

 

[Knowledgequest]

Re: Stumped me, how about you? *DELETED*

Post deleted by Knowledgequest

 

[tomthetreeman]

I am going with Fraxinus excelsior 'Hessei.' One-leaved ash. Other than the fact that they are supposed to be fruitless, that's the closest guess I can make.

-Tom

 

[overpaidmuniguy]

Well the prize goes to tomthetreeman, nice call. Fraxinus excelsior 'Hessei', 'Hesse' European ash is it. Up until seeing that tree I had considered compound structure was an absolute with ashes.
Nearly all of the ash trees on treelawns where I work are White or Green ash, and our inventory only goes as far as genus most of the time. The tree in question was marked for removal according to the EAB management plan, and I noticed that something was odd just before I was going to notch and flop it. I think my coworker heard a shear pin snap inside my head when I started piecing together: bud is ash, twig is ash, branches are opposite, leaves are...Ouch, my brain!!!
I took some pictures, a few cuttings, and told my coworker that we're going to the next one on the list. Once I got a good ID from the OSU extension guy a few days later, I suggested to my boss that we leave the tree standing, just to see how it fares once the area gets EAB.
Hey that was fun, I'll keep my eyes peeled for another screwball tree to post.

 

[treedimensional]

Who woulda thunk!

AND a pat on the back for seeing the potential for a SAVIOR tree! Who knows, 25 yrs down the road Cleveland could be full of those!