what tree ?

[Fisherman Mike]

To be honest the bark don't look like Ash to me and I am surrounded by the stuff, got some on fire now. Ash has an almost black leaf bud and the bark is firm, difficult to remove but strong but quite smooth over all until you get to the really big trunks of older trees. wild guess is beech but from the phonto could be almost anything. Show us any bud, end grain and a close shot at the bark

I agree I'm just looking at a 6ins diameter Ash log now next to a similar beech one and the beech bark is much smoother similar to those in the picture.

 

The ash has very distinctive black buds at its tip which resemble a cloven hoof, very much unmistakable.

 

Did the branches come off the same tree or an adjacent one

[Fisherman Mike]

just to confuse the issue I've got some whole Sycamore logs 8" diameter which look very similar and also to the heart wood as well !

[holly]

another pic

[Scully]

Immature Ash I would say.

[redfish77]

The small twigs in the picture are definitely ash but im not sure the logs are?

[holly]

its possible that the twigs are from a different tree

[shoot and be safe]

Nope - I am sticking with BEECH = as others have said the bark on mature ash is indeed ribbed. We have thousands of things or at least we did until Chalara Fraxinea kicked in - ash die back in case anyone is not up to speed with Latin!

There are signs of the ribbing on some of the larger pieces, which first led me to think Ash

 

Having said that and on closer inspection of the both pic, there is evidence to support both claims of Ash and Beach:

 

Ash

• Signs of ribbing on the larger logs
• Some (not all) of the twigs have black leaf buds

 

Beach

• The overall colour of the whole tree (very dark)
• The richer colour of the cuts (ash is lighter)
• The dead leaves on the ground are broader (more like beach than ash)
• Some of the other twigs are like the thin spikey beach ones

I am now leaning towards beach and the new pic shows some damage to some bark.

Ash bark usually has a green layer, none visible in new pic.

Beach bark damage, is usually clean and contrasting (if that makes sense). Just like the pic.

 

Therefore, based on the evidence shown, I would now say Beach.

 

PS definitely not holly, holly

[felly100]

Nope - I am sticking with BEECH = as others have said the bark on mature ash is indeed ribbed. We have thousands of things or at least we did until Chalara Fraxinea kicked in - ash die back in case anyone is not up to speed with Latin!

We actually have millions of ash trees,it's not all doom and gloom yet.

[mossy835]

well its wood any way.

[FalconFN]

It isn't beech as that doesn't grow symmetrical branches from the trunk (not sure the technical name), the only trees that I know that do that are ash, sycamore and maple. I'm 90% sure it's sycamore with an outside chance of being ash, but without seeing the buds or end grain I couldn't be sure. Sycamore has feint rays and ash has really obvious porous rings, either way they both split and burn well.

Edited February 15, 2014 by FalconFN

[shoot and be safe]

It isn't beech as that doesn't grow symmetrical branches from the trunk (not sure the technical name), the only trees that I know that do that are ash, sycamore and maple. I'm 90% sure it's sycamore with an outside chance of being ash, but without seeing the buds or end grain I couldn't be sure. Sycamore has feint rays and ash has really obvious porous rings, either way they both split and burn well.

You have lost me on that one. Unless you mean "fork". If so one of the forks appears to be slightly larger than the other.

[Fisherman Mike]

another pic

That looks so much like Sycamore bark to me on that main branch.

[remy 700]

Alder is my opinion , and I too think the twigs are ash and the stems alder. Interesting Mike cheers

[Kes]

I'd go with black poplar just my guess

[Fisherman Mike]

Alder is my opinion , and I too think the twigs are ash and the stems alder. Interesting Mike cheers

Fresh cut Alder is bright yellow/orange immediately under the bark and is very distinctive

[Guest topshot_2k]

Looks like ash to me.

[remy 700]

The stems look like alder , still to be convinced otherwise , good post

[FalconFN]

You have lost me on that one. Unless you mean "fork". If so one of the forks appears to be slightly larger than the other.

Yes, buds that grow opposite each other on twigs often lead to forked branches (as opposed to asymmetric like beech), they don't have to be the same size, just opposite each other.

 

As said alder is bright orange/yellow when cut, ash is whitish/pink and sycamore is whitish/yellow. I still think it's sycamore.

[remy 700]

I will sycome to sycamore ,

[100milesaway]

Looks like a Hornbeam to me. from Auntie.

[shoot and be safe]

Yes, buds that grow opposite each other on twigs often lead to forked branches (as opposed to asymmetric like beech), they don't have to be the same size, just opposite each other.

 

As said alder is bright orange/yellow when cut, ash is whitish/pink and sycamore is whitish/yellow. I still think it's sycamore.

With you now

 

It's the right colour for sycamore and the damage to the bark is the same. But there is signs or ribbing on the larger limbs, I have never seen this on sycamore.

 

I'll still say beach, but I have been known to change my mind

[secretagentmole]

Airfix?

[islandgun]

Fraxinous excellsior

 

I'll get me coat

[kent]

I have never seen ash with that change in colour in the wood, makes me think sycamore - this wood tends towards a fine random black line in the grain. the limb looks to small to have any ribbing in it for an ash (figure on approx. 14" and over diameter before this occurs in my experience) but like I say the duel colour of the tree centre rules that out. Leaf, seed, bark and bud then grain are the way to identify a tree we have few of those clear enough in the picture. Unless dangerous personally I shouldn't ever cut a tree down without knowing what it was.

How hard was it to cut?

[kev56]

100% ligna