# What type of mulberry tree is this



## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 7, 2015)

@Kevin told me he could tell me what kind of mulberry tree this is with a picture of the leaves even thou they were whithered from the cold so here they are.


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## Kevin (Jan 7, 2015)

I may have spoken too soon. I was hoping to see more than one or two, but if I had to guess based on that I'd say it's a red mulberry simply because the tips of the leaves are a little more sharp than with the white. But, both species can have the mitten shaped leaves and the unlobed as shown and the ones that are a mix of both. All three shapes can be on one tree. Both red and white can hybridize and often do. That makes ID hard. 

I'm not real familiar with black mulberry. I'm sorry I can't give you a positive ID from that one picture. Maybe Paul can. Also maybe you can get some more pics.


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 7, 2015)

I will try. It is usually dark before I get back to Meadow Grove. The ends of the logs have turned deep dark purple on the tree that is cut up


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

those look like aspen leaves to me. Let me take a look at some reference material and see if the buds in the pic will help ID the tree.


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

here is a link to the species of mulberry look over the pix of the buds (pre leafing) I don't think there is a good match to the ones in your twig pix. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/data_results_with_common.cfm
here is the link to the aspen again i don't think we have a match here either. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/data_results_with_common.cfm
I think the closest match in leaves and buds is the European white poplar it is the second one down on this list. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/data_results_with_common.cfm

I would definitely say that it is not a mulberry of any kind. Mulberry wood is yellow when fresh sawn and will follow osage orange in color as it oxidizes. The leaves and buds also do not match the pic you have presented. I feel strongly that is is either an aspen or poplar species. If you had pix of both young and mature bark that would also help narrow down the possibilities. A milled piece of lumber with sanded endgrain will be yet another tool to help ID it.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Kevin (Jan 9, 2015)

Maybe that's why I wasn't sure - not mulberry at all? He doesn't have a pic of the wood so we couldn't go there.


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> I will try. It is usually dark before I get back to Meadow Grove. The ends of the logs have turned deep dark purple on the tree that is cut up


Poplar and aspen will turn purple on occasion I am not sure the reason it happens but spalting and mold can also give it a dark brown/ purple color to these species. I have never seen mulberry do this but that doesn't mean it never will turn purple.


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## Kevin (Jan 9, 2015)

Never have even seen a poplar or aspen in person. And stop reading people's posts better than me!


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 9, 2015)

Well it produced mulderries. Lol

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kevin (Jan 9, 2015)

ROFL



Hey Greg stick with me kid.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> Well it produced mulderries. Lol


That one is hard to refute for sure! The only response I have is that I have seen tree guys claim there were dropping off walnut logs at my place cause they saw walnuts on the tree. It was Ash thru and thru and what they saw were the flowers on the ash tree that only resemble walnuts in size/color and nothing else. 

I am not trying to be abrasive in any way but the similarities in mulberry and poplar leaves are in the serrations around the edge of the leaves it stops there for the most part. Mulberries have a serrated edge but have large lobes in the leaves. Obviously I am not were you are looking at your property but I would say it is possible that you grabbed a branch from a poplar/aspen thinking it was mulberry bases on the similarity in the leafe serrations. IF you crack open that twig it should have a yellowish color if it is mulberry. Even the small feeder roots of mulberries are yellow it is one of the indicators of the species. This past summer I was digging around my mulberry tree with the skid loader and got into the roots and they were mustard yellow! I wouldn't suspect that the twig will be that yellow but it should be yellowish if it is mulberry.


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 9, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Never have even seen a poplar or aspen in person. And stop reading people's posts better than me!


Me either. They don't grow aroud here. Unless someone planted in their yard


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> Me either. They don't grow aroud here. Unless someone planted in their yard


The growth map for the European poplar tree is extensive and covers all of Nebraska. Probably 60+% of the country has suitable growing conditions for the species. Both Poplar and Aspen trees are fast growers almost weed like and their seeds spread easily. If you get the chance crack open the twig and try to split one of the logs that will help further pin down the species.


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## Kevin (Jan 9, 2015)

Treecycle Hardwoods said:


> The growth map for the European poplar tree is extensive and covers all of Nebraska.



Greg most of the growth maps are not very accurate. And even where they are, there are pockets of anomalies where some species are growing well outside there known range, and pockets where certain species should be and you can't find one within 100 miles. I'm not saying it's mulberry for sure or not, just that those maps are of little to no use when trying to identify a single tree, of any species, anywhere.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jan 9, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Greg most of the growth maps are not very accurate. And even where they are, there are pockets of anomalies where some species are growing well outside there known range, and pockets where certain species should be and you can't find one within 100 miles. I'm not saying it's mulberry for sure or not, just that those maps are of little to no use when trying to identify a single tree, of any species, anywhere.


I agree about the map thing and could probably site a half dozen or so anomalies I know off the top of my head. The maps are a general tool I have been taught to use to explore the possibility of a species growing in the vicinity of the any example you are trying to ID. In this case the map is strong evidence that the species could grow in that area. They are never a guarantee that a particular species does or doesn't grow some place. The "nuts and bolts" of tree ID are the Fruit (seeds), leaves, buds, twigs, and bark. If you had a wood or a root sample those would be helpful as well.


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## Kevin (Jan 9, 2015)

Don't forget the branches. Sometimes alternating or opposite branching can be a deciding factor especially in winter . . . .


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 9, 2015)

It was 30 mph winds with 50 mph gusts last night so I didn't stop to get any more pictures. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow of leaves, bark and twisted or broken branches. When you cut these trees green (or while they are living) and leave them exposed to the eliments they turn that deep dark purple I was talking about.
The trees in question are defiantly mulberry. I have cut enough for fire wood I know the deference. I just don't know what type of mulberry tree they are. We have two varieties that grow right in this area.
I should rephrase what I said about poplar trees. They grow where planted around here but are not popular because they tend to shed a lot of branches. I have seen them planted as wind breaks. Aspen trees are not very popular in this area either but you will see a few growing in yards. they are not prone to grow wild like many of our other trees.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 10, 2015)



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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 10, 2015)

I went over to the gentleman's house and chatted with him this morning. There is two different trees in that pile. I will be having CROW for dinner today. He wants 2 mulberry trees removed and a large ash tree. Along with several stumps of various types of trees. The stumps are about 3 to 4 feet tall with crotches


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## Kevin (Jan 10, 2015)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> I will be having CROW for dinner today.



Not sure what you mean by that. Not real sure about that bark but the end of that log looks 100% like mulberry to me.


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 10, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Not sure what you mean by that. Not real sure about that bark but the end of that log looks 100% like mulberry to me.


The pile of limds had two different trees piled in it so not all the leaves were mulberry. That log is mulberry but the leaves in the first photo may not be mulberry.


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## DKMD (Jan 10, 2015)

I'd be all over that ash tree. We don't have much around here, but I love the way it turns and smells.


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Jan 10, 2015)

DKMD said:


> I'd be all over that ash tree. We don't have much around here, but I love the way it turns and smells.


I love working with ash to. This tree is about 40" in diameter and 18' straight up.

Reactions: Like 1


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