Maple…. I think?

[Bear Custom Builds]

The main thing throwing me off is the color of this wood. I know its just some weird spalting, but for some reason my brain can’t get past it. I took wood from a small downed branch, but I was able to find the parent tree.
Anyone know what this is? I live a bit southwest of the center of NH by the way, so there is your point of reference for location.

Here is the bark.


Here is the “flower.” The branches of the tree are covered in them.


Cross section zoomed out.


And zoomed in to see the end grain.


The ruler is broken into 1/16ths. Thank in advance for the help.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

It doesn't appear to be an oak or maple. The catkin type flower could be on several different species of trees. Bark patterns help, but are not infallible. If you ,with everyone else's help, don't find it before the leaves come out, grab a few and they will help identify to a more certain degree

 

[Bear Custom Builds]

I also forgot to mention that the wood has an interesting smell to it. Almost its hard to describe, it smells quite sweet and almost lemony but not quite.

 

[Fencemender]

Aspen/poplar/cottonwood family, would be my guess.
Buds before they open do have a wonderful smell. I recently just got some cottonwood buds to use to make some salve from the medicinal resin that is in the buds.

 

[Bear Custom Builds]

@phinds Maybe you could give this would a guess?

 

[phinds]

Looks to me like tulip poplar with mineral stain (or rainbow poplar, which is just tulip poplar with a LOT of mineral stain)

 

[Mr. Peet]

Populus species, 100%

Bark matches Quacking aspen, Big-tooth has deeper fissures. A few others possible, but seeing the quaking aspen leaves on the ground makes me lean harder in that direction. The branch coloring is from infection ( Hypoxylon mammatum) and a touch of spalt.