Tree Identification Query

jokerman

Explorer
May 29, 2003
337
12
Manasquan
Hey, do any of you guys happen to know the type of trees that line the old mill pond at Weymouth. I'm talking about the several very large trees that line the old pond near where the mansion used to be. I had a photo posted on facebook of me standing next to one and some guy guessed which genus it was and I'd be amazed if this guy is right. I figured someone on here is the expert.
 

NJSnakeMan

Explorer
Jun 3, 2004
332
0
33
Atlantic County
I'd recommend picking up Michael D. Geller's "A Key to the Woody Plants of the New Jersey Pine Barrens". The guide is formatted as a dichotomous key vs. a picture and description guide.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
i know my trees pretty well but don't know the precise spot in question.if they are growing down near water and are deciduous and large they are probably either red maple or black gum/tupelo trees.if they have white splotches mixed win with a very smooth bark they are sycamore.I doubt they are beech but if so they would have a paper smooth grey bark.we also have some birch but they very seldom grow large in jersey.we used to have some large river birch in millville till last year when they wiped them out for a housing development.birch bark is very flaky and curls up on the tree.maple bark starts out low to the ground but gets smoother up the tree.gum bark is usually darker then maple and rougher higher up.are the leaves star shaped or plain smooth elongated leaves????
Al
 

GermanG

Piney
Apr 2, 2005
1,111
434
Little Egg Harbor
I'm not sure of the site in question myself. I'm not totally up on Weymouth history. Was the mansion at the site of the current Atlantic County park, where the mill ruins are? Is so, I seem to remember sweetgum trees being there as well as the other species Al mentioned.
 
Apr 6, 2004
3,606
551
Galloway
I know of the trees in question, but do nto recall what kind they are. They line the top of the river bluff, and one or two have recently (?) fallen into the river.
 

jokerman

Explorer
May 29, 2003
337
12
Manasquan
Here is the photo. I appreciate the help. Knowing some of you guys, I just thought someone would jump on it. Lotta' trees out there though! I'm sad to hear some are falling. Hope this one didn't.
 

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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
Here is the photo. I appreciate the help. Knowing some of you guys, I just thought someone would jump on it. Lotta' trees out there though! I'm sad to hear some are falling. Hope this one didn't.

That's pretty good getting the genus. Looks like Tulip Poplar.....Liriodendron tulipifera, but I'm not real good at trees. Scott is (when he's not hitting the Hammonton Red).
 

GermanG

Piney
Apr 2, 2005
1,111
434
Little Egg Harbor
It could be a Tulip Poplar, but they tend to have a slightly different bark pattern, with fairly even, interlocking ridges. From the detail I can see, I’d say a Sourgum, Sweetgum, White Oak, or even a Swamp White Oak.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
It could be a Tulip Poplar, but they tend to have a slightly different bark pattern, with fairly even, interlocking ridges. From the detail I can see, I’d say a Sourgum, Sweetgum, White Oak, or even a Swamp White Oak.

It's too bad Jokerman can't come alive in the photo and walk over and pick up a few of those fallen leaves and show them to the camera. We'd nail it for sure.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
That's pretty good getting the genus. Looks like Tulip Poplar.....Liriodendron tulipifera, but I'm not real good at trees. Scott is (when he's not hitting the Hammonton Red).

I'd say bob is right.looks like tulip poplar to me.large straight trunk.High enough above the river to be anything.Red maple can grow anywhere,hydric,xeric or mesic sites though they prefer hydric and mesic.I think poplar would prefer mesic which that appears to be.have never seen them waterlogged or in very dry sites.Vineland has many nice large tulip poplars planted all along it's roads and so does hammonton.Remember we found a nice one in bear swamp Bob? Thats the first wild one I've ever seen though i hear there are more in Bear swamp.i have a bad habit of assuming all large trees in the bear are either maple or tupelo unless obviously beech.
Al
 

jokerman

Explorer
May 29, 2003
337
12
Manasquan
Thanks for the identifications everyone. Sounds like it's most likely a Tulip Poplar or White Oak. I KNOW you guys would know it if I could show a leaf in a photo. Someone else will probably be down there before I get a chance, so if it comes to mind grab a leaf for identification. They are majestic trees. This guy on Facebook said he thought it was "Querqus alba" which is some type of white oak when I looked it up. His guess is as good as anyone's I imagine.
 

cranbrake

Scout
Jun 3, 2009
79
9
only to the untrained eye,grashopper........lol,kidding bob.

but seriously if you click on the thumbnail pic,look hard at the leaves on the ground.i am pretty sure i can make out multiple deep,smooth(rounded) lobes on many/most ofthe leaves,so i'll stick with my hunch of white oak,Quercus alba.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I don't think it's white oak.white oak is lighter colored,almost white and is very flaky not corrugated like that.I still go with the tulip poplar.will have to stop and check it out sometime.looks just like the trunks of poplar planted in vineland and hammonton to me.
Al
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,944
3,080
Pestletown, N.J.

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
I had dendrology in the winter and almost everything I learned is based on bark and buds.
I say a mature white oak based on the bark in the photo.
The tree has no uniform, furrowed pattern to it as a tulip poplar would have.

This typical of tulip poplar:
http://www.discoverlife.org/IM/I_SB/0112/320/Liriodendron_tulipifera,Bark,I_SB11275.jpg

This is typical of a mature white oak:
http://www.ibiblio.org/botnet/AngiospermBark/whiteoak_bark.jpg

Good post Scott, now I'm leaning towards oak after that.

Road trip! Any good halfway houses down that way after the ID for food and a brew?

:dance:
 
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