Cape May County Explorations

Rooftree

Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
387
613
78
Haddon Township
That one stumped me Al. I thought it was maybe black gum. Are you certain it's persimmon? If so, have you seen one this big before?
I also thought that it was a persimmon. It can grow 60 feet tall and 2 feet in diameter. It attains its best growth in moist, rich soils per my trusty guide book.
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,567
4,740
Pines; Bamber area
I walked down this abandoned road in a very wet swamp. Water was about 6 inches above my knees. After a couple hundred feet I had to retreat.

1715782593568.jpeg
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,648
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millville nj
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That one stumped me Al. I thought it was maybe black gum. Are you certain it's persimmon? If so, have you seen one this big before?

Edit: I just did a search, you are right. Never seen one this big before.

Here's the State champion:

View attachment 22756
Persimmon bark is quite distinctive and we do have some monsters down here.There are some huge persimmon trees growing s]around the remains of the old Fries Mill (Potters) tavern.Also so big you can hardly see the leaves.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,648
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
That one stumped me Al. I thought it was maybe black gum. Are you certain it's persimmon? If so, have you seen one this big before?

Edit: I just did a search, you are right. Never seen one this big before.

Here's the State champion:

View attachment 22756
Now I have to measure those trees at Fries Mill.They seem close to that big.I also know where two monstrous oaks are that I haven't measured yet.One on an island in a swamp that looks like possibly someone may have lived on long ago.Both are white oaks
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,648
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millville nj
www.youtube.com
My first thought was Persimmon also. The wet road picture reminds me of a recent photo of Al wading through chest high water!
That was Tuckahoe River upstream from Hunters Mill.We jump in here https://boydsmaps.com/#16.00/39.331901/-74.864142/hybrid/0.00/0.00 and walk up to the Power Line and Back.A lot of flowers in summer in the Meadows and used to find a bit of spearmint along the creek.Also a noted PBTF Location several times recorded by the infamous Whipoorbill
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,567
4,740
Pines; Bamber area
Has this been around awhile? I think I"ve looked through it before.I have petersons guide and Audubon Guide and a book some where thats explicit to NJ Trees.
The one in the upper left corner is copyright 1958. Tree Finder is 1963 revised 1998. The Audubon tree guide (brown cover) is 1980. The last 2 are this century.
 
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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,567
4,740
Pines; Bamber area
Post #11 is Blue Beech, or Ironwood. Also called muscle tree. Carpinus caroliniana, or American Hornbeam.

The wood is very tough, and used for levers, tool handles, walking sticks, etc.
 

Rooftree

Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
387
613
78
Haddon Township
Haa. I was going to get back with you this morning on this. tree. I agree with you that it is American Hornbeam. That was my guess.

I take it that most of your exploring in Cape May is in the bottomlands. So the trees you show would be in that enviroment. If so, you may find a bur oak.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,567
4,740
Pines; Bamber area
Haa. I was going to get back with you this morning on this. tree. I agree with you that it is American Hornbeam. That was my guess.

I take it that most of your exploring in Cape May is in the bottomlands. So the trees you show would be in that enviroment. If so, you may find a bur oak.
I probably walked right by some. Spring is not a great time to ID trees. All the acorns are decrepit or have been eaten over the winter.
 

Rooftree

Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
387
613
78
Haddon Township
probably walked right by some. Spring is not a great time to ID trees. All the acorns are decrepit or have been eaten over the winter.
Here's a photo of the leaf and acorn of a bur oak. I only seen two bur oak trees and both were on the large size. They prefer bottomland soils, but that was not the case of the two I saw.

Acorn - Bur Oak (2).jpg
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,648
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millville nj
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One Tree that you will find in Cape May County and in Cumberland especially in the vicinity if salt marshes is Loblolly Pine.I"ve never noticed them in the Barrens and Cape may is supposedly their northern limit but they are in Cumberland as well.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,567
4,740
Pines; Bamber area
One Tree that you will find in Cape May County and in Cumberland especially in the vicinity if salt marshes is Loblolly Pine.I"ve never noticed them in the Barrens and Cape may is supposedly their northern limit but they are in Cumberland as well.
Yes, I've seen them. Hundreds of them in fact. Woodcock Preserve is loaded with them along the salt marsh and in the maritime forest. They don't have great roots there. I saw 3 that fell over because of the rains.

1715905169629.jpeg
 
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