Replies

1. 
   Dale | May 31, 2005 09:25am | #1

   Me thinks it may be a beech.  I've heard the lumber is difficult to dry, as in, it twist.  Not sure if I see a place to to attach a link, in case I can't find the link thingy, copy and paste this: BEECH

   FG: Not trying to be nice, but I did learn something new, Thanks!

   Humm, maybe that did the trick???

   Dale

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   Edited 5/31/2005 3:16 am ET by Dale

   
   

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   Edited 5/31/2005 3:18 am ET by Dale

1. 
   forestgirl | May 31, 2005 09:57am | #2

   Dale, if you're using INternet Explorer, you can hyperlink by highlight the words (for instance, "click here") then click on the little globe/chain link icon in the formatting row, and paste in the URL.  That will keep the page width from going crazy with a long URL as above.

   If you don't use IE, you'll have to resort to tinyurl.com I guess.

   If you want to be super-nice, you can go back in and edit that URL out and hyperlink it. :-)  We have at least one member, can't remember who, who's driven nuts by these pages that go off the screen by a mile!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   highfigh | May 31, 2005 11:39am | #3

   How tall is this tree and if you crush a leaf, what does it smell like? If it smells medicinal, it could be Eucalyptus, and since your profile shows that you live in CA, this is a definite possibility.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
3. 
   philip | May 31, 2005 12:59pm | #4

   Jelly, old boy,
   I led myself a right song and dance bringing up that tree-only to find that the leaves are familiar- but that's all.Then again I know little on the i.d of standing trees-it's the timber I know somethings about.Definitely though I can tell you that it ain't any Eucalypti that I know .Also I have seen a few Beeches around here and in Germany-still don't ring a bell-if it is beech then someone has already pointed out that it could be a son of a beech for various reasons which I forget now. All very confusing, so if I were you I would say,well it looks an 'orrible tree, so down it comes and in goes the pool.But if you think it to be a nice tree then it still comes down now (as it will in the end like all trees-no exception)and you have pool plus usable timber-I say again- usable timber.Whatever you do , do something now before someone tells you the wrong thing and you don't get your pool.
   Hope this helps-certainly I have practised my keyboard skills tonight even if my spelling is a beach.

1. 
   Dale | May 31, 2005 03:08pm | #5

   In CA. huh, Beech is not native to CA, at least not the beech I linked to. Sure looks like a beech. Gotta be careful how I type that word, : ' >

   Enjoy the pool,

   Dale

4. 
   trialnut | May 31, 2005 04:42pm | #6

   Being in western NY state I am not real up on the west coast trees, especially the imports, but I am quite sure this is not an American Beech. The veining in the leaves and the leaf shape is wrong and the way it branches also looks wrong. Beech leaves have very even toothing along the leaf edge, parallel veining and very short stems. If this tree is an evergreen I would lean toward a Catalina Cherry. If it drops its leaves each fall then I would lean toward a Arizona Alder, a White Alder or possibly a European Beech. Take a branch with some leaves to a local nursery and they should be able to tell you what it is. A beech would also drop husks and nuts every year in late summer or early fall. Something you would not want to step on barefoot as they are spiney on the outside. Let us know what you find out.

   Rich

   The Professional Termite

1. 
   Jellyrug | May 31, 2005 08:02pm | #11

   Thanks everyone for the input.

   I looked up the Beech and it's not, as there are no nuts and the leaves are a bit different. The tree is around 40 ft tall, sheds it's leaves, which come back in days and it produces a black very small flowery berry thing which falls on the ground at some time. I believe it was on the property when built in 1995 and not planted, but I'm not sure if it is native to California.

   I'll smell a leave tonight and try the nursery to see if they can identify it.

   It provides shade over 3/4 of my and the neighbor's back yards and has one or two birds nesting in it every summer.

1. 
   WillGeorge | May 31, 2005 08:17pm | #12

   It provides shade over 3/4 of my and the neighbor's back yards and has one or two birds nesting in it every summer.

   Maybe ya can get the neighbor to chip in fer your pool if ya keep the shade tree for his yard too!

2. 
   migraine | May 31, 2005 11:38pm | #15

   My mind is going blank.  I had some trees on our property in Socal.

   What about a form of pepper tree.  The fruit gets a dried paper skin around a seed.  usually in the red/pink color. 

   If the fruit sorta grows like a grape kinda cluster, then it could be a capolie(spelling?).  Another name for it is Ecuadorian cherry. 

   Have you tried looking in Sunset's Western Garden Book?  It's some what the Bible for alot of nurseries/landscapers, at least the one's I know. 

5. 
   KeithNewton | May 31, 2005 05:06pm | #7

   I am afraid I can't identify the tree for you, but it looks like there is going to be a wavy grain pattern, just judging from the way the bark furrows appear.

6. 
   ring | May 31, 2005 05:30pm | #8

   Jelly,

   Try posting the question in the gardening forum (Over the Fence)

   DR

7. 
   MarkRD | May 31, 2005 06:43pm | #9

   You could always cut it down and show us pictures of the wood inside. Then many of us would have no problem identifying it. :-)

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

   View Image

8. 
   WillGeorge | May 31, 2005 06:46pm | #10

   It's a pool or the tree... Geeee...

   Lets see.. Why not call a arborist (may cost you) and try to live with both!

   If it is a in-ground pool you may be able to desigh around the tree and it's roots..

   I had a in-ground pool.. With trees... NEVER again.. Trees are really messy! But not as bad as the neighborhood kids were...

   I forgot... I go with the post on Eucalyptus or so called 'GUM' tree... However I am not sure what it is...

   Woulden't mind that tree to replace my Silver Maples... They are sure a messy tree! I'd cut them down but I love trees...

   
   

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   Edited 5/31/2005 11:49 am ET by Will George

9. 
   tailsorpins | May 31, 2005 10:51pm | #13

   I can't get all the detail from your nice pictures, but you could try this site.

   Perhaps it's an ash of some type.

   http://www.oplin.org/tree/

    

   John in Texas

10. 
    Rich14 | May 31, 2005 11:07pm | #14

    Jellyrug,

    I think your tree is ash, possibly hickory.

    Try this site for tree identifcation by leaves:

    http://forestry.about.com/cs/treeid/a/100_trees_id.htm

    Ricg

11. 
    treeguy | Jun 01, 2005 12:28am | #16

    I'm not from the west coast but judging from your pictures and descriptions I think its red alder, definately not beech or ash with the description of the berries.  In my professional ( i am a certified arborist) opinion installing an inground pool near the tree is asking for trouble.  First you probably have to cut some major roots of the tree possibly causing instability and loss of nutrient and water uptake.  Roots grow and you could have the roots pushing against the side of the pool, kinda like a tree near a sidewalk.  Plus all the leaves and berries you would have to skim out regularly i think its one or the other.  Call an arborist in to look at it, its hard to judge by pictures.  If you want to you could turn the tree into new pool furniture.

1. 
   Rich14 | Jun 01, 2005 12:49am | #17

   I didn't see the post about the berries.

   Nope, it's not ash or hickory.

   Rich

12. 
    DANL | Jun 01, 2005 01:12am | #18

    Looks like a beech to me--the smooth grey bark and the leaves sure look like beech. In the fall do the leaves turn a coppery orange color and then hold on a long time and get paler? (Maybe that only happens to the beech trees in Michigan).

13. 
    JeffHeath | Jun 01, 2005 03:41am | #19

    Jellyrug

    It's not Hickory.  I've got about 20 of them on my property, and they look nothing like your tree.

    Jeff

1. 
   Jellyrug | Jun 01, 2005 05:27am | #20

   Thanks again everyone for the help.

   From all the research available on the web, I don't get an exact match, but I do get real close. It could be that the pictures on the web sites are misleading, or perhaps something else.

   Looks like it belongs to the "Birch" family and the closest match is the native California White Alder. But my leaves seem a little more pointed. It is also close to the Arizona Alder.

   I guess the only way to find out if the lumber can be used will be to try.

14. 
    twoodward15 | Jun 01, 2005 11:06pm | #21

    http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/key/key1.htm

    try this page.  it may take some time but you might find it.  I found a couple like yours, but I'm not exactly sure if they match or not. 

15. 
    piko | Jun 10, 2005 08:28am | #22

    Leave the tree, it's beautiful. For what - a rotten little man-made pool full of chemicals and kids? No shade, sterile concrete, and depleting the ozone layer...take a shower instead. Bah, humbug!

    Ciao for niao

    ***I'm a contractor - but I'm trying to go straight!***

16. 
    TomHigby | Jun 11, 2005 04:31am | #23

    From the photos I would say beech, a hard wood much favored for utility purposes,as in plane making, wooden rulers, wood-screw clamps, etc.

    Tom