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Tree ID question

Creamer

Active Member
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Athens
Wasn't sure where to stick this, but this forum seemed the most appropriate. I'm curious if anyone can ID this tree. Of course, right now in SE Ohio, there's no leaves on it. The tree is located on Ohio University's Athens campus. It develops tons of bean pods that are now falling (like rain). You can see below pics of a bean pod (the beans inside are black), the bark, and the volume of bean pods still on the tree. Any ideas?





 

Creamer

Active Member
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Maybe an ornamental honey locust? They have thornless varieties.

I initially would have thought some sort of locust but the pods are so small. Locust trees I am used to have big pods. But, if it's ornamental, maybe they would be smaller? That's my other hunch, being at a college campus, it might be something not even from North America. Who knows where it might have come from.
 
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Creamer

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Download the app “PlantNet” on your smart phone....I was skeptical but am impressed so far. You take a pic of the bark, leaves, seeds, pods or flowers and it will give you the highest probability. The app is free.

Very cool app, thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to have to try it this spring when the leaves come on. When I do the pic of the bark, I get Lombardy Poplar (but the seed pods pics don't match) or False Acacia/Black Locust (seed pods don't match exactly and this tree has no thorns). The False Acacia seems to be the closest match, which leads me down Jesse's path of maybe it's an ornamental variety. When I use the app with a pic of the bean pods I get some crazy matches, like Ground Pine, European Alder, and Mediterranean Cyrpus. None of them match closely. Hopefully this spring the leaves and blooms on it will get me a positive hit.
 

triple_duece

Ragin Cajun.
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Good probability that the leaves are on the ground under the tree...just saying. They don’t have to be green and on the tree.
 

Jackalope

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I've looked through my copy of the National Audubon Societys Field Guied to North American Trees a few times now and am unable to locate anything resembling those pods. The closest is a mesquite but the tree is too tall and not even remotely in the appropriate region.

So with that said I'm about 99% sure that it's a non-native ornamental. The closest I've been able to find species wise is a Japanese Pagoda. While maybe not exact it has to be in the same genetic family. I'm pretty sure that it likely has pinnately compound leaves much like most locust trees as that's a trait among pod bearing trees. Back in the 70s there was a huge boom in bringing in exotic ornamental trees and bushes for universities, parks and homes. One of the reasons Ohio is covered in that damn Amur honeysuckle tree. Anyway. The Japanese Pagoda.

styph-jap-1239-83-a-frt-KPort.jpg
11454998225_425bc0c9ca_b.jpg
39443211914_4e33436092_z.jpg
 
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Creamer

Active Member
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81
Athens
I've looked through my copy of the National Audubon Societys Field Guied to North American Trees a few times now and am unable to locate anything resembling those pods. The closest is a mesquite but the tree is too tall and not even remotely in the appropriate region.

So with that said I'm about 99% sure that it's a non-native ornamental. The closest I've been able to find species wise is a Japanese Pagoda. While maybe not exact it has to be in the same genetic family. I'm pretty sure that it likely has pinnately compound leaves much like most locust trees as that's a trait among pod bearing trees. Back in the 70s there was a huge boom in bringing in exotic ornamental trees and bushes for universities, parks and homes. One of the reasons Ohio is covered in that damn Amur honeysuckle tree. Anyway. The Japanese Pagoda.

View attachment 93742View attachment 93743View attachment 93744

With it being a campus tree I'm not shocked it might be something ornamental. Maybe when the leaves come on this spring I can get a better ID on it. All I know, that tree is a pain in the ass. Those little pods are gummy and sticky as all get out. They are stuck to the bottom of every shoe I've worn to work.
 

Mike

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I've spent literally hours looking for that fricken pod. I came up with what Joe did, but I'm not convinced.
 
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