Mystery Hedge

[Arborowen]

Haven't posted for a bit. Usually I'm the tree ID monkey here but this one has me stumped. Buds look a little like willow, leaves look a little like prunus, bark looks a little like hawthorn. Very confusing. I offered to try to key it out but no samples were collected during visit.

 

Thoughts very much appreciated as its the only thing on my colleagues survey he has to ID!

[daltontrees]

Looks a lot like plum. I have one out the back of the house on Council land that looks a lot like this, including the mullered top and millions of sprouts. I think the lower leaves on stem epicormics are larger and more cherry-like than in the tree proper.

 

Have a look for hte distinctive cherry glands on the base of the eaves or on the petioles.

 

I had always assumed it was Prunus cerasifera, but not the 'Nigra' variety that is popular as a street tree.

[Arborowen]

Thanks, DT> No obvious Glands and Prunus was one of my guesses based on the pics. Some samples have arrived in the office now and it does look to be Prunus, with one mature leaf there that looks to have a small singular gland. Difficult game when they've been bashed around huh.

[daltontrees]

Yes unfortunately the glands are not a perfect diagnostic, somethimes they are subsumed in the leaf and almost invisible, and in individual leaves can be absent completely. but I'm pretty sure you've got a Prunus of sorts, towards the plum department.