Tree ID please

[Stere]

Why is it always "must be a  hornbeam"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Stere said:

Why is it always "must be a  hornbeam"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long standing joke goes back several years . People pick it up and run with it .....

[Derek Eames]

Sorry... I have never seen a Beech with a stem base like that. I would stick to Hornbeam which is correct for the base, bark colour and leaf

[Steve Bullman]

That’s not a hornbeam leaf. And that’s not particularly unusual to find a beech tree with a stem like that 

[Puffingbilly413]

I've got loads of lumps of beech knocking around some with the classic elephant's skin bark and some gnarly as hell and everything in between.  As Steve says, that stem / root style is by no means rare.

 

Just in case the bark and leaf doesn't convince, you can make out the old dropped beech nuts on the floor (Ctrl+ rather than using the zoom on the photo itself).

 

It could always be Fagus pseudojuglans...or

[Stubby]

9 hours ago, Derek Eames said:

Sorry... I have never seen a Beech with a stem base like that. I would stick to Hornbeam which is correct for the base, bark colour and leaf

Horbeam leaf is smaller and has a sharper serrated edge to the leaf ( related to birch )  I have seen beech with that form on the trunk . Also as others have said beech bark can vary from tree to tree . Even trees in a plantation standing next to each other . One has gnarly segmented bark and the other smooth . 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Stubby

[arboriculturist]

On 01/06/2020 at 20:46, keptenjim said:

The leaves of this ancient looking tree remind me of a silver birch. But probably not? 

I would get yourself a good reference book on trees, as every Arboriculturist should have a good reference library.

It will teach you how to identify tree species by keys, then you will be able to advise the next person who posts a picture of a Beech that the tree is a Common or European Beech.

[daltontrees]

What's going on, peeps? This is a Beech, of that there is no doubt whatsoever. It is common in woodland settings for them to develop fluted flared buttresses like that.

[Derek Eames]

10 hours ago, Stubby said:

Horbeam leaf is smaller and has a sharper serrated edge to the leaf ( related to birch )  I have seen beech with that form on the trunk . Also as others have said beech bark can vary from tree to tree . Even trees in a plantation standing next to each other . One has gnarly segmented bark and the other smooth . 

OK Thanks for that. I have worked in many major Beech Trees including some magnificent veterans but not seen a fluted base. MT