Tree identification

[Thumper]

I know its been a little bit since Ive been here to say hi. But was wondering if anyone could help me identify this tree. Plant and tree id has always been a weak subject for me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chuck]

I think it is a fog/smog tree. A MUCH better picture would help

 

[Thumper]

Youre right. The quality wasnt all that great. Setting sun kind of screwed it up. The only better picture I have is from when I was buying the house. Got it off google earth. Ill try to take a better picture in the morning when I get off work.

 

[Sheal]

A close up of the foliage would be helpful please.

 

[Thumper]

This help?

 

[roadrunner]

I would say some type of conifer https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conifer

Still be helpful to have pics of the whole tree and close ups of other things like the bark and cones....

 

[Thumper]

I havent seen any cones. Ill try to take more picture when I wake up before work.

I thought conifers kept their leaves through the winter. This one didnt.

 

[roadrunner]

I did too, I don't know of any conifer that sheds its entire canopy of leaves. I had a 50ft tall pine tree that all of a sudden started losing its needles, but it was because it died -- I chopped it down real quick.

Is the canopy full and looking healthy now?

 

[tbendl]

I think it's a type of cypress. I have one that pretty much poops all it's leaves into my yard every fall. Beautiful trees but a PITA in the fall.

 

[Thumper]

Yeah its green and healthy right now.

I planned on taking the tree down when I moved in. Its kind of an eyesore where it sits in the front yard. And was thinking about burying the wood and what not under the raised beds Im going to be making after this growing season is over. But kind of needed to know what type of wood it is before doing anything.

 

[tbendl]

Did you check the cypress varieties?

 

[Thumper]

No. I didnt. Ill look them up.

Just looked them up on google. It kinda looks like a bald cypress. Just read a website that says bald cypress wood is resistant to rotting so theyre not the best for hugelkulture beds.

I have more reading to do.

 

[Sheal]

Larches are deciduous. I was trying to see if the branches in your first picture have a slight bow or arc in them which would suggest it's a Larch.

 

[roadrunner]

No. I didnt. Ill look them up.

Just looked them up on google. It kinda looks like a bald cypress. Just read a website that says bald cypress wood is resistant to rotting so theyre not the best for hugelkulture beds.

I have more reading to do.

But they're good for borders and stuff. I had a cedar tree and that wood is also resistant to rotting, because the only thing to eats at it are a couple types of fungi. I also don't use it for my hugelkulture beds for the same reason, but makes good firewood.

 

[Chuck]

We have a lot of bald cypress around here. They grow into spectacular specimens, over 100 feet tall. Back in the old days they would make roofing shingles and boats out of them because the grain of the wood is very straight and strong. They turn a reddish rusty brown before leaf drop. Don't know if I'd want one in my front yard though as they are a little messy