What is this beautiful tree?

[frdnicholas]

We inherited this tree from the previous owners of the house. It is getting ready to bloom with incredible white flowers that float in the air when they're done like cottonwood. I hope the pictures help with the identification.

 

[Marck]

Indeed this a most fine, small, native tree. It is Groundsel-tree (Baccharis halimifolia) in the Aster Tribe (Astereae) of the Daisy Family (Asteraceae). it occurs along the eastern seaboard of North America, from Nova Scotia to Mexico, and also on the Isle of Cuba.
Groundsel-tree flowers in the Fall with male and female flowers on separate plants (dioecy). It looks like your tree produces female flowers. That will be nice, as the feathy pappus on the seeds also makes an attractive display.

There are many species of Baccharis that occur through out the American continents. In California, I have several Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis) in my Garden, all of which self-sowed from wild seed. It is similar to B. halimifolia, but rthe leaves are toothed and it doesn't get quite as large, though my largest shrub is ten feet tall and beginning to resemble a small tree.

 

[frdnicholas]

Thank you for identifying this tree. We really love it and are glad we let it grow as the previous owners had cut it down. Thanks, again.

 

[cpp gardener]

They probably didn’t enjoy the fluffy seeds floating around and they can be rather prodigious in their fertility (they come up everywhere).

 

[Marck]

I enjoy the feathery seeds of Baccharis and other other plants when they blow around. They can look very attractive and seasonally evocative.. In some cases the 'fluff' can be thick enough to mimic snow. It can often be left to blow away or settle on its own, but when it does need to be swept up it is no different than Autumn leaves. I just hope no one will try to use one of those noisy blowers, ...well I can hope anyway.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I am so with you on leaf blowers, Marck. Not just noisy, burning fossil fuel to do a job that I swear I can do more efficiently with a wire rake or a good yard broom.

 

[cpp gardener]

Unless you’re a professional who needs to work at 10-15 houses a day. Or a commercial multi-acre development. Homeowners with less than an acre or two really should do it by hand and save the blowers for professionals.

 

[Marck]

Yes, but that doesn't solve the problem of hearing the blowing of all the "professionals' that all the neighbors who can't be bothered, hire to blow. (Try diagramming that sentence).

 

[Marck]

Looking at it again, I should have put a comma after 'neighbors'.