What kind of tree? ? ?

[Ray]

Recently I pulled up (legally) a seedling tree in the back yard of William Faulkner's home in Oxford Mississippi.

I coaxed it to grow in a pot and now have some questions. Please look at the photo at the following site, and give me guidance.

Thanks to all for any help

[John McGaw]

Dunno. When I saw the picture the first thing I thought was "Virginia creeper" (I have a lot of it) but that certainly isn't a type of tree. The leaves' edges don't took right for buckeye or horse chestnut, at least not any sort I'm familiar with, although the arrangement of leaflets in a pinwheel looks right.

[Sheldon]

[Amos Nomore]

Virginia creeper was my immediate impression as well. I have it planted around a deck in my backyard (was there when I moved in and I still curse the previous owner occasionally) and little seedlings and suckers appear here and there all over my yard which look identical to the photo.

It is impossible to get rid of and sometimes difficult to control once established. Ray, if you plant this in your yard, expect it to spread fairly rapidly and end up being a bit of a headache.

look at all the negatives!

[Frank]

welcome to pull mine too ;) Frank

[Ray]

Thanks Amos --

I don't believe this would be the Virginia creeper. First, I took it off the side of a stump, about 3' in diameter, which had been cut down. Second, I don't think the keepers of the Faulkner home would have allowed such a troublesome plant to exist on the property.

Is it possible that it's an elm?

[beecrofter]

Looks like American Beech leaves to me.

[Amos Nomore]

Virginia creeper pops up wherever it feels like it and is hard not to find wherever it can grow wild. I would be very surprised not to find it growing all over Rowan Oak, despite any efforts to eliminate it.

I guess it could be an elm or a chestnut or something else, but you will probably have to wait and see to be convinced of what you have. If in a few weeks it begins to stretch into a vine, you've got the creeper.

Here's a few photos I took today for you to compare

[Ray]

Thanks for the photos. The close-up of the leaves seem to look slightly different from mine.

I will watch it closely, and if it shows vine-like tendencies, then it will never leave the pot.

-- Ray

[Jim Kingdon]

Hmm. At first I was fairly negative about Virginia creeper (perhaps because here in the Washington, DC area it is extensively planted, one might say overplanted, for things like covering up freeway noise walls). "Sure it is native, but there are better native plants" kind of thinking.

It is starting to grow on me. I'm getting fond of the red leaves in fall. We will see if I regret this new-found tolerance if and when the plants in my yard start getting a bit bigger. But for now I'm just glad if they are choking out some of the plants we've already considered undesirable (poison ivy, wisteria, bindweed, honeysuckle and some others).

[symplastless]

here are some areas which you may require additional knowledge.

Many tree problems are associated with the following:

Troubles in the Rhizosphere

Trees from the Nursery / Improper Planting and Look up "Tree Planting" Mulching - and Look up "Mulch"

Improper Pruning

Fertilization (See A Touch of Chemistry) John A. Keslick, Jr. Arborist Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology. Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us that we are not the boss.

[Amos Nomore]

That's funny because really the only time I'm pissed about the creeper is when I'm stripping it away from my honeysuckles with which they compete for trellis space. I do love the fall colors, and especially the berries with their dayglo pink stems. It is a fine and handsome plant where it is welcome.

[mleblanca]

Ray The leaf in your photo has a compound, palmate leaf form. Those are leaflets ( It is not a beech or chestnut; neither of those has compound leaves.) Buckeye does have compound, palmate leaves. Buckeye leaves grow opposite on the stem. When your plant gets another leaf, if it is opposite this one, it is probably a buckeye. But if the leaves alternate up the stem, it is Virginia Creeper. You said you "took it off the side of a stump" That is how VA Creeper grows, holding tightly onto the trunk of a tree. If your plant develops tendrils with little sucker like pads, it's definitely a Creeper. Enjoy it in a pot! Emilie NorCal

[Ray]

Thanks Emilie -- I'll proceed accordingly.

-- Ray

[Gloria]

I vote for Virginia Creeper. Upon close examination of your photo, it looks to have segments like a vine does. I have one that grows up my very large oak tree in my backyard in NE AL. It's never been a problem and never has gotten very far up the tree but does return every year.

Gloria

[Ann]

"Ray" expounded:

I agree with you, Ray. It's not creeper, nor is it a beech or elm. Could it be a type of chestnut?