What tree species have I found?

[Aussie Yeoman]

I found a couple of copses of these trees, and noticed the trunks were a nice size and shape for bows. However, I have no idea what species it is.

Any helpers?



Oh, and how about this second one? Could be Poplar of some sort?



Cheers,

Dave

[Pat B]

The first looks like a poplar or aspen. The second, maybe Chinese Tallow. Does it have a distinctive smell when the leaves are crushed. Do you live in a tropical or semi tropical area?

[Aussie Yeoman]

Not at all tropical here: a little hotter in summer and much cooler in winter than California, with similar low humidity.

None of the leaves had a distinctive smell that I could discern. And the second one smelled like nothing at all when I cut it with a chainsaw.

Thanks for the tips!

[PatM]

Do you t least have an idea if introduced trees are likely?

[Aussie Yeoman]

Yep, absolutely. Both these trees are definitely introduced. Canberra is a tossed salad of introduced tree species. Which can make it hard to narrow the candidates down.

However, I read up a bit about Chinese Tallow and I don't think that's what I found, as the copse is fairly limited and does not appear to be aggressively spreading as Chinese Tallow is wont to do.

[Marc St Louis]

I would be inclined to think that both are Aspens or Poplars, the first one for sure.  Low density trees not really suitable for bows

[Philipp A]

I agree with the earlier assessment. Looks like a poplar species to me

[upstatenybowyer]

are the leaves in the second one from the tree behind it to the right? I don't know of any poplar that has bark like that.

[PatM]

First does look like Bigtooth Aspen.

[justsomedude]

I had a birch tree with leaves like that too.

[cadet]

Wife (heritage horticulture specialist based in Melbourne) suggests first is some sort of poplar, second some sort of cottonwood.

[Springbuck]

  I agree with Cadet's wife.   First I say is bigtooth aspen, and the second is probably an eastern cottonwood.

[PatM]

Wife (heritage horticulture specialist based in Melbourne) suggests first is some sort of poplar, second some sort of cottonwood.

Really that would make them both a type of poplar. 

[mwosborn]

The leaf petiole is usually flat (rather than round) on trees belonging to the genus Populus.  You can feel it easily if you roll the petiole between finger and thumb.  Both look like Populus sp. to me.

[Dakota Kid]

Do they produce tiny seeds surrounded by fluffy "cotton" that make it look like it's snowing in the summer? If so, then it's cottonwood poplar, which would be my guess based on the pictures. We have tons of them here. The "cotton" gets so thick it blocks out the green of the grass. It can be quite a fire hazard as the stuff burns like flash paper.  I don't think it's much of a bow wood though. It make a fine dugout canoe if you get one thats 5 or 6 feet in diameter.