A TOTALLY FACTUAL WALK IN THE PARK! - HOORAH!

Oh - there are more shots! None of the willow trees I've looked at had bark like that.

I'm beginning to think that willow is a red herring!

I also can't find anything that resembles it in the willow websites.

I'll have a re-think........

me either, littlek..

There seem to be a LOT of willow hybrids! I did try to look up trees with willow-like leaves with not much luck.

How tall would you say the tree is? (and who's stick will you be sing for that?)

Yeh, though look at this page I found when I entered salix nigra UK on google web -

many many many salixes..

and bark can/will change with age..

My Dirr book on woody landscape plants says, "The willows are not extensively treated in this book (or for that matter any text) for they are hopelessly confused botanically. There are 250 species generally confined to the northern hemisphere...... They hybridize freely and it is often difficult to distinguish hybrids from species."

I would say around 30 - 40ft (nearer 30) tall, LK. Sorry about the hassle you're having.

I'll make it TWO oranges.

LordE, I consider this to be fun.

So do I....I love trees, and I love mysteries. Double whammy for me!

I like it like I like sudoku puzzles - I love trees and puzzles.

So, it has to be a willow, right? nothing else has leaves and leafbuds like that, right?

THAT was my very first impression, Lk....those leaves HAVE to be Willow.

I didn't for one minute realise there were so many varieties!

I'll try the RHS site, methinks...or even email "Gardener's World" (BBC) and see if THEY know.

I'd love one in my garden....you wait for the colour changes (soon)..I hope my camera does it justice.

Look!



Too bad it's a pinoak. When I see the form of that willow, all I can think of is pinoak. When I see the leaves all thoughts of oak disappear. Then there's the bark...... it's like a pinoak-white willow hybrid.

Smorgs, were you asking for help in IDing that tree (page 13, or around there)?

see you all later.

But WAIT, I did run across an oak willow hybrid in my searches, I think...

Ah, see I forgot the link -
will go and chase it down.

Just to drive you crazy..

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Salix+nigra

I've never heard of a pinoak!

It looks remarkably like it, though.

I'll look them up.

PS....smorgs was typically English polite and PM'd me to ask if she could post her tree on my thread, it being about special trees, an' all.

That tree holds a special meaning for her, and so I didn't hesitate. I think that we all should have a special tree on display somewhere.

I'm glad that I posted my Willow before they chopped it down. I'm sure she won't mind me just explaining the reason for posting it. If it were me, I'd be as proud as punch that I had a tree planted in my honour. She's too modest, methinks, and I'll now probably have my head chopped off for telling you.

Sorry for not replying about your tree, Smorgie. I was off on a wild goose tree chase...