# Tree identification **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084 "2023-07-15T21:42:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/1 "2023-07-15T21:42:37Z")
I just performed some tree surgery in my yard (removed a tree that had died during our extended drought)… and there are 3 more trees growing alongside the dead one. I’d like to ID them, and maybe pick a “winner” to nurture into a replacement for the old tree. NONE of the three are the same species. Number one, currently the largest of the three, standing at about eight feet in height: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc9fJ5CtAb_v586bLSpoxZGq42mXj22PIsTy1GxMdX1rkrOuFy6nLqyWT-p7j4xMqCrBUFsIWl1PybAqxdY9Z9D56ZgSvstpb_RstOjtYS1rEvrQCCg=w600-h315-p-k "New item by Patrick Smalley") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/J5zvJoMpraPptmpB6) I have no idea what it might be. Number two, only about 3-4 feet in height: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc_dvs2YlHNatpeJZTF_7Osh4w0OQeeC9tsHCOyKn_-GupAEYsFARxk9y2ZoYBy09NNTI-JmWnlsrwrZDVHA7uvv0xr9hx2T2tATCdJ1dfxVUl3H9qA=w600-h315-p-k "New item by Patrick Smalley") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/wyFB8SKNrTqWpBSu5) I think this is a purple leaf sand cherry; this would make sense, as I have some growing about twenty feet away. Number three, also about 3-4 feet: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc-6XfbYFedh6eVSuaMqFcuLNoWNZLlKp6KwO4OgywuYbZAfGRi-VDoZZUeztAsBrZuDKkZYI_4oPC8Fuw1Vn0M9cuKHJ71tajZyM-A_JuCAP7Wgkxg=w600-h315-p-k "New item by Patrick Smalley") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/zAYhJvfvUaFxtLzZ8) I _think_ this might be a Nanking Cherry; I have some growing in the back yard that I have also tentatively identified as being the same. Any help would be appreciated! ETA: You’ll likely need to click on the photos to see the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/2 "2023-07-15T21:54:40Z")
There are websites that will ID a tree for you by the leaves. Here’s one: > **[What Tree Is That? Tree Identification Guide at arborday.org](https://www.arborday.org/trees/whattree/)** > > What Tree Is That? is a tree identification guide from the Arbor Day Foundation, featuring an easy-to-use, step-by-step process to identify nearly any tree in North America. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/3 "2023-07-15T22:02:59Z")
Could #1 be a choke cherry? Or a black cherry? ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/4 "2023-07-15T22:10:43Z")
Well, it occurs to me that some location info might be helpful, as well; I’m in Northeast Wyoming. > [@solost](#): > > There are websites that will ID a tree for you by the leaves. Here’s one: Thanks! I seem to have answered a question wrong though, because I ended up off in the weeds somewhere… > [@kitap](#): > > Could #1 be a choke cherry? > > Or a black cherry? I definitely THINK it’s a cherry tree of some kind; I’d be absolutely over the moon if it was chokecherry (one of my favorite fruits). ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/5 "2023-07-15T23:12:09Z")
My sister and I often get quite good results with [Seek](https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app), a free phone app. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/6 "2023-07-16T19:05:17Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > Could #1 be a choke cherry? This crossed my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/7 "2023-07-16T19:16:26Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My sister and I often get quite good results with [Seek](https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app), a free phone app. I’ve tried various other apps for this before, with very limited success. I just downloaded this one, and it does seem both easier to use and accurate, the first time I tried it. Thanks for the recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/8 "2023-07-16T19:35:09Z")
I use Seek quite often as well. It did misidentify a young pumpkin plant as a cucumber plant though and now we’re trying to think of what to do with a pumpkin plant that will block our back yard sidewalk soon. ETA: But the vast majority of time it’s accurate and fun. Works on animals/insects too. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tree-identification/987084/9 "2023-07-16T19:38:06Z")
Another (secondhand) thumbs up for Seek, my wife uses it for various things growing in the backyard, at work, or that otherwise catch her eye, with pretty damn good success rates, especially for a non-paid app.