[at-l] WHat Plant is this

[Kathy Bilton]

Hi -

In looking at the original pic - it appears that the branching is opposite 
which means it can't be a Hickory.  There's a nice little mnemonic for 
trying to figure out native trees - at least on the east coast:  MAD Buck 
- standing for Maple, Ash, Dogwood - and Buckeye.  All the rest have 
alternate branching.  (This is also an easy way to determine whether a 
young Boxelder tree is Boxelder or poison Ivy, Boxelder being a type of 
Maple - and therefore having opposite leaves while PI has alternate 
leaves.)

There are some others that are also opposite, for example Viburnum - 
though - other than Black Haw (which can get to be a small tree), I think 
other Viburnums are only shrubs.  A number of other shrubs are also 
opposite (Bladdernut and White Fringetree for example) but generally the 
mnemonic holds.  One exception is Alternate -leaved dogwood (Cornus 
alternifolia).

ANother - a non-native tree which is also opposite is Paulownia 
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pato1.htm


--Kathy