My son was recently in school in Mooresville, NC. I noticed during the move a beautiful cedar or arborvitae tree that I would love to have. It was pyramidal, green (of course), but what made it stand out were the yellow-tinged lacy ends to the branches. They were beautiful, but I could not find out from anyone what type it was. Can anyone help? Thanks so much!
Hardiness Zone: 8a
Brenda from Greenville, AL
Brenda,
I can't make out the picture you attached, but I can point you to a wonderful resource for help in identifying trees in your area. Auburn University has a web site with images of tree species common to Alabama and the southeast. The site includes several photos and descriptions for each species. To search for yours, scroll down the left hand side of the page and click on the tree names. Make sure you check out all of the listings represented (not just cedar), because there are many other evergreens with similar leaf structures and growth habits as the one you described. A tree that is not listed on the site that you may want to search for is the European Larch (also called Tamarack). This tree is in the pine family, but it is not an evergreen. In the fall, the needles turn a lovely golden color before dropping. The needles are feathery not lacy. If the tree you saw was a true evergreen, the yellow-tinged leaves may be pretty, but they are more than likely a symptom of some type of stress.
Here's the link:
http://www.sfws.auburn.edu/samuelson/dendrology/index.html
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I would call the Department of Natural Resources and ask them what kind of tree it is; if they don't know themselves they always know who to ask!
From the description I would guess it is a bald cypress-- if you can see it after leaf fall-- it drops all it's fern type leaves seemingly at once-- the other characteristic is a "bumpy" base-- somewhat reminding one of a true cypress. They also are fairly fast growers.
I don't think it's a bald cypress 'cause this particular tree is an evergreen and has a thick growth habit like a cedar.....but thanks for the input one and all!
Could it be a deodora cedar? If you put that in google, then click on images at the top there are lots of photos of them.
There is one at this link:
www.bigtreesupply.com/
and another here:
Gosh Susan - that is a beautiful, beautiful tree, but not the one.....it was shorter and stouter than your examples......but now I may have to get deodora too - wonder if it will grow in central AL??
I would take a cutting and go to a nursery that sells a lot of evergreens or agricultural extension center and have them identify it for you. If your library has the huge horticulture encyclopedia Hortis you could look in there as well.
Have you checked what a Leyland Cypress looks like? It looks very much as you describe except that it should not have yellow tips.
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