Can anyone tell me what kind of tree/shrub this is? (description below)?
Question:We have a couple of these bushes/small trees in our yard (wild) and I have no idea what they are exactly. I'd like to know bc I think they're pretty and would like to plant more.
It's a small tree/shrub (like 5ft tall maybe) with leaves that feel fuzzy. The top side is green and the underside is whiter. In April or May it blooms with pretty pink blossoms that look somewhat like apple/cherry blossoms. In June (like now) it produces small red fruits (like 1/2 inch) that look like cherries but bright red and without the stem (but with the pit). I tasted a tiny bit of the juice and it was sour but would probably work in a jam. I managed to transplant a very young tree (to replace one that died) and it has grown to about 4.5 feet but hasn't blossomed yet. It grows well in partial sun. I'm sure this tree is part of the cherry/plum family but I can't find it on wikipedia at all.
Oh yeah...I live in southern Michigan.
Answers:
Sounds like you have a flowering "crabapple" tree to me. It is in the "Malus" family of trees. The fruit is edible but rather sour to say the least. It does, as you say, make for a good "jam" on sandwiches. The flowers usually are pink or white, but some species may be red in color. The fruit is under 2" in diameter. These trees are planted in the Midwest as well as the north, due to the fact that they can handle the more harsher weather these locales present to the gardener. Here is a couple of links for you to compare.. Hope this answers your question..
http://www.treehelp.com/trees/crabapple/...
Edited info: check out this link and scroll down to the wild sweet crabapple "malus coronaria" These have a fuzzy leaf surface as you stated..
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b700/b700_42.htm...
...Billy Ray
You may have a wild plum tree Also could be a persimmon tree. Both will taste fairly sweet. We used to have one across from where I work and I picked them and took them home, washed them and they were tasty. (Arkansas).
Shepepherda argentia - Silver Buffaloberry
Are you sure that the fruit was ripe? Flowers in May and
ripe fruit in June would be amazing. How long have you had
these trees? What shape are the leaves and size? Toothed? Smooth edges? Fall color? Try the Nat'l Audubon
Society Field Gude to TREES for your area. Very nice book,
but I have only the eastern region edition,'cuz I'm in NJ.
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