Forestry ID

[amerikestrel]

Ponderosa Pine? The needles look like they're about the right length.

[JSGandora]

Yes, good job. Your turn! Is there any other reason besides the length?

[amerikestrel]

I'm sure there's some way to do it definitively, but no, that was just a guess based on needle count and length.

[JSGandora]

Ah, I see.

Hmm, American Hornbeam?

[amerikestrel]

Nope.

[JSGandora]

Hm, American Beech is the next best thing. I should have guessed that first, the teeth of the American Beech lean forward more.

[amerikestrel]

Nope...this isn't the greatest photo, so here's another shot of the same tree:

[JSGandora]

That's strange...I've looked through all the trees and still can't find anything like it. I'll take another guess:

Eastern Hophornbeam? It doesn't look terribly like it but I can't think of anything else.

[amerikestrel]

No.

Hint: it's neither in the Fagaceae nor Betulaceae families. The leaf is slightly asymmetric at the base – it's not easy to tell from the first photo, but you can see it in the second photo if you look carefully.

[PacificGoldenPlover]

American Elm?