Name that tree
January 15, 2015 11:00 AM   Subscribe

I found this leaf in Pittsburgh, PA. What kind of it tree did it fall from?

The Montpellier maple looks similar, but Wikipedia says it is rare to found outside of arboreta, and mine looks a bit stubbier. So I am skeptical. Help!
posted by isnotchicago to Home & Garden (5 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I ran through the Arbor Day Foundation's What Tree Is That? guide and the Ohio Public Library Information Network's Identify By Leaf, and came up with either red or black maple. I had to guess on a few details about the other side of the leaf and about the tree itself, so you might be able to get a more precise answer.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 11:07 AM on January 15, 2015


Do you know if this leaf is totally typical of the tree if came off of? i.e. is there a chance that this was picked up because it was a cool-looking anomaly, or are you certain that there is a whole tree full of leaves like this?

If it's red or black maple, then it's a mutant.
posted by aimedwander at 12:53 PM on January 15, 2015


Field Maple looks similar too. It could also be a viburnum - many viburnums have leaves that resemble those of maples. This is an odd leaf, though. Sometimes plants that get herbicide damage on them grow leaves in uncharacteristic shapes, so I'm wondering if you picked up an herbicide-damaged leaf? I'm kind of stumped.
posted by Ostara at 12:59 PM on January 15, 2015


Response by poster: I do not remember if the leaf was typical, so it very well could be mutated/damaged. I had not considered that. Hm!
posted by isnotchicago at 7:40 AM on January 16, 2015


Awfully symmetrical for a damaged leaf, IMO.

Way too round-tipped for a maple, FWIW.

Maybe an immature leaf of Rotundiloba, the fruitless sweetgum - and this site actually mentions it's used for street trees in PA because of the lack of (dangerous to pedestrians) fruit. I say "immature" because it looks 3-lobed; rotundiloba is 5-lobed, but if the last two lobes haven't quite distinguished themselves... (guessing here).
Ostara: I'm kind of stumped.
ISWYDT.
posted by IAmBroom at 2:25 PM on January 17, 2015


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