I have a UTO in my front yard (Unidentified Tree object).

[COOOOP]

I recently bought a house out in Mesa, AZ and am finally a home owner. It's not a new house, rather a new to me house, it has this weird tree in the front yard that I have never seen before. When I ask other people about it, I get blank stares and shrugs. My question to bf.net is whether any of you fine people know what the name of my tree is. here are some pictures (hopefully sized correctly).

 

Thanks,

 

Coooop

 

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/Karthax/mytree003.jpg

 

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/Karthax/mytree002.jpg

 

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/Karthax/mytree001.jpg

[brettac1]

Is it a Joshua Tree?

[DHonks]

if that's a joshua tree, then I've never seen that variety before. Still, I can't tell. It's obviously something that isn't native to Arizona. I have no idea

[trwi7]

Does this look like the tree at all? It sort of does to me.

 

http://www.redwoodbarn.com/images/Arbutussparb.jpg

[COOOOP]

It does kind of look a bit like that tree, only the bark on mine appears to be rougher then the one in that picture. Does that tree seem to seed from the branches? (Like the first picture.)

[trwi7]

Here's some info on the tree I posted. It's an Arizona Madrone.

 

Leaf:Evergreen, alternate, simple, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 2 to 4 inches long, entire margins or finely toothed, leathery, shiny green above, somewhat paler beneath.

 

Flower:Monoecious; perfect, urn-shaped, ¼ inch long, white to pink, borne in clusters up to 3 inches long that appear early (and occasionally throughout) in the growing season.

 

Fruit:Small (1/4 inch), orange-red, berry-like drupes with pebbly skins, mature in late summer.

 

Twig:Stout, initially light green but turning orange-red to red-brown with time; buds broadly ovate and light red to reddish brown, with large imbricate scales.

 

Bark:Rough, largely light gray, but reddish in patches, broken up into small square plates.

 

Form:A small to medium tree reaching up to 40 feet tall generally with a crooked trunk and twisted branches

[LouisEly]

COOOOP,

 

Call up the horticulture/botany/earth science department at ASU and have them send over a couple of co-eds to help you identify the tree. I'm sure they'd do it for free as part of a learning experience.

 

Hey, a UTO is better than an UDI (Unidentified Drinking Injury).