Heres one for you Wes...

[RonsGarden]

Remember the tree I was trying to id....well, it is not a linden! It looks a bit like one but the leaves are smaller and the trunk is a shiney grey color.
The spring flowers are a pail green and are not at all that noticeable. This year it developed fruit that are the size of a small pea and are a dark purple in color.
Did a seach and it looks like a Hack Tree, another name is Huckleberry Tree.
I tried tasting the not too ripe fruit and hacked! Gawd awful taste!
Have not tried them now that they are ripe!

 

[Kya D]

Dang Ron those berries almost look like chokecherries but the tree you described is not even close.
I really have no clue.

 

[treeman]

Ron, it is definitely a Celtus, and I'm willing to bet its species idetnifier is Ocidentalis. Locally here it is known as Hackberry. Typically we see it growing naturally in most bottoms. It is supposed to be a good birds tree because of the berries. I don't think I have seen a berry crop as thick as in your pics. I never did tase one as the birds seem to harveat them here bore they ripen.

You haven't mentioned one of the primary Identification features of C. Occidentalis wich is warty projections that grow out of the bark, giving it good winter interest.

Most of its cousins are supposed to be tropical and evergreen and there are a few species that grow in tempwerate Europe and Asia. I don't know if any of them have been introduced to North America sa ornamentals or not. The leaves on your tree appear to be a bit larger and wider than what we see here but that could be due to racial variation, but nor would rule out it being a non-native. The warty protrusions on the bark would be a dead give away though.

 

[RonsGarden]

Thanks Wes!

The leaves on your tree appear to be a bit larger and wider than what we see here but that could be due to racial variation, but nor would rule out it being a non-native. The warty protrusions on the bark would be a dead give away though.

The bark is smooth and has a shine to it! It may very well develop these warty protrusions as the tree matures.
The tree is around 12 ft tall and the trunk is slender for the height!
I think I may go out this afternoon and take another fruit to try, as they are suppose to be edible!

 

[GPM]

I've been searching the net up and down without a lot of clues, however, the leaf shape is identical to a pear tree and the stems are redish. The bud structure is set up like a pear tree also. My Cleveland pears have mild redish-brown bark and produce dark sickly green fruits that size. It is not a Hackberry, I'm sure of it. C. Occidentalis is not it either, incorrect leave structure. Chokecherry is close, however, the bark doesn't match nor do the flowers. A cherry tree has redish bark that oozes like a sap.

Must be something wild.

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

I bet that tree is beautiful...maybe if you have the time Ron, I owuld live to see a full view...
Hey Wes...seems like a long time ..

 

[RonsGarden]

Deb
I would not call it a beautiful tree, but it is a very interesting tree.
It is a small, to medium size tree at maturity.
It is not fussy as to soil, since it is growing in almost pure sand! And, it is drought tolerant. Since this is its four year it has not shown any stress due to lack of rainfall!
This tree started its life in my garden in the city. The seed probably came form a bird and pooped where I found it....in the middle of the pathway by the pond. First year I left it where it was. The second year I potted it up and it grew 6ft. Third year, I brought it to the house on the lake, it settled in and grew another 3 feet. This year it decided to develop fruit!
From what I read about them their life expectancy is a good 100yrs or so!
Heres a site that talks about Hackberry: http://forestry.about.com/library/silvics/blsilcelocc.htm

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

Great information there...But I take it not good tasting for human's as only animals and birds are listed as what/who easts the berry