Collected Apple... I believe

[CWTurner]

So I was at my upstate PA getaway this week and did some tramping around which is easier now before all the weeds start growing. I collected this trunk that I believe to be apple.

There are several large old apple trees from when the land was farmed. Nearby each (not surrounding them, but on the east side) were groups of sprouts - saplings? that I never really noticed. Maybe 20-25.
I kicked around and found this one to have a nice base and while collecting it found that it had sprouted from a root. You can see the1 1/4" thick root that I detached it from at the lower right.

The trunk had a lot of moss around the base and after collecting it I was disappointed to find that the bark that attracted me to the tree was non existent under the moss. So it looks like I have reverse taper, but its the lack of bark only, that is the difference. Hopefully it will bark up for me.

Probably need to chop it down some more too.

Oh, and I didn't have cut paste with me and the only store within 40 minutes was out of Elmer's Glue, so I used a birthday candle and melted wax to seal the chop.
CW

 

[Bunjeh]

I may be wrong but that bark looks a little to rough for an apple. Dogwood maybe?

 

[sorce]

Strong Base..
I like it.

Sorce

 

[Jarath]

Chop it!

 

[Dav4]

Bartlett pear??

 

[CWTurner]

I may be wrong but that bark looks a little to rough for an apple. Dogwood maybe?

I agree that it doesn't look like apple bark, it was just the proximity and the root attachment that led me to that conclusion. The leaf will tell.

Dav4, That could be a pear as well, but I don't recall any flowering down in that area in past springs. Definitely a heavy hard wood, so pear, dogwood, apple all work. Hope to get a leaf soon.

CW

 

[ColinFraser]

Probably need to chop it down some more too.

Yep; a lot. If it were mine (and I knew the species) I would probably chop it at a height of 2 to 3 times the diameter of the base . . . maybe a touch more for safety reasons. The chop would definitely be below the barky section.

If you let it bud out all over that tall, taperless, and mostly straight trunk, you will likely waste precious energy reserves by chopping a lot of that off again later. Be bold and decisive now, before you get attached to it

 

[CWTurner]

Be bold and decisive now,

So let it be written...
It is very straight. I could have removed half of what's still left.
BTW, a quick ring count shows it to be 15-18 years old.
CW

 

[CWTurner]

Well this tree is sprouting out and I even have one bud near the top of the trunk.
Still not close to figuring what it is though.
When the leaves first sprouted, they were arranged opposite one another, which really shortened the list of possibilities. I was thinking some kind of virburnum, like arrowwood.
But now that it has grown out more the leaves are alternate. Very herbaceous stems, not woody at all yet. And the same goes for the leaf, it seems very delicate.
Any ideas yet, or must I wait for flowers/fruit? I'm leaning towards willow now.

CW