Help with a few IDs

[TJB]

Been checking out a few trees around my house and looking at taking some cuttings and air layers as well as collecting whole trees. Was hoping to get some advice and help with few IDs.

The first pictures are a little guy I found down by the river. Chopped a bunch of him off this winter. Then got worried because all the remaining foliage dried out and turned yellowish. Checked back a few weeks later, crazy amount of buds all over the place. Tree is pretty small, about an inch diameter. Not sure of the species, maybe a taxus of kind?

It is propagating itself in the area along the river under a railroad bridge. Mostly just a place where dogs crap and bums do drugs, so shouldn't be any trouble grabbing it if it proves worthwhile. These are pictures of a larger one nearby.

This I figured was some kind of oak, keeps pretty small leaves throughout the year. Seemed like it might be worth trying out if it was able to be air layered of propagated by cutting.

Also found a larch near my house, which i believe is fairly uncommon in Massachusetts, at least in the Boston metro area. Obviously not collectable, but still cool since I dont see them a lot... and I spend a lot of time in the woods for work. Maybe I'll check this area for some collectable stuff when I'm not working.

Cheers,
Tyler

 

[Potawatomi13]

First one appears as Yew. Second definite Yew! Third not sure but likely Northern Pin Oak. Need more diagnostic indicators like acorns with caps and dry mature leaf. Love oaks in general so good choice.

 

[sorce]

Better Diggin than buying!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

This I figured was some kind of oak, keeps pretty small leaves

On long petioles.
I would leave the native oaks alone.

 

[TJB]

Thanks guys, maybe I'll just leave the oak alone. Do you think I could dig the yew up this summer if it responds well to the hard prune? Will be hard to select buds and wire any new branches in its current location.

@sorce - all about the free trees. I got plenty of time to let things grow.

American Elm? Not seeing any big ones worth collecting, but could grab some cuttings to start.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Sense of scale on the first one, check books or Wikipedia for descriptions of yew and Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis. Yew needles are over an inch long, hemlock needles are fairly short. Hemlock will grow in deep shade, yew tend to be in more sunlight, though they can grow in shade. Both are okay to good for bonsai.

Your oak is in the red oak group of species, which includes pin oak and Scarlet oak. If it had a gnarly first half foot of trunk it would be great to dig. Without a gnarly trunk, I agree with Mike, pass it up.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Gnarly trumps long petioles and big leaves.