Tree identification?

[Seahorse]

I have a tree on my new allotment, about six feet high and being throttled by brambles. I'm wondering if it might be an apple. Here's a leaf, if anyone can advise:



Claire

[momol]

Hi Claire,

Looks alike apple's or plum's leaf but I am not really sure too... You should be able to ID it next year when the fruit show up .
Hope some fruit expert come along soon for the ID.

Momol

[Nicos]

Not quite sure...have a scout around in the jungle of undergrowth- there may be some remains of the fruit lurking there??

[Snadger]

Post a piccie of the tree while it still has a few leaves on.........can't promise nowt, but you never know!

[Seahorse]

At the mo, it's not worth a pic In fact I did take one, it's 5th down on the left here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11566783@N07/

but all you can see is brambles!

Depending on how I get on tomorrow, I may be able to clear at least some of it and get a better shot.

Claire

[Flummery]

It does look apple-like - fruits on the ground would confirm (or deny!)

[Seahorse]

Plum!

Or so my new mate Lionel-One-Plot-Over informed me this morning Once I'd cleared some brambles, I did indeed find a few shrivelled prunes still on the branches. I also found two more plum trees at either end of the plot!

Thanks everyone for looking

Claire

[shirlthegirl43]

Lucky you. Wish my plum tree would grow a bit!!

[Nicos]

Plums....yum yum!!!! Lucky you!!

[rustylady]

Whatever it is you do need to clear the brambles. Cut back the top growth now and dispose of (I burn mine). You then have a choice - either dig the roots out (difficult if they are really close to your tree) or use a systemic weedkiller when new growth starts next year. If you go for the weedkiller option please make sure you only spray the brambles and not your fruit tree. Good luck.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hey - we've got a Lionel-one-plot-over! He's very smart so I'm sure that you'll learn lots from him!

[Seahorse]

Thanks for the yums!

Rustylady - I've cut back the brambles to ground(ish) level now. I can see problems with both digging so close to the tree and using weedkiller, is there any reason I can't just continually lop back new growth until either I or the bramble give up and die?

Hazel - how funny! My Lionel does indeed look like just the sort of chap you need for sage advice without overt interference. Frankly I love him purely for saying 'well done' instead of pointing and laughing when I told him I was the new plot holder this morning!

Claire

[Hazel at the Hill]

If your Lionel has also grown a heap of bizzy lizzies ('terrible year for them') at the front of his plot I will faint with the spookiness of it all!

Glad you had such a good day - suggest bath, glass of, and don't expect to be able to lift your arms up tomorrow!

[Flummery]

If Seahorse is East Midlands and Hazel is west Midlands, do you suppose Lionel is on the cusp, so to speak?

[Seahorse]

Oooh... will check for bizzy lizzies tomorrow!

'Glass of' in front of me and bath as soon as I summon the energy to get upstairs!

Claire