Here's a question for the botanists in the bunch. While goose hunting today I noticed a very odd looking fruit tree in the gull

[RockySquirrel]

Could it be a variety of plum? Some of those are red and small hang in clumps and have stout thorns.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

smallgame: For certain not a hawthorn as leaves are not lobed nor do they have serrated edges.

It is interesting that this tree has fared so well in this location. Quite a few deer and bears in the neighborhood. I think the thorns explain that.

[mspl8sdcntryboy]

This has definitely been interesting and informative, nonetheless. I look forward to when the plant is actually ID'd.

[smallgamehunter25]

Currently in a Dendrology course for Forest Technology. My vote goes for Hawthorn, (Crateagus spp). It is a native apple species in the US.

We use Peterson's Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs, and it's a great reference to find unknown species.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Interesting, Carl! Thanks for doing the homework. I was back out to the same spot this morning hunting geese but forgot the camera ... again! The clumps of fruit emanate from small extension on the branch that eventually become spines when the fruit falls off. Apparently the following year another sprout takes off at another location on the branch that develops into flowers, fruit, then a spine. The leaves, spines, and bark are more like what I see on the wild plum in the driveway. No serrations on the edges of leaves like rosehip has. Totally smooth edges. This tree may be something of a freak. Possibly a cross between the wild plum and a crab? Sure is a pretty thing.

By the way, I kicked arse on the geese. Again. That field sure is hot! Didn't last long but it was fast and furious for about forty minutes. And a bluebird day too. Temps climbed to seventy degrees in the afternoon.

[Carl Huber]

Well OH you learn something new everyday. With researching your tree I found out all fruit trees had spines. It was only when they were "breed" for cultivation or for being ornamental that the spines were cross-breed out. What you saw was a dinosaur. Thanks for the Homework Assignment.

Kindesregardsds
Carl

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Yes that is the rose bush in my front yard. The "rosehip" has many small stickers that are easily dislodged on contact. The mystery tree has long (nearly 1.5") intermittent thorns that are quite stout. They don't break off! I have a wild plum growing alongside my driveway that has similar nasty thorns. Both trees are very similar in appearance but the plum's fruit is much different ... on the rare occasion when its fruit actually matures and doesn't wither.

Incidentally, apples and plums are members of the rose family.

[mspl8sdcntryboy]

I guess you will have to "copy-paste" the second link.

[mspl8sdcntryboy]

OHH I looked up the RoseHip tree and found out that the berries have tannin in them, which might be the reason for their pucker ability, much like acorns.

www.akuna.net/picture/Canada_WEB/PDFs/ROSEHIP.pdf

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagebutte
Sorry for the German in the second link but I couldn't find it in English. Maybe the pictures will help though.

[Carl Huber]

OH this is a tree not a Rose Bush. Goggle it and see if it looks familiar.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Not a rose bush. I have several of those in my front yard too. This is a tree, not a bush.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Not a rose bush. I have several of those in my front yard too. This is a tree, not a bush.

[Carl Huber]

OH I believe I may have solved your post. Like I said previously my Mom used it as an additive to jams & jellies for it's pectin. She called it Hagebuten. I goggled it and it is Rose Hips. It matches your description. Thorny tree, apple shaped fruit with fuzzy seeds.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Rocky, if I wanted to read a book or look something up in an encyclopedia, I would stay at home. I get out in the bush to get away from civilization, not drag it along with me in my pocket. I carry my flip phone to report poachers/MVAs, etc. and to take any emergency message from family. Can't remember when someone last called me in the fields ... and the coverage is better out there than it is at home in town. I have the dogs to keep me occupied when I'm hunting. They're a lot more personable and entertaining than some battery powered piece of plastic technocrap.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Carl, you are correct ... sort of. The Oregon crab apple is native to the West Coast all the way to Aleutian Islands. And its fruit grows in clumps! But the fruit of my mystery tree is more rounded and "apple" shaped whereas the Oregon crab fruit is elongated and almost plum shaped. Also, the Oregon crab doesn't appear to have thorns.

The mystery tree has fruit tree-like leaves whereas I believe the hawthorn has lobed leaves. This tree was clearly seeded naturally and not cultivated. Perhaps it is a new variety. The first Macintosh apple was also discovered growing wild (in Canada!). Interesting that a chunk of the trunk from that first tree was rediscovered a few years ago. They are doing DNA analysis to see how much variation if any has occurred in the species since its creation.