Trying to figure out if this is a banned tree. - Ask Extension
I've been trying to identify this tree for the past couple of years. It doesn't resemble anything else around our property or in the neighbors' yards....
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Trying to figure out if this is a banned tree. #643112
Asked May 29, 2020, 4:11 PM EDT
I've been trying to identify this tree for the past couple of years. It doesn't resemble anything else around our property or in the neighbors' yards. A few years ago, it sprouted out of one of my garden containers where a jalapeno plant should have came up. (I'd planted one of those Miracle-Gro seed pods.) So, there's a good chance that whatever it is isn't specifically naturalized to this zone.
I transplanted it at the end of the season when it was obvious it was developing a rigid trunk because I wanted to see what it grew into.
The photos attached are from that first summer in 2017 and then now. The leaf shape was significantly different in the second year and now, which throws me off a lot.
I just want to know what this so that I can stop babying it if it turns out to be one that's banned by the HOA.
Thanks so much for any clarity you can provide.
Boulder County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
Thank you for the pictures. What a fun thing to happen when you expected a jalapeno plant!
As far as banned plants when it comes to Boulder County below is a link to the noxious weed list:
https://www.bouldercounty.org/property-and-land/land-use/noxious-weeds/identification-of-noxious-weeds/
But your HOA could have different rules, they differ from one HOA to another.
From the most recent picture it looks a lot like an aspen species to me. Potentially a quaking aspen.
If you want to know the exact species you might find the phone app called "PlantNet" helpful. You can take a picture of the leaves and it will make several suggestions on the possible species and I have found it helpful in identifying plants.
Some species of aspen can send up suckers which might be an issue for an HOA (a new tree sprouts up from the existing root system, one of the ways the trees propagates).
I hope that helps!
Thank you for the pictures. What a fun thing to happen when you expected a jalapeno plant!
As far as banned plants when it comes to Boulder County below is a link to the noxious weed list:
https://www.bouldercounty.org/property-and-land/land-use/noxious-weeds/identification-of-noxious-weeds/
But your HOA could have different rules, they differ from one HOA to another.
From the most recent picture it looks a lot like an aspen species to me. Potentially a quaking aspen.
If you want to know the exact species you might find the phone app called "PlantNet" helpful. You can take a picture of the leaves and it will make several suggestions on the possible species and I have found it helpful in identifying plants.
Some species of aspen can send up suckers which might be an issue for an HOA (a new tree sprouts up from the existing root system, one of the ways the trees propagates).
I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for your expertise!
Yep, our HOA is one that has banned new aspens and cottonwoods because of the sucker problem.
I will download that app as well. I think it'll turn out to be extremely helpful for me.
