Can Anyone Identify This Tree?

[turnpike]

i'd like to know the name of this tree so's i can find out how big it gets, how long it lives and whether i've planted it too close to my wall.

we put it in about 2 years ago, it's likely 6m high now, and a very nice looking tree.

thanks in advance for any help/replies. i've also added a picture of the same type of tree, but much younger.

tp

[meandwi]

It is a "Black olive tree" botanical name "Bucida buceras". I don't know it's Thai name. It appears you have two types. the top photo is the common black olive, the bottom is called a "shady lady" Black olive.

It gets big! 50 -60 feet tall and 50 feet wide. I have seen trunks with 36" calibers. And they can lift your wall. It will take years though.

meandwi

[turnpike]

thanks for that, meandwi.

i'm off to google land now...

just curious.....how did you know that?

Edited November 24, 2008 by turnpike

[TBWG]

It is a "Black olive tree" botanical name "Bucida buceras". I don't know it's Thai name. It appears you have two types. the top photo is the common black olive, the bottom is called a "shady lady" Black olive.

It gets big! 50 -60 feet tall and 50 feet wide. I have seen trunks with 36" calibers. And they can lift your wall. It will take years though.

meandwi

Hi Are you sure? I have 1 and was alarmed to read that it would grow to 60 feet tall, however a quick trawl of the internet shows a completely different tree.

Would still like to know the name as per orig post.

TBWG

[PoorSucker]

Can you harvest any olives?

[turnpike]

meandwi, i think i agree with TBWG, but thanks anyway.

i got my wife to google it (in thai).i guess i should have done that first. known by the name Ivory Coast almond, the scientific name is Terminalia ivorensis Chev.

here are 2 links pertaining to the pictures in my opening post. one site is in thai and has a picture, the other is in english and describes the tree.

http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/produ...?SpID=1621#Uses

http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%AB%E0%...%B8%88%E0%B8%87

TBWG, is that your tree also?

Edited November 24, 2008 by turnpike

[TBWG]

meandwi, i think i agree with TBWG, but thanks anyway.

i got my wife to google it (in thai).i guess i should have done that first. known by the name Ivory Coast almond, the scientific name is Terminalia ivorensis Chev.

here are 2 links pertaining to the pictures in my opening post. one site is in thai and has a picture, the other is in english and describes the tree.

http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/produ...?SpID=1621#Uses

http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%AB%E0%...%B8%88%E0%B8%87

TBWG, is that your tree also?

Hi Turnpike

Yup, that's the one. As you probably found not a lot of pics on internet ... don't hold out much hope of ever getting any almonds but a nice unusual tree anyway.

TBWG

[turnpike]

TBWG, just wondering if yours have flowered yet, and if so at what age?

thnx,

tp

[sbk]

Well, its not technically an almond tree, so the "almonds" you will be getting won't necessarily be what you are expecting

We have the more common beach almond (terminalia catappa) growing in front of our house, its a very tall tree, but with a beautiful shape and yes, it produces the almond shaped fruit. Of course, it was here when I came 20 years ago, so its a very old tree.

[meandwi]

thanks for that, meandwi.

i'm off to google land now...

just curious.....how did you know that?

I have been a landscape archiect for over 20 years, before that I was a purchasing agent for the largest landscape company in the United States. We own our own nursery, where we design and install landscaping all over the world. I have personally purchased and planted tens of thousands of these trees. They look just like the pics you posted.

I have seen these trees for sale in different nurseries around thailand. The owners call them Bucida buceras.

Here is a link to a Bucida buceras tree grown in Florida http://www.plantcare.ca/plants/59.html it looks alot like the one you have.

Does any of your trees have thorns?

meandwi

It won't be the first time that I'm wrong. But I feel 99% sure in my identification.

[turnpike]

I have been a landscape archiect for over 20 years, before that I was a purchasing agent for the largest landscape company in the United States. We own our own nursery, where we design and install landscaping all over the world. I have personally purchased and planted tens of thousands of these trees. They look just like the pics you posted.

I have seen these trees for sale in different nurseries around thailand. The owners call them Bucida buceras.

Here is a link to a Bucida buceras tree grown in Florida http://www.plantcare.ca/plants/59.html it looks alot like the one you have.

Does any of your trees have thorns?

meandwi

It won't be the first time that I'm wrong. But I feel 99% sure in my identification.

meandwi,

i've no doubt as to your credentials and i do appreciate your reply, don't get me wrong on these points, but as soon as i found the picture of the ivory coast almond, i knew instantly that was the one i was searching for.

my tree has no thorns. although the leaf shape of the bucida tree is similar (tear drop), the leaf size of the bucida is up to 4". the leaves on my trees are maybe 1 1/4" max.

cheers, and thanks again,

tp

[TBWG]

TBWG, just wondering if yours have flowered yet, and if so at what age?

thnx,

tp

Hi TP

Only planted mine last year so no flowers as yet but it is about 4-5 meters tall. I am told the Thais call it the Ring Tree because the branches sprout in rings around the trunk.

Re Meandwi my tree does not have any thorns and although looks similar to your black olive tree its branches are in much more defined layers as mentioned above.

Regards

TBWG

[meandwi]

I've done some research on your tree. I now believe it is a "Terminalia mantaly". Heres a link to a pic.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DG

I truly thought it was a Bucida buceras, and I was wrong. After further research I found that this tree is also in the family of terminalia, called "Terminalia bucida". Most of the terminalia trees cross pollinate (as do many other trees). This, making it more difficult to truly identify. Some have small leaves, others have larger leaves.

When I walk through nurseries choosing trees for my projects, I always pick trees with smaller leaves and even layering of branches. That look like your "madascar almond" Now, because of my research from your question, I have a clearer understanding of this species.

Here's another link http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&...mages&gbv=2

Thank you,

meandwi

Edited December 4, 2008 by meandwi