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Tree w/green fruit & cedar waxwings

bruinsfan
15 years ago

Hi All,

I will get pix posted if necessary, but I'm hoping somebody will just know. A girlfriend of mine has a tree in her yard, probably 20-30 feet tall, that has these green berries/fruits that the waxwings, mockingbirds, orioles & catbirds seem to like to eat. We are trying to figure out what it is. The only, and best way, I can describe the fruits/berries is that they are a little larger, and more solid than, a raspberry, but they have that same little round segment quality that raspberries have, and each little segment on the fruit/berry has a little hair(?) on it. We are 20 miles north of Boston.

I thought if somebody had one in their yard, they would immediately know what it is. I'm not sure what color the leaves go in the winter and if the fruit changes color and/or if it had flowers (I'm sure it had to have some flowers if it now has fruit, right?) - she said 'no', but maybe they just weren't spectacular enough to notice??

Ack!

Thank you!

Comments (8)

  • lschibley
    15 years ago

    It made me think of a Kousa dogwood fruit, but it would be too early for those. Most are just flowering now. The fruit starts light green then changes to the color in the picture.
    Lisa

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • bruinsfan
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Kind of reminds me of that, except for the color, lol, but it's a bit more elongated rather than round, but definitely that bumpy raspberry quality.

    I can get a picture later today when I get home, only of the fruit though, I don't think I'll be near the tree tonite.
    Thanks!

  • barefootinct
    15 years ago

    A magnolia then....but SURELY she would notice the flowers!

    By the way, I adore cedar waxwings. I see them very occasionally in my japanese holly bush.

  • bruinsfan
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm sure we would have noticed those spectacular flowers for sure!!! It is sort of similar to a pic of a magnolia fruit though.

    I was hoping somebody would have this same tree in their yard right now, lol.

  • bruinsfan
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I think it may be a mulberry, anybody have one w/green fruit all over it right now? It would explain the "lack" of flowers, I guess they are green, so they wouldn't be too spectacular.

  • diggingthedirt
    15 years ago

    Actually, I recently read that waxwings prefer green fruit over red, more than other species of bird... now, where was that article?

    I was thinking mulberry, too. Those berries are pretty delicious when ripe, as I remember, but I never tried a green one.

    I also wonder if any of the other dogwoods, ones that don't have showy flowers, have fruits that are similar to kousa. Cornus mas, perhaps, or gray dogwood? I don't know what those fruits look like, as I don't grow the gray dogwood and have never thought to check c. mas (which I DO have) for fruit.

    If it's mulberry, your friend should remember to pick some for herself when they ripen - it can be a pretty weedy tree, but the fruit is perfectly nice.

  • kallen305
    15 years ago

    Sorry to post so late to this topic. I just found this place and created an ID just to answer this LOL.

    It is definately a mullberry tree. I am assuming the berries are white and look a little like strawberries?

    I have one and I get tons os Cedar Waxwings as well as Baltimoe Orioles and Robins. They eat the fruit until it is completely gone.

    The Mullberry tree is considered a weed to most but I love my tree. It is right near my porch and I spend a couple of hours every day watching the birds enjoying the fruit. The only downfall is that the berries fall off the tree and can make a mess. To me it is worth the inconvenience though. Mullberry is a favorite for many birds and if you have one in your yard the birds will be there from morning to night.

  • diggingthedirt
    15 years ago

    Thanks for posting this, kallen. I took out a mulberry about 10 years ago, based on its reputation for weediness, and have regretted it ever since. Having one where it can be seen from a patio or from the house, but where the falling berries would not be a problem, seems ideal.

    Oh, and welcome to the NE forum!