Should I be concerned?

[Rit]

These small trees or shrubs have started popping up all over my destination field. Probably over 100 that I have found. It’s not in any of the food plot sections but in the outer bands of cover. No signs of browsing. If it’s native I will take the cover. Anyone know what this might be?

 

[Tree Spud]

They look like aspen leaves ... not sure though.

What is the story of the ground, did you do anything, did you cut trees down?

Everything we do leads to a reaction, describe what might have been done.

 

[KDdid]

I was thinking young cottonwood.


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[Rit]

They look like aspen leaves ... not sure though.

What is the story of the ground, did you do anything, did you cut trees down?

Everything we do leads to a reaction, describe what might have been done.

It was a hayfield for the last 15 years. I didn’t do anything but kill off the alfalfa and spray the first season growth, then let natural regen start.

 

[spaniel]

Looks like a cottonwood or perhaps poplar of some kind.

 

[Bill]

I think cottonwood also. The wind can carry them quite a ways.

 

[Rit]

Thanks for the replies. I have done some searches and there are a few cottonwood seedling photos that show some purple tint on the leaves. Nothing like what I have but similar. Leaves are also very close. If not cottonwood something in the same family maybe. I didn’t think I had any cottonwood on my property but I may have found one on the field edge this morning.

I am not real familiar with cottonwood and I do not have any poplar that I know of. I suppose it’s better than buckthorn seedlings in my field. I’ll let them grow for now and see what happens or if age helps to identify.

 

[j-bird]

Looks like cottonwood to me. Cottonwood seed travels great distances - like dandelion puff balls - so they can come from any where. Cottonwood LOVES water and is often time found near a steady water source. I don't see much browse of them here, but they are prolific and grow fast. They are very similar in nature to the hybrid poplars folks use for screening. Only thing I see the deer use them for is rubs. Leaving them for now will certainly bring more, but they will also provide a perch for birds to bring you other seed as well....good or bad. They have very little timber value as well and are terrible firewood as they have a VERY high moisture content.

 

[ksgobbler]

We try to kill those cottonwood seedlings if possible. They are some of the first regen species to colonize in these parts.

 

[Rit]

I think for now they stay. I want the structure in the field. It also screens my destination plot. I did find a few that had some browse damage. There are some color difference amongst the. But the leave and trunks look similar.