Complete novice needing help identifying tree
mrsmac70
Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
Hello everybody <waves>
I've just moved to Ireland and have inherited a number of trees in the process. I haven't the first clue about trees (fruit or otherwise) and my gardening knowledge is basic. I'm keen to learn though 
Could you help me identify this tree - my guess, after looking online, is a plum, but I'm not sure. it is really large - maybe 12ft or so and as you can see very overgrown.
I was reading that plum trees should be pruned in spring is it too late for me to prune now? Can I kill it by inorrect pruning? Only ever pruned a buddleia (and let's face it, they are indestructible!). It's a haven for the birds, with a number of feeders in it, so I really don't want to harm it.
Any and all advice and tips very welcome. 
0
Posts
It's hard for me to tell from that picture.
First of all, is there any indication of fruit on the tree. At this time plums should be visible though perhaps still green and small. It is possibly a damson.
Hi Paul,
I was hoping a close up of the leaves might help in identifying. There is no sign of fruit.
Well the leaves do look like some Prunus variety. It doesn't look like cherry and I have prune trees but unless you had a bad late frost you would expect at least some fruit on the tree.
Here's mine
The reddish colour stems are throwing me too. Can't remember seeing that colour on new Prune stems.
I do have a choke berry and there are some similarities, again though I would expect some sign of fruit.
It looks very plum like. Difficult without seeing flower or fruit. Bullaces flower very early and often get a frost. Some trees are inclined to fruit on alternate years.
Looking at the shape of that I wonder if you have a grafted tree and one side of that is from the rootstock.
In the sticks near Peterborough