This is some sort of willow (Salix), but I don’t have the slightest idea of what kind. Nope. RQ kindly identified this, correctly. It’s a Russian Almond, Prunus tenella.
That’s a willow? Unlikely, given the flowers. More likely a fruit tree of some kind, possibly crabapple, like Malus sylvestris (some photos along the side at the link). They do tend to have the more elongated leaves (esp. when compared to other Roseaceae like apples and cherries).
It’s a Salix shrub of some sort. We have crabapple trees on property, believe me, not the same thing. Apple trees, too. These were here when we bought the house, and it’s definitely a on-the-small side shrub, but all we’ve been able to narrow it down to is “willow of some sort.”
rqsays
I’ll keep looking, but it’s not Salix -- wrong flowers. Salix looks something like this -- this five-petal, pink beauty is definitely not Salix.
Next guess is something like peach, it might be small and stunted due to your location (since I believe they prefer warmer temperatures). It would also probably not bear fruit in this case (we have a similar situation with our suspected apricot: it blooms like a fruit tree but it never has any fruit, we suspect the climate). Actually, once blooming season begins, I’ll take a closer look, because it might actually be what we have in our backyard. We’ve also been unable to identify it, except last year it bore a single fuzzy peach/apricot-like fruit on it… which we never got to eat because the wasps got to it first.
It has no fruit whatsoever, but it does have buds similar to pussy willow.
rqsays
I’m intrigued by the leaves, though -- they definitely give the impression of Salix.
rqsays
But even with the buds, you wouldn’t get flowers like that out of a Salix.
Anyway, I think I have it: Russian almond. Another photo. What do you think?
I’m also pretty sure this is what we have, now.
rq says
That’s a willow? Unlikely, given the flowers. More likely a fruit tree of some kind, possibly crabapple, like Malus sylvestris (some photos along the side at the link). They do tend to have the more elongated leaves (esp. when compared to other Roseaceae like apples and cherries).
Caine says
It’s a Salix shrub of some sort. We have crabapple trees on property, believe me, not the same thing. Apple trees, too. These were here when we bought the house, and it’s definitely a on-the-small side shrub, but all we’ve been able to narrow it down to is “willow of some sort.”
rq says
I’ll keep looking, but it’s not Salix -- wrong flowers. Salix looks something like this -- this five-petal, pink beauty is definitely not Salix.
Next guess is something like peach, it might be small and stunted due to your location (since I believe they prefer warmer temperatures). It would also probably not bear fruit in this case (we have a similar situation with our suspected apricot: it blooms like a fruit tree but it never has any fruit, we suspect the climate). Actually, once blooming season begins, I’ll take a closer look, because it might actually be what we have in our backyard. We’ve also been unable to identify it, except last year it bore a single fuzzy peach/apricot-like fruit on it… which we never got to eat because the wasps got to it first.
Caine says
It has no fruit whatsoever, but it does have buds similar to pussy willow.
rq says
I’m intrigued by the leaves, though -- they definitely give the impression of Salix.
rq says
But even with the buds, you wouldn’t get flowers like that out of a Salix.
Anyway, I think I have it: Russian almond. Another photo. What do you think?
I’m also pretty sure this is what we have, now.
Caine says
The Russian Almond looks right! Yay. Russian Olives grow wild all over the place here, so I think that would be right. Thanks!
blf says
The mildly deranged penguin says it neither sounds nor flies like any cheese plant she knows, so it’s probably a pea. Or a horse.