Tree ID please...

smalc

Hi,
Hoping someone can ID this tree growing in my Tennessee yard. Particularly would like to know if the berries are harmful. Three pictures are attached, taken in late summer. The berries will turn black (maybe dark purple?) in Autumn. I have seen it growing in fencerows quite a lot. Birds seem to like the berries and then spread the seeds widely.

Thanks, and let me know if any additional pictures are needed.

Attached Thumbnails

     

bsearcey

I've never personally seen this tree, but just ID'd it with an online source and came up with Carolina Laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana). As soon as I saw the name I thought that has to be it. Leaves look very laurel like.

Carolina Laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana)

Still not saying that's it for sure, but thats the best I could do without seeing the flowers.

smalc

It does look very similar, and it does have small white flowers.

But, my tree is deciduous.

jeffswede

Carolina cherry has a dark brown trunk. That is not a Carolina cherry.
Jeff

bsearcey

That kind of information is helpful. Thought I had it though. The berry cluster didn't look spot on, but that kind of thing can vary.

treeshaveneeds

If the branch tips look almost like thorns, could be a Buckthorn (Rhamnus sp) - if so, the berries are edible, they just taste awful and give you the runs.

smalc

No thorns. Although I just read that Buckthorn often has thorns.
Attached is a picture of a leave just starting its autumn change.

Attached Thumbnails

 

smalc

The more I look into it, it seems to be Rhamnus Frangula. Sounds invasive. The birds certainly spread it easily.
Maybe I should get rid of the tree?

treeshaveneeds

Could be Rhamnus frangula - Glossy Buckthorn (Zone 2 to 7) - my info suggests often pubescent underneath, with 8 or 9 pairs of veins. Rhamnus carolinian -- Carolina Buckthorn (Zone 5 to 9)- another possibility has 8-10 vein paired leaves.
Whether you should keep the tree is quite a personal choice.
Rhamnus tends to adapt to a number of growing conditions, seldom gets much taller than 20-30 feet, fruit is usually abundant and so can spread by birds, several species can tolerate some salt, also air pollution and resist vandalism because of the thorns. The flowers can be attractive. It will often grow where other trees have difficulty growing, and because of its small size can fit into a niche without an overbearing presence.
Myself, I would keep the tree. The birds are attracted to the fruit, the bees to the flowers, and it deters unwanted visitors -- especially as a hedge.

Eden Keeper

This is a Carolina buckthorn, Frangula caroliniana (Walter) A. Gray, which is synonymous with Rhamnus caroliniana Walter, and it appears to be a rather large one although the national champion, which is in Tennessee at Norris Dam State Park, has a 23 inch circumference (normally measured at 4.5 feet from the ground), is 43 feet tall, and has an average limb spread of 18 feet, giving a count (circumference + height + spread/4) of 71 total points.