Couple Discovers New Tree Species

Shortly after we bought our farm property, we headed into Carmichael's Bookstore to purchase a copy of National Audubon Society's Field Guide to Trees: Eastern Region. We wanted to be able to identify the trees on our property and figure out what other trees that we might want to plant.

While hiking around the property last week, we kept stumbling upon a beautiful species of tree that we couldn't quite identity. We thought it was some kind of crab apple tree as it's branches had little clumps of "tiny apples." The tree was perfectly cone shaped with shiny dark green leaves -- with no sign of the leaves turning fall colors. I snapped off a small branch to bring home so we could consult our guide and figure out exactly what tree this was.

I looked and couldn't find anything that resembled it in our trusty guide. Ed took over. Was it a Common Chokecherry? Nope. What about a Sweet Crab Apple? Nope. Perhaps some sort of a pear tree? Nope. A Buckthorn? Not that either.

Given our lack of progress, I turned to Google and clicked on "What is a Tree?" billed as a few simple questions to help one identify any unknown tree. I worked my way through the questions starting with "Identify by Fruit." Dead end.

I then did what any self-respecting scientist would do. I ate one of the fruit. Distinctly apple -- perhaps more like an Asian Pear. We were stumped.

So I've concluded that we have discovered a new species. I think I'm going to call it Gapploway Pear. Who knows, perhaps you'll get a jar of Gapploway Pear Butter for Christmas.