What are these bushes?

I come across these all the time. They always seem to be in the way of whatever I'm doing. I'm clearing out this fence (leaving the one's arching over the yard) to put an orchard on the other side and don't want them blocking the sun.

I haul off 99% of them to a brush pile but do cut some every now and then 3-5" and they split good and make decent firewood.

Every time I cut one I make a mental note to find out what they are and always forget to ask. Any have a clue as to what they are? Thanks!

 

Looks like its in the birch family

 

Species is invasive chitwillowz .

 

Splotchy bark looks like sycamore from a distance, but has lenticels? and leaf like birch.

 

It's definitely not sycamore and some type of a bush. I can get better pictures of one that I haven't chopped up yet. The bark is smooth and almost like beech or blue beech but it's definitely not them. Grows kind of like spicebush. I'm curious as to what exactly I'm burning because these things are definitely worth burning if you have to clear them out.

 

or maybe yellow wood

 

Do you recognize any of these features? Could be American Mountain Ash

 

Uh oh!

 

That's a tough one. I am going way out in left field and say it's Privet, usually planted for hedges.

 

I realize you're out of the area, but you may be able to use this site to narrow it down
Simple Key for Plant Identification: Go Botany

 

The one or two leaves hanging on look rather pear shaped but they're not clear enough for veining ID. Are those black berries ?

 

The 1-2 leaves you guys are seeing are from a vine not the tree.
have my suspicions on this "bush"

 

Here's one. Middle of the first picture and the other pictures show the leaves and berries of it's neighbor that I cut the other day.

 

Ugh, is that buckthorn ?
That's supposed to be as invasive as russian olive here.

 

I think it is a dogwood of some variety. It is not buckthorn. I cut the *&% out of buckthorn here. Decent firewood.

 

After seeing the latest photos, I'm now convinced and agree with mr.finn that it is in the family of Privet. Like billb3 said about the Buckthorn, Privets are also invasive and come in many varieties including Japanese and Chinese, common and glossy, as well as large and small leaf. I read an article from a gardener in Tennessee who said he can't stand them because of the birds they attract and their byproduct of crap from eating the berries. The last picture shows a Waxwing feasting on late fall berries. This one was tough. I didn't realize privets grew as big as the ones in your first pictures so I went for the larger Mountain Ash instead, but come on that bear picture was cute you have to admit..ema-right? Good luck dealing with these trees Moparguy, but at least you can slash and burn with impunity.

 

Thanks guys, I've never heard of privet before. Now I know what to call it when I'm cussing it out. I always grab a few sticks of it when I'm cutting bigger ones. It's not bad firewood and I'd rather get a little something out of it other than just another oversized brush pile.

Urban, I loved the bear trying to get a little piece of Ash.

 

Moparguy Haha...Also did a little reading on privet for firewood and though there is nothing official on it's btu's, there is some buzz about it being great firewood.

 

I'm not sure if you have it in your area, but up here in Dakotah Territory my knee jerk reaction was to say chokecherry. My only qualm is usually the wood looks darker usually when fresh cut.