Another Attempt at Identification

[Firstflush]

I have posted this before. More foliage on it this time with some branch extension. Bugs are loving it. Still haven’t caught the culprit.
What is your take, please?

 

[Cruiser]

Do you have any flower/fruit pics? What are the leaf dimensions? Does the tree have a particular scent in crushed leaves or scraped twigs? What does the leaf underside and the leaf scars look like? What bugs are going for it? (Identifying the pests may help).


At a glance it looks like a speckled alder but it’s hard to say without more info.

 

[Firstflush]

I haven’t seen any fruit or flowers yet. Leaves are about 2x3” plus minus. Leaves are slightly fuzzy/velvety. I think the pest may be beetles coming and going. Just sprayed with spinosad because the damage looked like caterpillars. I’m pretty good with pests, just haven’t seen them yet. No distinct smell. Underside of leaves below.

My thoughts were alder as well. We will see if we get flowers or seed pods this summer.

 

[Shibui]

Buds, bark and leaves look very much like Birch species. I guess Alder is pretty similar.

 

[moke]

Looks like River Birch to me.
(Betula nigra)

 

[TomB]

Some kind of birch.

 

[Firstflush]

Any takers on alnus rubra? I’ll keep an eye out late summer for catkins.
Certified CA horticulturalist friend guesses alnus but can’t confirm.

I pulled it out of a 15 gal cercis (redbud) pot at work a little over a year ago which was imported out of NorCal or WA. It is obviously a prolific and potentially a nuisance species up there....seeds dropping and germinating in nursery pots.

 

[Cruiser]

I’m leaning toward river birch as well. Red alder leaves tend not to be as shiny or heart shaped. Red alder will often times have reddish hairs along the veins on the leaf undersides and edges that curl slightly. Their buds are also stalked.
It looks like the undersides of your leaves have a silvery appearance, river birch leaves have that trait.

 

[Firstflush]

This years leafed out photos if anyone has any further ideas on what it may be.

 

[moke]

Once again looks like River Birch to me.
(Betula nigra)

 

[PA_Penjing]

it doesn't look like my native alnus but I can't rule out other species. It looks very birchy but I have only grown river birch personally and it does look very similar. BUT I would be at a loss to distinguish birch species at this age. bark is the biggest tell for me

 

[BrierPatch]

Yep, looks like River Birch. Do a google image search on "River Birch Leaves" and you can see they look alike.

 

[Firstflush]

Thank you again all.
I’m done now