any tree/leaf experts out there?

[Soupermom]

Help! DD is doing a leaf collection for a science project and we need some help. We have a tree in our back yard that produces 3 different shapes of leaves. One is "mitten shaped", one is rounded in the middle and pointed at teh ends, the last is kind of like a short, fat, rounded oak leaf (or the mitten one with lots of finger holes!) Can anyone help us identify this? The leaves are about 2-3 inches long and we are in E. Central Illiniois, if that helps. THANKS!

 

[kadaten]

Is it a sassafras tree? I remember those from Girl Scouts...we used the roots to make tea! Here's what the leaves look like:

Here's some more links to compare:
http://www.assateague.com/sass.html
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/saal.html
http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/prof/Recipes/File-Sassafras/sassafras.html

 

[gallaj0]

How about Sassafras? I'm not familiar with the growing area, but it seems to fit the "mitten" description.

Look here: Leaf Identification

 

[Soupermom]

I don't think it's a Sassafrass...the leaves we have are verigated on the edges, not smooth. Also, the one leaf with several sections/points is more rounded than that in the Sass. pictures. Any other suggestions?

Thanks for all of your help thus far. I knew my fellow DISers would be able to assist us!

 

[gallaj0]

How about a Mulberry:

 

[Soupermom]

Yes! It just may be a mulberry! Does it have other shapes besides those two? We have one leaf that looks like half of one, half of the other...

 

[gallaj0]

Do a google image search on "mulberry leaf"; and you'll get plenty of possible shapes, colors, etc.