Um, Bearstate,

The only plant that was completely identifiable in your pictures was a mulberry tree, probably Morus alba (White Mulberry).

Ryan

Hi Bearstate,
I second Ryan's ID. That is no pepper tree; that is a fruitless mulberry infested by aphids, and it is the aphids causing the sticky mess. They suck the juices of the tree and excrete sugary poop that ants just love. There are very few uses for fruitless mulberries, or even fruiting mulberries, in California. I would kill said tree immediately and replace with a small street friendly/patio tree, given the perspective in the photo.

Excuse me ...

Do you see the little red round things on the sidewalk?

Those are the fruit (seeds) of this tree. They look like pepper corns, especially when they dry and turn black.

And this whole thing gets a lot messier as the leaf fall builds up.

But I have to agree with you that it is NOT a Peruvian Pepper Tree. I found photos of the Peruvian Pepper Tree on the web and believe it or not, I have them too. The problem with Peruvian Pepper Trees here, is that somehow cockroaches manage to thrive within them.

But this thing dripping sap all over is not a Peruvian Pepper Tree. And while it looks like a Fruitless Mulberry. It can't be, as it does have fruit (seeds) and they are NOT berries. Fruitless Mulberry or White Mulberry are Male Trees. The Weeping Mulberry is the Female Tree. This thing ( Not a Mulberry ) produces viable seeds that look like pepper corns, not berries.

So I think we are both wrong.

Whatever they are, I hate them.

And there isn't an aphid in sight.

Oops, that's embarrassing. It's an Elm (The slight asymmetry at the base of the leaves should have clued me in). I'm guessing the American Elm but I have very little experience id'ing them.

Ryan

Elms do not have hard round spherical seeds.

They have light flat seeds with an encompassing flair that makes them easily wind blown ( See link below ).

This is NOT an elm.

I grew up in Chicago and I know what an elm looks like. The leaves look similar but are usually smaller and though dentate along the edges the leaves are narrower and the veins are not so outstanding.

OK. My hired help is here on Monday. Maybe they know what this is.

For the benefit of those lurking on this thread, this is a Peruvian Pepper Tree ...

{{gwi:558893}}

Now I know. Heck, I don't claim to have a degree in Botanical Science. So being naieve, I can excuse my ignorance. The hired help probably doesn't have a degree either, but I'll just bet they know what these damn sticky trees are.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elm Drawing

O.K. I have to confess, I'm stumped and a little embarrassed. You would think I would have learned to stop making such confident pronouncements by now. You will be pleased to know that another alternative has not sprung to mind so I'll shut up now :-)

Ryan

Could it be Celtis africana?

Or maybe {{gwi:558882}}? I've never seen Hackberry Tree, but it looks like a good fit.

Ryan

Sorry, that should have been Celtis occidentalis.

Hey!

I think we have it identified.

One website actually shows it having range in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The only thing I find lacking from the descriptions I've read is that the Hackberries here, do not have very pronounced wartiness to their bark.

And don't feel bad Ryan, Hackberry is a member of the Elm Family and I too, blurt out identifications which are incorrect. Did I not think this was a Pepper Tree?

Anyway, it may also be true that aphids are responsible for the sticky mess. I just do not see the little buggers. Read the clue below ( 15th Q: ) ...

So Pepper Trees, except for their capacity to harbor roaches, seem to be OK. It's Hackberries that I hate. And possibly, not Hackberries, but aphids.

Thanks for your help folks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hackberry Dripping Web Clue

bearstate,

a hackberry it is and I feel your pain! Imagine having two Schnauzers with long leg hair and lots of yucky sticky leaves stuck to their legs and feet - every day for the whole fall season.

Next spring get some Bayer's tree insecticide. Use a half dose in the spring and a half dose in July.

This is the only chemical I use in my yard. I don't want to cut down a 60 year old tree and I'm not willing to live with the mess. You have to experience it to understand.

The wooly aphid is the culprit and then late summer/early fall a scale comes along and adds to the mess, dropping big glops of carmely honeydew.

There's not much you can do this season except pray for rain.

You have my sympathy...

BettyN

Thanks for your sympathy.

We have quite a number of Hackberries here.

And believe me, the cost just to trim the trees was equivalent to the cost of a fancy sports car. To cut down all the Hackberries is out of the question.

I'll have to see what can be done to kill off the pests.

Even if we get rid of the honeydew, the falling leaves and rotting seeds is still a major whoa. And the seeds germinate easy and pop up lots of little hackberries every spring that need to be hoola hoed with a vengence.

aphids are pernicious and you will never see the end of them, you can keep them within bounds though. For an organic solution, get rid of all the grass under the tree and extending 2 feet past the drip line. Replace it with an attractive mulch. Also, release ladybugs at about 2 week intervals in the early part of the year when aphids are just starting to come out.