We were cutting some brush to allow access to a treestand and something we cut smelled really nice. It was like strong lemon. I am in S MN, any idea what it might have been?

well if you were down here i would say you smelled a heat stroke lol.

witch hazel (hamamelis virginiana) ?

I had that happen cutting weeds back also.

Perhaps penny royal? It's a natural insect repellant...

Did you call the discovery channel. !!!!!!!??????? You were one of the few to get a whiff if the rare bigguss futus fartus maximus.... If you get the right agent you may get your own tv show !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sassafras?

sassafras?

or mint, spice bush....

sweet gum

pick65

I have loads of Prickly Ash in my woods. When you cut it, it smells very lemony.

Sassafras, smells like fruit loops.

Sassafras or prickly ash

The old car guys around here used to put an additive in their gad so when they drove around the shows it would smell nice and make everyone wonder where that smell came from. Did someone pull a fast one and put so of that in your gas tank?

As said above....Prickly Ash is lemony smelling when cut. Was it a shruby little tree/bush with rosebush-like thorns, or was it a plant? Also stated above, American Pennyroyal is very aromatic when cut. I have lots of it around the house. Love the "Lemon Pledge" aroma myself. My Bride hates the smell of it and would yank it out of her flower beds at every opportunity!

I have to go with Sassafras!

Sassafras doesn’t grow in Minnesota, at least naturally.

You didnt buy 110 lead gas for the saw? I always thought it had a sweeter smell to it than 90 octane.

Cattle flatus.
(My new go-to answer. Rolls off the tongue. Try it.)