Collected from Yard, Whatever it Is

lehket

Attached are a series of photos of a plant I collected from my yard today. I'm not sure what it is yet. In 2004 we had removed a number of large old azaleas that were growing (overgrowing, actually) along the side of the house. In 2005 this plant sprang up in the cleared space. It grew rapidly and looked like the first photo before I realized it. It had small leaves, a nice curve at the base of the trunk, and the beginnings of some nice surface roots. I decided to let it grow for awhile and see what would happen.

It continued to grow and thicken. I cut it back a couple of times to keep it from getting too tall and the local rabbits ate some of the low growth, but by 2007 it was looking like a good candidate for collection. I gave it another year. While it was in the ground, I decided to wire one of the main branches to try to bend it away from the trunk. Unfortunately I forgot I had done this, and in the fall I discovered the wires eating into the branch. That branch may have to be cut off now, but for the moment it's still there.

Today I collected it. The second photo (which isn't too good, I'm afraid) shows it before I started working. The third photo shows the base with surface roots. It was over 6 feet tall with considerable spread. The fourth photo shows it after pruning back the growth to make something manageable to work with.

I had an 8" pot prepared to pot it in, but when I got it out of the ground I discovered that the root system was largely lateral--thick roots ranged well out from the tree. I had to quickly find a larger pot to hold it, and had to cut back the thick roots to make it fit. The fifth and sixth photos show the full potted plant and a close-up of the base with nebari and the wire-scarred branch. I'm keeping it on my enclosed back porch for now while it recovers from the operation.

(Continued in next post...)

Attached Images

	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2006-1.jpg (66.2 KB, 128 views)
	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-1.jpg (64.7 KB, 79 views)
	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-2.jpg (65.9 KB, 101 views)
	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-3.jpg (68.5 KB, 110 views)
	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-4.jpg (57.3 KB, 129 views)
	Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-5.jpg (56.9 KB, 116 views)

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--Dale
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lehket

(Continued from first post...)

I've been calling it a plant rather than a tree because I'm not entirely sure what it is. It may be more of a shrub than a tree, although I don't know. The sixth photo is a close-up of the foliage. It's not real good, but if anyone recognizes the species I'd be grateful to learn what it is. To help with the identification, here are a few facts:

1. It lives (thrives, actually) in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. I have another one growing elsewhere in my yard, which I may collect later. I haven't noticed any ornamental plantings in the area matching them, but then I haven't really looked very hard.

2. It usually retains some, but not all, of its leaves throughout the winter.

3. The leaves are opposite and smooth-edged. They are a bit on the thick side and not hairy. They are small, generally not getting much longer than 1/2 inch (estimated; I haven't actually measured them).

Thanks!

Attached Images

Tree #28 (Species Unknown)-May 2008-6.jpg (61.4 KB, 124 views)

__________________
--Dale
----------
Co-author of Spiritual Telemetry,
Host of Planet Baha'i and the Planet Baha'i Forum

kcpoole

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saxegothea

Privet?

JayC

Can't be a camelia, leaves are alternate of camelias. It doesn't look like a ligustrum because the bark is too different. I have no idea......... sorry!

JayC

kcpoole

What do you mean alternate of?

Camelias have I think alternate leaves do they not?
The branch running from top right to lower middle looks like alternate leaves

Ken

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JayC

sorry, "of" was meant to be "on". The leaves in that pic seem to be opposite to me, not alternate. Could we possibly get a close pic?

It could be a camellia, the leaves do look similar, but i originally thought the leaves were opposite, now i am unsure.

JayC

lehket

Thanks for the guesses so far. The leaves are opposite, I assure you, although now that I look at it I guess the angle of the photo makes them look alternate. From what I can find camelia leaves are alternate and usually serrated (these are smooth), so I'd say that's not what I've got here.

I don't think I've ever noticed this plant flowering, so I'm guessing it's not a privet, either, unless maybe there is a variety that doesn't flower.

I'll see if I can get a better photo at some point. Meanwhile, any other guesses are welcome...

__________________
--Dale
----------
Co-author of Spiritual Telemetry,
Host of Planet Baha'i and the Planet Baha'i Forum

MichelC

Ligustrum

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Greetz,

Michel