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Name That Plant!

Bought Mystery tree, need ID, pics here

16 years ago

Bought this tree at a plant sale and no one knew what it was. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but now I don't know where to site it. The tree is about 6' tall right now, with semi-shiny leaves. The leaves are similar to citrus, but have no smell when crushed. The unopened blooms are tightly packed like jasmine flowers.

I've ruled out citrus, avocado, and mango. Any help would be appreciated.

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Comments (8)

nonmember_gw
16 years ago
Ligustrum or L. japonicum??
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Heathen1
16 years ago
Omigod.. you paid for privet? Throw it away before you give it to the neighborhood! It's eEEEEVIL! :o)
Just kidding... it IS really weedy here in California, I had it at my last house and there was NO GETTING RID OF IT.
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Bihai, the green Pothos is exactly like the variegated form, only it's color is different. In fact, varieg forms sometimes revert to an all green plant, and yours very likely is a reversion. The green form is faster and stronger growing since all of it's leaf surface can produce food. I don't see a lot of pinholes on the leaves in your photo, but there do seem to be a few along the midribs, highlighted by the sun in your underleaf shot. If present, these would at least identify it as an Epipremnum. I find it hard to keep from yawning in the presence of most tuberous Aroids, and Arisaemas downright put me to sleep. Many amorphophallus species are interesting in the colors and patterns of their petioles and leaves. I'm never over-impressed by their blooms, to me it's strictly a foliage plant. This genus has taken the Int'l Aroid Society growers by storm over the last many years. I think they're an interesting addition to an Aroid collection of other non-tuberous genera, but that's all. Vining Philos and Monsteras are the most fascinating of the Aroids in my opinion, for their uncanny search for height, and scandent immature and mature climbing leaf stages which can be explosively dramatic, especially in Monsteras. Russ
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No berries ,no funky roots.No pop up saplings ANYWHERE. That is why I find it hard to believe it could be invasive though I know invasive comes with the right conditions.It is multi trunked but not like ficus.It did snap off in the storms of 2004 and immediately grew quite tall again. The neighbors do not recall ever seeing flowrs or frit. Trust me they would complain. Wildlife seem to use it and have found GORGEOUS giant leopard moths on it.
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roquette_socal
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you nonmember! You may be right. I'll research it more and post what I find. I can hardly believe that the Master Gardeners wouldn't recognize ligustrum though, but it's possible. I hope it will make a better screening plant than bamboo or eugenias.

Have a happy summer day...
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gardenguru1950
16 years ago
That kinda looks like Ligustrum lucidum or L. japonicum but I don't think so. Something tells me it's a subtropical thingy. Let me think...

Joe
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Heathen1
16 years ago
how about a syzygium of some type? I can't find a picture of the buds... but the leaves look similar.
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roquette_socal
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks heathen1 and gardenguru1950. I think it's possible that it IS a ligustrum. Not the one with the thickish leaves, but a similar texture to citrus leaf. I'm still checking on that. I can't find a syzygium with a similar blossom.

Maybe buying the bargain mystery tree wasn't such a good idea! Thanks for helping.
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Heathen1
16 years ago
You can tell when it blooms, I am VERY familiar with the ligistrum japonicum flowers, unfortunately.
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roquette_socal
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi fellow plant detectives:

This tree was surplus inventory donated to the Master Gardeners plant sale when a local tree farm closed. I looked at an old price list of the tree farm and found very few trees that were the same price that this was originally marked. Lots of pines, palms, and other trees that this one isn't, but the one it could be is :

Pouteria campechiana

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:274495}}
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