Small shiny leaf thorny shrub ID please ...

11 years ago

This little guy volunteered about three years ago and since it had pretty shiny leaves I let him stay. Any ideas what it might be?

Plant ...

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Thorns ...

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Six or seven years ago in a completly different part of the yard I had a little low growing shrubby plant that produced small white flowers that smelled like gardenias with seed pods in the form of red berries. I lost interest in it and it got covered up with other plants. I'm pondering the possibility that's it that one, but seem to remember it had three thorns at each node.

Any ideas from this august group of great knowledge?

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Comments (12)

Bryan Scott
11 years ago
A couple things come to mind.
A citrus plant/tree of some sort or a variety of a Hawthorn.

I'm probably waaaaaaayyyyyyy out there on those two, but I'm pretty positive I've seen something like this in a local nursery here in Austin.

Bryan
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions Beacivil. It looks familiar to me too, but I can't place it. I went ahead and put the photos on the 'Name That Plant' forum so we'll see what they come up with.
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Terminology.....especially when it comes to plants and gardening......is a tricky thing ;-)) It sure helps when asking questions to use the correct terminology as it usually generates better responses but not everyone is familiar with the correct terminology so we go from there! Often when responding to specific questions posters will try to educate as well, so that the OP will know more going forward and that future questions may presented more clearly for better responses. Not all needled - as opposed to broad leafed - trees are pines and not all cones that these trees produce are 'pine cones'. Pines are just one of many types of conifers - firs, junipers, spruces, hemlocks, cypresses, etc. all belong to this grouping. We won't even talk about cedars, as that is a common term that can get everybody confused! Now to Ken's comment :-)) The term "conifer" is applied to a type of plant. The terms "tree" or "shrub" are applied to a manner of growth, not a specific type of plant. In many cases, there is considerable overlap. There are shrub-like perennials and tree-like shrubs. And not all shrubs are flowering plants! Many produce flowers that are so insignificant as to never be noticed or in the case of needled shrubs, not produce anything recognizable as a flower at all!! Not all conifers are trees. Many are but they can also be shrubs of varying size. They can also be groundcovers. All that means is they display a form of growth that is not tree-like, i.e., no clear, distinct trunk and minimal height. I know Ken's intent was to direct you to the best place on GW to get your questions answered but it really doesn't matter where you ask your questions. Knowledgeable folks abound all over. And sometimes his adamant declarations can be confusing, especially to new posters or rookie gardeners. If nothing else, you can take away with you the fact that not all conifers are pines :-)) And also that not all conifers are trees :-) And not all shrubs produce showy flowers :-)
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Howie, an invasive plant is one which has the ability to outcompete native plants and especially, whole plant communities. It's not about how "aggressive" a given plant is, although that could be a part of the picture. Ecological invasion is where the plants (and other organisms that need those plants) which are adapted to a given area are crowded out by species which are better able to cope with the disturbances which are constantly being placed on the landscape, many of which are coming from things we humans are doing. I'm seeing where lots of peoploe are thinking an invasive plant species is just something that grows fast or grows into another plant's area. IT's much more than that. The worst offenders tend to be plants with fruits which birds then eat, pooping out the seeds for miles around. This is the exact mechanism whereby nearly every woodlot or forest in my part of the state of Wisconsin has been overrun by common buckthorn, a Eurasian species which has numerous weapons at its disposal; Highly shade-tolerant, it can come up in the shadiest of spots and can grow in the shade that it itself produces. Allelopathic, this plant exudes chemicals from its root tips which tend to hold back other plant types from growing there. Able to use more of the growing season than most native species-it's up and running earlier in the spring and later in the fall (both factoids of which can be used to our advantage in controlling this plant. But I digress.
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
Original Author
11 years ago
Someone else suggested Hawthorn on the Name That Plant Forum, but it's such a large family of plants it was hard to search for it.

But I think Saltcedar nailed it;

"Xylosma congestum?

Shiny Xylosma(Xylosma congestum): http://jeju.us/?p=529

saltcedar"

Other sites said it is sold in nurseries as an evergreen hedge plant, has flowers that attract bees, and berry's for wildlife. I guess a seed was in some nursery pot soil. It came up near where I planted an oriental persimmon from Fanick's Nursery.

It sounds like an interesting plant so I'll keep it :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Saltcedar's link to Xylosma congestum
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plantmaven
11 years ago
I have that tree. It is the small tree in the corner bed of the sidewalk and driveway. The tag was lost and all I could remember was it was Chinese something. It was tree form when we bought it at the Garden Center
It is about 10 ft. tall now.

Here is a link that might be useful: about Xylosma congestum
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
Original Author
11 years ago
Wow -- interesting! So maybe that's where I got it! A seed was in something you gave me. Tree form ... hmmm. Sounds like I'd like that the best. I can't wait to see yours to decide where to place it eventually. Maybe you could take a picture?
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Bryan Scott
11 years ago
I knew I had seen it somewhere!- Was looking at this book (see link) while at a nursery. It's in the Small Tree/Large Shrub category.

I have also seen it downtown at the Austin Development Assistance Center in their Grow Green Book/Article section.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas AgriLife Extension Austin Grow Green's Native and Adapted Landscape Plants
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plantmaven
11 years ago
That's what Diane thought of when I told her. Maybe it did come from here.
Here's you pic.
Guess it is taller than I remembered. We bought it so there would be something green in the winter. It was a 5 gallon pot bought Jan. 2008.

The rev D'Or rose and beautyberry are near the sidewalk.
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Bryan Scott
11 years ago
Plantmaven,
Do they lose the thorns as they grow or keep them?
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
Original Author
11 years ago
What a beautifully shaped little multitrunked tree! And evergreen to boot. Thanks for the photo!!!
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plantmaven
11 years ago
Ewes welcome.

Beacivil1, it seems that the thorns are on small branches and not large limbs or the trunk. It is raining and lightening, so I am not going out to look. lol
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
Original Author
11 years ago
Off the subject, but we're getting a nice shower here too. It's been rumbling all day and finally decided to rain.
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carrie751
11 years ago
Nice tree, but I would much rather have some of your rain.
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Small shiny leaf thorny shrub ID please ...

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Bryan Scott

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Small shiny leaf thorny shrub ID please ...

Comments (12)

Bryan Scott

roselee z8b S.W. TexasOriginal Author

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roselee z8b S.W. TexasOriginal Author

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