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Name That Plant!

Help identify tree or bush with razor-looking bark (not sharp)

Jennifer Golden

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I moved into this house a year ago and have slowly been educating myself and pruning/planting. This one bush or tree I have yet to identify, but it's really close to the house and in one year has grown as tall as the 2 story home. SO it now has my full attention. I need to find out what it is so I can begin to decide if I should remove, transplant, prune/majorly cut back. I really love the unusual bark on new growth which seems to disappear as the branches thicken and age. Hard to capture in photos but hopefully you can see the unusual bark. Thanks so much for any help!

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

7 years ago

what a difference a leaf pic will make ...

its a weed TREE ... it doesnt need to be moved anywhere... it needs to be removed.. IMO ...

looks like a great spot for some true shrubs ... flowering if there is enough light ...

ken

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ulmus+alata&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjN-KO80a3OAhWozIMKHdoKDvMQ_AUICCgB&biw=909&bih=745&dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&q=ulmus+alata+tree

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Comments (12)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
could we have a pic of an actual leaf.. perhaps with a scale ...

in the meantime.. compare with winged burning bush ....Euonymus alatus

can be invasive in many places ...

frankly.. if its 2 stories tall.. get rid of it ...

ken

https://www.google.com/search?q=euonymus+alatus&biw=909&bih=745&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiK0Kn3wq3OAhWDQCYKHXjpAZIQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&q=euonymus+alatus+branches
Jennifer Golden
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you Ken, the photos of winged burning bush look exactly like this bark, but the leaves do look different. As soon as the thunder/lightening and rain stops I'll run out and snap a shot of the leaves.

Agreed, at 2 stories tall, it probably needs to go, but was hacking away at something I thought overgrown 6 months ago and my neighbor came out apalled that I was hacking away at a very, very, very leggy rhododendron. I like being armed with info before I get into another debate w/her on what I'm doing. :) The rody, of course, will bounce back fuller and better looking and was happy to be able to defend myself.

Back soon w/photos of the leaves w/perspective.

Jenn
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Fukien is an evergreen, 'tropical' bonsai. Did you scratch the bark on the main trunk, down near the roots? Or just on one of the branches. Trying to give you hope here :) - I'd also take it out of the dirt and look at the roots; if the roots look 'alive' you may be able to salvage it with lots of tender care. I had a mini-rose climber in a pot on my son's deck last summer; it looked absolutely dead, and I was in the process of cleaning out the pot to plant something else, when I noticed there were a few 'live-looking' roots. I cut the bush way back, repotted in peat/vermiculite, fed it some 'Thrive' and weak fertilizer, and just noted yesterday it's putting out new shoots!
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I have one of my own and the blooms are really easy to miss. Mine blooms in late spring and the small white flowers usually fall off. The coppery-red growth up top and the smooth, peeling bark are tell-tale characteristics of Psidium littorale. It's fairly common, you should be able to find these at nearly all big-box nurseries in Southern California if your cuttings don't root.
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Jennifer Golden
Original Author
7 years ago
Here are a couple more photos.... the leaves are tiny all over, maybe bec the plant is in the shade and if it is a burning bush probably needs more sun. which would explain how sparse it is.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
7 years ago
Ulmus alata, winged elm.
Jennifer Golden
Original Author
7 years ago
Rhizo, I think that's it. In which case I probably do need to move it away from the house or take it down. Reading up on it now. Thank you
carol23_gw
7 years ago
Are the leaves serrated ?

http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/ulal.html
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
7 years ago
Pretty sure that's still a Burning Bush Euonymus alatus. The elm would have serrated leaves, year old twigs wouldn't be green, and the leaves are alternate.
carol23_gw
7 years ago
That was what I was thinking as well. I see opposite.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
7 years ago
Yes - I couldn't see any serrations either. But since I've never seen a winged elm in person I kept quiet. Green twigs make it look like Euonymus too.
Jennifer Golden
Original Author
7 years ago
wow, thanks for discussions. No the leaves are not serrated. So we're back to burning bush, that's a tall burning bush. :)
Jennifer Golden
Original Author
7 years ago
I will be removing it. The property is covered over in 8 foot tall azaleas (they're gorgeous) but, I'm sick of azaleas! ;) Otherwise I'd put more there. I'll get to have fun figuring out what to put in place.

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