Not recognizing Aucuba-like mature leaves as being anything specific but new growth is like that of Osmanthus, tiny white flowers typical for these also.

For it to be one of these leaf stalks need to be meeting at same points on stems (paired) in arrangement. If they aren't, then it's something else.

Unless it's something unique to your area, I would have said that's Bay Laurel [Laurus nobilis].... see what you think...

..the small flowers should be scented, and produce black berries later on... it's a warm climate shrub, for zones 8 -10 U.S. I think... although it grows here too in sheltered gardens..

..just a guess, I can't be certain..

Laurus nobilis

I would have sworn the first pic is an aucuba. The second pic looks to me to be another plant entirely, possibly NOT a seedling of the first. Check the stems and compare them, Jackie. Aucuba stems will be smooth green for a good bit of their length, whereas the second plant you show looks to have reddish, hairy stems.

I'm going with aucuba for the first, laurus for the second.

John

This is why I ask on this forum! Yes, the large old plant DOES have smooth green stems:

So, now I will look up laurus and aucuba. Funny enough, we have a small tree here we call "Bay Laurel". Does not look like either of these at all. You can use its leaves in place of the "bay leaves" you buy in stores for cooking - they look just like them but are a bit stronger. Has fallen into disfavor lately, because they say it is a carrier of whatever it is that causes sudden oak death (which was first identified in my county, and is all over the place here).

Thank you for your very fast very good info!

Jackie

Osmanthus of some kind? Flowers are usually quite fragrant. Stems and foliage are similar. Maybe Osmanthus fragrans? This variety can grow taller than 4 feet, though. It can also be grown in a container. Carol

Another thought: native Kalmia (Kalmia latifolia)? Flowers are smallish, white and clustered and are showy all together. The new growth pattern is similar, the foliage is similar and stem maybe? I recall that new stem growth may be a bit reddish. Carol again

The Acuba that I've known in the east has much bigger, better defined yellow 'dots'.

My guess (which I'd really doubt is correct) is that you have a bay tree, the kind that makes the leaves that we dry and use as herbs. That shine and resistance to dryness....don't taste it, but take a sniff, just in case.

First looks more like Aucuba in second photo, second is definitely something else. Something that does not look like bay laurel.

There are something like 130 varieties of Aucuba, ranging from solid green, to white, to almost all yellow; some spotted, some striped, some swirled. The solid green is the unadulterated species (I'm positive now that is what you have, Jackie) which is not as popular as the spotted, speckled and deckled ones. That's one reason I grow the green one (and six other varieties)...no one else around here has it, lol.

This is the species: aucuba japonica

This shows what is possible. Scroll down the page for eye-openers: aucuba varieties

Also here

I don't have another good guess for the second plant other than laurus, but the newer pix confirm the first is aucuba.

P.S. What you have is a desirable plant, Jackie. The solid green is actually hard to come by. But on the other hand, most of the ones in the link above are not even in commerce. Of the seven I grow, three are only in about 5 US gardens other than arboretums. Some that are in commerce are devilishly expensive. Your usual choices are A. suphurea, A. crotonifolia, A. Mr. Goldstrike, A. Gold Dust, and the good old A. j. variegata. After that, it makes searching for some of our old rare roses look like child's play, lol.

I think John has hit the nail on the head with this, although my only question mark is that I thought Aucuba flowers were on the dark side and not white, as Jackie describes them as being... it's a pity we don't have a photo of the little flowers to see how they sit on the bush..

We only ever see the spotted Aucuba over here, I don't think I've ever seen the plain green one...

How big are the leaves of the second one? Could it be Pittosporum undulatum?

I love this forum! Where else would I get a response from an aucuba expert? Thanks so much fig_insanity! I am glad to hear it is a desirable plant - I have always liked it, but not paid much attention to it. We have lots of old garden shrubs which have survived since my DH's Great Grandparents or Grandparents planted them - they were great gardeners. My aucuba is an a back corner of the garden, under some trees, next to a tall fence. I laughed when I saw the care instructions that they should be in shade and a sheltered spot - no wonder it is so happy there! It gets no care except some extra water in our hot dry summers. Foliage is pristine. Of Course, it gets fed a lot with the leaf litter from the trees and all surrounding plants - amazing how forests, etc survive without anyone running around spreading fertilizer, isn't it?

noseometer - I do think the second one is a laurel of some kind. I just smushed a leaf, and yes, it smells like bay leaves, but not as strong. To answer your question, the individual leaves are about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. I did look at the pictures of pittosporum undulatum, and the leaves do look the same - evidently lots of plants have leaves like that! I have never noticed my what-ever-it-is plants blooming, but they are babies.

I will pay more attention to both of thees plants, and take pictures if/when they bloom next. I will post them on here, and we can have more fun. Thanks all of you for your help -

Jackie

Wow! What an impressive panel of experts. I'm so glad there are folks way more spot on than me, Jackie, as I hopelessly scrutinize tiny iPhone images and take stabs in the dark. :-) Carol

Jackie, I forgot to mention that A. japonica is dioecious, meaning they are either male or female like the hollies (ilex sp.). When you check for blooms next Spring, see which sex you have. Most of the cultivars are known to be one or the other, but the species could be either. If you have a female, they can have beautiful red berries, but only if you acquire a male to pollinate it. If it's a male, find a female variety to spice up your garden.

Male cultivars:

Mister Goldstrike

Golden King

Lance Leaf (solid green, like yours)

FEMALE CULTIVARS:

Crotonifolia

Gold Dust

Variegata

Edit. OOPS. I meant to give my little memory trick for telling male from female flowers, in case you don't know how. Just remember the females carry the pistils: "pistil" packin' Mama. lol.

Laurus nobilis is native (but rare in the wild) over here, a very ancient pre-Pliocene remnant of vegetation preceding current Med climate vegetation and, because of this, NOT a plant that would tend to easily disperse itself unless under very specific conditions. It tends to produce much larger leaves when in shade (where it tends to acquire also all sorts of mealy bug type of scale pests..) than when in full sun. It seems there's confusion in California between Laurus nobilis (a native of the Med region) and Umbellularia californica, a California native which, according to wiki, is called Oregon myrtle or California bay laurel.

Maybe this helps?