Another tree mystery...

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by LiamNoel, May 13, 2011.

  1. LiamNoel

    LiamNoel Member

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    On a recent trip to Washington DC, we passed a beautiful and odd tree. The flowers were attached to the branches and trunk of the tree like fungus..Can anyone help me identify it? I'd like to buy one for my garden

    Thanks for any speculations , I could take those and continue to search if no one can identify it!

    [​IMG]
     
  2. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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  3. David in L A

    David in L A Active Member 10 Years

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    Redbud (Cercis)?
     
  4. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Cercis chinensis maybe
    Cercis siliquastrum maybe

    I'm not an expert on redbuds, only admire them from afar. Most times in the US, it will be Cercis canadensis, but all bets are off with the District. Aside from the Smithsonian's attention to diversity, all the people from so many other countries means other species should be considered.

    The clustering of flowers directly on the limbs (cauliflory) is more like C. siliquastrum than C. canadensis from what little I know. The leaves in your photo are still very tiny, but do look heartshaped, consistent with the genus.
     
  5. LiamNoel

    LiamNoel Member

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    Last edited: May 13, 2011
  6. LiamNoel

    LiamNoel Member

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    the leaves are heart shaped with a smooth edge. I visited another nursery today and they also mentioned Redbud but were clueless as to the cultivar
    Why can't they just name trees simple names or assign numbers rather than have one scientific latin name, three pet names and seventeen other cultivars names :( this is so depressing
     
  7. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    The latin names may seem difficult, but it's as with any other field or avocation. There is a jargon that will make it easier to be sure we are talking about the same thing. In botany, that just happens to be binomial nomenclature, if they still call it that. Believe me, even the experts can get thrown with that, too. Names change because of realignment due to botanical features, or different species or genus names in different areas.

    That's why we tend to give the "latin name."

    Some of us will have pet peeves on some of the confusing common names. Some old names are bygone because of social implications, some are referring to several different plants with very different properties, and many common names are just plain misleading.

    Is it geeky to know the names of the parts of the flower, or that there are hundreds of species in a particular genus? Okay, we own that.

    There are plenty of fora that are down with old wives' tales and pathetically common names and outmoded horticultural practices, but a university's botanic garden website would not be that place.

    And lorax's request for you to post the image rather than a link was because she and others could view the image if it were embedded, but maybe not in some online personal photo albums, or perhaps just not at work. This is not only an international forum, but one with people from all sorts of situations with all sorts of computer facility. Even if I were to look at this thread a few months from now, I might not recall why I wrote what I did without the photo to remind me.

    It's all good. Don't be disheartened. Enjoy your search for a Cercis spp. with the features you like.
     
  8. LiamNoel

    LiamNoel Member

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    Thank you for the explanations (both the tree and the images) , you actually encouraged me to continue looking for that tree instead of give up which I was about to do


    I found another picture of the buds if that's a better clue


    Have a great weekend everybody!
     

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  9. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Yep, Redbud Cercis canadensis.
     
  10. SusanDunlap

    SusanDunlap Active Member

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    Nice pictures - thanks for posting them. An interesting plant as there are not many where the blossoms adhere so tightly to the bark.
     
  11. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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