In The Garden: Unknown shrubby plant

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by Andrey Zharkikh, Oct 11, 2009.

  1. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Does anyone know what is this? This shrub (or may be tree if allowed to grow in the sun) appeared in few places in my backyard. It becomes yellow first among other stuff around.
    Thanks
     

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  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Mulberry species, perhaps Paper Mulberry.
     
  3. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I dunno, Paper Mulberry has wider leaves and, as other Moraceae usually do, frequently makes lobes. Mine never shows lobes, the leaves are always entire. One characteristic feature: on touch, the leaf feels brushy with hard hairs on both sides.
     

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    Last edited: Oct 11, 2009
  4. Silver surfer

    Silver surfer Generous Contributor 10 Years

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  5. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thank you, Michael and Silver! The description of hairiness matches, indeed: strong hairs, almost prickly if pooled along the soft skin, and softer hairs below. Now, I have to find where they came from. I looked around our neighborhood and found only low shrubs like mine. No large trees with fruits. But bird may fly too far away...
     
  6. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    The amount of lobing is roughly related to vigour - strong, fast-growing shoots usually have deeply lobed leaves, while weak, shaded shoots and shoots on old, slow-growing trees usually have unlobed leaves. Yours looks decidedly heavily shaded and weak-growing!
     
  7. saltcedar

    saltcedar Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    They sucker from the roots profusely especially if the main tree is cut down.
     
  8. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Would Celtis occidentalis fit better? I found it is native here and birds like it. This may explain why I do not see any big trees around in the neighborhood but lots of seedlings.
     
  9. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    No, it wouldn't be that.
     
  10. davallia

    davallia Active Member

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    Any chance it's a Davidia?
     
  11. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    No; wrong leaf shape.
     
  12. Silver surfer

    Silver surfer Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Here is another link.....it shows leaves that are unlobed.
    Maybe this will help.

    http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/botany/weed-of-the-month/0410-broussonetia-papyrifera.html

    Quote...
    "Leaves are deciduous and alternate, or sometimes opposite as well, and generally ovate in shape, either unlobed, or variously and deeply lobed, particularly on vigorous growth. They have an uneven, broadly rounded or shallowly cordate base, an acuminate apex and a sharply serrate margin; the underside is densely pubescent with whitish or grayish hairs, especially when the leaves are young, and the upperside is roughened with stiff, forward-pointing hairs. Foliage texture is coarse, with leaves often as much as eight inches long and five inches wide"
     
  13. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thank you all, the experience with plant identification makes me doubt in everything...
    One of my shoots converted into a tree of about 6 m tall with leaves 10-15 cm long, all unlobed. Another, in the fir shadow, reached 2.5 m high with leaves up to 25 cm long, still unlobed. Description of pubescence quite matches. Two more features do not match: no milky sap from broken leaves and branches and no root shoots. But this may be consequences of dry climate and harsher winter - Utah is outside of the distribution area of Broussonetia papyrifera.
     
  14. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Sorry to annoy you with this 5 year-old thread. But looks like it was Celtis occidentalis after all. I missed the flowers - they were probably inconspicuous. And today, I discovered the fruits! It's 9-mm drupe with very hard core and thin layer of soft tissue. On the top of it, still remains pistil with two bulky stigmas. The mystery solved! Thank you again for your input. Here are some images of the plant:
     

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  15. Silver surfer

    Silver surfer Generous Contributor 10 Years

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    Not annoying at all.
    Good to find the proof of what it is.
     
  16. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Agreed, and I really like that bark photo.
     
  17. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Before seeing the more recent photos farther down the page today when I looked at the beginning of the thread I clearly saw the sprouts were those of a hack-berry; no idea why I rejected that suggestion previously.
     
  18. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Thank you Andrey for the update. It is good to know that after all it is not Morus papyrifera, very interesting and educating.
     
  19. Andrey Zharkikh

    Andrey Zharkikh Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thank you all! This is the problem with trees - you have to wait five years for positive ID. :)
     

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