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Mystery tree/shrub

bernard

By Bernard

Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom

This mystery was here in the garden when we took it over and has defied efforts to identify it until it flowered. Well, now it has and the picture shows it's present condition. It needs pruning/shaping but I couldn't bear to do it before flowering. Unfortunately the flowers only last for a very short time before turning brown and looking tatty for the rest of the year. We are debating whether to keep it or not, but in the meantime would like to know its identity if anyone can help.




Answers

 

Can you do a close up of the flowers? Hard to tell from a distance. Almost looks like a Russian vine but you say it's a shrub. Close up of the flower would make it clear what it is.

19 Jun, 2009

 

And it would be very helpful to see a close up of the leaves too. Plus, is it fragrant? Does it have berries in the autumn? Evergreen or deciduous, does it have a central trunk or is it more shrublike?

19 Jun, 2009

 

Japanese Pagoda Tree?! possibly but need acloser view of flowers

19 Jun, 2009

 

Would be a shame to chop it out if as not many trees have this mm=uch flower, esp if it is a Japanese P T

19 Jun, 2009

 

I'm thinking Ceanothus incanus, but only if its evergreen - can't see the leaves properly to tell.

19 Jun, 2009

 

Thanks for your replies. To answer Bamboo's questions - it is evergreen, multi-stem, no berries, the faded, brown flower trusses remain until I cut them off in the spring. Also to give a sense of scale, it is about 12ft tall at the moment. I wanted to include a detail of the flowers/ leaves, but it has been too windy and also Peter says I can't include more than one photo with a question. I'll try again tomorrow if the wind dies down and also report if any fragrance. I'll post it as another question Mystery tree/shrub part 2.

19 Jun, 2009

 

One other question, which you could answer when you post the next pic - any thorns present anywhere, no matter how small a number? Well two questions, actually - does it twine round itself or anything else?

19 Jun, 2009

 

The drooping shrub but that has thorns

20 Jun, 2009

How do I say thanks?

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