Another plant I'm not sure about. I think it is Pieris japonica, but it has been allowed to grow way too large and has a lot of dead wood in the center. It is blooming right now and is very pretty, but I think it should be pruned back drastically this fall and I could use some confirmation on that. Thanks in advance.
Don't know, sorry, I'm no help. The pieris I have blooms in early spring and grows very slowly.
Not a Pieris - as Jan said, they bloom early to mid-spring.
Hard to see the blossom - looks similar to Privet. what do they look like up close?
Hi there this is a wax leaf privot. Ligstrum texacana spelling is close. Can get 8 feet evergreen smells sweet and can be prunned nicely. Some on mine got a little beat up last winter I prunned haard and they look nice now. Heidi
Definitely Ligustrum, probably Ligustrum japonicum, but could be Ligustrum lucidum. Your plant looks a little stressed, moderate irrigation would improve it's health. Ligustrum, while heat tolerant, isn't especially drought tolerant.
Thanks. Yes, it is very stressed. We moved into this house in June and our understanding is that the yard has had no care for at least 3 years! There are two of these Ligustrum about 5 feet apart and they both have plastic around them right up to the trunks, and that is covered with rocks. I'm removing the darned stuff as fast as I can, but the whole front yard has this problem. Not landscape fabric, mind you, but heavy weight plastic - huge sheets of it! Currently the only way to get water to these plant's roots is to put the hose right down the trunk... otherwise it just runs off - rain too.
I'll bet they're so happy to have you and will reward you appropriately. It sounds like you'll have lots of new plants to discover. Where did you move from?
We moved from Cottage Grove, Oregon to Newport, Oregon, but I have gardened in many places; central Illinois, Iowa, Seattle, WA, New Orleans, Atlanta, Georgia, St. Louis, MO, northern Illinois - and now back to our favorite place - the Pacific Coast. My problem here is the many plants I've never dealt with before. About the only things in the yard I really know how to handle are the Lilac (in really bad shape), hydrangea, lots of Rhodies, and a big batch of Shasta Daisy. I think there is at least one Azalea too, but it is in pretty bad shape so I can't be sure yet. I believe a lot of the existing plants here were planted for deer resistance and that is something new to me.
My great aunt lived in Cottage Grove!! I have fond memories of visiting her there in the 60's and 70's.
It sounds like much of what you have was planted for ease, too. Azaleas and Rhodies are a staple.
The subshrubs lavendar and rosemary are deer resistant. And there are are some fun perennials that are deer resistant, as well, so you should have lots of options when you start planning plantings for yourself.
