I thought I had these shrubs identified as Spiraea Japonica Froebelii, but now I'm not so sure. We have six of them, three on each side of the yard opposite each other. They are about 8-10 feet tall and are infringing on a Wax Myrtle on one side, and a large Rhodie on the other. My main question is, can these be pruned back and, if so, how much? They are beautiful and very healthy looking.
A close up of the blooms.
here is a bit of info.
http://www.gardensandplants.com/uk/plant.aspx?plant_id=3728
Nope that is not spirea. It is E--------something or other. It can be pruned to the ground if necessary. Won't hurt it a bit. Love the things but they do like to grow. Someone will come up with the name. My old brain doesn't work well any more.
OOps nevermind, Looked at the big picture and it's not what I thought. Sorry ^_^
This message was edited Aug 25, 2009 4:55 PM
Escallonia?
Spiraea has longer leaves.
Looks like escallonia to me . . .
Thank you all! After looking it up in my Sunset Western Garden book, I think it may be Escallonia. Glad to see that it can be cut back to the ground, if necessary. They really need it. You are all such a wonderful help. Hang in there, I only have about seven more to identify! :)
This next one is a real problem - we have about a dozen of these little shrubs, and we dont' really like them all that much, but not sure if they have a redeeming value that we just aren't aware of. At first I thought they were Bearberry, but they are certainly not prostrate on the ground, the are all small bushes about 2 to 3 feet tall. Almost all are very scraggly at present, but I don't have a clue to how to improve them.
This is a close up of the leaves and one of the little red berries - there are only a few of the berries on each bush - maybe something likes them and they've already been eaten??
The berries come in red, pink and white. The plant can be treated like a native huckleberry and pruned back hard. They spred by sending out side shoots under the ground. And I used to have one but can't spell the name. P something very long. They can be pretty and green and bushy when given care and dappled shade. They grow wide rather than tall.
Escallonia is what I was trying to think of before. So the info in correct and the edit is wrong.
Pernettya.
Wow... thank you so much.
Next one is really a confirmation question - is this a Ragmop? This is a beauty and I feel it is probably low care, just want someone to confirm my guess.
Looks like a golden thread cedar. If so it would be low maintenance.
This message was edited Aug 27, 2009 6:47 PM
This message was edited Aug 27, 2009 7:16 PM
Chamaecyparis pisifera Filifera Aurea, or C.P. 'Golden Mop'.
Very slow grower to 20' or so.
I love this plant. But I've never seen it grow straight up like that. More often you see it growing out as well as up . . .
Thanks again! On to the next. There are several of these little shrubs around our house, obviously deer resistant as they have small thorns among the leaves that make it very uncomfortable touch if you aren't careful. My husband sheared a couple of the bigger ones with power shearers and it didn't hurt them at all. They range in height from about 2 feet to maybe 4 feet. I've seen others around the area and none of them are very tall. Pretty, but I can't find an ID for them. I'll add a closeup of the leaves below.
The leaves - look close and you can see the tiny thorns on a few of them.
It is a compact growing type of berberis or barberry. Pruning enhances the striking pink new growth. Deer don't like them and they come in a pillar form and also in a yellow that is really nice.
Thank you, Willowwind! My gardening "bible" bears that out - I just don't know the names of this stuff so I can look it up on my own.
This next one is a real concern - it is a huge bush near our back fence - sprawling all over and looking pretty rough. It has a few small blooms on it right now, but very few. I will follow this with a close up of the blooms. If something can't be done to make it look better, we may consider removing it. It is probably 7 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
Close up of the blooms, leaves, and some of the dead stuff - there is a LOT of that.
I should know what it is but it won't come to me. Is it anything like the Escallonia? I would definiatly cut it way back if you do want to keep it. Anything that looks like this can take a good pruning with out it bothering them. If you don't need thespace for anything else I would leave it and see what it looks like next year about half that size. ^-^
Everyone is off to the Round-up this weekend but they will be back on later and someone will know what the name is.
Escallonia - there are dwarf varieties, but normally they are large shrubs.
RU was fun. Kathy & I were not able to stay the night, and we just got to my house about a half hour ago. Driving home in the dark in unfamiliar territory is exhilirating...NOT!
Take it down to its main branches if you decide to keep it. I chopped mine this year down to stumps - I thought they were both dead. Wrong - they are back up & running strong.
Low maintenance plant - but I would keep it in check with some light pruning annually.
It doesn't look anything like the previous Escallonia, but I will check it out further. Thanks again for the help!
Well, I'm down to 3. This is a lovely little sprawling plant which I'm trying to train up a stand where I hang a hummer feeder - there are leaves on the stand exactly the same shape as the leaves on this plant. It looks very healthy and seemed to like being trained up and getting some extra water. Anything else I should do for this one?
Close up of the leaves. The little white dots are a result of recent house painting... not actually part of the plant.
I'm not going to try on this one. It looks real familiar. It's nice looking also. I like the rocks you have on all your planting.
Thanks - the rocks were already here... I like them too except that there is heavy plastic under most of it which keeps water and nutrients from reaching the roots. One of my next projects is freeing up all the plants that have this problem - major undertaking in my future. All of the front and south side of the house are like this, fortunately it is the smallest area of yard, but a pain nevertheless - I'd rather spend my time doing other things.
Bummer but necessary to remove that plastic. Maybe move the rocks to the back and put on some compost?
NeysaZ, do you live in Pacific Shores? My husband and I looked at a place there but chose Toledo instead. From the looks of the photo regarding your Golden mop, it looks like the same area we were looking in.
Jan
Gourdbeader - we chose Longview Hills in Newport - to the north of town, up on a high hill. Just moved here in June and love it!
Oh thats great. I hope we get a chance to meet each other some day. Funny how many great folks I have met from Daves and some right in my back yard, so to speak. When we lived in Tombstone, AZ I met several. Who would have thought that there would be that many gardeners in AZ. We lived in Newport for 5 years before we moved to AZ, lived there for 10 years and I just couldn't take the heat or dryness. Guess I'm a duck in disquise. Hehe. Just had to get my web feet on again.
Well, welcome to Newport. My husband works in Newport at Pacific Tire and Brake so if you ever need any work done on your car, take it to Greg. They have been in Newport for over 35 years with a great reputation. Not promoting the business but its always good to know where to go in an emergency. I used to work at the newport hospital, Pacific Communities Good Samaritian hospital. Now I just work at home in my garden.
