This shrub gets prettier every year. Right now it has deep orange leaves along with leaves that are still green but which fold up in cold weather showing their silvery undersides. Despite several nights below freezing it has dropped few leaves.
It is native and has been very hardy despite drought a couple of years ago, and the deer don't touch it--
Anyone care to guess what it is?
Closer:
Zoom:
An evergreen Elaeagnus, most probably Elaeagnus × ebbingei
Resin
Looks like an Elaeagnus to me too, and evergreen ( just about). E. x ebbingei is common around here but doesn't get like that in winter ( have to say, not sure that I like it). But if it is that, its not native to North America
It's the Alabama Croton, a rare shrub found only in the Cahaba and Black Warrior river watersheds in this state.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/113381/
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Alabama&statefips=01&symbol=CRAL3
It normally inhabits limestone slopes overlooking water. It is protected in its native habitat, but the Birmingham Botanical Gardens offers them for sale sometimes during its annual plant sale.
Wow thats amasing. Who would have thought? The silvery sheen looked Elaeagneaceae and I'd have never thought Euphorbiaceae. If that orange thing is what its supposed to do, I'd guess I'd get used to it in the garden, but some things like that are just special wild plants..... just nice to know its there. Thanks for showing that Passiflora.
The Crotons I know are tropical things that became Codaieums ( I think) but it seems this is still correctly called Croton
The story of this plant's main habitat in Bibb county, Alabama is interesting because a unique habitat of pure dolomite was just discovered in 1992 with the finding of numerous other rare plants. Here are some other interesting links:
http://www.epa.gov/ecopage/upland/oak/oak94/Proceedings/Allison.html
http://www.outdooralabama.com/outdoor-alabama/glades.pdf
That is fascinating. Can't imagine a dicovery like that, living in densely populated UK. Some lovely plants too.
Thanks
