thorny shrub.....anyone?????

posted also on identification, but thought perhaps here someone might know??
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/630997/

Looks like what used to be called Acanthopanax sieboldianus. The name was changed a few years ago to Eleutherococcus sieboldianus. Dang taxonomists strike in the middle of the night again! Where's the noose and the tar and feathers when you really need them?
;-)
Guy S.

I agree - looks like it to me.

OH IT IS!!!!!!!!!! thank you so very much! I had wondered for years what it was, but never had any clue whatsoever just what the heck it was, thank you so very much I can now put a tag on my baby and tell everyone just what I have!!

You folks are wonderful!
Laurrie
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]

and oh my heavens! now I want the varigated form of it LOLOL
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]


This message was edited Jul 27, 2006 8:37 AM

It's an attractive, tough critter, but keep in mind before you plant any more of them that it is in the Aralia family and might get a little aggressive.

Guy S.

thanks Guy, I don't mind aggressive, I have lots of space and it's on the border of my property so it can go hog wild there and I won't mind, plus my starts are so tiny it will probably take awhile for it to really feel like taking off and really growing well, I take it these don't set flower or anything, I couldn't find anything in plantfiles about a bloom or seeds or anything?

They do flower, but not impressively. The black fruits that cling into the dormant season add interest. Seeds take two years to germinate for me, so if you try to grow some give them time.
Guy S.

thanks for the info, I just found them on the web:
http://www.canr.uconn.edu/plsci/mbrand/a/acasie/acasie1.html
I like this site because it shows the flowers and berries, and now that i have seen the berries/seeds, I DO remember that is what first caught my eye so many years ago on the mother plant!
It says the easiest is softwood cuttings, which is what I had taken, just a branch tip at the time, I just stuck it into the soil, watered it when i remembered and was so thrilled to see the new growth when I walked to that area just last week!! so I will skip the seeds and just take more tip cuttings to form a hedge like area on the border of our property line - seems to me these would make a wonderful screen and hedge if you want to keep something or someone out of a certain area, I know the thorns on the underside aren't easily seen and sure let you know they are there when you touch the branches!!!

Thank you so much for your info!

just a little history note on where I got the cutting:
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=799
I love history and this area is the border to my BIL's property where someday we will build our cabin :)