Hubby and I recently bought a bit of land out in the Hill Country and I've found a shrub I'd like to own, but don't know the name of it, nor does anybody I ask. :( The ones I've seen are about 8' +/- tall and almost as wide for the full grown ones. They have long, graceful drooping branches and get yellow flowers on them in the spring. I don't believe they are evergreen. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks!
Pat
Shrub Name
Pat, what do the flowers and the leaves look like?
It would be good if you had a picture, also when was this shrub in bloom?
Josephine.
I'm hoping someone can identify it for you, cuz I think I just saw one earlier today and it was SO pretty!
It sounds like a Forsythia but I don't think they thrive this far south.
If I can remember which road we were on when I saw it I'll try to take a picture tomorrow and PatInTexas can see if it's the same one. If we go out tomorrow, that is.. DH and one of the bunnies are sick and the other one's nose is starting to drip so we may be staying in tomorrow.
In the meantime, the bush I saw was about 3 feet high, and about that wide, too, and had long gracefully weeping branches that were covered in small yellow flowers. I didn't get a close look at the leaves or the shape of the blooms. I'll try again when I can. :-)
Wow Nery!!! that is really neat. I love the looks of Forsythia.
Josephine.
Chinese witchhazel?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/940/index.html
found this at www.nativesoftexas.com
TREES
Witch Hazel
Hamamelidaceae Hamamelis virginiana
A very large shrub occurring only rarely in the Hill Country. It enjoys an understory position in a moist site. The yellow slim ribbon-like flowers occur in the fall. The black shiny seeds burst out of the seed casing like popcorn.
I have lots of understory that is moist.... !!! Now I've got to find some of the seeds.
Found this nice picture of witch hazel (Hamamelidaceae Hamamelis virginiana)
WOW! Thank you all for your suggestions on the mystery shrub. I should have been more specific in my original post, and for that I apologize. The shrub I saw is out in Kingsland, Texas, just west of Marble Falls and about an hour NW of Austin. I have not seen the blooms myself, but a friend told me that they get covered with yellow flowers in the spring. It is not a forsythia or the witch hazel plant mentioned above. The branches, which are not much more than very long, thin, drooping offshoots of the main trunk will actually touch the ground. They do well in full sun, but after prolonged periods without rain, will droop, but perk right back up after getting a drink. :) I've never seen them here in the Houston/Katy area, but that doesn't mean they aren't around.
Thanks again for your ideas!!
Pat
Could it be Jerusalem Thorn, Parkinsonia aculeata? here is a link and a picture.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53709/index.html
wow that chinese witch hazel is beautiful and new to me.
I forgot to take a camera with me today! Sorry.. I'll try to remember tomorrow. The bushes I saw (which may or may not be the same ones that PatInTexas is asking about) are on the way to and from my daughter's school and today was the first day this week that it hasn't been raining.
I suspect that what you have seen is Cytisus , or Broom. It comes in all shades of yellow and pink/red. Its very spectacular when in flower. There are several different ones - this is praecox http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/64204/index.html but there are a lot of others. They are fairly short lived - 6 - 8 years but well worth it. They like poor rocky soil but would hate to have their feet wet. Thin whispy 'branches' with small leaves. These "branches" are covered in pea shaped blossoms in spring so that the whole bush appears to be a ball of color.
I just google image searched cytisus praecox and the pictures match the description. Looks like an amazing shrub. It's common name 'scotch broom' is perfect. It looks like a mop or a broom covered in flowers.
I had forgotten about that one. I tried it a few years ago and it perished, too much rain, and wrong soil. It is a very pretty shrub.
Maybe it's Esperanza. My mom has one that is beautiful and covered in yellow blooms. She's in San Antonio.
It might be Japanese (aka Chinese) jasmine, primrose jasmine which sometimes blooms at the end of January but usually during the first part of February: (info about bloomtime in its entry in the PlanFiles is incorrect):
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/60248/index.html
http://www.floridata.com/ref/j/jasm_mes.cfm
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Oleaceae/Jasminum_mesnyi.html
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/JASMINUM_MESNYI.htm
http://www.geocities.jp/ir5o_kjmt/kigi/unnanoba.htm
http://biotech.tipo.gov.tw/plantjpg/1/Jasminum%20mesnyi.jpg
http://www.horticopia.com/hortpix/html/pc3149.htm
http://perso.orange.fr/asianflora2/Oleaceae/Jasminum-mesnyi.htm
http://163.20.73.5/plant/content.asp?No=14&S=E
This plant grows natively as an introduced plant in these counties of Texas; however, it has been planted along Texas highways and has been growing yards throughout the state for many, many years as a landscape plant. It grew in the yard at my childhood home.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefips=48&symbol=JAME
htop, that IS exactly the bush I saw. I don't know if it is the same one that PatInTexas was originally posting about, though. Thank you!!!!
Marilyn_TX, they should strat to bloom soon if we don't get temps into the teens. I have always liked this plant and hope it is the one to which PatinTexas is referring. You are welcome.
Hazel, your patience and perseverance amaze me. You found 10 links for her, talk about being helpful!!!
Hi, Josephine. Sometimes I just get carried away. My college professors would comment on my research papers that I I really didn't have to write a book. :o)
That's the same plant I was thinking of too. That's scotch broom stuff, if it's the plant that I'm thinking of, is very invasive in Canada. It's everywhere and it's taking over areas from native plants. It is very pretty though.
I do believe we have a winner here!! Thank you all so VERY much!!! I believe the shrub is the Primrose Jasmine, although the Plant Files here at DG indicate that it doesn't get as large as the ones I've seen out in Kingsland, TX. I now know what to ask for when I'm at the nursery! Marilyn_TX, are these plants available here in Houston? I don't believe I've ever seen them around here.
Pat
I've seen several as I've gone back and forth to my daughter's school, so I know they live quite happily in the Spring Branch area, anyway. I haven't looked for them at a nursery of any kind, so I don't know how easy they are to find. I said earlier that the bush I saw was 3 feet wide and about that high, but I've seen bigger ones since then, too. Just never on a day when I remember to bring my camera!