Can anyone ID this plant (?Arbutus)

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by tomalley, Feb 23, 2020.

  1. tomalley

    tomalley New Member

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    Hi all,

    I was wondering if anyone could ID this plant? This photo was taken in howe sound about 50m up a bluff in a residential area.

    Let me know what you think. Thanks T!
     

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  2. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Welcome to the Forums

    Those look exactly like young Arbutus menziesii trees I find growing on my property - already afflicted by a black leaf fungus even at such a tender age. I see signs of fungus and leaf miner on the leaves in your photos.

    Arbutus seeds germinate readily in the right conditions.
     
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  3. tomalley

    tomalley New Member

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    Thanks Margot. Can the tree be treated for fungus? Or is this something that will go with time?
     
  4. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Finely serrated leaf margins - that's a character of European Arbutus species (some of which are popular garden plants in the PNW, e.g. the cultivar 'Marina'); American Arbutus species have entire leaves, at least as adults (not sure about seedlings).
     
  5. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    All the seedlings and young plants of Arbutus menziesii that I have found have this fine serration on the leaves. It also occurs on the regrowth of cut trees that I have seen. Some images of adult A. menziesii leaves seem to show a very slight serration. I'll have to look more closely at the leaves on the various trees I encounter. I also wonder when the plant makes the shift. The young trees I have watched grow first into a very large bushy plant to 3 or 4 meters and then at some point become more upright and tree shaped.
    I just went out front to look at an Arbutus unedo. Smaller, narrower leaves.

    On another note, I have been looking over all the arbutus leaves I find....waiting to find one where the leaf miners might have accidentally drawn or written something. They create some very interesting patterns. So far I have only found squiggles, but one day...
     
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  6. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    stargazergarden@yahoo.ca>
    In theory, Arbutus can be treated for fungus although I would not know what to recommend. Arbutus menziesii on the NA west coast, especially here at the northern extent of their range, are subject to a variety of leaf, branch and root fungi. It is rare to see one on the west coast of Vancouver Island without evidence of black fungus on the leaves. I usually first notice clusters of blackened, shrivelled leaves on mature specimens and, as the years go by, they become more and more numerous until whole branches die and eventually, the entire tree.

    Even if there were an effective fungus, it would be problematic to reach so high up to spray them . . . I think cutting out the diseased parts would help but that would be equally difficult.

    As I was saying earlier, A. menziesii germinate very readily from seed so I (reluctantly) pull them as weeds. I notice that the leaves often look healthy for a few years before the black spotting begins, as in the photos above.

    And, one last comment, all the young trees around here grow straight, not bushy, right from the start. Having said that, I find Arbutus have a poorly defined concept of what 'straight' means. :-)
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2020
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Thanks for checking!
    How long till they complete all the works of Shakespeare . . . ?
     
  8. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Nevermind Shakespeare . . . what about all the inspirational words Charlotte wrote in her web? (That's "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White.)
     
  9. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Well, I'd be happy with a smiley face, a simple heart shape, a stick person maybe, but the little artists only seem to do abstracts.
     
  10. tomalley

    tomalley New Member

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    Thanks all for the info!
     

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