Ok--thought I'd get this myself, but cannot seem to find it...can anyone help with ID? Broad leaf evergreen shrub (specimen in questions is about 7-8' tall at 10 years age), hardy to zone 7. Leaf arrangement is alternate; leaf looks SO MUCH like a camelia, dark glossy green on top, but SILVER underside, and no sign of flower buds to be found. Apparently flowers are very small -almost inconspicuous, scented and produced in the fall. Any clues suggestions? Thanks kindly. We do have myriad broad-leafed evergreens in the pacific northwest!
Thanks for your help, saltcedar. I think the genus is right on, but since it is evergreen and blooms are present in fall, more likely either E.pungens 'Simonii' or E.x ebbingii?
Dunno, I think we may have two (or more?) species masquerading under the same name. I see listing for deciduous and evergreen, Spring flowering and Autumn flowering for E. umbellata! Update: It seems to be semi-evergreen in parts of it's range and can bloom from mid-Spring to mid-Summer. HTH Chris
Alas, I checked into the Neolitsea and it is a zone 9 plant, so not likely to have survived 6 winters here in zone 7B, and the clincher is that the leaves are described as highly aromatic, whereas my sample has no scent. The leaf does certainly look like the laurel family on the surface though...
Yes , have only seen Neolitsea sericea grown here the once, at least 10-12 years ago. It had survived some cold winters {-14 C} with the easterly winds though. Don't know if it is still surviving. It was an attractive plant, but likely rarely grown here.
Thanks everyone, we will proceed with the eleagnus id. Shall I assume it's a cultivar of E. pungens, with growth potential in the 10-12' height and spread? How do they take to pruning?
