Help Identifying a Shrub?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by colliwobbles, Nov 13, 2006.

  1. colliwobbles

    colliwobbles Member

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    Hi everyone,

    I'm hoping someone might know what this shrub is. When we moved into our house, the leaves were yellow, so I thought it was dead like everything else. Two years later, the leaves started turning green, and I also noticed little red "berries" in two spots. The berries never developed into anything...maybe next year?

    Thanks for any help you can offer.
     

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  2. kome

    kome Active Member

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    as I know that is Skimmia Japonica, and prefer in shady area
     
  3. colliwobbles

    colliwobbles Member

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    You're right! Thanks so much.
     
  4. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    Agree, Skimmia japonica. But it does not look very happy. Several things you might want to look for:

    1. Too much sun. It will survive in full sun, but it's leaves will bleach out into the anemic pale yellow colour like those in your picture. If that picture was taken recently, I suspect too much sun exposure to be a problem, since the new leaves will come out green, unbleached - until next summer.

    2. Citrus spider mites is said to be a real scorch for this shrub in the Pacific North West. This declares itself when the leaves turn pale, gray and dull, instead of their usually deep green, glossy appearance. I haven't seen it in our plants yet - but once they are infested, there isn't much to be done except to remove the plants. Use a magnifying glass to inspect the underside of the leaves to see if you can find the tiny mites.

    3. Inadequate fertilisation. Although skimmias don't need much in the way of feeding (I apply fertiliser once a year), it will suffer if the soil is nitrogen depleted. I notice that your plant is grown with a good covering of wood chip mulch. I wonder if microorganisms working at decomposing the wood chip may have depleted nitrogen.

    4. The mulching brings up another problem for skimmias - they are a bit like rhododendrons and azaleas in having a very shallow root system. They do not like their roots buried too deep - in fact, my neighbour killed hers by being too kind hearted and an over indulgent application of mulch.

    5. It prefers a slightly acid soil, and leaves will yellow if the soil pH is too high. Our plants love an annual application of about an inch of peat in the spring time.

    What are you referring to, when you mentioned "berries"? Did these ripen to bright red, glossy shiny fruits about the size of small peas? If not, and if what appeared looked like the structure in the second picture, then they are not the fruits of this plant but the flower buds. If that is the case, you have got a male version of the plant. You will need to grow a female near it to produce the decorative berries. I must say the picture shows what appears to be male flower buds. These start to appear and develop through the winter, flowering in late winter/early spring - which is why they may be confused for the fruits. If, on the other hand, they are truely berries, you will need to plant a male plant nearby for pollination if you would like to see a profusion of berries. True berries look like the ones in this picture.

    Frontpond20Oct040011100.jpg
     
  5. colliwobbles

    colliwobbles Member

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    Wow, thanks for all the information!

    I'm still new to gardening, as I lived in Chicago in an apartment for years before moving to Seattle. The shrub was definitely here when I moved into the house. My husband lived here before me, so it's possible that he killed the plant out of neglect (he's not the gardening type), but it could also have bad soil. I've been avoiding the soil test kits at the nursery, but maybe it's time I get one and test it. I think I'm afraid of what the results will be.

    It might be getting too much sun also (the shrub faces south). I'll have to check for the spider mites when it stops raining. The leaves mostly seem to be a pale yellow, not really a gray color. I'm guessing that this plant has been sick for a really long time. Since I rescued our yard when I moved in, all kinds of plants have popped up each year that I never planted. It's pretty exciting. I was completely surprised this summer when the shrub actually got "somewhat" green leaves, but nothing like yours.

    I just ran outside and took a picture of it, but it was dark and raining, so it's not the best example. If you look really close, you can see the little things that I call berries in the middle of a few of the leaves. The shrub only got two bunches of them last year (I thought it was in the Spring). It looks like there are a few more bunches now, but they are really small. When I saw them before, they didn't turn into flowers, and really didn't get very big. I feel so bad for this little shrub, because it sounds like it's making an effort to return to it's true glory. I really hope I can save it.

    This is probably a dumb question, but if I was able to dig it up, would I be able to plant it in a really large pot? I'm guessing that our soil is bad, because I transplanted a hydrangea last year, and it was so unhappy and didn't even bloom. Once I put it back in a large pot, it couldn't have been happier.

    If I do leave it where it is, do you think that fertilizer might help?

    Once I looked up Skimmia Japonica online, I did read about the male/female connection. I am a little confused as to which one I have, but once I figure it out, I would like to get it a mate.

    Thanks again for all the info you gave.
     

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  6. kome

    kome Active Member

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    I'll suggest you relocate in shade area with some mushroom manure.
    Japanese skimmia: produces numerous branches, male and femal plants are separated.
    femal has bright red berries in the summer.
    The other one called: Reeves skimmia: leaves are smaller than J. skimmia, male and femal in same plant, its flowers include both stamens and pistils.
     
  7. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    Do you mean the clusters of whitish structures in the center of the rosette of leaves? Those are the flower buds.

    I have not tried to grow it in containers, but judging by the healthy 3 gallon specimens I have seen offered for sale in some nurseries, I suspect it will be fine in a container. However, I am not sure houw it will do well in the long run. Whatever potting medium you use, make sure that it is moisture retentive, organic rich and has good drainage. I have used Sunshine #4 for potting up rooted cuttings.
     

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