Your identification appears to be correct. How did you identiify this plant? Is there a web-based image database that can be used to identify plants visually?
Kudos to TonyR.....He probably guessed it the same way I did. Saw a photo of it in a gardening book at some point, stuck in my memory because of it's strange appearance. Once I read about it's growth habit, it really stuck in my head. It's hard to depend on the web unless you know something about the plant. Good starting points are. i) where is it native to. Not just country, but where in that country. That way you can use both climate and region to narrow your search. ii) does the appearance of the plant (flowers, leaves, etc) look like something you do know. It might be a different genera under the same family or another species under the same genera. Simon
Hello Damo, It looks like our New Zealand Lancewood ( Horoeka) Pseudopanax crassifolium in its juvenille form which can last up to 15 years. It could also be as Tony suguests ferox as they are quite alike. They grow into a rounded tree. http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/V/VegetationIndigenous/Characteristics/ENZ-Resources/Standard/1/en shows the adult form.
