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Are there any tree detectives on this forum? I have a tree in my yard that I can’t identify. I’ll try to post a couple pictures, in case someone recognizes it and can help me out. I live in hot Texas, but this tree always thrives. I thought I had a picture of the full tree, but I don’t and it’s dark now. I like the tree, but it’s in a bad spot. I’ve never noticed fruit or flowers on it.
There are two other “volunteers” that I wonder about, but I’ll save them for another post. Thanks for any ideas.
Looking at the leaves, for me it's a toss up between Bay Laurel or Longstalked Holly (Ilex pedunculosa). It's possible that if it's the longstalked holly it's never flowered or fruited because of the higher summer temperatures in your location, since normally it is a cooler climate plant (zone 5). Also there may be no others like it in the vicinity to cross pollinate it. Here's some information about Longstalked Holly. Plant Database
Thank you, both. That’s some good detective work! It looks a lot like a bay laurel, but the leaves don’t smell like a bay leaf. It could be a Longstalked Holly. I had never heard of that tree, so thanks for the link.
Mine is growing under a large live oak tree, so it gets some shade, but it was 108 here a few days ago. I need to decide what to do about it, before it gets much larger.
I could be wrong, but I don't think laurel leaves have much scent unless you either crush them, or dry them. The one time I saw a laurel up close, I was very disappointed that the leaves don't smell anything like the stuff I use for cooking!
Thanks for the tip, GGG2020. I just picked two leaves. I crushed one, but it just had a faint scent of almonds and lemon (that also could have been my hand soap). The other is now drying in the kitchen.
Almost looks like mountain laurel or rhodedendron when they're not flowering. We see both all the time in the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachia.
If it is a cherry laurel, you can remove it if it’s in the wrong place. They’re native but not particularly desirable in their common form. If you like it and it’s providing privacy or needed shade, keep it.
Last edited by ellie; 06-29-2020 at 06:02 AM..
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