Help with tree ID in South Aust.

Jason King

Hi folks !

I am hoping someone may know what kind of tree this is. Has me stumped. dad seems to think its some sort of Box tree but I can't see anything along those lines.
Hopefully this info and these pics may help;

Location: South Australia (cbd Adelaide)

Tree height: 4m and growing!

Details: Light to medium green leaves and light brown tight bark for mature branches. Young foliage has green stems. It sometimes has very small purple and yellow flowers and the odd thorn on some of the green stems.

Base of the trunk has gotten to about 50cm in diameter. Undergrowth is very "twiggy and sparse".

The previous home owner tended to like non australian trees, so its probably not native. I cant tell sorry !




It grows like a weed and it makes a great hedging tree so I am trying to propagate some more. Just wanting to know what it is before I go any further.

Thanks for your time, its really appreciated!

Jason

Jason King

Sorry i forgot to add the average leaf length is about 60mm.

Jason King

I couldnt figure out how to edit () but here is another picture;

derwoodii

hmmm ligustrum a privet or dunno its kinda like but not some one should know

Brent Ferris

Stems look similar to privet, but privet leaves are not usually so glossy, nor as serrated.

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Jason King

Thanks for replies so far ! I have been looking into the ligustrum / privet varieties and i cant see any that have toothed leafs. I have never seen any sort of fruit on the tree either but I do remember one or two little purple flowers.

Not much to go by is it ? Should i be looking at australian native plants first? My dad has many books that list those species.

Done it

I've seen it hundreds of times, but I can't think of the name. I've been trying, it's not privet.

It's a weed IMO, it runs and will keep coming up if you don't get it all out.

I'd get rid of it if I was you, there's lots of better things around.

jmcg.insight.gardens

Without the flowers can't be sure, but is it some kind of Duranta? Looks like the leaves are the right shape, new growth growing green like that, with those sort of cane like branches. Flowers are purple with various different coloured margins generally, but there is a white form.

Best I can do without a flower, but it reminds me of Duranta, a lot. There are many varieties, colours, grows rampantly.


Julie

Jason King

To be 100% honest, I am not sure about the flowers ! I reckon at some stage over the last few years I saw a small bunch of purple flowers. But since then i havent seen anymore.

Maybe some genetic mutation, but since then no flowers and there has never been any fruit or seeds that i could see.

dov

From what I can dig up, it looks very much like Duranta repens also known as Duranta erecta. Good spot Julie.

jmcg.insight.gardens

Hi Jason,

With it being hedged all the time, your probably forcing it in to new growth, not giving it a chance to flower, Duranta flowers from older branches, whilst new growth does not flower at all.

I'm fairly certain it's Duranta, but if you want to be sure, take a piece to your local plant nursery, and compare it to potted specimens there. Whilst you do, keep it in mind that the new growth looks larger in leaf than older leaves, and the new stems are distinctly green and lush in appearance to older seasons wood. Duranta does have thorns as well. Duranta grows vigorously after pruning. The lush new growth is quite distinctive.

I can't say it's one of my favorite plants to work with due to the thorns which are much like bougainvilleas.

Hope that helps

Julie

dov

I'm pretty certain you're right. Can't think of anything else quite like it.

jmcg.insight.gardens

Hey Dov,

been pretty busy by the look of your posts, so have I .

Jason King

Thankyou kindy Julie. I really appreciate your time on this Also like to thank Dov and everyone else who stopped by to take a look.

Off topic....whilst i now know some of the Duranta variety are considered weeds, The fact i have never needed to water the tree and its survived through several 40+ degree heatwaves as well as the pleasant look of it makes me want to leave it as is. With water being so scarce I think it may just outweigh the potential risks of the species if i continue to maintain it.

Garry Brockley

Your biggest problem is going to be containment of the plant in the area you desire, as it can rapidly get out of control if you dont keep an eye on it. but hey a weed is a plant in the wrong place to alot of people.

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KevinE

I agree, Duranta. I think that it's most likely Pigeon Berry. They were used extensively as a hedging plant here in years gone by. I get to prune/shape quite a few of them in the older suburbs closest to town. As has been stated, they are a very aggressive plant, but IMO they are easily controlled with a hedge trimmer, a pair of loppers & a ladder.

I wouldn't call them a weed in our environment though. They are one of the few plants that take our summers without complaint. I've just planted 2 "Geisha Girls" in my own front yard for that reason. I can see how they'd get out of control in a less harsh environment though!

Cheers,

Kevin..........