Tree or Bush?

[Barbs4x4]

Tree or Bush? Url to view images added

I purchased a tree (or bush) from Lowes five years ago - it was about 18" tall. Each year I cut it down (per the suggestion of others) to about 4-1/2 feet (usually between Nov and Jan). I live in North Carolina - I cut it down this past January to 4-1/2 feet and it is now 12-1/2 feet tall and still growing - it grew 1-1/2 inches in the past 10 days. It is probably five feet around at the base...

I don't know what it is - it has red berries on in during summer and fall, and in the spring has white flowers on it (however, it appears some flowers are starting to sprout again. I took some photo's of the tree (or bush), but don't know how to post these on your forum.

How can I find out what this is? I do not plan to cut it down this year just to see what it does...

I have added two images to view below - one is of the berries and a bloom that is starting - the other is of the entire tree which goes about 1/2 foot above my roof line...

Hopefully someone can help me identify this tree/bush. I don't recall the leaves falling off in the winter, but can't say that as an absolute certainty...

 

[cord arrow]

here's a primer on posting photos, can't find the in depth threads that have been posted...

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=35345&highlight=post+photo

 

[treeseer]

Iron Station, that's in the mtns, right? Not too far from me; I was just in Asheville last weekend.

I think the advice to hack back annually may not be the best way to go...

 

[Kate Butler]

guessing blind

OK, I'm taking a wild guess that's it's pyracantha (firethorn). Fits the broad description and does REALLY well in NC.

Do try to post pics and perhaps we won't need such wild (and crazy) guessers as myself.

 

[Barbs4x4]

Pictures are in current thread

Hi...

I put the pictures in the thread - I typed in the url, but it showed up as little boxes, so maybe you just click on the box?

Barbara

 

[l2edneck]

heres the link to the pics

http://community.webshots.com/photo/548895168/2614253410062072540JcgRZT#
http://community.webshots.com/photo/548895168/2654567310062072540skNZLg

i just left click on the box and then goto properties then copy and paste url
probably her site doesnt let you hot link

 

[treeseer]

nice pics, but I'm stumped. from the regrowth it is clear that this plant should be allowed to grow to its natural height.

Why not take the cutting to the nc arboretum? A great place to visit. You may see the plant outside with a name tag; if not the staff should ID it for you. Put your tax $ to work!

 

[Kate Butler]

another guess

Well, definately NOT a pyracantha. How about one of the viburnums? The shoot growth is consistent with what I see in the 1st pic and the 2nd pic does look like one of the viburnums (although I'm not sure exactly which one).

 

[Thillmaine]

Defintley a viburnum, either european cranberry bush viburnum or a trilobum. Red berries in summer precluded by wwhite flowers, a true tell tale in my area for that type of viburnum is beetle damage.

 

[Ekka]

Just a bunch of epicormics sprouting off the stump.

Or is it pollarding perhaps?

Or is it coppicing?

Who knows, but I reckon that you should keep cutting it back now coz anything that grows to be substancial (a tree) is doing so from a questionable union of attachment.

Also, whatever the natural form was supposed to be ... it will no longer be. Just be a bunch of tall quick growing whip sticks.

I googled and reckon Viburnum Opulus

http://www.toyen.uio.no/botanisk/nbf/plantefoto/viburnum_opulus_Nina_Elisabeth_Eltvik01.jpg
http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/product_10194.html

Pruning is recommended as they can get leggy, woody and airy. I vote you hedge trim it.

http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_attribute.cgi&symbol=VIOP says ideal for hedging

 

[prosopis]

Would definitely agree with Ekka, that is a Guelder Rose and it can turn into a large shrub. The specimen I planted in the garden, clay soil, sheltered from wind and partial shade gets an annual early spring prune to remove dead wood and maintain height and spread. However, if yours insists on repeated strong growth you may have to do some renovation pruning unless there are any vigorous shoots which could be used to replace any stems which are problematic.

Matt.

 

[Barbs4x4]

nice pics, but I'm stumped. from the regrowth it is clear that this plant should be allowed to grow to its natural height.

Why not take the cutting to the nc arboretum? A great place to visit. You may see the plant outside with a name tag; if not the staff should ID it for you. Put your tax $ to work!

Where is the nc arboretum - I pretty much live 25 miles from everywhere... do you know what city it is in?

Thanks

 

[Barbs4x4]

Just a bunch of epicormics sprouting off the stump.

Or is it pollarding perhaps?

Or is it coppicing?

Who knows, but I reckon that you should keep cutting it back now coz anything that grows to be substancial (a tree) is doing so from a questionable union of attachment.

Also, whatever the natural form was supposed to be ... it will no longer be. Just be a bunch of tall quick growing whip sticks.

I googled and reckon Viburnum Opulus

http://www.toyen.uio.no/botanisk/nbf/plantefoto/viburnum_opulus_Nina_Elisabeth_Eltvik01.jpg
http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/product_10194.html

Pruning is recommended as they can get leggy, woody and airy. I vote you hedge trim it.

http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_attribute.cgi&symbol=VIOP says ideal for hedging

It may be kind of hard to hedge trim a tree or bush that is 12-1/2 feet tall - Its really full at the bottom (which I like), but even when it was young, it was always fuller at the bottom and more narrow from about 5 feet up to almost 13 feet now - it has grown another inch in the past five days..

 

[Barbs4x4]

Iron Station, that's in the mtns, right? Not too far from me; I was just in Asheville last weekend.

I think the advice to hack back annually may not be the best way to go...

Iron Station is kind of in the foothills - centered between Hickory, Charlotte, and Gastonia ... I am not going to cut it back this year to see what happens - I'm one of those people who doesn't care how wild it grows, especially since I live in the middle of heavily wooded, hilly property... we like it natural..

 

[Barbs4x4]

Would definitely agree with Ekka, that is a Guelder Rose and it can turn into a large shrub. The specimen I planted in the garden, clay soil, sheltered from wind and partial shade gets an annual early spring prune to remove dead wood and maintain height and spread. However, if yours insists on repeated strong growth you may have to do some renovation pruning unless there are any vigorous shoots which could be used to replace any stems which are problematic.

Matt.

Is this a bush or shrub then? It is extremely healthy, with no insect problems, desease, etc... it is still growing about an inch every 7 to ten days, and is now over 12-1/2 feet tall. Eight and one/half feet since January of this year...

 

[prosopis]

It is a shrub in that it is multistemmed with no clear trunk but it has a bush habit. They can be found as a native in British woodlands where they can reach the dimensions of a small tree and birds love the berries.

Matt.

 

[Ekka]

That shrub is on steroids eh?

Growing crazy like. I vote head it back, get one of those shears or secatures on a pole type gadgets and knock it down some ...

I'm not familair with it but we have some species of long leggy hibiscus that does similar, if left alone they get tall, ratty, hang sideways limp like and the following year start looking pretty sickly and dont flower as well etc.

We have a different type of viburnam here that's common. Left in it's normal natural unpruned state it's not a bad shrub to say 15' high. But if you cut it (most do!) it goes nuts, sends long crazy epicormics out, starts new suckers near the base etc, worst thing you can do is start pruning them but unfortunately they were sold heavily for large hedging.

I reckon yours is reacting the same.

 

[l2edneck]

It says both.....

With the fast growth i would let it go untill you cant stand it or dont like the look. Looks like its very happy where it is so if its not goin to harm anything there is nothing wrong with letting it grow.If in the future you wish to keep it as a shrub it appears that is an option you will have.IMO i would say it is a shrub and if you planted more together they could be kept at any height to create hedge.Hope we were able to answer your question and once again hats off to Ekka for finding yet another species from just a pic. Well Done