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Plant ID

turmericturmeric Posts: 830
in Plants
This plant is growing in my friend's garden.  She thinks it's about seven years old and she was given it as a small plant.  It is growing in shade and has never flowered.  A gardener told her it was an avocado.  The leaves are rough on the top side, less so underneath.  They are not leathery, they are matte green on top but they have a sort of silvery sheen underneath, some are alternate some are slightly not alternate (about 4mm higher than the previous leaf node).  The pairs of leaves appear 90 degrees to the previous pair of leaves.  The stem is slightly hairy/fuzzy.  Any ideas?

Posts

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830
    Forgot the photos!!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Apparently avocados have alternate leaves https://www.gardenguides.com/119662-identify-leaves-avocado-tree.html. They're also not particularly hardy in most of the UK. It does look vaguely familiar, but lots of things have similar leaves so I cant really offer an alternative suggestion  :( .

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830
    Ok thanks JennyJ.  I did download a plant ID app but it suggested Syringa, which this isn't.  Oh well.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    The leaves look more like philadelphus.  Have you a photo of the full plant?  Avocado will not survive outside in UK, and have huge leathery leaves.
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830
    The leaves seem too large for philadelphus (the large leaves are about 15cm long) and would philadelphus be so rough on the tops of the leaves?  It feels bristly like sandpaper.  I don't have a photo of the plant but it was about 3ft tall with a main greyish stem about an inch in diameter and just newer looking green branches coming off of it.  It's difficult because it's so non-descript!  It's a shame it won't flower, flowers would help!  :|
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Yes, 15cm long would rule out most shrubs or even trees.  The only thing I can think of would be magnolia or rhododendron leaves, but they are less pointed and more rounded at the ends, and also leathery.
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830
    I agree fidgetbones.  These leaves are not leathery, they're like rough sandpaper, really pointed and with quite distinct veins on the undersides.  It may be an evening of googling...! :/
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    I thought it looks like my philadelphus - I have a large leafed variety which is very tall and a smaller short leafed one.
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830
    These leaves are quite rigid Ilikeplants, I can see the similarity with philadelphus but the stiff upright nature and the abrasive surface doesn't seem to match a standard philadelphus.  I'll keep googling... :(
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    Chimonanthus praecox has very rough leaves.Opposite.

    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wintersweet_Chimonanthus_praecox_Leaf_3100px.jpg

    https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/chimonanthus/chimonanthus-praecox/
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
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