Cheryl I think you can assume this is a Skimmia Japonica that needs your TLC, namely some iron sequestrene or epsom salts so that it can feed on the nutrients in the soil. I would also give it a good drink and a mulch. With luck it may get some red berries, altho' the flowers are v. insignificant.
It looks like the Skimmia family - I think the leaves look about right colour , I have several differant ones some have dark green leaves others they are same as yours . They are a slow grower , yours was the size of mine 12 yrs ago which I inherited when we moved into this property . It now is 3ft and about the same spread. hope this helps
Fairygirl - Yes it is against a sunny south-facing fence. Oh dear. Will it survive there or do I definitely have to move it? I don't have any other suitable site at the moment, but I could put it back in a pot and move to a shadier site.
I'd get it in the shade Cheryl. It's not a real acid soil only plant like a rhododendren but it doesn't do well on alkaline soils. Might be worth doing 50/50 ordinary compost and ericaceous to get it going well. Then unless you have very alkaline soil you could try it in the garden when you have a space.
Check it for scale insects too as when they're poorly they're prone to infection by scale. They look like brown waxy bumps or 'pimples' on the stems and underside of leaves. You'll probably have to spray with a pest killer to get rid of it.
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We should be kinder here. Cheryl likes this plant. Sorry Cheryl
In the sticks near Peterborough
Cheryl I think you can assume this is a Skimmia Japonica that needs your TLC, namely some iron sequestrene or epsom salts so that it can feed on the nutrients in the soil. I would also give it a good drink and a mulch. With luck it may get some red berries, altho' the flowers are v. insignificant.
Skimmia. Definitely and not a very happy one sadly..
Is it in a sunny site? They like a damper,shadier spot so maybe think about moving it if you can Cheryl.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It looks like the Skimmia family - I think the leaves look about right colour , I have several differant ones some have dark green leaves others they are same as yours . They are a slow grower , yours was the size of mine 12 yrs ago which I inherited when we moved into this property . It now is 3ft and about the same spread. hope this helps
Fairygirl - Yes it is against a sunny south-facing fence. Oh dear. Will it survive there or do I definitely have to move it? I don't have any other suitable site at the moment, but I could put it back in a pot and move to a shadier site.
I'd get it in the shade Cheryl. It's not a real acid soil only plant like a rhododendren but it doesn't do well on alkaline soils. Might be worth doing 50/50 ordinary compost and ericaceous to get it going well. Then unless you have very alkaline soil you could try it in the garden when you have a space.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Check it for scale insects too as when they're poorly they're prone to infection by scale. They look like brown waxy bumps or 'pimples' on the stems and underside of leaves. You'll probably have to spray with a pest killer to get rid of it.