| Author |
Content |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 3, 2008
12:08 PM Post #4616669
|
This shrub has baffled me since I moved here last April. Now it has these pink buds. It is about six feet tall. Any thoughts are welcome... the bark is real rough and shaggy. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 3, 2008
12:10 PM Post #4616681
|
Here is a close up of the bark. Thanks for any help. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Resin
Northumberland
(United Kingdom)
(Zone 9a)
March 3, 2008
12:53 PM Post #4616910
|
A species of Prunus (cherries, plums, apricots, peaches). Can't tell more than that at this stage!
Resin
|
peachespickett
Huntington, AR
March 5, 2008
11:47 PM Post #4628305
|
Well its hard to say...It's probably not a cherry, because you'd be hard pressed to find a cherry that would succeed in Alabama, other than Black Cherry (prunus serotina), which is possible. Your tree looks somewhat similar to the black cherries here...It's probably not a plum, as most native plums have white flowers (the flowers in your photo look like they will be pink), unless somebody planted it. If thats the case it could be just about anything. I'm going to guess and say it's either a peach, a black cherry, or possibly a plum, all dependent on whether it's native or planted. Good luck |
plantladylin
Daytona Beach, FL
(Zone 9a)
March 6, 2008
12:07 AM Post #4628350
|
Or Eastern Red Bud ... someone in Savannah Georgia has them blooming already. I have a small red bud but not blooming yet.
Here's the link to the Red Bud in Plant Files: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
plantladylin
Daytona Beach, FL
(Zone 9a)
March 6, 2008
12:11 AM Post #4628360
|
Here's info on a Flowering Cherry that grows in your zone: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
peachespickett
Huntington, AR
March 6, 2008
12:29 AM Post #4628413
|
Redbud doesn't have bark like that. Definitely bark of a fruit tree, and likely prunus. And if it's planted, it could be a cherry. There are flowering cherry varieties that will flower in the Coastal South, however they ARE NOT native and would be unlikely to escape from cultivation in Alabama. The only native cherry it would be is black cherry, prunus serotina, which it resembles. The twigs resemble plum, but if it is a pink-flowered plum it is not native, it is planted. I also don't think it's malus angustifolia or Southern Crab-apple. If it's a peach it would be planted and not native. |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 6, 2008
12:52 AM Post #4628465
|
I am trying to recall the leaf form. I don't have any pictures yet. For some reason I thought I would have figured this out by now so I didn't think to take any last fall ... The leaves were not long and narrow like peach. They were maybe 1.5 " long, not shiny, lightly toothed, I think. Not spirea...
Still stumped... |
Resin
Northumberland
(United Kingdom)
(Zone 9a)
March 6, 2008
8:19 AM Post #4628901
|
Try another pic when the flowers come out!
The leaf shape sounds like it could be an apricot, and they do have pink flowers.
Resin
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 6, 2008
12:21 PM Post #4629632
|
Here is a pic of some open buds. Five simple petals. ..pale pink. I see leaf buds greening as well. The clues literally unfold... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
plantladylin
Daytona Beach, FL
(Zone 9a)
March 6, 2008
2:10 PM Post #4629991
|
I thought possibly a Flowering Almond: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] but, I'm leaning more towards the flowering Apricot as Resin suggested! Here's the link to PF for flowering Apricot: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
I hope when it's in full bloom you will post more photo's and also when it leaf's out!
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 7, 2008
4:56 PM Post #4634899
|
I think I saw another one in town behind a bank. I wanted to stop and ask them if they knew what their pink flowering tree was... I won't be sure either until I see the leaves again...I wonder if anyone in there would know, probably not! |
mygypsyrose
Browns Mills, NJ
(Zone 6b)
March 8, 2008
12:13 AM Post #4636525
|
Well, I , by far, have the least expertise here, but I thought I would show you what my purple sandcherry looked like last spring. Maybe it can either rule cherry in or out. It does flower for me very early. I don't have any other fruit trees to compare it to either. Hope you find your answer soon. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
peachespickett
Huntington, AR
March 8, 2008
3:23 AM Post #4636934
|
Probably not an Almond or Apricot, as both are ill-suited to your part of the south, they both prefer much cooler climates and would grow poorly in Alabama. More likely to be Peach or Nectarine, commonly sold in the south and much more amenable to the souths climate. |
Resin
Northumberland
(United Kingdom)
(Zone 9a)
March 8, 2008
6:02 AM Post #4637026
|
Prunus mume (Japanese Apricot) might fit better, if Apricot doesn't do well in Alabama (which would surprise me, as they are very much warm-climate plants). Peach/Nectarine seems unlikely given the broad leaf shape cited above.
Resin
|
peachespickett
Huntington, AR
March 8, 2008
12:36 PM Post #4637971
|
The apricot is not very succesful in the southern US because of the Summer heat and humidity, it does much better in the northeast and the higher elevations in the southern mountains, like the appalachians, the ozarks and the blue ridge, Sunset Southern Gardening book also has it listed as Upper South and from own personal experience it does terrible here in Arkansas, which is much more north than Alabama. Apricots also prefer distinctly cold winters, which are rare in Alabama, and since the winters are so warm (relatively) they sometimes bloom in winter and their flowers are killed off by late frosts. Much more likely to be peach or nectarine, which can be grown from the northern US down to Florida for many selections, due to their lower chill requirement. But yeah , probably won't know until we see the leaves.
Maybe malus angustifolia, Southern Crabapple, but I cant recall what bark looks like but the flowers resemble it.
This message was edited Mar 8, 2008 11:02 AM
This message was edited Mar 8, 2008 12:09 PM |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 17, 2008
2:37 PM Post #4675133
|
The blooms are just past "peak" and many petals have already dropped, just as the leaves are beginning to appear. I thought I'd bring this back up to see if this latest picture helps anyone to recognize it... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Gardengirl1204
Richmond, VA
(Zone 7a)
March 18, 2008
12:43 PM Post #4678732
|
Prunus campanulata 'Okame'. Just studied it in Landscaping class. One of the most common cherry trees. It's good in zones 6b to 9b.
See link: [HYPERLINK@edis.ifas.ufl.edu]
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 18, 2008
4:01 PM Post #4679379
|
The only difference I see, might be that the blooms on mine seem to be single flowers that come right out of the branch, and the blooms on the link seem to be in little clusters on little green stems. (I don't know the technical terms for that, sorry) The leaves look the same, if I remember right... |
peachespickett
Huntington, AR
March 18, 2008
4:42 PM Post #4679510
|
Prunus campanulata has larger, drooping, kind of bell-shaped almost purplish flowers in clusters (umbels?), not born singly as in the mystery tree |
plantfreak78
Rolesville, NC
(Zone 7b)
March 18, 2008
5:18 PM Post #4679619
|
I can only help this conversation by telling you what it's not; it is not Prunus x 'Okame' and it's not P. mume. It is almost definitely some type of Prunus but I just can't figure out which one. |
Riverland
Northeast, LA
(Zone 8a)
March 18, 2008
8:33 PM Post #4680348
|
Do you think it could be a crabapple that maybe a bird planted a seed? It looks so much like the crabapples around here. |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 18, 2008
10:43 PM Post #4680910
|
This is getting very interesting. Today I was exploring the woodsy area looking for "signs of spring" and I found two more specimens of this same mystery tree/shrub on the edge of my woods. One was hidden in some privet and very shrubby, with several small stems. The other was tree-like with one main trunk... both had exactly the same flowers.
THEN, I found a third tree, quite tall (maybe 15 feet?) with similar flowering habit except that the flowers are a darker pink color, almost mauve...This could be a totally different tree (???) I wonder if this could have been the "original" tree, and the others "volunteers" ????
What fun to explore and find these new things. But how puzzling a mystery...I will try to get a picture of the darker pink tree to compare...
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 19, 2008
4:20 PM Post #4683298
|
This is the one that seemed to be darker pink. Similar growth habit as my first unknown tree/shrub. The blooms are coming right off the branch... and before the leaves appear...
Is this the same as my first unknown?
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
DonnaA2Z
Jacksonville, FL
(Zone 9a)
March 19, 2008
9:35 PM Post #4684610
|
I could be way off here, but my neighbor has a peach tree and the buds look just like the buds and blooms on your tree. The bark looks similar as well.
Donna |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
March 26, 2008
5:24 PM Post #4713260
|
The leaves on this original mystery tree / shrub are not peach-like. They are smaller and not as long and narrow as a peach... and they have a slightly serrated edge... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
May 9, 2008
12:55 PM Post #4929017
|
I am back with a picture of the fruit and flowers of this unknown. The fruit comes directly off the branch...not off of stems. The fruit is about marble sized right now. Would anyone care to take a look at this or give me more places to look?
Thanks.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
DonnaA2Z
Jacksonville, FL
(Zone 9a)
May 10, 2008
11:46 AM Post #4932831
|
Plums? |
JulieQ
Cullman, AL
(Zone 7b)
May 13, 2008
9:04 PM Post #4947576
|
I think I have found it. The prunus tomentosa (Nanking Cherry or Downy Cherry) looks a lot like it. I have not looked for it on Plant Files, but have been doing searches over and over...
The marble-sized red fruit has a stone in it. The birds and wildlife are LOVING it. I have seen Cedar Waxwings, Catbirds, Cardinals, Hermit Thrush, Mockingbirds, and even chipmunks get them! |
