Can you identify these (Louisiana)?

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Hi!

There seems to be a lot of helpful knowledge and a lot of friendly people. I hope you can help me.

I just moved as a new professor to Louisiana, and there are some unfamiliar plants in my yard. I've been told by my neighbors that the previous owner was an avid gardner (sometimes to their dismay), so I'm guessing many of these are ornamental. I've been able to identify some, but these I can't find.

The first seems to be some kind of holly? There are a lot of these, and they all have woody root balls that stick a little above the surface. They are all about 4 feet tall and have berries almost year round.



The second is a ~8 ft tree/shrub that looks in some ways like a crepe myrtle, but the leaves are wrong. I have a close and a far photo:



The next one is some kind of pine-ish evergreen, about 15' tall:



Finally, the last is this ugly thing that looks like half alien, half celery. It's about 6'-7' tall. The "limbs" are like giant celery stalks. There are several of these monstrosities around my yard:



Thanks in advance for any help!

[Newt]

HI Fade,

Congratulations on your new job and new home!* If you are in NOLA, say 'Hi' to 'my' beloved city.* I didn't leave my heart in San Francisco as Frank did, but I left it in NOLA.

Ok, now to your plants.** For the first picture I'm wondering why the rootballs are partially above ground.* They should have a 2" layer of mulch applied.* I can't quite tell from the picture if the light colored veins in the leaves are part of the character of the plant or if there could be a nutritional deficiency going on.* Once we id it I think you will need to address the nutrition.* Let me know which one of these you think it is.* I think you are correct that it's a holly.* I'm thinking it's an Ilex cassine aka Dahoon holly.** Read the description here about the leaves to see if it's a match.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/I/ilx_cas.cfm
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/lf/fg101.jpg

Another possibility could be Ilex x attenuata 'Savannah' aka Savannah holly which is more common.* The leaves have some sharp spines on them but not a pronounced as other hollies.* They also tend to have clusters of berries.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/I/ilx_sav.cfm
http://www.lancasterfarms.com/images/12345609688.gif

One more possibility would be Ilex vomitoria aka Yaupon holly.* Yeah, the name is pronounced as it reads. *:?* This holly also tends to have more clusters of berries and slightly serrated leaf edges.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/I/ilx_vom.cfm
http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Pl...ria/index.html
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/pre...7/80011330.JPG.

If you are still not sure, scroll down here to 'Identification Guide'.
http://www.discoverlife.org/nh/tx/Pl...oliaceae/Ilex/

Your second shrub is probably a rose of sharon aka Hibiscus syriacus.* It's related to the fancy hibuscus you will see blooming soon.* There are many types of Hibiscus.* It appears yours could use a prune to make it a littile nicer looking.*
http://www.rubythroat.org/RoseOfSharonMain.html
http://www.floridata.com/ref/H/hibisc_s.cfm


Your third one that looks like some type of pine is called Podocarpus macrophyllus aka yew pine.* It's not related to a pine but does look like one with it's needles on steroids.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/P/podo_m.cfm
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/lf/fg35.jpg

Last, but definately not least you have a Philodendron.* I'm not quite sure which of these two it is from your pictures, but it is an alien as it's not native to the US.* :)*

Philodendron bipinnatifidum aka Philodendron selloum (botanists can't seem to decide on a name) aka cut-leaf philodendron or tree philodendron.* Maybe the plant can't figure out what it wants to be? :?* I saw these growing in the Amazon Jungle and they are ominous looking.* There is a similar plant called Monstera deliciosa, so you aren't far off in your description.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/P/phil_bip.cfm

Philodendron xanadu has a similar leaf and growth pattern but tends to stay more compact.* It rarely gets taller then 3' to 4'.
http://www.denverplants.com/foliage/html/PhiXan.htm
http://www.ecoplant.ru/img/gorshechi..._ksanadu_1.jpg
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fac...ms/Xanadu/2647

Do let me know about the light colored veins on your first one.
Newt

[fade]

Thank you for the quick reply.

I agree with your diagnoses on all but one: the holly. The leaves don't have any spikes, and the veins definitely seem to be part of the leaves. I will try to get a close-up later today. The leaves themselves have almost a crimped appearance around the edges rather than spikes. They are evergreen and glossy, kind of like the photos of Ilex cassine from the site you linked. If it helps

The hibiscus is interesting. It's a dead match on the leaves, but I don't recall those flowers. But it's possible I just don't remember.

[Newt]

You are very welcome.* I would love to see a close up of the leaves of the holly.

Btw, the rose of sharon blooms in many different colors, not just the ones I showed you.* They hybridize easily as well, so you might find a volunteer in the garden that's a totally different color from it's parent.

Newt

[thanrose]

I'm in 9b.

I'd bet the first picture is not a holly at all, but a coral ardisia aka ardisia crenata. The leaf structure is wrong for hollies, but dead on for the ardisias. It's not just the crenellation, but the slight cupping. It will remain small. It's somewhat invasive where I live and even the adventitious specimens don't seem to be much larger than two feet in height. All of our hollies except the I. vomitoria dwarfs will grow larger than the A. crenata, I think.

The hibiscus could actually be hibiscus sinensis instead of H. syriacus. Six of one, half a dozen of the other? I say this because the H. sinensis leaves in less than optimum conditions will revert back to the shape on the closeup. If I go out to my hibiscus blooming right now, I'll find several hundred such leaves, especially on the inner branches. Those leaves will persist even in early drought when the larger leaves yellow and fall. Around homes that haven't cared for their old hibiscus sinensis, the sparsely leave canes look just like the second picture. Of course it looks like H. syriacus too. Time will tell.

[Newt]

Thanrose, you may be very correct on your id.* Here's Ardisia crenata.
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/boga/h...nata_Foto.html
http://www.floridata.com/ref/A/ardis_c.cfm

Fade, is this your shrub?

Newt

[fade]

Yes! That's it. It is indeed invasive. I've had to cut back quite a few, and they keep coming back. They've been growing more to around 4 feet or so in my yard, and they're not unattractive, so I haven't been too concerned about them.

Also, the hibiscus flowered this week, and the flowers look very much like pink carnations. Does that help? I will try to get a photo this weekend if possible.

Thanks again for the help.

[Newt]

If the flowers look like carnations then it's probably a double.* See the two doubles at the bottom of the page here.
http://www.toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/...S_ROSASINENSIS

Newt

[fade]

Hello again. The mystery flower is blooming heavily now. Here are some shots:





I have a new one, too. Here's a far shot (it's the multiply trunked, badly hacked shrub in the foreground):



and a close up with my thumb for scale. The flowers are very pretty lavender, and seem to have a single long petal, kind of like a samara seed.



Also, a lot of plants are showing the yellow spots that these two are. Several crepe myrtles have shed most of their leaves. I guessing that this is some kind of nutrient deficiency? Or is it overwatering? We have had quite a bit of rain lately, including 2 hurricanes.

Thanks in advance!

[Newt]

Fade, your mystery flower is a double rose of sharon aka Hibiscus syriacus.* You can see the leaves and pics of the double flowers here.*
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/h/hibsyr/hibsyr1.html

Do you have any pics of the flowers of the second shrub?* Justica comes to mind.
http://www.floridata.com/ref/J/just_spp.cfm

Newt