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Bush Identification and advice...

jersey_frankjersey_frank Posts: 6
in Plants

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Hello from New Jersey!

I have a problem right now with a bush that is used as a hedge in front of my house.  We had a tough winter here, and it looks like it really took a toll on the middle bush that makes up the hedge.  There is a large bare/dead spot that looks like it is just not going to start growing again.

I'm wondering if anyone can identify the type of bush, and offer any advice on what to do with the dead area.  Should I trim it all back, and hope that new growth occurs? 

Thanks so much for any advice!

Frank

 

 

 

 

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Posts

  • yarrow2yarrow2 Posts: 782

    Anyone think it's Skimmia?  From the little white bobbly bits where it would flower?

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 53,933

    Hi Frank - it looks like one of the laurels but I can't be 100% sure as the pix are a bit blurry when I enlarge. Have you scraped a bit of the bark on one of the 'dead' bits to see if there's any green underneath? If so, it's still alive and you could prune it back,  feed, water and mulch it, and then wait to see if it comes away again. If it's dead, you could perhaps cut it right back and try to encourage new growth from either side across the front, tying it in as you go as an alternative to replacing it completely. Depends how much time and money you want to spend on it really. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 53,933

    Now that you say that yarrow - it does look like Skimmia image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jersey_frankjersey_frank Posts: 6

    Thanks Fairygirl, I will do the scrape test and see what it looks like.  Pruning it back and letting the two sides grow in is an option I hadn't considered. 

    Thanks for your comments!

    Frank

  • HCAHCA Posts: 129

    An interesting plant, I don't think it is a Skimmia or common laurel ie. Prunus laurocarasus.  All the Skimmia's I know have an erect flower spike with numerous small flowers.  Could be in the laurel family perhaps.  It looks as if it is going to have single flowers in the leaf axils.  It would be good to see an image when it flowers.

  • greenjudegreenjude Posts: 64

    Could it be a Griselinia? hey're often used for hedging in coastal areas.

  • jersey_frankjersey_frank Posts: 6

    I will try and get a clearer close up picture of the leaves tomorrow with my DSLR...I took the pics above on a phone.  These bushes are very common around South Jersey...tons of them where I work too.  I just wanted to try and name it so I could look up care and any known problems like the one I am having.

    Thanks again for all the feedback. 

     Frank

  • HCAHCA Posts: 129

    Its not Griselinia the leaves are more round in appearance and very fleshy and the flowers are small and insignificant.

  • Invicta2Invicta2 Posts: 663

    The winter temperatures in New Jersey are lower than those in lowland Britain so should rule out any tender shrubs like Griselinia. I think Skimmia is related to Citrus, so may be identifiable by aroma if leaves are crushed.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,295

    That doesn't look like any skimmia to me, vaguely like laurel. Or maybe something not often seen in the uk. I await more photos from Frankimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
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