Plant ID?

[Chris152]

A couple of years ago we had to have a silver birch removed from the garden. I plan to plant one or two more in its place, but have noticed something growing from directly next to/ up against the remainder of the trunk. Does anyone know what it is? It'd be nice if it were another brand of tree, but suspect it's some sort of shrub.
Thanks

 

[Robert]

I've found google lens to be pretty good for identifying plants in the garden. works best using the phone camera in the app but using search on your picture gives Eucalyptus Nitens. Doesn't mean it is that of course.

 

[Chris152]

Thanks Robert - I'd be quite happy with Eucalyptus! I'll download the app and have a go myself in the morning.

 

[DaveL]

Be careful with eucalyptus, they tend to grow at an alarming rate, I took one down some years ago for a friend of my son. I was level with the ridge of the house, dropping 15 to 20 foot branches at that height.

 

[eezageeza]

Looks like Eucalyptus from here too.

It will almost certainly get much bigger than you want it to, or need biennial pollarding, so I'd have it out and in the bin!

 

[Chris152]

I tried a couple of apps, the first (Woodland Trust, which works by multiple choice questions) says Eucalyptus; the second (which works by photo ID) says mainly various kinds of Willow. Hmm.

I'm going to leave it where it is for now and see how it develops - apart from anything else, it saves me thinking about what to put there instead. Plus, Eucalyptus always struck me as a bit exotic and I like the bark. We'll see...

Thanks all!

 

[AJB Temple]

My first thought yesterday before others posted was Eucalyptus too. If it is that, then how did it get there? Are then any local specimens such that birds could have transported seeds?

Willow on the other hand pops up regularly and around here is a common hedgerow plant in mixed roadside hedges.

If your garden is large then Eucalyptus may be appropriate. The RHS garden at Wisley has some spectacular old specimens at the top of the hill, overlooking the pavillion area where they do trials. They are among the most dramatic specimens I have ever seen, with huge trunks and they must be at least 80 feet high, and usually missed by visitors as you have to go off the beaten track. Not all species are large though and there are a dozen of so small ornamental varieties. The flowers are fantastic for bees as they are absolutely laden with pollen accessible to honey bees.

 

[Harv-53]

My first thought was a Salix of some type, it looks very willow like to me. Young eucalyptus has quite a fleshy stem as it grows very quickly.

 

[Alf]

Have you tried crushing a leaf? That should either prove or eliminate it as eucalyptus, assuming you have a sense of smell. To me the leaves look wrong and I agree that willow seems a more likely ID.

 

[Chris152]

Didn't think of that, Alf - I just mashed a leaf up in my fingers and it didn't smell of anything in particular, just a bit, well, leafy.

I don't know of any Eucalyptus in the area at all, Adrian - it looks like that may be going down the list of likelies!

C