Broadleaf evergreen ID

[atlarsenal]

Any ideas? Wax myrtle?



I like the leaf and the bark but it is 4’ high before it branches.

 

[Silentrunning]

The taper doesn’t look too good either.

 

[0soyoung]

Check Virginia Tech dendrology - you'll be able to figure it out.

 

[cbroad]

Did you try to crush the leaves? Wax myrtles are pretty aromatic when you bruise the leaves.

Was it near water?

Bark and leaves are looking pretty right for wax myrtles, even down to the leaf spot fungus they get...

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Alternate leaf pattern, white lenticels on the bark. Leaf with occasional tooth pattern.
Only narrows the possible list to a few hundred different species. I'm stumped.

Okay, went to Wikipedia, and looked up wax myrtle, not a common species in my area though technically it is native to Illinois & Michigan, I've never seen it in the wild.

Damn, it looks like wax myrtle is a good bet. Myrica pensylvanica
Do they make good bonsai? I would suspect their branching is a bit on the coarse side. But might be okay.

 

[cbroad]

Do they make good bonsai?

I say yes and no. I've seen decent bonsai from wax myrtle, but in my experience they are prone to rot and unexplained branch die back.

My thought is that since they are native to wet areas and lowlands, they constantly are sacrificing older branches and replenishing those branches by suckers; a continuous cycle.