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farmboy1_gw

Shrub ID Help

farmboy1
11 years ago

I am going to be digging this up this weekend and transporting it to my yard. I'm not sure what it is, and neither is the owner who is going to be building a deck. It looks sort of like a burning bush, but the leaves are tougher and sort of wavy.

Any comments? The link is below:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2176850780104132615rbhSGi

As always, thanks for supporting my yard addiction!

vince

Comments (14)

  • MollyDog
    11 years ago

    Lilac?

  • denninmi
    11 years ago

    That was my thought as well, one of the dwarf Korean types along the lines of 'Miss Kim', but my confidence in this is low, it looks like it yet also doesn't. So it remains a mystery to me.

    I can say with 100% confidence that it is NOT a burning bush.

  • farmboy1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, Lilac does sound likely as I noticed a few small green seeds? on it like my other "normal" lilac. It definitely isn't dwarf, though. I do have a small Miss Kim, and will take a look at the leaves to see if they match and post more pics since it is now in my backyard.

    vince

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    going big again.. eh ...

    and in the wrong season again..

    lol

    good luck

    ken

  • Embothrium
    11 years ago

    Yes: sheared lilac being dug up at a really poor time. May lose all the leaves but will probably survive if mulched and watered copiously.

  • denninmi
    11 years ago

    I think the odds of survival when transplanting most species of common, easy to grow shrubs at this time of year are pretty good if you cut it back significantly, take as much of the root mass as you can get, and really baby it.

    If it's one of those "got nothing to lose" situations because it's either move it or destroy it, why the heck not?

    Now, if it were an evergreen, say a pine or arb or yew, that might be a different story, I guess I would try coating with Wilt-pruf and see what happens, maybe pot up and put in the shade, but I wouldn't count on success.

    "Everyday is like survival" - Culture Club

  • farmboy1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Guys (and gals?)

    I did some searching for leaf images on Google last night, and yep, that is it.

    It is one of those "got nothing to lose" that I was offered along with a bunch of Hydrangeas. Still need to get a few more of those.

    The 5 mature Rose of Sharons I got a few weeks ago are doing well, though I've been watering them every other night. I'm going to cover it with some burlap to keep it from the sun like I did with the ROS (image).

    Now if we could get some rain here in the Chicago area....

    vince

  • denninmi
    11 years ago

    Well, you're doing this during the worst heat wave since the 1930's, and it is working for you. Good for you.

  • Embothrium
    11 years ago

    Cutting back transplants is not a good idea. Particularly cutting back severely. Energy stored in top growth is what supports the growth of new roots.

    Carl E. Whitcomb's 1987 (1991) Lacebark Inc. book Establishment and Maintenance of Landscape Plants has an entire section called Top Pruning at Planting Time - No Support For An Old Practice.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    11 years ago

    If they survive after being "cut...back significantly", it is in spite of that procedure, not because of it! This 'old school' recommendation (cutting back at transplant) is a really bad idea. Not only is stored energy lost, but also the plants ability to make food is diminished. The plant needs that food and energy to grow roots and overcome pruning wounds.

  • farmboy1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'm mighty happy I wasn't the one who did the evil shearing. It's not that I'm so smart, but I am lazy. The previous owner's paid landscapers did the shearing.

    Attached is a photo of the little round one in it's new home, before being covered with burlap (I think this has helped with the ROS). The big bush on the left is a Forsythia I dragged over from the other side of the yard last fall, the two mummified ones are Rose of Sharons. I've been lucky so far this year, but also diligent with watering and mulching. You can see the condition of my grass from the drought....

    Thanks again for all the interesting feedback and comments.

    vince

  • Embothrium
    11 years ago

    Pull the grass back well away from each and replace with mulch.

  • farmboy1
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Actually, it's not visible in the picture but there is already a nice ring of mulch around each shrub. As I finish with the area and have time to go get another load of mulch, the grass still existing between the shrubs will get replaced with mulch. The mulch does a great job of retaining moisture in an otherwise hot and dry area.

  • Embothrium
    11 years ago

    Yes, I would link them together, in a bed.