Is it either of these? (see link). Zone 5 seems a little cold for R. californica

Here is a link that might be useful: common vs. glossy buckthorn

This post was edited by hoovb on Tue, Aug 19, 14 at 19:21

Thanks hoovb, I thought it was too cold here for R. Californica and the stem color doesn't seem right, but have never seen one except in books. I clicked the link and it didn't work, will try again.

I"m very sorry Zelda, I might have messed up the link when I cut and pasted. My keyboard does things I do not expect. I updated the link, try again. Sorry!

Here is a link that might be useful: Another buckthorn id page

This post was edited by hoovb on Tue, Aug 19, 14 at 19:24

Thanks hoovb, I think after looking at the information in that link that it is glossy buckthorn. I have not been able to find any tip end thorns, just a little nub where one would be, and the glossy doesn't have the thorn. I did a bunch of Google searches and didn't turn up the information you supplied. Garden Web members are a wonderful resource. Thanks again.

It doesn't look like glossy buckthorn to me, and I have lots of it. If nothing else, the fruits or whatever a the ends of the branches look like nothing I've seen on my glossy buckthorn, but the leaves aren't quite right either in shape and veining.

Adding additional posts with photos would help. Just scroll to the bottom of this thread and post a follow-up. If you do two in a row, you need to change the Subject of posting, otherwise the website thinks you posted twice in a row by accident.

Thanks nhbabs, it's good to hear from someone who actually has the glossy buckthorn. I've read that the color of the inner bark is diagnostic - is that your experience?

Here's another photo. Could this be cotoneaster?

I think that the best place to post these photos would be on the Name that Plant forum. It's not cotoneaster, which has tiny leaves, but the folks on name that plant are whizzes at plant ID.

I haven't really looked at the inner bark on buckthorn, but the roots are definitely bright gold-orange, so it would make sense that the inner bark would be too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Name that Plant forum

Definitely a cotoneaster, something that was apparent in the first photo. One on the order of Peking cotoneaster (there are around 400 species).

Thanks bboy and nhbabs. I will follow up your suggestion and post a photo on name that plant. As the root and inner bark color are supposedly diagnostic for glossy buckthorn, tomorrow I'll take a look at them too. I do appreciate the help and suggestions and identification. You are wonderful resources.

I wouldn't bother with checking inner bark. Bboy is really good at plant ID and there is no way that those fruits are buckhorn which has small dark berries.

I only have experience with a very few cotoneasters, so ignore my comment about them.

My first impression was Cotoneaster , but not a variety I'm familiar with.
Not all have small leaves. Some have leaves 4 inches long.
Mike

Cotoneaster imo, too. Many species are plentiful and common here and they range from low shrubs to small trees. Leaves can be tiny and rounded up to long and narrow, as Mike says. Some are deciduous some evergreen.

Thank you all so much for the help. It's so good to have an identity for this plant after all these years, and I hope it will have better, more appropriate care now.