Plant identification

Last post 05-01-2011 6:46 PM by Peter Willis-Fleming. 11 replies.

• 30/12/2010 03:43 PM

  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7

  Reply | Contact I have recently acquired a plant with a slender 'trunk', on which the upper branches carry a fairly dense foliage of dark green spear-tip-shaped, slightly fleshy leaves with rounded, lightly serrated edges, and the lower branches a profusion of bright red berries (about the size of sloes), currently about 35 cm high ... can anyone identify this plant/treee/shrub?  And provide information on its care?  Is it for indoors or outdoors?  Any information will be most welcome.  Peter Willis-Fleming

• 31/12/2010 11:52 AM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,081	Reply | Contact It sounds like it could be an indoor plants, Peter, but without a photo it's very hard to say. Any chance you could take one and post it? If you're having trouble putting one up, just shout out and someone will give you a hand.

• 01/01/2011 10:45 PM	In reply to
  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7	Reply | Contact Thanks, Miranda, slight lazyness on my part, hoping to get by without a photo.  But now I'll take one soon and post it.

• 02/01/2011 12:19 AM	In reply to
  Scott Location: South Yorkshire Joined on: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 138	Reply | Contact Sounds like a Solanum. Perhaps Solanum capsicastrum http://blogginghouseplants.blogspot.com/2007/09/winter-cherry-solanum-capsicastrum.html

• 03/01/2011 05:37 PM	In reply to
  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7	Reply | Contact I have a photo, but no idea how to attach it to this email?!  Menawhil another kind person has suggested that it might be a Solanum, so I'll pursue that line.  Meanwhile thanks for your interest.

• 04/01/2011 01:27 AM	In reply to
  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7	Reply | Contact It's not a solanum - the plant I have has foliage on the upper branches and nothing but red berries on the lower branches.  Unfortunately I do not know how to include a photo with this message, so have to rely on my description for the time being.

• 04/01/2011 09:19 AM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,505	Reply | Contact  Instructions on posting photos can be found here  http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/t/18506.aspx sue1002

• 05/01/2011 06:09 PM	In reply to
  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7	Reply | Contact  ... phew, success!!  Didn't think I could do it!!  Any ideas what it could be?

• 05/01/2011 06:20 PM	In reply to
  Scott Location: South Yorkshire Joined on: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 138	Reply | Contact Looks like Skimmia japonica. 'Rubella' maybe. The plant fruits on the previous years growth, which is why the berries are under the new growth. Looks like the leaves may have dropped with it being indoors.

• 05/01/2011 06:24 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,081	Reply | Contact Looks like Ardisia crenata - http://www.floridata.com/ref/a/ardis_c.cfm It's said to be border-line hardiness, but you could put it outside for the summer and bring it in for winter.

• 05/01/2011 06:28 PM	In reply to
  Scott Location: South Yorkshire Joined on: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 138	Reply | Contact Yes it does Miranda now you mention it. Would never have come up with that one.

• 05/01/2011 06:46 PM	In reply to
  Peter Willis-Fleming Location: Joined on: 30 Dec 2010 Posts: 7	Reply | Contact Thanks to you both, miranda and Scott, for your help and interest - marvellous, this internet, eh?!