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Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum

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MikeHardman

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Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« on: May 03, 2015, 10:19:16 PM »
Seen growing in Nea Dimmata, western Cyprus last week.
This specimen is about 2.5m high, has glossy smooth leaves, and a hint of avocado / Pistacia vera about it.
I suspect it will be well known to others, just not to me yet. Do enlighten me, please!
Thanks for looking.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2015, 03:41:16 PM by Fleur Pavlidis »
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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GRJoe

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Re: Small tree/shrub with a profusion of small white flowers
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2015, 01:36:30 PM »
Isn't this a Ligustrum? It looks so, with its opposite leathery leaves.
I just learnt about a closely related tree, the Chionanthus, seeing it in pictures only. It looks like an improved and more dramatic version of the Ligustrum. Has anyone seen a Chionanthus tree grow in the Mediterranean region? j
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Joe Breidi
Occasional gardening and garden design wherever possible! Currently living in Puglia, Italy. Special interest in dry climate gardening, and in preserving wildlife.
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oron peri

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Re: Small tree/shrub with a profusion of small white flowers
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2015, 11:16:38 AM »
Mike,
That is a very fine specimen  of Viburnum lucidum.

This name is still unsolved, most nurseries use it but so far from some resone it has never been given a proper name.



« Last Edit: November 10, 2015, 06:56:15 AM by oron peri »
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MikeHardman

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2015, 04:58:27 PM »
Sorry for my slow reply.

GRJoe - Ligustrum - yes, I should have thought of that; you're obviously thinking of L. lucidum.
That looks a good match, going on the structure of the inflorescence and the overall floriferousness when in flower. eg:
- http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/080c0106-040c-4508-8300-0b0a06060e01/media/html/Ligustrum_lucidum.htm
- http://www.verdiincontri.com/piante/L/Ligustrum_lucidum.htm

Oron - thank you - confusingly good match, too!
Please can you confirm that my plant is not Ligustrum lucidum?!

By the way, when I went back to the site, the tree had been cut to the ground!


Mike
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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GRJoe

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2015, 09:44:28 PM »
Hello dear Mike. The inflorescence of Viburnums are less diffuse it seems and their trunks are less vigorous, no? I'd go for L. lucidum.
Who knows what made the owner prune this one down?! Such a pity  :-\
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Joe Breidi
Occasional gardening and garden design wherever possible! Currently living in Puglia, Italy. Special interest in dry climate gardening, and in preserving wildlife.
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MikeHardman

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2015, 10:39:18 PM »
Thanks again GRJoe.
Yes - good point about the trunks.

Mike
« Last Edit: December 02, 2015, 10:20:08 PM by MikeHardman »
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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oron peri

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2015, 05:22:42 PM »
Mike and Joe,
Despite the similarity, no way it is Ligustrum lucidum.

Ligustrum has 4 petals while Viburnum has 5 petals which you can notice at the center of the second photo, also , the anthers in ligustrum are prominent while in Viburnum they are not.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2015, 05:30:47 PM by oron peri »
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Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.
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MikeHardman

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2015, 10:22:21 PM »
Many thanks, Oron // Mike
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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MikeHardman

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2016, 10:52:45 PM »
Just to augment this topic, for the benefit of folks on identification quests in future...

This plant, Viburnum lucidum, looks superficially similar to camphor tree, Cinnamomum camphora, especially in the inflorescence and the simple tough leaves.
But note, C. camphora:
- grows much bigger
- has distinct, different venation in the leaves
- has acuminate leaves

Ref:
- http://botanyboy.org/japans-largest-hardwood-the-camphor-tree-cinnamomum-camphora/
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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oron peri

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2016, 06:40:25 AM »
Mike, definately not Cinnamomum camphora. This has 6 petals and leaves are very different. Viburnum has 5 petals.
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Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.
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MikeHardman

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Re: Small tree/shrub with small white flowers ID'd by Oron as Viburnum lucidum
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2016, 07:42:01 AM »
I'm just saying that if one were trying to ID a woody plant that had simple untoothed waxy leaves and a paniculate inflorescence of tiny white flowers, Cinnamomum should be on the initial list of candidates.

The general aspect of the inflorescence is similar:
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England
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