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Old 26-10-2013, 11:33 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Sacha[_11_] Sacha[_11_] is offline
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Default Late Autumn flowering tree

On 2013-10-26 10:30:26 +0100, David Hill said:

On 26/10/2013 00:15, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-10-25 22:50:25 +0100, Charlie Pridham said:

"sacha" wrote in message
...

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a species of tree
that flowers from mid-October?

I doubt that it would be a native species, but my neighbour had
one in his garden for a short period. During late October it
suddenly flowered, and attracted Red Admiral butterflies in
quantity on mild, sunny days. As a butterfly enthusiast this was
an unexpected bonus, that is until one February day the
following spring a man with a chain-saw arrived and cut the
entire tree down.

Had I have known this was planned, I could have asked to take a
couple of cuttings and tried to propogate them for my own
garden. The neighbour is not a gardener and therefore has no
idea what species of tree it was, and it was there when he moved
in, so he did not plant it.

Sadly, I have no details except that it was about 12-15 ft tall
by its demise, and seemed to grow relatively slowly, plus it had
dark-ish waxy leaves.

A very inadequate description, I'm afraid, but can anyone
provide any clues?

Taking a stab in the dark, try Arbutus unedo or Myrtus communis.
But where you live will make a bit of difference to the flowering
period and it would help to know the flower colour. The other
possibility is a Hoheria but that's more a late summer flowering
tree than an autumnal one. And was this one evergreen or deciduous?

Thanks very much Sacha.

I am in Somerset, and so quite mild - relatively speaking. I can't
ever remember the tree being without leaves, so presumably it was
evergreen. I cannot recall the flower colour, as the tree was
quite a distance away. I would not have known that it was
flowering except for suddenly noticing the butterflies, so I guess
the flowers must have been relatively small.

I think therefore it is more likely to have been the Strawberry
Tree rather than the Myrtle, and now I have some names to assist me.

Thanks again.

The Myrtle flowers aren't very large but are noticeable because the
trees tend to be absolutely covered. Ours are flowering now for the
second time. The thing with myrtles is that they tend to seed
themselves around quite a lot so your neighbour would probably have
noticed that! But I'm just wondering why he had it cut down? I
mention that because sometimes things flower out of season if
they're dying. It's as if they put in one last effort at
propagating themselves. We had a Eucryphia which suddenly flowered
in January (iirc) and promptly died. It's supposed to flower in
summer!

With hindsight, I think he had it cut down because it was shading
his conservatory, especially in the Autumn and early Spring when the
sun is relatively low in the sky. He seems not to like anything that
grows above about 8 feet tall.

Don't remind me of plants flowering immediately before dying; my
cactus always seem to do that.

Comfort yourself with the thought that these things happen to all of
us! Anyway, perhaps your cacti are monocarpic and will bequeath you
some of their baby selves!


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon


What about Eleagnus x ebingii ours is in full flower now and is
attracting butterflies,


Oh yes, a very definite could be.


It's that time of year when I have my head buried in Eleagnus taking in
all that wonderful scent.


It's fabulous and could very well be the answer and the flowers are
small and not highly visible from a distance.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk