Help me i.d. this aggressive 'shrub.' -solved: Nandina domestica

[PunkinPeep]

I think the previous owners put this in the ground on purpose. It's VERY well-rooted. And before i slaughter all of it, i thought it would be nice to find out what it is and if i want to keep it somewhere else on the property. In front of my porch isn't going to cut it.

 

[injunjoe]

I don't know but "leaves of three, Let it be" comes to mind!

I hope someone knows what it is!

Luck

 

[PunkinPeep]

Haha! I know. I've thought the same thing. But since it's a shrub, i don't think it's actually poisonous. 'Course, i wouldn't actually know. Poison ivy doesn't make me itch either, so who knows?

James and ripped out dozens and dozens of poison ivy vines from our trees before we realized what it was - but no ill effects. Thank God!

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

It almost looks like Chimonanthus praecox or "Wintersweet"

 

[AmyRey]

Reminds me of nandina, especially the "aggressive" part.

 

[vfem]

I had something looking similar out in our woods?! Does it have berries on it now its fall?! I do recall seeing berries on ours before me mowed it over. We had some really aggressive bushes, vines and trees in our woods and we've been slowing clearing them out to replace with native actually!

Lets just say, after 2 years... we STILL can't kill the trumpet vine! ARGH



AMyRey! That is one PRETTY picture... its hard to kill something that looks like that now. Reminds me of those "Flaming Bushes", if that's what they are called?!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I went and checked to be sure, but i have never seen a berry on this plant. I am trying to scan a branch now so you can see the detail. The leaves may have changed color a little last year, but if they did it was much later in the year than now.

And i wouldn't be able to mow over this with a lawn mower. the stalk or trunk or whatever near the ground is probably and inch thick but very solid.

I think i'm going to trellis my trumpet vines and see if i can give them direction. Right now they're attempting but failing to choke out my Chinese Privet. I'm still rooting for the trumpet vine.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Here we go.

I couldn't get the whole branch on the scanner, but i wanted you to see the arrangement.

Here is a close-up so you can see (sort of) how it is reddish at every place where the stems join or where the leaves join the stem.

I'm wondering if it could be Nandina, and i just don't see the berries because they don't get enough sun or something?????

I don't think the leaves are quite right for chimonanthus, and i've definitely never seen any flowers on this thing.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

I think AmyRey was right! It's Nandina or often called "Heavenly Bamboo". This link gives a decent close-up of the leaf cluster and the segment color:


http://www.dogwooddesigner.com/?p=45

 

[injunjoe]

It is Heavenly bamboo, I just went out and ripped of a branch and it looks the same!

Mine grows on a stem though, it looks like bamboo kind of.
Maybe you have a different type that grows as a bush.

Joe