So recently we bought a house with a bunch of plants growing in the yard, so I'd like to identify them, and to see what I want to do with them. So if anyone can ID any of these plants, and any general tips for growing/maintaining it, and any other suggestions, let me know! Note: I do want to get chickens and pets some day so if there's anything on here that's poisonous or dangerous in any way, I would probably really like to remove them. We live in the DFW area of Texas, Zone 7B. First, this is my garden layout and the red letters mark the areas where these plants are, if that makes any difference. http://i.imgur.com/9OA3n.jpg a: Tree with little leaves and clusters of tiny green berries http://i.imgur.com/m2DeS.jpg http://i.imgur.com/zse4c.jpg http://i.imgur.com/E7G6k.jpg b: Hedges, I think these are boxwood? http://i.imgur.com/SZN69.jpg http://i.imgur.com/rhXEq.jpg Also these grassy plants in between the hedges: http://i.imgur.com/vCepj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/tYH2p.jpg c: Lots of hedges in front of house: http://i.imgur.com/n2bxL.jpg http://i.imgur.com/7SfQ0.jpg (looks like 3 different hedges?) http://i.imgur.com/TD8pw.jpg (close up) http://i.imgur.com/fepj1.jpg (think this one is boxwood) http://i.imgur.com/svXIU.jpg http://i.imgur.com/EYFgT.jpg (this is probably some kind of holly) http://i.imgur.com/I16Fl.jpg (this plant is growing on the bottom) http://i.imgur.com/Hy8Vg.jpg (crape myrtle?) http://i.imgur.com/k5DDZ.jpg (crape myrtle?) http://i.imgur.com/Zklng.jpg (another hedge in the front, on the left side) d: Some kind of acuba plant? Black leaves problem? http://i.imgur.com/wPgtS.jpg http://i.imgur.com/srWCS.jpg e: Pretty sure this is a crape myrtle http://i.imgur.com/y11Di.jpg http://i.imgur.com/P8Gw1.jpg f: Hedge by the house - some kind of holly? http://i.imgur.com/d5V8b.jpg http://i.imgur.com/7KJzn.jpg (growing out of hedge) http://i.imgur.com/OqeDp.jpg (also in the hedge) http://i.imgur.com/ZO3bE.jpg (close up of hedge) g: The huge area in the back - maybe it's photinia? http://i.imgur.com/WaxjY.jpg ( think these are the same plants) http://i.imgur.com/TjO2Q.jpg (one plant has a flower) http://i.imgur.com/ksvuK.jpg (random groundcovers here) http://i.imgur.com/o1QIj.jpg (closeup) http://i.imgur.com/vl8hP.jpg (one of the plants has tons of dead leaves) http://i.imgur.com/OrEYJ.jpg (another look at the area) h: There's two tree looking things here, one looks like the same as the one in the g area, and another is a different tree? http://i.imgur.com/PuRY6.jpg (tree) http://i.imgur.com/ItJQp.jpg (tree leaves) http://i.imgur.com/D22Z9.jpg (the other tree thing) http://i.imgur.com/THgGr.jpg (leaf closeup) i: The tree thing again, I think same plant: http://i.imgur.com/JtgNG.jpg http://i.imgur.com/pI2wG.jpg http://i.imgur.com/9AQDY.jpg (you can see i and j here) j: Some bush thing - maybe coral berry? http://i.imgur.com/YpT9X.jpg http://i.imgur.com/4vEfL.jpg k: Young tree, think it's some kind of maple http://i.imgur.com/LNovS.jpg http://i.imgur.com/0Wiei.jpg l: Mystery plant with red stems http://i.imgur.com/2ubCr.jpg http://i.imgur.com/RfXXi.jpg m: These plants behind the hedge on side of house http://i.imgur.com/gAAGZ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/y2Sts.jpg (closeup) http://i.imgur.com/76mdB.jpg (also, what's this plant) n: Huge ass hedge - some kind of cedar or juniper? http://i.imgur.com/3dHVN.jpg http://i.imgur.com/A5mmQ.jpg http://i.imgur.com/HPXblh.jpg Thanks!
(L) looks like Poke Salad (Phytolacca) And the ones where you guess they are Crape Myrtle, you are correct.
B. Does appear to be Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood, European Boxwood) B. Grassy plant between hedges Liriope muscari (Lily-Turf, Big Blue Lilyturf) C. Yes, those two are Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle) C. Plant growing on the bottom is a Hackberry. Hackberry trees shed little fluttery seeds in Spring, shortly after that you have hundreds of saplings coming up everywhere. Another reason some refer to them as trash trees. D. Is Aucuba japonica...young leaves will blacken if the plant is getting too much sun. If it is in full sun, meaning 6+ hours of sun a day, you probably need to move it to a partial shade site. One that gets morning sun and afternoon shade here in Texas would be best. E. Yes, Crepe Myrtle G. One plant has a flower....there are several plants with flowers that look like that. Is the flower on that vine in the background or with that long leaf on the right? G. Random groundcovers.....that looks like Convolvulus arvensis (European Bindweed, Perennial Morning Glory) and needs to be pulled up. If left unchecked it can make Kudzu look tame. The stems at the fence behind the birdbath is a Crepe Myrtle sapling and should be dug up, it's too close to the fence. G. Another look at the area...there is another Crepe Myrtle coming up in the shrubs to the left of the birdbath. l. Phytolacca americana (American Pokeweed ) Unless you want to learn how to cook it so it isn't toxic, then you should keep it pulled up. M. The third one looks like a Celtis occidentalis (Hackberry ) Some call it a trash tree, I like the huge one in my backyard and I love watching the Hackberry Butterflies flitting around it all summer. That is way too close to your foundation so it needs to be dug out. N. Probably an Eastern Red Cedar - a Texas native and widely used by landscapers. That one has been damaged by last summer's heat and drought. Depending on how much of it is dead, you may loose it.
Wow, thanks for all the help. First, g: the flower is attached to the long leaves on the right. Regarding N - what's the best ay to approach this? Prune back the dry unsightly parts and hope it survives, or remove it somehow (if so, would we need to hire professionals for removal) Regarding C - would it be best to just pull out all the hackberry and leave the other two hedges? Thanks
Check out Ruellia brittoniana (Mexican Petunia) I'm a little iffy about it, but it could be the tall version shown in the photo I took. I think you probably have a Calloway's Nursery somewhere in Grapevine, take a photo of Cedar with the damage and ask them if it can be saved and how. I see them all over the place with the dead parts unremoved but it does look ugly. But if it's best for the plant to leave it there they will know. If I had to take it out I would go cheap and easy....cut it down to the ground, drill holes in the stump pour some brush and stump remover in the holes and wait for it to die so you can pull it out. We got rid of some Chinese Holly several years ago that way. Pulling up Hackberry saplings can't be done when they are that size....I fight them all the time. If you can, dig them out or do to them what I mentioned doing to the Cedar tree. Leaving the hedges is up to you...if you enjoy the job of keeping them trimmed year round then leave them. I didn't so we used the cut them down and kill the stump process on the ones at the front of our house. I think a nice flower bed is much prettier than a row of landscape hedges...more personality too.
Personally I hate hedges as well, I just am not sure if it's worth the work to take down all the hedges if they're already established and they don't look "bad" (well maybe except the cedar) just probably will be lots of work.
Also, if we use stump remover to remove the hedges, would it affect future plants we want to plant in its place? Would we have to wait until the soil is ready for plants again or how does that work?
