It just came up in my succulents garden. Google identified it as a rose but that’s not right.
PictureThis app says it’s a Carolina Cherry Laurel.
Hmm, possibly I suppose. Although the leaves on my plant seem more sawtooth edged.
I’m in central CA.
Also, referencing online identifiers, I took 3 photos. For each photo, it gave me 2 suggestions. 2 different guesses for each photo. So 6 diff ent guesses in all.
Manzanita?
Thanks for the guess, though I’m familiar with those. I don’t believe that’s it.
photinia serratifolia ? red tip photinia ?
photinia = decorative. serratifolia = serrated leaves.
It looks like a Camelia to me.
Camellia seedlings don’t have red ridged stems. Red varieties go red in maturity ? Seedlings have green smooth stems and tend to grow healthy green leafs , the camellia being a very prolific leaf producer. The serrations are more even … it takes the same distance in as out, like pinking (from pinking shears ) … and not as sharp at each tip ?
Photonia known to be a weed (spreading on its own) across southern USA … as in Texas and east (east of the Rockies, south of snow )
Something in the Prunus family seems like a fair bet.
Photinia x fraseri would be expected to have red new growth.
That has potential. Thanks.
My take is that every suggestion so far has leaves that are much larger than your mystery plant.
I have a huckleberry bush whose leaves resemble your photo pretty closely.
I tried PictureThis too (BTW Google Lens sucks for plants). It normally gives 3 options, Arbutus unedo aka “Strawberry tree” (not a strawberry) seems like a good option, light serration, sometimes reddish shoots, right for the climate, hardy. Would make some good fruit some day.
Your second image has a plant that confuses the AI. Portulacaria?
Vaccinium ovatum Pursh or California-huckleberry, evergreen huckleberry . . .
Thats new growth in spring on mature plants.
Huckleberry … no red edge to the leaf and leaf budding pattern isn’t right ( do buds form at symmetrically or alternatively up the stem, does each bud produce one two three leaves ? )
Prunus. serrations are regular and stems arent right.
look, the red edge of the leaf is distinct to photinia
https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/images/plants-shrubs/photinia-x-fraseri-red-robin-leaf-spot.jpg
Bright red leaves are commonly seen on new growth in young plants of Photinia.
Red leaf edges are also a potential sign of stress.
Your theory would get a boost if neighbor(s) to the OP are growing Photinia x fraseri i.e. as a hedge and letting it go to seed.
This is not the case.