# Help ID this plant **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 21, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923 "2022-12-21T19:32:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/1 "2022-12-21T19:32:22Z")
It just came up in my succulents garden. Google identified it as a rose but that’s not right. [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/88916a07-708d-42bd-924d-28ef58617267.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/88916a07-708d-42bd-924d-28ef58617267.jpeg) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/26fd9023-3da8-4f62-b784-a5a7bc0a674e.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/26fd9023-3da8-4f62-b784-a5a7bc0a674e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/2 "2022-12-21T19:47:35Z")
PictureThis app says it’s a Carolina Cherry Laurel. > **[Prunus caroliniana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_caroliniana?wprov=sfti1)** > > Prunus caroliniana, known as the Carolina laurelcherry, Carolina cherry laurel, Carolina cherry, or Cherry laurel, is a small evergreen flowering tree native to the lowlands of Southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and westward to central Texas. The species also has escaped into the wild in a few places in California. > Prunus caroliniana is not to be confused with its European relative, Prunus laurocerasus, which also is called Cherry Laurel, although mainly known as ... ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/3 "2022-12-21T19:53:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/4 "2022-12-21T20:39:42Z")
Manzanita? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/5 "2022-12-21T23:32:41Z")
Thanks for the guess, though I’m familiar with those. I don’t believe that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/6 "2022-12-22T00:59:41Z")
photinia serratifolia ? red tip photinia ? photinia = decorative. serratifolia = serrated leaves. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/7 "2022-12-22T01:01:26Z")
It looks like a Camelia to me. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/8 "2022-12-22T01:27:26Z")
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 ) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/9 "2022-12-22T13:36:50Z")
Something in the Prunus family seems like a fair bet. Photinia x fraseri would be expected to have red new growth. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/10 "2022-12-22T20:40:18Z")
That has potential. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/11 "2022-12-22T21:05:19Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/12 "2022-12-23T00:34:10Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Keith1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Keith1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keith1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/13 "2022-12-23T07:09:47Z")
Vaccinium ovatum Pursh or California-huckleberry, evergreen huckleberry . . . ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/14 "2022-12-23T07:50:41Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Photinia x fraseri would be expected to have red new growth. 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](https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/images/plants-shrubs/photinia-x-fraseri-red-robin-leaf-spot.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/15 "2022-12-23T11:35:55Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > > [@Jackmannii](#): > > > > Photinia x fraseri would be expected to have red new growth. > > Thats new growth in spring on mature plants. Bright red leaves are commonly seen on new growth in young plants of Photinia. [![](https://rockbanknursery.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/photinia-robusta-14cm-.jpg) ](https://rockbanknursery.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/photinia-robusta-14cm-.jpg) > [@](#): > > look, the red edge of the leaf is distinct to 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. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-plant/976923/16 "2022-12-25T00:31:25Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > 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.