This tree has compound leaves. It would be nice to know the leaf arrangement. There are two choices: they can be opposite one another or they can be alternate.

Can you take a picture that shows where the leaves meet together at the woody stem?

The leaves are alternate as you can see in the image

Sorry but they are actually opposite, not alternate :=)

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

I really do not understand ...The leaves are arranged HOW TO SEE IN THE PICTURE ..

I agree with you, brunob. It's the leaflets which are opposite, not the leaves. This one's annoying me because I'm sure I've seen it before and just can't retrieve a name. This looks like self sown seedling to me - what do you think?

Unfortunately I have no information on the origin of this plant. I think it was purchased in a nursery, but that the information that accompanied it have been lost. (the gardener has not been able to give me information about) ...

It reminds me of Ash (Fraxinus) but I wasn't sure if they have Ash in France. Ash has compound leaves that are opposite.

This post was edited by esh_ga on Thu, Dec 19, 13 at 8:03

Zanthoxylum species? Normally very prickly but there are reports of thornless selections.

Sorry, Brunob.
I missed the reference to compound leaves. I saw young branches with leaves. Durr!!

They certainly have ashes in France - but this doesn't look like one to me. Menton is in the South i.e. Mediterranean climate and this plant is in a greenhouse, so even warmer. If this is the Jardin Botanique Val Rahmeh it is a garden of exotic species so what grows in France is not really pertinent. Here's their plant list. Anything ring a bell?

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant list

Many thanks for your interest to you all!! This plant is not growing in the Jardin Botanique Val Rahmeh, therefore its Plant List may not be useful. However it is certainly an exotic specie needing to grow in an open greenhouse even in the mild mediterranean clima. Since i'm not english i don't undertand some phrase such as "Anything ring a bell" : sorry. This plant can belong to many families such as Anacardiaceae or Sapindaceae...but having a so distinctive compound leaves with red spots on the leaf rachis and leaflets petioles ...may be that someone could identify it

'Anything ring a bell? veut dire 'do you recognise anything here?'

Est-ce que vous etes francais, brunob? Vous habitez a Menton? Si oui vous avez de la chance. C'est quel jardin botanique? Est-ce qu'il-y-a une liste des plantes disponible? Je suis absolument certaine que j'ai vu cette plante quelque part mais je ne m'en souviens pas ou. (C'est dommage mais je ne sais pas comment faire les accents). J'espere que nous trouverons le nom enfin.

Non, je ne suis pas français mais je vis dans les Alpes Maritimes, non loin de la Côte d'Azur. Je suis àMenton juste un ou deux jours par semaine. Je connais donc ses grands jardins historiques dont Val Rahmeh et Serre de la Madone sont les plus connus. La plante dont nous parlons se trouve précisément dans ce dernier jardin. J'ai déjàenvoyé une mail au chef jardinier de Serre de la Madone mais il m'a repondu qu'il ne connaissait pas l'identité de cette plante....

It almost looks like Nandina domestica, Heavenly Bamboo. Is that possible?

Elaine

Many thanks Elaine, unfortunately It looks like a lot of things, including Fraxinus (at least three species in France), Zanthoxylum, Nandina, and others but in my opinion it is none of these.....

Ash was eliminated as a possibility when we decided it has alternate leaves. Ash has OPPOSITE leaves.

Whoops, sorry there. Yes, more coffee might have helped. I meant to say "opposite".

This post was edited by esh_ga on Sat, Dec 21, 13 at 17:29

Need more coffee this morning, Esh?