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tedwerd

Is this normal? Euonymus japonicus tree ID

7 years ago

Hi, I was wondering if someone could ID this tree/very large bush. Best I could find is euonymus japonicus, but I haven't seen it this big anywhere else. When I moved in 5 years ago these were the only thing in the backyard, not being watered, and very overgrown. I set up irrigation, trimmed them, and they've been doing pretty well. One of them completely fell over during a rain storm and I was able to put a come along tied to the house and winch it back up. I've had to prop up that fallen one and a big branch on the other one because I'm afraid it would come down too. They are mostly evergreen, drop a lot of leaves in late fall through winter, then theres a good month or two right now with no more droppings, then the new growth and flowers come and they will drop more leaves/flowers through August, where theres another couple nice months of not blowing debris away everyday.


They provide good shade on the patio, especially when its 110 degrees out, and they are the only nice trees I have left, but I'm not a fan of all the maintenance required. What is this? Is it normal for this species to be this size? Any idea how long they live? The house was built in 59 and theres these two and two evergreen 'trees' out front that really seem like something that someone started out as a little shrub but grew into a good size tree. I'm in Chico, California zone 9a. Thanks!


when moving in:

yard work begins:

flowering:

closeup:

a few summers ago:


Comments (3)

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I've seen the same species bigger in Seattle* - the size of these examples is not a disqualifier. And your close view of the yellow variegated one shows it to be the euonymus.

    *With for instance one 18 ft. tall with an average crown spread of 22 ft. being mentioned in the 2006 edition of Trees of Seattle by Arthur Lee Jacobson

    tedwerd thanked Embothrium
  • 7 years ago

    One of them completely fell over during a rain storm and I was able to put a come along tied to the house and winch it back up. I've had to prop up that fallen one and a big branch on the other one because I'm afraid it would come down too.


    ==>>> sounds like the structure you cant see underground ... failed .... if a significant amount of roots were broken in the process ... it could take years or decades.. for this structure to recover ....


    as such... in tree time.. it is going to be a long time before the tree is stable again ...


    imo ... you ought to be planning NOW ... on removal and replacement .... and perhaps artificial shade ... such as a pergola .. if it can be wedged into the budget ...


    this will all happen in tree time .. so you might easily have 5 or 10 years before it all hits the fan ... but you should plan ahead ...


    i would NOT leave them attached to the house .. if they fall in the next wind storm.. i wouldnt want them stressing the house ... i presume you removed the come along ... just making sure ...


    at least they arent 100 foot oaks.. hanging over the house.. and threatening it... and basically ... they wont hurt the house .. if they blow over again ...


    the base problem is that you appeared to fix them by pulling them back upright.. but we really have no idea.. whats going on underground ....


    ken


    ps: i agree they were probably cute little babes.. planted next to the patio decades ago.. and who knew they cold live this long.. and get this big ....

  • 7 years ago

    yea I removed the line from the house after the tree was relatively upright. To keep it up I put two 4x4 posts cemented in the ground and supporting two of main trunks. The other support on the other tree is because it was drooping a few feet lower than it used to so i jacked up the entire branch as high as I could and put a 4x4 under it. Not very pretty but it works. When the tree was on its side there were almost no roots even bigger than a finger, almost all a mass of very small fibrous roots, I have no idea how those tress have been standing on their own for so long.

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