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GregMartin

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Last month my wife and I were walking through Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and we came across an ~8' tall shrub along one of the woodland paths that wasn't labeled.  Grey bark and multi-stemmed.  Not something I've seen before and she really liked it so she took this picture hoping someone might be able to ID it.  Anyone???
1012141252.jpg 

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rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Tell her it's marijuana and you have to wonder why she was so strongly drawn to it.
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Ampersand

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I suspect it is an azalea, maybe Rhododendron vaseyi or Rhododendron prunifolium? The terminal bud looks right and the leggy growth habit looks right, but the leaf seems to have a serrated margin (trick of light?), so that's confusing me a little.

Maybe Enkianthus as well...but the leaves look too big.
MariannaMiller

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Could be Mountain Laurel which is a member of the Rhododendron family.
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figgary

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
I think Maryanna is right, Greg. I used to use Kalmia latifolia in landscapes along with ferns, rhodies and the like. That plant looks very similar.
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Ampersand

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Definitely not Mountain Laurel. Wrong leaf shape and bud shape. This is Mountain Laurel.[1280px-Mountain_Laurel_Kalmia_latifolia_%27Olympic_Wedding%27_Leaves_and_Buds_2575px]
GregMartin

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantor
Tell her it's marijuana and you have to wonder why she was so strongly drawn to it.


And then if she says "That's not marijuana" I'll say "I knew it, you have a strong relationship with marijuana or you wouldn't know that"!  She's in trouble.
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GregMartin

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Kelby, those serated margins are very real.  Here's a pic of it's upright form (she was serious that I had to ID this...multiple pictures).
mystery shrub.jpg 

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zone 5 Maine
Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners  (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)
GregMartin

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Wow Kelby, I just looked up Enkianthus and found this pic for E. campanulatus.  Looks pretty darn similar!
ENKIANTHUS CAMPANULATUS.jpg 

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zone 5 Maine
Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners  (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)
Ampersand

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Hahah, hopefully we can figure it out, Greg!

That side shot looks like Enkianthus...the ones I've seen tend to have smaller leaves (about 1") but I'm sure it varies with variety/species. Really nice flowers in spring, look nice mixed with conifers and Japanese Maples in the landscape. I'm surprised the leaf color hasn't started changing though, normally it's a nice show...mine at work haven't really turned yet either, though.
GregMartin

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
She snapped those pics on 10/12 and at the time not many of their plants had leaves that were changing color.  I'll have to bring her back at the beginning of June to see if it's flowering.  Then if she still wants one I'll start the hunt.  Thank you so much to all of you for helping me ID this.  My wife will be very excited.
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zone 5 Maine
Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners  (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)
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