Identifying trees, plants and weeds

[Konini]

We've just moved to a house with a good selection of trees and plants, I know pretty much nothing about gardening but I want to keep it pretty and improve it.  I've been able to identify some of them - pomelo tree pretty obvious (and very sour tasting) and some through browsing Google images, but there are a lot I can't identify. Some of the trees have been cut down and are sprouting new shoots, I need to know if they will go massive quickly and we should cut them down straight away. 

 

Would it be appropriate for me to upload photo's and ask if anyone knows what they are? I wouldn't do too many at a time.

[Crossy]

Of course, no problem at all, lots of very knowledgeable members here.

 

Try to get good photos of leaves (and flowers if it has them) and the general shape of the plant.

[drtreelove]

14 hours ago, Crossy said:

Of course, no problem at all, lots of very knowledgeable members here.

 

Try to get good photos of leaves (and flowers if it has them) and the general shape of the plant.

I agree with Crossy. Yes, and I recommend one plant at a time, 4 photos minimum per plant:  

1. entire plant.

2. trunk/stem with good photo of the bark, interior branching structure

3. close up of leaves, upper and lower leaf surface, leaflets and twig formations, 

4. flowers, fruit, seeds, or cones if present.

 

Re-sprouts from cut stumps may not be easy to identify unless obvious from a known plant. Juvenile leaves and leaves from root stock are sometimes different than on the mature plant. 

 

There are some smart phone plant identification apps available.  PlantSnap, PlantNet, PictureThis, Garden Answers and others.

 

And then there are identification keys and other resources:  

https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/useful-links-neotropical-flowering-plant-identification

 

And books: 

Prueksa Pan - Plant Materials in Thailand,

Plants for Landscape Architectural Uses in Thailand. 

Forest Trees of Northern Thailand,

Forest Trees of Southern Thailand,

Discovering Trees and Shrubs in Thailand and SE Asia,

The Tropical Garden-Gardens in Thailand..., 

 

Thai Garden Design website has some brief plant lists: 

https://www.thaigardendesign.com/plant-lists/

 

I'm not the best at ID but I know a few and I enjoy the challenge.

Note, your pomelo should not be very sour.  Depending on the variety and growing conditions, it is a sweeter fruit if sunlight and full range of nutrients are available for photosynthesis of sugars. Plan to do some fertilization and mulching. 

[Konini]

Wow, thanks drtreelove for so much info.  I don't think that there is anything unusual or anything, just regular trees I think but the only trees I can name is frangipani, fir and oak when there's acorns.  Mr K has been eating the pomelo's, I've never been keen on them.  I've been juicing some and using it in a spray bottle in the bathroom instead of vinegar for cleaning.

 

Here is my first.  When we moved in 6 weeks ago, this was just a stump.  A bit of residual moisture from when I was watering some adjoining plants (or weeds, I'll get to them later) and whoosh!  Mr K is worried about how quickly it's shooting up and if we'll have to chop it down at some stage in the future.

[drtreelove]

That's an easy one. I believe this is Cerbera odollam  Common names -ping pong tree, or suicide tree, teen ped nam in Thai 

https://www.thaigardendesign.com/cerbera-odollam-pong-pong-tree/  

 

Its a medium size evergreen tree not huge, 10 meters. It's an attractive and desirable ornamental tree with white flowers in season. The seed pods can be a curiosity, not exactly attractive, but a nuisance when they fall. You can read about the "suicide tree" characteristics on your own.

 

From the size of the stump in your photo, it appears that this was a mature tree.  The re-sprouts will grow vigorously with an existing root system. The problem is, that they are attached superficially to the outer growing layer of the stump. Therefore without a normal, stable attachment, as they get large and vulnerable to wind exposure, they can easily break off and fall, creating a high risk situation for property damage or personal injury.  I recommend not trying to save this tree, it will never be a good tree again for a small residential yard and it will be problematic.  Start over with a younger tree or a different species.

 

Remove the sprouts as they occur until the stump completely dies from lack of photosynthesis.  (It may take a couple of years of repeated sprout removal) 

Or cut and poison the stump by spraying an herbicide on the cut surfaces. (Glyphosate 24%) This works best if you re-cut the stump at a lower level and then immediately spray the cut surface. 

Or have the stump removed. - A big job for that size stump, and then you have a massive hole to fill.  

 

I hope that helps.  Don

[Konini]

Thank you - very, er, interesting tree.  The shoots are all chopped off and the remains of the shoots are in the process of being slowly poisoned, best we can do for the time being without throwing money at it. This time next year, if we renew the lease, we'll look at more drastic action if necessary.

 

I'm uploading 2 here, they are very similar but not quite the same, neither have flowers or fruit at the moment. This exercise is testing my very limited photography skills.  The main worry with these two are that they are underneath the power lines - necessary to have them trimmed as they get higher???

 

The first one looks very much like a curry leaf tree, but doesn't smell or taste like one (hope those leaves aren't poisonous).

 

The second, as I said, looks very similar although a bit more scrawny and the leaves are a bit different but I think they may be related.

 

[drtreelove]

I don't know the second tree, but the first I believe is a very common tree called Mayom in Thailand and considered a "lucky tree". It's English common name is star gooseberry. Botanical name Phyllanthus acidus.

 

"Phyllanthus acidus, known as the Otaheite gooseberry, Malay gooseberry, Tahitian gooseberry, country gooseberry, star gooseberry, starberry, West India gooseberry, or simply gooseberry tree, is one of the trees with edible small yellow berries fruit in the family Phyllanthaceae."

 

"There are many types of lucky tree in Thailand and Thai people believe that a Mayom tree (Star Gooseberry) planted in front of the house will bring fame and success." 

 

As for the utility lines over the trees, it could be an issue, but needs to be evaluated.  Are you sure it is electrical service lines, or is it the telephone or Internet service or cable TV line. It makes a difference for risk of power interruption or electrical shock if the tree becomes energized.  Phone and cable are very low voltage and less risk, insulated power lines are less risk but still could become higher risk if the insulation is rubbed off. Bare electrical lines are highest risk for conduction into the tree and shorting out your power supply. Safest is to keep the tree pruned away from the lines all together, but sometimes exceptions can be made by pruning the tree for clearance to minimize contact. 

 

[drtreelove]

I took interest and looked further for information on mayom. I just found this. No wonder it is a "lucky tree".  Corona virus preventive? 

 

http://theindianvegan.blogspot.com/2013/03/all-about-star-gooseberry-phyllanthus.html

[Konini]

 Thank you again.  Very interesting - nature gives and nature takes away, I hope something comes of it though.

 

One of today's offering looks rather sad - we had one of these in our last house, although I don't know the name.  It looks rather diseased, not all of the leaves, just a few of them.

 

The second one looks like another star gooseberry to my uneducated eyes.  It has been cut down as it must have been growing too close to the single storey room on the side of the house. Distinctive spindle-y branches at the top though.

(That's quite a big oops when planning a garden all those years ago, eh?)

Definitely electricity as well as phone and internet lines, the first one is in the line of fire too, only about a metre clearance on this and the 2 from yesterday.

 

Only a couple of other trees left, then start the weeds or plants (I've found a couple of them on the site you linked, so less work).

 

[drtreelove]

Second one yes, mayom that got hacked, then resprouted with vigorous uprights.

People plant trees like this without consideration of how large they get, then find it necessary to mutilate them for size control.

 

You can possibly save this one for a year or two at least, (and preserve your luck, fame and fortune), by performing a major crown reduction pruning.  From the photo, if mine, I might make the following cuts:

Take out the largest stubbed stem all the way down.

Reduce the other two tall stems, down to the outward directed lateral branch.

 

Water it, let it resprout and then shape the new growth away from the house as best possible. 

 

This can buy you some time until new, more appropriately placed plantings can grow up. 

 

For the previous mayom, and any others under the utility cables, maybe buy a telescopic pole-pruner (HomePro), and/or a step ladder, and just keep it shaped down below the lines with frequent pruning.  

 

The first tree looks familiar, I think its a variety of guava but not sure. Maybe someone else can help with ID. 

It appears to have a sucking insect pest that is causing the leaf distortions. Aphids, or a leaf miner (tiny larva of a moth). The pest may be visible on the underside of the leaves. I don't think this is a leaf fungal disease or environmental cause. If it is a fruit tree you don't want to use a systemic insecticide, so maybe spray every week during the spring flush of growth with a botanical insect repellent. Azadirachtin (neem tree seed extract) is widely available. Home Pro or Global House garden section, or ask for ya ka maleng (insecticide) section, and 'nam sadao' (neem). Hand held pump up sprayers are available, but for one small tree you could use an ironing type spray bottle.  

Or just pick off the affected leaves to reduce the pest population, the infestation may be seasonal and temporary with the flush of new tender growth. I don't think its a killer. 

mayom reduction.pdf

[Konini]

On 3/25/2020 at 6:49 PM, drtreelove said:

Second one yes, mayom that got hacked, then resprouted with vigorous uprights.

People plant trees like this without consideration of how large they get, then find it necessary to mutilate them for size control.

 

mayom reduction.pdf 266.08 kB · 2 downloads

My greatest fear is how they will grow.  Looks like the suicide tree is dead, we poisoned the new shoots as soon as they appeared and it's at least having a little rest.  We'll just keep on top of it when the new shoots come.

 

Sorry for the pause, computer problems then nursing a slipped disc from sitting in the same spot for too long sorting out the computer.  I've done it so many times you would think I'd learn...

 

Anyway, first one here is a mango tree, it has spots - do you know if this means it's doomed?  The mango's are not very nice either.  The spots aren't all over, just a big branch of the tree.

 

First one to identify is some kind of fruit tree I think, I've got a closeup of the fruits, initially thought they would be mangostein but they dried out.  Huge tree really hard to get a shot of it.

 

Last one today, and it's too hard to get a good shot of it, but some kind of bottlebrush???