Asked on Aug 06, 2013
Could Use Some Help Identifying This Little Plant.
+54
These small plants don't grow very tall, have pink-tinted tiny white flowers in the spring, and berries in the late fall. They are evergreen and I've seen them used down town in the historic district, almost as a ground cover under magnolias. We did have a large maple that was taken down several weeks ago, now they get a LOT of sun. I would like to try and save them but not quite sure what to do. We have limited space available for transplanting.
The leaves are starting to show the effects of too much sun.
A side shot, they haven't gotten any taller. I've seen them in town, they look almost the same.
Some that are still in the shade of a camellia.
54 answers
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Kinda looks like Gardenia.
![Deborah M]()
Deborah M
on Aug 06, 2013
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By any chance is this what the berries look like? i hope this helps. http://www.finegardening.com/item/16690/twiggy-shrub-tiny-flowers-red-berries-possible-ilex
![Fastnacht Shavout]()
Fastnacht Shavout
on Aug 06, 2013
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It looks like it's laurel or salal
![Julya]()
Julya
on Aug 06, 2013
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cotoneaster...grows everywhere...pretty much...bug resistant.
![Harlee Jenkins]()
Harlee Jenkins
on Aug 06, 2013
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Do the leaves smell like wintergreen if you crush them? To me that's what it looks like.
![Jeanne]()
Jeanne
on Aug 06, 2013
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The above link from Fine Gardening certainly makes me think it's a cottoneaster. Tiny flowers is not a camellia! :)
![Barb Keryan]()
Barb Keryan
on Aug 06, 2013
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It looks like a gardenia to me...you are lucky it is growing
![Carolyn Richrath]()
Carolyn Richrath
on Aug 06, 2013
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Gardenias don't have berries...
![Julya]()
Julya
on Aug 06, 2013
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the leaves are too big to be cotoneaster...I am thinking mountain laurel
![Karen]()
Karen
on Aug 06, 2013
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bayleaf maybe
![Colleen S]()
Colleen S
on Aug 06, 2013
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Looks like gardenia
![Phyllis M]()
Phyllis M
on Aug 06, 2013
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Hellebores?
![Meredith bungard]()
Meredith bungard
on Aug 06, 2013
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It looks like a poke weed to me.
![Rhonda Kress]()
Rhonda Kress
on Aug 06, 2013
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I am sure it's not cotoneaster . Leaves too big
![Barbara]()
Barbara
on Aug 06, 2013
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It's gaultheria. (perennial wintergreen) This is the plant used for wintergreen scent and is a nice little ground cover...white flowers and blueberry-sized red berries. http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/gaultheria-procumbens-wintergreen.aspx
![Sally Wresinski-Grunkemeyer]()
Sally Wresinski-Grunkemeyer
on Aug 06, 2013
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Looks like a Croton from here!
![Carolyn Doherty]()
Carolyn Doherty
on Aug 06, 2013
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I also thought Croton
![Jo Nelson]()
Jo Nelson
on Aug 06, 2013
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The shape of the leaves do not match for the gaultheria. Those are rounded, mystery plant is pointed. Definitely not cotoneaster either-- leaves too big. The order of the leaves do not match the suggestion from Fastnacht--those are much smaller and almost opposite each other, these are not. sorry no suggestions, just observations.
![Diana Kiley]()
Diana Kiley
on Aug 06, 2013
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Looks like it could be a Yesterday,Today and Tomorrow plant!
![Bonnie Mckenzie]()
Bonnie Mckenzie
on Aug 06, 2013
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a variation of Vinca
![Shi209159]()
Shi209159
on Aug 06, 2013
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I agree with Rhonda Kress ...it looks like poke weed to me too! The birds eat the seeds and then drop them..wherever!
![Marcia R]()
Marcia R
on Aug 06, 2013
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Camilla plant
![Liz Conway]()
Liz Conway
on Aug 06, 2013
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I believe it's Ardisia Japonica - Japonica ground cover.
![Jul209167]()
Jul209167
on Aug 06, 2013
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I believe it is ardisia. an evergreen ground cover..cool little plant..I grew the green variety and the variegated one as well In Houston Tx..loves the shade
![Susie Martin]()
Susie Martin
on Aug 06, 2013
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Do the berries and flower look like this? http://tryonfarm.org/share/node/39 .
![Deanna Riles-Cox]()
Deanna Riles-Cox
on Aug 06, 2013
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looks like bay leaf or a laurel
![Cathy]()
Cathy
on Aug 06, 2013
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Looks like pokeweed. A very invasive weed that takes over everything...pull one up and see if the root resembles a carrot. If it does, kill it fast!
![Linda Hassenmayer]()
Linda Hassenmayer
on Aug 06, 2013
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viburnum tinus?
![Cathy]()
Cathy
on Aug 06, 2013
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could it be viburnum tinus?
![Cathy]()
Cathy
on Aug 06, 2013
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It's looks like pokeweed (picture attached) but height description doesn't match. Pokeweek is usually 6-10 feet tall, BUT never less than 3 feet tall. So that doesn't fit.
![My 1929 Charmer]()
My 1929 Charmer
on Aug 06, 2013
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I wonder if it is a creeper like Ajuga or wintercreeper?
![Gladys Poore]()
Gladys Poore
on Aug 06, 2013
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Not Mountain Laurel. Mountain Laurels don't have tiny white flowers in the spring nor berries.
![Melinda]()
Melinda
on Aug 06, 2013
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Also poke weed if VERY toxic, roots most toxic, then berries and leaves. Very toxic to children and animals. Poke weed roots smell like fennel, queen anne's roots smell like carrot.
![My 1929 Charmer]()
My 1929 Charmer
on Aug 06, 2013
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looks like Gardenia to me.
![Sharon Bartel-Reeves]()
Sharon Bartel-Reeves
on Aug 06, 2013
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Not ajuga or wintercreeper, pictures below. Leaves for both don't match.
![My 1929 Charmer]()
My 1929 Charmer
on Aug 06, 2013
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Looks like gardenia to me also .
![Charlie G]()
Charlie G
on Aug 06, 2013
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Does look like Ardisia Japonica, color and leaf edge match. Click on you photo to enlarge and both have a "jagged" edge, kind of spiky.
![My 1929 Charmer]()
My 1929 Charmer
on Aug 06, 2013
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Thanks to everyone that offered a suggestion. I Googled most of the suggestions and @JULE and @Susie Martin offered the right suggestion. It is Ardisia Japonica. Thanks again.
![R.V.R. Farris]()
R.V.R. Farris
on Aug 06, 2013
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Gardenias don't have tiny flowers and they grow up to five feet tall.
![Melinda]()
Melinda
on Aug 06, 2013
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Thanks @ Cathy Barbeauld, I never would have figured this one without the help of Hometalkers.
![R.V.R. Farris]()
R.V.R. Farris
on Aug 06, 2013
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callicarpa americana? i can't tell from the picture, as it gets real long branches with pink or purple berries on the stems. it's called a beauty berry.
![Mary E]()
Mary E
on Aug 06, 2013
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it looks to be a begonia
![GD]()
GD
on Aug 06, 2013
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WHEN I FIRST SAW IT ---I THOUGHT LEMON TREE---SO I WENT TO GOOGLE AND FOUND THIS---WHAT U THINK?
![Sandy Mcdonald]()
Sandy Mcdonald
on Aug 06, 2013
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This is definitely Ardisia japonica. Definitely. If you ever have it, it will take several years to get rid of it. It's OK as a ground cover on the Gulf Coast, but I would not rate it in the top 20.
![Angela C]()
Angela C
on Aug 06, 2013
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It is ardisia and I love it. It is invasive but is a great ground cover under trees where nothing else will grow. It is found in the yards of most old plantation homes in the South.
![Lorene Carlin]()
Lorene Carlin
on Aug 06, 2013
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Totally agree with newest posts from Angela, Lorene; Jule, Susie - earlier. I got mine from a local plant swap and admired the red berries...leaves are prettiest as dk green in shade, summer sun yellows them a bit. At has become invasive now and no longer enjoy it as it crowds smaller plants I enjoy as dwarf gardenia and competing for moisture with Japanese Maple,and is popping up everywhere - even on the lawn nearby. I am pulling but be warned - there are tough underground runners which sneak up elsewhere. It's on my DESTROY list now after 6 yrs. Loves southern climate, doubt it survives above TN...if so it might be prized as rarity.
![Jch209237]()
Jch209237
on Aug 06, 2013
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Gardenias grow large, definitely not polk weed, I think you got your answer, above.
![Ann Brownlee]()
Ann Brownlee
on Aug 06, 2013
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Poke salad is delicious treat my mom used to fix. Now it is true the berries are poisonous but not the leaves.
![Brenda Patterson]()
Brenda Patterson
on Aug 06, 2013
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Not a Gardenia Kinda looks like it but not
![Kim A]()
Kim A
on Aug 06, 2013
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Depending on your location and the shape of the flowers, it could be salal (accent on the second syllable.) It's in the same family as heather, huckleberries, and madrone trees. They all have small white, pinkish, or pink flowers in what's called an 'urn' shape, and all but heather have berries in the fall.
![Dana Corby]()
Dana Corby
on Aug 06, 2013
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The leaf liooks like a gardenia leaf..
![Janelle Wakefield]()
Janelle Wakefield
on Aug 06, 2013
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If you are still in doubt after the replies received here, then I would suggest you take your photo to your nearest plant nursery or garden centre and see if they can identify it for you. A snippet of the plant might also aid identification - texture or scent does not come through in a photo. Hope you are able to identify it! Good luck!
![Carole]()
Carole
on Aug 07, 2013
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I am enjoying all the guesses, but there is no doubt that this is Ardisia japonica. There is a solid green variety and a variegated variety. The variegated is less hardy than the solid green. There is also a version of Ardisia that is much more desirable; Ardisia crenata. That one is a small, upright shrub that produces clusters of attractive red berries all through the winter, which is why it is called Christmas Berry. It is not invasive like the groundcover version.
![Angela C]()
Angela C
on Aug 07, 2013
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It looks invasive.
![Andrea S]()
Andrea S
on Aug 07, 2013
Deborah M
on Aug 06, 2013
Fastnacht Shavout
on Aug 06, 2013
Julya
on Aug 06, 2013
Harlee Jenkins
on Aug 06, 2013
Jeanne
on Aug 06, 2013
Barb Keryan
on Aug 06, 2013
Carolyn Richrath
on Aug 06, 2013
Karen
on Aug 06, 2013
Colleen S
on Aug 06, 2013
Phyllis M
on Aug 06, 2013
Meredith bungard
on Aug 06, 2013
Rhonda Kress
on Aug 06, 2013
Barbara
on Aug 06, 2013
Sally Wresinski-Grunkemeyer
on Aug 06, 2013
Carolyn Doherty
on Aug 06, 2013
Jo Nelson
on Aug 06, 2013
Diana Kiley
on Aug 06, 2013
Bonnie Mckenzie
on Aug 06, 2013
Shi209159
on Aug 06, 2013
Marcia R
on Aug 06, 2013
Liz Conway
on Aug 06, 2013
Jul209167
on Aug 06, 2013
Susie Martin
on Aug 06, 2013
Deanna Riles-Cox
on Aug 06, 2013
Gladys Poore
on Aug 06, 2013
Melinda
on Aug 06, 2013
Sharon Bartel-Reeves
on Aug 06, 2013
Charlie G
on Aug 06, 2013
R.V.R. Farris
on Aug 06, 2013
Mary E
on Aug 06, 2013
GD
on Aug 06, 2013
Sandy Mcdonald
on Aug 06, 2013
Angela C
on Aug 06, 2013
Lorene Carlin
on Aug 06, 2013
Jch209237
on Aug 06, 2013
Ann Brownlee
on Aug 06, 2013
Brenda Patterson
on Aug 06, 2013
Kim A
on Aug 06, 2013
Dana Corby
on Aug 06, 2013
Janelle Wakefield
on Aug 06, 2013
Carole
on Aug 07, 2013
Andrea S
on Aug 07, 2013
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