<dazzhiggins@hotmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1146661929.176127.212900@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
>
> Cat(h) wrote:
>> Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
>> > "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> > news:1146585670.855908.47810@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> > >
>> > > Declan Murphy wrote:
>> > >> (Apologies for the crosspost)
>> > >>
>> > >> Would some kind soul identify this flowering tree for me please? It 
>> > >> is
>> > >> about 45 centimetres high, and I've inherited it from the previous
>> > >> owner of the garden. The stem is only about 15mm thick at the base, 
>> > >> so
>> > >> I'm assuming it was planted early last year or the year before. 
>> > >> Thought
>> > >> it may be dead, but it began flowering about 10 days ago.
>> > >>
>> > >> http://www.declan.tv/images/what_kind_of_tree_is_this.jpg
>> > >>
>> > >> (image is 186KB)
>> > >>
>> > >> Regards Declan,
>> > >> Botanically challenged,
>> > >> Okazaki, Japan
>> > >
>> > > When I first saw it, I immediately thought of a forsythia - only a
>> > > bright pink one instead of yellow.  But I googled for pink forsythia,
>> > > and while there is such a thing, it doesn't look much like your 
>> > > plant.
>> > > Come to think of it, the only commonality with forsythia is the 
>> > > bright
>> > > flowers on bare stems, the leaves coming only second later in Spring.
>> > > Fat lot of good my answer is :-)
>> > > Well done, all the same, Declan.  It looks like you've stumped a 
>> > > whole
>> > > newsgroup of experts (and don't include me in that).
>> > > Cat(h)
>> > >
>> >
>> > Declan can do miracles with pink paint and Sellotape:-)
>>
>> Hmmm... I hadn't envisaged that possibility... but now that you mention
>> it...
>> Speaking of which... has such a cheeky trick ever been played here?  A
>> spaghetti tree for April Fools' day, mayhaps?
>> Cat(h)
>
> some of the plant descriptions are very hard to follow as it is without
> needing any deceit.

You still get it though
Hookeri, Lineaus & Sinkerimensis

> A typical description goes something like: sort of greenish leaves,
> pointy at one end
> and low growing with sort of brownish stems.
>
> Then on further probing about say the flower, you get told, ahhh yes
> the flower is 2 metres high and bright blue and yellow and smells like
> rotting flesh.
>
Oh you mean an Arisaema type thing.?

> I like trying to guess plant names as it is like a quiz but I have only
> managed to get a few right over the past few months.  Declan's tree is
> eyecatching alright and I have absolutely no idea what it is.  They
> have lots of nice flowering shrubs and trees there.
>
Thank God I do not see too many like that. Far too cheerful for me. I am 
more of a Funereal Laurel type:-)