Tree ID?

[spockvr6]

Can anyone ID this fabulous small tree I spotted today outside a restaurant in Clearwater, FL?  

I took a couple of photos with my cellphone, and also plucked a leaf off and scanned an image of it at home.  The leaf is not as dark as it appears in the scan.

[Zac in NC]

The leaf scan I see looks like a Wax Myrtle, Myrica cerifera. Did the entire tree have a brownish look to it? It seems like it should be something more exotic than that, so  I could be wrong. Do you have the pic of the overall plant?

Zac

[Zac in NC]

Ok, on second look, I can actually see all of the pics and it looks like a Schefflera or a Dizygotheca. The leaf was a leaflet and threw me off.

Zac

[spockvr6]

Zac-

Thanks for the post.

The only photos I have are what I posted.  I wish I had my camera handy for better quality stuff

I wouldnt say that the tree had a brownish look to it.  At forst glance, it reminded me of Ficus lyrata, which it obviously isnt.  But, the appearance just reminded me of it.

[spockvr6]

(Zac in NC @ Mar. 09 2007,22:27)

QUOTE

and it looks like a Schefflera

Zac-

I would say that the way the leaves are arranged definitely looks alot like Schefflera actinophylla (which is very common around here).  But, the leaves are certainly different and the trunks seem more "dainty".

[spockvr6]

Here is another scan of the backside of the leaf.

[Zac in NC]

Try a Dizygotheca. Its something in Araliaceae, I know that, and ignore the brownish comment. Thats when I could only see one leaflet.

Zac

[Eric in Orlando]

That is Schefflera elegantissima, False Aralia. This is the plant that is commonly grown as a houseplant and as cannabis like leaves when young.

[spockvr6]

Eric-

Thank you for the ID!

I didnt know this plant could grow outside here as I thought them too cold sensitive.

[Zac in NC]

(Eric in Orlando @ Mar. 10 2007,09:27)

QUOTE

That is Schefflera elegantissima, False Aralia. This is the plant that is commonly grown as a houseplant and as cannabis like leaves when young.

Eric- did that get moved from Dizy to Scheff? BTW, did Richard get in touch with you? He called me to see if I had seen you on recently. He was/is going to be in your general area for a few days.

Zac

[Gonzer]

A mature elegantissima, now known as Shefflera.

[SubTropicRay]

I saw false Aralia for sale at an Atlanta Home Depot today.  I guess they are common house plants up here.

[Eric in Orlando]

They seem to be much more tender when they are juveniles with the thin foliage. Older plants are about as hardy as the common Scheff, S. actinophylla.

Dizygotheca was lumped into Schefflera back a few years ago.

Richard had emailed me that he was maybe going to be in town this past weekend but don't know if he made it.