Mystery tree/shrub part 2
By Bernard
Cambridgeshire,
United Kingdom 
As promised a very light wind has permitted a close-up pic of the flowers and leaves. More answers to questions - it has a single root which immediately branches into multi-stems, no thorns, a faint, sweet scent a bit like a rose and attractive to bees (and us). Your opinion awaited with bated breath.
20 Jun, 2009
Answers
Couldn't be a manna ash by any chance? That has very similar flowers?
20 Jun, 2009
Sorry, meant to give this picture reference:
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/919/742139.JPG
20 Jun, 2009
Checked out manna ash Bertiefox - the flowers are very similar, but the leaves don't seem right- they don't match the leaves in the picture above. Driving me mad, don't know about you;-)
20 Jun, 2009
I thought, when we discovered a photo taken in January last year showing no leaves that I would have to apologise for misleading you by saying it was evergreen. So that meant Holodiscus was a hot favourite. I Googled it and the flowers and leaf shape are identical to ours BUT then I spotted your statement that the underside of the leaves are covered in grey hairs, so I rushed outside and they are cleanshaven, not a hair in sight! The underside of the leaves are perfectly clean, just a slightly lighter green than the upper sides. I've got visions of reps from RHS descending on us, notebooks in hand to record a new species!
Or am I going mad also?
20 Jun, 2009
The other thing is that Holodiscus discolor has flowers that are quite creamy rather than white. I reckon it's a close relative, hairy or not, perhaps a hybrid of some kind! It's certainly very beautiful - reminds me of a white flowered wisteria. I'm sticking with Holodiscus - the leaves are exactly right, and when they talk about grey hairs, they might just mean under a microscope;-)
I'm pretty sure someone else on this site grows it - there's a photo submitted by someone - type in holodiscus in the search box at the top of the page, should take you there. Maybe you could send them a message asking if their one has hairy undersides to the leaves?
Actually, I've just sent her a message - but she's not been on the site for a year, by the looks of it, so don't know if there'll be an answer. Sarah64 I think in America somewhere, where Holodiscus is common.
20 Jun, 2009
Thank you very much for your help.
20 Jun, 2009
Well it's definitely not the Ceanothus I suggested previously! You absolutely sure its evergreen? Because it looks very similar to Holodiscus, even the leaves, but that's deciduous. Holodiscus flowers start out looking cream rather than white, but open into white drooping panicles. The undersides of the leaves of Holodiscus are covered in grey hairs, if that helps.
20 Jun, 2009