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| leaves--what leaf arrangement is present? what leaf shape? | more leaves, showing a slightly serrated margin |
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| stems--notice how they are opposite each other, and notice how they appear to arise at nearly 90-degree angles from their parent branch (think elbows-- for elbowbush!) | habit--elbowbush is a shrub (and a common one too!) |
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| male flowers in late Winter--in Forestiera pubescens, the flowers open before the leaves emerge (this is termed precocious flowering) | more male flowers |
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| female flowers in late Winter--Forestiera pubescens is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different individuals | female flowers closeup--do you see the pistils? You should be able to see the ovary, stigma, and style. There is one pistil per flower, and each pistil is surrounded by a few non-functioning stamens (they do not produce pollen). |
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| habit in late Winter--the flowers are the light green blobs among all of these branches! Since Forestiera pubescens is one of the first plants to flower in the season, it is sometimes called "spring herald". | mature fruits in Summer |
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| young fruits | กก |
