23. Shiny Xylosma
(Xylosma congestum)
Location: College Park
Nominator: Warren Roberts
A shiny xylosma hides behind the privets, oaks, and other plants along the north border of College Park. This multi-stemmed tree reaches upward 45 feet for the sun. Like an octopus trying to escape a trap, a hackberry tree grows out through the middle of the xylosma’s crown. Xylosma is normally a hedge plant that reaches 10-ft tall, so this is an unusually lofty specimen. Extracts from the evergreen foliage have medicinal uses.
Category: Unusual Size
Height: 45 ft
Spread: 20 ft
Girth: 2.5 ft