Cussonia ID

[Rivera]

I purchased this seedling at about half this size as Cussonia paniculata ssp. paniculata, but I find species of this genus a bit difficult to distinguish from one another in their juvenile stage.

I've read it's typical of this species to have green leaves like this when they're young, different from their more glaucous mature foliage.

I didn't take a photo, but it's seed-grown and has a well-defined swollen base. 

Could also be Cussonia paniculata ssp. sinuata.

Cussonia spicata is easier to rule out when the leaves mature more, but not quite sure how distinct it appears at this size.

It seems improbable that it's anything other than one of these three species/subspecies.

Anyone experienced enough with Cussonia to be able to make the distinction for a young plant like this?

 

[Tracy]

21 hours ago, Rivera said:

I purchased this seedling at about half this size as Cussonia paniculata ssp. paniculata, but I find species of this genus a bit difficult to distinguish from one another in their juvenile stage.

Interesting, I had not heard that they had green leaves at this size.  A friend had C paniculata growing and it had those very distinctive silver grey leaves.  I only saw cuttings that he propagated, never any seed grown plants, so the cuttings already had the silver leaves.  I have two Cussonia spicata growing in my yard and can share that they grow up for quite some time before any branches emerge.  One of mine is probably about 15' tall and is just now forming the branch terminals that will bear flowers, and has a few tiny single leaves down low on the trunk.  The other one which was planted later but more sun, did the branching up top about a year ago and is completely denuded up there, but sprouted multiple lower branches, which now have leaves reaching the height of the denuded future flower stalks.  I planted both mine in the ground from a similar size that yours is now.  Both went in around 2016 I think.  From what I read C paniculata has better cold tolerance than C spicata, which shouldn't matter much for you in your location.

[Tracy]

[Rivera]

3 hours ago, Tracy said:

Tracy, much thanks for the observations and the photos.