Each year I tell myself I must ask someone if they can identify this tree that is growing in my garden and is currently in flower. The other day the local tree surgeon was in the village so I asked him, but he could only offer that it might be from the magnolia family, so I'm still none the wiser.

Silly me, fancy not turning to the highly knowledgeable forum fraternity earlier! The tree is deciduous and is one of the last to come out of dormancy. It's currently in flower, with each cream-coloured flower reminding me of Lily of the Valley and the bees are all over them!

Anyway, here's a photo of the leaves and flowers and hoping someone can offer a likely identification.

Could it be Elaeagnus?

Ooooooh - now there's a thought! It's certainly not Elaeagnus ebbingei which is a shrub and despite really quite insignificant flowers, is highly scented. Mine is scent-free and has no silver coloured underside of the leaf.

I certainly think you've identified the right family - thank you!

Could it be:

Google Image Result for http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Elaeagnus_angustifolia_20050608_852.jpg

How big are the leaves and what do the fruits look like?

Originally Posted by Capsid

How big are the leaves

- biggest is 10cms x 5cms

and what do the fruits look like?

- Errrm - can I have question on sport please? Sorry I don't think I took note of the fruit.

Originally Posted by Bigmallly

Could it be:

Depicting pic of Eleagnus augustfolia

I don't think so as the leaves on this variety are too silvery. Mine are definitely green, no silver underside, is very much a tree and not a shrub, but I'm feeling more sure that it is certainly within the eleagnus family.

Maybe this one? Google Image Result for http://media.growsonyou.com/photos/photo/image/186063/main/Cuyamuca_Botanical_Gardens_11_26_10_33_.jpg

Hmmm...I wondered that- but you say yours is scent free.

Sorry Rustylady - that's not it either. True it's very similar, although the mine has no redness in its colouring and certainly has no scent.

Most eleagnus are shrubs, as you can see from the pic I've just taken, mine is definitely a tree.

That was the closest I could find to the flowers you showed.

Must be Enigmatus stumpedii

Sorry, I've looked through my RHS encyclopaedia of plants (twice!) and can't find anything that fits the bill.

Trying to recap here, its a deciduous tree, has plain green leaves, same colour top and bottom. Insignificant, scentless white/yellow flowers that flower in June in France and the bees like it.
Apart from the bee-appeal, I don't think I want one! But it would be good to identify it. The leaves do look magnolia family to me
Are the leaves shiny or furry? Do they smell of anything when you crush them?

Originally Posted by Printemps

... Most eleagnus are shrubs, as you can see from the pic I've just taken, mine is definitely a tree.

Many shrubs, given suitable conditions will, in fact, grow to tree proportions. Laurel, for example.

You've all been so very helpful in helping me out with this one and I had to chuckle at Capsid's Enigmatus stumpedii latin appraisal. Looks like I'll just have to wait until the fruit appears to see if that sheds any more light on its true identity.

Veggiechicken: I guess when you put it like that, you have a point!!! Not my choice of tree either, but it came free with the house!

An interesting thing about scent - something most eleagnus are blessed with - several years ago I had a philadelphus virginal, the wonderfully scented 'mock orange'. After several years it completely lost its scent. The then gardening guru Dr Stefan Buczacki was a guest speaker at a local gardening function and I had the opportunity to ask him what would cause a plant to lose its scent. He suggested that some plants can have genetic faults which manifest their 'mistakes' over time, like loss of scent or variegation reverting to a single colour. Despite her occasional mistake, I think Mother Nature is wonderful!

Thanks again everyone for your help - I'm sure I'll return to this topic when I've got more information to offer.