Friend asked me to identify this.

Not too sure what it is. It's evergreen and hasn't flowered but had been heavily pruned before friend got it from a neighbour. I wondered about Hebe but proably wrong....wonder if @Silver surfer is about?!

 

Possibly a Ghost Hebe?

 

Been pruned so heavily pruned it's invisible

 

Oh you are a load of cheeky b,ggers! :rasp:I was in a hurry and didn't check the photo had attached.See I have spelt friend and probably wrong too....yup I was rushing. So the photo of the "Ghost Hebe" is attatched now I sincerely hope, before I become a complete figure of fun Don't have any other photos so bit of a long shot without more closeup maybe.

 

Agree Hebe sp or named cultivar.
Several have red leaves.


hebe red leaves - Google Search

 

Many thanks @Silver surfer who strikes againand @shiney. I had a fergal about on the net and a candidate looks like Snowdrift maybe? Friend is NOT a gardener but is beginning to come round to the idea it might be a good idea to know that a Mahonia isn't a "flashy Holly" which is what she calls it despite me telling her it's not related as far as I am aware anyway. I do my best but "some fell on stoney ground" I'm afraid,however despite her lack of interest in plants she really is a great laugh and super fun!

 

Ooops! Confusion......
I was talking about the dwarf shrub with red leaves.
You said it had been heavily pruned!

Not sure about other plant in pic...no evidence of heavy pruning.
Not sure Hebe would grow back so fast.
Can you add a close up of the stem/leaves?

Please do not prune again ...until it flowers....then can we see the flower.

Mahonia does look like a flashy holly!!!!
Incidentally Mahonia is part of Berberis family.
Infact some botanists now insist on it being called Berberis.
I cannot keep up.

http://www.henriettes-herb.com/blog/mahonia-or-berberis.html

 

I was a little puzzled with you saying "several have red leaves" but I will forever bow down to "the Oracle" ie you @Silver surfer and can see why you were confued. The plant isn't mine so it's a no re other photos certainly for the time being and I should have said it was heavily pruned early last year but agree it does seem to have grown back quickly.
I've told my pal it's a Hebe and she's happy with that. Being someone who doesn't know her Hollies from Mahonias I think if I'd told her it was a Beech seedling she's have been quite happy with that answer too.......blissfull ignorance and all that. Wouldn't have thought of Mahonia being part of the Berberis family but come to think of it the stems are quite similar being bright yellow internally.

 

"it was heavily pruned early last year."

Been thinking...I have never known a Hebe to recover and re grow at that speed.
I have a feeling it is not a woody shrub....but an evergreen subshrub/perennial..
But to be as strong as that now, it must be very hardy. ie not igloo land!
Where does your friend live? If it was the sunny south I would be thinking of Salvia.
Whether it is a Hebe or something else it is vital that your friend does not prune it.... as that will remove any flowers for 2017.

I would love to know for sure what it is!


Salvia leucantha - Google Search:

"S. leucantha is an evergreen subshrub to 1.2m in height, with narrowly lance-shaped leaves white beneath, and small white flowers with conspicuous downy purple clayces!

 

My first thoughts were either Euphorbia or Penstemon..

 

No friend lives in a similar "igloo" location @Silver surfer. It gets a bit of protection from a wall and fence but still not a balmy location. I'll tell her on pain of death not to prune it and get her to take a photo of it when/if it flowers.
The 1ft photo she took of the plant which wasn't as clear made me think it was Choysia Aztec Pearl which I have but it's not that. I'm stumped. Typical that a non gardener ends up with something that might be quite rare/unusual which could be highly desireable to us plant nuts. We'll see, and thanks for trying to help. Had a look at the Salvia doubt friend's plant would be looking so healthy if it was that to be honest.