Common
Name
| Scientific
Name
| Size
| Features
| Problems
|
| Mimosa
| Albizzia julibrissin
| 35 ft. x 35 ft.
| -deciduous
-summer blooms
-fast and easy growth
-fine texture
-good climbing tree for kids
| -messy with bloom, seed pod and foliage
droppage
-old strains susceptible to wilt disease |
| Redbud
| Cercis canadensis
| 20 ft. x 20 ft.
| -deciduous
-rich pink or white blooms in spring before foliage
-yellow fall color
-fast growth
| -short lived (15-20 yrs.)
-demands loose, organic soil
-susceptible to leaf disease |
| Dogwood
| Cornus florida
| 30 ft. x 30 ft.
| -deciduous
-white blooms in early spring before foliage
-medium fast rate of growth
-interesting branching
-deep red fall color and berries
-attracts birds
| -short-lived (15-20 yrs.)
-demands acid, loamy soils in partial shade and summer moisture |
| American Holly
| Ilex opaca
| 30 ft. (conical form)
| -conical evergreen
-red berries in fall and winter (on female only)
| -rather slow growth
-susceptible to scale, sooty mold and white-fly
-prefers acid, loamy soil--may yellow due to a lack of iron |
| Yaupon
| Ilex vomitoria
| 15-20 ft. (narrow and upright)
| -evergreen--leggy form
-red berries in fall and winter (female only)
-easy culture
| . |
| Dahoon, Cassine Holly
| Ilex cassine
| 15-20 ft.
| -good evergreen specimen
-rich red berries
-adaptable
| -rather slow growth |
| Golden Rain Tree
| Koelreuteria paniculata
| 25 ft. x 25 ft.
| -deciduous
-yellow flowers in late summer and fall
-seed pod in late fall
-fast growth
-yellow fall color
| -short lived (15-20 yrs.)
-may be injured by severe winter cold
-susceptible to minor insects and diseases |
| Crape Myrtle
| Lagerstroemia indica
| 15-20 ft. (leggy)
| -deciduous
-summer flowers (red, pink, purple or white); long period of
bloom
-leggy, upright form
-vivid fall color
-easy culture--fast growth
| -prefers sunny locations only
-susceptible to scale and white fly
-susceptible to mildew (near east variety mildew resistant) |
| Japanese Magnolias
| various varieties
| 15-25 ft.
| -deciduous
-abundant bloom in early spring before foliage
-low branched
-grows in sun or shade
-good in mass plantings or as a single specimen
| -difficult to transplant
-prefers acid soils which are loamy and well-drained
-susceptible to scale and mildew
-late cold may injure early blooms |
| Wax Myrtle
| Myrica cerifera
| 15-20 ft. x 15-20 ft.
| -neutral evergreen
-fast rate of growth
-easy culture--sun or shade
-will stand moist or wet areas and salt conditions
-may be pruned to form leggy trunks
| . |
| Parkinsonia, Jerusalem Thorn
| Parkinsonia aculeata
| 25 ft. x 25 ft.
| -deciduous
-fine, graceful texture
-open character
-yellow flowers all summer
-fast growth
| -very thorny
-difficult to transplant
-prefers sun and dry soil
-may be injured by hard freeze |
| Japanese Black Pine
| Pinus thunbergii
| 20 - 25 ft.
| sun or shade
| -evergreen sculptural form
-slow growing
-typical pine foliage and growth habit
-an excellent accent plant
| . |
| Lombardy Poplar
| Populus nigra italica
| 30 ft.
| -deciduous
-fast growth
-narrow, upright form
| -demands moisture
-short-lived (10 yrs.)
-highly susceptible to borers
-damaging, fiberous root system
-weak wooded |
| Cherry Laurel
| Prunus caroliniana
| 25 ft.
| -small upright evergreen
-fast growth
-fruit attracts birds
-easy culture--sun or shade
| . |
| Chinese Tallow
| Sapium sebiferum
| 30 ft.
| -deciduous
-excellent fall color
-rapid rate of growth
-easy culture
-attractive seed pod in fall
| -seed pod may be messy
-severe cold may injure |
| Sassafras
| Sassafras varifolium
| 30 ft. (upright character)
| -deciduous
-flowers and interesting branching in early spring
-easy culture--sun or shade
-excellent fall color
-rapid rate of growth
| -suckers badly
-may be difficult to obtain |
| Japanese Plum, Loquat
| Eriobotrya japonica
| 15-20 ft.
| -small evergreen
-rapid rate of growth
-coarse, large textured foliage
-flowers and fruit
-easy culture--tend to prefer shade or semi-shade
| -susceptible to fireblight disease
-does best in poor soil
-prefers shady conditions |
| Chinaberry
| Melia azedarack
| 20 ft. x 20 ft.
| -deciduous
-lavender late summer blooms
-oriental character or effect
-colorful yellow fruit in late summer and fall
| -messy with droppage of fruit and twigs
-poisonous
-short-lived
-susceptible to scale |
| Crabapples
| Malus varieties
| 20 ft.
| -deciduous
-abundant spring flowers--pinks and whites
-attractive fruit depending on variety
-medium-fast rate of growth
| -susceptible to fireblight and other common
apple diseases
-prefers sun
-demands reasonable cold winter to flower and perform well |
| Red Buckeye
| Aesculus pavia
| 10-15 ft.
| -deciduous
-striking red spikes of blooms in late spring
-fast growth
-attractive foliage
| -poisonous seed pod
-prefers acid soil of loamy texture and semi- or partial shade
-may be difficult to obtain |
| Eucalyptus, Silver Dollar Tree
| Eucalyptus varieties
suggested: E. polyantheme, E. cinerea
| 15-25 ft.
| -evergreen
-attractive silver-gray foliage
-upright, graceful form
| -may be injured by severe cold--needs
protection
-needs staking as may become top heavy |
| Japanese Red Maple
| Acer palmatum atropurpureum
| 12-15 ft.
| -deciduous
-rich wine leaf color
-outstanding fall color
-very good tub or pot specimen
| -expensive and sometimes difficult to obtain
-slow rate of growth
-prefers light shade, yet colors best in sun |
| Moraine Honeylocust
| Gleditsia triacanthos 'Moraine'
| 15-20 ft.
| -deciduous
-attractive, fine textured, yellow-green foliage
-attractive yellow fall color
-fast growth
| -weak wooded
-sometimes susceptible to borers
-demands sun |
| Ornamental Pear, Callery Pear
| Pyrus calleryana
| 25-30 ft.
| -deciduous
-spring pear blooms
-yellow-green foliage
-medium-fast rate of growth
-attractive shape or form
-yellow fall color
| -droppage of small and abundant fruit
-slightly susceptible to fireblight disease |
| Purple-leaf Plum
| Prunus blireiana "Newport"
| 15-20 ft.
| -deciduous
-rich wine leaf color
-attractive and edible fruit
-attractive accent tree
| -susceptible to fruit tree diseases and
insects |
| Deciduous Holly, Possumhaw
| Ilex decidua
| 10-15 ft.
| -deciduous
-attractive red or orange berries (on female only) in
fall-winter when plant is void of foliage
-easy culture, sun or part shade
-very adaptable
| -susceptible to tent-caterpillars and aphids |
| Fringe Tree, Grancy-Gray Beard
| Chionanthus virginicus
| 10-15 ft.
| -deciduous
-attractive green foliage
-attractive silver-white panicles
-easy culture, sun or shade
| -may be difficult to obtain
-slow growth
-only the female plant blooms
-prefers acid, loamy soils |
| Silver Maple, White Poplar
| Populus alba
| 25-30 ft. (upright)
| -deciduous
-fast growth
-silver-gray foliage
| -suckers and sprouts badly
-susceptible to borers
-damaging fiberous roots |
| Fruitless Mulberry
| Morus alba "fruitless"
| 15-20 ft.
| -deciduous
-rapid rate of growth
-attractive foliage
-low branched for climbing
| -susceptible to leaf diseases
-may sucker or send out sprouts |
| Vitex or Chase Tree
| Vitex agnus-castus
| 10-15 ft.
| -deciduous
-spikes of blue blooms in summer
-fast growth
-easy culture, prefers sun
| . |
| River Birch
| Betula nigra
| 30 ft.
| -deciduous
-rapid growth rate
-graceful branches
-bark peel off to expose interesting texture and color
-yellow fall color
-tall, upright form
| -susceptible to leaf insects, aphids and
caterpillars |
| Chinese Parasol Tree, Varnish Tree
| Firmiana simplex
| 25-30 ft.
| -deciduous
-unusual upright form with no branching except at top--parasol
shape
-rapid rate of growth
-large coarse textured foliage
-yellow fall color
-interesting seed pod in fall
| -large leaves may be messy |