| PLANT PREFERENCES | |
| Ornamental plants have specific preferences when it comes to shade and salt tolerance, moist soils, and what season they should be transplanted. Below are several lists of plant preferences for varying conditions and seasons in the northern U.S. | |
|
Due to varying onsite conditions, these plant lists should be
considered a guide, not the final word. |
|
| INDEX | |
| SALT TOLERANT PLANTS | |
| Whether it's salt
granules from deicing operations, or salt spray from roadways, salt
can be brutal on most plants. Below is a general list of plants
considered to be the most tolerant of salt. The list should only be
used as a rough guide since exceptions will occur. |
|
| Aesculus hippocastanum | Common Horsechestnut |
| Amelanchier | Serviceberry |
| Amorpha fruiticosa | False Indigo |
| Aronia arbutifolia | Red Chokeberry |
| Betula | Birch |
| Carya cordiformis ovata |
Bitternut Hickory Shagbark Hickory |
| Catalpa speciosa | Northern Catalpa |
| Celtis occidentalis | Hackberry |
| Chionanthus virginicus | White Fringetree |
| Clethra alnifolia | Summersweet |
| Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster |
| Eleagnus | Russian Olive |
| Elymus arenarius | Blue Lyme Grass |
| Erica | Heath |
| Fraxinus | Ash |
| Ginkgo | Ginkgo |
| Gleditsia | Honeylocust |
| Gymnocladus | Kentucky Coffee Tree |
| Hamamelis | Witch Hazel |
| Hemerocallis | Daylily |
| Hippophae rhamnoides | Sea Buckthorn |
| Hydrangea | Hydrangea |
| Juglans nigra | Black Locust |
| Liquidamber styraciflua | Sweetgum |
| Magnolia | Magnolia |
| Miscanthus sinensis | Maiden Grass |
| Myrica pennsylvanica | Northern Bayberry |
| Nyssa sylvatica | Black / Sour Gum |
| Panicum virgatum | Switch Grass |
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Virginia Creeper |
| Philadelphus | Mockorange |
| Photinia | Photinia |
| Pinus mugho | Mugo Pine |
| Populus | Poplar |
| Potentilla fruiticosa | Potentilla |
| Quercus bicolor macrocarpa |
Swamp White Oak Bur Oak |
| Rhodotypos | Jetbead |
| Ribes alpinum | Alpine Currant |
| Rhus glabra / typhina | Smooth / Staghorn Sumac |
| Rosa rugosa | Rugosa Rose |
| Salix | Willow |
| Sambucus canadensis | American Elderberry |
| Schizachyrium scoparium | Little Bluestem |
| Spartina p. 'Aureomarginata' | Cord Grass |
| Syringa reticulata pekinensis |
Japanese Tree Lilac Peking Lilac |
| Tamarix ramosissima | Tamarix |
| Taxodium distichum | Bald Cypress |
| Viburnum dentatum prunifolium |
Arrowwood Viburnum Blackhaw Viburnum |
| Waldstenia ternata | Barren Strawberry |
| Yucca | Yucca |
| SHADE TOLERANT PLANTS | |
| Shade is one of the most
limiting factors when attempting to grow attractive plants,
especially when it's dry shade. Below is a general list of plants
that will tolerate shade better than other varieties. |
|
| Amelanchier | Serviceberry |
| Astilbe | Astilbe |
| Berberis | Barberry |
| Calycanthus | Sweetshrub |
| Celastrus | Bittersweet |
| Cercis | Redbud |
| Chionanthus | Fringetree |
| Clethra | Clethra |
| Cornus | Dogwood |
| Euonymus | Euonymus |
| Ferns | Ferns |
| Hamamelis | Witchhazel |
| Hedera helix | English Ivy |
| Hosta | Hosta |
| Hydrangea quercifolia | Oakleaf Hydrangea |
| Itea | Itea |
| Kalmia | Mountain Laurel |
| Leucothoe | Leucothoe |
| Ligustrum | Honeysuckle |
| Mahonia | Oregon Grape |
| Pachysandra | Pachysandra |
| Pieris | Andromeda |
| Pyracantha | Pyracantha |
| Rhamnus | Buckthorn |
| Rhododendron | Rhododendron |
| Rhodotypos | Jetbead |
| Symphoricarpos | Snowberry |
| Taxus | Yew |
| Tsuga | Hemlock |
| Viburnum | Viburnum |
| Vinca minor | Myrtle |
| PLANTS FOR DRY SOILS | |
| Acer campestre | Hedge Maple |
| Ceanothus americanus | New Jersey Tea |
| Cornus drummondii | Giant Gray Dogwood |
| Diervilla lonicera | Bush Honeysuckle |
| Genista t. 'Royal Gold' | Royal Gold Woadwaxen |
| Koelreutaria paniculata | Golden Rain Tree |
| Lespedeza t. 'Gilbraltar' | Gilbraltar Bushclover |
| Maackia amurense | Amur Maackia |
| Maclura p. 'Whiteshield' | Whiteshield Osage Orange |
| Myrica pennsylvanica | Northern Bayberry |
| Quercus coccinea macrocarpa prinus rubra |
Scarlet Oak Bur Oak Chestnut Oak Red Oak |
| Rhus | Sumac |
| Rosa rugosa | Rugosa rose |
| Tamarix r. 'Pink Cascade' | Pink Cascade Tamarix |
| Viburnum setigerum | Tea Viburnum |
| PLANTS FOR WET SOILS | |
| While very few plants
will tolerate 'wet feet' (soggy soil) some varieties adapt better
than others to wet soil. Below is a general list of plants that will
tolerate wet conditions. |
|
| Acer rubrum | Swamp (Red) Maple |
| Ajuga | Bugleweed |
| Amelanchier | Serviceberry |
| Aronia | Chokeberry |
| Asimina triloba | Paw Paw |
| Astilbe | Astilbe |
| Betula nigra | River Birch |
| Calycanthus floridus | Sweet Shrub |
| Cephalanthus occidentalis | Buttonbush |
| Clethra alnifolia | Summersweet |
| Chionanthus | Fringetree |
| Cornus alba / stolonifera | Redtwig / Dogwood shrub |
| Forsythia | Forsythia |
| Hemerocallis | Daylilies |
| Hosta | Hosta |
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry |
| Itea virginica | Sweetspire |
| Lindera benzoin | Spicebush |
| Magnolia virginiana | Sweetbay Magnolia |
| Metasequoia | Dawn Redwood |
| Miscanthus | Maiden Grass |
| Myrica pennsylvanica | Northern Bayberry |
| Nyssa sylvatica | Black Gum |
| Platanus | Sycamore |
| Populus | Poplar |
| Quercus bicolor | Swamp White Oak |
| Salix | Willow |
| Sambucus | Elderberry |
| Taxodium distichum | Bald Cypress |
| Ulmus americana | American Elm |
| Viburnum dentatum lentago trilobum |
Arrowwood Viburnum Nannyberry American Cranberry |
| SPRING TRANSPLANTS | |
| The old rule of thumb is
to only transplant 'fleshy rooted' plants and oaks in the spring.
While fall transplants may succeed with special care, below is a
list of plants that are best transplanted in the spring. |
|
| Betula | Birch |
| Cercis | Redbud |
| Cornus | Dogwood |
| Craetegus | Hawthorn |
| Liriodendron | Tulip Tree |
| Liquidambar | Sweetgum |
| Magnolia | Magnolia |
| Oxydendron | Sourgum |
| Platanus | Sycamore |
| Populus | Poplar |
| Prunus | Plum |
| Pyrus | Pear |
| Quercus | Oak |
| Salix | Willow |
| Zelkova | Zelkova |
| PLANTS RARELY GUARANTEED | |
| The old saying is
"Doctors don't guarantee life, so why should landscapers and
nurserymen?" However, common practice in the trade is to
guarantee plants for one year (or one growing season). But due to
experience from common planting failures, there are a few plants
nurseries won't usually guarantee. Below is a list of these plants. |
|
| Azalea | Azaleas |
| Cornus florida | Flowering Dogwood |
| Rhododendron | Rhododendrons |
| Rosa | Roses |
| Tsuga | Hemlocks |
| DEER RESISTANT PLANTS | |
| The
trickiest list of all is trying to name plants that deer don't like,
because in the right situation, they will browse on just about
anything. That being said, our experience shows the least preferred
plants are those listed below. [Also see our
Deer webpage] |
|
| Acer | Maple |
| Aesculus parviflora | Bottlebush Buckeye |
| Agastache | Hyssop |
| Ageratum | Ageratum |
| Antirrhinum | Snapdragons |
| Aralia spinosa | Devil's Walkingstick |
| Artemesia | Silver Mound |
| Astilbe | Astilbe |
| Baptesia australis | False Indigo |
| Berberis | Barberry |
| Betula | Birch |
| Buxus | Boxwood |
| Caryopteris | Bluebeard |
| Cephalotaxus harringtonia | Plum Yew |
| Cercis | Redbud |
| Chaemomeles | Quince |
| Chamaecyparis pisifera | False Cypress |
| Clethra alnifolia | Summersweet |
| Coreopsis verticillata | Threadleaf Coreopsis |
| Cornus | Dogwood |
| Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster |
| Craetegus | Hawthorn |
| Crocus | Crocus |
| Dicentra | Bleeding Heart |
| Echinacea | Coneflower |
| Elaeagnus | Russian Olive |
| Fagus | Beech |
| Forsythia | Forsythia |
| Fraxinus | Ash |
| Gleditsia | Honeylocust |
| Gingko | Gingko |
| Helleborus | Christmas Rose |
| Ilex glabra | Inkberry |
| Iris | Iris |
| Larix | Larch |
| Lavandula | Lavender |
| Leucothoe | Leucothoe |
| Ligularia | Ligularia |
| Liquidamber | Sweetgum |
| Liriodendron | Tulip Tree |
| Magnolia | Magnolia |
| Mahonia | Oregon Grape |
| Microbiota decussata | Siberian Cypress |
| Miscanthus | Maiden Grass |
| Myrica | Bayberry |
| Narcissus | Daffodil |
| Pachysandra | Pachysandra |
| Paeonia | Peony |
| Perovskia atriplicifolia | Russian Sage |
| Picea pungens | Colorado Blue Spruce |
| Pieris | Andromeda |
| Pinus mugo | Mugho Pine |
| Platanus | London Plane |
| Potentilla | Potentilla |
| Pyracantha | Firethorn |
| Rogersia | Rodgersflower |
| Rudbeckia | Rudbeckia |
| Salix | Willow |
| Salvia | Salvia |
| Sedum | Sedum |
| Spirea | Spirea |
| Stachys byzantian | Lamb's Ear |
| Syringa | Lilac |
| Thuja plicata | Western Arborvitae |
| Tilia | Linden |
| Ulmus | Elm |
| Viburnum | Viburnum |
| Vitex | Chaste Tree |
| Weigela | Weigela |
| Woundwort | Lamb's Ear |
| Yucca filamentosa | Yucca |
| Zelkova | Zelkova |
| DEER RESISTANT & SHADE TOLERANT PLANTS | |
| Shade is one of the most
limiting factors when attempting to grow attractive plants,
especially when it's dry shade. Below is a general list of plants
that will tolerate shade better than other varieties. |
|
| Astilbe | Astilbe |
| Berberis | Barberry |
| Cercis | Redbud |
| Cornus | Dogwood |
| Ferns | Ferns |
| Leucothoe | Leucothoe |
| Mahonia | Oregon Grape |
| Pachysandra | Pachysandra |
| Pieris | Andromeda |
| Pyracantha | Pyracantha |
| Viburnum | Viburnum |
| Vinca minor | Myrtle |
| TREES THAT PRODUCE SURFACE ROOTS | |
| Some of the tree species
that are most likely to produce surface roots are those that grow
fast. Many of these same trees are ones that tolerate adverse
growing conditions. Producing surface roots is often an aid in their
survival in these adverse situations. Alternatives to Grass Instead of trying to grow grass over these root systems, sometimes it's better to plant a ground cover such as goldenstar (Chrysogonum virginianum), creeping lily-turf (Liriope spicata), Russian arborvitae (Microbiota decussata), Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens), Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), creeping myrtle (Vinca minor), or barren strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata). |
|
| Acer platanoides | Norway maple |
| Acer rubrum | Red maple |
| Acer saccharinum | Silver maple |
| Ailanthus altissima | Tree-of-heaven |
| Alnus spp. | Alder |
| Betula nigra | River birch |
| Celtis spp. | Hackberry |
| Fagus grandifolia | American beech |
| Gleditsia triacanthos inermis | Thornless honeylocust |
| Larix decidua | European larch |
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweetgum |
| Metasequoia glyptostroboides | Dawn redwood |
| Morus spp. | Mulberry |
| Picea pungens | Colorado spruce |
| Platanus spp. | Sycamore or London plane tree |
| Populus spp. | Poplar |
| Quercus palustris | Pin oak |
| Robinia pseudoacacia | Black locust |
| Salix spp. | Willow |
| Ulmus spp. | Elm |
| Taxodium distichum | Bald cypress |
| Tilia spp. | Linden |
| WILDLIFE SHRUB MIX | |
| Shrub mixture that
favors wildlife with food and shelter. |
|
| American Cranberry | Viburnum trilobum |
| Arrowwood Viburnum | Viburnum dentatum |
| Button Bush | Cephalanthus occidentalis |
| Choke Berry | Aronia arbutifolia |
| Hercules' Club | Aralia spinosa |
| Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana |
| Nannyberry | Viburnum lentago |
| Shrub Lespedeza | Lespedeza thunbergii |
| Silky dogwood | Cornus amomum |
| Winterberry | Ilex verticillata |
| Witch hazel | Hamamelis virginiana |
| RELATED LINKS |
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