Trees & Shrubs

We have seen and read about many Perennials, Annuals and Edibles. Not too much in the way of shrubs and trees (other than the edibles). What interesting ones do you have? What are your favorites for flowering, foliage, Spring and / or Fall color, Winter interest, structure, peeling bark, etc.?

I have Hydrangea - macrophyllum, serrata, paniculata, Oakleaf and arborescens. Many Viburnum - fragrant ones, ones with great blooms, Fall color, berries and structure. Crape Myrtle are a great source for mid-Summer bloom - from now through September. Heptacodium is a great large shrub. Same for Bottlebrush Buckeye. Love Physocarpus, Spirea thunbergii 'Ogon' and Weigela 'Wine' series. For trees - Japanese Maples, Weeping Beech, Blue Spruce, 'Winter King' Hawthorn and Golden Dawn Redwood. Just planted Chinese Fringe and Weeping Katsura. Would like to add more JM's and Paperbark Maple, among others. Need more space!

What a great list!!! I have one weigela minuet and 2 white flowering potentilla's that I purchased when I moved here. I bought them mainly because I love the flowers.

Forgot Potentillas! Also, I planted one of my favorite trees last Fall - Oxydendrum, or Sourwood. Looks like it's struggling a bit. Sure hope it makes it. Also forgot Cornus kousa 'Satomi' and 'Forest Pansy' Redbud and a few Sambucus, Nandina, hardy Hibiscus and a number of Butterfly Bushes.

ummm . . . large sugar maple on the boulevard, 3 tall evergreens (old, no id), spreading yew, silver mound junipers, 4 violet rhododendrens, 2 red rhododenrens, 2 white rhododendrens, 3 Rose of Sharon - Blue Satin - just babies, but they are going to flower this year; 3 Rose of Sharon - Violet Satin (one is very small and still in a pot), one primrose lilac (just a baby - only 30 inches tall), one viburnum - Mohawk - supposed to have great fragrance - just a baby also; one Harrr Lauder's Walking Stick; 2 White Profusion Butterfly Bushes; 2 Nicki? Blue Hydranga, 1 forever pink hydrangea. one orange azalea. One burning bush (which never turns very red in the fall because it doesn't get enough sun) one pale yellow primroses.

Shrub roses too - all babies.

some of these i want to rethink/relocate/ or maybe throw out.

You reminded me of my two Lilacs and one HL's Walking Stick. Viburnum Mohawk does smell wonderful but it won't fill the garden with scent. You need to be close. Remembered some more - Clethra alnifolia - wonderful scent that DOES fill the entire garden. Mine will be blooming soon. Also Fothergilla 'Mt. Airy' and Itea Virginiana - 'Saturnalia' and 'Little Henry'. The last two have great Fall color.

Well, I've still doing my landscape at our new construction but so far, we have two dwarf snowbelle mockoranges and four small boxwoods. I still need to add trees and stuff into our landscape..

And Seandor, if you're planning to toss any thing, please let me know. Maybe I can salvage it? Since we still haven't finished landscaping, we have a lot of room and not much plants yet..

victorgardener . . . a week or two ago you also mentioned Heptacodium. Been looking at it. Very nice. Looks like all season appeal. Rather than buy one nursery size Heptacodium, I'm thinking of half a dozen quart size plants. How many years before those would produce , say, a six foot bush? Have the room here and can put them in full sun or partial shade. Think its too late to get them started this year?

victorgardener, I'm thinking you've hacked into my computer and found my Tree/Shrub list!! LOL Seriously, we definitely have the same "taste" :) One of my favorites in the garden is Indigofera amblyantha http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/126069/ and it blooms from June through fall! We also have Indigofera kirilowii http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/80066/ and even though it's a vigorous grower and lovely flowers, it has a short blooming period.

David_Paul, Heptacodium is a fast grower - 3' or more in one growing season! We had a beautiful tree form but for some unknown reason thought we had lost it last year - possible it was from the moles - they've "taken down" a 10 year old Dragoneye Pine in the past! The Heptacodium has sent out new growth around the base, but will take years to replace the 10'+ tree form, they usually grow more shrubby then tree like.

Debbie

Shrubs:
Several Hydrangea (oakleaf H. is outstanding), several Viburnum, Spirea, Weigela, Kerria (longer blooming than most shrubs), Clethra (both pink and white), dwarf Forsythia, Caryopteris, Chaenomeles, several Ilex and Saybrook Junipers, Picea, Rhododendron, Azalea, Kalmia, Cornus, Itea, Hemlock, Tsuga, Box and Leucothoe. I've just acquired a Hypericum, Pieris, Kolkwitzia, Sambucus, Euonymous and Lespedeza, so it's too early to tell how they will do. I'm fighting a battle with the birds as to whom gets my blueberries first. My favorite shrubs are a 'Carol Mackie' daphne (interesting varigated leaves and fragrant pink flowers) and Korean spice Viburnums (lovely aroma and bloom). Worst shrub: Buddleia--it took two years of digging up volunteers that popped up everywhere before I trashed it.
Trees:
Several odd pines (very slow growing), Shagbark maple, Thuja, Arborvitae (deer love it), Juniper, Redbud, Styrax (pretty pink flowers in Spring), SugarTyme Crab, two Chamaecyparis 'Boulevard' (flanking our front walk), Oxydendrum, and several Amelanchier (can't decide if they are trees or big bushes). A wooded area contains the usual oaks, maples, walnut, hickory, wild Cornus florida, Sumac and Sassafrass (provides very prolific volunteers!). My favorite tree is a Stewartia (great pyramidal shape, just wish the flowers came every instead of every other year), and the worst specimen is a weeping Cherry whose branches only seem to bloom when they are trailing along the ground.

I'm probably going to get more shrubs and trees vs flowers as my bones get creakier, since they require less maintainance (the shubs, that is, not my bones).
Don.

Victor - Would you know??? Will a Crape Myrtle grow under/near a Black Walnut Tree? My neighbor wants to plant a few at the back of his property very close to several Black Walnuts. He thinks I would know because I have a large Black Walnut that I garden around. I have never had a Crape Myrtle and do not find it on any of my lists of " Walnut Tolerant" plants.

Thanks for any info.

Rose

Victor, I ask this because of your knowledge of gardening and not your age but.....
Were you head gardener for "The Garden of Eden"? You seem to know just about every thing that grows.
My claim to fame seems to be linked to the question of the age of dirt. Such as "older then"
Chuck

Thank you Chuck - wish it were true. I'm hoping for a job as gardener / designer in the next life.

Rose - no, that's not one of the plants that tolerates the juglone from the Walnuts. There are many though.

Don - very nice collection. You too have reminded me of ones I forgot to list, including Kerria (for some strange reason, after many years they look horrible right now - I'll have to cut them way back and see), Amelanchier 'Princess Diana', Chaenomeles, Azalea, Rhodo, Leucothoe, Pieris, Carol Mackie Daphne, Stewartia pseudocamellia, Arborvitae (right about the deer!), Mock Orange, False Cypress, True Cypress (small - forgot the variety names), PawPaw, Pieris, Abelia, Indigofera heterantha, Callicarpa, Symphoricarpos, Cornus alternifolia 'Golden Shadows', 'Dragon's Eye' Pine, Hollies - deciduous and evergreen, Cryptomeria 'Black Dragon' and 'Tiger Eyes' Sumac. I'm sure there are still more!
Don, which Stewartia do you have? Mine bloomed for the first time last year. I agree about Buddleias, though some are well behaved. Is Shagbark Maple another name for Paperbark Maple - Acer griseum? I hope to get that soon.

David - Debbie is correct about the relatively rapid growth. I think mine was only a gallon when I planted about seven years ago. It is now about 13 feet high - one of my favorites. Yes, Fall planting should be fine. Small ones always need a bit more attention to watering though. It makes for a great screen.

Debbie, pretty funny! Great minds...

lcosden, be patient and do research - great Winter project. I have spent lots of time researching the trees and shrubs I ended up getting. Look for at least three seasons of interest. We have to make the most of our limited space. Think about pests and disease. My Hawthorn is one of the most rust resistant but I hace a large Cedar stand nearby and that's where the rust starts so I still get quite a bit.

Forgot to say I am with you Don - trying to de-emphasize perennials in favor of flowering shrubs - mostly dwarf ones. Though 44, I have the back and knees of a 90 year old. Less maintenance overall by establishing ground covers and by planting densely.

I've always been a little afraid of shrubs for some reason. I think it's because I don't have a lot of established beds and the shrubs seem so much more permanent than perennials. Not to mention my lack of sun makes me hestitant to plant something that will make even more shade!

However, I have tried to get over my fear lately, and after reading through everyone's lists, I'm kind of happy to be reminded that I do have quite a few after all. Now if I could only get the majority of them out of pots and into the ground!

I've got:
weigela
forsythia
spirea
lilacs
mockorange
itea
viburnum
hydrangeas
rhodies
fothergilla
pieris
a small styrax japonica
an even smaller dogwood
redtwig dogwoods
lespedezia
caryopteris
hibiscus
buddleia
a yew (I think - inherited)
willow Hakura Nishiki in tree form

and about 50 oaks!

:)
Dee

Wow, 50 oaks! You reminded me of some more too - Spirea 'Goldflame' and 'Little Princess' (invasive), Forsythia 'Kumson' (real cool), Red Twig Dogwoods and Caryopteris - a few different ones.

Victor, do you care to suggest any trees to go over the hostas I'm planning to get? People on the hosta forum was warning me that certain trees like maples would choke out the roots of the hostas.. So, are there any you suggest? I want to see about putting in 4 deciduous trees (maybe even fruit trees) with hostas at the base on the property and maybe another 3 evergreens in the back sloping hill. I also plant to add 2-3 larger sized shrubs. Like I already have pretty much planned out the front and back yard. I just need to figure out which trees and shrubs to get. I also need to figure out the sides of the house.. We are very very close to the neighbors and the sides are like steep steep hills too.. Think I might need more help with the sides..

I have had no problems at all growing Hostas under and near my Norway Maples - not that I would ever recommend a Norway Maple - it's a weed tree. Can't wait to get rid of the last of mine. I have also grown them under a very large (25-30 ft) Japanese Maple. Those are my only experiences with Hostas under Maples.

Since trees are more valuable, I would suggest researching which ones you like and will fit in etc., regardless of the Hosta issue. Hostas are very tough plants and you will have no problem with putting them somewhere. Remember too, that unless you are rich and will be planting mature trees, it will be a while before the newly planted trees create much shade, unless the entire area is shaded by taller trees somewhere nearby. Also, remember that some evergreens like spruces will have branching right down to the ground so will not offer the opportunity to underplant them.

Victor, I wish.. We are very very house poor.. I was only putting hostas under the deciduous treets.. I was thinking of maples in front and maybe an apple or pear in back.. I grew up with a whole bunch of fruit trees in CA, and I miss being able to pick the fresh fruits straight from the yard.

I've got:
weigela
lilacs - 5
mockorange- dwarf & Reg.
hydrangeas
rhodies
hibiscus 3 different ones
buddleia
azaela 2
Scotch Broom
potentillas
red maple, oak, blue spruce, hackmatack, pine, fir, white birch,

Can't blame you about the fruits. Wish I had more room for fruit trees. Loved the few peaches I got last year. Should have more this year. How big a tree are you thinking for the front? There are so many beautiful Japanese Maples to choose from. For a small tree - Paperbark Maple, as I mentioned earlier, is a great tree. Beautiful peeling cinnamon colored bark gives Winter interest and the Fall color is great. Oxydendrum (Sourwood) and Stewartia are great trees that are not too common. Many Maples are nice, but everyone has them. Franklinia is another great one on my wish list.

1 lilac
1 azalea
2 cassias (Senna)
1 Wisteria (planted in a gallon pot.... my bonsai in progress)

ah, I planted 2 boxwoods in pots.... I want see if I can shape them round.... I am not really good trimming any hair... I hope I am better with the poor plants...

very poor list... I am not so much into shrubs /trees yet!

Well, the trees can't be too big since we live on a postage sized property.. While Paperbark is pretty, two of those would take up a 75% of the front yard. I'm thinking like something that's 10-15 feet high with a 4-5 feet spread. Wonder if that size would be considered a dwarf variety tree...

And the Franklinia Tree, I've been looking at that but I'm not sure it would survive. I'm in Zone 5b and the DG link said it's hardy to zone 6. Doesn't help that it's spread is listed from 4-40 feet. So, I'm all confused..

Kassia, you reminded me I have a Wisteria too!

Okay lcosden, drop the Franklinia. You want to be sure it will thrive for you. The 4-5 ft spread on a 10-15 ft tree may be a tall (pardon the pun) order. Sounding more like a J. Maple or a Kousa Dogwood may be better. Or even a large shrub.

If J. Maple or a Kousa Dogwood stays small, maybe.. I was thinking like maybe either American Mountainash or Corneliancherry Dogwood for the trees.. I was also wondering if I put them in sunken pots, would that keep them smallers? If not maybe I can train either the Downy Serviceberry, PeeGee Hydrangea or Perkin Lilac into a small tree. As for the evergreen, maybe the Emerald Arborvitae and the shrub, maybe American Elder, Silky Dogwood, or the White Rhododendron. What do you think Victor?

And the hostas would go under the Mountainash or Cornelieancherry (or serviceberry, hydrangea or lilac).

I would try to avoid pots - for a number of reasons. I have seen PG Hydrangea in tree form. Many shrubs can be trained to 'standard' form. If you have deer, forget Arborvitae. There are JM's in all sizes - as small as 3-4 feet high. There are also many Hydrangea paniculata varieties to choose from - not just the standard PeeGee.

Gee... I forgot I have 2 Holly bushes, and 1 extra large Rugosa bush that is threatening to take over.

Do you have many large trees, Celeste? Do JM's grow up there?

Crap.. And I really liked the Emerald Arborvitae. Is there any other small evergreens then? Here I though I had one of the types choosen. Poo. We definitely have deer problems. My hostas, stonecrops, colombines and some other stuff has been chomped down to the ground. Grrr.. Good thing that some of them grow back quickly.. Sigh... And, if I can't control size by sinking pots, guess I can train the other plants into standards..

BTW, can you please explain why sinking pots isn't a good idea?? I read on Plumeria forum that it's good for them there..

Victor:
It is a Korean Stewartia, smaller than the Japanese kind, but at 7 years old mine is already pushing 20 feet. The nursery who sold it to me called it Shagbark, but you are right, I checked in a book and they call it Paperbark. Interesting in winter. I tried underplanting it with blue fescue. Haven't decided whether to keep that or not, but at least the deer don't eat the grass as they do hostas. I gaze at your list with wonder. How many acres do you have to support such an extensive inventory?

Icos:
I had been lusting for a Franklinia for some time, and my references say it is ok up to Zone 5, but behaves more like a shrub than a tree in the north, so I passed it up. I like Mountain Ash but DW shudders at the sight of their orange fruit, so it is on my taboo list. If you trim the lower branches on a tree to at least 3 feet off the ground, I don't think you would have any problems putting hostas under it. Maples do have roots near the surface, but at a previous house I had lots of hostas under a huge maple with a 3-foot trunk. I heard that 10 years after we left, the new owner had to remove it. Sad.

I knew I forgot something on my previous list. Add Mock Orange, Lilac and Microbiota. I tried a Metasequoia a few years back, but didn't have the time then to properly care for it and it disappeared from either deer or neglect.

This message was edited Jul 23, 2007 7:34 PM

One of my Holly bushes is more like a tree height wise. But yes, I live in the country and the trres are old and large. I personally have not bought any except the flowering shrubs, Rose of Sharon trees and Wisteria.....the rest have been here for a very long time. Looking at old photos of the property and talking to DH's 82 year old Aunt.....alot of these are 50+ yrs. old. Some of the blueberry bushes, apple trees and 3 lilac tree's are very visable in the 1945-50 photo's. The size of their veggie garden makes mine (25X100) look like those mini Zen Gardens!

Pixie, that's funny.. I'm sure your 25x100 is still much larger than my veggie garden.. Mine is gonna be around 5'x15'.

Don, if Franklinia only behave like a shrub.. Maybe I can train that into a smaller tree.. Cuz I really like the Franklinia. Like you, I've been looking at it for a while. The sad thing is that everywhere around us is zone 6, except our little pocket. Like my in-laws who's 10 minutes down the road gets rain and we get socked by snow.. Something about the mountain surrounding us keeping the cold in. I still rather get a white flowering one than the orange berries. I just liked the idea of the orange berries..

lcos - much more likely that they will become waterlogged in a sunken pot. Also, their source of food is limited. In short - a sunken pot is just like a pot above ground except for the insulation the ground provides. A tree in a pot needs much more attention / care than one in the ground.

Don - acres? I wish! Only about 6/10 acre. I have serious space envy. Many on my list are small. The only tree I planted that will be huge is the Metasequoia. I do want to find room for a Franklinia and an Acer Griseum though. I'll be removing some trees in the Fall so there should be some room opening up.

Victor.. Got that.. I don't want to be tending it all the time.. Guess I just find one that's smaller then... And you're talking about space envy... I only have 1/5th of an acre.. I told my hubbie that I want more land.. He said we need to win lotto to get more land around here... **sigh**

lcos, do Japanese Maples grow in your area? Wildwood Maples is a very good online source if you can.

Victor, I don't know if Japanese Maples grow over here.. But I will check out the Wildwood place.. I know some nurseries over here also sells japanese maples..

Jeez - I think I've posted photos of all mine...I'll try to remember

Lilacs - Miss Kim,Cutleaf,Paliban,Royalty
Weigela-Carnaval,French Lace
Viburnum - Mohican,Bailey's Compact American Crannberrybush
Ninebark - Monlo
Tamarisk - Summer Glow
Sambucus - Black Lace
Hydrangea - Unique,The Swan,Tardiva,Limelight,Pee Wee(a form of PG),Little Lamb,Quickfire, generic oakleaf
Dappled Willow
Purple Smokebush
Euonymous - Sarcoxie,Emerald and Gold,Sunspot
Hawthorn - thornless cockspur
Kerria - Golden Guinnea

I think that's it, space is limited otherwise I would like more.

Huge fan of species roses here!

R. pimpinellifolia

and farther back.

And then, some perennials act like shrubs anyway............Delphinium 'Sequoiaforma'