yellow-leaf trees or shrubs ... any favorites?

Hello,

I am redoing a lot of my yard and am looking for small trees and shrubs that have yellowish foliage most or all of the growing season (not just fall). I was looking at Japanese maple 'Aureum', but would like to consider other options as well. Color is important because I want it for contrast. Does anyone have a favorite to recommend?

Smiles,
Gabrielle

Be careful planting a Japanese Maple. They need protection in our Zone 5. However, my daughter has two, but her trees are protected by her house and a stockade fence. She also lives in town, whereas i live in the wide open, windswept country. I always wanted one, but afraid it will die.

Try a smoke tree 'golden spirit'. Mine gets tons of attention. Fantastic fall color too....

Fall color.....

Wow! 'Golden Spirit' is great!!! Love the fall color, too.

Thanks for the advice on the Japanese maples. I think I am in a sheltered enough area ... are they picky about staying moist? I have heard both ways.

Forsythia is an early blooming yellow spring flowering shrub suitable for zones 4 through 9. The one shown here is about three years old and will become much larger and more dense with age. The forsythia and daffodils flower at the same time of year in my zone.

How about Euronymus japonica "Aureo-variagata"?

I'd sure like to try that 'Golden Spirt' myself. I still like Robinia pseudocasia 'Frisia' as it's a great colour for my area. I also like Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' - just bought one the other day.

Don't know about moisture needs, but the leaves will fry if they get too much sun.

There is a newer redbud cultivar by M. Dirr, named after his daughter, that has beautiful golden leaves. Can't think of its name, but it's something like 'Heart of Gold'. There area also golden-leaved Norway maples. Quite a few conifers have golden varieties, including spruces, arborvitae ('Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Globe', 'Golden Tuffet', and 'Yellow Ribbon'), junipers such as 'Gold Coast', 'Old Gold', spreading 'Mother Load', fir, and pines. I'd check with a good nursery, but be prepared to pay a higher price for some, especially conifers. Oh, a really easy-to-find false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) is 'Gold Mop' (or 'Kings Gold', 'Lemon Thread', 'Sungold'). Also Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Cripps Golden', 'Nana Lutea' (Dwarf Golden Hinoki'), but pricer. There are many, many gold-variegated blooming shrubs including weigela 'French Lace', many varieties of spirea such as 'Gold Mound' and 'Gold Flame', a gold-variegated French lilac, 'Golden Curls' willow, and 'Golden Vicary' privet. There are even golden foliage groundcovers such as lamium 'Golden Anniversay'. There are so-o-o many to choose from. Underplant with gold-leaved hostas of many sizes. Have fun!

Please don't plant an invasive Norway maple, Japanese euonymus, or European privet. :-/

In the Midwest (at least Illinois and Indiana) Norway maples and Japanese euonymus are not invasive. Burning bushes are reseeding a little in the wild as are 'Wintercreeper' euonymus, though.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey"

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59722/

deutizia Chardonay pearls , it is noy really yellow but a bright lime green the flowers are very pretty too
laura

I know you were looking for trees and shrubs but this is an outstanding perennial with beautiful contrasting fliage

it is called dicentra "Gold Heart"

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/76829/ Look here for a chartreuse healthy robust bush that I have had safely in zone 4. It has a fountain like shape of beautiful foilage. mine is in the full sun and morning shade. Flowers in summer and berries are great for the winter to get birds.

This message was edited Apr 1, 2008 10:53 PM

Thanks for all the great suggestions ... there are really some beautiful ones out there!