Hardy in Zones 5-6 this deciduous shade tree is quite drought tolerant once established, performing best in full sun. This excellent tree does very well in hot, dry summers and cold winters. Thick, dark green leaves with toothed margins turn yellow to purple in the fall. Adding to its striking features are the 2 inch long drooping brown catkins that emerge in the spring in addition to its edible nuts. Well-drained, loamy soils are best however it will tolerate alkaline soils. I have seen this tree performing quite well on the campus of Boise State University. [click to continue…]
Excellent variety for home gardeners with limited space. Great fall foliage color. Chojuro Asian Pear trees have beautiful, golden fruit with a rich, butterscotch like flavor when tree ripened. Medium to large fruit ripens early in the fall Very productive; thin to increase fruit size. Ripe fruit keeps well for months. Fruit Salads, Fresh, Canning. Self Fertile.
Zones: 5-8.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) – Flowers
Habitat.—In various soils and situations; sandy or rich woods, along the borders of peaty swamps. USDA 4-9
Habit.—Generally a shrub or small tree but sometimes reaching a height of 40-50 feet and a trunk diameter of 2-4feet; attaining a maximum in the southern and southwestern states of 80-100 feet in height and a trunk diameter of 6-7 feet; head open, flattish or rounded; branches at varying angles, stout, crooked, and irregular; spray bushy; marked in winter by the contrasting reddish-brown of the trunk, the bright yellowish-green of the shoots and the prominent flower-buds, in early spring by the drooping racemes of yellow flowers, in autumn by the rich yellow or red-tinted foliage and handsome fruit, at all seasons by the aromatic odor and spicy flavor of all parts of the tree, especially the bark of the root.
Bark.—Bark of trunk deep reddish-brown, deeply and firmly ridged in old trees, in young trees greenish-gray, finely and irregularly striate, the outer layer often curiously splitting, resembling a sort of filagree work; branchlets reddish-brown, marked with warts of russet brown; season’s shoots at first minutely pubescent, in the fall more or less mottled, bright yellowish-green.
Winter Buds and Leaves.—Flower-buds conspicuous, terminal, ovate to elliptical, the outer scales rather loose, more or less pubescent, the inner glossy, pubescent; lateral buds much smaller. Leaves simple, alternate, often opposite, 3-5 inches long, two-thirds as wide, downy-tomentose when young, at maturity smooth, yellowish-green above, lighter beneath, with midrib conspicuous and minutely hairy; outline of two forms, one oval to oblong, entire, usually rounded at the apex, wedge-shaped at base; the other oval to obovate, mitten-shaped or 3-lobed to about the center, with rounded sinuses; apex obtuse or rounded; base wedge-shaped; leafstalk about 1 inch long; stipules none.
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Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Habitat.—Hillsides, open woods and copses, borders of streams and swamps.
Hardiness.— USDA 4-7
Habit.—A shrub or small tree, 6-20 feet high, trunk diameter 3-6 inches; head usually widest near the top, flat; branches nearly horizontal with lateral spray, the lively green, dense foliage lying in broad planes.
Bark.—Trunk and larger branches greenish, warty, streaked with gray; season’s shoots bright yellowish-green or purplish, oblong-dotted.
Winter Buds and Leaves.—Buds small, acute. Leaves simple, alternate or sometimes opposite, clustered at the ends of the branchlets, 2-4 inches long, dark green on the upper side, paler beneath, ovate to oval, almost entire; apex long-pointed; base acutish or rounded; veins indented above, ribs curving upward and parallel; petiole long, slender, and grooved.
Flower.—Summer. From shoots of the season, in irregular open cymes; calyx coherent with ovary,corolla white or pale yellow, with the 4 oblong petals at length.
Fruit.—October. Globular, blue or blue black, on slender, reddish stems.
Horticultural Value.—Adapting itself to a great variety of situations, but preferring a soil that is constantly moist. Nursery or good collected plants are easily transplanted.
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Habitat.—In all soils and situations except in deep swamps, though more usual in dry uplands; sometimes springing up in great abundance in clearings or upon burnt lands. USDA Zones 1-7.
Habit.—A graceful tree, ordinarily 35-40 feet and not uncommonly 50-60 feet high; trunk 8-15 inches in diameter, tapering, surmounted by a very open, irregular head of small, spreading branches; spray sparse, consisting of short, stout, leafy rounded shoots set at a wide angle; distinguished by the slenderness of its habit, the light color of trunk and branches, the deep red of the sterile catkins in early spring, and the almost ceaseless flutter of the delicate foliage. [click to continue…]
Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Habitat.—Cold soils, borders of swamps, deep woods, ravines, mountain slopes. USDA Zones 3-7.
Habit.—A large handsome tree, 50-80 feet high; trunk 2-4 feet in diameter, straight, tapering very slowly; branches going out at right angles, not disposed in whorls, slender, brittle yet elastic, the lowest declined or drooping; head spreading, somewhat irregular, widest at the base; spray airy, graceful, plume-like, set in horizontal planes; foliage dense, extremely delicate, dark lustrous green above and silver green below, tipped in spring with light yellow green.
Bark.—Bark of trunk reddish-brown, interior often cinnamon red, shallow-furrowed in old trees; young trunks and branches of large trees gray brown, smooth; season’s shoots very slender, buff or light reddish-brown, minutely pubescent.
Winter Buds and Leaves.—Winter buds minute, red brown. Leaves spirally arranged but brought by the twisting of the leafstalk into two horizontal rows on opposite sides of the twig, about ½ an inch long, yellow green when young, becoming at maturity dark shining green on the upper surface, white-banded along the midrib beneath, flat, linear, smooth, occasionally minutely toothed, especially in the upper half; apex obtuse; base obtuse; leafstalk slender, short but distinct, resting on a slightly projecting leaf-cushion. [click to continue…]
White Ash (Fraxinus Americana)
Habitat.—Rich or moist woods, fields and pastures, near streams. USDA Zone 3-9
- Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to Ontario.
- Maine,—very common, often forming large forest areas; in the other New England states, widely distributed, but seldom occurring in large masses.
- South to Florida; west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas.
Habit.—A tall forest tree, 50-75 feet high and nearly equal width, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet. Often gently curving branches, forming a rather open, rounded head widest at or near the base, with light and graceful foliage, and a stout, rather sparse.
Bark.—Bark of trunk in mature trees easily distinguishable at some distance by the characteristic gray color and uniform striation; ridges prominent, narrow and firm – smaller branches smooth and grayish-green; season’s shoots polished olive green; leaf-scars prominent.
Winter Buds and Leaves.—Buds short, rather prominent, smooth, dark or pale rusty brown. Leaves pinnately compound, opposite, 6-12 inches long; petiole smooth and grooved; leaflets 5-9, 2-5 inches long, deep green and smooth above, paler and smooth, or slightly pubescent (at least when young) beneath; ovate to lance-oblong, entire or somewhat toothed; apex pointed; base obtuse, rounded or sometimes acute; leaflet stalks short, smooth. Yellow – dark purple fall color.
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White Oak (Quercus alba)- Acorn
Habitat.—Light loams, sandy plains, and gravelly ridges, often constituting extensive tracts of forest. USDA Zones 3-9
Habit.—A tree of the first rank, 50-75 feet high and 1-6 feet in diameter above the swell of the roots, exhibiting considerable diversity in general appearance, trunk sometimes dissolving into branches like the American elm, and sometimes continuous to the top. The finest specimens in open land are characterized by a rather short, massive trunk, with stout, horizontal, far-reaching limbs, conspicuously gnarled and twisted in old age, forming a wide-spreading, open head of striking grandeur, the diameter at the base of which is sometimes two or three times the height of the tree.
Bark.—Trunk and larger branches light ash-gray, sometimes nearly white, broken into long, thin, loose, irregular, soft-looking flakes; in old trees with broad, flat ridges; inner bark light; branchlets ash-gray, mottled; young shoots grayish-green, roughened with minute rounded, raised dots.
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Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)
True to its common name the Paperbark Maple is a medium sized deciduous tree noted for its rich brown exfoliating bark. As the tree matures the exfoliating nature of its bark is more pronounced. The leaves of this rather small tree are atypical for maples, they are trifoliate (having three leaflets) arranged opposite along the stem. Dark green leaves in the summer turn yellow, orange or brick red in the fall.
Reaching heights of 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide this tree adds year-round interest to the landscape. Best suited for use as a specimen or in a small grouping. Ultimately this tree upright-oval to oval tree could reach 40 feet tall. Young trees have an upright branching pattern that widens with age. Plant the Paperbark Maple in full sun or part shade. It thrives in fertile, humus-rich, well drained soil however it will do well in clay soils. Adaptable to varying soil pH, hardy in zones 5-8.
With no serious pests or diseases this tree is well suited for planting in urban landscapes. It is becoming more available in production in the nursery trade. Paperbark maple is a tree that I would not hesitate to recommend as a great specimen planting.
Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) – Summer Leaves
