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Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs
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952 pages17 hours
Summary
3500 photographs. Over 380 genera. More than 3700 species and cultivars.
Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs is the most comprehensive visual reference to more than 3700 species and cultivars. From majestic evergreens to delicate vines and flowering shrubs, Dirr features thousands of plants and all the essential details for identification, planting, and care. Color photographs show each tree's habit in winter, distinctive bark patterns, fall color, and more. Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs is a critical addition to any garden library.
Publisher: Timber PressReleased: Mar 17, 2016ISBN: 9781604697438Format: book
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Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs - Michael A. Dirr
Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs
MICHAEL A. DIRR
To Roger Milliken—
mentor, friend, and advocate for Noble Trees
Contents
Introduction
A–Z Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs
Abelia
Abeliophyllum
Abies
Abutilon
Acacia
Acca
Acer
Actinidia
Adina
Aesculus
Agarista
Agave
Ailanthus
Akebia
Alangium
Albizia
Allamanda
Alnus
Amelanchier
Amorpha
Ampelopsis
Andrachne
Andromeda
Antigonon
Aralia
Araucaria
Arbutus
Arctostaphylos
Ardisia
Aristolochia
Aronia
Asimina
Aucuba
Azara
Baccharis
Bauhinia
Berberis
Betula
Bignonia
Bougainvillea
Broussonetia
Brugmansia
Brunfelsia
Buddleia
Buxus
Calia
Callicarpa
Callistemon
Calluna
Calocedrus
Calycanthus
Camellia
Campsis
Caragana
Carissa
Carpinus
Carya
Caryopteris
Cassia
Castanea
Catalpa
Ceanothus
Cedrus
Celastrus
Celtis
Cephalanthus
Cephalotaxus
Cercidiphyllum
Cercis
Chaenomeles
Chamaecyparis
Chamaedaphne
Chilopsis
Chimonanthus
Chionanthus
×Chitalpa
Choisya
Cinnamomum
Cistus
Cladrastis
Clematis
Clerodendrum
Clethra
Cleyera
Cliftonia
Cocculus
Colutea
Comptonia
Cornus
Corokia
Corylopsis
Corylus
Cotinus
Cotoneaster
Crataegus
Croton
Cryptomeria
Cunninghamia
×Cupressocyparis
Cupressus
Cycas
Cyrilla
Cyrtomium
Cytisus
Daboecia
Danae
Daphne
Daphniphyllum
Davidia
Decaisnea
Decumaria
Desfontainia
Deutzia
Dichroa
Dicksonia
Diervilla
Diospyros
Dipelta
Dirca
Disanthus
Distylium
Duranta
Edgeworthia
Ehretia
Elaeagnus
Eleutherococcus
Elliottia
Elsholtzia
Emmenopterys
Enkianthus
Epigaea
Erica
Eriobotrya
Erythrina
Escallonia
Eubotrys
Eucalyptus
Eucommia
Eucryphia
Euonymus
Eurya
Euscaphis
Exochorda
Fagus
Fallopia
×Fatshedera
Fatsia
Ficus
Firmiana
Fontanesia
Forestiera
Forsythia
Fothergilla
Frangula
Franklinia
Fraxinus
Fuchsia
Galphimia
Gardenia
Garrya
Gaultheria
Gaylussacia
Gelsemium
Genista
Ginkgo
Gleditsia
Gordonia
Grevillea
Gymnocladus
Halesia
Hamamelis
Hebe
Hedera
Helianthemum
Heptacodium
Hibiscus
Hippophae
Holboellia
Hovenia
Hydrangea
Hypericum
Idesia
Ilex
Illicium
Indigofera
Itea
Ixora
Jasminum
Juglans
Juniperus
Kadsura
Kalmia
Kalopanax
Kerria
Koelreuteria
Kolkwitzia
+Laburnocytisus
Laburnum
Lagerstroemia
Lantana
Larix
Laurus
Lavandula
Leiophyllum
Leitneria
Leptodermis
Leptospermum
Lespedeza
Leucophyllum
Leucothoe
Leycesteria
Ligustrum
Lindera
Liquidambar
Liriodendron
Lithocarpus
Lonicera
Loropetalum
Lyonia
Maackia
Maclura
Magnolia
Mahonia
Malus
Malvaviscus
Mandevilla
Melia
Menispermum
Mespilus
Metasequoia
Microbiota
Millettia
Mitchella
Morus
Musa
Myrica
Myrtus
Nageia
Nandina
Neillia
Nerium
Neviusia
Nyssa
Olea
Orixa
Osmanthus
Ostrya
Oxydendrum
Pachysandra
Palms
Butia
Chamaerops
Livistona
Phoenix
Rhapidophyllum
Rhapis
Sabal
Serenoa
Syagrus
Trachycarpus
Washingtonia
Parkinsonia
Parrotia
Parrotiopsis
Parthenocissus
Passiflora
Paulownia
Paxistima
Persea
Phellodendron
Philadelphus
Phillyrea
Photinia
Physocarpus
Picea
Picrasma
Pieris
Pinckneya
Pinus
Pistacia
Pittosporum
Planera
Platanus
Plumbago
Podocarpus
Poliothyrsis
Poncirus
Populus
Potentilla
Prinsepia
Prunus
Pseudocydonia
Pseudolarix
Pseudotsuga
Ptelea
Pterocarya
Pterostyrax
Punica
Pyracantha
Pyrus
Quercus
Rhamnus
Rhaphiolepis
Rhododendron
Rhodotypos
Rhus
Ribes
Robinia
Rosa
Rosmarinus
Rostrinucula
Rubus
Ruscus
Salix
Sambucus
Santolina
Sapindus
Sarcandra
Sarcococca
Sassafras
Schizophragma
Sciadopitys
Sequoia
Sequoiadendron
Serissa
Sesbania
Shepherdia
Sinojackia
Skimmia
Smilax
Sorbaria
Sorbus
Spiraea
Stachyurus
Staphylea
Stephanandra
Stewartia
Styphnolobium
Styrax
Sycopsis
Symphoricarpos
Symplocos
Syringa
Taiwania
Tamarix
Taxodium
Taxus
Tecoma
Ternstroemia
Tetradium
Teucrium
Thuja
Thujopsis
Tilia
Toona
Torreya
Trachelospermum
Triadica
Trochodendron
Tsuga
Ulmus
Ungnadia
Vaccinium
Vernicia
Viburnum
Vinca
Vitex
Vitis
Weigela
Wisteria
Wollemia
Xanthoceras
Xanthocyparis
Xanthorhiza
Yucca
Zamia
Zanthoxylum
Zelkova
Zenobia
Ziziphus
Selecting Plants for Specific Characteristics or Purposes
Flower Color
Flowering Sequence
Fragrant Flowers
Fruit
Fall Color
Winter Interest
Shade Tolerance
Salt Tolerance
Tolerance to Moist or Wet Soils
Tolerance to Dry Soils
Street and Urban Planting
Hedging
Evergreens for Specimens, Groupings, Screens, and Groves
Weeping or Columnar Habit
Vines for Flowers, Fruit, and Fall Color
Conversion Table for Metric Measurements
Hardiness Zones
Acknowledgments
Index of Botanical Names
Index of Common Names
About the Author
Introduction
Timber Press and I have developed a symbiotic relationship in our quest/journey to produce worthy books that gardeners would embrace and enjoy. Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs (1997), Dirr’s Trees and Shrubs for Warm Cli-mates (2002), Hydrangeas for American Gardens (2004), and Viburnums (2006) have found niches in the gar-den and nursery circles. This encyclopedia builds on the foundations of the Hardy and Warm Climate books, with more than 3,500 photographs of species and cultivars in 380 genera, with an emphasis on the best new introductions of the past ten to 15 years.
The garden and nursery worlds have changed dramatically in that time. Independent garden centers have waned, while Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart, and other mega-chains command greater percentages of green good sales. Be advised that the mass merchandisers are actively pursuing new plants to entice customers. Reflecting these advances are the increases in plant patents, which allow the owner to control the licensing of the product. In 1996 (66 years after the Plant Patent Act was in-stituted), approximately 10,000 plant patents were granted; in 2010, the number was over 21,000. This increase reflects the desire of breeders and introducers to protect their intellectual property. Also, many plants are not patented, but introduced for the greater good. The new plant tsunami literally swamps horticulturists’ and gardeners’ will and ability to stay current.
The rush to market is based on competition among breeders and introducers who have similar plants. The financial advantage is often weighted toward the first mover. Testing and trialing for many woody plants are minimal, and marketing supersedes the reality of performance. In this tome, I provide the best assessment possible based on testing data, research reports, performance in nurseries and gardens, and evaluations at our breeding company in Watkinsville, Georgia, Plant Introductions, Inc. (www.plantintroductions.com).
Take variegated leaf cultivars of Abelia ×grandiflora, now numbering about 17. Many are unstable, produc-ing green, albino, and other shoot permutations not typical of the original cultivars. I have bred, evaluated, tested, trialed, se-lected, grown, and introduced abelias, and ‘Hopleys’ (‘Aghop’), rebranded Twist of Lime™, has been one of the most stable, consistently true to type. Does this mean that someone else could have a different experience? Absolutely!
Lagerstroemia Cherry Dazzle®, a superior red-flowered, genetically compact selection from the author’s breeding program.
Cross-referencing the Hydrangea paniculata cultivar trials at the Royal Horticultural Society (www.rhs.org.uk) with my Georgia evaluations reflects dichotomies of results. For example, RHS Trials Bulletin 23 (December 2008) evaluated more than half of the more than 80 known cultivars. Best (three stars) were ‘Big Ben’ (lousy in Georgia), ‘Dolly’ (lousy in Georgia), ‘Kyushu’ (lousy in Georgia), Limelight™ (very good in Georgia), Pinky Winky™ (poor in Georgia), and so forth. The take-home lesson: biology is shades of gray, and dogmatic acceptance of anyone’s results is foolish. Use these data as guides to the superior introductions.
Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.
This Alfred Austin quote captures Bonnie’s and my love of garden-making. As an introduction to the Warm Climate book, I textually and photographically walked the reader through our then 23-year-old garden, and many readers commented positively about seeing
it.
Unfortunately, the home and garden in the 2002 book are no more, as we sold and moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for medical reasons, to care for our youngest daughter, Suzanne. After existing in an apartment for six months (no garden), we de-cided to purchase a home, develop a garden, and live a normal life. The landscape (initially with bargain-basement butterfly-bushes, abelias, and Indian hawthorns—all eliminated) was transformed into a garden with color, fragrance, diversity, and seasonality. In part, it was also a test site for many new plants from our breeding program and those of colleagues.
The neighbors noticed, commented, queried about the roses (Knock Out®), dwarf crapemyrtles (Razzle Dazzle® series), and lantanas (Chapel Hill series), and others. With delight, I watched Knock Out® move around the cul-de-sac and throughout the neighborhood.
This garden was spiritually and psychologically essential to Bonnie’s, my, and Susy’s well-being. Susy, who carried the gene for cystic fibrosis, was blessed to have two double-lung transplants at UNC-CH and live a rich, full, vibrant, and meaningful life. We lost our beloved Susy to chronic rejection in January 2008.
Hydrangea macrophylla hybrid selections at Plant Introductions, Inc.
Books are written on dealing with grief, but Bonnie and I find inner peace with each other and in the garden. Bonnie stated it best—there is joy in nurturing and loving living things to their greatest genetic potential. We sold our place in Chapel Hill and returned to Athens, where in 2009 we purchased a new home on an acre and started the garden journey anew. Realizing that planting space was being rapidly consumed, we purchased the contiguous lot as well. It was choked with Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), and muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia), all quickly cleared; a specimen white oak (Quercus alba), a 50-ft.-high, four-trunked black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) were preserved. We are enjoying pencil farming this and the home site, dreaming about what may metamorphosize.
In autumn 2010, we planted a sinuous shrub border that effectively screens the new lot from the street. Neighbors commented and asked about the identity of the plants. I mentioned that 14 different viburnums were utilized. They were mystified for, in the South, viburnum
simply does not resonate. Hopefully, they will enjoy and learn as the border matures.
Lantana camara ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ in production; note flower quantity.
Plant Introductions, Inc., continues to develop. My two partners are Jeff Beasley of Transplant Nursery in Lavonia, Georgia, and Mark Griffith, Griffith Propagation Nursery, also in Watkinsville. Together we bring a total of 80 years’ experience to the venture—breeding, evaluating, propagating, producing, and marketing new woody (and a few herbaceous) garden plants. Most new introductions are presented in this work. We started with a dream, planned and strategized, leased/purchased a dilapidated pig (yes) farm, cleaned (spit-polished), built growing and greenhouse facilities, and four years later have 40 plants in various stages of evaluation. Our breeder, Josh Kardos, Ph.D., a University of Georgia horticulture graduate, is the epicenter of the company.
Knock Out® roses planted over a French drain between drive and neighbor’s fence, four years after planting: Blushing Knock Out®, ‘Carefree Sunshine’, and Knock Out®, the original red. Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Chapel Hill garden border, first year planted, August 2004.
Chapel Hill garden border, four years later, July 2008.
Plant Introductions, Inc., before clean-up of the pig farm.
Lantana camara ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ growing between ‘Pink Crush’ and ‘Orange Crush’, late September 2008; note quantity of flowers on ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’, a self-sown seedling in Susy’s garden, now patented, with 30 percent of royalties donated to UNC-CH. Plant Introductions, Inc., has utilized this selection in breeding for improved flower colors, hardiness, superior foliage, and lower growth habit; ‘Chapel Hill Gold’, ‘Sunny Side Up’, ‘Apricot Sunrise’, and ‘Sunset Orange’ are the current introductions.
As you, the reader, peruse the book, please take special note of genera emphasized in PII’s breeding: Abelia, Berberis, Buddleia, Clethra, Cryptomeria, Distylium, Gardenia, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Illicium, Lagerstroemia, Lantana, Loropetalum, Punica, Quercus, Ulmus, and Viburnum. The ultimate goal is to breed superior ornamental plants that perform as promised (Promised Performance™) for growers, retailers, and gardeners.
1849 Heather Lane, new home and garden.
Red-flowered Lagerstroemia seedlings in the evaluation phase at Plant Introductions, Inc. Red flowers are difficult to consistently breed; PII has developed a protocol to breed primarily red flowers.
Lagerstroemia hybrid seedling selections at Plant Introductions, Inc.
May the book provide inspiration and education, and guide you to the best of the new (and perpetually reliable) woody garden plants.
Michael A. Dirr, ph.d.
Oconee County, Georgia
A–Z Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs
Abelia
abelia
Many gardeners yawn when Abelia is mentioned, but for 15 years I have been evaluating and breeding this taxonomically topsy-turvy genus and grow fonder each year. A recent study at Kew Gardens, England, separates the 30 species into four genera, a move that will confuse even more gardeners. New cultivars, especially from Abelia ×grandiflora have proliferated, with over 30 in the literature. The best of these are described and shown herein along with seven additional species.
Abelias require minimal care and make superb garden companions in containers, borders, groupings, masses, and hedges. In Urbana, Illinois, Abelia ×grandiflora was a half-hardy shrub but regrew and flowered every summer into fall. In the South, I observed a 70-year-old specimen, 18 ft. by 20 ft.! To be sure, abelias will never replace hydrangeas but have a place in every garden. May one of the following taxa grace your garden.
Abelia chinensis
Chinese abelia
The Chinese abelia is a great biological butterfly magnet. In the Dirr garden (zone 7), flowers open in June, continuing until frost. Small white fragrant flowers are borne in rounded panicles on the new growth of the season. The ¾- to 1½-in.-long, lustrous dark green leaves provide background to the flowers. Habit is rounded, spreading, loose. Prospers in moist, acid, well-drained soil. Full sun to half shade. Makes a great shrub border plant combined with butterflybushes and lantana. Prune in late winter, and by June and July, flowering is in high gear. A parent of many of the new hybrids, imparting the essential attribute of continuous flowering. Grows 5 to 7 ft. high and wide. Zones (5)6 to 9. China.
Abelia chinensis, Chinese abelia
Abelia chinensis
Abelia floribunda
Mexican abelia
The most beautiful of all abelias, especially when the trumpet-shaped flowers, 1½ to 2 in. long, ¾ to 1 in. wide at mouth, open cerise-red from cherry-red buds. Flowers open in June (as I observed them), but California literature cites January and summer. The corolla interior is cerise-red to white. Flowers dangle from the stems like small ornaments. The beautiful ever-green leaves, lustrous dark green, ½ to 1½ in. long, are the perfect contrast to the flowers. First observed in 1996, and I thought, Wow, what a breeding partner! Unfortunately, the species is difficult to culture in the Southeast and resisted hybridizing with other abelias. In California, 20°F caused severe damage. Possibly a conservatory plant, or move to California, which actually might be worth it. Grows 5 to 8 (to 10) ft. tall. Zones 9 and 10. California, Mexico.
Abelia floribunda, Mexican abelia
Abelia ×grandiflora
glossy abelia
No other flowering evergreen (to deciduous) shrub displays the resiliency of this hybrid species (Abelia chinensis × A. uniflora). Originated in Italy before 1866 and in cultivation for more than a century, it is still one of the most popular shrubs for gardens. White, flushed pink, ¾- to 1-in.-long tubular flowers open on new growth from May to frost. Individual flowers do not overwhelm, but a shrub in full flower is quite effective. The five sepals that subtend the flower age gracefully from green to rose-purple and literally smother the foliage canopy by late summer. Habit is rounded to spreading, densely foliated with ½- to 1½-in.-long lustrous dark green leaves that color bronze-red-purple in cold weather. Wonderfully service-able shrub that prospers in sun and shade and in acid, well-drained soil. Recent years of drought and heat in Athens showed A. ×grandiflora to be one of the most durable shrubs. Effective as border plant, mass, hedge, and butterfly attractant. One of my favorite shrubs. Many new introductions from the University of Georgia and Plant Introductions, Inc. (www.plantintroductions.com) are described. Grows 3 to 6 ft. high and wide; plants to 8 ft. occur; 18 ft. by 20 ft. at Keith Arbore-tum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Zones 6 to 9.
Abelia ×grandiflora, glossy abelia
Abelia ×grandiflora
Abelia ×grandiflora
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Canyon Creek’ sports bronze new growth, maturing to gold and yellow, and turning coppery pink to rose in cold weather. It is striking in spring when all colors are present but becomes green in the heat of summer if not watered and fertilized. Produces large, 2-in.-long, fragrant, pink flowers.
Abelia ×grandiflora ‘Canyon Creek’
Abelia ×grandiflora ‘Canyon Creek’
Confetti™ (‘Conti’) is a compact form to 2½ ft. high, 3 ft. wide, with cream-margined leaves that turn rose in winter; flowers (sparse) are white. Not a particularly vigorous plant. Will revert to green.
Abelia ×grandiflora Confetti™
‘Edward Goucher’, a hybrid between Abelia ×grandiflora and A. parvifolia (A. schumannii), produces lavender-pink flowers and is less cold hardy than A. ×grandiflora. Flowers open earlier than those of A. ×grandiflora. Grows 4 to 5 ft. high and wide.
Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’
‘Francis Mason’ produces copper-colored new shoots that mature yellow to yellow-green, fading to green in hot climates, and pink to white flowers. Grows 5 to 7 ft. high. Originated in the 1950s at Mason’s Nurseries, New Zealand. About the first variegated selection.
Abelia ×grandiflora ‘Francis Mason’
Golden Fleece™ (‘PIIAB-I’) has beautiful, butterscotch-yellow emerging leaves that turn yellow, then green. Leaves do not bleach (turn white) in heat of zone 7. Abundant early white flowers and pink sepals cover the foliage. A vigorous grower, 3 to 6 ft. high and wide, from Plant Introductions, Inc.
Abelia ×grandiflora Golden Fleece™
‘Kaleidoscope’ has leaves with a wide, bright yellow to gold margin and irregular green center that turn rose to rose-red in cold weather. Excellent heat and sun tolerance in zone 7. Flowers are primarily white.
Abelia ×grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’
‘Little Richard’ (best), ‘John Creech’ (middle), and ‘Sherwoodii’ (worst) are compact forms, 3 to 4 ft. high or less; I have observed reversion shoots on all.
Mardi Gras™ is a compact form with silvery to cream-margined, gray-green-centered leaves that turn a rose color in cold weather. New stem growth is dark pink. Flowers are pink in bud, opening pink and fragrant. Grows 2 to 3 ft. high and 4 to 5 ft. wide.
Abelia ×grandiflora Mardi Gras™
‘Rose Creek’ is the first compact form from the Georgia breeding program. Grows 2 to 3 ft. high and wide, with broad-ovate lustrous dark green leaves and copious fragrant white flowers and rose-pink sepals.
Abelia ×grandiflora ‘Rose Creek’
Twist of Lime™ (‘Hopleys’, ‘Aghop’) is a branch sport of ‘Francis Mason’ with gold-margined, green-centered leaves. Flowers are pink-white. Grows 3 to 4 ft. high and 5 to 7 ft. wide. Among the most stable of all variegated leaf types. Many of the 16 current selections for yellow-, white-, and gold-margined leaves revert to green and are not worthy. See my Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (2009) for specifics.
Abelia ×grandiflora Twist of Lime™
Abelia macrotera
A most unusual species, with thickish, shiny dark green leaves that turn burgundy-maroon in winter. Leaves are semi-evergreen in Athens. Youthful outline is rather wild, with spreading-arching branches, but ultimate shape is unknown. Flowers, rose-lavender with an orange throat, 1½ in. long, no fragrance, develop on new growth, June into late summer. Flowers are not as prolifically produced as those of Abelia chinensis, A. ×grandiflora, and A. parvifolia. Out-planted in the Georgia trials since 2007, it has survived heat, drought, and cold (13°F). Appears well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade, suit it best. Potential for breeding and, indeed, Plant Introductions, Inc., has a beautiful hybrid that develops bronze-purple winter foliage on a compact framework. Estimate the species will grow 3 to 5 ft. high and wide. Zones 6 to 8? Collected by Maurice Foster near Boaxing, China. Given to Plant Introductions, Inc., by British nurseryman Peter Catt.
Abelia macrotera
Abelia mosanensis
Korean abelia
My great enthusiasm for this species is grounded in its reported –30°F cold hardiness. First witnessed the red-budded, opening white, fragrant flowers at the JC Raulston Arboretum (Raleigh, North Carolina) in April. Such a sensual pleasure. Flowers open with the emerging matte-green leaves, then the plant settles into obscurity. Fully deciduous in our Georgia trials and does not prosper in zone 7 heat. Requires full sun. Flowers on old wood, so prune after flowering. Grows 6 to 10 ft. high, less in spread. A four-year-old plant was 7 ft. by 5 ft. in our trials. Tatty and disheveled by mid to late summer. Best in zones 3 to 6. Korea.
Abelia mosanensis, Korean abelia
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Bridal Bouquet’ is, based on my observations, nothing more than a marketing name for the species.
Abelia parvifolia
syn. Abelia schumannii
Certainly not an everyday garden species; however, the lilac-pink flowers of May twinkle into late summer–autumn. The leaves, lustrous dark green, are smaller (½ to 1 in.) than those of Abelia ×grandiflora. Habit is some-what loose and open but gracefully elegant. Sepals are in twos (sometimes more), while those of A. ×grandiflora are typically in fives. Foliage varies from evergreen to semi-evergreen in zone 7 with approximately 35 percent leaf retention into March. Leaves may turn bronze-purple in cold weather. Tolerates heat and drought. Requires full sun for best flowering. Disease- and insect-resistant. A sleeper, worthy of sanctuary in most gardens. Prune to tidy. Flowers on new growth. Largely unassailable. Grows 6 to 10 ft. high and wide. Grew 7 ft. by 8 ft. in six years in Georgia trials. Zones 6 and 7. Western China.
Abelia parvifolia
Abelia parvifolia
Abelia serrata
A smallish shrub with white, orange-throated flowers. Wonderful specimen, 5 ft. by 7 ft., in full flower in late April at Keith Arbore-tum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Worth a look by gardeners and breeders. Flowers are fleeting. Zones 6 and 7. Japan.
Abelia serrata
Abelia serrata
Abelia spathulata
I first sighted this species at Hillier in 1999. The Hillier plant was beautiful, broad-rounded, 6 ft. by 8 ft., with scattered white, marked with yellow flowers in May. Leaves, mid-green, have a purple rim around the margin and are slightly toothed. Has suffered in the heat of Athens, Georgia. Zone 6, perhaps better on West Coast. Japan.
Abelia spathulata
Abelia spathulata
Abeliophyllum distichum
Korean abelialeaf, white forsythia
Many years past, in mid March, I would bundle up my Illinois students and take them south to Bernheim Arboretum, in Clermont, Kentucky, and Cave Hill Cemetery, in Louisville, Kentucky. Consistently, we would find Korean abelialeaf in full white flower, long before true forsythia ever considered thrusting its yellow head from the buds. Students would ask its identity and then in-variably add, Gosh, it’s ugly.
True, overgrown specimens and mass plantings of Korean abelialeaf tend to assume the appearance of an old brush pile. The habit is rounded with arching branches. The white or faintly pink-tinged, four-petaled, fragrant flowers open before the leaves. The 2- to 3½-in.-long, medium to dark green leaves offer no fall color. Plants are easily transplanted and grown. Suitable for massing in full sun. Might be used in a winter-garden border with hellebores, witchhazels, winterhazels, winter honeysuckle, and bulbs. Grows 3 to 5 ft. high, 3 to 4 ft. wide or more. Zones (4)5 to 8. Korea.
Abeliophyllum distichum, Korean abelialeaf
Abeliophyllum distichum
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Roseum Group is a taxonomic designation that includes forms with pink flowers. Have observed several times, rather delicate soft pink, not overwhelming.
Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum Group
Abies
fir
In the grand scheme of everyday landscaping, firs are probably utilized less than any other needle evergreens. Their sensitivity to extremes of soil and climate translates to mediocre performance. Most require cool climates, but a few exceptions, like Abies firma, are known. Where adaptable, they are noble, formal, elegant, aesthetic components in the landscape. Many produce beautifully colored cones. Unfortunately, cones (scales) shatter at maturity and do not persist. Numerous cultivars have been selected for growth habit and needle colors. Conifers for Gardens (2007) by Richard Bitner presents the newer se-lections. During sabbatical at Hillier Arboretum, many new (to me) firs entered my vocabulary. Abies bornmuelleriana (now A. nordmanniana subsp. equitrojanii), A. borisii-regis, A. delavayi, and for the South, A. ne-brodensis (from Sicily) and A. vejarii (from Mexico) are worth considering.
Abies balsamea
balsam fir
A symmetrically pyramidal tree, balsam fir has ½- to 1-in.-long, lustrous dark green needles, each with two silver bands on the underside, and the fragrant Christmas-tree scent when bruised. The 2- to 4-in.-long cones are dark violet when young, turning gray-brown and resinous with maturity. The species requires well-drained, moist, acid soils and some protection from desiccating winds. Use for Christmas tree production, as a specimen, or in groupings. Grows 45 to 75 ft. high, 20 to 25 ft. wide. The balsam woolly adelgid has wreaked havoc on the species throughout its native range. Zones 3 to 5(6). Labrador to Alberta, south to Pennsylvania.
Abies balsamea, balsam fir
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Hudsonia Group (f. hudsonia) is a cute, diminutive, 1- to 2-ft.-high, broad mound with numerous short branches, needles radially arranged, dark green above, silvery below, about ½ in. long.
Abies balsamea Hudsonia Group
Abies cilicica
Cilician fir
Seldom offered in U.S. commerce and limitedly represented in arboreta, yet a noble stand at Spring Grove, Cincinnati, Ohio, has prospered and even produced seedlings in the neighboring woods. Several trees are now 70 ft. high with narrow-columnar-pyramidal outlines. From a distance, the ¾- to 1¼-in.-long needles are gray-green compared to the dark green of most fir species. Cones are 6 to 10 in. long, 2 to 2½ in. wide, cylindrical and reddish brown. In the wild, grows in association with cedar-of-Lebanon on calcareous, limestone-based rocky soils in areas of hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Estimate 30 to 50 ft. by 8 to 15 ft. in 20 to 30 years. Zones 5 and 6(7). Southern Turkey, northwest Syria, Lebanon.
Abies cilicica, Cilician fir
Abies concolor
white fir
No doubt, this is one of the most adaptable and beautiful firs for landscape work, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest. Un-der the hot, dry conditions of the Midwest and East, white fir is the most prosperous fir for general use. The habit is strongly spire-like to narrow-conical, with tiered branches. The 1½- to 2½-in.-long needles vary from green to blue-green to almost silver-blue. In the wilds of Arizona, the silver-blue forms are mixed with the green types. Grows 30 to 50 ft. high, 15 to 20 ft. wide; can grow to 100 ft. or more. Zones 3 to 7. Western United States.
Abies concolor, white fir, silver-blue form
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Blue Cloak’, ‘Candicans’, and ‘Violacea’ have silver-blue needles of great beauty, especially when the new growth emerges.
Abies concolor ‘Blue Cloak’
Abies concolor ‘Candicans’
Abies firma
Momi fir
Firs and heat are akin to cats and dogs; they simply do not socialize well. However, the Momi fir is succeeding in Athens, Georgia, and Mobile, Alabama. Habit is pyramidal-conical in youth and maturity. The lustrous dark green needles are sharply notched at their ends. Cones are 3½ to 5 in. long, 1½ to 2 in. wide, and brown at maturity. Slight foliage discoloration may result from the winter sun. A plant in the Dirr garden, sited on the north side of deciduous woods, has prospered. Best performance occurs in moist, well-drained, acid soils. Slow to initiate strong growth—kind of stares at the gardener for several years, then decides to leap. In zone 7, some trees display significant vigor; others creep along. Worthy specimen fir and, to my knowledge, the only viable candidate for the South. Grows 40 to 50 ft. high, 10 to 15 ft. wide. Observed 70-ft.-high specimens at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Zones 6 to 9. Japan.
Abies firma, Momi fir
Abies firma
Abies fraseri
Fraser fir
Mentioned here because of its similarity to Abies balsamea and its importance as a Christmas tree. The actual differences between this species and A. balsamea are minimal, and it could be considered a southern extension. Bracts ex-tend beyond the cone scales, while those of A. balsamea are not visible. Common along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Grows 30 to 40 ft. high, 20 to 25 ft. wide. Zones 4 to 7. Mountains of West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Abies fraseri, Fraser fir
Abies fraseri
Abies homolepis
Nikko fir
The few Nikko firs I have observed were quite handsome specimens. They are typically spire-like and conical in habit. Needles are glossy dark green with two white bands on the lower surface. Beautiful 20-ft.-tall trees at Shadow Nursery in Winchester, Tennessee. Slow-growing but one of the handsomest firs in youth. Grows 30 to 50 ft. high in cultivation; can grow 100 to 130 ft. high in its native habitat. Zones 4 to 6. Japan.
Abies homolepis, Nikko fir
Abies koreana
Korean fir
Lustrous dark green, ½- to ¾-in.-long needles, two whitish bands below, densely set along the branches, create a superb nesting site for rich violet-purple to blue-purple, 2- to 3-in.-long, 1-in.-wide cones. Cones may develop on young trees in the 3- to 5-ft. height range. Habit is that of a stout, dense pyramid. Appears slightly more heat-tolerant than many firs but still best in cold climates. Eye-catching as a specimen, accent, or in a grouping. Grows 15 to 30 ft. high, half or less that in width. Zones (4)5 and 6. Korea.
Abies koreana, Korean fir
Abies koreana
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Many, but ‘Silberlocke’ (‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’), the needles curving upward displaying the bright silver-white lower surface, is quite common. Have observed as a sprawling, irregularly branched shrub and a 30-ft.-high, perfectly shaped pyramid. May set abundant cones.
Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’
Abies lasiocarpa
Rocky Mountain fir
A narrow, conical, slender outline with branches draping the ground as observed in Olympic National Park. Hiking the ridgeline to Dege Peak (7,000 ft.), trees dotted the slopes, narrow in stature to shed the heavy snow. Needles, bluish green with silver-gray bands below, 1 to 1½ in. long, crowded and directed forward and upward along the stem. Dark purple cones, 2 to 4 in. long, are oblong-cylindric in shape. Beautiful in its native state. Not easily adapted to culture in eastern United States. National champion is 130 ft. by 26 ft. Zones 5 and 6. Alaska to Oregon, Utah and northern New Mexico.
Abies lasiocarpa, Rocky Mountain fir
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Variety arizonica, cork fir, is smaller, forming a blue-green pyramid that is amenable to culture in the East and Midwest.
Abies nordmanniana
Nordmann fir
A magnificent fir. At its best, this species forms a dense, uniform pyramid of lustrous black-green needles. May be more adapt-able than Abies balsamea and A. fraseri to general landscape conditions. Grows 40 to 60 ft. high in cultivation; can reach 200 ft. in the wild. Zones 4 to 6. Caucasus, Asia Minor.
Abies nordmanniana, Nordmann fir
Abies nordmanniana
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Golden Spreader’ is a genuine conversation piece with striking golden yellow needles turning burnished gold in winter. Best in cooler climates. Forms a haystack outline, 3 to 5 ft. high and wide.
Abies nordmanniana ‘Golden Spreader’
Abies pinsapo
Spanish fir
The rigid, ½-in.-long, green to blue needles of this species radiate from the branches in bottlebrush fashion. One of two firs with this radiating needle disposition; the other is Abies cephalonica. The habit is broad pyramidal with stiff secondary branches extending outward and upward at the tips. More open than most firs discussed herein. Cones, 4 to 6 in. long, are purplish brown when young. Observed on East and West Coasts performing well. Considered one of the best species for limestone (high pH soils). Usually 20 to 30 (to 40) ft. at landscape maturity in United States. Zones 6 and 7. Mountains of southern Spain.
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Glauca’, with bluish gray needles, appears more common than the species in cultivation.
Abies pinsapo ‘Glauca’
Abies pinsapo ‘Glauca’
Abies veitchii
Veitch fir
Another handsome dark green species that has performed reasonably well in the Midwest. The dark green needles average 1 in. long and have two silver-white bands on the underside. Cones are 2 to 3 in. long, bluish purple in youth, the tips of the bracts exserted. Considered more urban-tolerant. Grows 50 to 75 ft. high, 25 to 30 ft. wide. Zones 3 to 6. Japan.
Abies veitchii, Veitch fir
Abies veitchii underside of needles
Abutilon pictum
flowering maple, Chinese bell flower, Chinese lantern
Almost better known for container culture and bedding schemes, particularly in European gardens, than as a flowering shrub in the United States. Approximately 150 species of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials native to tropical and subtropical regions. Typically a dieback shrub that rejuvenates from the roots with accelerated growth and flowers in summer. Leaves are maple-like, typically three-lobed, yellow-green, and assume a slightly reflexed, graceful posture. The flowers develop from the leaf axils and are semi-pendulous, bell-shaped, 2 in. long, with crepe-papery petals. Colors of the numerous cultivars are kaleidoscopic, from white and yellow to pink, orange, and red, opening from summer until frost. Adaptable, but requires well-drained soil. Do not overfertilize, as this results in rampant vegetative growth at the expense of flower production. About four to six hours of sun suit plants best, yet they flower reasonably in partial shade. Wonderful plant for summer flowers. Useful as a filler in borders and containers. Foliage on the variegated types, like ‘Thompsonii’ (yellow-streaked and -flecked), adds sparkle. Expect 3 to 4 ft. of growth in zone 7, more in warmer areas. Zones 8 to 11. Brazil.
The related species Abutilon megapotamicum, trailing abutilon, is a finely branched shrub with leaves to 3 in. long, rarely lobed, and pendulous, 1-in.-long, red flowers (red calyx, yellow petals, and purple anthers) on 1- to 2-in.-long, red stalks. Refined and delicate in flower. Fine container or bedding plant. Zones 8 and 9. Brazil.
Abutilon megapotamicum, trailing abutilon
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Variegatum’ has mottled yellow leaves and is relatively common in commerce.
Abutilon pictum ‘Variegatum’
Abutilon vitifolium
A much larger shrub (small tree) than Abutilon pictum, A. vitifolium has gray-green leaves. Flowers are large, saucer-shaped, pale to deep lavender-mauve in late spring into summer. Grows 10 to 15 ft. high. Zones 9 and 10 on West Coast. Chile.
Abutilon vitifolium
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Album’ has white flowers, as does ‘Tennant’s White’.
Abutilon vitifolium ‘Tennant’s White’
Acacia dealbata
silver wattle, mimosa
I have chased Acacia species throughout my travels and have yet to even partially understand this diverse genus, with estimates of 700 to 1,200 species. Silver wattle is one of the more common species in English gardens and also one of the hardiest (to 14°F). Typically an evergreen tree, loose and architectural in habit, with bipinnate leaves ranging from blue-green to medium green. Each leaf is 3 to 5 in. long, with eight to 20 pinnae (branches), each with 20 to 40 pairs of ¹⁄6-in.-long, ¹⁄24-in.-wide leaves. Fragrant, ball-shaped clusters of yellow flowers are borne in large racemes in late winter to early spring. Outside the library window at the Hillier Arboretum, England, a large Acacia dealbata provided great botanical interest during my sabbatical. Green and reticent upon my arrival in February, it blossomed in March and April, settling down by May, retreating to green. Provide well-drained, acid soil in sun or partial shade. Flowers develop from previous sea-son’s wood, so prune after flowering. Reliable only in warmer West Coast gardens and south Florida, otherwise a conservatory plant. Grows 20 to 30 ft. high, although listed to 100 ft. Zones 8 to 10(11). Tasmania, Australia.
Acacia dealbata, silver wattle
Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata
Acca sellowiana
pineapple guava
This handsome gray-leaved evergreen shrub is a common element in coastal southeastern and Florida landscapes. Rounded and shrubby in outline but can be grown as a small tree. The broad, ovate, 1- to 3-in.-long leaves are reminiscent of juvenile Eucalyptus foliage, except whitish-felted below. Their upper surfaces are dark green. The flowers are like fuchsias, with four reflexed sepals, four petals red in center and whitish at margins, stamens numerous, ¾ to 1 in. long and rich crimson. Flowers in May and June. Fruit are 1- to 3-in.-long, egg-shaped berries, green, tinged red, turning yellow. Edible with taste likened to pineapple with overtones of spearmint. Full sun to partial shade in light, loamy soil. Tolerates salt spray. Prune after flowering. Use for foliage effect as a screen, hedge, mass, or cut-back shrub. Grows 10 to 15 ft. high, 10 ft. wide. Zones (7)8 to 10(11). Southern Brazil and Uruguay.
Acca sellowiana, pineapple guava
Acca sellowiana
Acca sellowiana
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Variegata’ has pretty cream-white-margined leaves, the center more gray-green; slower growing than the species.
Acca sellowiana ‘Variegata’
Acer buergerianum
trident maple
Small, dapper, handsomely clothed trees are a rarity, and trident maple qualifies as one of the best. The habit is oval to rounded. The pest-free, lustrous dark green, 1½- to 3½-in.-wide leaves are three-lobed (hence, trident). They change to rich yellow and red in fall. Bark on old trunks is quite striking, coloring gray, orange, and brown and developing an exfoliating, platy, scaly character. This species withstands drought and infertile soils and displays excellent cold and heat tolerance. Unlike many maples, does not develop leaf scorch under drought stress. A fine choice for the small residential landscape, as a street tree, or under utility wires. Many dwarf and variegated types are known. Grows 25 to 35 ft. high, 15 to 25 ft. wide. Zones 5 to 8(9). China.
Acer buergerianum, trident maple
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Angyo Weeping’, a promising new introduction from Japan, has gracefully arching branches.
Acer buergerianum ‘Angyo Weeping’ fall color
‘Mino-yatsubusa’ is a cute, graceful, dwarfish form; leaves have long slender lobes that extend to narrow apices. Observed 4-ft. and 10-ft. trees; usually rounded in outline.
Acer buergerianum ‘Mino-yatsubusa’
Raising Blaze™ (‘EOAB-1’) has red new growth, brilliant orange to red fall color, superior heat tolerance, and reduced fruit set.
Acer buergerianum Raising Blaze™
Acer campestre
hedge maple
The common name is appropriately derived from the use of this species for hedging purposes, especially in Europe, where it occurs naturally in the famed hedgerows along highways. As a medium-sized lawn tree, it has few rivals. The habit is rounded and dense. The dark green leaves, 2 to 4 in. long and wide, are composed of five rounded lobes. Leaves usually die off late in fall but on occasion turn yellow. Displays excellent tolerance to drought and heat. Good for use along streets, in lawns and parks, and fashioned into a hedge. Grows 25 to 35 ft. high and wide; can reach 75 ft. high. Zones 4 to 7, 8 and 9 on West Coast. Europe, Near East, Africa.
Acer campestre, hedge maple
Acer campestre
Acer campestre fall color
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Carnival’ develops green, pink, and white leaves that age to green with a white margin; slow-growing and will revert.
Acer campestre ‘Carnival’
Metro Gold® (‘Panacek’) develops an upright, tightly branched, pyramidal habit. Not as fruit-ful as Queen Elizabeth™. Dark green foliage turns bright yellow in autumn; 35 ft. by 20 ft.
‘Nanum’ (‘Compactum’) is dense, multi-stemmed, of compact habit, typically broader than high. Usually grafted on a standard, forming a small lollipop tree. Listed as a 4- to 6-ft. shrub, but I’ve observed a specimen that was 12 ft. by 15 ft.
Acer campestre ‘Nanum’
Queen Elizabeth™ (‘Evelyn’) is more vigorous than the species. Its branches angle at 45°. The dark green leaves are larger than those of the species and develop yellowish fall color. Matures to a medium-sized tree with a flat top and rounded outline. Sets abundant fruit that turn brown in late summer.
‘Royal Ruby’ has red-purple new leaves that fade to green. Others like ‘Red Shine’ and Sparkling Burgundy® are similar.
Acer carpinifolium
hornbeam maple
A favorite of the author; smallish, refined, gracefully vase-shaped in youth, with dark green leaves resembling hornbeam, Carpinus, in shape and venation. Leaves turn rich gold to brown in autumn, similar to color of American beech leaves. Pretty understory and edge-of-woods tree; acid, well-drained soil suits it best. Tolerates moderate shade to full sun but not heat: 90 days of 90°F in summer 2010 ruined the expression of greatness. Grows 20 to 25 ft. high, slightly wider. Zones (4)5 to 7. Japan.
Acer carpinifolium, hornbeam maple
Acer carpinifolium fall color
Acer circinatum
Oregon vine maple
In my academic youth, while teaching/researching at the University of Illinois, Urbana, I accumulated myriad trees and shrubs for testing. This West Coast species was in my purview, secured, planted, observed, and died in less than a year. Not exactly an uplifting experience for a young assistant professor. Subsequent trips to the Pacific Northwest introduced me to the species contentedly thriving in the shade of Douglas-fir, bigleaf maple, western arborvitae. The lesson learned: some species are best left at home! Almost always shrubby, low-branched, multi-stemmed in habit. Leaves are seven- to nine- (occasionally five- to 11-) lobed, 3 to 5 in. long and wide, medium green, turning yellow, orange, and red in fall. The new spring growth is reddish tinged. Typically found in moist woods, along stream banks, and the dry Oregon summers do not adversely affect performance. In Au-gust, plants are already showing fall color impulses. Best in shady border, naturalizing situation, and grouping. Observed 20-ft.-high plant in the Hoh Rain Forest, Washington; specimen at Hillier was 20 ft. by 25 ft.; national champion is 64 ft. by 37 ft. Zones 6 to 8 on West Coast. British Columbia to northern California.
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Several smallish selections, like ‘Monroe’, with deeply cut leaves and good orange-red fall color. May grow 10 ft. high, less in spread.
Pacific Purple® (‘JFS-Purple’) has new growth bronze over green and intensifies to deep purple, the colors deeper in full sun; orange-bronze fall color. J. Frank Schmidt & Son Nursery, Boring, Oregon, introduction; 12 ft. high and wide.
Acer circinatum, Oregon vine maple
Acer circinatum
Acer cissifolium subsp. henryi
Rare, small-statured maple with upright-oval habit, eventually rounded at maturity. Emerging leaves are red to purple, eventually medium green, then yellow-orange-red in fall. Leaves are trifoliate, each leaflet toothed, unlike Acer cissifolium, which has essentially entire leaflets. Flowers, yellow-green, are borne in 2- to 4-in.-long racemes with the unfolding leaves. Adapted to extremes of soil and climate except permanently wet. Withstood –24°F in Louisville, Kentucky, area while A. cissifolium was killed to the main trunk. Worthy maple for smaller properties. Movement toward selection of superior types by J. Frank Schmidt & Son; I observed a rich red-purple foliage selection that is close to release. Grows 20 to 30 ft. high and wide. Zones (4)5 to 7, 8 on West Coast.
Acer cissifolium subsp. henryi
Acer cissifolium subsp. henryi new growth
Acer griseum
paperbark maple
If more widely available in commerce, paperbark maple would be a common plant in American gardens. Its paucity may be related to the difficulty associated with propagation—poor seed quality, slow growth, and very difficult to root. As an element in a winter landscape, however, it has few peers. The rich cinnamon to reddish brown exfoliating bark commands center stage, especially when framed by snow. Habit is that of a small tree, ranging from oval to rounded in outline. The dark bluish green, 3- to 6-in.-long, trifoliate leaves often turn brilliant red in fall, but superior fall color is more common in the East than in the Midwest. The species is extremely tolerant of acid or alkaline clay soils, as long as they are well drained. No two specimens are exactly alike, and such individuality provides for excellent landscape effect. Serves well as a specimen or small lawn tree, in a shrub border, or in groupings. No finer tree could be recommended. Grows 20 to 30 ft. high and wide. Zones 4 to 8. Central China.
Acer griseum, paperbark maple
Acer griseum
Acer griseum fall color
Other trifoliate maples that offer excellent fall color and/or bark include Acer mandshuricum, Manchurian maple, with fluorescent, pinkish red fall color and smooth gray bark; A. maximowiczianum (A. nikoense), Nikko maple, with yellow, red, or purple (often muted red) fall color and smooth gray bark; and A. triflorum, threeflower maple, with orange-red fall color and ash-brown to golden amber, loose, vertically fissured and lightly exfoliating bark. This is the most cold hardy of the trifoliates and is growing in Minnesota.
Acer mandshuricum, Manchurian maple, fall color
Acer maximowiczianum, Nikko maple
Acer triflorum, threeflower maple
Acer triflorum fall color
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Cinnamon Flake’ and Gingerbread™ (‘Ginzam’) are beautiful hybrids between Acer griseum and A. maximowiczianum with cinnamon-stick exfoliating bark and blue-green leaves that turn rich red in autumn. A plant in the Dirr garden displayed great vigor and increased heat tolerance over either parent.
Acer japonicum
fullmoon maple
Although not as popular as its close relative Acer palmatum, Japanese maple, this small, rounded tree offers excellent fall foliage and has several outstanding cultivars. The 3- to 6-in.-wide, rich green leaves are composed of seven to 11 lobes. The sinuses are not as deeply cut as those of A. palmatum. In autumn, the leaves change to vibrant yellows and reds. Purplish red flowers, ½ in. in diameter, appear in great numbers on long-stalked, nodding corymbs in April. The smooth gray bark is quite handsome. Culture is similar to that of A. palmatum, except A. japonicum does not appear to be quite as heat-tolerant. Grows 20 to 30 ft. high and wide. Zones 5 to 7. Japan.
Acer japonicum, fullmoon maple
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
‘Aconitifolium’ has nine- to 11-lobed leaves that are cut to within ¼ to ½ in. of the petiole. Each major lobe is again divided and sharply toothed, producing a fern-like texture. Fall color is spectacular orange to crimson. Rounded and shrubby in habit. Grows 8 to 10 ft. high.
Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ fall color
‘Aureum’ is a pretty yellow-leaved cultivar. The color holds quite well, except in intense heat. Fall color is a handsome golden yellow. It has a distinct upright, vase-shaped habit, with the branches suspended in cloud-like strata. Now placed as a selection of Acer shirasawanum. Grows 10 to 20 ft. high.
Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’
‘Vitifolium’ has grape-like leaves, 4 to 6 in. long and wide, that turn rich shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple in autumn. Grows 20 to 25 ft. high and wide.
Acer japonicum ‘Vitifolium’
Acer japonicum ‘Vitifolium’ fall color
Acer miyabei
Miyabe maple
Always had a fascination with the species and questioned its absence from gardens. A kindred spirit with Acer campestre, but larger in leaf and stature. Habit, in youth, is upright-oval, becoming rounded with age. Leaves, five-lobed, 4 to 6 in. wide, 3 to 5 in. long, are flat to semi-glossy dark green, pale to rich yellow in autumn. Flowers, greenish yellow, are borne in slender-stalked, 10- to 15-flowered corymbs in May with the expanding leaves. Culturally, prefers moist, well-drained soils on the acid side but appears suitable for neutral soils. Successful culture in Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, and South Carolina corroborates adaptability. Excellent lawn, park, and potential street tree. Grows 30 to 40 ft. high and wide. Zones 4 to 7. Japan.
Acer miyabei, Miyabe maple
Acer miyabei fall color
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
State Street™ (‘Morton’) is an upright-oval form, 40 ft. by 25 ft., with dark green foliage turning yellow in fall. Handsome corky bark, fast growth, and distinct ascending, full branching in youth. Performed superbly in zone 7, and the original tree was housed in the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.
Several hybrids, such as Acer ×hillieri (A. miyabei × A. cappadocicum) and A. miyabei × A. campestre, have the potential for landscape acceptance.
Acer miyabei State Street™
Acer negundo
boxelder
For those areas of the country where tree culture is fraught with difficulty, this species can be recommended. The ornamental attributes are limited, but boxelder’s adaptability to dry or wet soils and to inhospitable climatic conditions provide a legitimate basis for utilization. Habit is rounded to broad-rounded, but there is no constancy to this character, and Acer negundo may appear as an unkempt shrub, a gaunt tree, or a biological fright. The light green leaves are composed of three to five (seven to nine), 2- to 4-in.-long leaflets that turn yellowish in fall but are not particularly striking. It is dioecious (sexes separate), and female trees set prodigious quantities of fruit, which leads to supra-optimal quantities of seedlings. Wood is subject to breakage, insects, and diseases. Temperance is the rule when considering this species. Grows 30 to 50 ft. high, variable spread. Zones 2 to 9. United States, Canada.
Acer negundo, boxelder
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Several variegated cultivars are known, the best being ‘Variegatum’, with cream-margined leaves. It is spectacular for summer foliage color, but it requires partial shade. A female, and the wings of the samaras are also variegated. ‘Auratum’ and ‘Kelly’s Gold’ (male) have yellow leaves, and ‘Flamingo’ (male) has brilliant pink new leaves that mature to green with a white border.
Acer negundo ‘Variegatum’
Acer negundo ‘Auratum’
Acer negundo ‘Kelly’s Gold’
Acer negundo ‘Flamingo’
Variety violaceum has bloomy (waxy) violet stems and beautiful lavender-purple pendent stamens before the leaves; new growth is bronze. The 60-ft.-high, oval-rounded tree at Hillier was as close to noble
as any boxelder will ever achieve.
Acer negundo var. violaceum
‘Winter Lightning’ with saturated yellow-bug-light stems makes quite a winter show; probably best to cut back and encourage vigorous young shoots, which develop the maximum winter color.
Acer palmatum
Japanese maple
True aristocrats are rare among people and trees, but Japanese maple is in the first order. It is difficult to imagine a garden that could not benefit from one of the many forms of Acer palmatum. The normal habit is round to broad-rounded, with the branches assuming a layered, almost stratified architecture, similar to Cornus florida, flowering dogwood. The five- to nine-lobed, finely serrated, 2- to 5-in.-long and -wide leaves vary from light green to dark green; variety atropurpureum offers shades of reddish purple. Fall color is sensational, with rich yellows and reds developing consistently each autumn. The color persists and may be effective as late as November. The winter silhouette is also attractive and, coupled with the smooth gray bark, provides interest during the off season.
Landscape uses for the species and its many cultivars are limited only by the imagination of the gardener. Soils should be evenly moist, acid, organic-laden, and well drained. Grows 15 to 25 ft. high and wide; 40-ft. specimens are known. Zones 5 to 8. Japan, central China, Korea.
Acer palmatum, Japanese maple
Acer palmatum
Acer palmatum fall color
Acer palmatum samaras
CULTIVARS AND VARIETIES
Hundreds of selections have been made. For a detailed and meticulous accounting, refer to Japanese Maples (2010) by Peter Gregory and J. D. Vertrees. I have grown seedling populations with dissected green and purple leaves as well as normal green and purple. Herein utilized a new designation to partition the cultivars. I have grown/observed all presented.
GREEN GROUP Five- to nine-lobed green leaves.
‘Bihou’ has beautiful yellow, apricot, orange winter stems on an upright habit.
Acer palmatum ‘Bihou’
‘Glowing Embers’ has small dark green leaves that turn orange-red-purple in fall.
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