Names and Traits Flashcards
2-3 feet tall with silver-green foliage and purple-blue flowers. Ovate to lanceolate leaves, 1-2 inches long and arranged opposite on the stem. Herbaceous shrub, regrow every year from new shoots. Some plants have serrated edges. Very tolerant to poor soil and hot conditions.
Caryopteris clandonensis (Bluemist Shrub)
Large shrub with showy bright yellow blossoms. Sizable, serrated, ovate leaves, arranged opposite each other on the stem. Hollow pith. Greenish stems also have prominent lenticels speckling the stems. Noted for its hardiness and vigor.
Forsythia x intermedia (Forsythia)
10 ft blooming shrub. Ovate blue-green leaves, arranged opposite on stems. Mature plants have stripes in the bark. Pink or white small blossoms and clusters of red berries formed in the summer. Susceptible to the Russian Aphid. Cold hardy and does well in poor soil.
Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian Honeysuckle)
Fast-growing, large deciduous shrub (8-10 feet tall), rounded. Branches tend to weep. Chestnut-colored stems are slightly pubescent. Leaves have a silver tinge. White blooms occur in mid-spring. Does not bear much fruit, but the fruit is red and very small. Does not perform well in consistently hot climates, but does in poor soil.
Lonicera xylosteum (European Fly Honeysuckle)
Famous for its strongly fragrant blossoms with citrus scent. Four-petaled, showy, white blossoms. Leaves are green to dark-green, 2-4 inches long and ovate in shape with very visible veins. May be very noticeable teeth on the leaf margins, or only slightly noticeable teeth. grow up to 8 feet high, with a width varying from 5 to 7 feet. Very easy to grow.
Philadelphus virginalis (Mockorange)
Extremely hardy, large (up to 10 feet tall and wide) deciduous shrub. Bark is light brown to cinnamon in color and exfoliates in strands on older stems. Withstands extreme cold and nearly all types of soil conditions and is very drought tolerant. Large, deeply lobed and serrated leaves. Flowering occurs in corymbs, white flowers give way to red berries.
Physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark)
Small shrub (4 feet high and wide) that is very common. Green leaves are alternately pinnately compound and less than an inch long, normally five leaflets, leaves are soft. Very hardy. Round, one inch flowers with five petals. Pink blossoms will often become white, and red and orange blossoms will become yellow.
Potentilla fruiticosa (Potentilla)
Small (3-4 feet high, 4-5 feet wide) mounded shrub, compact, 1-3 inch long leaves are arranged alternately and elliptic-lanceolate in shape with serrated edges. New leaves emerge in shades of red and gradually change to a dark green. In fall the leaves turn a rusty orange color. Pink or white flowers emerge in corymbs up to 4 inches across.
Spiraea x bumalda (Bumald Spirea)
Medium-large sized shrub (8 feet tall and 12 feet wide). Graceful weeping branches. Small umbels of white flowers, instead of corymbs. One inch long leaves are arranged alternately on the stem. The leaves have 3 or 5 lobes. Hardy. Prone to leaf spot and powdery mildew.
Spiraea x vanhouttei (Vanhoutte or Bridalwreath Spirea)
Small, compact shrub (2-3 feet tall and wide). Smaller leaves and finer texture. Requires regular watering or the leaves will burn quickly. Dark green serrated leaves (1-2 inches) are arranged alternately on the stem. Large clusters of pink flower corymbs, brown corymbs should be pruned.
Spiraea japonica (Japanese Spirea)
Powerful fragrance. Showy blossoms occur on large panicles. Fruit capsules appear on the panicles after flowers. Large shrub (10-15 feet tall and wide), vigorous and can become invasive if suckers spread. Stems have a smooth, light grey bark. Dark green, ovate leaves are arranged oppositely on the stems. The leaves tend to fold along the central vein. Susceptible to aphids and powdery mildew.
Syringa x vulgaris (Common Lilac)
Large (10 feet tall and wide) deciduous shrub. Adaptable to many soil and site conditions, very tough and hardy. Dark green 3-4 inch leaves opposite on the stem, have three large pointed lobes with a serrated edge. Leaves turn orangish-red in the fall. White flowers appear in rounded corymbs with showy white flowers around a larger cluster of smaller white flowers. Bright red berries. Susceptible to aphids, berries are attractive to birds, but mildly poisonous to humans.
Vibrunum opulus (European Cranberry Bush Viburnum)
Leaf is ovate, about 1 inch long, and they form alternately on the stem. 1/2 inch long thorns. Yellow flowers appear in spring and hang beneath the leaves. Medium-sized shrub (up to 6 feet high), deep red effect, with dark green under-tones visible on closer inspection. Tolerant of most climate conditions. Fruit is attractive to wildlife, though the berries are not particularly palatable.
Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea
Japanese Red Barberry
Leaf is elliptic with creamy, variegated margins. stems of new growth are red. Clusters of white blossoms. Clusters of 1/2 inch wide white fruit appear. Large (8-10 feet high, 5-10 feet wide), upright shrub. Suckers fairly aggressively. Susceptible to leaf spot.
Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ (Variegated Tatarian Dogwood)
Leaves are vibrant green, elliptic and have an arcuate vein pattern. Small clusters of white flowers. Stems turn bright red during during the winter. Wider (7-9 feet high, up to 10 feet wide). Fall color is purple-red. Sucker vigorously
Cornus sericea (Redosier (Redtwig) Dogwood)
Forms a dense mat. Small leaves are a shiny, dark green and circular. Bright red pome fruit. Low, spreading shrub (3 feet high and 6 feet wide). Leaves tend to have a crinkled appearance, and are warped or wavy. Small cream-colored blossoms appear in loose clusters along the stem. Break a stem and smell the wood. This type emits a faint cherry scent.
Cotoneaster apiculatus (Cranberry Cotoneaster)
Shiny, dark green leaves are 2 inches long and ovate. Dull red pome fruit. Large shrub (6-10 feet high and wide) with a rounded habit and spreading branches. Hardy and quick growing. Has a weak root system that does not like to be disturbed it does not handle transplanting well.
Cotoneaster lucidus (Hedge Cotoneaster)
Famous for its bright red fall color. Medium to large shrub. Leaf is elliptic, 2-3 inches long, vary from dark green to lime green, arranged oppositely on the stem. Small green flowers. Stems have corky ‘wings’, protrusions. Very large (up to 20 feet tall). Suffers from iron chlorosis in clay soils. Undeniably overused.
Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ (Burning Bush)
Leave are dark green, lanceolate, 1-2 inches long. Panicles of white blossoms. Large, upright shrub growing 12-15’ high and 10-12’ wide. 1/3 inch purple-black berries appear in clusters. susceptible to powdery mildew and leaf spot. Twig blight is a problem elsewhere.
Ligustrum vulgare (Privet)
Golden Yellow leaves are 2-3 inches long and lanceolate-elliptic in shape. Panicles of white flowers with a creamy scent. Large deciduous shrub grows 10-12 feet high and wide.
Ligustrum x vicaryi (Golden Privet)
Leaf is 1-3 inches long and ovate, with conspicuous veins. Fruit is 1/2 inch in diameter and ripens to black. Vertical plant. Young stems are a reddish-brown, with mature stems having a brown to gray color. Susceptible to leaf spot.
Rhamnus frangula ‘Columnaris’ (Tallhedge Buckthorn)
Grows into a colony of large shrubs. New growth and young stems are highly pubescent. Clusters of red drupe. Mature stems are light grey and are not pubescent. Fast growing large shrub or small tree. Drupes only form on females. Susceptible to several different pests and diseases, but so hardy and vigorous most ailments have limited impact.
Rhus typhina or glabra (Staghorn Sumac)
Bright green leaves have three lobes and are serrated. Red currants can form on female plants, but fruit production is unreliable. Deciduous and dioecious, medium sized shrub that produces inedible fruit. 3-6 feet tall. Inconspicuous, small yellow-green flowers. susceptible to leaf spot and aphids.
Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant)
Medium sized shrub with an almost perfectly round form. Leaves are lanceolate, 2-4 inches long and blue-green. Young stems are a bright red, thin and pliable
Salix purpurea ‘Nana’ (Dwarf Arctic Willow)
Medium to large deciduous (5-12 feet tall and wide) shrub with an inconsistent form. Large and showy cymes of white flowers. Large clusters of berries. The stems are a yellowish-gray, have a significant number of lenticels.
Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry)
Central lobe of the leaf is elongated and the petioles are bright red. Fall color is red. Samaras are plentiful on the tree and the wings of the samaras are reddish in color. Typically found in multi-stem form. small tree (15-20 feet tall, with a similar or wider spread). Extremely cold hardy. Susceptible to developing iron chlorosis.
Acer ginnala (Flame Maple)
Palmate leaves have 5-7 lobes that are deeply cut. Vibrant fall color. Well known for its attractive form. Mature trees look like delicate and ancient centerpieces. Small tree (up to 25 feet tall)
Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)
Vigorous woody vine that climbs with holdfasts. Large, red or orange tubular flowers that emerge in clusters. Leaf is oppositely compound, with 9 to 11 leaflets per leaf. Each leaf can measure over a foot long. Each leaflet is ovate and irregularly toothed. Litmus test for gardeners”If you cannot grow this: give up gardening.”
Campsis radicans (Common Trumpetcreeper, Trumpet Vine)
Leaf is oppositely pinnately compound. Leaflets are 2-4 inches long. Stem is reddish-brown and has parallel ridges. Large single flowers are very showy, 4-6 petals. Seeds appear after the flower. They are light and airy and resemble a sea anemone.
Clematis x jackmanii (Jackman Clematis)
Leaves are ovate or cordate in shape with doubly serrated margins. Bark is flaky. Both male and female flowers on the same plant. The male catkins are showy, but the female flower is hardly noticeable. Husks surround the ….. Small tree or large shrub (12-15 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide). Susceptible to blight
Corylus sp. (Filbert or Hazelnut)
