#na native

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Amorpha canescens Leadplant Amorpha

Family: Fabaceae

 Plant community: Unknown

 Origins: Central U.S.

 Mature size: 2-4’ height, 4-5’ spread. Broad, rounded, and flat-topped growth habit.

 Habitat: Grows in average moisture soil, well drained and in full sun. Does well in poor, sandy, somewhat dry soils. Occurs naturally in woodlands, glades, prairies.

 Hardiness zone: 2-6.

 Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound. 15-45 leaflets, entire leaf curved. Leaflets densely grayish pubescent on both sides.

 Flower: Blue-violet flowers stacked and remain purple for a while even after bloom.

 Urban landscape applications: Useful for naturalizing in areas that are abandoned, or in native places such as wildflower gardens, prairies, meadows. Used extensively in the high line. Nitrogen fixing roots allow it to flourish in poor soils, which is why it can recover from disturbance such as die-back, fire, and wildlife.

 Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org, www.thehighline.org/blog

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’

‘Slender Silhouette” Sweetgum

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Plant community: Sweetgum is Oak Hickory

Origins: Eastern U.S.

Mature size: Can grow up to 60’ and only 4’-5’ wide. Forms a very tall columnar shape.

Habitat: Does well in rich, moist clay soils as well as in flood areas.

Hardiness zone: 5-9.

Leaf: Star shaped, Dark lustrous green, yellow with hint of red in fall,

Flower: Fewer flowers in this cultivar. Produces fewer fruits, so suitable for landscapes.

Urban landscape applications: Narrow planting spaces such as street trees and urban spaces formed between buildings and streets. Used more frequently in these urban spaces because they also fruit less. Good to use for screening on lower floors.

Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.hortmag.com

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Mitchella repens

Partridge Berry

Family: Rubiaceae

Plant community: Red Maple Swamp, Oak Hickory

Origins: Eastern North America

Mature size: 2”, spread infinitely across ground.

Habitat: Best growth in acid, moist, well-drained peaty soil. Requires shade. Sensitive to alteration.

Hardiness zone: 3-9

Leaf: Opposite, simple, evergreen. Lustrous dark green above with whitish lines.

Flower: White or pinkish tinged with purple. Trumpet shaped and fragrant.

Urban landscape applications: Ground cover, but requires special attention. Good for small gardens and is very delicate. Not good for heavily trafficked or disturbed areas in cities. Also not good for larger plots.

Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Galutheria procumbens

Creeping Wintergreen

Family: Ericaceae

Plant community: Red Maple Swamp

Origins: Northeast to Central North America.

Mature size: 6” low growing habit. Creeping ground cover.

Habitat: Moist, acid, high organic soils. Need well-drained soil and shade.

Hardiness zone: 3-5

Leaf: Alternate, simple evergreen oval to obovate. Lustrous dark green above, turn reddish with onset of cold weather. Strong aroma of wintergreen when the leaves are crushed.

Flower: Perfect, pinkish white solitary.

Urban landscape applications: Not very tolerant to urban stressors such as drought, heat, and sun, but cultivars have potential. Good ground cover for shady gardens and smaller areas.

Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Populus tremuloides

Quaking Aspen

Family: Salicaceae

 Plant community: Spontaneous Urban Growth, Old Field

 Origins: Northern North America. California to Northern Mexico.

 Mature size: 40-50’ height with 20-30’ spread. Pyramidal and narrow in youth. Long trunk and narrow rounded crown at maturity.

 Habitat: Grows in many soil conditions and can be found in moist, loamy sands to shallow rocky soils and clay.

 Hardiness zone: 1-7

 Leaf: Alternate, simple, think Lustrous dark green above, glabrous beneath. Flutter in slightest breeze. Yellow fall color.

 Flower: Male flowers in catkins.

 Urban landscape applications:  Does well on sites with ample sunlight. Common on abandoned rubble, vacant lots, open woods and thickets, along railroads and unmowed highway banks. Suckering and colonizing nature forms thicker groups. Erosion control on slopes, soil building on degraded land. Used in the High Line in NYC, aesthetic valued due to aerodynamics and their ability to withstand windy and cold environments.

 Sources:  Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.arborday.org, www.thehighline.org/blog, plants.usda.gov

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Magnolia tripetala Umbrella Magnolia

Family: Magnoliaceae

 Plant community: unkown

 Origins: Central U.S. and central east coast.

 Mature size: 15-30’ height. Leaves clustered near ends of branches and forms umbrella like drooping shape.

 Habitat: Grows in deep, moist, woodsy soils along streams and swamps. Typically understory that grows beneath shade of other trees.

 Hardiness zone: 4-8

 Leaf: Alternate, simple, oblong ovate, 10-24” long, acute at base. Dark green above, pale grean beneath. Turning lighter and sometimes yellow in fall.

 Flower: 6-9 petaled flowers 6-10” across. Creamy white, solitary and overwhelmingly fragrant.

 Urban landscape applications: Used throughout the High Line in NYC, this tree does well in cold and elevated zones. It typically stays a pretty manageable size so can do well in cities. Does not do well with extremes in the soil type, but can tolerate a lower and consistent amount of moisture.

 Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, missouribotanicalgarden.org, www.thehighline.org/blog

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay Magnolia

Family: Magnoliaceae

 Plant community: unknown

 Origins: East coast U.S. to Texas.

 Mature size: 10-20’ high and wide in North, can grow 60’ high in South.  Small shrub shape, loose, open and upright habit in North with pyramidal semi-evergreen effect in South.

 Habitat: Does well in wet and swampy soils, tolerates shade, grows best in warm climates with acid soil.

 Hardiness zone: 5-9

 Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen to semi-evergreen. Lustrous dark green above and glaucous beneath. Some yellow color in fall.

 Flower: Creamy white, lemony flowers, 2-3” wide with 9-12 petals.

 Urban landscape applications: Evident along streams and coastal areas so does well in wet soils.

 Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, missouribotanicalgarden.org,

[rachelsplantinventory-blog]

Populus deltoides

Eastern Cottonwood

Family: Salicaceae

 Plant community: unknown

 Origins: Eastern to central North America

 Mature size: 75-100’ height, 50-75’ spread. Pyramidal in youth, but develops vase shape in maturity with open and irregular branching structure.

 Habitat: Prefers moist soils along waterways but can tolerate dry soils. Common on most alluvial soils through plains and prairies.

 Hardiness zone: 3-9

 Leaf: Alternate, simple, slightly triangular shape. Lustrous light to medium green in summer and occasionally turning yellow but leaves fall early.

 Flower: Catkins appearing before leaves.

 Urban landscape applications: Tolerates saline conditions and pollutants. Messy tree with leaves, fruits, flowers, and branches. Weak wood so breaks easily. But does do well in river bottoms and alluvial areas that do not have the threat of physical harm. Quick to move into abandoned areas. Grows rapidly on bare soils in full sun. Typically have multiple trunks but does not sucker. Grows in disturbed wetlands, drainage channels, in vacant lots and rubble and along railroads. Heat reduction in paved areas, tolerant of road salt. River bank stabilization.

 Sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.mortonarb.org