Discover Top Posts Tagged with #rich soils

Magnolia obovata: Whiteleaf Japanese Magnolia

Plant community: NA

Native region: Japan

Mature size: Tree, grows 25-40′ tall and 15-25′ wide.

Habitat: Grows in organically rich and medium to wet soils. Needs some shade. Intolerant to heat. Cannot grow in poor soils.

Hardiness zones: Zones 5-7

Leaf characteristics: Leaves grow in whorls. Has very large leaves, from 6-20″ long, and 4-8″ wide. Slightly rounded ovular in shape.

Flower and fruit characteristics: Flowers are large and fragrant, growing up to 8″ long. Produces cone-like bright red fruits, which contain black seeds.

Other notable characteristics: Has an attractive, semi-smooth slate grey bark.

Urban Uses: Need of specific growing conditions make it intolerant to urban conditions, especially those of heat and poor soils. However, sometimes planted ornamentally when growing conditions fit, because of its large showy leaves and flowers.

More on urban intolerance

Sources: USDA Plants, Missouri Botanical Garden, Dirr

#red maple swamp #herbaceous #rich soils #medium soils #needs shade #drought tolerant #zone 3 #zone 4 #zone 5 #zone 6 #zone 7 #zone 8 #urban intolerant

Carya glabra: Pignut Hickory

Plant community: Oak Hickory Forest

Native region: Eastern North American, as far north as Massachusetts, and as far west as Arkansas.

Mature size: Tree, usually grows 50-80′ tall and 25-40′ wide.

Habitat: Grows in rich and medium moisture soils. Requires moisture. Shade intolerant. Needs a large space to grow. Concentrated within Appalachian forests and the Ohio River Valley

Hardiness zones: Zones 4-9

Leaf characteristics: Alternate and pinnately compound with 5-7 leaflets. Leaves are 5-8″ long, leaflets are 3-6″ long, 1-2″ wide. Oval in shape, widens to midway, and sharpens to a tip.

Flower and fruit characteristics: Yellow-green flowers in catkins and on short spikes. Produces a rounded nut as fruit.

Other notable characteristics: Has a very long taproot which makes it difficult to transplant. Has scaly grey bark at maturity. Has a straight trunk and rounded crown.

Urban Uses: Specific growing conditions make this difficult to establish within the urban environment, especially those of rich soils, need for moisture, and need for space.

More on urban intolerance

Sources: USDA Plants, Missouri Botanical Garden, Dirr

#oak hickory forest #tree #rich soils #medium soils #drought intolerant #shade intolerant #needs space #zone 4 #zone 5 #zone 6 #zone 7 #zone 8 #zone 9

Oxydendrum arboreum: Sourwood

Plant community: Oak Hickory Forest

Native region: Eastern North American, prominently as far north as West Virginia, but sometimes appearing farther north, and as far west as Mississippi.

Mature size: Tree, usually grows 20-50′ tall and 10-25′ wide.

Habitat: Grows in organically rich, medium soils. Intolerant of both drought and of urban pollution. Found in rocky wooded slopes.

Hardiness zones: Zones 5-9

Leaf characteristics: Alternate and simple. 3-8″ long, 1.5-3.5″ wide. Long elliptic in shape. Lustrous dark green above.

Flower and fruit characteristics: Perfect white and smooth flowers. Produces a yellow-brown capsule as a fruit.

Other notable characteristics: Grayish-brown to brown bark which is very thick and scaly, deeply ridged. Pyramidal in shape.

Urban Uses: Intolerances to drought, nutrient-poor soils, and urban pollution make it difficult to establish in the urban environment.

More on urban intolerance

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, USDA Plants, Dirr

#tree #oak hickory forest #rich soils #zone 5 #zone 6 #zone 7 #zone 8 #zone 9 #drought intolerant #air pollution intolerant

Kalmia latifolia: Mountain Laurel

Plant community: NA

Native region: Eastern North American as far west as Alabama

Mature size: Shrub, usually grows 5-15′ tall and 5-15′ wide.

Habitat: Prefers cool, acidic, and rich soils in part shade. Can tolerate full shade. Does not tolerate flooding.

Eco-Indicator: Acidic, warm sites

Hardiness zones: Zones 4-9

Leaf characteristics: Alternate and simple, but occasionally opposite or whorled. 2-5″ long, 2/4-1.5″ wide. Long elliptic in shape. Dark green in color.

Flower and fruit characteristics: Beautiful white to pink flowers with purple markings. Fruit is a brown capsule.

Other notable characteristics: Large shrub which is symmetrical in youth, later becomes open and straggly with gnarled limbs. Gray-brown bark which is lightly ridged.

Urban Uses: No specific tolerances which make it used for the urban environment, but intolerance to flooding may make it difficult to plant on urban soils. Often planted for its beautiful spring flowers.