Ornamental Trees

ORNAMENTAL TREES

Acer ginnala
Amur Maple
Mature Height: 15-20’                                      Fall Color: Brilliant Red
This is a pleasing small tree or large shrub with lightly fragrant yellowish flowers in late spring followed by red fruit in July. Its brilliant red fall color is among the most vibrant and consistent of any plant.   Unlike  other maples, the Amur Maple is multi-stemmed clump tree. It is very adaptable except for poorly drained areas. It prefers full sun to partial shade.

Acer palmatum
Japanese Maple
Mature Height: upright cultivars 20-30’                           Fall Color: Red
This is a delicate tree that requires some careful consideration regarding the planting site.  It does best when sheltered from the hot afternoon sun. Japanese Maples can also be damaged in the winter by heavy snow or snow or ice falling off from the roof of a house. 

Japanese maples prefer part sun to filtered shade and acidic soils (pH < 7.0) with higher levels of organic matter. Because they leaf out early, young leaves are prone to cold damage from our typical April frosts.

There are hundreds of cultivated varieties, of these many are lacey or cutleaf varieties (dissectums). Size varies at maturity from 8-15 feet; leaf color is either green or purplish in the growing season, yellow to orange and red in fall.

Acer grisseum
Paperbark Maple
Mature Height 20-25’                               Fall Color: Gold to Red
This attractive species was brought here from Western China.  It is a smaller Maple, growing to only 20-25' in height.  The compound leaves give it a delicate texture in summer and then display long lasting red-gold fall color.  The exfoliating orange-brown to cinnamon –brown bark creates year round interest.  It is disease and pest resistant, and very tolerant of heavy clay soils.

Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'
Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Height: 10-15'          Spread 10-15'
A small, slow growing tree with deep red foliage.

Cercis Canadensis
American Redbud
 Mature Height: 20’                                  Fall Color: Yellow
The Eastern Redbud, as it is commonly known, is a joy to behold every spring when its tiny flowers appear on the stems prior to leafing.  It has unique heart shaped leaves, and the smaller stature of other understory trees like the Dogwood. It is native to eastern North America.

It tends to be vase to dome shaped, and most have bright pink, pea shaped flowers and persistent pods fluttering from the branches. The flowers start as tiniest little pink slippers of bud, and then expand into a deeper rose color.  They stand out brightly in the spring landscape, and look especially stunning alongside dark evergreens.

Cercis Canadensis
Forest Pansy Redbud
Mature Height: 20    Spread: 25      Bloom Color: Rosy Pink          Fall Color: Red
The Forest Pansy is a cute selection of Eastern Red Bud.  Delicate magenta rose flowers appear before the foliage which is a deep purple.  The new growth is exceptionally glossy. 

Cornus alternifolia
Pagoda Dogwood
Height 10’        Spread 10’       Bloom Color: White
Pagoda Dogwood can grow in moist soils. It is a multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree reaching about 10 feet in height. Fall color is deep red.

The Pagoda Dogwood is a small understory tree native to much of the eastern United States. It gets its This plant's blossoms aren't as showy as those of the common Flowering Dogwood, but they are still attractive. They are creamy or yellowish white, very are followed by berries that gradually change from green to red to blue-black, on red stalks. These berries are a valuable food for birds and other wildlife.

The leaves can turn to a beautiful reddish-purple before they drop in autumn. The color varies from tree to tree, and may partly depend on growing conditions. The light brownish-gray bark, together with the interesting branching structure, gives the plant winter appeal.

Cornus florida
White Flowering Dogwood
Mature Height 25’                                    Fall Color: Bright Red
The Dogwood is one of the most beautiful of the smaller tree species in North America.  It is renowned for its pretty early spring flowers, graceful layered branch structure and bright red autumn color.   Being an understory tree in the forest, Dogwood does well in the shade or part sun  and will even tolerate full sun.  This is a great addition to almost any landscape.

Cornus kousa
Chinese Dogwood
Mature Height 15-20’’                      Fall Color: Maroon
When in bloom, the Kousa Dogwood is extremely showy.  It has an interesting exfoliating bark, long lasting flowers, nice fall color, and bears and attractive fruit.  The branches of the Kousa Dogwood grow upright when the tree is young, but change to a horizontal branching structure when mature.  With many specimens, it will eventually grow wider than it is tall.  The red fruit is edible and looks like a big round raspberry.  Birds love it. 

Crataegus phaenopyrum
Washington Hawthorn
Mature Height 20-30’                       Fall Color: Orange to Red
Washington Hawthorn grows 20 to 30 feet tall a has a wide pyramidal shape   It has a rapid growth rate when young, slowing with age. It is tolerant of many different soil types. The small, white, abundant flowers, produced in clusters in late spring are followed by showy orange to red fruit that persist into winter, if not eaten by birds. The fall leaf color is orange to red and can be quite striking.

The Washington Hawthorn is tolerant of urban conditions and can be grown in areas where air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil, and drought exist.  It can be grown as either s single or multi-stemmed clump.  It likes full sun to part shade.

Magnoia soulangiana
Saucer Magnolia
Mature Height 25’                            Fall Color: brownish yellow
The Saucer magnolia produces large cup shaped flowers in early May that are pink on the outside and white on the inside.  The foliage is a bright green and the tree is usually grown as a multi-stemmed tree.

Magnolia stellata
Star Magnolia
Mature Height 12-15’               Bloom Color: White
This is a small tree or large shrub producing start shaped flowers.  It is a later blooming variety that makes it less prone to a late freeze.

Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan”
Kwanzan Cherry
Mature Height 15-25’               Bloom Color: Pink
This is one the showiest of all Japanese cherries. 

It has double-pink, very attractive flowers.   Kwanzan Cherry has good yellow fall color and does not bear fruit. It prefers full sun, is intolerant of poor drainage, and is easily transplanted.

Fagus sylvatica ‘pupurea pendula’
Weeping Purple Beech
Mature Height 5-25’
Weeping purple Beech has deep purple foliage just as the standard Beech.  The color may fade somewhat to green in the heat of summer.  The deep purple leaves turn copper in autumn.   It makes a wonderful accent plant.

Larix decidua ‘Pendula’
Weeping Larch
Mature Height 5-15
This is a pendulous deciduous conifer with bright green foliage that turns a spectacular yellow in the fall.  It is a highly prized specimen plant.  It has a fairly fast growth rate and is easily grown in most soils. 

Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland Select’
Cleveland Select Pear
Mature Height 35’                    Fall Color: Dark Scarlet Red
The Cleveland Select Pear is almost a perfectly uniform tree which is a great addition to almost any landscape.  It naturally grows in a tight, symmetrical shape; a semi-perfect oval. Its leaves fill in any gaps creating a near flawless surface area. You often see these as a featured front yard tree or planted to line roads and entryways.

In the spring, you can enjoy a lengthy bloom of pure white flowers.  When compared to Bradford Pears, the Cleveland is a much hardier and stronger tree.   It resists damage from extreme snow, ice and wind.

It is a quick grower, achieving a mature height of about 35ft; an ideal size for small and medium sized yards.  The Cleveland Select is also very pest  and drought resistant.  It prefers full sun to part shade. 

In the fall, the leaves turn from a deep summer green to a dark scarlet red.  This is an excellent cultivar.
Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’
Aristocrat Pear
Mature Height 40’                            Fall Color: Red
The Aristocrat Pear quickly grows 35 to 40 feet high and 30 feet wide, with widely-spaced, upright-spreading branches.  The fruit is insignificant. This tree is pest resistant and tolerates drought, poor drainage, any soil; moderate winds, smog, and extreme temperatures.

The tree puts on a brilliant display of pure white flowers each spring.  The leaves emerge as red/purple, then become a glossy green with wavy margins and a red blush. They turn red again in fall before dropping. The small, pea-sized, red/brown fruits which form are quite attractive to birds and other wildlife and will persist on the tree for several months.  

Amelanchier canadensis
Shadblow Serviceberry
Mature Height 25’                                             Fall Color: Reddish Orange
Canadian service-berry or shadblow service-berry is a small, understory tree or large, multi-trunked shrub usually growing in clumps with many upright branches. Its crown is delicate and open. Long-petaled, white blossoms, opening before leaves emerge, are followed by a small, crimson-colored, edible, apple-like fruit. Enduring fall foliage is orange to rusty-red. The deciduous plant grows 6-20 ft. high, sometimes taller.