Woody Plants Shrubs

Berberis thunbergii

Japanese barberry

Berberis thunbergii size

6 ft

Berberis thunbergii foliage

Deciduous, straight species is green but popular cultivars are red or yellow, fine texture, small simple elliptic with entire margin, very fine thorns, very sharp 

Buddleia davidii common name

Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii foliage

Deciduous, green with silver on back, lanceolate leaf with serrate margin, fine texture

Buddleia davidii size

5-10 ft

Clethra alnifolia common name

Summer-Sweet, Clethra

Clethra alnifolia habitat

Native, found in wet wooded areas naturally

Berberis thunbergii density

dense and compact

Berberis thunbergii fruit

red showy elongated fruit, attracts birds, located just above stipular thorns. Arranged downstem

Berberis thunbergii fall color

showy red

Berberis thunbergii site considerations

best in full sun but tolerate shade, tolerates dry soils, prefers MFWD soil

Buddleia davidii time of bloom

Mid july to first frost

Buddleia davidii peculiarities

late to leaf out in spring, can be weedy, propagates easily

Clethra alnifolia shape

Colony forming

Clethra alnifolia flower

stands upright, very fragrant, white flowers terminal spikes(on tips of stem)

Clethra alnifolia time of bloom

late july, summer bloom

Clethra alnifolia peculiarities

spider mites, attacks when stressed from too much heat or lack of moisture

Cornus alba peculiarities

stem blight, leaf spot, remove older stems to keep red

Cornus alba common name

Tatarian Dogwood

Cornus alba foliage

Deciduous, opposite leaf, species is green but most common is variegated leaf, md to coarse texture, simple elliptic leaf, red stem

Berberis thunbergii fruit

red showy elongated fruit, attracts birds, located just above stipular thorns. Arranged downstem

Cornus alba fruit

August and September gets white fruit with red pediciles

Cornus alba fall color

showy red

Cornus alba other interest

winter interest has red stems, only newer stems are red

Cornus alba site considerations

tolerant of moist poorly drained soils, tolerate partial shade

Cotoneaster apiculata common name

Cranberry Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster apiculata foliage

deciduous, glossy green, fine texture, very small rounded leaf, entire margin

Cotoneaster apiculata branching

spreading to arching, low growing plant

Cotoneaster apiculata flower and bloom time

small pink flowers in June

Cotoneaster apiculata fruit

red showy tiny apples in september into the winter

Cotoneaster apiculata fall color

showy red, comes late

Cotoneaster apiculata peculiarities

Apple family problems, spider mites, collects debris

Euonymus alatus common name

Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus habitat

invasive

Euonymus alatus fall color

scarlet flaming red color

Forsythia x intermedia common name

Forsythia

Forsythia x intermedia foliage

deciduous, green, md texture, simple elliptic with coarse serrated margins, opposite leaf, multiple lateral buds, prominent lenticels on stems. At nodes there are decurrent lines so stem feels square w/ raised ridges

Forsythia x intermedia flower

showy yellow flowers

Forsythia x intermedia time of bloom

mid april

Forsythia x intermedia winter hardiness

zone 5

Forsythia x intermedia peculiarities

cold temperatures kill flower buds

Hibiscus syriacus common name

Rose of Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus shape

broad columnar

Hibiscus syriacus flower

bright pink, purple, white, and blue, can be double flower, can be bicolor, tropical

Hibiscus syriacus time of bloom

late july

Hibiscus syriacus winter hardiness

zone 5

Hydrangea macrophylla common name

Bigleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla stem

Green

Hydrangea macrophylla flower

rounded flower, showy white, pink, or blue

Hydrangea macrophylla time of bloom

Early July

Hydrangea macrophylla site considerations

Need moisture, full sun but happiest in afternoon shade

Hydrangea paniculata common name

Panicle Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata stem

woody brown

Hydrangea paniculata flower

Flower is cone shaped terminal clusters, mainly white but some pink. Some start white then go pink or vice versa

Hydrangea paniculata time of bloom

August

Hydrangea quercifolia common name

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia flower and time of bloom

narrow cone shaped white flower, blooms in mid july

Hydrangea quercifolia fall color

red purple showy, only hydrangea with fall color

Hydrangea quercifolia winter hardiness

zone 5

Itea virginica common name

Virginia Sweetspire

Itea virginica foliage

deciduous, green, md texture, simple elliptic, glossy green, very small sparse serrations - hard to see, stems are red on one side and greenish on the other

Itea virginica branching

Colony forming

Itea virginica flower

white pendulous flowers, spike terminal flower

Itea virginica time of bloom

June

Itea virginica fall color

showy red orange modeled color

Itea virginica winter hardiness

zone 5

Ligustrum amurense common name

Amur privet

Ligustrum amurense density

used for hedges

Ligustrum amurense comments

classic hedge plant, dense, durable, hardy, tolerates shearing, partial shade

Physocarpus opulifolius common name

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius habitat

Native

Physocarpus opulifolius foliage

deciduous, yellowish green but cultivars are purple/yellow, md texture, 3 lobed, more pointy than rose of sharon

Physocarpus opulifolius flower

white rounded terminal clusters, blooms in early june

Physocarpus opulifolius bark

Exfoliating bark

Physocarpus opulifolius peculiarities

powdery mildew

Physocarpus opulifolius functions

decoration, working plant

Potentilla fruticosa common name

Shrubby Cinquefoil, Potentilla

Potentilla fruticosa size

3 ft

Potentilla fruticosa habitat

Native

Potentilla fruticosa foliage

deciduous, grayish green, has pubescence on leaf, fine texture, deeply lobed, finger like, fine texture

Potentilla fruticosa flower

predominantly yellow, comes in white, orange, pink, and red

Potentilla fruticosa time of bloom

blooms all summer, repeat bloomer

Potentilla fruticosa site considerations

full sun, tolerant of difficult sites

Prunus cistena common name

Purpleleaf Sand Cherry

Prunus cistena foliage

Deciduous, purple, md texture, stem is also purple, simple elliptic serrated margin, has glands on petioles

Prunus cistena flower

Pale pink flowers, catches the eye against the purple leaves

Prunus cistena time of bloom

early May

Prunus cistena fruit

dark purple edible cherry

Prunus cistena other interest

summer foliage is purple, dark purple stems

Prunus cistena peculiarities

shallow root system, tent caterpillars, aphids

Rosa spp common name

Rose

Rosa spp foliage

Deciduous, green with reddish tinges, pinnately compound leaf, # of leaflets varies, md to fine texture, large thorns

Rosa spp flower color

comes in just about every color, very showy, sometimes fragrant

Rosa spp fruit

Rose hips, various sizes and colors. Hips have very high vitamin C, can eat or make tea. Can dry them

Rosa spp peculiarities

thorns, often grafted so make sure root stalk doesn’t send up shoots, black spot, powdery mildew, aphids, japanese beetle’s favorite food, rose rosette virus - new growth comes out with thin strands instead of leaves. Need to remove it

Spiraea x bumalda common name

Bumald Spirea

Spiraea x bumalda flower

pink small flowers in clusters, fairly showy, look for spent blooms to identify, blooms in June

Spiraea x bumalda winter hardiness

zone 5

Syringa vulgaris common name

Common Lilac