Common Species Name, Latin Name
- Common Baldcypress, taxodium distichum
- Taxodium distichum, commonly called bald cypress, is a long-lived, pyramidal conifer (cone-bearing tree) that grows 50-70' tall (less frequently to 125'). Although it looks like a needled evergreen (same family as redwoods) in summer, it is deciduous ("bald" as the common name suggests). It is native to southern swamps, byous, and rivers, primarily being found in coastal areas from Maryland to Texas and in the lower Mississippi River valley to as far north as the southeast corner of Missouri. In the deep South, it is a familiar sight growing directly in swampy water, often in large strands, with its branches heavily draped with Spanish moss. In cultivation, however, it grows very well in drier, upland soils. Trunks are buttressed (flared or fluted) at the base, and when growing in water, often develop distinctive, knobby root growths ("knees") that protrude above the water surface around the tree. Soft, feathery, yellowish-green foliage (1/4" long, flat needles in two ranks) turns an attractive orange/cinnamon-brown in fall. Rounded, wrinkled, 1-inch diameter, purplish-green cones mature to brown. Heavy, straight-grained, rot-resistant wood has been used for a variety of purposes including barrels, railroad ties, and shingles. The closest relative is the dawn redwood (Metasequoia) which is also deciduous. State tree of Louisiana. Genus name comes from the Latin word Taxus meaning yew and the Greek word eidos meaning resemblance from a similarity of leaf shape. Specific epithet means two ranks for the needle arrangement.
- Cockspur Thorn, crataegus crusgalli
- Crataegus crusgalli, commonly called cockspur thorn, is sometimes seen as a dense, low-branched, broad-rounded tree to 25-35' with horizontal branching armed with numerous large thorns (1.5-3" long). Lower branches often sweep near the ground. It is also often seen as a tall, flat-topped shrub. It is native from Quebec to North Carolina and Kansas. Obovate to oblong-obovate dark green leaves (to 3" long) have wedge-shaped bases. Foliage turns orange to scarlet to purple red in fall. White flowers (in corymbs to 3") bloom in May for a period of 7-10 days. Flowers emit an unpleasant fragrance. Flowers are followed by rounded fruits (3/8" diameter) ripen to deep red in fall (September-October) and typically persist to late fall. Fruits are technically edible but are usually best left for the birds. The fruit is sometimes called a haw. Genus name comes from the Greek name for the tree. Kratos means strength for its strong, hardwood. Crus-galli in Latin means leg of a cock in reference to the purported resemblance of the thorns of this plant to a cock's spurs. The specific epither of this plant is sometimes also designated as crusgalli. The white hawthorn blossom (Crataegus) is the Missouri State Flower.
- Common Serviceberry, amelanchier spp.
- Serviceberry is in the Roseaceae (rose) family and native to Europe, Africa, Northern America, and Temperate Asia. It is one of the first shrubs to flower in the spring, just before the dogwoods. It acquired the common name serviceberry because it blooms as soon as the ground starts to thaw when people are able to dig graves and bury their dead after the winter. It also derives the common names of shadbush and shadblow from the fact that the masses of flowers tend to open at the same time that shad ascend the rivers in early spring to spawn. Serviceberry is a multitrunked shrub or small tree with a rounded crown and grows 15 feet tall. In the wild, it can grow significantly larger than in the landscape. It forms root suckers, and if they are allowed to grow, it will result in the plant growing as a shrub rather than a tree. Over time, the suckers will cause the plant to form a small colony. Pruning should be done in the fall in order to avoid excessive loss of sap.
- Dwarf Korean Lilac, syringa meyeri std. 'palibin'
- Syringa meyeri, commonly called Meyer lilac or Korean lilac, was found growing in a garden near Beijing, China by Frank Meyer in 1909. It is not known to exist in the wild. It is a compact, rounded, slow-growing, deciduous shrub that matures to 5-8' tall and spreads to 10' wide. Pale lilac to violet-purple flowers bloom in small, dense terminal clusters (panicles to 3-4" long) in late April to early May. Flowers are fragrant. Small, broad-elliptic to obovate leaves (to 2" long) are dark green. No fall color. Genus name comes from the Greek word syrinx meaning tube or pipe in reference to the pith-filled but easily hollowed stems of some genus plants. Specific epithet honors Frank Meyer who collected this plant in China in 1909. 'Palibin' is a compact, low-spreading cultivar which typically grows 4-5' tall with a spread of 5-7'. Pale pink, sweetly fragrant single flowers arranged in dense, terminal clusters (panicles to 4" long) cover this shrub with a profuse bloom. This shrub is sometimes grafted to a 4' standard and sold as a small tree with a dense, rounded crown. Tree form typically matures to 8' tall.
- White Fir, abies concolor
- Abies concolor, commonly called white fir or concolor fir, is primarily native to mountain slopes (3000-9000 feet in elevation) in the western U.S., including the southern Cascades and Sierras from Oregon to southern California and the Rockies from southern Idaho to Arizona and New Mexico. In the wild, it typically grows to 80-130' tall, but on residential landscapes in the Midwest will more typically grow to 40-70' tall with a spread to 20-30'. This is a narrow conical conifer with a straight trunk, spire-like crown, and branching to the base. Upper branches tend to grow upward, but the lower branches tend to recline. With age, crowns flatten and lower branching begins to disappear. Soft, flattened, pale blue-green needles (to 2 1/2" long) have uniform coloration on both surfaces (the specific epithet is in reference to this). Slightly barrel-shaped cones (to 3-6" long) are most often yellowish-green, maturing to brown or purple. As is distinctive with the firs, the cones appear upright on the branches. Trees may not produce cones and seeds for up to the first 40 years. The bark is ash-gray and smooth but will furrow with age. Genus name is an ancient Latin name for a tree described by Pliny around 77 A.D. Specific epithet means the same color throughout.
- Common Witch-hazel, hamamelis virginiana
- Hamamelis virginiana, known as common with hazel, is a fall-blooming, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to woodlands, forest margins, and stream banks in eastern North America. It typically grows 15-20' tall with a similar spread in cultivation but can reach 30' tall in its native habitat. Stem-hugging clusters of fragrant bright yellow flowers, each with four crinkly, ribbon-shaped petals, appear along the branches from October to December, usually after leaf drop but sometimes at the time of fall color. Fertilized flowers will form fruit over a long period extending through winter and into the following growing season. Fruits are greenish seed capsules that become woody with age and mature to light brown. Each seed capsule splits open in the fall of the following year, exploding the 1-2 black seeds within for up to 30 feet. Oval to obovate, medium to dark green leaves (to 6" long) with dentate to wavy margins turn quality shades of yellow in fall. Genus name comes from the Greek words hama meaning at same time and melon meaning apple or fruit in reference to the occurence of both fruit and flowers at the same time on this shrub (particularly in the case of fall flowering members of the genus). Specific epithet means from Virginia.
- Red Osier Dogwood, cornus sericea
- Cornus sericea, commonly known as red twig dogwood or red osier dogwood, is an upright-spreading, suckering shrub that typically grows in the absence of pruning to 6-9' tall with a slightly larger spread. With the exception of the lower midwest and deep South, this species is native to much of North America where it is typically found growing in wet swampy areas, wetland margins, or along lakes and rivers. Ovate to lanceolate, medium to dark green leaves (2-5" long) acquire interesting shades of red to orange eventually fading to purple in autumn. Reddish stems turn bright red in winter and are particularly showy against a snowy backdrop. Tiny, fragrant, white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters (cymes to 2.5" diameter) in late spring, with sparse, intermittent, additional flowering sometimes continuing into summer. Flowers give way to clusters of whitish (sometimes with a bluish tinge) drupes in summer. Fruit is quite attractive to birds and is generally considered to have as much if not more ornamental interest than flowers. Red stems somewhat resemble the reddish stems of some osier willows, hence the common name of red osier dogwood. Some cultivars of this species (e.g., C. sericea 'Flaviramia') have yellow stems. Synonymous with and formerly known as Cornus stolonifera. Genus name comes from the Latin word cornus meaning "horn", possibly in reference to the strangth and density of the wood. Cornus is also the Latin name for cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). May also be related to the Greek kerasos meaning "cherry". Specific epithet from Latin means silky in reference to the hairs present on young twigs and upper leaf surfaces.
- Red Chokeberry, aronia arbutifolia
- Aronia arbutifolia, commonly called red chokeberry, is a deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub that is native to both wet and dry thickets in Eastern North America (Nova Scotia and Ontario to Ohio south to Texas and Florida). It typically grows in a vase-shaped form of 6-10' tall and 3-6' wide but tends to sucker and form colonies. Clusters (corymbs) of white to light pink, 5-petaled flowers (1/3" dimeter) appear in spring. Flowers are followed by abundant glossy red fruits (1/4" diameter) which appear in dense clusters along the branches. Fruits ripen in late summer and persist on the shrub throughout fall and well into winter. Elliptic to oblong to obovate leaves (to 3 1/2" long) are glossy dark green above and pubescent grayish-green beneath. Foliage turns bright red in autumn and compares favorably with burning bush (Euonymus alatus) for the excellence of fall color. Fruits are sometimes used to make tasty jams and jellies. Aronia arbutifolia is synonymous with Pyrus arbutifolis and Photinia pyrifolia. Genus name comes from the Greek word aria, the name for a species of Sorbus of which the fruits resemble chokeberry. Specific epithet means having leaves like Arbutus. Common name is in reference to the tart and bitter berries which are technically edible but are so astringent as to cause choking in those who try.
- Silky Dogwood, cornus amomum
- Cornus amomum, commonly called silky dogwood, is a medium-sized deciduous shrub that is typically found in moist lowland areas, swamp borders, floodplains, shrub wetlands, and along streams and ponds in Eastern North America (New Foundland to Ontario south to Missouri, Mississippi, and Florida). Twigs and leaf undersides have silky hairs, hence the common name. This dogwood typically grows to 6-12' tall with an open-rounded form. Tiny yellowish-white flowers (showy petal-like white bracts are absent) in flat-topped clusters (cymes to 2.5" across) bloom in late spring to early summer. Flowers give way to attractive berry-like drupes that change from white to blue as they ripen in late summer (August). Birds are attracted to the fruit. Oval to elliptic, medium green leaves (2-5" long) have conspicuous veins. An attractive fall color is usually absent. Twigs are purplish brown in spring and have a distinctive brown pith. Genus name comes from the Latin word for horn (reference to hardwood). This shrub is also commonly called swamp dogwood in reference to habitat and kinnikinnick (tobacco) in reference to prior use of shrub bark by Native Americans as tobacco. Genus name comes from the Latin word cornus meaning "horn", possibly in reference to the strength and density of the wood. Cornus is also the Latin name for cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). It may also be related to the Greek kerasos meaning "cherry".
- Rough-leaved Dogwood, cornus drummondii
- Cornus drummondii, commonly called rough-leaved dogwood, is a common, thicket-forming, Missouri-native dogwood that typically grows 6-15' tall and as wide. Throughout most of its growing range, it is primarily found in moist to wet locations. Common name refers to its elliptic to oval leaves (to 5" long) that are rough above and downy below. Tiny, yellowish-white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters (to 2.5" diameter) in late spring. Flowers lack the showy bracts of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), being more similar in appearance to the flowers of gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa). Flowers give way to if not more ornamental interest than flowers. Twigs are reddish-brown. Fall color is variable, but may include quality shades of purple and red. Genus name comes from the Latin word cornus meaning "horn", possibly in reference to the strength and density of the wood. Cornus is also the Latin name for cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). May also be related to the Greek kerasos meaning "cherry". Specific epithet honors 18th-19th century Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond.
- Bottlebrush Buckeye, aesculus parviflora
- Aesculus parviflora, commonly called bottlebrush buckeye, is noted for being one of the best summer-flowering shrubs for shade areas. It is a dense, mounded, suckering, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub which typically grows 6-12' tall. Features palmate green leaves (5-7 leaflets) and erect, showy, cylindrical panicles (to 12" long) of tubular white flowers with conspicuous red anthers and pinkish filaments. Mid-summer bloom can be spectacular. Flowers give way to glossy inedible, pear-shaped nuts (buckeyes) encased in husks, however, these nuts are infrequently produced in cultivation in the northern parts of this shrub's growing range. Foliage turns yellow in autumn. Genus name is the Latin name for a kind of oak bearing edible acorns but was applied by Linnaeus to this genus. Specific epither means small flowers.
- Black Chokeberry, aronia melanocarpa
- Aronia melanocarpa, commonly called black chokeberry, is an open, upright, spreading, somewhat rounded but leggy, suckering, deciduous shrub that typically grows 3-6' tall. It is native to low woods, swamps, bogs, and moist thickets but occasionally to dry upland areas, from Newfoundland to southern Ontario and Minnesota south to Missouri, Tennessee, and Georgia. It is noted for its 5-6 flowered clusters of white 5-petaled spring (May) flowers, glossy elliptic to obovate dark green leaves (to 2-3" long) with finely toothed margins, black autumn berries (blueberry size) and purple/red fall color. Genus name comes from the Greek word aria the name for a species of Sorbus of which the fruits resemble chokeberry. Specific epithet comes from the words melano meaning "black" and carpa meaning "fruit" in reference to the color of ripe fruits of this species. The common name of chokeberry is in reference to the tart and bitter taste of the fruits which are edible but so astringent as to cause choking in most of those who try. Fruits are sometimes used to make tasty jams and jellies.
- Littleleaf Linden, tilia cordata
- Tilia cordata, commonly called littleleaf linden, is native to Europe. It has been widely planted in the U.S. as an ornamental shade tree because of its (a) attractive foliage, (b) dense, low-branched, pyramidal to ovate form, and (c) tolerance for urban conditions. Ornamental features include fragrant pale yellow flowers in late spring, small nutlets with attached leafy wings (to 3.5" long), and ovate, shiny dark green leves (to 3" long) with acuminate tips, serrate margins, and cordate bases. This is a medium to large deciduous tree, typically growing to 50-70' (less frequently to 100') tall. Fragrant, creamy yellow flowers in drooping cymes appear in June. When a tree is in full bloom, bees often visit in such abundant numbers that humming can be heard many feet from the tree. Flowers give way to the nutlets that are attached to narrow bract-like wings (top 3.5" long). Nutlets ripen in late summer. The fall color is an undistinguished pale green to pale yellow. A number of narrow pyramidal to fastigiate cultivars are available in commerce. Genus name comes from the Latin name for the linden or lime tree, known in southern Sweden as linn and the origin of the name Linnaeus. Specific epithet means heart-shaped for the leaves.
- Japanese Snowbell, Viburnum plicatum
- Viburnum plicatum is a dense, upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically matures to 8-15' tall with a slightly larger spread. Ovate, toothed, strongly-veined, dark green leaves (to 4" long) have pleated upper surfaces. Leaves turn burgundy red to purplish red in fall. Two different forms of this shrub are commonly sold in commerce: (1) Japanese snowball bush (f. plicatum) which is the type form featuring sterile, snowball-like, orbicular in inflorescences (2-3" diameter cymes) of non-fragrant, showy white flowers along the branches in spring with no subsequent fruit and (b) doublefile viburnum (f. tomentosum) which is the wild-related taxon featuring fertile, flat-topped flower clusters (2-4" diameter cymes) which bloom along tiered horizontal branches in doublefile form, each cluster containing an outer ring of large showy sterile florets surrounding a center mass of tiny non-showy fertile florets which when fertilized give way to egg-shaped fruits and viable seed. Bloom time of f. plicatum typically occurs about two weeks later than that of f. tomentosum. The mature height of f. plicatum may rise to as much as 15' tall, but the mature height of f. tomentosum typically will not exceed 10' tall. Except for flower structure, bloom time, height, and branching habit, both forms are otherwise very similar and commonly sold in commerce under a number of different cultivar names. The sterile snowball form (f. plicatum) is known from cultivation only (first observed as a garden plant in Japan). It was discovered prior in time to the discovery of the wild fertile doublefile form (f. tomentosum) from which it was actually developed. As a result of this inverted schedule of discovery, the sterile form was mistakenly given a species name (Viburnum plicatum) and the subsequently discovered fertile form (f. tomentosum) was named as if it were a variety of the species. The wild form (f. tomentosum is native to forests and thickets in China and Japan. Genus name comes from the Latin name of a species plant. Specific epithet means pleated of folded in reference to deep leaf veins.
- Red Buckeye, aesculus pavia
- Aesculus pavia, commonly called red buckeye, is a decisduous clump-forming shrub or small tree with an irregularly rounded crown. It typically grows 10-20' tall. Showy, erect, 4-10" long panicles of red to orange-red, narrow-tubular flowers appear in spring. Palmately compound, shiny, dark green leaves are attractive in spring and early summer but usually begin to decline by August. Smooth, light brown, globular (1-2" diameter) seed capsules encase 1-3 shiny seeds called buckeyes that ripen in the fall. Seeds are poisonous and are avoided by most wildlife. Fall foliage color is unremarkable. Red buckeye is native to southeastern Missouri where it typically occurs in low rich wooded valleys, at bluff bases, on wooded slopes, and along streams. Flowers are attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds. Genus name is the Latin name for a kind of oak bearing edible acorns but was applied by Linnaeus to this genus. Specific epithet honors 17th-century botanist Peter Paaw (Petrus Pavius).
- Common Hackberry, celtis occidentalis
- Celtis occidentalis, commonly called common hackberry, is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree that typically grows 40-60' (less frequently to 100') tall with upright-arching branching and a rounded spreading crown. Trunk diameter ranges form 1-3' (less frequently to 4'). This tree is a U.S. native that is widely distributed throughout the East and Midwest. Mature gray bark develops corky ridges and a warty texture. Insignificant, mostly monoecious, greenish flowers appear in spring (April-May), with male flowers in clusters and female flowers solitary. Female flowers give way to an often abundant fruit crop of round fleshy berry-like drupes maturing to deep purple. Each drupe has one round brown seed within. Fruits are attractive to a variety of wildlife. Birds consume the fruits and disperse the seeds. Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and somewhat sweet. Ovate to oblong-ovate, rough-textured, glossy to dull green leaves (2-5" long) have mostly uneven leaf bases and are coarsely toothed from midleaf to acuminate (sharply pointed) tip. Undistinguished yellow fall color. Genus name comes from the Greek name for another tree. Specific epithet means Western.
- Kentucky Coffeetree, gymnocladus dioicus
- Gymnocladus dioicus, commonly called Kentucky coffeetree or coffeetree, is a tall deciduous tree with rough, scaly gray-brown bark and large bipinnate compound leaves. It is native to the Midwest, primarily southern Michigan and Ohio southwest to Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. It grows 60-80' (less frequently to 100') tall with an irregular open oval to obovate crown. Large leaves to 3' long, divided into 3-7 pairs of pinnae, with individual leaflets (1-3" long). Leaflets are blue-green in summer, turning an undistinguished yellow in fall. Larger trees typically cast light shade. As the specific epithet suggests, the species is dioecious (separate male and female trees). Greenish-white flowers appear in late spring (May-June). Male flowers in clusters to 4" long. Female flowers in panicles to 12" long. Female flowers are fragrant. Fertilized female flowers give way to flattened reddish-brown pods (up to 10" long) which ripen in October and persist well into winter. Native Americans and early American settles, especially those in the Kentucky territory, roasted and ground the seeds to brew a coffee-like beverage (albeit no caffeine), hence the common name. Native Americans roasted the seeds for food. Seeds are very toxic prior to roasting, and should never be eaten fresh off the tree. Trees are late to leaf out in spring and are one of the first to drop leaves in the fall. Genus name comes from gumnos meaning naked and klados meaning branch as the tree is bare of leaves for many months. Specific epithet means dioecious, having separate male and female plants.
- Japanese Zelkova, zelkova serrata
- Zelkova serrate, commonly called Japanese zelkova, is a medium to large deciduous tree, typically growing to 50-80' tall with a spreading, generally upward-branching, vase-shaped crown. It is native to Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China. It is noted for its graceful shape, clean foliage, attractive bark, and resistance to Dutch elm disease. Zelkova has in fact been promoted in recent years as a substitute for American elm (Ulmus americana) because of its resistance to Dutch elm disease. Insignificant small green flowers appear in spring as the foliage emerges. Flowers give way to small, non-showy, ovate, wingless drupes that ripen in autumn. Oblong-elliptic medium green leaves (to 3" long) with coarse, ciliate marginal teeth and acuminate tips. Fall color is variable, ranging from undistinguished yellow to attractive shades of yellow-orange to red-brown. Smooth gray bark in youth exfoliates with age to reveal orange-brown inner bark. Zelkova is valued as a commercial timber tree in Japan. Genus name may refer to the original Republic of Georgia name (Zelkova carpinifolia is native to the Caucasus). Specific epithet and additional common name of sawleaf zelkova both refer to the serrated leaf margins.
- Chinquapin Oak, quercus muehlenbergii
- Quercus muehlenbergii, commonly called Chinkapin (or Chinquapin) oak, is a medium-sized deciduous oak of the white oak group that typically grows 40-60' (less frequently to 80') tall with an open globular crown. It is native to central and eastern North America where it is typically found on dry upland sites often in rocky, alkaline soils. Insignificant monoecious yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins appear in spring as the leaves emerge. Fruits are small oval acorns (to 3/4" long), with scaly cups that extend to approximately 1/2 the acorn length. Acorns are valued food for a variety of wildlife. Narrow, oblong-lanceolate, shiny green leaves (4-7" long) have coarse marginal teeth. Leaves somewhat resemble the leaves of chestnut (Castanea) whose nut is sometimes called a chinquapin, hence the common name of this oak whose acorn is sweet and edible. Also sometimes commonly called yellow chestnut oak. Fall color is variable, but usually undistinguished shades of yellow and brown. Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees. Specific epithet honors Gotthilf Henry Ernest Muhlenberg, 18-19th century Lutheran minister-botanist from Pennsylvania.
- Flowering Crabapple, malus spp.
- Malus is a genus of over 50 species of small flowering deciduous trees or shrubs in the Roseaceae (rose) family. These trees range from the large culinary apples seen in grocery stores to the crab apple trees grown mostly as ornamental for their flowers. They can be 14-40 feet tall with an open to rounded crown. There are numerous dwarf and columnar varieties available also that are appropriate for the home landscape.
- Pin Oak, quercus palustris
- Quercus palustris commonly called pin oak is a medium-sized deciduous oak of the red oak group that typically grows 50-70' (less frequently to 100') tall with a broad pyramidal crown. Upper branches are ascending, middle branches are somewhat horizontal, and lower branches are descending. In the wild, the lower branches of this tree are often shaded by other trees, eventually dying and breaking off leaving persistent pin-like stubs, hence the common name. Trunk diameter to 3'. Smooth gray-brown bark usually develops ridging with age. This is a tree of lowlands and bottomlands that is primarily native to the Midwest and mid-Atlantic States. Insignificant monoecious yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins appear in spring as the leaves emerge. Fruits are rounded acorns (to 1/2" long), with shallow, saucer-shaped acorn cups that barely cover the acorn base. Acorns are an important source of food for wildlife. Glossy, dark green leaves (to 5" long) typically have 5 bristle-tipped lobes with deeply cut sinuses extending close to the midrib. Leaves turn deep red in the fall. Pin oak is perhaps the most popular commercial oak in eastern North America, having been widely planted as both a street and a landscape tree. Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for oak trees. Specific epithet comes from the Latin word for marsh (palus), in reference to a common habitat for this tree.
- Hinoki Falsecypress, chamaecyparis obtusa
- Chamaecyparis obtusa is native to Japan. It is commonly called hinoki cypress or hinoki falsecypress. It is an evergreen conifer that grows 50-75' tall (to 120' tall in its native habitat) with a pyramidal shape. It features spreading branches with flattened horizontal branchlets that droop at the ends. Dark green scale-like leaves in two-sizes have white markings beneath. Crushed foliage is aromatic. Reddish brown bark will peel on mature trees. Small, 8-scaled, greenish-brown (female) to orange-brown (male) cones. Althought species trees are uncommonly planted in the home landscape, a large number of compact and dwarf cultivars have become very popular for use as small accents/specimens, hedges, screens, and foundation/rock garden plants. Genus name comes from the Greek chamai meaning dwarf or to the ground and kyparissos meaning cypress tree. Specific epithet means rounded in reference to its leaves being blunt/rounded at the tips. In Japan, hinoki means fire tree.
- Austrian Pine, pinus nigra
- Pinus nigra, commonly called Austrian pine or European black pine, is a medium to large conifer that is native from central and southeastern Europe to western Asia. It grows 40-60' tall over time (less frequently to 100'). Trees exhibit a dense pyramidal habit in youth. The crown rounds with age forming a spreading flat top or dome. From an ornamental standpoint, older trees can be quite attractive, featuring dense spreading branching, stiff dark green needles (3-6" long) in bundles of two and plate-like, furrowed, dark brown to black bark. Oval, stalkless cones (to 3" long) mature to brown. Genus name comes from the Latin name for pines. Specific epithet means black.
- Norway Spruce, picea abies
- Picea abies, commonly called Norway spruce, is a large pyramidal evergreen conifer that is native to the mountains of northern and central Europe east to the Urals. In its native European habitat, it typically matures to 100-150' (occasionally to 200') tall. It has been widely planted in cool and temperate regions of North America where it typically matures to a much shorter 40-60' (less frequently to 100') tall. It is noted for its rapid growth. Primary branches are slightly upturned but secondary branches become pendulous as the tree marures. Branches are clad with spirally-arranged, four-sided, needle-like, deep green leaves which are attached at their bases to tiny pegs. Cylindrical seed-bearing cones (to 9" long) are pendulous. In excess of 150 cultivars (mostly dwarf) have been named over the years. Cultivars can be very difficult to distinguish. Genus name is reportedly derived from the Latin word pix meaning "pitch" in reference to the sticky resin typically found in spruce bark. Specific epithet refers to its similarity to the genus Abies (fir).
- Horsechestnut, aesculus hippocastanum
- Aesculus hippocastanum, commonly called horsechestnut, is native to the Balkans. It is a medium to large deciduous tree that typically grows 50-75' tall with an upright oval-rounded crown. Light green palmate compound leaves emerge in spring, each with 7 (less frequently 5) spreading ovate-oblong leaflets to 4-10" long. Leaves mature to dark green in summer. Fall color usually consists of undistinguished shades of yellow and brown. Showy white flowers with red or yellow markings appear in upright terminal panicles in mid-spring. Fruit is a globular dehiscent capsule consisting of 1-2 horsechestnut(s) encased by a leathery light brown husk covered with sharp spines. The fruit on the tree is interesting but not particularly ornamental. When ripe, each horsechestnut turns a handsome shiny dark mahogany brown with a round light tan scar. Chestnuts and horsechestnuts are in totally different families. Chestnuts (Castanea) are in the beech family (Fagaceae) and produce edible nuts. Horsechestnuts and buckeyes (Aesculus are in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) and produce poisonous nuts. Horsechestnut is closely related to Ohio buckeye, being most easily distinguished from the latter by having spiny sharp fruits and sticky buds. Genus name is the Latin name for a kind of oak bearing edible acorns but was applied by Linnaeus to this genus. Specific epithet is the Latin name for horsechestnuts.
- Red Maple, acer rubrum
- Acer rubrum, commonly called red maple, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America from Quebec to Minnesota south to Florida and eastern Texas. It typically grows 40-60' tall with a rounded to oval crown. It grows faster than Norway and sugar maples, but slower than silver maple. In northern states, red maple usually occurs in wet bottomlands, river flood plains, and wet woods. Emerging new growth leaves, leafstalks, twigs, flowers, fruit, and fall colors are red or tinged with red. The quality of red fall color on species plants is variable. Leaves (to 2-5" long) have 3 principal triangular lobes (sometimes 5 lobes with the two lower lobes being largely suppressed). Lobes have toothed margins and pointed tips. Leaves are medium to dark green above and gray-green below. Flowers on a given tree are primarily male or female or monoecious and appear in late winter to early spring (March-April) before the leaves. Fruit is a two-winged samara. The seeds and flower buds are eaten by many species of birds. Caterpillars and other insects which feed on red maples are also a source of food for birds. Genus name is the Latin name for a maple tree. Specific epithet of rubrum meaning red is everywhere in evidence: red flowers in dense clusters in late March to early April (before the leaves appear), red fruit (initially reddish, two-winged samara), reddish stems and twigs, red buds, and, in the fall, excellent orange-red foliage color.
- Saucer Magnolia, magnolia x soulangiana
- Magnolia x soulangeana, commonly known as saucer magnolia, is a deciduous hybrid magnolia (M. denudata x M. liliiflora). It is the most commonly grown deciduous magnolia. It is a broad shrub or small tree that typically rises to 20-25' tall with a rounded crown. It is often grown in a multi-trunked shrubby form. It typically matures over time to 20-30' tall and as wide. Fragrant flowers (to 8" across) bloom in early spring before the foliage emerges. Flowers are pink with white interiors. Sparse numbers of additional flowers may bloom sporadically later in spring on new growth, but the later flowers are usually less vigorous and less colorful than those of the primary bloom. Saucer magnolia is perhaps the most popular deciduous magnolia in cultivation today, with a large number of hybrid cultivars now available in commerce featuring flowers in various shades of white, pink, rose, purple, magenta, and burgundy. Genus name honors Pierre Magnol, French botanist (1638-1715). The hybrid designation honors Chevalier Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), Director of the French Royal Institute, who crossed this hybrid in the early 1800s.
- Japanese Flowering Cherry, prunus serrulata
- Prunus serrulata, commonly called Japanese flowering cherry or oriental cherry, is a medium-sized tree growing to 50-75' tall in its native habitat. It features non-fragrant white flowers in spring, pea-sized blackish fruits in late summer, and ovate to lanceolate green leaves (to 5" long). This species is rarely sold in commerce, however. What is commonly sold in commerce under the name of Japanese flowering cherry are a very large number of non-fruiting, often grafted cultivars ('Kwanzan' or "Kanzan' is perhaps the most popular), that generally grow in the 15-25' range with vase-shaped to rounded crowns. These cultivars are primarily grown for their profuse and showy spring bloom. Cultivar flowers primarily come in various shades of white and pink and bloom with or just before the foliage in spring. Flowers come in single, semi-double, or double form and may be fragrant or non-fragrant. New leaves may be tinged with bronze. Fall color varies from interesting shades of bronze and red to undistinguished drab yellows. Japanese flowering cherry cultivars were at one point all lumped under P. Sato-zakura Group. Genus name from Latin means plum or cherry tree. Specific epithet means saw-like teeth.
- Colorado Blue Spruce, picea pungens
- Bridalwreath Spiraea, spiraea prunifolia
- Eastern Redbud, cercis canadensis
- White Lilac, syringa vulgaris var. alba
- Freeman Maple, acer x freemanii
- French Purple Lilac, syringa vulgaris
- Common Buckthorn, rhamnus cathartica
- White Oak, quercus alba
- Red Cedar, juniperus virginiana
- Swamp White Oak, quercus bicolor
- Chinese Elm, ulmus parvifolia
- White Mulberry, morus spp.
Common Species Name, Latin Name
- Redwood Dawn, metasequoia glyptostroboides
- Japanese Snowbell, styrax japonicus
- Chinese Dogwood, cornus kousa
- Douglas fir, pseudotsuga menziesii,
- Scotch Pine, pinus sylvestris
- Bur Oak, quercus macrocarpa
- Forest Pansy Redbud, cercis canadensis 'forest pansy'
- Dwarf Korean Lilac, syringa meyeri std. 'palibin'
- 'Fat Albert' Spruce, picea pungens 'fat albert',
- Bottlebrush Buckeye, aesculus parviflora
- Paperbark Maple, acer griseum
- Shingle Oak, quercus imbricaria
- Thornless Honey Locust, gleditsia triacanthos
- River Birch, betula nigra
- Gray Dogwood, cornus racemosa
- Star Magnolia, magnolia stellata
- Serbian Spruce, picea omorika
- Callery 'Bradford' Pear, pyrus calleryana
- American Holly, ilex opaca
- Magnolia Sweetbay, magnolia virginiana
- European Smoketree, cotinus coggygria
Common Species Name, Latin Name
- Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, cornus mas
- Korean Mountain Ash, sorbus alnifolia
- American Smoketree, cotinus obovatus
- Eastern Hemlock, tsuga canadensis
- Eastern White Pine, pinus strobus
- London Planetree, platanus x acerifolia
- Red Pine, pinus resinosa
- Nootka Falsecypress, chamaecyparis nootkatensis
- Shadblow Serviceberry, amelanchier canadensis
- American Hornbeam, carpinus caroliniana
- American sycamore, platanus occidentalis
- Sugar Maple, acer saccharum
- Bloodgood Japanese Maple, acer palmatum atropurpureum
- Allegheny Serviceberry, amelanchier laevis
- Flowering Dogwood, cornus florida
- Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba
- American Beech, fagus grandifolia
- Tuliptree, liriodendron tulipifera
- European Beech, fagus sylvatica
- Yew spp., taxus spp.
- Eastern Arborvitae, thuja occidentalis
- Norway Red Maple 'Crimson King', acer platanoides 'crimson king'
- Japanese Falsecypress, chamaecyparis pisifera
- Western Arborvitae, thuja plicata
- Japanese Tree Lilac, syringa reticulata
- Scarlet Oak, quercus coccinea
- Snow Fountains Weeping Cherry, prunus x 'snofozam'
- Northern Red Oak, quercus rubra
- Silver Linden, tilia tomentosa
Common Species Name, Latin Name
- White Mulberry, morus alba
- Washington Hawthorn, crataegus phaenopyrum
- Crimean Linden, tilia x euchlora
- Ohio Buckeye, aesculus glabra
- White Ash, fraxinus americana
- Blackgum Tupelo, nyssa sylvatica
- Siberian Elm, ulmus pumila
- American Elm, ulmus americana
- American Basswood, tilia americana
- Shagbark Hickory, carya ovata
- Northern Pin Oak, quercus ellipsoidalis
- White Spruce, picea glauca
- Bitternut Hickory, carya cordiformis
- Weeping Willow, salix babylonica
