Trees & Shrubs

• Sources differ on growth rate: most call it fast, one rates it slow.
• Can quickly grow very large if planted where there is not room for its full size.
• Often used for screens and windbreaks.
• Some sources list up to 70 ft.
• Light afternoon shade helps in hot summers.

Sources: NC State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden, Penn State Extension, Morton Arboretum

• Narrow, tidy, pyramid shape that suits tight spaces.
• Planting much closer than its width can leave gaps as the trees crowd each other.
• Also sold as Smaragd.
• Growth rate is from the American Conifer Society; one extension source rates arborvitae as a whole slow.
• Does best in full sun.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Morton Arboretum, Penn State Extension, Illinois Extension, American Conifer Society

• A narrow upright form.
• Sources disagree on size for this cultivar; figures are typical ranges.

Sources: Gardenia.net, Morton Arboretum

• Figures are for the cultivar 'Hetz Wintergreen': narrow and columnar with a central leader.
• Growth rate is the arborvitae species rating, not specific to this cultivar.

Sources: Morton Arboretum

• A Leyland cypress cultivar. Leyland cypress is often planted too close together, so plan for its full mature size.
• Approximate figures: height and spread come from grower listings, which differ on spread (6–20 ft), not from extension data. Growth of 3–4 ft per year is the Leyland cypress rate for young trees.
• Extension sources list the Leyland cypress parent at 60–70 ft tall, so leave generous room. Sun is the Leyland cypress rating.

Sources: Clemson HGIC, NC State Extension, Utah State Extension, Grower listings (approximate)

• Foliage thins in shade.
• Shallow roots can let it topple in wind if planted in heavy clay.
• Drought tolerant once established.
• Several forms are sold for landscaping, so ask which one is available.

Sources: NC State Extension, UF/IFAS, Clemson HGIC

• A narrow, upright juniper used as an accent or a narrow screen.
• Handles dry and poor soil; does not like constantly wet soil.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension, Morton Arboretum

• A tall, narrow, upright juniper used for a slim screen or an accent.
• Figures come from grower listings, which vary (about 10–18 ft tall and 3–8 ft wide), not from extension data.
• This is not the wide-spreading Hetzi juniper.

Sources: Grower listings (approximate)

Size details are being confirmed. Ask us what is available.

• Dense, cone-shaped evergreen with glossy leaves and red berries.
• Can also be trained as a small tree.
• Prefers rich, acidic, well-drained soil; avoid wet sites.
• One source lists a spread of up to 25 ft.
• Some afternoon protection helps prevent leaf scorch.

Sources: NC State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden, Clemson HGIC, Univ. of Maryland Extension

• The 'Compacta' cultivar is much smaller.
• A broadleaf evergreen sometimes used for screening.

Sources: UF/IFAS, NC State Extension, Cal Poly SelecTree

• A large southern magnolia cultivar with a pyramid shape.
• Growth rate is the southern magnolia species rating.
• Full sun if the soil stays moist; otherwise part shade.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Clemson HGIC, NC State Extension

• A compact southern magnolia selection, smaller than the species.
• Sources give somewhat different sizes; figures are ranges.
• Full sun if the soil stays moist; otherwise part shade.

Sources: NC State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden, Clemson HGIC

• A compact southern magnolia with a rust-brown underside on the leaves, also sold as Southern Charm.
• Size comes from one extension source; confirm against the tree tag.
• Its growth rating is for southern magnolias in general.

Sources: Clemson HGIC

• Sources disagree on growth rate, from slow to fast.
• A southern magnolia cultivar.

Sources: Nursery listings, BC Arboretum

Size information is still being verified.

• Most nursery listings give 10 to 15 ft tall; some give 20 to 25 ft as the long-term size.
• We confirm size for your site rather than guess.

Sources: Nursery listings

• Prefers consistently moist, acidic, organically rich soil.
• Cultivars such as 'Jim Wilson' stay smaller, about 10 to 20 ft.

Sources: UF/IFAS, NC State Extension

• Summer-blooming flowering tree; sold as dwarf, mid-size and tall varieties.
• Shade reduces flowering and raises disease risk.
• Size depends on the variety: some dwarfs stay around 10 ft, taller ones reach 20 to 30 ft.
• We confirm the exact variety and size when you request a quote.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Clemson HGIC

• Spring-flowering ornamental cherry.
• Relatively short-lived, about 15 to 20 years, according to Clemson Extension.
• The 'Akebono' cultivar stays smaller, about 25 ft.

Sources: Clemson HGIC, UF/IFAS, NC State Extension, Utah State Extension

• Clemson Extension notes it stays about 15 to 20 ft in full sun and can reach about 40 ft in shade.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Clemson HGIC

• A small tree with pink flowers in early spring and heart-shaped leaves.
• Often grows with a divided trunk close to the ground.
• Growth ratings in the sources range from slow to fast; sizes are typical ranges.

Sources: Clemson HGIC, UF/IFAS

• Orange-red to scarlet fall color that lasts later than many maples.
• Tolerates some drought once established.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Clemson HGIC, NC State Extension

• Orange to red fall color, often later than other maples and sometimes hit by an early freeze.
• Shallow roots can lift nearby sidewalks or driveways.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Clemson HGIC, Morton Arboretum, UF/IFAS

• Orange to red fall color, often among the first trees to color.
• Tolerates wet soil and city conditions; shallow roots can buckle nearby pavement.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, UF/IFAS, Clemson HGIC, Morton Arboretum

• Brilliant red, orange or yellow fall color; yellows are more common in the South.
• Sensitive to compacted soil, high heat, road salt and drought.

Sources: NC State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden, UF/IFAS

• A small tree with deep red to purple-red leaves.
• Afternoon shade helps in hot summers.
• Growth rates in the sources range from slow to moderate; sizes are typical ranges.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, UF/IFAS, NC State Extension

• Known for coral-red young stems; bark color shows best in part shade and dulls in deep shade.
• A separate variety from Bloodgood Japanese Maple.

Sources: Nursery listings

• Often grown with several trunks.
• Cultivars vary a lot in size; compact selections exist.

Sources: Clemson HGIC, Morton Arboretum, UF/IFAS, Missouri Botanical Garden

• Upright, arching vase shape; a University of Georgia release.
• Sources differ on final size.

Sources: NC State Extension, Clemson HGIC, Missouri Botanical Garden, Morton Arboretum

• A very large shade tree; best where there is lots of room.
• Yellow fall color.
• Fast growth can make the wood somewhat weak.
• Some sources list 60–100 ft.

Sources: Morton Arboretum, Missouri Botanical Garden, UF/IFAS, Penn State Extension

• A thornless honeylocust with a graceful vase to oval outline.
• Yellow fall color, sometimes with copper tones. It is most reliable in cooler areas; in the South the leaves can drop early.
• That pace is for the first 15 years.

Sources: UF/IFAS, NC State Extension, Morton Arboretum

• Narrow, upright form for its size.
• Listed under several names; it is a cross of English oak and swamp white oak.

Sources: USU Varga Arboretum, Royal Horticultural Society, Nursery listings

• Dense, cone-shaped form.
• A branch can occasionally revert to the faster, longer-needled parent spruce.

Sources: Ohio State University, American Conifer Society

• Needs room: it becomes a large tree.
• The weeping form 'Glauca Pendula' is a separate, much smaller plant.

Sources: NC State Extension, Royal Horticultural Society

• Prefers well-drained soil; does poorly on heavy clay or wet ground.
• Needs room: keep it well away from structures.
• Susceptible to white pine blister rust and the white pine weevil.

Sources: UF/IFAS, NC State Extension, Morton Arboretum

• The least hardy of the true cedars; listed hardiness zones vary, about 6 to 9.
• Cold-hardier selections exist.
• The top can die back from cold or disease.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Virginia Tech Extension, NC State Extension, Utah State Extension

• A small, rounded arborvitae, not a tall privacy tree.
• Sources disagree on growth rate.

Sources: Nursery listings

• An exceedingly narrow, upright holly, good for tight spaces and accents.
• A shorter plant may be only 10–12 in. wide; width grows with height.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension

• A very narrow, upright shrub, sold as Fine Line (Ron Williams).
• Its parent species is invasive in parts of the Northeast and Midwest; this cultivar is reported not to self-seed. Check local rules before planting.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden, Penn State Extension

• Dense evergreen often used as a screen or hedge.
• Nursery listings give larger sizes (10 to 18 ft tall) for unpruned plants.

Sources: University of Maryland Extension, Nursery listings

• Often clipped as a hedge.
• Toxic if eaten, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Upright and dwarf varieties stay much smaller.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Royal Horticultural Society

• A narrow, columnar boxwood used as a tall hedge, an accent or a specimen in a narrow space.
• Best with some shade, since full sun can scorch leaves.

Sources: Clemson HGIC, Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension

• Boxwood varieties differ a lot in size and shape, so ask which varieties are available.

• Size varies a lot by variety: compact types stay 1 to 3 ft, older varieties can reach 6 to 10 ft.
• Flower color of many varieties depends on soil acidity.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Nursery listings

• Low, mounding shrub with gold-green foliage.
• Can spread by suckers and self-seed, according to NC State Extension.

Sources: NC State Extension, Royal Horticultural Society

• Low, spreading azalea with bright red spring flowers.
• Often listed as evergreen; some sources call it semi-evergreen.
• Prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil.

Sources: American Rhododendron Society, Royal Horticultural Society, Nursery listings

• Size varies by variety.
• Too much shade can mean fewer flowers.

Sources: UF/IFAS, Clemson HGIC

• Several Knock Out varieties exist; sizes differ slightly by variety.
• Needs about six or more hours of sun.

Sources: Nursery listings