NSA: Guide to Woody Plants

Large Deciduous Trees: Over 45 feet at maturity

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat			Remarks

*Acer nigrum* black maple	3	6	All			Quebec to Florida and Texas	Very similar to sugar maple with greater heat and drought tolerance; possibly adaptable to western Neb.; ‘Greencolumn’ is a common cultivar; native to western Iowa; 40’ spread.
*Acer platanoides* Norway maple	2	6	A,B,C			Continental Europe	Traditional shade tree; often suffers from scorching and frost cracks; limited success with cultivars in zones D and E; suggested cultivars include:
‘Deborah’							Brilliant red new growth that turns dark green; 40’ spread.
‘Emerald Luster’							A variety that is supposed to withstand leaf scorch; 40’ spread.
‘Emerald Queen’							Nice variety; bark scorch sometimes a problem; 40’ spread.
‘Erectum’							Makes a nice formal screen; plant at close spacing; 10’ spread.
‘Schwedleri’							Purple leaf variety; better than ‘Crimson King’; can sun scorch; 45’ spread.

*Acer pseudoplatanus* planetree maple	2	6	A,B,C			Europe, western Asia	Uncommon in the landscape; 35’ spread.
*Acer rubrum* red maple	2	6	A,B,C			Newfoundland to Florida west to Minnesota, Oklahoma and Texas	Nice landscape/specimen tree with good fall color; does not tolerate dry soils; 35’ spread; choose from hardy cultivars including:
‘Armstrong’							Needs some protection; good fall color; 35’ spread.
‘Northwood’							Variety from Minnesota; may be adaptable to zones D and E; 35’ spread.
‘Red Sunset’							Can sunscald on open sites; selected for fall color; 35’ spread.

*Acer saccharinum* silver maple	2	6	All			Quebec to Florida, to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana	Native to eastern Neb. waterways; overplanted in eastern Neb.; limited use only; breaks up easily in storms; 70’ spread.
*Acer saccharum* sugar maple	2	6	A,B,C			Eastern Canada to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas	A beautiful tree when properly sited; some cultivars show promise for the western part of the state; nice fall color; does not tolerate dry soils; 40’ spread. Cultivars include:
‘Bonfire’							New variety; good fall color; nice formal screen; 40’ spread.
‘Green Mountain’							Avoid clay soils; good fall color; less susceptible to scorch; 40’ spread.
‘Legacy’							Glossy dark green leaves; good fall color

Acer x *freemanii* freemanii maple	23	6	A,B,C				Red-silver maple cross; may be adaptable to western Neb.; cultivars include:

‘Celebration’							Yellow to red fall color; 40’ spread.
‘Autumn Blaze’							Similar to ‘Celebration’ maple but with red fall color; 40’ spread.

*Carya cordiformis* bitternut hickory	2	56	A,B			Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana	Needs some protection; fastest growing hickory; good tree for attracting wildlife; native to southeast Neb.; 40’ spread.
*Carya glabra* pignut hickory	2	45	A,B			Maine to Ontario, south to Florida, Alabama and Mississippi	Good nut tree; plant in protected area; tolerates shade; 40’ spread.
*Carya illinoensis* pecan	2	56	A,B,C			Iowa to Indiana to Alabama, Texas, and Mexico	Under-utilized in the landscape; makes a nice yard or street tree; use tested cultivars; ‘Hican’ is a cross with hickory; 30’ spread.
*Carya laciniosa* shellbark hickory	2	5	A			New York to Iowa, south to Tennessee and Oklahoma	May need protection; prefers bottom land soils; 40’ spread.


*Carya ovata* shagbark hickory	2	56	A,B			Quebec to Minnesota, south to Georgia and Texas	Edible nut; needs protection; distinguishing exfoliating bark; tolerates shade; native to southeastern Neb.; 60’ spread.
*Castanea dentata* American chestnut	2	6	A,B,C			Eastern United States	Nearly extinct in eastern U.S., still a good tree for eastern Neb.; site carefully, spiny fruit; 40’ spread.
*Castanea mollissima* Chinese chestnut	2	6	A,B			Northern China, Korea	Similar to C. dentata, but lower growing, produces large, edible nuts; messy; site carefully - spiny fruit.
*Catalpa speciosa* northern catalpa	3	56	All			Southern Illinois and Indiana to western Tennessee and northern Arkansas	Not for formal landscapes; profuse white flowers in late spring; large seed pods; naturalized in eastern Neb.; grows tall and narrow; 35’ spread.
*Celtis laevigata* sugar hackberry	1	6	A			southern Indiana, Illinois to Texas and Florida	Southern relative to common hackberry; less hardy; prefers floodplains and wet areas; 45’ spread.
*Celtis occidentalis* common hackberry	3	6	All			Quebec to Manitoba, south to North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma	Excellent tree for urban use and difficult sites; interesting warty bark; native to much of Neb.; sensitive to herbicides; 55’ spread.
*Fagus grandifolia* American beech	2	56	A			New Brunswick to Ontario, south to Florida and Texas	Very few in Neb. but can be a beautiful landscape tree; provide some protection; 50’ spread.
*Fagus sylvatica* European beech	2	56	A			Europe	Similar to American beech; difficult to grow in Neb.; 40’ spread.
*Fraxinus americana* white ash	2	6	All			Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas	More ornamental than green ash; all ashes are susceptible to insect and disease problems; ‘Autumn Purple’ is a very nice cultivar with purple fall foliage; 40’ spread.
*Fraxinus excelsior* European ash	2	5	A,B,C			Europe and Asia Minor	Very uncommon tree with fine foliage; dark green; clean; ‘Kimberly’ is the most common cultivar; 40’ spread.
*Fraxinus mandshurica* Manchurian ash	3	6	All			Northeast Asia	Uncommon ash worth trying across Neb.; proven hardy in Colorado; 40’ spread. ‘Mancana’ is a common cultivar.
*Fraxinus pennsylvanica* green ash	13	56	All		Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to northern Florida and Texas		Native; avoid heavy clay soils; 40’ spread; suitable cultivars include:
‘Marshall’s Seedless’							Vigorous with fewer insect problems than the species; seedless variety.
‘Patmore’							More upright, uniform and symmetrical than ‘Marshall’s Seedless’.

*Fraxinus quadrangulata* blue ash	2	6	All			Michigan to Arkansas and Tennessee	Interesting tree with square twigs and scaly bark; ‘True Blue’ is a common cultivar.
Gleditsia triacanthos var. *inermis* thornless honeylocust	3	6	All			Pennsylvania to Nebraska and south to Texas and Mississippi	Fast growing; insect resistant; thornless; native; 55’ spread; many nice cultivars including:
‘Green Glory’							Seedless; retains leaves into the fall; good selection; 55’ spread.
‘Imperial’							Neb. selection; very adaptable; shortest variety; 60’ spread.
‘Shademaster’							Very common; seedless; dark green foliage; 55’ spread.
‘Skyline’							More compact; good selection; dark green foliage; 55’ spread.

*Gymnocladus dioicus* Kentucky coffeetree	3	6	All			West Virginia to Florida and Eastern Oklahoma	Nice native tree; large seed pods; pest free; good fall color and coarse winter habit; 55’ spread.
*Juglans nigra* black walnut	3	6	All			Massachusetts to Florida and west to Minnesota and Texas	Good native tree for parks and wildlife; site carefully, juglone from roots may inhibit growth of other plants; prefers rich, loamy soil; 55’ spread.
*Larix decidua* common larch	12	6	All			Northern and central Europe	Deciduous conifer; unique foliage; prefers consistent moisture and protected site; 30’ spread.
*Larix kaempferi* Japanese larch	2	6	A,B,C			Japan	Deciduous conifer; excellent fall color; unique spring flowers; needs early spring protection; 35’ spread.

*Liquidambar styraciflua* sweetgum	2	6	A			Connecticut, south to New York to Florida, southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri to Texas and Mexico	Nice tree with good fall color; unusual spiny fruit; may have die back in severe winters; ‘Moraine’ is a hardier, northern selection; 40’ spread.
*Liriodendron tulipifera* tuliptree (yellow poplar)	2	6	A,B			Massachusetts to Wisconsin, south to Florida and Mississippi	Unusual tree with tulip-like spring flowers; good in groups; 40’ spread.
*Platanus occidentalis* American sycamore	12	6	A,B,C			Southeastern Europe and western Asia	Majestic native planetree; unusual mottled bark; anthracnose a minor problem in wet springs; grows very tall when sited properly; 75’+ tall by 50’ wide.
Platanus x *acerifolia* London planetree	2	6	A,B,C				Large spreading tree; nice bark; similar to the American sycamore; 70’+ tall by 45’ wide.
*Populus alba* silver poplar	3	6	All			Central to southern Europe to western Siberia and central Asia	Very hardy, wide spreading tree; dark green leaves with a fuzzy white underside; disease prone with weak wood; use carefully; 50’ spread.
*Populus balsamifera* balsam poplar	2	6	All			Northeast North America	Fragrant, resinous buds with strong balsam odor; short lived; 30’ spread.
*Populus deltoides* eastern cottonwood	13	6	All			Quebec to North Dakota, Kansas, Texas, and Florida	Can grow very large; state tree of Neb.; seedless varieties available including: ‘Mighty Mo’, ‘Ohio Red’ & ‘Platte’, avoid ‘Siouxland’; 70’+ tall by 60’ wide.
*Quercus acutissima* sawtooth oak	2	6	A,B,C			Japan, Korea, China, and Himalaya	Eurasian oak with unique, sawtooth leaves; 45’ spread.
*Quercus alba* white oak	2	6	A,B			Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Texas	Slow growing, long-lived tree; good fall color; nearly native to southeastern Neb.; 50’ spread.
*Quercus bicolor* swamp white oak	13	6	All			Quebec to Georgia, west to Michigan and Arkansas	An excellent selection; good on poorly drained or compacted sites; shows chlorosis on high pH soils; 50’ spread.
*Quercus coccinea* scarlet oak	2	6	A,B			Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Missouri	Nice fall color; avoid alkaline soils; needs protection; 40’ spread.
*Quercus imbricaria* shingle oak	2	6	A,B,C			Pennsylvania to Georgia, west to Nebraska and Arkansas	One of the nicest oaks; interesting narrow leaves persist into winter; nearly native to southeastern Neb.; 40’ spread.
*Quercus macrocarpa* bur oak	3	6	All			Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania, west to Manitoba and Texas	One of finest native trees; majestic; good winter form; very large; good strong branch structure; 55’ spread.
*Quercus muehlenbergii* chinkapin oak	2	6	All			Vermont to Virginia, west to Nebraska, Mexico and Texas	Nice tree that should be planted more; native to southeast Neb.; 45’ spread.
*Quercus palustris* pin oak	2	6	A,B,C			Massachusetts to Delaware, west to Wisconsin and Arkansas	Should be limited to undisturbed acid soils or severe chlorosis may be a problem; 40’ spread.
*Quercus prinus* chestnut oak	2	6	A,B,C			Southern Maine and Ontario to South Carolina and Alabama	Nice oak for southeast Neb.; fairly fast growing; 45’ spread.
*Quercus robur* English oak	3	6	All			Europe, northern Africa, western Asia	Nice oak with smaller leaves; reasonably fast growing; 45’ spread; many cultivars; ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright selection (to 15’ wide) with unusual acorn coloration.
*Quercus rubra* red oak	3	6	All			Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania, west to Minnesota and Iowa	Excellent fall color; pest resistant; one of the best native oaks; 50’ spread.
*Quercus shumardii* shumard oak	2	6	A,B			Kansas to southern Michigan to North Carolina, Florida and Texas	Similar to red oak; nice fall color; avoid alkaline soils; 45’ spread.
*Quercus velutina* black oak	2	56	A,B			Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Texas	Nice native oak; lustrous green leaves; prefers rich, well-drained soils; may need protection; 50’ spread.

*Salix alba* white willow	12	6	All			Central to southern Europe to western Siberia and central Asia	Good for wet sites where little else will grow; ‘Cardinal Red’ is a common cultivar; 45’ spread.
Salix x *‘Tristis’* Tristis weeping willow	12	6	All			Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Tennessee	The standard weeping willow; good on wet sites; willows are short-lived trees; 45’ spread.
*Taxodium distichum* baldcypress	13	6	A,B,C			Delaware to Florida, west to southern Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana	Deciduous conifer; good on both wet and dry sites when established; may be more adaptable than previously thought; 30’ spread.
*Tilia americana* American linden	2	6	All			Canada to Virginia and Alabama, west to North Dakota, Kansas and Texas	Fragrant flowers in the spring; nice native shade tree; 45’ spread. The cultivar ‘Redmond’ is a Nebraska selection of unclear origin; very similar in habit to T. americana.
*Tilia cordata* littleleaf linden	2	6	All			Europe	Small leaves, formal shape; pest resistant; common cultivars include ‘Chancellor’, ‘Glenhaven’ and ‘Greenspire’; 35’ spread.
*Tilia platyphyllos* bigleaf linden	2	6	A,B,C			Europe and Germany	Beautiful formal tree; very dense canopy; 45’ spread.
*Tilia tomentosa* silver linden	2	6	A,B,C			Southeastern Europe, western Asia	Beautiful silver underside to the leaves; 40’ spread.
Tilia x *euchlora* crimean linden	2	6	All				Similar to littleleaf linden; 30’ spread.
*Ulmus americana* American elm	3	6	All			Newfoundland to Florida, west to the foot of the Rockies	Native tree that was the pride of most Neb. communities until Dutch elm disease nearly wiped it out. New cultivars such as ‘Liberty’ show promise of disease resistance.
Ulmus x *‘Homestead’* homestead elm	3	6	All				Cross between smoothleaf elm and Siberian elm; Dutch elm disease resistant; 45’ spread.
Ulmus x *‘Pioneer’* pioneer elm	3	6	A,B,C				Cross between scotch elm and smoothleaf elm; resistant to Dutch elm disease; growing well in some locations; 50’ spread.
*Ulmus pumila* Siberian elm	3	6	All			Eastern Siberia, northern China, Manchuria, and Korea	Fast growing but messy; short lived without extra attention; over-planted in the past; use only on difficult sites; 50’ spread.

Medium Deciduous Trees:

25 - 45 feet at maturity

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Acer campestre* hedge maple	3	6	A,B,C	Europe, Near East and Africa	Good on dry sites; dark green summer color; look for a northern seed source; good for screening; 25’ spread.
*Acer grandidentatum* bigtooth maple	3	6	All		Small to medium landscape tree with beautiful orange to orange-red fall color; native to the Rocky Mountain region; needs more testing in Neb.; 25’ spread.
*Acer negundo* boxelder maple	3	5	All	Virtually the entire United States and southern Canada	Decent park tree; native along creeks; susceptible to storm damage; limited use; ‘Flamingo’ is a variegated cultivar; 60’ spread.
*Aesculus flava (octandra)* yellow buckeye	2	6	All	Pennsylvania to Tennessee and northern Georgia, west to Ohio and Illinois	Similar to Ohio buckeye; yellow flowers; smooth fruit; nice pumpkin color in the fall; 35’ spread.
*Aesculus glabra* Ohio buckeye	2	6	All	Pennsylvania to Nebraska, Kansas and Alabama	Nice white flowers in the spring; large prickly fruit; native to S.E. Neb.; 35’ spread.
*Aesculus hippocastanum* horsechestnut	2	6	All	Greece and Albania	Dark green summer foliage; large, spiny fruit; nice pyramidal form; "Baumannii’ is a fruitless cultivar with double white flowers; 40’ spread.
*Alnus glutinosa* common alder	1	5	All	Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa	Adaptable to wet sites; cone-like fruit; may winterkill on exposed sites; 35’ spread.
*Alnus incana* white alder	2	5	All	Europe and the Caucasus	Similar to common alder; short-lived; 30’ spread.
*Betula nigra* river birch	1	6	A,B,C	Massachusetts to Florida west to Minnesota and Kansas	Excellent tree for multiple purposes; beautiful peeling bark; often chlorotic on disturbed sites; 30’ spread.
*Betula papyrifera* paper birch	2	6	All	Labrador to British Columbia and Washington south to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nebraska, and Montana	White bark; borers a serious problem; can be useful in sheltered areas; ‘Niobrara’ is a native Neb. selection; 40’ spread.
*Betula pendula* European white birch	2	6	All	Europe	Lovely weeping habit; white bark; chlorosis and borers are serious problems; short-lived; spread 30’; ‘Gracilis’ is a cutleaf form that grows 20’ tall.
*Betula platyphylla* Asian white birch	2	6	A,B,C	Japan and Okhotsk peninsula	Similar to other white-barked birches; ‘Whitespire’ is a cultivar that has shown good resistance to bronze birch borer; 30’ spread.
*Carpinus betulus* European hornbeam	2	56	A,B	Europe, Asia Minor, southeast of England	Wide variety of cultivated forms; usually an upright formal tree; 30’ spread.
*Catalpa bignonioides* southern catalapa	2	6	A,B	Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana	Smaller, less hardy relative of northern catalpa; 30’ spread.
*Cercidiphyllum japonicum* katsuratree	2	56	A,B	China and Japan	Lovely spreading tree; has some difficulty in our climate; 40’ spread.
*Cladrastis kentukea (lutea)* American yellowwood	2	56	A,B,C	North Carolina to Kentucky and Tennessee	Nice informal tree; profuse white, fragrant flowers in June; 25’ spread.
*Corylus colurna* Turkish filbert or hazel	3	6	All	Southeast Europe and western Asia	Good but uncommon landscape tree; prefers well-drained, loamy soil; can withstand hot sites; drought tolerant; 35’ spread.
*Diospyros virginiana* common persimmon	2	5	A,B,C	Connecticut to Florida west to Kansas and Texas	Nice informal shape; edible fruit; needs protection; 25’ spread.
*Elaeagnus angustifolia* Russian olive	3	6	All	Southern Europe to western and central Asia, Altai, and Himalayas	Silver summer leaf color; short-lived; good for difficult sites where little else grows; has invaded Neb. waterways; 25’ spread.
*Evodia daniellii* Korean evodia	2	56	A,B,C	Northern China and Korea	Unusual and uncommon tree; compound leaves similar to ash; nice specimens at Arbor Lodge; 25’ spread.
*Fraxinus nigra* black ash	2	6	All	Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Delaware, Virginia, and Iowa	Extremely hardy ash. ‘Fallgold’ is a seedless, clean and disease free form with good golden fall color.
*Ginkgo biloba* ginkgo (maidenhair tree)	3	6	A,B,C	Eastern China	Very resistant to pests; unusual leaves; male preferred (female seed malodorous); 30’ spread; ‘Sentry’ is a columnar variety (10’-15’ wide).
*Juglans cinerea* butternut	2	6	A,B,C	New Brunswick to Georgia and west to the Dakotas and Arkansas	Plant in well-drained, bottomland soil; needs protection in western Neb.; 30’ spread.
*Juglans regia* English walnut	2	6	A,B	Southeastern Europe to Himalayas and China	Good nut tree for home use; can winterkill in extreme winters; 30’ spread.
*Koelreuteria paniculata* goldenraintree	2	6	A,B	China, Japan, and Korea	Unusual tree with yellow flowers in late May; prolific raindrop-like yellow fruit in late summer; makes a nice specimen tree; 30’ spread.
*Larix laricina* American larch (tamarack)	2	6	A	Northern North America, from the Arctic Circle in Alaska and Canada southwards to northern Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Illinois	Deciduous conifer; excellent fall color; needs protection; 20’ spread.
*Maclura pomifera* Osage-orange (hedge tree)	3	6	A,B,C	Arkansas to Oklahoma and Texas	Spurs and large fruit; good for wildlife but not an ideal landscape tree; ‘Park’ is a thornless variety more suited to the landscape; 35’ spread.
*Magnolia acuminata* cucumbertree magnolia	2	6	A,B	New York to Georgia, west to Illinois and Arkansas	Unusual tree for Neb.; pale green flowers in the spring; 35’ spread.
*Morus alba* white mulberry	2	5	All	China	Birds love the fruit; should be limited to wildlife and natural plantings; 45’ spread.
*Morus rubra* red mulberry	23	5	All	Massachusetts to Florida, west to Michigan, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas	Native Neb. mulberry; better than white mulberry; limited use recommended; can be invasive and weedy; 45’ spread.
*Nyssa sylvatica* black gum	2	56	A	Maine, Ontario, Michigan to Florida and Texas	Beautiful fall color; does not tolerate alkaline soils; hard to transplant; 45’ spread.
*Paulownia tomentosa* royal paulownia	2	6	A	China	Very large simple leaves similar to catalpa; needs protection; more of an oddity than a useful tree; 30’ spread.
*Phellodendron amurense* amur corktree	23	56	All	Northern China, Manchuria, and Japan	A good specimen tree with unusual bark and attractive leaves; 30’ spread.
*Populus tremuloides* quaking aspen	2	6	All	Labrador to Alaska, south to Pennsylvania, Missouri, northern Mexico and lower California	Native to the Pine Ridge area; nice yellow fall color; good as multi-stemmed form; some insect problems common; short-lived; 25’ spread.
*Prunus sargentii* sargent cherry	2	6	All	Japan	One of the best large cherry tress for general landscape use; 30’ spread.
*Prunus serotina* black cherry	2	56	A,B,C	Ontario to North Dakota, Texas to Florida	Good for birds; native to southeastern Neb.; mid-spring flowers and fruit; 25’ spread.
*Pyrus calleryana* callery pear	2	6	A,B,C	Korea and China	Very formal; lustrous dark green leaves; white flowers; good fall color; overplanted. Suitable cultivars include: ‘Aristocrat’, ‘Chanicleer’ and ‘Redspire’; avoid ‘Bradford’; 25’ spread.
*Quercus marilandica* blackjack oak	2	6	A,B	New York to Iowa south to Florida and Texas	Native to southeast Neb.; interesting habit with stout branches; good choice for sandy soils; 25’ spread.
*Robinia pseudoacacia* black locust	3	6	All	Pennsylvania to Georgia, west to Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma	Very informal tree; small thorns; fragrant flowers; use on tough sites and for naturalizing; 30’ spread.
*Salix pentandra* laurel willow	1	6	All	Europe	Shiny green foliage; good for wet sites; short-lived; 30’ spread.
*Sophora japonica* Japanese pagodatree	2	6	A,B,C	China and Korea	Good summer flowering habit; can die back in severe winters; canker can be a problem; 30’ spread.
*Sorbus aucuparia* European mountainash	2	6	All	Europe to western Asia and Siberia, and naturalized in North America	Bright orange berries in fall; fireblight can be a severe problem; short-lived; 25’ spread.
*Sorbus thuringiaca* oakleaf mountainash	2	6	All		A nice mountainash with oak-like leaves; seems to be less susceptible to fireblight; 30’ spread.
*Ulmus parvifolia* Chinese elm	3	6	A,B	Northern and central China, Korea, and Japan	Unusual mottled bark; can winterkill in Neb.; very nice tree when established; 45’ spread.
*Ulmus rubra* red elm (slippery elm)	2	6	All	Quebec to Florida, west to the Dakotas and Texas	Close relative of the American elm; native to eastern Neb.; not readily available; susceptible to Dutch elm disease; 50’ spread.
*Ulmus thomasii* rock elm	2	5	A,B,C	Quebec to Tennesse and Nebraska	Native to eastern Neb.; very tough wood; not readily available; susceptible to Dutch elm disease; 50’ spread.
*Zelkova serrata* Japanese zelkova	2	5	A,B	Japan	Interesting bark; can be susceptible to frost damage and winterkill; closely related to the elm family; 40’ spread.

Small Deciduous Trees:

Less than 25 feet at maturity

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Acer glabrum* Rocky Mountain maple	3	6	C,D,E	Southeast Alaska to California, east to west South Dakota and New Mexico	Native to the Pine Ridge area; tolerates alkaline, rocky soils; prefers higher elevations; 25’ spread.
*Acer griseum* paperbark maple	2	5	A,B	Central China	Exfoliating bark reveals a trunk of beautiful cinnamon color; 25’ spread.
*Acer palmatum* Japanese maple	2	5	A	Japan, China, and Korea	Lovely smaller tree; needs protection; 15’ spread.
*Acer tataricum* tatarian maple	3	6	All	Southeast Europe and western Asia	Very similar to Amur maple; may be better for western Neb.; 15’ spread.
*Acer truncatum* shantung maple	2	6	All	Northern China	Lovely spring and fall color; needs protection in western Neb.; 25’ spread.
*Amelanchier arborea* downy serviceberry	2	56	All	Maine to Iowa, south to northern Florida and Louisiana	Large shrub or small tree; showy flowers; seldom seen in Neb.; 15’ spread.
Amelanchier x *grandiflora* apple serviceberry	2	6	All		Nice small tree with edible fruit and good fall color. ‘Autumn Brilliance’ and ‘Robin Hill’ are nice cultivars with good fall color; 15’ spread. 1998 Nebraska Tree of the Year.
*Asimina triloba* common pawpaw	2	45	A,B,C	New York to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas	Interesting tree with unusual banana-like fruit and brown-red flowers; cultivar ‘Sunflower’ has better fruit production; 15’ spread.
*Betula occidentalis* water birch	2	5	All	From Alaska to Oregon and through Rocky Mountains to Colorado	Handsome, reddish brown bark; nice tree; especially good for western Neb.; native to the Pine Ridge area; 25’ spread.
*Carpinus caroliniana* American hornbeam	2	45	All	Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas	Shade tolerant; understory tree; very interesting, sinewy bark; 20’ spread.
*Cercis canadensis* eastern redbud	2	5	All	New Jersey to northern Florida, west to Missouri and Texas and northern Mexico	Eastern Neb. native with beautiful rosy-pink flowers in early spring; lovely natural habit; prefers some shade; 25’ spread.
*Chionanthus retusus* Chinese fringetree	2	6	A	China, Korea, and Japan	Small tree or large shrub; showy flowers; seldom seen in Neb.; 15’ spread.
*Chionanthus virginicus* white fringetree	2	6	A,B,C	Southern New Jersey to Florida and Texas	Similar to C. reusus but hardier; very refined with beautiful, fragrant flowers; needs protection from desiccating winter winds; 15’ spread.
*Cornus alternifolia* pagoda dogwood	2	5	A,B,C	New Brunswick to Minnesota south to Georgia and Alabama	Large shrub or small tree; nice layered habit; prefers some shade; 20’ spread.
*Cornus florida* flowering dogwood	2	5	A	Massachusetts to Florida, west to Ontario, Texas and Mexico	Common in eastern U.S.; limited use in Neb.; must have protection; shade tolerant; 10’ spread.
*Cornus kousa* Kousa dogwood	2	5	A,B	Japan, Korea, and China	Large shrub or small tree; beautiful when in flower but needs protection in Neb.; hardier than C. florida; 15’ spread.
*Cornus mas* corneliancherry dogwood	3	6	All	Central and southern Europe and western Asia	Large shrub or small tree; one of the earliest to flower (yellow); good for foundation plantings; attractive bark; 15’ spread.
*Cotinus coggygria* common smoketree	2	6	A,B,C	Southern Europe to central China and Himalaya	Large shrub/tree; showy, smoke-like flowers June through August; limited use; several cultivars with purple leaves and purple-red flowers; 15’ spread.
*Cotinus obovatus* American smoketree	2	6	A,B,C	Tennessee south to Alabama and Missouri west to Texas	Similar to C. coggygria; very ornamental leaves; 15’ spread.
*Crataegus crusgalli* cockspur hawthorn	3	6	All	Quebec to North Carolina and Kansas	Very thorny; avoid in areas where children may play; nice flowers and shiny foliage; 20’ spread.
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis thornless cockspur hawthorn	3	6	All	Quebec to North Carolina and Kansas	Thornless variety of the species; good throughout the state; 20’ spread.
*Crataegus laevigata* English hawthorn	2	6	A,B,C	Europe and northern Africa	Flowers in spring; persistent fruit; ‘Crimson Cloud’ and ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ are good cultivars; 20’ spread.
Crataegus laevigata var. superba crimson glory hawthorn	2	6	A,B,C	Europe and northern Africa	Brilliant crimson flowers; fine texture; unusual upright habit; 20’ spread.
Crataegus x *lavallei* Lavalle hawthorn	2	6	All		Dense crown with orange to red fall color; good screen/border plant; 20’ spread.
Crataegus x *mordenensis* ‘Snowbird’ snowbird hawthorn	2	6	All		‘Snowbird’ is a selection with double white fragrant flowers in spring; good screen/border plant; 20’ spread.
*Crataegus phaenopyrum* Washington hawthorn	2	6	All	Virginia to Alabama and Missouri	Very thorny; dense crown; nice flowers and showy fruit; good tree for screening and fall color; 25’ spread.
*Crataegus viridis* green hawthorn	2	6	All	Maryland and Virginia to Illinois, Iowa, Texas, and Florida	‘Winterking’ is a selection with good fall color and fruit; may need protection in western Neb.; 25’ spread.
*Euonymus bungeanus* winterberry euonymus	3	6	All	Northern China and Manchuria	Rich pink fruit; very hardy small tree; scale can be a problem; 15’ spread.
*Hamamelis virginiana* common witchhazel	2	56	A,B	Canada to Georgia, west to Nebraska and Arkansas	Large shrub or small tree; interesting yellow flowers in late fall; needs consistent moisture; 15’ spread.
*Maackia amurensis* Amur maackia	3	6	All	Manchuria	Nice small tree; flowers in late summer; attractive bronze colored bark; 20’ spread.
Magnolia x *soulangiana* saucer magnolia	2	6	A,B,C		One of the best large magnolias for Neb.; large, early white flowers; 25’ spread.
Magnolia x *loebneri* Loebner magnolia	2	6	A,B,C		Finer texture than saucer magnolia; early white flowers; can die back in severe winter; 20’ spread. ‘Dr. Merrill’ is a common cultivar.
*Malus spp.* flowering crabapple	3	6	All	North America, Europe, and Asia	Many crabapple cultivars are available for the landscape. Select from disease resistant varieties that include:
‘Adams’					White flowers; red persistent fruit; 15’ spread.
‘Donald Wyman’					Clean, green foliage; white flowers; 20’ spread.
‘Indian Magic’					Pink flowers; small persisting orange fruit; 15’ spread.
‘Indian Summer’					Red flowers; good selection; 15’ spread.
‘Liset’					Red flowers; persistent red fruit; purple-green leaves; 15’ spread.
‘Mary Potter’					White flowers; dense crown to 15’ tall; 15’ spread.
‘Pinkspires’					Pink flowers with and upright growth habit; 15’ spread.
‘Prairifire’					Dark pink flowers; upright habit; very disease resistant; 15-20’ spread.
‘Red Jade’					White flowers; unique weeping habit; to 15’ tall; 15’ spread.
‘Red Snow’					Pink flowers; red persistent fruit; only 10’ tall; 15’ spread.
‘Sargent’					White flowers; shorter variety; small fruit; good for wildlife; 10’ spread.
‘Snowdrift’					Profuse white flowers; dense crown; small fruit; 20’ spread.
‘Sugartyme’					Wine-colored leaves in summer; 20’ spread.
‘Tina’					White flowers; very small tree - only 5’ tall.
‘Velvet Pillar’					Columnar variety with red foliage; disease resistant; 10’ spread.
‘White Candle’					White flowers; columnar; makes a nice screen; to 15’ tall; 10’ spread.
‘Zumi Calocarpa’					Nice white flowers; 20’ spread.

*Metasequoia glyptostroboides* dawn redwood	2	6	A	Eastern Szechuan and western Hupeh, China	Soft foliage; nice fall color; deciduous conifer; needs consistent moisture; 25’ spread.
*Ostrya virginiana* hophornbeam	3	5	All	Cape Breton, Ontario to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas	Good native for tough sites; does well in narrow spaces; shade tolerant; 15’ spread.
*Parrotia persica* Persian parrotia	2	56	A,B,C	Iran	Nice tree with good fall color and exfoliating bark; similar to witchhazel; 20’ spread.
*Prunus cerasifera* Newport purple leaf plum	2	6	All	Western Asia and Caucasia	Purple foliage in the summer; short-lived tree but good while it lasts; 25’ spread. ‘Newport’ is a common cultivar.
*Prunus maackii* Amur chokecherry	3	6	All	Eastern Asia	Pyramidal in youth; very nice, shiny, exfoliating bark; 25’ spread.
*Prunus padus* European birdcherry	2	6	All	Europe, northern Asia, to Korea and Japan	One of the earliest to leaf out; good for wildlife; can sucker profusely; ‘Summer Glow’ is a non-suckering cultivar with red-purple leaves; 20’ spread.
*Prunus virginiana* chokecherry	3	6	All	Newfoundland to Sasketchewan, North Dakota, Nebraska, south to North Carolina, Missouri and Kansas	Nice small native tree; good for wildlife; foliage turns from green to purple; suckering; plant in masses; good for tough sites; 10-15’h x 10-15’w. ‘Shubert’ and ‘Canada Red Cherry’ are common cultivars with wine colored leaves.
*Ptelea trifoliata* wafer-ash	2	5	All	Ontario and New York to Florida, west to Minnesota	Small native tree; tolerates shade; 15’ spread.
*Quercus gambelii* Gambel’s oak	3	6	B,D,E	Colorado to New Mexico	Large shrub or small tree; thicket forming; good for wildlife; drought tolerant; especially good for western Neb.; 15’ spread.
*Robinia neomexicana* New Mexico locust	3	6	B,D,E	New Mexico	Large shrub or small tree; thicket forming; nice purple flowers; drought tolerant; similar to black locust but smaller in stature; 15’ spread.
*Sassafras albidum* common sassafras	2	5	A	Maine to Ontario and Michigan, south to Florida and Texas	Nice fall color; can die back in severe winters; needs protection; 25’ spread.
*Syringa pekinensis* pekin lilac	3	6	All	Northern China	Similar to Japanese tree lilac but slightly smaller and more informal; 20’ spread.
*Syringa reticulata* Japanese tree lilac	3	6	All	Japan	Nice, small tree; good in mass or as a screen; white flowers in June; 15’ spread.
*Viburnum lentago* nannyberry	3	56	All	Hudson Bay to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Mississippi	Nice native plant; usually planted as a large shrub; good fall color; 15’ spread.
*Viburnum prunifolium* blackhaw viburnum	2	56	All	Connecticut to Florida, west to Michigan and Texas	Similar to V. lentago with smaller leaves and slightly more refined appearance; 15’ spread.
*Viburnum rufidulum* rusty blackhaw viburnum	2	56	A,B,C	Virginia to Florida and Texas	Handsome plant similar to V. prunifolium but with more leathery foliage; 15’ spread.
*Xanthoceras sorbifolium* shineyleaf yellowhorn	2	5	A,B,C	Northern China	Tolerant of alkaline soils and cold winters; yellow flowers in May; 25’ spread.

Large Evergreen Trees:

More than 25 feet at maturity

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Abies balsamea* balsam fir	2	6	A,B,C	North America and higher altitudes from Labrador to Alberta to Pennsylvania	Lovely color; plant in groups; very narrow, to 50’ tall; 20’ spread.
*Abies concolor* concolor fir (white fir)	3	6	All	Colorado to southern California, northern Mexico and New Mexico	Nice alternative to blue spruce; silver green color; avoid windy sites; to 50’ tall; 30’ spread.
*Picea abies* Norway spruce	2	6	All	Northern and central Europe	Stately evergreen with pendulous branches; fairly fast growing; to 50’ tall; 35’ spread.
*Picea engelmannii* Engelmann spruce	2	6	All	British Columbia and Alberta to Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico	Not as adaptable as other spruces; 25’ spread.
*Picea glauca* white spruce	2	6	All	Labrador to Alaska, south to Montana, Minnesota, and New York	More upright than Norway spruce; to 50’ tall; 25’ spread.
Picea glauca var. *densata* Black Hills spruce	3	6	All	Labrador to Alaska, south to Montana, Minnesota, and New York	Native to Black Hills; more compact than the species; slow grower to 40’ tall; 25’ spread.
*Picea omorika* Siberian spruce	2	6	All	Southeastern Europe (Yugoslavia)	Graceful tree with drooping branches; needs testing in Neb.; to 50’ tall; 25’ spread.
*Picea pungens* Colorado spruce	3	6	All	Southwestern United States; Rocky Mountains from Colorado to Utah to New Mexico and Wyoming	Variable in color; slow growing; grows quite tall to 60’; does very well across Neb.; 30’ spread.
Picea pungens var. glauca Colorado blue spruce	3	6	All	Southwestern United States; Rocky Mountains from Colorado to Utah to New Mexico and Wyoming	Variety of the species with blue/silver-green foliage; 30’ spread. Many nice cultivars including:
‘Fat Albert’					Compact, broad-based form; good blue-green color; 30’ spread.
‘Hoopsii’					Dense, compact form; very blue-white (glaucus) foliage; 20’ spread.
‘Iseli Foxtail’					Bushy blue twisted new growth; may be more heat tolerant; 20’ spread.
‘Moerheimii’					Dense, compact, irregular form; nice blue-white foliage; 20’ spread.
‘Thompsenii’					Symmetrical & compact; nice silver-blue foliage; 20’ spread.

*Pinus banksiana* jack pine	3	6	All	Near Arctic Circle, south to northern New York and Minnesota	Very unrefined, often shrubby; good on tough, dry, sandy sites; 25’ spread.
*Pinus bungeana* lacebark pine	2	6	A,B,C	China	Unusual mottled bark; ice and snow can cause breakage; prefers protected sites; 25’ spread.
*Pinus cembra* Swiss stone pine	2	6	All	Mountains of central Europe and southern Asia	Picturesque and hardy pine; seldom seen in the landscape; avoid highly alkaline soils; 20’ spread.
*Pinus flexilis* limber pine	3	6	All	Rocky Mountains of western North America, Alberta to northern Mexico, east to Texas	Native to Kimball county; soft foliage with flexible branches; nice specimen tree; ‘Vanderwolf’ is a common cultivar with blue coloring; 25’ spread.
*Pinus koraiensis* Korean pine	3	6	All	Korea and mountainous areas on the main island of Japan	Seldom seen evergreen; plant as a specimen or in groups; very cold hardy; 20’ spread.
*Pinus monticola* western white pine	3	6	All	B.C. to California	Similar to P. strobus; not a common landscape plant, hard to find; 25’ spread.
*Pinus nigra* Austrian pine	3	6	All	Europe, from Austria to central Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia	Multiple-use evergreen; susceptible to leaf and tip blight; becoming overplanted; 45’ spread.
*Pinus ponderosa* ponderosa pine	3	6	All	Western North America, British Columbia to Mexico, east to South Dakota and Texas	Long needles; more disease resistant than Austrian pine; native to western Neb.; 35’ spread.
*Pinus resinosa* red pine	2	6	A,B,C	Newfoundland and Manitoba, south to the mountains of Pennsylvania, west to Michigan	Good on north slopes; low survival rate; 30’ spread.
*Pinus strobiformis* southwestern white pine	3	6	A,B,C		Similar to white pine but not as hardy; needs testing in Neb.; 35’ spread.
*Pinus strobus* eastern white pine	2	6	All	Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Georgia, Illinois and Iowa	A beautiful pine with soft foliage; adaptable to most Neb. communities; avoid windy and open sites; spread 45’. ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright cultivar (about 20’ wide).
*Pinus sylvestris* Scotch pine	3	6	All	Norway to Scotland to Spain, western Asia and northeastern Siberia	Very common landscape tree and Christmas tree; mature tree has nice orange bark; small cones; picturesque crown; avoid sheared ‘leftover’ Christmas trees; 45’ spread.
*Pseudotsuga menziesii* Douglas fir	2	6	All	Rocky Mountains and Pacific coast (British Columbia)	Very adaptable tree; nice blue color; unusual cones; graceful tree; not a true fir; 35’ spread.

Medium and Small Evergreen Trees:

Less than 25 feet at maturity

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Ilex opaca* American holly	2	46	A	Massachusetts to Florida, west to Missouri and Texas	Nice tree-form holly; should only be planted in urban areas with suitable micro-climates; spread 15’.
*Juniperus chinensis* Chinese juniper	3	6	All	China, Mongolia, and Japan	Other cultivars of J. chinensis worth planting include:
‘Keteleerii’					Makes a nice informal screen; spread of 10-15’.
‘Robusta Green’					Brilliant green foliage; handsome, irregular form; 10’ spread.
‘Spartan’					Fast, dense grower; rich green color; 10 - 15’ spread.
‘Spearmint’					Dense, upright habit to 15’ tall; bright green; 5’ spread.

*Juniperus scopulorum* Rocky Mountain juniper	3	6	All	Eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains from Alberta to Texas, westward to the coast of British Columbia and Washington, and to eastern Oregon, Nevada, and northern Arizona	Drought tolerant native to western Neb.; 10-15’ spread; better adapted to western Neb.; many nice cultivars including:
‘Cologreen’					Blue-green foliage; very formal shape; nice tree; 15’ spread.
‘Gray Gleam’					Blue-gray foliage holds color well in the winter; 5 -10’ spread.
‘Greenspire’					Dense, dark green foliage; tall; very hardy; 5 - 10’ spread.
‘Pathfinder’					Blue-silver foliage; extremely hardy and drought tolerant; 10’ spread.
‘Skyrocket’					Very narrow, upright form; silvery-blue foliage; 5’ spread.
‘Sutherland’					Very attractive silver-green foliage; 10’ spread.
‘Wichita Blue’					Blue foliage; upright; does better in western Neb.; 10’ spread.

*Juniperus virginiana* eastern redcedar	3	6	All	East and central North America, east of the Rocky Mountains	Native cedar; good selection for wildlife; susceptible to rust; 10-20’ spread; cultivars include:.
‘Canaertii’					Irregular form; very picturesque; susceptible to rust; 20’ spread.
‘Hillspire’					Dark green foliage on a narrow, pyramidal form; 10’ spread.
‘Manhattan Blue’					Compact; nice blue-green foliage; 15’ spread.
‘Taylor’					Very narrow; native Neb. selection; obtain through NSA; 5’ spread.

*Pinus aristata* bristlecone pine	3	6	All	Southwestern United States from the mountains along the Nevada-California border east through the highlands of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, northern Arizona and northern New Mexico	Picturesque; slow growing; very drought tolerant; excellent in western Neb.; 15’ spread.
Pinus cembroides var. edulis pinyon pine	3	6	All	Southern Arizona to lower California, and Mexico	Edible seeds; very good on dry sites; 20’ spread.
Taxus cuspidata Japanese yew	2	5	All	Japan, Korea, and Manchuria	‘Capitata’ is an upright form; can be pruned for formal appearance; shade tolerant; avoid hot sites; not adaptable to western Neb.; 10’ spread.
Taxus x media Anglojap yew	2	5	All		"Hicksii’ is an upright form; good for formal landscape; shade tolerant; needs more protection in western Neb.; max. ht. 15’ and up to a 10’ spread.
*Thuja occidentalis* American arborvitae	2	5	All	Eastern North America	Nice evergreen with feathery foliage; susceptible to wind, snow and ice damage; ‘Mission Hills’ (Techy) nice, broad-based cultivar; 10’ spread.
*Thuja orientalis* Oriental arborvitae	2	5	A,B	Korea, Manchuria, and northern China	Needs protection; good for foundation plantings; 10’ spread.
*Tsuga canadensis* Canadian (eastern) hemlock	2	6	A,B	Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south along the mountains to Alabama and Georgia	Graceful evergreen; needs protection; moist, well drained sites; 25’ spread.

Evergreen Shrubs

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

Buxus microphylla var. koreana Korean boxwood	2	45	A,B	Japan	Formal, low, fine-textured broadleaf evergreen. ‘Wintergreen’ is a good cultivar; 2-3’h x 2-3’w.
*Buxus sempervirens* common boxwood	2	45	A,B	Southern Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia	Similar to B. microphylla but not as hardy; needs protection; 4-6’ h x 3-5’ w.
*Euonymus fortunei* wintercreeper euonymus	2	5	All	China	Usually a spreading broadleaf evergreen but ‘Sarcoxie’ is a more upright variety; can withstand renewal pruning; 3-4’h x 4-8’w.
Ilex *spp.* evergreen holly	2	45	A,B	North and South America and Asia	There are several hardy evergreen hollies worth considering for protected areas; the Merserve series including ‘Blue Boy’, ‘Blue Girl’, China Boy, China Girl and Blue Stallion are most commonly planted; include a male cultivar to ensure fruit production.
*Juniperus chinensis* Chinese juniper	3	6	All	China, Mongolia, and Japan	Common evergreen landscape shrub; many cultivars available including:
‘Armstrong’					Common spreading type.
‘Mint Julep’					Brilliant mint-green foliage; fountain-like appearance; 4’h x 5’w.
‘Nick’s Compact’					Compact variety of Pfitzer; 3’h x 6w.
‘Pfitzeriana’ - Pfitzer					Can grow quite large - typically reaches 6’h x 12’w.
‘Sargent’					Low, spreading habit; blue-green foliage; 2’h 8’w. Cultivated from J. chinensis var. sargentii.
‘Seagreen’					Dark green foliage; fountain-like appearance; up to 6’h x 7’w.

*Juniperus communis* common juniper	3	56	All	North and central Europe, countries bordering the Mediterranean, United States, Canada, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Iran Afghanistan, and the western Himalaya	Very hardy; native to northwest Neb.; tolerates some shade; good on sandy soils and difficult sites; 3-5’h x 8-12’w.
*Mahonia aquifolium* Oregon grapeholly	2	5	A,B	British Columbia to Oregon	Holly-like leaves that turn purple-red in the fall; needs protection from winter winds; prefers partial shade; 6’h x 3-5’w; ‘Compactum’ grows to 3’ high.
*Mahonia repens* creeping mahonia	2	5	All	British Columbia to northern Mexico and California	Native evergreen to semi-evergreen; grows to about 1’h; spreads by underground stems; purple leaves in winter.
Picea pungens x ‘Montgomery’ Montgomery Colorado spruce	3	6	All	Southwestern United States	‘Montgomery’ is a dwarf form of Colorado spruce; nice blue color; 5-6’h x 6-7’w. ‘Glauca Globosa’ is a similar dwarf variety growing to about 3’h x 4’w.
*Pinus mugo* mugo pine	3	6	All	Mountains of central and southern Europe from Spain to the Balkans	Nice landscape specimen; good alternative to junipers; can get quite large; 12- 20’h x 20’w. Variety ‘Compacta’ will grow up to 4’h x 7’w.
*Pyracantha coccinea* firethorn	2	5	A,B	Italy to Caucasus	Broadleaf evergreen with bright red-orange fruit in the fall; choose a hardy variety; 6-12’h x 6-12’w.
Rhododendron *spp.* rhododendron cultivars	2	5	A,B,C	Northern Hemisphere, Himalayas, southeast Asia, and mountains of Malaysia	Broadleaf evergreen with showy flowers; prefers acid soils; choose from hardy cultivars including the ‘P.J.M’. series, 3-6’h.
Taxus x *media* Anglojap yew	2	5	A,B,C		Dense, shrub-like form; 3-4’h x 4-5’w; does well in the shade; needs protection to survive in zones D and E. Hardier cultivars include: ‘Everlow’ (2’x4’), ‘Runyon’ (3’x5’), ‘Sebian’ (4’x8’), ‘Wardi’ (4’x10’) and ‘Densiformis’ (3’x5’).

Thuja occidentalis arborvitae	2	5	All	Eastern North America	Several dense, globe shaped cultivars with dark green foliage; plant in protected location; including ‘Hetz’, ‘Aurea’ and ‘Canadian Green’; reaches 2-3’h x 2-3’w.
*Yucca filamentosa* Adam’s needle yucca	2	5	All	South Carolina to Mississippi and Florida	Long sword-like evergreen leaves; tall stalk with showy, yellowish-white flowers in the summer.
*Yucca glauca* soapweed	3	5	All	South Dakota to New Mexico	Long, glaucous green leaves radiate from the center; tall flower spike from July - August; 2-3’h x 3-4’w.

Large Deciduous Shrubs: Over 10 feet tall

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Acer ginnala* Amur maple	3	6	All	Central and northern China, Manchuria, and Japan	One of the best small trees for Neb.; good fall color and drought tolerant; often multi-stemmed; can show chlorosis on high pH soils; 20’ spread; ‘Flame’ is a more compact cultivar with outstanding fall color; ‘Red Wing’ has nice red fruit; ‘Bailey’s Compact’ is slightly smaller growing 8-12’h x 8-12’w.
*Amelanchier alnifolia* Saskatoon serviceberry	2	56	All	Manitoba and Saskatchewan to Nebraska	Native to Neb.; tolerates alkaline soils; good for natural landscapes and attracting wildlife; 8-12’h x 8-10’w.
*Amelanchier arborea* downy serviceberry	2	56	All	New Brunswick to Ontario and Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana	Very large shrub or small tree; good in groups and for wildlife; good fall color; 18’ spread.
*Amelanchier canadensis* shadblow serviceberry	1	56	A,B,C	Maine to South Carolina	Naturalistic planting; spring bloom; good fall color; edible fruit; moist sites; 10-20’h x 10-20’w.
*Amorpha fruticosa* indigobush amorpha	13	6	All	Connecticut to Minnesota, south to Louisiana and Florida	Native Neb. plant; good for tough sites where little else grows; 10-12’h x 8-10’w.
*Buddleia alternifolia* alternate-leaf butterflybush	2	6	A,B,C	Native to northwestern China	Leggy shrub that is herbaceous in Neb.; showy purple flowers in August are very attractive to butterflies; 6-10’ h x 8-10’w.
*Caragana arborescens* Siberian peashrub	3	6	All	Siberia, Mongolia	Good on difficult sites; many cultivars including smaller ones; 15-20’h x 12-18’w.
*Cercocarpus ledifolius* curl-leaf mountain mahogany	3	6	C,D,E	Eastern California and Washington, east to Montana, Colorado, and Arizona	Semi-evergreen; very cold hardy; better suited to western Neb.; 10-12’h x 6-10’w.
*Chionanthus retusus* Chinese fringetree	2	6	A	China, Korea, and Japan	Small tree or large shrub; showy flowers; seldom seen in Neb.; 15’ spread.
*Chionanthus virginicus* white fringetree	2	6	A,B,C	Southern New Jersey to Florida and Texas	Similar to C. reusus but hardier; very refined with beautiful, fragrant flowers; needs protection from desiccating winter winds; 15’ spread.
*Cornus kousa* Kousa dogwood	2	5	A,B	Japan, Korea, and China	Large shrub or small tree; beautiful when in flower but needs protection in Neb.; hardier than C. florida; 15’ spread.
*Cornus mas* corneliancherry dogwood	3	6	All	Central and southern Europe and western Asia	Large shrub or small tree; early yellow flowers; good for foundation plantings; attractive bark; 12-18’h x 10-15’w.
*Cornus racemosa* gray dogwood	3	56	All	Maine to Ontario and Minnesota, south to Georgia and Nebraska	Native; sprouts from the roots; good for wildlife; purple fall color; 8-12’h x 10-12’w.
*Corylus americana* American hazelnut	2	56	All	New England to Sasketchewan and south to Florida	Edible nut; unusual flower; good for natural appearance; 10-12’h x 8-10’w.
*Cotinus coggygria* common smoketree	2	6	A,B,C	Southern Europe to central China and Himalaya	Large shrub/small tree; showy, smoke-like flowers from June to August; limited use; 10-15’h x 10-15’w.
*Cotinus obovatus* American smoketree	2	6	A,B,C	Tennessee, Alabama, and the Edwards Plateau of Texas	Large shrub or small tree; very ornamental leaves, bark and smoke-like flowers; 15-25’h x 10-20’w.
*Euonymus alatus* winged euonymus	2	46	All	Northeastern Asia to central China	Good in hedges or groups; nice red fall color and winter form; 8-12’h x 7-10’ w; ‘Compactus’ is a slightly smaller form.

*Euonymus atropurpureus* eastern wahoo	2	6	All	New York to Florida, west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas	Nice native small tree or shrub; unusual red fruit and fall color; 10-15’ h by 8-12’ w.
*Euonymus bungeanus* winterberry euonymus	3	6	All	Northern China and Manchuria	Large shrub or small tree; scale can be a problem; good on difficult sites; 10-18’h x 12-20’w.
Exochorda *spp*. pearlbush	2	56	All	Asia	Plants are covered with showy flowers in the spring; ‘The Bride’ is a cultivar with blue-green foliage and pearl-like buds; 10-12’h x 10-12’ w.
*Hamamelis virginiana* common witchhazel	2	56	A,B,C	Canada to Georgia, west to Nebraska and Arkansas	Unique large shrub or small tree that flowers in late fall (November and December); needs consistent moisture; 10-14’h x 12-15’w.
Hippophae rhamnoides sea buckthorn	2	6	All	Europe to Altai Mountains, western and northern China, and north and western Himalayas	A hardy shrub; tolerant of poor soil and sea spray; silver foliage; 8-12’h x 10-15’w.
*Hydrangea paniculata* panicle hydrangea	2	56	All	Japan, Sakhalin, and eastern and southern China	Large shrub or small tree; very course with large white flowers; use with discretion; 10-15’h x 10-12’w; ‘Grandiflora’ or ‘PeeGee’ are common cultivars with very full blooms.
*Ligustrum amurense* Amur privet	3	6	All	Northern China	Common hedge plant; withstands frequent and severe pruning; good for screens; 10-15’h x 8-12’w.
*Ligustrum obtusifolium* border privet	3	5	A,B	Japan	Commonly used border shrub; good for screens and hedges; 10-12’h x 8-10’w.
*Lonicera maackii* Amur honeysuckle	2	56	All	Manchuria and Korea	White flowers; very large; 10-12’h x 8-10’w.
*Lonicera tatarica* tatarian honeysuckle	2	6	All	Central Asia to southern Russia	Pink white flowers; aphids can be a problem making it inferior to most shrubs; 8-12’h x 10-15’w.
*Prunus americana* American plum	3	6	All	Maryland and southern Delaware to Florida, west to Arkansas and Texas	Large shrub or small tree; suckering; plant in masses; good for difficult sites and attracting wildlife; 10-15’h x 10-20’w.
*Prunus tomentosa* nanking cherry	2	6	All	North and western China and Japan	Early white, fragrant flowers (mid-April); shiny, exfoliating bark; good in groups; makes a good windbreak; 8-12’h x 10-15’w.
*Prunus virginiana* chokecherry	3	6	All	Newfoundland to Sasketchewan, North Dakota, Nebraska, south to North Carolina, Missouri and Kansas	Large shrub or small tree; suckering; plant in masses; good for tough sites; 10-15’h x 10-15’w. ‘Canada Red Cherry’ is a common cultivar with wine colored leaves.
*Quercus gambelii* Gambel’s oak	3	6	B,D,E	Colorado to New Mexico	Large shrub or small tree; thicket forming; good for wildlife; drought tolerant; 8-15’h x 10-15’w.
*Rhamnus cathartica* common buckthorn	3	56	All	Europe and western and northern Asia	Good as a screen/border; good in difficult sites; 12-18’h x 12-18’w.
*Rhamnus frangula* glossy buckthorn	3	56	All	Europe, western Asia, and north Africa	Large gangly shrub with lustrous, dark green leaves; 8-12’h x 4-12’w. ‘Asplenifolia’ is a narrow cultivar with very narrow and irregular leaves - much better than the species. ‘Columnaris’ is a very narrow type that makes a nice, dense screen (10-12’h x 4-6’w), often referred to as tallhedge buckthorn.
*Rhus copallina* flameleaf (shining) sumac	3	6	A,B,C	Maine to Ontario in Minnesota south to Florida and Texas	Picturesque plant with good red fall color; least hardy of the sumacs for Neb.; reaches 10-15’h x 10-15’w.
*Rhus glabra* smooth sumac	3	6	All	Maine to British Columbia, south to Florida and Arizona	Spreads from the roots; hardy; good fall color; 8-12’h x 6-12’w.
*Rhus typhina* staghorn sumac	3	6	All	Quebec to Ontario, south to Georgia, Indiana and Iowa	Prominent seed heads; good fall color; suckers profusely; ‘Laciniata’ is an ornamental variety with cut-leaf foliage; 12-18’h x 10-20’w.


*Robinia neomexicana* New Mexico locust	3	6	B,D,E	New Mexico	Large shrub or small tree; thicket forming; nice purple flowers; drought tolerant; 10-12’h x 10-12’w.
*Syringa vulgaris* common lilac	3	6	All	Southern Europe	Fragrant flowers; many nice cultivars to choose from; 8-12’h x 8-12’w.
*Viburnum lantana* wayfaringtree	3	5	All	Europe and western Asia	Good on hot sites; excellent fruit; ‘Mohican’ is a compact cultivar (8’ by 8’) with thick, dark green leaves and showy orange-red fruit; 10-15’h x 10-15’w.
*Viburnum lentago* nannyberry	3	56	All	Hudson Bay to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Mississippi	Nice, native Neb. plant; fast growing and spreading; nice fall color; good in mass; 12-16’h x 6-10’w.
*Viburnum opulus* European cranberrybush viburnum	3	56	All	Europe, northern Africa, and northern Asia	Vary adaptable viburnum; course texture; nice white flowers in May. Variety ‘Roseum’ is the common snowball viburnum with large, showy flowers in May; aphids can be a problem; 8-14’h x 10-15’w.
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum doublefile viburnum	2	56	All	China and Japan	Lovely flowering viburnum; can be a very large plant; ‘Mariesii’ is a common cultivar with magnificent flowers; some dieback in severe winters 8-12’h x 10-12’w.
*Viburnum prunifolium* blackhaw viburnum	3	56	All	Connecticut to Florida, west to Michigan and Texas	Somewhat irregular in form; nice fall color; good when single stemmed; 12-15’h x 8-12’w.
*Viburnum rufidulum* rusty blackhaw viburnum	2	56	A,B,C	Georgia	Handsome plant similar to V. prunifolium but with more leathery foliage; 15’ spread.
*Viburnum sargentii* sargent viburnum	2	56	All	Northeastern Asia	Similar to V. opulus but more open; resistant to aphids; very coarse texture; 12-15’h x 12-15’w. ‘Onondaga’ is a very nice 6-8’ selection with good flowers and fall color.
*Viburnum sieboldii* siebold viburnum	2	56	All	Japan	Nice specimen; almost tree-like; very coarse; 12-18’h x 10-15’w.
*Viburnum trilobum* American cranberrybush viburnum	2	56	All	New Brunswick to British Columbia, south to New York, Michigan, South Dakota, and Oregon	Better fall color and fewer aphid problems than V. opulus; very coarse; nice white flowers in May. Variety ‘Wentworth’ was selected for its excellent fruit and fall color; 8-12’h x 8-12’w.

Medium Deciduous Shrubs: 5 to 10 feet tall

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Acanthopanax sieboldianus* fiveleaf aralia	3	56	All	Japan	Good on dry sites; thorny barrier; 5-10’h x 8-10’w.
*Aesculus parviflora* bottlebrush buckeye	2	56	A,B,C	South Carolina to Alabama and Florida	Beautiful multi-stemmed flowering shrub with foliage like Ohio buckeye; 8-10’h x 8-10’w.
*Amelanchier alnifolia ‘Regent’* regent serviceberry	2	56	All	Great Plains from Manitoba and Saskatchewan to Nebraska	Excellent foliage and fruit; good for wildlife; 6-8’h x 6-8’w.
*Aronia arbutifolia* red chokeberry	2	56	A,B,C	Massachusetts to Florida, west to Minnesota, Ohio, Arkansas and Texas	Dark green leaves turning to red in the fall. ‘Brilliantissima’ is a variety with lustrous green leaves, good fall color and better fruit; 6-8’h x 3-5’w.
*Aronia melanocarpa* black chokeberry	3	56	All	Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Michigan	Very nice shrub; adaptable from dry to wet sites; red fall color and showy black berries; 4-6’h x 3-5’w. 1998 Nebraska Shrub of the Year.
Berberis x *mentorensis* mentor barberry	3	56	All		A nice hedge shrub; has sharp thorns; can winter kill; 4-6’h x 5-6’w.
*Calycanthus floridus* Carolina allspice	2	46	A,B	Virginia to Florida	Nice shrub with interesting, fragrant flowers; needs protection in Neb.; 5-7’h x 5-8’ w.
*Cephalanthus occidentalis* buttonbush	2	56	A,B	New Brunswick to Florida, west to southern Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, southern New Mexico, Arizona, and central California	Unusual plant with coarse winter texture, globular flowers and interesting nutlet fruit from which it derives its name; 4-8’h x 4-8’ w.
*Cercocarpus montanus* mountain mahogany	3	6	All	Rocky Mountains	Native to western Neb.; semi-evergreen; very thick, interesting leaves; 5-7’h x 4-6’w.
*Chaenomeles speciosa* flowering quince	3	56	A,B,C	China and Japan	Thorny plant with red or white flowers in April; trash collector; 5-7’h x 4-6’w.
*Chrysothamnus nauseosus* rabbit brush	3	6	All	Eastern California and Nevada	A dense native to western Neb. shrub; drought tolerant; good for difficult sites and native plantings; 5-6’h x 4-5’w.
*Clethra alnifolia* summersweet clethra	2	56	All	Maine to Florida	Nice plant for summer flower; underutilized in the landscape; 4-6’h x 4-6’w.
*Cornus alba* tatarian dogwood	2	5	All	Siberia to Manchuria and northern Korea	Red stem in the winter; similar to redosier dogwood. ‘Variegata’ is a common cultivar with variegated leaves - use with discretion; 7-10’h x 8-12’w.
*Cornus sericea* redosier (redtwig) dogwood	3	6	All	Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Virginia, Kentucky and Nebraska	Red stems add winter color; good for wildlife; 7-9’h x 8-10’w. ‘Isanti’ is a compact form; bright red stems for winter color; 4-6’h x 5-7’w.
*Cotoneaster acutifolius* Peking cotoneaster	3	56	All	Mongolia, northern and western China and the eastern Himalaya	Good for windbreaks and wildlife plantings; red fall color; 7-10’h x 8-10’w.
*Cotoneaster divaricatus* spreading cotoneaster	3	56	All	Central and western China	One of the best shrubs for Neb.; good foundation plant; fine texture; good for wildlife; 4-6’h x 5-8’w.
*Cotoneaster lucidus* hedge cotoneaster	3	56	All	Siberia and other parts of northern Asia	Upright habit makes it useful as a hedge; 7-10’h x 5-7’w.


Forsythia x *intermedia* showy border forsythia	3	6	All		Yellow flowers in early spring ; use hardy northern selections; 7-10h x 8-12’w.

‘Meadowlark’					A hybrid with improved bud hardiness; early bloom; makes an attractive screen; 6-8’h x 6-10’w.
‘Northern Sun’					Hybrid with hardy flower buds; 6-10’h x 8-12’w.

*Hamamelis vernalis* vernal witchhazel	2	5	A,B,C	Missouri to Louisiana and Oklahoma	Interesting plant with yellow-red flowers that bloom in late winter (February to March); 5-8’h x 6-10’w.
*Hibiscus syriacus* Rose-of-Sharon	2	6	A,B,C	China and India	Nice, late season flowers on an upright plant; choose a hardy cultivar. 4-8’h x 3-5’w.
*Ilex verticillata* winterberry	2	5	A,B,C	Swamps from Nova Scotia to western Ontario, west to Wisconsin, south to Florida and west to Missouri	Good plant for wet areas; excellent in mass; prefers acid soils; need male and female plants to set fruit; reaches 6-10’h x 6-10’w; choose hardy cultivars like ‘Apollo’, ‘Sparkleberry’, and ‘Winter Red’.
Ligustrum vulgare privet	3	5	All	Europe and northern Africa	Large hedge; showy flowers and fruit; reaches 8-10’h x 8-10’w; ‘Cheyenne’ is a common cultivar.
*Magnolia stellata* star magnolia	2	56	A,B	Japan	Fragrant white flowers; excellent spring color; beautiful plant for southeast Neb.; 5-8’h x 5-8’w.
Philadelphus *spp.* mockorange	2	6	All	North America, east Asia, and Europe	Old fashioned shrubs planted for fragrance; wide size range from 3-10’h x 3-10’w; choose from improved cultivars including ‘Minnesota Snowflake’ and ‘Miniature Snowflake’.
*Physocarpus opulifolius* common ninebark	3	56	All	Quebec to Virginia, Tennessee, and Michigan	Upright spreading shrub with exfoliating bark; 6-8’h x 6-8’w. ‘Dart’s Golden’ is a compact cultivar with yellow-green foliage; 6’h x 6’w. Var. intermedius is a low growing, fine textured form (4’x4’); native to the Black Hills.
*Prunus besseyi* sand cherry	3	6	All	Manitoba to Wyoming, south to Kansas and Colorado	Native to the Sandhills and western Neb.; profuse white flowers; suckering; good fruiting shrub for tough sites; 4-6’h x 6-8’w.
*Rhus aromatica* fragrant sumac	3	6	All	Vermont and Ontario to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana	Good for stabilizing banks; good fall color and wildlife habitat; native; 4-6’h x 5-8’w.
*Rhus trilobata* skunkbush sumac	2	6	All	Illinois to Washington, California, and Texas	Closely related to fragrant sumac; good on calcareous soils and for screening; native to western Neb.; 3-6’h x 5-8’w.
*Ribes aureum* golden currant	3	56	All	Central and southern California	Hardy native shrub with fragrant yellow flowers in spring; 5-6’w x 5-6’h.
*Ribes odoratum* clove currant	3	56	All	South Dakota to western Texas, east to Minnesota and Arkansas	Very fragrant, yellow flowers in early April; takes on a ragged appearance with age; native to Neb.; 5-6’h x 5-6’w.
Rosa foetida brier rose	2	6	All	Western Asia	‘Bicolor’ (Austrian Copper) is a very old, hardy rose; brilliant copper-red flowers in May-June; 5-6’h x 4-5’w; ‘Persiana’ is a cultivar with double yellow flowers.
*Rosa virginiana* Virginia rose	2	6	All	Newfoundland to Virginia, Alabama and Missouri	One of the best shrub roses for year-around interest; 4-6’h x 5-7’w.
*Rosa woodsii* wild rose	3	6	All	Minnesota to B.C., south to Nebraska, Arizona, northern Mexico	Native rose; good for naturalized plantings and erosion control; 5-6’h x 5-8’ w.
*Sambucus canadensis* American elder (elderberry)	2	6	All		Good plant for naturalized areas; fruit is good for jellies and attracting birds; 5-12’h x 8-15’w.


*Shepherdia argentea* silver buffaloberry	3	6	All		Good on poor sites and rough areas; ornamental silver foliage; 6-10’h x 6-10’w.
*Sheperdia canadensis* russet buffaloberry	3	6	All		Silver foliage; very cold tolerant; 5-8’h x 5-8’w.
Spiraea x *vanhouttei* Vanhoutte spirea	2	6	All		Nice white flowers; can spread to 12’; good for parking lot screen; 6-8’h x 6-8’w.
*Syringa meyeri* meyer lilac	3	6	All		Dense, neat and good for uniform outline in summer and winter; spectacular flowers; often referred to as Dwarf Korean Lilac; 5-6’h x 5-6’w.
*Syringa microphylla* littleleaf lilac	2	6	All		Fragrant flowers; fine texture; similar to Meyer lilac; 6-8’h x 6-10’w.
*Syringa patula* manchurian lilac	3	6	All		Lilac-purple flowers; a very good small lilac for Neb.; 5-7’h x 5-6’w; ‘Miss Kim’ is a common cultivar (3’x3’) with icy blue flowers.
*Syringa persica* Persian lilac	3	6	All		Purple flowers; nice small lilac; 6-8’h x 6-10’w.
*Syringa villosa* late lilac	3	6	All		Flowers later than other lilacs, usually around late May or early June; 6-8’h x 6-8’w.
Viburnum x *burkwoodii* burkwood viburnum	2	56	A,B,C		White aromatic flowers; glossy green leaves; ‘Mohawk’ is a nice cultivar with heavy fragrance and ornamental flower heads; 8-10’h x 5-8’w.
Viburnum x *carlcephalum* fragrant viburnum	2	56	A,B,C		One of the most fragrant viburnums; not as refined as V. carlesii or V. juddii; 6-10’h x 6-10’w.
*Viburnum carlesii* koreanspice viburnum	2	46	All		Very fragrant flowers; smaller viburnum; shade tolerant; needs protection in western Neb.; 4-6’h x 4-6’w.
*Viburnum dentatum* arrowwood viburnum	3	5	All		Beautiful dense form; tall and wide; ‘Chicago Lustre’ is a good cultivar; 8-10’h x 8-12’w.
Viburnum x *juddii* judd viburnum	2	5	All		Very fragrant selection; may be superior to V. carlesii in Neb.; may need protection is western Neb.; 6-8’h x 6-10’w.
*Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’* compact European cranberrybush viburnum	2	5	All		Dense, compact form that is superior to the species; course texture; 5-7’h x 5-7’w.
Viburnum x *rhytidophylloides* lantanaphyllum viburnum	2	5	All		Outstanding selection with very dark green, leather-like and semi-evergreen leaves; showy fruit/flowers; 4-6’h x 4-6’w. ‘Alleghany’ and ‘Willowwood’ are common cultivars.
*Viburnum setigerum* tea viburnum	2	46	A,B		Leggy viburnum with good fruit; once used for making tea; 6-10’h x 5-8’w.
*Viburnum trilobum ‘Compactum’* American cranberrybush	2	5	All		Excellent compact form of the species with good flower and fruit characteristics; very course. ‘Alfredo’ is similar but with a denser, broader habit and nice red fall color. Both selections are superior to V. opulus types; 4-6’h x 4-6’w.
Weigela florida var. venusta old-fashioned weigela	2	5	All		Good foundation plant with nice lavender flowers that bloom all summer; poor winter form; choose a hardy cultivar; 5-8’h x 6-10’w; many dwarf cultivars available.

Small Deciduous Shrubs: Less than 5 feet tall

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Amorpha canescens* lead plant	3	6	All	Michigan to Saskatchewan to Indiana, Texas, and northern Mexico	Beautiful silver-gray foliage; good in combination with Cercocarpus species; excellent in the perennial garden; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
*Amorpha nana* fragrant false indigo	3	5	All	Minnesota to Rocky Mountains	Blue-green foliage; drought tolerant; most restrained Amorpha; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
*Berberis koreana* Korean barberry	3	5	All	Korea	Dark green foliage changing to reddish purple in fall; spiny; good barrier plant; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
*Berberis thunbergii* Japanese barberry	3	46	All	Japan	Multiple use shrub; very thorny; ‘Kobold’ is a good cultivar; var. atropurpurea ‘Redleaf’ has red leaves through the summer and ‘Crimson Pygmy’ is a nice, compact form with purple foliage; 2-3’h x 2-3’w.
Cornus sericea ‘Kelseyi’ redtwig dogwood	3	6	All	Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Virginia, Kentucky, and Nebraska	Low growing, compact form of the species; tolerates some shade; 1-2’h x 2-3’w.
*Cotoneaster apiculatus* cranberry cotoneaster	3	6	All	Western China	Low and wide spreading; often good fruit display; fire blight can be a problem; 2-3’h x 4-6’w.
*Forsythia viridissima ‘Bronxensis’* Bronx forsythia	3	6	All	China	Compact form; flowering is unreliable; 1-2’h x 2-4’w.
*Hydrangea arborescens* smooth hydrangea	2	56	All	New York to Iowa, south to Florida and Louisiana	Interesting shrub with large, showy flowers on long stems; should be treated as a perennial in Neb.; 3-4’h x 3-4’w. ‘Annabelle’ is a cultivar with very large flowers (up to 1’ across).
*Hydrangea quercifolia* oakleaf hydrangea	2	46	A,B	Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi	Very coarse shrub that often acts herbaceous in Neb.; interesting flaky bark; nice flower effect; 4-6’h x 4-6’w.
*Hypericum frondosum* golden St. Johnswort	2	6	A,B	South Carolina and Tennessee to Georgia and Texas	Beautiful yellow flowers June through August; treat as a herbaceous plant; does well in protected locations with afternoon and evening sun; ‘Sunburst’ is a proven cultivar; 2-3’h x 2-3’ w.
*Hypericum kalmianum* kalm St. Johnswort	2	5	All	Quebec and Ontario to Michigan and Illinois	Yellow flowers on blue-green foliage; dense, uniform habit with fine twigs 2-3’h and 3-4’w.
*Hypericum prolificum* shrubby St. Johnswort	2	56	All	New Jersey and Iowa to Georgia	Good summer color from yellow flowers; good substitute for potentilla in eastern Neb.; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
Lonicera xylosteum ‘Emerald Mound’ emerald mound honeysuckle	3	5	All	Europe to Altai	Fine low growing shrub; 2-4’h x 3-5’w.
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Nanus’ dwarf ninebark	3	6	All	Quebec to Virginia, Tennessee, and Michigan	Dwarf form of the species; white or pink; 3-4’h x 3-5’w.
*Potentilla fruticosa* bush cinquefoil (potentilla)	3	6	All	Northern Hemisphere	Small shrub with yellow flowers that bloom all summer; performs better in western Neb.; 2-4’h x 3-4’w. Cultivars include ‘Abbottswood’ and ‘McKay’s White, (white flowers); ‘Gold Drop’, ‘Jackman’ and ‘Katherine Dykes’, (yellow flowers).


*Rhododendron spp.* azalea and rhododendron	2	4	A,B	Himalayas, southeast Asia, and mountains of Malaysia	Several varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons can be grown in eastern Neb. These plants are grown for their spectacular spring blooms and are either evergreen (rhododendrons) or deciduous (azaleas). Both need a shady, protected location with acid soils. The soil and care requirements make these a poor choice for low maintenance landscapes. Select hardy varieties such as the ‘P.J.M’ and ‘Northern Lights’ series.
Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’ fragrant sumac	3	6	All	Vermont and Ontario to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana	Nice, low-spreading cultivar; good as a ground cover; 2-3’h x 8-12’w.
*Ribes alpinum* alpine currant	3	4	All	Europe	Very cold tolerant; shade tolerant; dwarf cultivars available; 2-4’h x 3-5’w.
*Rosa blanda* meadow rose	3	6	All	Newfoundland to Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Dakota, and Manitoba	Light pink flowers; bright, showy fruit adds winter interest; suckering; very hardy; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
Rosa x ‘Nearly Wild’ nearly wild rose	3	6	All		Pink flowers; good in mass plantings; 2-4’h x 3-5’w.
*Rosa rugosa* rugosa rose	3	6		China and Japan	Beautiful flowers; nice red fruit; may be the best shrub species for landscape use; many nice cultivars including:
‘Albo-plena’					White flowers; no fruit; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
‘Blanc Double de Coubert’					Double white flowers; very fragrant; 4-5’h x 3-5’w.
‘Frau Dagmar Hastrup’					Prolific bloomer; light pink flowers; very large, red fruit; 2-4’h x 3-5’w.
‘Topaz Jewel’					Double yellow flowers that bloom all summer; 3-5’h x 5-6’w.

*Rosa setigera* prairie rose	3	6	All	Ontario to Nebraska, Texas, and Florida	Good flowers; spreading natural rose with good fruit and fall color; best in naturalized settings, along roadways; 3-4’h x 6-10’w.
*Sorbaria sorbifolia* Ural falsespirea	2	6	All	Northern Asia from Ural to Japan	Foliage similar to mountainash; good in groups for bank stabilization; 3-5’h x 5-10’w.
Spiraea x *arguta* garland spirea	2	6	All		Profuse white flowers in May; fine texture; 4-5’h x 4-5’w.
Spiraea x *bumalda* Bumald spirea	2	6	All		One of the most popular shrubs for general landscape use; formal appearance; flowers in late May to June; 2-4’h x 3-5’w; many cultivars available including: ‘Froebelii’, ‘Crispa’ and ‘Anthony Waterer’.
Spiraea x cinerea ‘Grefsheim’ Grefsheim spirea	2	6	All		Profuse white flowers in April; superior to S. x arguta; nice plant but little known; 3-5’h x 4-6’w.
Spiraea x *fritschiana* fritschiana spirea	3	6	All		White flowers in May-June; compact; very hardy; good for tough sites, 2-3’h x 3-4’w.
*Spiraea japonica* Japanese spirea	2	6	All	Japan, Korea, and China north to the Himalayas	Quite variable with many suitable cultivars; ‘Little Princess’ is a dwarf mound with pink flowers; good as groundcover or small hedge; 1-2’h x 2-3’w.
Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’ snowmound spirea	2	6	All	Japan	Profuse white flowers; blue-green foliage; better form and habit than S. x vanhouttei; 3-4’h x 3-4’w.
Spiraea x ‘Snow White’ snow white spirea	2	6	All		Nice white flowers in May; 3-4’h and 4-5’w.
*Spiraea trilobata* threelobe spirea	3	6	All	Northern China to Siberia and Turkestan	Similar to S. x vanhouttei but slightly smaller; profuse white flowers in May; 4-5’h x 5-6’w.
*Symphoricarpos albus* snowberry	3	46	All	Nova Scotia to Alberta, south to Minnesota and Virginia	Good for a mass planting effect and white fruit; shade tolerant; native to western Neb.; 2-4’h x 3-6’w.


*Symphoricarpos occidentalis* western snowberry	3	46	All	B.C. to New Mexico, east to Illinois and Michigan	Very similar to S. alba but slightly larger; fruit set not quite as reliable; native; 3-4’h x 3-6’w.
*Symphoricarpos orbiculatus* indiancurrent coralberry	3	46	All	New Jersey to Georgia, Kansas, and Texas and west to South Dakota	Purple-red coralberries along stems; yellow-white flowers; shade tolerant; 2-4’h x 3-8’w.
Symphoricarpos x *chenaultii* chenault coralberry	3	46	All		Good natural appearing spreader; pink fruit and flowers; shade tolerant; 2-4’h x 3-8’w. ‘Hancock’ is a beautiful, low growing cultivar (2’h x 2’w).
Viburnum opulus ‘Nanum’ dwarf European cranberrybush viburnum	2	5	All	Europe, northern Africa, and northern Asia	Dwarf form of the species; seldom flowers; good filler plant; 2-3’h x 2-3’w.

Ground Covers

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Cotoneaster adpressus* creeping cotoneaster	3	6	All	Western China	Similar to C. horizontalis; showy dark fruit in late summer; 12 - 18"h x 4-6’w.
*Cotoneaster dammeri* bearberry cotoneaster	3	6	A,B,C	Central China	Nice semi-evergreen cover; 1’h x up to 10’ w; ‘Coral Beauty’ and ‘Skogholm’ are popular cultivars.
*Cotoneaster horizontalis* rockspray cotoneaster	3	6	All	Western China	Excellent glossy dark green foliage; leaves hold until late fall; 2 - 3’h x 8 - 10’w.
*Euonymus fortunei* wintercreeper euonymus	2	46	All	China	Broadleaf evergreen; will need winter protection in west Neb.; 6"- 12"h and spreads widely; many cultivars available.
*Forsythia viridissima ‘Bronxensis’* Bronx forsythia	3	6	A,B,C	China	Shrub-like ground cover; flower buds often killed during winter; poor winter appearance; 1 - 2’h x 2 - 4’w.
Juniperus chinenesis var. sargentii sargent juniper	3	6	All	Japan	One of the best spreading junipers; gray-green foliage; 18" - 2’h x up to 8’w.
*Juniperus horizontalis* creeping juniper	3	6	All	Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, and Montana	Low spreading evergreen;; good for difficult sites; 6" - 2’h x up to 10’w; many nice cultivars including:
‘Bar Harbor’					Bluish green turning more purple in the winter; 1’h x 6’w.
‘Blue Chip’					Excellent blue foliage; 8 - 10"h x 10’w.
‘Wilton Carpet’					Blue foliage; only 4 - 6"h x up to 6’w.
‘Andorra’					Very popular; dense, compact form; 2’h x 10’w.
‘Prince of Wales’					Bright green with a bluish tinge; low grower; 6"h x 6 - 8’w.

*Juniperus procumbens* japgarden juniper	3	6	All	Mountains of Japan	Nice ground cover; blue-green; very slow growing; may be difficult to establish; 6"- 2’h x up to 10’w.
*Juniperus sabina* savin juniper	3	6	All	Mountains of central and southern Europe, western Asia, Siberia, and Caucasus	Bright green; 18 - 24"h x 10’w or more; good cultivars include ‘Broadmoor’ and ‘Buffalo’.
Juniperus sabina var. tamariscifolia tam juniper	3	6	All	Mountains of southern Europe	Similar to ‘Broadmoor’; bluish green 2’h x 10’w.
*Mahonia repens* creeping mahonia	2	5	All	British Columbia to northern Mexico and California	Native evergreen to semi-evergreen; spreads by underground stems; purple leaves in winter; about 1’h.
*Potentilla tabernaemontani* dwarf potentilla	3	6	All	Europe	Deciduous ground cover that forms low growing mats; prefers partial shade; may be better suited to western Neb; 3 - 6"h.
*Rosa wichuraiana* memorial rose	3	6	A,B,C	Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and eastern China	Low, sprawling rose; covered with white flowers in June; 12"h.
Rosa ‘Red Cascade’ red cascade rose	3	6	All		Produces red flowers from June to October; 12"h.
*Vinca minor* common periwinkle	2	4	All	Europe and western Asia	Excellent ground cover; handsome flowers and foliage; does best in shade but will perform well in sunny areas; 6"h x 2’w.

Vines

Scientific Name Common Name	Cultural Conditions		Zone	Native Habitat	Remarks

*Akebia quinata* fiveleaf akebia	3	5	A,B	Central China to Korea and Japan	Fast growing; twining; new leaves have purplish tinge; purplish flowers in spring but somewhat obscured; will reach about 40’ at maturity.
*Ampelopsis brevipedunculata* porcelain ampelopsis	2	5	A,B,C	China, Korea, Japan, and the Russia Far East	Aggressive, fast growing vine; climbs by tendrils; 1/4 inch berries mature to a bright blue in the fall; adaptable to most soils; in one year may grow 15-20’.
*Aristolochia durior* Dutchman’s pipe	2	5	A,B,C	Pennsylvania to Georgia, west to Minnesota and Kansas	Unusual, pipe-shaped, yellow-green flowers appear in the second year; needs sufficient moisture and drainage; may grow to 30’ in a year.
*Campsis radicans* trumpet vine	2	5	A,B,C	Pennsylvania to Missouri, Florida, and Texas	15-inch-long, lustrous green leaves; clusters of orange, trumpet shaped flowers; may grow 10’ in a year.
*Celastrus scandens* American bittersweet	3	5	All	Quebec, south to North Carolina and New Mexico	Bright crimson berries with yellow-orange capsules, male and female plants must be planted for fruit production; rapidly spreading; twining vine; may grow up to 10’ in a year.
Clematis x *jackmanii* Jackman clematis	2	5	All		Most popular garden clematis; a hybrid with wide-ranging flower color selections; blooms June to September; grows up to 12’ in a year.
*Clematis macropetala* downy clematis	2	5	A,B	China and Siberia	Large azure-blue flowers with interesting petal-like centers; grows up to 10’ in a year.
*Clematis maximowicziana* sweetautumn clematis	2	5	A,B	Japan	Easy to grow; vigorous, twining vine; masses of fragrant, small, white flowers in late summer and early fall.
*Clematis montana* anemone clematis	2	5		Himalayas, central and western China	Pinkish-red, star shaped flowers; needs periodic thinning; grows to 18’ in a year.
*Clematis tangutica* golden clematis	2	5	A,B	Mongolia to northwestern China	Nice yellow flowered clematis; 4-inch-flowers; twining vine; grows 3 to 4’ in a year.
*Hydrangea anomala petiolaris* climbing hydrangea	2	5	A,B,C	Japan and China	Attractive dark brown, papery bark; large flower clusters in June; root-like holdfasts; grows 5-7’ in a year and reaches a total length of 40’.
Lonicera x *heckrotti* goldflame honeysuckle	2	5	A,B		Glossy bluish-green leaves; blooms in June and July; reddish-purple tubular petals with yellow insides; grows 3-4’ in a year and reaches a total length of 7’.
*Lonicera sempervirens* trumpet honeysuckle	2	5	All	Connecticut to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas	Fast growing; twining vine; flowers are orange-red to red outside and yellow on the inside; will reach 10-15’ at maturity.
*Parthenocissus quinquefolia* Virginia creeper	2	5	All	New England to Florida and Mexico, west Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri	Vigorous growing; scarlet fall color; climbs with tendrils ending in sticky tips; grows 6-10’ in a season; native.
*Parthenocissus tricuspidata* Boston ivy	2	5	A,B,C	Japan and central China	Glossy dark green leaves, turns brilliant red in fall; will reach a total of length of 40’.
*Polygonum aubertii* silver lace vine	3	5	A,B	Western China	Twining vine; rapid grower; reaches a total length of 25’.
*Wisteria floribunda* Japanese wisteria	2	5	A,B,C	Japan	Very showy; blue, violet or white flowers appear on long racemes which make a graceful shower in May; use a grafted variety and heavy pruning for good flowering; twining stems require a sturdy support.