River Birch is a large deciduous tree with pinkish-brown, peeling bark, which provides year-round ornamental interest. The dark green, diamond-shaped leaves turn yellow in the fall. It prefers moist to wet soils, and tolerates periodic flooding. An adaptable tree, it will also grow in drier soils. Give this large tree with an extensive root system room to grow! Use River Birch as a specimen tree, or plant it in wet areas, such as rain gardens or along edges of ponds or streams.
Sweet Birch is a large deciduous tree with reddish-brown to reddish-black bark. The cherry-like bark is smooth on young trees and scaly on mature ones. The catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The leaves turn golden-yellow in the fall. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. Sweet Birch is a host tree for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillar), including Green Comma (Polygonia faunus). Crushed twigs have a wintergreen-like odor. Birch oil from this tree was once used to flavor candy and medicine, and the sap was used to make birch beer. This tree does well in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Trees planted in full sun should be mulched and watered during periods of drought. Give this tree plenty of room to grow! Use Sweet Birch as a canopy tree in woodland gardens, or as a shade tree in moist areas of a large yard or park.
Yellow Birch is a large deciduous tree with distinctive bark. The peeling, yellow-bronze, shiny bark has a paper-like appearance. Crushed twigs have a wintergreen-like odor. The showy catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. The leaves turn brilliant yellow in the fall. Yellow Birch does well in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Trees that are planted in full sun should be mulched and watered during periods of drought. This tree is long-lived for a birch, often living over 100 years. Its strong, close-grained wood has a wide range of color variation, making it popular in furniture-making. Give this large tree plenty of room to grow! Use Yellow Birch as a canopy tree in woodland gardens, or as a shade tree in moist areas of a large yard or park.
Migrating butterflies and other pollinators nectar on the late summer blooming flowers, and birds eat the seeds.
Goldentuft is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial, which produces a bountiful bloom of bright yellow flowers in spring, April-May. It tolerates drought and dry soils. The mounds of gray-green leaves covered in golden flowers look great in rock gardens or growing over rock walls. It can also be used in beds, as an edging plant, or as a groundcover on slopes.
Pawpaw is a small understory tree or large shrub, which grows to form thickets. It has large, drooping, tropical-like leaves. Its cup-shaped, purple flowers bloom April-May, followed by large, green, edible fruits that taste like a mixture of bananas and pineapples. As the fruit ripens in the fall, it turns a brownish color. The fruit is a food source for birds and small mammals. This plant’s large, green leaves turn yellow in the fall. Pawpaw is a host plant to butterfly larvae (caterpillars), including Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) and Pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus). Use as shrub border or woodland edge plant, in rain gardens, along the edges of ponds or streams, or as a specimen tree in a shade garden.
Black Chokeberry is a wildlife-friendly, multiple-stemmed deciduous shrub, featuring clusters of white flowers which bloom in May. The flowers are followed by blue-black berries. The edible, tart fruit can be used to make jams or jellies, and is a food source for birds and wildlife. Fall foliage is red. Black Chokeberry has a colonial growth habit and may spread through suckers. Plant Black Chokeberry in groups to create native hedges, along the banks of ponds or streams, or in woodland areas around your yard.
Red Chokeberry is a wildlife-friendly, multiple-stemmed deciduous shrub, featuring clusters of white to light pink flowers, which bloom in April. The flowers lead to red, showy berries, which persist in the winter; the berries are a source of food for birds in cold weather. The leaves turn bright red in the fall. The reddish-brown, exfoliating bark and the red berries both add winter interest to the yard. Red Chokeberry tolerates a variety of soils, including wet and boggy. It suckers to form colonies, making it a good choice for use as a native shrub border in your yard.
Bearberry is a ground-hugging, wildlife-friendly evergreen shrub. Its green, leathery leaves darken to a reddish-purple color in the fall. Clusters of tiny, bell-shaped, pink to white flowers bloom on red stems, April-May. The nectar attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, and it has special value for native bees. The flowers are followed by berry-like fruits, which ripen to a bright red color in the fall. The berries persist into the winter and provide food for birds and other wildlife. Bearberry is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Rocky Mountain Clearwing (Hemaris senta), Hoary Elfin (Callophrys polios), Freija Fritillary (Boloria freija), Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus), and Elf (Microtia elva). Bearberry grows well in sandy or rocky soils. Use it as an edging plant or evergreen groundcover, in rock gardens, along rock walls, or on slopes for erosion control.
Devil’s Walkingstick is a wildlife-friendly, large deciduous shrub with club-like branches and spiny stems. Its huge, compound leaves can reach 3-4 feet long and wide. Showy, umbrella-shaped clusters of small, white flowers bloom July-August. The flowers provide nectar for bees and butterflies. Clusters of fleshy, black berry-like fruits on bright pink stalks ripen in late August-October; the fruits provide a food source for birds and other wildlife. This shrub spreads by suckering; it is best planted in areas of the yard where it can spread. Use Devil’s Walkingstick in shrub borders, wildlife gardens, or along edges of woodland gardens.