Archives

Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis

Thornless Honeylocust is a large, fast-growing, urban-tolerant deciduous tree. Its small leaflets and open crown cast a light shade that permits shade-tolerant grasses and perennials to grow underneath, making it a good choice for filtered shade. The seed pods are a food source for birds and other wildlife. Protect the bark of young trees, since white-tailed deer and rabbits may eat the soft bark in winter. Use Thornless Honeylocust as a street tree, on slopes for erosion control, or for windbreaks.

Ginkgo biloba

Gingko is a deciduous tree with unique, fan-shaped leaves. It is dioecious (separate male and female trees), but only male trees should be planted, since the fruit of female trees is messy and malodorous. Its yellow fall leaves can persist for weeks, then suddenly drop within a day. This cold-hardy tree is usually deep-rooted and resistant to wind and snow damage. It tolerates salt and poor soil and air quality, making it a good choice for urban conditions. Use Gingko as a lawn tree or street tree.

Gaylussacia baccata

Black Huckleberry is a deciduous shrub with green leaves, which turn orange-crimson in the fall. Its white-pink, bell-shaped flowers bloom May-July, followed by purplish-black edible berries, which can be eaten fresh or baked into pies and muffins. The berries are an important food source for songbirds, turkeys, upland game birds, and other wildlife. The plants tends to colonize. Use Black Huckleberry in wildlife gardens, shrub borders, and foundation plantings.

Eutrochium purpureum

Joe-Pye Weed has large, rounded flower heads with pale pinkish-purple, fragrant flowers blooming July-September. Flowers are followed by attractive seed heads, which last well into winter. Joe-Pye Weed has special value for native bees and attracts many species of butterflies. The tall flowering plants make a striking display when massed in the back of borders, meadows, or wildflower gardens, or along edges of ponds or other water features.

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower blooms, with their drooping, pinkish-purple rays and prominent centers, resemble badminton birdies. The showy, long-lasting, daisy-like flowers bloom non-stop throughout the summer and make excellent fresh-cut or dried flowers. While not native to all of New Jersey, this species is a native of similar ecoregions in North America. It tolerates a range of conditions, including drought and poor soil. Purple Coneflower is a wildlife-friendly plant, providing nectar for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and seeds for birds. It also has multiple medicinal properties, and is commonly used as an herbal remedy. Plant in masses in beds, borders, wildflower gardens, and meadows.

Dryopteris carthusiana

Spinulose Woodfern’s lacy, finely toothed fronds are bright green and may remain green during mild winters. It prefers moist, organically rich soils, and should be protected from drying winds. Use in mass plantings in woodland gardens or as an accent plant in shady garden beds. This fern species may be difficult to find commercially. Tell your local garden center or nursery about your interest in this plant.

Dryopteris marginalis

Marginal Woodfern is an evergreen fern. Its dark green, leathery fronds provide year-round ornamental interest to the yard. Marginal Woodfern grows in a non-spreading clump. This plant will tolerate dry conditions once established. It should be protected from wind and direct sun. Use it as an accent plant, or plant in masses in shady or woodland gardens.

Dryopteris cristata

Crested Woodfern is an evergreen fern. The tall, fertile fronds die back in the winter, but the infertile fronds stay green throughout the winter months. Recommended for wet, shady sites, where other plants may not thrive. Use it in woodland or shady gardens.

Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda

Shrubby Cinquefoil is a low-growing, long-blooming, deciduous shrub. It has small, grayish-green, compound leaves and is covered with showy, yellow flowers from June-September. This plant has excellent winter hardiness. Shrubby Cinquefoil has special value for native bees, and attracts beneficial insects, which prey upon insect pests. Use as a specimen plant, in shrub borders, or as an informal hedge.

Crataegus crus-galli

Cockspur Hawthorn is a small, low-branched tree, also grown as a tall shrub. Flat clusters of white flowers with a somewhat unpleasant odor bloom in late spring, followed by bright red fruits in late summer. The fruits persist into winter, providing a food source for birds. The shiny green leaves turn bronze to red in the fall. This plant has 2-inch-long thorns, so avoid planting in areas with small children. Crus-galli in Latin means “leg of a cock,” referring to the resemblance of the formidable thorns to a cock