Most Underused Native Trees
11 years ago
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- 11 years ago
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Didn't want to hijack the 'Underused Perennials' thread....
Comments (16)Great suggestions, I'm trying to narrow down the list. There are huge mature maples on the city way, so I have to correct my earlier statement in saying that this area receives morning sunshine...this area gets only slight afternoon sunshine, and not much indirect sunlight. I also have a bleeding heart. This will probably be the first year the roots go undisturbed as I've moved it around in prior years. Flora, great landscaping. I wish my bleeding hearts looked like that. Melissa, great suggestion. I'll consider another bleeding heart if I have the room. My ferns don't look as nice as yours. :( I've seen Hakonechloa in pics before and liked it, though I didn't know what it was. I'm not particularly a fan of ornamental grasses in my landscape, but I do find this one attractive, something to consider for the shade. Of the taller suggestions, I'm leaning towards goatsbeard, Persicaria polymorpha or Oakleaf Hydrangea, though I've read persicaria has a tendency to be invasive? Oakleaf hydrangea looks like it gets pretty big. I've been looking at Fothergilla Mt. Airy, but most pics that I see appear very leggy and sparse, I otherwise have no knowledge of this plant. From what I can tell, the foliage on Goatsbeard isn't actually 5 feet tall, the measurement is with the flowers, correct? Michael, I like the idea of the climbing hydrangea. I have one on the south face of my house in full sun, I am determined it will do well there. Going on three years and so far so good...too bad they take so long to establish....See Morefavorite underused trees
Comments (46)- Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana) - This is truly an underrated miracle tree of life! This large shrub/small tree not only produces copious crops of deliciously sweet berries, but is also a highly heat/drought-resistant xeriscape native that can still withstand low temperatures down to 5ð-10ð F. Moreover, it is an attractive ornamental complete with creamy bell flowers, multicolored trunks and rugged hardwood that can be used for woodworking. Note that is is dioecious though, so you need at least a male & female of each to bear fruit... But what other trees possess such a rare combination of form, function & low maintenance??? None that I can think of! Other overlooked candidates might include: - Oriental Raisin Tree (Hovenia dulcis) - This is a nice, large, fast-growing tree that bears sweet, edible peduncles tasting similar to a combination of raisin, clove, cinnamon and sugar. http://examine.com/supplements/Hovenia+dulcis/ (But do note that while it is not invasive in the US, it could be in some much hotter, tropical climates.) - Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) - This large shrub/small tree has both edible flowers and fruits and is fairly low-maintenance. It is both quite pest and heat-resistant, needing only some sufficient watering during peak summer heat months. http://www.ediblelandscapingmadeeasy.com/2011/12/21/pineapple-guava-a-great-shrub-for-your-edible-landscape/#1 http://selectree.calpoly.edu/treedetail.lasso?rid=599 - All-In-One Almond Tree - Almond trees bear both beautiful flowers and edible almonds. - Mission Olive Tree - Olive trees not only bear healthy fruit & oil, but its leaves also serve as a great antimicrobial. It is drought-tolerant once established and can grow extremely old. - Moringa Oleifera (PKM1) Tree (Horseradish Tree) - This is another miraculous tree with multiple medicinal and health benefits. The leaves are edible and the crushed seeds even help purify water. It is also a very fast-growing and resilient softwood. http://miracletrees.org/ - Western Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii) - Soapberry does well in poor, dry or nutrient-deficient soils. The foliage is handsome, the flowers are fragrant and attract bees, and its soap nuts contain saponin, an antimicrobial, natural detergent. http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/sapi_sap.cfm - Medjool Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) - If you got space for a palm tree, why not an edible date palm? http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/date-palm-info.htm Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Persimmon This post was edited by blakrab on Mon, Jan 6, 14 at 21:19...See MoreUnderused plants of the South
Comments (63)Please give japanese styrax a place in your garden!!I also love Euonymus americanus"hearts-a-burstig".It can't be beat this time of the year along with toad lillies,red buckeye seeds bursting from their pods.Now is the time of year also for Illicium Parviflorum to be loaded with seed pods!!Awesome!!Also give Giant Dogwood a place(Cornus Controversa).Water in dry times. If you can obtain Pseudocydonia chinensis(Chinese Quince) give it a try.This is NOT Chaenomeles speciosa(Flowering Quince).Also give the little guys like Asarum and Hexastylis a chance in your shade area,with a little extra water.Don't be scared to plant Sugar maples either!!They do well if planted in a good hole and watered for the first couple of years. If you have a source for Baptisia perfoliata,plant it!It is a sandhills endemic where I live and it is bulletproof!!Interesting perfoliate leaves clasping the stem and yellow flowers in the leaf axils.Foliage looks like eucalyptus and some people call it that.Drives me nuts!!Learn to ID your plants and you'll be much better off.I'll go for now and give someone else some"airtime".P.S. Red Buckeye seeds and Euonymus americanus seeds available now!!!!...See MoreMost representative Australian trees and shrubs
Comments (6)When you say " 3D landscapes", do you mean pictures, or do you want to work with real plants?: I am assuming you mean pictures, and here is my list: (I am most familiar with eastern Australian plants.) 1. Eucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia. ("Gumtrees") These are all very similar plants. There are more than 700 species of them in Australia, and almost every Australian landscape has several species,(and Australians love them) so they are essential for your picture. You should use at least one smooth-barked species such as E. camaldulensis (River Redgum). There are many of these growing in Italy, but see some paintings by Hans Heyson for a more typical Australian shape. They grow by rivers on open plains, and are AustraliaÂs commonest Eucalypt. E. maculata( also called Corymbia) (Spotted Gum) is very well-known, and has a tall spotted trunk. E.grandis (Flooded Gum) has a very big, tall straight creamy-white trunk. It typically grows in wet forests and needs a strong green background of rainforest foliage to look authentic. E.saligna has a typical bluegum trunk and is a big tree of the same habitat. E.papuana (ghost gum) is a well-known gumtree of the desert. See some paintings by Albert Namatjira for the setting. Of the rough-barked Eucalypts, the best known are ironbarks such as E.crebra or the blue--leafed E.melanophloia. They have black trunks with deeply furrowed bark, and would be very suitable for your picture. For flowers, the Angophoras and Corymbias are better than Eucalypts, as the flowers are held on the outside of the canopy. A.leiocarpa (Rusty applegum) is very well-known and popular. It grows in many environments including rocks where its roots make good pictures. Western Australian Corymbias are small trees with the showiest flowers. E.ficifolia is very popular and well-known. In Australia gumtree leaves typically show insect damage, and this is considered to be part of their beauty (see paintings by May Gibbs) so you should include insect damage if you are showing close pictures of the leaves. 2. Acacia (Wattles). There are more than 800 species in Australia. Typical Australian landscapes would have up to six species. The species with showy flowers are usually small. A.podalyrifolia is well-known and has blue-green leaves and grown in many environments. (A typical Australian landscape should feature plants with blue-green or silvery-leaves) A.harpohpylla (Brigalow) is a silver-leafed tree of the plains. For a typical landscape you might like to choose one wattle with phyllodes and one with leaves. 3. Grevillea. I would choose G.robusta (silky oak) which is a tree of rainforest margins, very well-known. There are more than 300 grevilleas in Australia and most are from heath environments. 4. Brachychiton acerifolius. This is a popular garden plant which drops its leaves in spring, and becomes covered with red flowers at the same time as the silky oaks are flowering. They look very picturesque together. This is a......See More- 11 years ago
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