The time to see Gordonia trees at the peak of their effectiveness is late August and September. During this season, it’s rather loose but upright figure is casually starred with white, cuplike blossoms nearly 3” inches across in a set of long, shining leaves, colors ranging from deep green to scarlet. Whether its height is … Read more
Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens syn. Libocedrus decurrens) is one of the few trees native to the West Coast that will cheerfully take all of the many zones. climates and exposures of the Pacific states. It is an evergreen mountain, wild from Baja California, north into the Cascades. Incense-cedar is hardy in Massachusetts; in the West, … Read more
Homeowners frequently need a small shade tree for their home grounds—a tree that is dense and bushy gives plenty of shade, yet requires little care. The Amur maple (Acer ginnala) fills these requirements. One of the hardiest of woody plants (hardy way up to the Hudson Bay country in Canada), it has an extremely wide … Read more
Are you planning on setting out trees and shrubs in your garden this fall? If so, consider kinds that put on brilliant foliage displays—maples, oaks, stewartias, dogwoods, fothergillas, euonymus, and others noted for autumn color. Actually, for the same amount of time, effort and expense, you can concentrate on flowering and foliage trees and shrubs … Read more
The story of the franklinia tree (Franklinia alatamaha) runs through the lives of many men. Its thread may be traced for nearly two hundred years in a rhyme or a pencil line; in a water-color drawing or a faded manuscript note; in a diary, a book of travel, or a forgotten name. Yet it is … Read more
Among the 300-odd members of its tribe, the weeping or Babylonia willow (Salix babylonica) is the most widely known for its unique value as a landscape tree. Only the pussywillows, prime favorites of millions who welcome the early foretastes of spring, can match it in popularity. A typical weeping willow reaches its full height of … Read more
When choosing trees for small properties, the homeowner must consider what is desired of a tree. Is it to provide shade or be valued for mere embellishment, exotic foliage, or attractive flowers? Also significant is the cost and labor involved in future maintenance. Is it a species susceptible to insect pests, fungus blights, or virus … Read more
With one-story homes being built the country over, new homeowners are realizing more and more that it’s no longer necessary to plant trees that grow to the 150′ foot giants. Trees under 30′ feet are in ever-increasing demand, especially those with exciting spring flowers. The Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) meets both of these specifications, sometimes … Read more
Few lavishly flowering small trees possess so many pleasing qualities as Fuji cherries. There are so many kinds of ornamental cherries that it is difficult to learn to recognize more than the familiar types, but Fuji cherries can be recognized with surprising ease. Fuji Cherries Growth First of all, they develop into spreading small trees … Read more
The Burford holly has a very dense growth habit, develops rapidly from 18’ to 20′ feet, and is well proportioned. The large red berries are freely borne. The leaves are large, thick, rounded, dark green, and glossy, with a single spine at the apex. This variety is one of the finest, all-purpose, broad-leaf evergreens for … Read more