flowering trees Flashcards
Malus hupehensis
tea crapapple
leaves: alternate, elliptical, finely serrate, accuminate point. glossy dark green. leaves grow from spurs in clustera
buds & stems:
fruit & flowers: profuse blooms deep pink to white. 2 color fruit is common, red and yellow crabapple pomes.
bark: flaky mottled bark, typical for malus
habit: vase shaped, no more than 25’. water spouts are typical
notes: susceptible to cedar apple rust, a fungal pathogen
Acer palmatum
Japanese maple
leaves: opposite, simple, 2-5” 5-9 deep lobes, doubly serrate. dark green w/ deep red fall color. red or green petiole
buds & stems: bud hidden by petilole. terminal buds double, with a furry edge, “easter eggs in grass”
fruit & flowers: fruit a small samara pair w/ red wings
bark: grey patterned bark
habit: natively an understory smaller tree, 15-25’. varies alot with cultivars, also a dense rounding shrub
notes:
4 Stewartia pseudocamellia
Japanese stewartia
leaves: alternate, simple, elliptical to obovate. dark green ablove, lighter below, acuminate
buds & stems: fine zig zag stems with axillary tufts at petiole base. leaves “perch” on upper sides of the stem.
fruit & flowers: cup shaped white flowers, “camellia-like” with orange anthers. fruit a broad, ovoid, 5 valved persistent capsule
bark: mottled camo bark, similar to platanus
habit: up to 30’, often multistem or low-branched
notes:
Aesculus hippocastanum
horsechestnut
leaves: opposite, compound, 5-7 obovate leaflets, palmately arranged. light yellow green, poor yellow brown fall color.
buds & stems: large ovoid reddish brown sticky buds. lumpy grey stems, slightly downy
fruit & flowers: upright borne white flowers, may-june. fruit a spiny dihescent capsule containing dark brown nut
bark: apple-like; shallow fissures & plate-like scales, dark grey to brown
habit: up to 80’, several leaders, sympodial lower branching, upright oval habit
notes: needs space, best in large landscapes. ohio buckeye it’s native cousin
Prunus serrulata
Oriental cherry
leaves: alternate, simple. ovate-lanceolate. fine toothed margin. red glands at leaf base. bronze fall color
buds & stems:
fruit & flowers: white to pink flowers, single or double borne, depending on cultivar. dark purple pome fruit
bark: grey-brown, less prominent rust colored lenticels
habit: up to 60-70’, more open branching, rounded canopy
notes:
Prunus subhirtella
Higan cherry
leaves: alternate, simple, ovate, 1-4”. sharply double serrate, cuneate base. dark green & glossy
buds & stems: whip-like flexible stems
fruit & flowers: red-purplish pome fruit
bark: pronounced wide lenticels, bark not “polished” like other cherries
habit: weeping, commonly grafted on a rootstock
notes:
Cornus mas
corneliancherry dogwood
leaves: opposite, simple. acute to acuminate, 3-5 vein pairs, broad-cuneate base. dark green short petiole. purplish red fall color
buds & stems: large, valvate, appear stalked, yellow green to brown
fruit & flowers: early yellow blooms, resembles forsythia x intermedia. bright red oblong fruits
bark: mottled exfoliating bark, somewhat glossy, yellowish grey-brown
habit: small tree (20’) or multistemmed shrub
notes:
Prunus sargentii
Sargent cherry
leaves: alternate, simple, elliptical to obovate. sharply serrate, 3-5” glossy, acuminate point. yellow, orange or red fall color
buds & stems: imbricate red brown buds, cluster at top of stem, gray to reddish brown stems
fruit & flowers: mass of pink flowers, May.
bark: shiny polished long horizontal lenticels, glossy and purplish-grey
habit: 25-40’, vase shaped dense crown
notes:
Syringa reticulata
Japanese tree lilac
leaves: opposite, simple. broad ovate, acuminate tip, entire margin. dark green on top, grey-green below. yellow fall color
buds & stems: light brown stems w/ prominent lenticels. double terminal, brownish, subglobose imbricate buds
fruit & flowers: white flowers on large, 12” loose terminal panicles. fine texture flowers on tiny buds. upright capsule fruit
bark: cherry-like; silvery grey to purple, white lenticels
habit: small tree w/ erect, vase-like habit
notes:
Acer griseum
paperbark maple
leaves: opposite, trifoliate. elliptic-oblong, 2-2 1/2”. cuneate, coarsely toothed. dark green above, pale green below. red fall color
buds & stems: small brownish imbricate buds, pubescent, as are young stems, rich red-brown stems
fruit & flowers: small samaras, wings at 60-90 degrees
bark: papery rich brown-cinnamon exfoliating bark
habit: upright, oval or rounded, tends to multistem. usually a small, ornamental tree
notes: slow grower, difficult to propagate
Magnolia stellata
star magnolia
leaves: alternate, simple. obovate or narrow elliptic. tapered base, acuminate tip. glabrous dark green, persistent in fall. light green below
buds & stems: densely fuzzy, smaller than saucer mag
fruit & flowers: white, flat, star-like blooms, early spring. fruit an elongated aggregate of follicles
bark: smooth grey
habit: small tree or multistemmed shrub, 15-20’. dense oval w/ close-set leaves
notes:
Magnolia x soulangeana
saucer magnolia
leaves: alternate, simple, 3-6”(longer than stellata) leathery & thick, tapered base, dusty light green, yellow-brown in fall
buds & stems: large pubescent flower buds. lumpy twigs w/ spur shoots, grey lenticels
fruit & flowers: pink saucer shaped flowers, fruit same as stellata
bark: smooth grey bark with a bit of wartiness
habit: small tree, up to 30’, upright habit
notes:
Styrax japonicus
Japanese snowbell
leaves: alternate simple, broad elliptic with tiny serrations
buds & stems: small sessile buds, leaves are “perched” on upper side of stems. zig-zag stems w/ axillary “tufts” at petiole base; light brown
fruit & flowers: small white flowers droop from twigs on long stalks, late spring to early summer. fruit a capped pale blue hanging round capsule
bark: smooth grey-brown with vertical banding
habit: small flowering tree, 20-30’, compact but wide spreading branches
notes:
Malus sargentii
Sargent crabapple
leaves: 3 lobed sharply toothed margins, alternate, simple ovate. dark green, resembles a hawthorn leaf
buds & stems:
fruit & flowers: red-pink to white blooms, bright red pome fruit
bark: typical crabapple
habit: up to 8’, usually wider than tall with dense branching
notes:
Syringa vulgaris
common lilac
leaves: opposite, simple. ovate to broad-ovate, 2-5”, acuminate, truncate or subcordate
buds & stems: imbricate, double terminal buds, pointier than reticulata, oviod, plump, reddish brown. stems have raised crescent shaped leaf scar.
fruit & flowers: flower a showy purple panicle
bark:
habit: upright leggy shrub
notes: likes full sun & acid soil, fully naturalized asian introduction
