ornamental shrubs Flashcards
berberis thunbergii
barberry
leaves: alternate, simple, small spatulate-oblong. form in clusters on stem. bright green to red-purple.
buds & stems: fine barbs along stems, angled, reddish brown. small ovoid solitary buds. indents on stems
fruit & flowers: fruit a prolific bright red drupe
bark:
habit: 3-6’ many branched dense rounded shrub
notes: used as a barrier, will take hedging
cotoneaster divaricatus
spreading cotoneaster
leaves: alternate, simple small leaves, ovate & entire, acute tip. dark green above, lighter & pubescent below
buds & stems: long stems have distinct “ladder” shape, slender and green-purple. older stems dark brown
fruit & flowers: solitary rose like white-pink flowers. fruit an egg shaped dark red pome
bark:
habit: up to 6’, spreading habit with long drooping stems, “fishbone” effect
notes:
enkianthus campanulatus
redvein enkianthus
leaves: alternate, simple. elliptic-rhombic, 1-3” long. acute, cuneate base, serrulate. dull dark green. red petiole. leaves cluster at tips but not whorled
buds & stems: minute bud sunk into leaf scar. flower buds large, ovoid, imbricate. 3 sided or rounded stem, reddish brown, twigs usually upright.
fruit & flowers: urn shaped flowers, pink, yellow or orange, May-June. fruit an egg shaped capsule
bark: twigs ascend from same branch node
habit: 6-8’. narrow upright shrub or small tree, up to 30’
notes: Ericaceae
euonymus alatus
winged euonymus; burningbush
leaves: opposite to subopposite, simple. fine serration, elliptic-obovate. short petiole. med to dark green, brilliant red fall color
buds & stems: 2-4 arm corky wings along stems. buds set into wings. imbricate, acute, conical green-brown-red buds.
fruit & flowers: yellow-green 3 flowered cyme. fruit a small red capsule
bark:
habit: rounded to horizontal spreading flat-topped shrub
notes:
forthergilla major
mountain witch-alder; large fothergilla
leaves: alternate, simple, 2-4” suborbicular-oval. cordate, coarse dentation. dark green above, lighter below. bright yellow-orange fall color
buds & stems: large terminal buds, vegetative oblong, 2 scaled.
fruit & flowers: whitish flowers on 1-2” spikes w/long showy stamens, “bottle brush”. april-early may
bark: zig zag stems. bark reminiscent of alder, speckled
habit: round multi-stemmed shrub, erect stems
notes: witchhazel relative
heptocodium miconoides
seven-sons flower
leaves: opposite, simple, 3-6”. ovate-lanceolate. acute tip, entire wavy margin. curved, drooping leaves
buds & stems: ridged squared stems, rich brown after exfoliating. imbricate, oviod, light brown bud.
fruit & flowers: white flowers borne on 6” terminal pannicles, late summer. fruit a capsule with green-purple sepals. six layered whorl terminated by a flower
bark: grey- brown, stripping exfoliating bark.
habit: upright irregular open structure, 10-20’
notes: grows in full sun or partial shade
itea virginicus
sweetspire
leaves: alternate, simple. fine serration, red petiole. elliptic to oblong, acute or short accuminate, medium to dark green. yellow-crimson in fall. short petiole, grooved on upper side
buds & stems: superposed imbricate buds, form separate stem, red-green. green to reddish purple fine stems
fruit & flowers: long penulous drooping spires, white flowers. fruit is 5 valved dehiscent capsule
bark:
habit: 3-5’ erect clustered branches, forms suckering colonies
notes: deciduous locally, evergreen farther south
prunus maritima
beach plum
leaves: alternate, simple, ovate-elliptic, 1 1/2-3” acute tip, cuneate base, sharply serrate. dull green, paler & pubescent below
buds & stems: prunus-like conical buds
fruit & flowers: fruit a purple to crimson or yellow edible drupe, August. white flowers
bark: lenticelled purplish bark
habit: round dense shrubby tree, up to 6’
notes: salt tolerant beach tree
rosa rugosa
salt-spray rose; beach rose
leaves: alternate, odd-pinnate compound. elliptic-obovate. wrinkled appearance. dark green and glabrous. 5-9 leaflets
buds & stems: fine thorns on downy canes
fruit & flowers: white-purple, fragrant, june-august. fruit a red “hip” encloses achenes
bark:
habit: 4-6’ upright stemmed shrub, dense & rounded. hardy, resilient, suckering plant, does well in sandy soils
notes: beach tomato
viburnum carlesii
Korean spice viburnum
leaves: opposite, simple. broad ovate-elliptic. glossy dull dark green. light pubescence on underside. wine red fall color
buds & stems: pubescent stems on new growth, fissures on older growth. vegetative buds naked, terminal bud looks like yoda
fruit & flowers: white-pink reddish flowers on dense hemispherical cyme. fruit a small red drupe
bark: steel grey
habit: 4-5’ dense shrub
notes:
Viburnum trilobum (opulus var. americanum)
Highbush cranberry; American cranberry viburnum
leaves: opposite, simple, 3 lobed, dark green & lustrous. red fall color, red petiole
buds & stems: sticky green & red smooth buds. grey-brown waxy stem.
fruit & flowers: flowers a corymb of white-pinkish flowers. bitter cranberry-like fruits
bark:
habit: round topped dense shrub
notes:
Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum
doublefile viburnum
leaves: opposite, simple. rounded to broad cuneate base, oblong-ovate, 2-4”. Dentate-serrate, dark green and glabrous. 8-12 pairs of impressed veins
buds & stems: orange lenitcels on brownish-grey stems. buds are: vegetative- naked pubescent. flower buds appressed. flower stems upright above leaf stems; “doublefile”
fruit & flowers: white, 4-5 lobed flowers, borne in 2-4” diameter flat-topped cymes, coming from upright peduncles above the foliage. fruit an egg shaped red-black drupe
bark:
habit: horizontal & tier branched, rounded appearance. 5-10’
notes: leaves are borne opposite the stem creating a distinct hanging “dog-eared” effect.
Viburnum x burkwoodii
Burkwood viburnum
leaves: simple, opposite. ovate-elliptic, 1 1/2-4”. rounded to cordate base. Downy, finely toothed. dark green above, light grey-green below. wine red fall color
buds & stems: vegetative downy buds, light brown stems
fruit & flowers: flowers are white-pink, on hemispherical 5 rayed cyme, 2-3” across, April. fruit an ellipsoidal blue drupe
bark:
habit: upright dense mass of fine stems, scraggly winter appearance
notes:
