woody vines and groundcovers Flashcards
Arctostaphylus uva-ursi
bearberry
leaves: small glossy obovate, 1/4- 1 1/4”. evergreen, alternate simple, cuneate base, dark green
bud & stem: thin stems, solitary sessile ovoid buds
fruit & flowers: urn-like flowers, perfect white-pink, summer. fruit is reddish-purple drupe
bark: older stems - reddish ashy papery exfoliating bark
Habit: low spreading mat, can be 15’ in diameter
Vinca minor
common periwinkle
leaves: opposite simple. entire margin, glossy dark green. elliptic oblong acutish
bud & stem: green glabrous stems
fruit & flowers: purple 5 petal flower. green pod fruit
bark:
Habit: ground cover, 8” high mat
Wisteria floribunda
Japanese wisteria
leaves: alternate, compound, opposite, oddly pinnate 13-19 leaflets, elliptic-ovate, rounded to cuneate at base
bud & stem: light tan- grey brown stems,
fruit & flowers: large drooping lavender panicles - may
bark: grey fluted trunks on older growth
Habit: vigorously growing twining vine, turns clockwise
Forsythia x intermedia
border forsythia
leaves: opposite simple, lanceolate-oblong, 3-5”. toothed on upper half. med to dark green & glabrous
bud & stem: brownish stem, 4 sided, many lenticels
fruit & flowers: early spring 4 lobed yellow flowers
bark: yellow-ochre raised lenticels
Habit: usually a border shrub, arching branches, spreads by roots suckers. blooms on old wood
Euonymus fortunei
wintercreeper euonymous
leaves: opposite, simple, 1” crenate serrate margins. glabrous, silver veins, opposite pinnations
bud & stem: green stems
fruit & flowers: small green flowers on cymes, only on mature plants
bark: can grow as groundcover, shrub, or vine
Habit: commonly variegated, very adaptable
Hydrangea quercifolia
oakleaf hydrangea
leaves: opposite, simple, 3-7 lobes. light green to purplish. broad serrate lobes, persist well into winter
bud & stem:
fruit & flowers: flowers a panicled cone of flowers & false sepals. white-purplish to brown in winter
bark: peeling brown bark
Habit: upright shrub w/ small branches & large leaves. forms mounding colonies
Hydrangea anomola subsp. Petiolaris
climbing hydrangea
leaves: opposite simple, 2-4” broad ovate. accuminate, serrate, cordate-rounded base. dark green & glabrous, 1/2-4” petiole
bud & stem: greenish brown bud, 2 loose scales. green stems on young growth.
fruit & flowers: large wide flower heads, green corymbs & white sepals that attract pollinators. late june-early july
bark: brown, peeling, exfoliating shaggy bark
Habit: climbing vine or mounded bush, can grow 60-80’
Pachysandra terminalis
pachysandra
leaves: alternate simple, evergreen. obovate, entire at base with wide dentation on upper dentation. dark green, cuneate base. leaves appear whorled at end of stems
bud & stem: upright green glabrous stems
fruit & flowers: early spring flowers, white upright spike at end of leaf shoot
bark:
Habit: ground cover, does well in shade, spreads quickly
Cotinus coggyria
common smoketree
leaves: simple, alternate obovate. dark green or purplish. long petiole. entire margins, 1 1/2-3 1/2 long
bud & stem: tiny scaled buds, arranged in spiral around stem. stems are stout brown, purplish, lenticelled. bloomy purple color around leaf scars
fruit & flowers: hairy pubescence on flower pendicles , smoky pink, create “smoke” effect. fruit a small kidney shaped drupe
bark:
Habit: 10-15’ in height, can spread 10-15’. upright spreading, loose & open. unruly varying habit
Hydrangea arborescens
smooth hydrangea
leaves: opposite simple, ovate- ellpitic, accuminate, round or cordate base
bud & stem: imbricate 4-6 scaled greenish brown buds. pubescent stems
fruit & flowers: “lacetop” fine small flowers on corymb, sterile sepals are larger “flowers”
bark: barely woody, grey to tan-brown, exfoliating on older growth
Habit: low growing & clumpy, can have hedge effect
Hydrangea paniculata
panicle hydrangea
leaves: opposite, simple. fine serration, accuminate “quilted pattern on leaves, curved venation. medium dark green
bud & stem: rounded imbricate buds, stout reddish brown stems
fruit & flowers: white purplish-pink, blooms in summer on pyramidal panicles
bark: large shrub- small tree, multistemmed, 10-20’. low branching & arching
Habit:
Clematis terniflora
sweet autumn clematis
leaves: opposite compound pinnate, 3-5 leaves. rounded simple leaflets, palmate venation, 1-4”, sub-cordate to rounded at base, dark blue-green
bud & stem: small buds, hairy, in groups of up to 3. fine stems, ridged w/ vascular bundles
fruit & flowers: white fall flowers, 4 sepals
bark:
Habit: vine, uses tendrils, vigorous grower 10-20’
Campsis radicans
common trumpetcreeper
leaves: oppostie, pinnately compound, elliptic, angularly toothed margin. dark green, impressed veins, accuminate tip
bud & stem: small solitary sessile buds, sit atop cratered leaf scar
fruit & flowers: orange trumpet-like flowers, borne 4-12 together in terminal cymes, june-sept. pod like persistent fruit
bark:
Habit: creeper w/ holdfasts, deciduous, very unruly without pruning
notes: does well in sandy soil
Lonicera sempervirens
coral honeysuckle
leaves: opposite, simple, elliptic to oblong, obtuse or acutish. cuneate, dark bluish green, new growth purplish. “combined” cup leaf at end near flowers
bud & stem: twining straw colored stem
fruit & flowers: perfect, drooping group of 4-6 orange-red trumpet shape flowers
bark:
Habit: native twining vine
notes: flowers are longer than campsis radicans, drooping downwards w/ long pistils
Hedera helix
English ivy
leaves: alternate, simple, evergreen. 3-5 lobes on immature leaves, yellow veins. mature flowering stems have ovate leaves w/ entire margin
bud & stem:
fruit & flowers: fruit is prolific purple drupe
bark: light brown bark on mature stems, ridged & furrowed
Habit: used as groundcover or “green wall”, can grow up to 90’
