Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens var. arborescens

Common name: red elderberry

Family name: Adoxaceae

• this is a robust version of the blue elderberry
• in eastern North America, grows to about 5 metres
• in western North America, grows to 10 metres
• compared to blue elderberry, buds are more prominent, leaves coarser and larger
• lives in mild humid conditions
• shade tolerant
• deciduous shrub/tree
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 5

Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’

Common name: hybrid abelia
Family name: Caprifoliaceae

• flimsy leaves
• long flowering
• calices turn red in the sun
• 5 lobed flowers
• fruit is dry capsule
• second year – arching stem produce branched which arch again
• branches from base
• tends to renew itself from the base
• leaf is rhomboidal or somewhat ovate
• oppositely arranged leaves
• flowers are terminal on secondary branches
• known for pink flowers in summer
• broad leafed evergreen plant
• Hardy plant through damage
• grows to about 2-2.5 metres
• somewhat shade tolerant
• deciduous shrub
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9

Catalpa speciosa

Common name: Western catalpa
Family name: Bignoniaceae

• large heart shaped leaves that are papery in texture
• also produces bean like pods (called follicles) that hang from branches and when they open they spread little seeds
• vertically grained bark
• leaves in whirls of threes or oppositely arranged
• two leaves of similar size and one which is even smaller
• raised round leaf scar
• late to leaf and early to drop it’s leaves
• most of the branches are big and hefty and doesn’t have delicate appearance in winter
• skunky smell
• typically very tall standard
• grow about 1 metre a year given summer moisture
• native to deep alluvial soils but incredibly adaptable
• on rapidly growing stem, leaves can grow up to 50-60 cm
• flowers: large pyramidal inflorescences
• flowers in late summer, July through August, and are white in colour
• deciduous tree
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8

TIP: big floppy elephant-ear-type leaves

 

 

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (N)

Common name: common bearberry
Family name: Ericaceae

• Latin and Greek in origin
• Arctos means bear
• Staphylos means berry
• close relative of arbutus
• most of them northern
• grown as a ground cover
• doesn’t tolerate compaction
• extremely drought cold tolerant
• sun tolerant
• good for planter on slab, where people can’t walk is ideal
• need to have multiple seedlings to produce fruit
• native to northern North America, Rockies, California to Mexico
• evergreen groundcover
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-6
• Vancouver jade is a common cultivar

TIP: red berries, small leaves

 

Arundinaria humilis

Common name: dwarf bamboo
Family name: Poaceae

• if allowed to grow, it will eventually become yellow
• if you cut it back, it will stay green
• commonly used in open spaces and as ground cover
• aggressive runner
• only stiff in the first year or two
• plant where you have a natural boundary (ie. pond, sidewalk)
• compared to shibataea – culm are branching culms on arundinaria (long branching that falls over)
• shibataea straight and more structured

Abies lasiocarpa (N)

Common name: subalpine fir / Rocky Mountain fir
Family name: Pinaceae

• not as wide but at elevation they have wide wire like shape
• habit: conical when young, and eventually a rounded or irregular crown at maturity
• brush-like needles pointing upward
• smells like balsam
• very flexible branches because adapted to heavy snow
• bark is usually smooth, silvery-grey with prominent branch scars
• habit: conical when young, and eventually a rounded or irregular crown at maturity
• female cones are usually high in the crown, erect and disintegrate in place when mature

Podocarpus nivalis

Common name: alpine totara
Family name: Podocarpaceae

• seed is born on top of red aerle
• normally grown as shrub
• alpine species
• slightly bluish tint to needles
• leathery leaves which are close-set and spirally arranged
• will grow in almost any soil and situation
• ideal filler for growing over walls and banks or in a large rock garden
• once established it tolerates considerable drought and can go through typical summer without additional water
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 8

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Common name: Lawson cypress
Family name: Cupressaceae

•  popular in British aisles
• cypress root rot is slowly killing all of them
• now must be grafted
• foliage looks like Thuja plicata (but cones of Lawson cypress is larger )
• suitable for sandy, loamy, or clay soils
• prefers well drained soil
• can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade
• prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought
• tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure
• grows to about 25 metres tall
• grow as hedge
• evergreen tree
• coniferous
• USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-7

Pinus sylvestris

Common name: Scots pine
Family name: Pinaceae

• bark is mohagony brown
• red buds and blue needles
• a common European pine
• grows from Northern Europe down to Mediterranean
• very adaptable tree
• very tough 2 needle pine
• no strong leader
• very irregular crown
• easy to grow

Pinus strobus

Common name: Eastern white pine
Family name: Pinaceae

• easy to transplant due to wide spreading root system
• cannot tolerate air pollution or strong wind
• grow to about 50-80 feet tall
• likes sun and fertile, moist, well drained soil
• pyramidal shape when young, horizontal and ascending spreading branches with age
• rapid growth rate
• leaf is 2-4 inches, slender light green to blueish green needles in bundles of 5
• evergreen tree
• coniferous