Caring for your new tree from FLOW

OVER 200 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS USE MAPLE TREES AS A HOST PLANT!

Quick Facts

• Mature size: Large- 40-60’ tall, 40’ spread
• Growth rate: Medium to fast- 13 to more than 24” per year
• Sun preference: Full sunlight
• Soil and water: Prefers wet soil, but has slight drought tolerance. Grows in acidic, rich, moist, well-drained, loamy, sandy, silty loam, and clay soils.

Attributes

• Leaves turn a vibrant yellow to red color in the fall.
• Yields samaras- twin seeds, bound together, with attached wings 1” in length. Seeds are ripe in Late spring.
• Produces clusters of small red (sometimes yellow) flowers winter to spring
• Can be toxic to horses if dry, wilted leaves are consumed

Wildlife Usage
Fruit (samaras) provide food for squirrels and other rodents. Rabbits and deer eat the shoots and leaves of red maples.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick facts

• Mature size: 20-40 Feet
• Growth rate: 
• Round canopy
• Sun preference: Full to partial sunlight
• Soil and water: Grows in acidic, moist, well-drained soil
• State tree of Ohio  

Attributes

• Early Spring Flowers
• Fall leaves turn bring orange and yellow
• While highly poisonous, buckeye seeds contain much protein and were used as a food source by Native Americans who boiled and leached them to remove their toxins.

Wildlife Usage
Despite the poisonous properties to humans and livestock, squirrels are known to eat the raw seeds.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation, USDA Plant Database

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 9 to 40′ tall.
• Sun preference: They can be planted in the shade of tall, open trees or in partial shade, although they fruit best in sun.
• Soil and water: Pawpaws grow in humid climates and are highly frost tolerant. They grow in the shade in open woods usually in wet, fertile bottomlands, but can grow in upland areas on rich soils. The plants prefer moist, slightly acidic soils and require regular watering, but are adaptable to many conditions. 

Attributes

• The fruit, which is the largest edible fruit native to America, is high in amino acids.
• At least two plants are needed for cross-pollination.
• The plants are disease and pest resistant and they are not browsed by deer.

Wildlife Usage
Opossums, raccoons, foxes and squirrels eat the fruits. Larvae of the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus) feed exclusively on the leaves.

Source: USDA Plant Database

OVER 400 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS USE BIRCH TREES AS A HOST PLANT

Quick facts

• Ohio Native Tree &  Host Plant to over 411 species of moths and butterflies!
• Mature size: The river birch grows to a height of 40–70′ and a spread of 40–60′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13″ to more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The river birch grows well in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained, wet and clay soils. It will tolerate moderate flooding as well as some drought.

Attributes:

• Features glossy green leaves that are 2–3″ long and somewhat triangular. Margins are double-toothed and leaves are arranged alternately.
• Produces brown and green catkins in April and May.
• Yields a large number of tiny nutlets after female catkins mature, typically in May and June.
• Develops a cinnamon-colored bark that curls and peels (once mature).
• Can grow as either a single- or multi-stemmed tree.
• Is the most borer-resistant birch.
• Works well for holding stream banks and keeping erosion in check.
• Grows in an oval shape.
• Should not be planted in very alkaline soil.

Wildlife Usage
River birches are great companions to wildlife, attracting butterflies, moths, songbirds and small mammals.  It hosts 411 species of moths and butterflies whose caterpillars eat the foliage. The caterpillars include butterflies such as Mourning Cloak and moths including Luna, Io, Polyphemus, and Cecropia.

The catkins of the River Birch are used by redpolls and pine siskins. The foliage is eaten by deer and other browsers. The small but plentiful seeds are appreciated by a wide range of songbirds.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

 Quick facts

• Mature size: The hackberry grows to a height of 40–60′ and a spread of 40–60′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13″ to more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The hackberry grows well in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained, wet and clay soils. It has some tolerance for both flooding and drought.

Attributes

• Features leaves shaped like spearheads, approximately 2–4″ and 1½–2″ wide, arranged alternately along the twigs. Small teeth edge at least the upper half of the leaf.
• Produces small, dark red drupes about 1/3″ in diameter that turn dark purple as they mature in mid-autumn. These berry-like fruit persist into the winter.
• Develops a broad crown with arching branches.
• Forms characteristic corky ridges and warts on trunk and branches.
• Tolerates strong winds, pollution, heat, drought and salt.
• Grows in a rounded, vase-like shape.
• Has a growth pattern that resembles the elm–without the susceptibility to disease

Wildlife Usage
The fruit of the hackberry is popular with winter birds, especially the cedar waxwing, mockingbird and robin. The tree also attracts many butterfly species including American snout, hackberry, mourning cloak, and tawny emperor.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick Facts

• Mature size: The eastern redbud grows to a height of 20–30′ and a spread of 25–35′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The eastern redbud grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils.

Attributes

• Pink to reddish purple flowers are grown on old twigs, branches, and trunks. Flowering occurs in March to May before leaf growth.
• Begin flowering at a young age, sometimes as early as 4 years.
• Features somewhat heart-shaped leaves 2–6″ in length. They emerge a reddish color, turning dark green as summer approaches and then yellow in the fall.
• Makes a bold landscape statement, with its irregular branching and graceful crown.
• Yields brown to brownish-black pods that are 2–3″ in length, remaining on the tree throughout winter.
• Grows in a rounded, vase shape.

Wildlife Usage
The Henry’s elfin butterfly (Callophyrus henrici) and hummingbirds utilize eastern redbud for nectar. Honeybees use the flowers for pollen. Whitetail deer browse the foliage and twigs during the spring and summer. Squirrels occasionally eat the buds, bark, and seed. Bobwhite quail and songbirds eat the seeds. However, for the animals which utilize eastern redbud, it is considered a less desirable or emergency food. The flowers can be fried and eaten.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick facts

• Mature size: 60-75 Feet
• Growth rate: Med to Fast
• Oval shape
• Sun preference: Full Sun
• Soil and water: Acidic, Clay, Drought, Loamy, Moist, Sandy, Well Drained, Wet
  

Attributes

• Features star-shaped leaves with 5 lobes (occasionally 7) that are lustrous medium green in color, toothed along the margins, and 4–7½” in length
• Provides brilliant fall color, with leaves turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple
• Yields long-stemmed, woody, burr-like fruit that is approximately 1½” in diameter
• Grows in a pyramidal shape, becoming more oval or rounded with age
• Needs plenty of space for root development
• Does not tolerate pollution

Wildlife Usage: American sweetgum seeds are eaten by eastern goldfinches, purple finches, sparrows, mourning doves, northern bobwhites and wild turkeys. Small mammals such as chipmunks, red squirrels and gray squirrels also enjoy the fruits and seeds.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick facts

• Mature size:  The tuliptree grows to a height of 70–90′ and a spread of around 40′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The tuliptree grows well in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. It prefers normal moisture but can tolerate drought in humid regions.

Attributes

• Blooms in May and June, producing tulip-shaped flowers 1½–2″ in diameter with greenish-yellow petals and a splash of orange at the base.
• Provides vibrant yellow color in the fall.
• Produces alternating leaves that are 3– 6″ long with distinctive lobes, a flat base and two ear-like tips.
• Yields colorful seeds held upright in the tree throughout the summer and into autumn.
• Features aromatic stems.
• Grows in an oval shape.

Wildlife Usage
This tree provides food in many forms for many animals. In fall and winter, young trees are browsed by white-tailed deer and rabbits. The spring flowers provide nectar for ruby-throated hummingbirds. Tuliptree seeds, maturing in summer and persisting into winter, provide food for both birds and mammals, including finches, cardinals, quail, mice, red squirrels, gray squirrels and rabbits.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 35-50 Feet
• Growth rate: Medium
• Sun preference: Partial to Full
• Soil and water: Moist, well-drained

Attributes:

The red mulberry tree is an uncommon sight in both the natural landscape and the nursery trade. It has been overtaken by the invasive white mulberry, which out-competes and hybridizes with the red mulberry. When used in garden design, the red mulberry is chosen for its ornamental value and, occasionally, its delicious fruit often used in jams and pies. 

Whether choosing the tree because it is a native and the idea of fresh berries is enticing, or the grand spreading shade tree’s pendulous red fruit is attractive to the eye, the red mulberry deserves closer inspection.  

Wildlife Usage:

Birds love the fruit and deposit their droppings, which are brightly colored around the area. Red Mulberry is a fantastic tree for feeding wildlife, but this species might need to be overlooked if cleanliness matters.

Source: thespruce.com 

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 30-50 Feet
• Growth rate: Slow to Medium
• Oval shape
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade
• Soil and water: Acidic, Loamy, Moist, Rich, Sandy, Silty Loam, Well Drained

Attributes

• Provides stunning fall color, bringing many shade of yellow, orange, bright red, purple, and scarlet
• Develops bark that furrows with age, resembling alligator hide on old trunks
• Produces interesting greenish-white flowers that resemble a petal-less spirea
• Features alternate, simple leaves 3–6″ in length with an ovate, obovate, or elliptical shape that are extremely glossy and dark green in the summer
• Yields small, bluish-black fruit that ripens in late September and early October, eaten by many species of birds and mammals
  

Wildlife Usage

The fruit of the black tupelo attracts many birds and wildlife. It also provides nutrition for bees in early to late spring.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: Very large- 75-100’, 50-70’ spread
• Growth rate: Fast
• Sun preference: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil and water:  Grows best in rich, wet, well-drained alkaline soil. Tolerant of acidic soil, wet sites, occasional flooding, clay soil, and road salt. Sycamore is often a natural early colonizer of disturbed sites.

Attributes

• Bark peels away in patches, creating a patchwork of browns, greens, and yellows, overtop a white background
• Sycamore produces brown, burr-like fruit that are about 1” in diameter
• Flowers are mostly inconspicuous
• Produces star-shaped leaves
• Can be messy- drops leaves, twigs, and fuzz-covered seeds

Wildlife Usage
Songbirds eat the seeds, along with beaver, squirrel, and muskrat. White-tailed deer occasionally browse the leaves. The tree attracts birds and is used for many purposes.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: The eastern white pine grows to a height of 50–80′ and a spread of 20–40′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The eastern white pine grows in acidic, moist, well-drained and dry soils. While it does best in moist soil, the tree can has been known to tolerate everything from dry, rocky ridges to bogs.

Attributes

• Transplants easily.
• Works well for windbreaks.
• Is widely used as a Christmas tree.
• Features long, slender, blue-green needles, sometimes reaching 5″ in length, grown in bundles of 5 that are soft and flexible.
• Produces elongated brown cones that are 3–8″ in length. Each is curved slightly and has smooth scales.
• Grows in an oval, pyramidal shape.
• Is sensitive to air pollution, road salt and soil compaction.

Wildlife Usage
Eastern white pine seeds are favored by black bears, rabbits, red squirrels and many birds, especially red crossbills. While potentially damaging to the trees, the bark is eaten by mammals such as beavers, snowshoe hares, porcupines, rabbits and mice. White pines provide nesting sites as well for many birds including woodpeckers, common grackles, mourning doves, chickadees and nuthatches.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick facts

• Mature size: Large- 50 to 60’ tall, 20-30’ spread
• Growth rate: Fast
• Sun preference: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil and water: Prefers acidic, moist, well-drained soil. Tolerates alkaline soils, and is moderately tolerant of drought and flooding.

Attributes

• Warning: The bark, leaves, twigs, and seeds can cause cyanide poisoning if ingested. Most livestock deaths come from eating wilted leaves, however. White-tailed deer may browse saplings without harm.
• Produces pea-sized edible fruit 
• Produces clusters of white flowers
• Has dark, scaly wood that is used for furniture

Wildlife Usage
Fruits are an important food for many animals, including passerine and game birds, as well as mammals such as red fox, raccoon, opossum, squirrels, rabbits, and black bears.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation & USDA Plant Database, Morton Arboretum.

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 50-75 Feet
• Growth rate: Medium
• Oval shape
• Sun preference: Full Sun
• Soil and water: Acidic, Clay, Drought, Loamy, Moist, Sandy, Silty Loam, Well Drained, Wet

Attributes

• Is a deciduous conifer
• Features short needles arranged in pairs along slender branchlets; their coloring ranges from yellow-green in spring to soft green in summer to reddish- or orangish-brown in autumn
• Yields cones that appear as little globes approximately 1″ in length that contain triangular seeds and are attractive to wildlife
• Grows in a pyramidal shape
• Adapts well to wet and dry conditions
• Develops “cypress knees” only in wet conditions

Wildlife Usage

Baldcypress forms characteristic groves in swampy areas that support complex and variable ecosystems and are used by many wildlife species.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature Size: 50–80 feet tall
• Growth Rate: Fast
• Light: Full, partial
• Soil: Sandy loams, loams, finer textured, well-draining.

Attributes:

The most common North American linden, the American basswood (Tilia americana) makes a great yard tree for those looking to cultivate shade. This fast grower can sometimes grow as much as 24 inches a year and needs plenty of space to flourish. Known for its soft, lightweight wood, basswood was often used in Native American carvings. The bark was also collected and made into fiber for weaving ropes, baskets, and other objects. This is generally a low-maintenance tree, but, like other native species of linden, it doesn’t have great tolerance for pollution and urban conditions.

Wildlife Usage:

The linden tree’s flowers, a favorite of bees, make their showing from May to July. Lindens are vital to bees as they forage the trees for pollen and nectar.

Source: thespruce.com 

ALMOST 200 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS USE ELM TREES AS A HOST PLANT

Quick facts

• Mature size: 60-80′ tall, 30–52′ spread.
• Growth rate: Medium to Fast, 10- 12′ in 5 years..
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil: The American Elm occurs naturally in an assortment of habitats, most notably rich bottomlands, floodplains, stream banks, and swampy ground, although it also often thrives on hillsides, uplands and other well-drained soils.

Attributes

• The flowers are small, inconspicuous, greenish;  in drooping clusters of 3 to 5; appearing in early spring before the leaves.
• The fruit are small seeds enclosed in a rounded, flattened , papery, wafer-like covering with fuzzy edges that ripen in spring (February to June).
• Leaves are alternate, simple, smooth to slightly rough textured, 4-6 inches long, oval with double toothed edges, with an uneven base.
• The twigs are slender, smooth and slightly zigzag.
  The trunk is straight or slightly forked and an arching vase-shaped crown, with dark gray bark with thick ridges.
•  Since the Dutch Elm Disease (DED) started wiping out elms in the 1930’s, we have lost a lot of trees although some still remain. And thanks to the work of the United States Forest Service, work on finding the genetic mix that is resistant to DED is progressing.

Wildlife Usage
The leaves of the American elm serve as food for the larvae of a number of species of Lepidoptera. These include such butterflies as the Eastern Comma, Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, Painted Lady and Red-spotted Purple, as well as such moths as the Columbian Silkmoth and the Banded Tussock Moth (Pale Tiger Moth).

Source: Wikipedia, Michael DIrr (1998), The Sibley Guide to Trees (2009)

Quick Facts

• Mature size: Large- 50-60’ tall, 50-60’ spread
• Growth rate: Medium, 13-24” per year
• Sun preference: Full sunlight
• Soil and water: Grows in acidic, moist, well-drained, and wet soils. It is tolerant of drought, compacted soil and some salt exposure.

Attributes

• Produces beautiful fall color in shades of yellow, bronze, and red-purple.
• Yields oblong acorns in pairs, each about 1” in length
• Is adapted to low-lying areas with poor drainage
• Can experience chlorosis (yellowing of leaves while veins remain green) if soil is not acidic enough
• Flowers are inconspicuous

Wildlife
Swamp White Oak trees provide cover for many animals. The acorns are sweet and a valuable food for squirrels, mice, white tail deer, beaver, and many birds, such as ducks and turkey. Humans can also eat the acorns, and they have been used to make bread.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation, USDA Plant Database

Quick Facts

• Mature size: Typically 70-80’ tall, can grow up to 100’. 80’ spread. Sun preference: Full sun
• Growth rate: Slow, less than 1’ per year
• Soil and water: Will grow in many soil types- acidic or alkaline soil, as well as loamy, sandy, or clay soil. Grows well in wet, well-drained soil. 
• Tolerates pollution and heat stress

Attributes

• Provides dense shade
• Yields acorns that are larger than other acorn varieties. Acorns have noticeable burs/caps.
• Can live for more than 200-300 years
• Grows in a rounded shape

Wildlife
The acorns are the preferred food for many birds and mammals, including squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, mice, deer, black bear, wild turkey, blue jays, and woodpeckers. The trees are also browsed by deer. Red tailed hawks and screech owls nest in the larger trees.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation, USDA Plant Database

(also known as Yellow Oak)

Quick Facts

• Mature size: The chinkapin oak grows to a height of 40–50′ and a spread of 50–60′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12″ to 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The chinkapin oak grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained, wet and clay soils. It tolerates wet conditions and some drought but does best in well-drained areas that do not experience severe drought.

Attributes

• Features simple, oblong to oblong-lanceolate leaves that are dark yellowish green, coarsely toothed and 4–6½” in length. Fall color varies from yellow to orangish-brown to brown.
• Adapts to many soil conditions.
• Yields 1″ round acorns that mature in the first year.
  Grows in a rounded shape.

Wildlife
Chinkapin oak acorns are the preferred food for wild turkeys, grouse, white-tailed deer, black bears, chipmunks, squirrels and hogs. Cattle will eat the leaves.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: The pin oak grows to a height of 60–70′ and a spread of 25–40′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The pin oak grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained, wet and clay soils. It can tolerate wet conditions, including moderate flooding.

Attributes

• Has a distinctive branching pattern that sets it apart, especially in winter.
• Provides great fall color, with leaves turning shades of scarlet and bronze.
• Is easier than most to transplant.
• Features glossy, dark green leaves that are 3–6″ long with 5 lobes (although sometimes 7–9) separated by very deep sinuses.
• Produces yellow-green catkins that are 5–7″ long and typically appear in April and May.
• Yields acorns that are nearly round and ½” long with a thin, saucer-like cap made of small, tight scales.
• Offers dense shade.
• Tolerates heat, air pollution and compacted soil.
• Develops a single, central trunk from ground to tip.
• Grows in a pyramidal shape.
• Cannot tolerate alkaline soils.

Wildlife
Pin oak acorns are eaten by many songbirds, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, squirrels and smaller rodents but are a particularly important food for many ducks.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: The northern red oak grows to a height of 60–75′ and a spread of around 45′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The northern red oak grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. While it prefers normal moisture, the tree has some drought tolerance.

Attributes

• Grows more than two feet per year for 10 years.
  Provides great fall color, with leaves turning russet-red to bright red.
• Is easier than most to transplant.
• Features alternating leaves that are 4–8″ long and have 7–11 waxy, spine-tipped lobes.
• Produces pale yellow-green catkins that appear at about the same time new foliage is expanding, typically April–May.
• Yields acorns that are round and ¾–1″ long with a flat, thick, saucer-like cap.
• Offers great shade due to a dense crown.
• Tolerates pollution and compacted soil.
• Grows in a rounded shape.

Wildlife
Acorns from this tree are at the top of the food preference list for blue jays, wild turkeys, squirrels, small rodents, whitetail deer, raccoons and black bears. Deer also browse the buds and twigs in wintertime.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 40’-60’
• Growth rate: Medium
• Sun preference: Full Sun
• Soil and water: Acidic, Alkaline, Drought, Loamy, Well Drained

Attributes

• Beautiful fall leaves turning bright red and red-orange
• Produces egg shaped acorns every 2-4 years. 
• Tolerates pollution and compact soil.
• Grows well in urban areas which makes it a good street tree

Wildlife
The small acorns from this tree are a favorite of deer and squirrels and also enjoyed by several species of birds and mammals.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

MORE INFO – PDF

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 80-100 ft tall
• Growth rate: slow
• Sun preference: Requires full sun and will not tolerate shade.
• Soil and water: Thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It tolerates poor and dry soil as well. 

Attributes

• Black Oaks have a blackish outer bark
• The inner bark is yellow in color has has been used as a dye. 

Wildlife
The small acorns from this tree are a favorite of deer and squirrels and also enjoyed by several species of birds and mammals.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick facts

• Mature size: 3-6 Feet
• Growth rate: Slow to Medium
• Irregular shape
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial
• Soil and water: Well-drained, Acidic

Attributes:

 a deciduous shrub that is native to the eastern part of North America. It grows in an upright and fairly rounded shape. Its glossy, dark green leaves are around 1 to 3 inches long and either lanceolate or elliptical in shape. The foliage turns red to reddish-purple in the fall, providing striking color to the landscape before dropping off the plant for winter. Clusters of small five-petaled flowers appear in the spring, and purplish-black to black fruits that are around the size of blueberries appear in the late summer to fall.

The berries are edible but so astringent and bitter that they make you choke when you try to eat them raw, hence the name, chokeberry.

Wildlife Usage

Native bees, especially mason bees, feed on the nectar and pollen of chokeberry. It is also a host plant for butterflies, moths, and songbirds.

Source: thespruce.com

Quick facts

• Mature size: 10-15 Feet
• Growth rate: Slow
• Irregular shape
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade, Full Shade
• Soil and water: Drought, Wet, Moist, Well Drained, Rich, Alkaline

Attributes:

• Blooms for 7–10 days in late May or early June, with small, creamy white flowers arranged in flat panicles
• Adapts to many soil types and conditions
• Transplants easily
• Features grayish-green to dark green leaves that are narrow-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate and 2–4″ long, turning reddish-purple in the fall
• Produces ¼” white fruit that grows on reddish-pink pedicels and matures in late summer or early fall; the pedicels are exposed when the fruit falls, adding nice fall/winter color
• Grows in an irregular to rounded shape
• Can be cut back to the ground if it becomes too large and woody
• Is occasionally grown as a small tree, where it can be used for foundations, entranceways, borders, or specimen planting

Wildlife Usage

The gray dogwood is a forage plant for white-tailed deer. The berries appear before most other dogwoods, making it popular with the squirrels and over 100 bird species that eat the fruit. It forms a dense thicket, providing cover and nesting sites for wildlife.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts
This is an ornamental shrub, typically planted for the visual interest and beauty it can bring to landscape.

• Mature size: The redosier dogwood grows to a height of 7–9′ and a spread of around 10′ at maturity.
• Growth rate: This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
• Sun preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this shrub, meaning it prefers a minimum of 4 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
• Soil and water: The redosier dogwood is very adaptable, growing in acidic to alkaline soils. It prefers moist soils and often grows in wet swamp lands. It does not, however, tolerate excessively dry soil.

Attributes
This shrub:

• Features vibrant red stems that make a bold statement in the wintertime landscape.
• Produces attractive clusters of white flowers in mid- to late spring.
• Yields pea-sized white drupes that mature in late summer to early fall.
• Is easy to transplant.
• Needs to be pruned only once a year.
• Can be cut back to the ground regularly for the red color of the younger stems to be more prevalent.
• Features opposite, simple leaves, ovate to oblong-lancelolate in shape and 2–5″ in length. The medium to dark green summer color changes to a ruddy red or purple in the fall.
• Has slow horizontal growth.
• Grows in a rounded shape.
• Can be planted 3–4′ apart to make a hedge.

Wildlife Usage
The redosier dogwood provides dense cover for wildlife. The white berries are eaten by at least 18 species of birds including ruffled grouse, bobwhite quail, wild turkey and gray catbird. The twigs and foliage are browsed by elk, deer, moose, rabbits and chipmunks.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick facts

• Mature size: Shrub- 6 to 12’ tall, wide, with an open, rounded appearance
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate
• Sun preference: Prefers partial shade, will tolerate full sun if soil is adequately moist
• Soil and water: Acidic, moist, well-drained, wet soil. Will tolerate wet sites and occasional drought or flooding.

Attributes

• Male pollinator is needed for fruit to be produced on female plants. Female plants produce ½” long, clusters of bright red fruits, which ripen in July through October
• Spicebush plants are either male or female. Flowers are bright yellow, and appear in clusters before the leaves in early spring. Male flowers are showier.
• All parts of plant have a spicy scent when crushed

Wildlife Usage
Over 20 species of birds, as well as deer, rabbits, and raccoons, browse the leaves or eat the fruit. The fruits are a popular food for wood thrushes. The spicebush swallowtail lays its eggs on spicebush and other plants in the Laurel family.

Source: USDA Plant Database, Morton Arboretum

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 3-10 Feet
• Growth rate: Medium to Fast
• Shape: Rounded
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial 
• Soil and water: Neutral, clay, loamy

Attributes:

• The bush gets its name from its unique exfoliating bark, which peels back in thin layers as its branches mature. This coarse-textured shrub is a member of the rose family, which also includes hawthorn and spirea, and features yellow, green, or reddish leaves that form an attractive cascading mound. Ninebark flowers in late spring with clusters of white or pink blooms, and it bears red fruit in late summer and autumn, attracting birds.
• Ninebark is a good alternative to barberry bush, which is becoming invasive in many regions.
• Ninebark needs ample sunlight in order to show its beautiful white blooms each spring. Six hours of sunlight a day should be sufficient.

Wildlife Usage:

Bears red fruit in late summer and autumn, attracting birds.

Source: thespruce.com

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 3-5 Feet, creeping
• Growth rate: slow
• Shape: creeping
• Sun preference: Partial to Full
  

Attributes:

• People often ask about plants that need little care, and the fragrant sumac is one of those plants. 
• The fragrant sumac is even resistant to the allelopathic soil surrounding Black walnut trees. Fragrant sumacs are adaptable and handle a wide pH range from 4.5 to 7.5 
• The species is very drought tolerant and holds well to low moisture environments. Even in the early onset, when the plant needs to establish itself, it can deal with less water than most plants.
• Yes, the red berries of the fragrant sumac bush are edible! They taste lemony and can be used to make a lemonade like drink.

Wildlife Usage:

It excels throughout the year in its ability to sustain pollinators and wildlife.

Source: thespruce.com

Quick facts

• Mature size: 5-12 Feet
• Growth rate: Fast
• Shape: Rounded
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade
• Soil and water: Acidic, Clay, Drought, Loamy, Moist, Rich, Sandy, Silty Loam, Well Drained, Wet

Attributes

• Blooms in the summer, producing small, star-shaped yellowish-white flowers in clusters 6–10″ wide
• Yields edible dark purple berries August–September — good for jellies, pies, juice, and wine; for best fruiting, plant multiple shrubs
• Features pinnately compound dark green leaves with 5–11 (typically 7) leaflets, each 2–6″ long
• Grows in a rounded shape
• Should be pruned regularly to maintain its multi-stemmed form
• Can be pruned into a single-stemmed small tree

Wildlife Usage

The edible berries provide food for dozens of bird species and other wildlife.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation

Quick Facts

• Mature size: 6′ – 15′ with a 6′ – 15′ spread
• Growth rate: Medium
• Sun preference: Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade
• Soil and water: Acidic, Alkaline, Clay, Loamy, Moist, Rich, Sandy, Silty Loam, Well Drained

Attributes

• Produces creamy white flowers in flat-topped clusters that are 2–4″ in diameter and bloom from May to early June
• Yields ½” blue-black drupes that appear after the flowers and ripen in the early fall
• Features lustrous dark green leaves with coarsely toothed margins that provide lovely fall color, turning yellow, glossy red, or reddish-purple
• Grows in an irregular, rounded shape

Wildlife Usage
It forms dense thickets and provides excellent cover and nesting sites. Birds consume the abundant fruits. It attracts Red Admiral, Eastern Comma and Question Mark butterflies and is larval plant food for the spring azure butterfly and hummingbird moth.

Source: Arbor Day Foundation