Rare trees | New England

Acer sieboldianum (Siebold's Maple is a specie of maple native to Japan and common in the forests of Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku and Kyūshū Islands; in the south of the range it is restricted to mountain forests.
It is a slow-growing, small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 10–15 metres (33–49 ft) tall in is natural habitat, with smooth grey-brown bark. The young shoots are green to red, thinly covered with white hairs in their first year. The leaves are mid to dark green, 4–8 centimetres (1.6–3.1 in) long and 5–10 centimetres (2.0–3.9 in) broad with a 3–7 centimetres (1.2–2.8 in) petiole, and palmately lobed with nine to eleven (occasionally just seven) lobes. The young leaves in spring are downy with white hairs, with the petiole and veins on the underside of the leaf remaining hairy all summer, a feature useful in distinguishing it from the related Acer palmatum. In autumn, the leaves turn bright orange to red. Siebold's Maple is not as rare in cultivation as it seems.

Specimens are often mistaken for and mislabeled as similar species in the series Palmata, such as Acer japonicum, Acer shirasawanum and Acer palmatum; it is also sometimes confused with Acer pseudosieboldianum (Korean Maple or Keijo Maple), a closely related species from the adjacent mainland of northeastern Asia.

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Easily grown in consistently moist, moderately fertile, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some light shade. May be grown from seed planted in the ground in fall. Plants exhibit rapid growth in early years.

Tetradium daniellii, commonly called tetradium or bee bee tree, is native to Korea and southwestern China. It is a deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading, umbrella-shaped habit. It typically grows to 25-30’ (less frequently to 50’) tall and as wide. Small, fragrant, white (sometimes tinged yellow or pink) flowers bloom in flattened corymbs (to 4-6” wide) in July-August. Flowers are loved by honey bees and bloom in abundance at a time when few other trees are in flower. Flowers give way to reddish-purple seed pods that split open when ripe. Each pod contains two, shiny, buckshot-like, black seeds. Pods remain on the tree from late August to November. Birds are attracted to the seed. Opposite, pinnately compound leaves (to 18” long), each with 7-11 ovate glossy dark green leaflets (2-5” long), retain good color throughout the growing season. Fall color is generally absent, with the leaves typically dropping when green or yellowish-green. Smooth gray bark. This tree is in the same family as Zanthoxylum americanum. It is synonymous with and formerly called Euodia daniellii and Evodia daniellii.
Specific epithet honors William Freeman Daniell (1818-1865), British army surgeon and botanist.

No serious insect or disease problems.

Staphylea trifolia, the American bladdernut, is native to eastern North America, from southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec west to Nebraska and Arkansas, and south to Florida.

It is a medium sized shrub growing to 11 m (36 ft) tall. Its growth rate is medium to fast. The leaves are opposite and divided into three leaflets, each leaflet up to 10 cm (4 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) broad, with a serrated margin. The leaves are bright green in the spring, turning dark green in the summer. S. trifolia produces falling white flowers in spring, which mature into bladder-like, teardrop-shaped fruits that contain several large black seeds. Suitable for zone 4a.

Diospyros virginiana is a persimmon specie commonly called the American Persimmon. It ranges from southern Connecticut/Long Island to Florida, and west to Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The tree grows wild but has been cultivated for its fruit and wood since prehistoric times by Native Americans. Diospyros virginiana grows through 20 m (66 ft), in well-drained soil. In summer, this specie produces fragrant flowers which are dioecious, so one must have both male and female plants to obtain fruit. Most cultivars are parthenocarpic (setting seedless fruit without pollination). The flowers are pollinated by insects and wind. Fruiting typically begins when the tree is about 6 years old. The decorative bark is dark brown or dark gray, deeply divided into plates whose surface is scaly. Branchlets slender, zigzag, with thick pith or large pith cavity; at first light reddish brown and pubescent. They vary in color from light brown to ashy gray and finally become reddish brown, the bark somewhat broken by longitudinal fissures.

The fruit is round or oval and usually orange-yellow and sometimes bluish and from 2 through 6 cm (0.79 through 2.4 in) in diameter. Fruit: a juicy berry containing one to eight seeds, crowned with the remnants of the style and seated in the enlarged calyx; depressed-globular, pale orange color, often red-cheeked; with slight bloom, turning yellowish brown after freezing. Flesh astringent while green, sweet and luscious when ripe.

Zone 4 b...attracks bees and very rare tree found occasionnaly

Cladrastis kentukea, the Kentucky yellowwood or American yellowwood (syn. C. lutea, C. tinctoria), is a specie of Cladrastis native to the Southeastern United States. Cladrastis kentukea is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree typically growing 10–15 metres (33–49 ft) tall, with a broad, rounded crown and smooth gray bark. The leaves are compound pinnate, 20-30 cm long, with 5-11 (mostly 7-9) alternately arranged leaflets.

The flowers are fragrant, white, produced in Wisteria-like racemes 15-30 cm long. Flowering is in early summer (June in its native region), and is variable from year to year, with heavy flowering every second or third year. The fruit is a pod 5-8 cm long, containing 2-6 seeds.

One of the rarest trees of eastern North America. Found principally on the limestone cliffs of Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, but it is hardy at the north.Cladrastis kentukea is widely grown as an ornamental tree for its attractive flowers, and is locally naturalized in many areas of the eastern United States outside of its restricted native range. It thrives in full sunlight and in well-drained soil, tolerates high pH soils as well as acid situations. The Yellowwood can withstand urban settings and is attractive to birds. Kentucky Yellowwood is recommended as one of the best medium sized trees for cultivation as an ornamental plant in gardens. The only quality that is mentioned is a tendency of the trunk to divide very near the ground, as a multi-trunked tree. The name yellowwood derives from its yellow heartwood, used in small amounts for specialist furniture, gunstocks and decorative woodturning. Suitable for zone 4a.

The price has been reduced AT THEIR MAXIMUM. WE MUST SALE THEM ALL !

Amur cork tree is a deciduous tree with a rounded, broad-spreading crown. It is noted for its attractive shape, bark and foliage. It is indigenous to moist soils in the valley of the Amur River which serves as the boundary between Siberia and China. It typically grows 30-45’ tall with a short trunk and low horizontal branching. Foliage and fruits are unpleasantly aromatic when bruised, which is somewhat characteristic of the Rue family to which this stately tree belongs. Best grown in fertile, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained loams in full sun. Prefers consistently moist soils, but established trees tolerate some drought. Tolerates many urban air pollutants. Freely reseeds in optimum growing conditions, however, female trees need a male pollinator to produce fruit/seeds. This tree has escaped cultivation in parts of the northeastern U.S. where it is somewhat aggressively spreading into some native hardwood forest areas.

Willow-leaved or Anise Magnolia, is from Japan. A small deciduous tree 25' tall, with narrow leaves with whitish undersides give this tree a fine texture. The 4" wide white scented flowers emerge in early spring before the leaves. The leaves are fragrant when crushed. The real deal, not x kewensis.

Name Magnolia salicifolia (Anise Magnolia)
Plant Height 25-45 ft
Plant Width 15-25 ft
Zone 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Genus Magnolia
Common Name Anise Magnolia
 

Taxodium distichum (bald cypress, baldcypress, bald-cypress, is a deciduous conifer (in genus Taxodium, familia Cupressaceae) that grows on saturated and seasonally inundated soils of the Southeastern and Gulf Coastal Plains of the United States. Taxodium distichum is a large slow-growing and long-lived tree typically reaching heights of 30–35 m (100–120 ft) and a trunk diameter of 1–2 m (3-6 ft). The bark is gray-brown to red-brown, thin and fibrous with a stringy texture, having a vertically interwoven pattern of shallow ridges and narrow furrows. The leaves are alternate and linear, with flat blades borne on the twig that are spirally arranged on the stem, but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 1–2 cm long and 1–2 mm broad. Unlike most other species in the family Cupressaceae, it is deciduous, losing its leaves in the winter months, hence the name 'bald'. It is monoecious (separate staminate and carpellate flowers are always found on the same plant), with male and female flowers forming on slender tassel-like structures near the edge of the branchlets. The male and female strobili are produced from buds formed in the late fall, with pollination in early winter, and mature in about 12 months. The seed cones are green maturing gray-brown, globular, and 2-3.5 cm in diameter. They have from 20 to 30 spirally arranged, four-sided scales, each bearing one or two (rarely three) triangular seeds. The number of seeds per cone ranges from 20 to 40.

This specie is a popular ornamental tree, grown for its light, feathery foliage and orange-brown to dull red fall color. In cultivation, it thrives on a wide range of soils, including well-drained sites where it would not grow naturally due to the inability of the young seedlings to compete with other vegetation. Cultivation is successful far to the north of its native range, north to southern Canada. It is also commonly planted in Europe, Asia and elsewhere with temperate to subtropical climates. It does, however, require hot summers for good growth; when planted in areas with cool summers oceanic climates, growth is healthy but very slow (some in northeastern England have only reached 4–5 m tall in about 50 years), and cones are not produced.

Mature planted specimens are seen as far north as Pittsburgh, and Ottawa, Ontario. In Ottawa, in the Central Experimental Farm Arboretum, an average winter may kill back a quarter to half of new growth.

Suitable in zone 5b.

Source: wikipedia

The evergreen magnolias, Magnolia grandiflora, are distinguished by their magnificent large white flowers and lushy, shiny evergreen foliage. We have a good stock of tis magnolia in pot for indoor and outdoor cultivation. From May to November, it can be outdoor. Hardy to subfreezing temperature..probably -5°C / 23°F  This tree makes a wonderful indoor pot plant and keeps its leaves evergreen for a very long time. It is the most famous of the magnolias and it has a tropical look. It is native to the United States and widely cultivated as an ornamental tree in Virginia, Carolinas, Georgia, Florida..etc.

Acer macrophyllum, the bigleaf maple or Oregon maple, is a large deciduous tree in the genus Acer. It can grow up to 48.89 metres (160 ft 5 in) tall, but more commonly reaches 15–20 m (50–65 ft) tall. It is native to western North America, mostly near the Pacific coast, from southernmost Alaska to southern California. Some stands are also found inland in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California, and a tiny population occurs in central Idaho.

It has the largest leaves of any maple, typically 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) across, with five deeply incised palmate lobes, with the largest running to 61 centimetres (24 in). In the fall, the leaves turn to gold and yellow, often to spectacular effect against the backdrop of evergreen conifers.

Bigleaf maple has been used for creating syrup but it is not common. This is because Sugar Maple has a higher sugar content. Nevertheless, syrup production has become a localized industry in bigleaf maple groves where weather conditions (including sub-freezing winters) are especially suitable, such as near sea-level in British Columbia and at higher elevations along the West Coast from Washington through Northern California.

The wood is used for applications as diverse as furniture, piano frames and salad bowls. Highly figured wood is not uncommon and is used for veneer, stringed instruments, guitar bodies, and gun stocks.

The wood is primarily used in veneer production for furniture, but is also used in musical instrument production, interior paneling, and other hardwood products; the heartwood is light, reddish-brown, fine-grained, moderately heavy, and moderately hard and strong. Lakwungen First Nations people of Vancouver Island call it the paddle tree and used it to make paddles and spindle wheels. hardy to zone 5b

Native to eastern North America from New England and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico. Nyssa sylvatica grows to 20–25 metres (66–82 ft) tall. The tree typically have a straight trunk with the branches extending outward at right angles.The bark is dark gray and flaky when young, but it becomes furrowed with age, resembling an alligator hiding on very old stems. The twigs of this tree are reddish-brown, usually hidden by a greyish skin. The leaves of this specie are variable in size and shape. They can be oval, elliptical, or obovate, and 5–12 cm (2–5 in) long. They have lustrous upper surfaces, with entire, often wavy margins. The foliage turns purple in autumn, eventually becoming an intense bright scarlet.

Nyssa sylvatica is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, where it is often used as a specimen or shade tree. The tree is best when grown in sheltered but not crowded positions, developing a pyramidal shape in youth, and spreading with age. Nyssa sylvatica is a major source of wild honey in many areas within its range. Hollow sections of black gum trunks were formerly used as bee gums by beekeepers.

Black maple is very similar in all respects to sugar maple, and thus is often misidentified as sugar maple. The key differences separating these two species are black maple's wider and drooping leaves, longer leaf stalk (petiole), and waxy coating on twigs greater than two years old. Black maple, like sugar maple, is an important species for sawtimber, veneer, maple syrup, and fuel wood. The black maple's mature height ranges from 21 to 34 meters (70 to 110 feet). The leafs turn yellow in automn. This species is not very common in the wild.

Carya tomentosa, (Mockernut hickory, mockernut, white hickory,  is a tree in the Juglandaceae or Walnut family. The most abundant of the hickories, common in the eastern half of the US, it is long lived, sometimes reaching the age of 500 years. A straight-growing hickory, a high percentage of its wood is used for products where strength, hardness, and flexibility are needed. The wood makes an excellent fuelwood, as well. The specie's name comes from the Latin word tomentum, meaning "covered with dense short hairs," referring to the underside of the leaves which help identify the specie. Also called the White Hickory due to the light color of the wood, the tree's common name of "Mockernut" comes from the large, thick-shelled fruit with very small kernels of meat inside.  A medium sized to large tree capable of reaching over 25 m or 100 feet tall with a straight stem and a rounded crown. Suitable for zone 5a.

AVAILABLE / zone 4a

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best flowering occurs in full sun. Adapts to a wide range of soil conditions, but prefers well-drained loams. Established plants will tolerate dryish soils. Plants bloom on old growth. Avoid heavy pruning. Prune to shape as needed in spring after flowering to stimulate growth of flowering spurs which will improve bloom for the following year (although such pruning will reduce fruit production for the current year). Promptly remove root suckers to control possible spread.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Chaenomeles speciosa, commonly called flowering quince, is a dense, broad-rounded, deciduous shrub with often-tangled, spiny, gray-brown twigs. It typically grows to 6-10’ tall and as wide. It is native to China, Tibet and Myanmar (Burma). Scarlet to red (less frequently pink or white) five-petaled flowers (to 2” diameter) bloom before the leaves fully unfold in an often showy early spring bloom (late March - April). Flowers are followed by hard, dot-speckled, edible, yellowish-green fruits (2.5” quinces) that are rather bitter when eaten fresh from the shrub, but quite tasty in preserves and jellies. Finely-toothed, oval to oblong, glossy dark green leaves (to 3.5” long).

Sorry, this tree can not be shipped to the United States due to restrictions by Agriculture Canada and USDA.

Pterocarya stenoptera (English: Chinese wingnut is a small-winged wingnut tree of the Juglandaceae family. It is originally from Southeast China. Pterocarya stenoptera is quite similar to P. fraxinifolia. The major difference lies in the shape of the wings on the fruit: reminiscent of the wings of the common fly, they are connected to the two sides of the walnut shaped fruit, which is about the size of a chickpea. The wings lie in two different planes.

The fruits develop in the summer on 25 cm long catkins, hanging from the distinctly differently textured green foliage. The fruiting catkins are frequently considered desirable from a landscaping perspective. The foliage is dense, though it can be thinned by pruning. The alternate deciduous leaves are pinnately compound, bearing odd numbers of elliptic-oblong pinnately-veined leaflets with serrate margins.  The bark on the trunk is similar to P. fraxinifolia, but is smoother.

The tree grows rapidly under optimal conditions, easily reaching 21 m or 70 feet with substantial spreading branches. This tree as being appropriate in zones 4b-5a.

Zone protected 5b but more zone 6a-6b

Bring a tropical vibe to your front yard landscaping, patio, or deck area with a beautiful E.H. Wilson Mimosa tree (a.k.a. E.H. Wilson Silk Tree).  This exotic, fast-growing tree quickly forms an arching canopy of tiny, delicate green leaves to shade a cozy sitting area beneath.  Hummingbirds will entertain you with their aeronautics as they swoop in on the fluffy, flamingo-pink flowers which last for weeks in summer.  Plant this ornamental tree where it can be seen from both inside and outside your home, and you might even look forward to standing at the kitchen window to do dishes!

The Story

E.H. Wilson Mimosa is a true story of survival. Ernest Henry Wilson, also known as Ernest Henry “Chinese” Wilson is responsible for introducing thousands of Asian plant species to the West. In the early 1900’s he became a collector for Arnold Arboretum in Boston Massachusetts. During a visit to Korea in 1918, he collected seeds from a cultivated Mimosa tree in the hotel courtyard. Only a few seeds were collected and brought back to Boston. Four years later the seedling were planted in the Arboretum, but after the first winter all but one died. This little champion was named the E.H. Wilson Mimosa and thanks to the efforts of E.H. Wilson and the Arnold Arboretum we now have a beautiful tropical tree that can withstand New England winters.

The blue spruce, green spruce, white spruce, Colorado spruce or Colorado blue spruce, with the scientific name Picea pungens, is a species of spruce tree. It is native to the Rocky Mountains of the United States. Its natural range extends from Colorado to Wyoming but it has been widely introduced elsewhere and is used as an ornamental tree in many places far beyond its native range.

In the wild, Picea pungens grows to about 23 m (75 ft), but when planted in parks and gardens it seldom exceeds 15 m (49 ft) tall by 5 m (16 ft) wide. It is a columnar or conical evergreen conifer with densely growing horizontal branches. It has scaly grey bark on the trunk with yellowish-brown branches. Waxy grey-green leaves, up to 3 cm (1 in) long, are arranged radially on the shoots which curve upwards. The pale brown cones are up to 10 cm (4 in) long. Suitable for zone 2b.

OUT OF STOCK

Suitable for zone 4a.

Alnus glutinosa, the common alder, black alder, European alder or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to most of Europe, southwest Asia and northern Africa. It thrives in wet locations where its association with the bacterium Frankia alni enables it to grow in poor quality soils. It is a medium size, short-lived tree growing to a height of up to 30 metres (100 ft). It has short-stalked rounded leaves and separate male and female flower in the form of catkins. The small, rounded fruits are cone-like and the seeds are dispersed by wind and water.

Alnus glutinosa is a tree that thrives in moist soils, and grows under favourable circumstances to a height of 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 ft) and exceptionally up to 37 metres (121 ft). Young trees have an upright habit of growth with a main axial stem but older trees develop an arched crown with crooked branches. The base of the trunk produces adventitious roots which grow down to the soil and may appear to be propping the trunk up. The bark of young trees is smooth, glossy and greenish-brown while in older trees it is dark grey and fissured. The branches are smooth and somewhat sticky, being scattered with resinous warts. The buds are purplish-brown and have short stalks. Both male and female catkins form in the autumn and remain dormant during the winter. The common alder is used as a pioneer specie and to stabilise river banks, to assist in flood control, to purify water in waterlogged soils and to moderate the temperature and nutrient status of water bodies. It can be grown by itself or in mixed species plantations, and the nitrogen-rich leaves falling to the ground enrich the soil and increase the production.

Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry, European cornel or dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to southern Europe (from France to Ukraine), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. It is a medium to large deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5–12 m tall, with dark brown branches and greenish twigs. The leaves are opposite, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin. The flowers are small (5–10 mm diameter), with four yellow petals, produced in clusters of 10–25 together early in the spring, well before the leaves appear. The fruit is an oblong red drupe 2 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter, containing a single seed.

The berries when ripe on the plant bear a resemblance to coffee berries, and ripen in mid- to late summer. The fruit is edible (mainly consumed in Eastern Europe, UK, and Iran), but the unripe fruit is astringent. The fruit only fully ripens after it falls from the tree. When ripe, the fruit is dark ruby red or a bright yellow. It has an acidic flavour which is best described as a mixture of cranberry and sour cherry; it is mainly used for making jam, makes an excellent sauce similar to cranberry sauce when pitted and then boiled with sugar and orange, but also can be eaten dried. In Azerbaijan and Armenia, the fruit is used for distilling vodka, in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina it is distilled into raki, and in Greece crana berries are used to make home-made liqueur. In Turkey and Iran it is eaten with salt as a snack in summer, and traditionally drunk in a cold drink called kızılcık şerbeti. Cultivars selected for fruit production in Ukraine have fruit up to four cm long. It is eaten in Eastern Europe in many ways including as a medicine. It is very high in vitamin C and is used to fight colds and flus.

The fruit of C. mas (together with the fruit of C. officinalis) has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to retain the jing, essence, to tonify the kidneys, and in cases of spermatorrhea.
The species is also grown as an ornamental plant for its late winter flowers, which open earlier than those of forsythia, and, while not as large and vibrant as those of the forsythia, the entire plant can be used for a similar effect in the landscape.

The wood of C. mas is extremely dense, and unlike the wood of most other woody plant species, sinks in water. This density makes it valuable for crafting into tool handles, parts for machines, etc. Cornus mas was used from the seventh century BC onward by Greek craftsmen to construct spears, javelins and bows, the craftsmen considering it far superior to any other wood.[4] The wood's association with weaponry was so well known that the Greek name for it was used as a synonym for "spear" in poetry during the fourth and third centuries BC.[4] In Italy, the mazzarella, uncino or bastone, the stick carried by the butteri or mounted herdsmen of the Maremma region, is traditionally made of cornel-wood, there called crognolo or grugnale, dialect forms of Italian: corniolo. Hardy in zone 5b in Canada

Magnolia acuminata, commonly called the cucumber tree (often spelled as a single word "cucumbertree"), cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the cold-hardiest. It is a large forest tree of the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario Canada. It is a tree that tends to occur singly as scattered specimens, rather than in groves. The cucumber tree is native primarily within the Appalachian belt, including the Allegheny Plateau and Cumberland Plateau, up to western Pennsylvania and New York. There are also numerous disconnected outlying populations through much of the southeastern U.S., and a few small populations in Southern Ontario. In Canada, the cucumber tree is listed as an endangered specie and is protected under the Canadian Species at Risk Act.

The leaves are deciduous simple and alternate, oval to oblong, 12–25 cm long and 6–12 cm wide, with smooth margins and downy on the underside. They come in two forms, acuminate at both ends, or moderately cordate at the base (these are usually only formed high in the tree). Unlike most magnolias, the flowers are not showy. They are typically small, yellow-green, and borne high in the tree in April through June. The leaves of Magnolia acuminata are pointed at the tip and provide it with its name - 'acuminate' means tapering to a fine point. The name Cucumber Tree refers to the unripe fruit, which is green and often shaped like a small cucumber; the fruit matures to a dark red color and is 6–8 cm long and 4 cm broad, with the individual carpels splitting open to release the bright red seeds, 10-60 per fruit. The ripe fruit is a striking reddish orange color.

Cucumber trees are excellent shade trees for parks and gardens, though they are not recommended for use as street trees. In cultivation, they typically only grow 15–20 m (49–66 ft) tall, although they reach over 30 m (98 ft) in ideal forest situations. They grow best in deep, moist, well-drained soils that are slightly acidic although they are tolerant of alkaline soils. They are tricky to transplant due to their coarse, fleshy root system and should be planted shallow and moved in early spring with a good soil ball. Magnolia acuminata has been used in hybridizing new varieties that share its yellow flower color and cold hardiness. Hardy to zone 4b.

A linving fossil like the Ginkgo Biloba !

Metasequoia (dawn redwood) is a fast-growing, deciduous tree, and the sole living species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. It is native to Lichuan county in the Hubei province of China. Although the least tall of the redwoods, it grows to at least 200 feet (60 meters) in height. Since that tree's rediscovery in 1944, the dawn redwood has become a popular ornamental. Metasequoia redwood fossils are known from many areas in the Northern Hemisphere; more than 20 fossil species have been named (some were even identified as the genus Sequoia), but are considered as just three species, M. foxii, M. milleri, and M. occidentalis. During the Paleocene and Eocene, extensive forests of Metasequoia occurred as far north as Strathcona Fiord on Ellesmere Island and sites on Axel Heiberg Island (northern Canada) at around 80° N latitude. Metasequoia was likely deciduous by this time. Given that the high latitudes in this period were warm and tropical, it is hypothesized that the deciduous habit evolved in response to the unusual light availability patterns, not to major seasonal variations in temperature. During three months in the summer, the sun would shine continuously, while three months of the winter would be complete darkness. It is also hypothesized that the change from evergreen to deciduous habit occurred before colonizing the high latitudes and was the reason Metasequoia was dominant in the north. Large petrified trunks and stumps of the extinct Metasequoia occidentalis (sometimes identified as Sequoia occidentalis) also make up the major portion of Tertiary fossil plant material in the badlands of western North Dakota. The trees are well known from late Cretaceous to Miocene strata, but no fossils are known after that. Before its discovery, the taxon was believed to have become extinct during the Miocene; when it was discovered extant, it was heralded as a "living fossil".

While the bark and foliage are similar to another closely related redwood genus Sequoia, Metasequoia differs from the California redwood in that it is deciduous like Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), and like that species, older specimens form wide buttresses on the lower trunk. It is a fast-growing tree to 130–150 feet (40–45 m) tall and 6 feet (2 m) in trunk diameter in cultivation so far (with the potential to grow to even greater heights).

The leaves are opposite, 0.4-1.25 inches (1–3 cm) long, and bright fresh green, turning a foxy red-brown in fall. The pollen cones are 0.25 inch (6 mm) long, produced on long spikes in early spring; they are only produced on trees growing in regions with hot summers. The cones are globose to ovoid, 0.6-1.0 inches (1.5-2.5 cm) in diameter with 16–28 scales, arranged in opposite pairs in four rows, each pair at right angles to the adjacent pair; they mature in about 8–9 months after pollination. Metasequoia has experienced morphological stasis for the past 65 million years, meaning the modern Metasequoia glyptostroboides appears identical to its late Cretaceous ancestors.

Aralia spinosa, commonly known as Devil's Walkingstick, is a woody species of plants in the genus Aralia, family Araliaceae, native to eastern North America. The various names refer to the viciously sharp, spiny stems, petioles, and even leaf midribs. It has also been known as Angelica-tree. This species is sometimes called Hercules' Club, Prickly Ash, or Prickly Elder, common names it shares with the unrelated Zanthoxylum clava-herculis. Aralia spinosa is occasionally cultivated for its exotic, tropical appearance, having large lacy compound leaves. It is closely related to the Asian species Aralia elata, a more commonly cultivated species with which it is easily confused.

Aralia spinosa is an aromatic spiny deciduous shrub or small tree growing 2–8 m (6.6–26.2 ft) tall, with a simple or occasionally branched stem with very large bipinnate leaves 70–120 cm (28–47 in) long. The trunks are up to 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) in diameter, with the plants umbrella-like in habit with open crowns. The young stems are stout and thickly covered with sharp spines. The plants generally grow in clusters of branchless trunks, although stout wide-spreading branches are occasionally produced. The flowers are creamy-white, individually small (about 5 mm or 0.2 in across) but produced in large composite panicles 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long; flowering is in the late summer. The fruit is a purplish-black berry 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) in diameter, ripening in the fall. The roots are thick and fleshy. The doubly or triply compound leaves are the largest of any temperate tree in the continental United States, often about a meter (three feet) long and 60 cm (two feet) wide, with leaflets about 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) long. The petioles are prickly, with swollen bases. In the autumn the leaves turn to a peculiar bronze red touched with yellow which makes the tree conspicuous and attractive.

The habit of growth and general appearance of Aralia spinosa and related tree-forming Aralia species are unique. It is usually found as a group of unbranched stems, rising to the height of 3.5–6 m (11–20 ft), which bear upon their summits a crowded cluster of doubly or triply compound leaves, thus giving to each stem a certain tropical palm-like appearance. In the south it is said to reach the height of 15 m (49 ft), still retaining its palm-like aspect. However, further north, the slender, swaying, palm-like appearance is most characteristic of younger plants that have not been damaged by winter storms. Aralia spinosa is widespread in the eastern United States, ranging from New York to Florida along the Atlantic coast, and westward to Ohio, Illinois, and Texas. It prefers a deep moist soil.[1] The plants typically grow in the forest Understory or at the edges of forests, often forming clonal thickets by sprouting from the roots.

This tree was admired by the Iroquois because of its usefulness, and for its rarity. The Iroquois would take the saplings of the tree and plant them near their villages and on islands, so that animals wouldn't eat the valuable fruit. The fruit was used in many of the natives' foods. The women would take the flowers and put them in their hair because of the lemony smell. The flowers could also be traded for money. The young leaves can be eaten if gathered before the prickles harden. They are then chopped finely and cooked as a potherb. Aralia spinosa was introduced into cultivation in 1688 and is still grown for its decorative foliage, prickly stems, large showy flower panicles [clusters], and distinctive fall color. These plants are slow growing, tough and durable, do well in urban settings, but bear numerous prickles on their stems, petioles, and leaflets.

Culture

Best grown in medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun. Does best in locations with abundant air and soil moisture. A good tree for northern and northwestern climates. Douglas fir is a very large conifer that grows 50-80' tall in cultivation, but to 300+' tall in the wild. Unique forked cone bracts distinguish this tree from all other conifers. The species is indigenous to coastal areas and up to 5500' in elevation in the mountains from British Columbia south to central California. Cones (to 4.5" long) are pendulous with protruding trident-shaped bracts. Flat, linear, spirally-arranged, dark green needles (to 1.5" long) with white banding beneath. Fallen or plucked needles leave raised circular leaf scars on the twigs. Needles are fragrant when bruised. Narrow pyramidal shape with branching to the ground when young. Trees become more cylindrical with age as they lose their lower branching, with older trees typically having branching only on the top 1/3 of the tree.

This is an important timber tree in the Pacific Northwest. Pseduotsuga menziesii var. glauca is the Rocky Mountain variety of this tree. It grows at higher elevations (to 9500') with a slower growth rate, and has shorter cones (to 3"), blue-green needles and better winter hardiness. Var. glauca is the commonly cultivated variety of this tree for areas outside of the Pacific Northwest, and is clearly a better selection for midwestern climates and southern canadian climates than the species because of its better cold tolerance (species is hardy to USDA Zone 6, but var. glauca is hardy to Zone 4). Pseudo means false and tsuga is the genus for hemlock in reference to the resemblance of this tree to hemlocks. Synonymous with and sometimes called Pseudotsuga taxifolia.

Suitable for protected zone 3a

Juniperus virginiana, its common names include red cedar, eastern red-cedar, eastern juniper, red juniper, aromatic cedar — is a species of juniper native to eastern North America from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and east of the Great Plains. Further west it is replaced by the related Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper) and to the southwest by Juniperus ashei (Ashe Juniper). Juniperus virginiana is a dense slow-growing coniferous evergreen tree that may never become more than a bush on poor soil, but is ordinarily from 5–20 m or 16–66 ft (rarely to 27 m or 89 ft) tall, with a short trunk 30–100 cm or 12–39 in (rarely 170 cm or 67 in) diameter. The oldest tree reported, from West Virginia, was 940 years old.The bark is reddish-brown, fibrous, and peels off in narrow strips. The leaves are of two types; sharp, spreading needle-like juvenile leaves 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long, and tightly adpressed scale-like adult leaves 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long; they are arranged in opposite decussate pairs or occasionally whorls of three. The juvenile leaves are found on young plants up to 3 years old, and as scattered shoots on adult trees, usually in shade. The seed cones are 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long, berry-like, dark purple-blue with a white wax cover giving an overall sky-blue color (though the wax often rubs off); they contain one to three (rarely up to four) seeds, and are mature in 6–8 months from pollination. The juniper berry is an important winter food for many birds, which disperse the wingless seeds. The pollen cones are 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.059 in) broad, shedding pollen in late winter or early spring. The trees are usually dioecious, with pollen and seed cones on separate trees. It is a pioneer invader, which means that it is one of the first trees to repopulate cleared, eroded, or otherwise damaged land. It is unusually long lived among pioneer species, with the potential to live over 900 years. The tree is commonly found in prairies or oak barrens, old pastures, or limestone hills, often along highways and near recent construction sites.It is an alternate host for cedar-apple rust disease, an economically significant disease of apples, and some management strategies recommend the removal of J. virginiana near apple orchards.

In many areas the trees are considered an invasive species, even if native. The fire intolerant J. virginiana was previously controlled by periodic wildfires. Low branches near the ground burn and provide a ladder that allows fire to engulf the whole tree. Grasses recover quickly from low severity fires that are characteristic of prairies that kept the trees at bay. With the urbanization of prairies, the fires have been stopped with roads, plowed fields, and other fire breaks, allowing J. virginiana and other trees to invade.

The fine-grained, soft brittle pinkish- to brownish-red heartwood is fragrant, very light and very durable, even in contact with soil. Because of its rot resistance, the wood is used for fence posts. The aromatic wood is avoided by moths, so it is in demand as lining for clothes chests and closets, often referred to as cedar closets and cedar chests. If correctly prepared, it makes excellent English longbows, flatbows, and Native American sinew-backed bows. The wood is marketed as "eastern redcedar" or "aromatic cedar". The best portions of the heartwood are one of the few woods good for making pencils, but the supply had diminished sufficiently by the 1940s that it was largely replaced by incense-cedar. Juniper oil is distilled from the wood, twigs and leaves. The essential oil contains cedrol which has toxic and possibly carcinogenic properties. The cones are used to flavor gin.

Styrax is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern hemisphere, with the majority in eastern and southeastern Asia, but also crossing the equator in South America. Common names include styrax, or the more ambiguous storax, snowbell, and benzoin.

Pterostyrax hispida has spectacular panicles of fragrant, white flowers (up to 25 cm long) which resemble epaulettes. These eye-catching flowers appear in early to mid summer. The bright green leaves are similar in appearance to those of a Halesia (Snowdrop tree) in spring and summer and turn a pleasing yellow in autumn before falling.

Pterostyrax hispida is a slender and beautiful small garden tree, perfect for planting as a standalone specimen or as part of a woodland border.

    Position: full sun or light, dappled shade.
    Soil: well drained, fertile soil.
    Hardiness: hardy. Pterostyrax hispida appreciates shelter from cold winter winds.
    Flowering Period: July.
    Flower Colour: white
    Rate of Growth: moderate.
    Habit: Pterostyrax hispida grows to be a small vase-shaped tree.
    Height: up to 8 m (26 ft)
    Spread: 6 m (20 ft)

 Note: Pterostyrax hispida is perfectly hardy but will flower much better in a hot, sunny position.

Fagus sylvatica, the European beech or common beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae. It is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to 50 m (160 ft) tall in Europe and 3 m (9.8 ft) trunk diameter, though more typically 25–35 m (82–115 ft) tall and up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) trunk diameter. It has a typical lifespan of 150 to 200 years, though sometimes up to 300 years. 30 years are needed to attain full maturity (compared to 40 for American beech). Like most trees, its form depends on the location: in forest areas, F. sylvatica grows to over 30 m (100 ft), with branches being high up on the trunk. In open locations, it will become much shorter (typically 15–24 m (50–80 ft)) and more massive.

The female flowers produce beechnuts, small triangular nuts 15–20 millimetres (0.59–0.79 in) long and 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) wide at the base; there are two nuts in each cupule, maturing in the autumn 5–6 months after pollination. Flower and seed production is particularly abundant in years following a hot, sunny and dry summer, though rarely for two years in a row. Though not demanding of its soil type, the European beech has several significant requirements: a humid atmosphere (precipitation well distributed throughout the year and frequent fogs) and well-drained soil (it cannot handle excessive stagnant water). It prefers moderately fertile ground, calcified or lightly acidic, therefore it is found more often on the side of a hill than at the bottom of a clayey basin. European beech is a very popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens in temperate regions of the world. In North America, they are preferred for this purpose over the native F. grandifolia, which despite its tolerance for warmer climates, is slower growing, taking an average of 10 years longer to attain maturity. It is frequently kept clipped to make attractive hedges. Since the early 19th century there have been numerous cultivars of European beech made by horticultural selection, often repeatedly; they include:

Some seedlings available.

Pinus nigra, the Austrian pine or black pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the eastern Mediterranean on Anatolian peninsula of Turkey and on Corsica/Cyprus, including Crimea, and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa. There are remnant populations in the Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests ecoregion, and in the higher Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria.

It is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), most commonly from 250–1,600 metres (820–5,250 ft). Several of the varieties have distinct English names. Pinus nigra is a large coniferous evergreen tree, growing to 20–55 metres (66–180 ft) tall at maturity. The bark is grey to yellow-brown, and is widely split by flaking fissures into scaly plates, becoming increasingly fissured with age. The leaves ("needles") are thinner and more flexible in western populations (see 'Taxonomy' section below).

The ovulate and pollen cones appear from May to June. The mature seed cones are 5–10 cm (rarely to 11 cm) long, with rounded scales; they ripen from green to pale grey-buff or yellow-buff in September to November, about 18 months after pollination. The seeds are dark grey, 6–8 mm long, with a yellow-buff wing 20–25 mm long; they are wind-dispersed when the cones open from December to April. Sexual maturity is reached at 15–40 years; large seed crops are produced at 2–5 year intervals. Pinus nigra is moderately fast growing, at about 30–70 centimetres (12–28 in) per year. It usually has a rounded conic form, that becomes irregular with age. The tree can be long-lived, with some trees over 500 years old. It needs full sun to grow well, is intolerant of shade, and is resistant to snow and ice damage. In the US and Canada, the European black pine is planted as a street tree, and as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks. Its value as a street tree is largely due to its resistance to salt spray (from road de-icing salt) and various industrial pollutants (including ozone), and its intermediate drought tolerance. In the UK the tree is planted as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. It is planted with great success as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Hardy to zone 3b

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Acer campestre, common name field maple, is a maple native to most of Europe. It is a deciduous tree reaching 15–25 metres (49–82 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in diameter, with finely fissured, often somewhat corky bark. The shoots are brown, with dark brown winter buds. The field maple is widely grown as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens. The wood is white, hard and strong, and used for furniture, flooring, wood turning and musical instruments, though the small size of the tree and its relatively slow growth make it an unimportant wood. It is locally naturalised in parts of the United States but not in Canada yet. Suitable for zone 4b.

Extremely adaptable shrub that will grow well in a wide range of soils in full sun to shade conditions. Good tolerance for drought, poor soils, urban pollution and shearing. Promptly remove root suckers to maintain appearance unless naturalizing.

Common Name: aralia
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Araliaceae
Zone: 3b and up to 8
Height: 6 to 8 feet
Spread: 6 to 8 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Greenish white
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Colorful
Fruit: Showy
Other: Thorns
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil
 

Noteworthy Characteristics: Eleutherococcus sieboldianus commonly called five-fingered (or fiveleaf) aralia, is an upright, suckering, deciduous shrub growing 8-10' tall with arching stems and buckeye-like, palmate foliage. Small greenish-white flowers appear in umbels in spring, but are inconspicuous. Flowers on female plants (species is dioecious) may give way to small black berries if properly pollinated, but most plants sold in cultivation are females so fruit is rarely seen. Sharp thorns appear at the stem nodes below each leaf. Although a member of the aralia family and commonly called five-fingered aralia, this shrub is not now nor was it ever part of the genus Aralia. Aralia racemosa is in the genus Aralia, but it is commonly called spikenard. Five-fingered aralia was formerly considered to be in the genus Acanthopanax, but is now included in the genus Eleutherococcus though many people still call it Acanthopanax out of habit... all of which illustrates some of the problems created by common name usage and taxonomic reclassification. No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses: Excellent foliage for shade gardens, shrub borders, perennial border backgrounds or foundations. Hedge. Naturalize in woodland areas. Sharp thorns give shrub a hedge-row like quality which suggests possible uses as a screen.

Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae native to eastern and central North America, from southern Maine west to southern Ontario, Illinois, and eastern Kansas, and south as far as northern Florida and eastern Texas, with isolated populations in Nuevo León and Veracruz in northeastern Mexico. In Ontario, this tree species has been assessed and is now listed as endangered. The tree is very commonly planted as an ornamental in residential and public areas because of its showy flower bracts. Flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree growing to 10 m (33 ft) high, often wider than it is tall when mature, with a trunk diameter of up to 30 cm (1 ft). A 10-year-old tree will stand about 5 m (16 ft) tall. The leaves are opposite, simple, ovate, 6–13 cm (2.4–5.1 in) long and 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) broad, with an apparently entire margin (actually very finely toothed, under a lens); they turn a rich red-brown in fall. The flowers are individually small and inconspicuous, with four greenish-yellow bracts 4 mm (0.16 in) long. Around 20 flowers are produced in a dense, rounded, umbel-shaped inflorescence, or flower-head, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) in diameter. The flower-head is surrounded by four conspicuous large white, pink or red "petals" (actually bracts), each bract 3 cm (1.2 in) long and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) broad, rounded, and often with a distinct notch at the apex.

The fruit is a cluster of two to ten drupes, each 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long and about 8 mm (0.31 in) wide, which ripen in the late summer and the early fall to a bright red, or occasionally yellow with a rosy blush. They are an important food source for dozens of species of birds, which then distribute the seeds. Flowering dogwood does best horticulturally in moist, acidic soil in a site with some afternoon shade, but good morning sun. It does not do well when exposed to intense heat sources such as adjacent parking lots or air conditioning compressors. It also has a low salinity tolerance. The hardiness zone is 5–9 and the preferred pH is between 6.0–7.0. In urban and suburban settings, care should be taken not to inflict mower damage on the trunk or roots, as this increases the tree’s susceptibility to disease and pest pressure. In regions where dogwood anthracnose is a problem, homeowners and public land managers are encouraged to know the symptoms and inspect trees frequently. The selection of healthy, disease-free planting stock is essential and transplanting trees from the forest should be avoided. Sites should be selected for reasonably well-drained, fertile soils; full sun is recommended in high-hazard areas (such as stream or pond banks). New plantings should be mulched to a depth of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in), avoiding the stem. Dead wood and leaves should be pruned and completely removed and destroyed yearly. Plants should be watered weekly during droughts, with watering done in the morning, avoiding wetting the foliage. Registered fungicides can be applied when necessary, according to manufacturers instructions and advice of local Extension Service.

Sorry, this item cannot be shipped to the United States due to restrictions by Agriculture Canada and USDA

Chaenomeles speciosa (commonly known as flowering quince, Chinese quince, or Japanese quince is a thorny deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub native to eastern Asia. It is taller than another commonly cultivated species, C. japonica, usually growing to about 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The flowers are usually red, but may be white or pink, and the fruit is a fragrant but hard pome that resembles a quince.

This plant is widely cultivated in temperate regions for its twining habit and its showy flowers which appear early in the season - occasionally even in midwinter. It is frequently used as an informal low hedge. Numerous cultivars with flowers in shades of white, pink and red have been selected. The following cultivars and hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's. Suitable for zone 4a.

For more information, see this document from Europe: http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/5201/1/14Processing.pdf

Out of stock

Corylopsis is a genus of nearly 30 species of shrubs in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern Asia with the majority of species endemic in China but with some also in Japan, Korea, and the Himalayas. This genus is also known from the extinct specie Corylopsis readae described from Eocene leaf fossils found in Washington State, USA.

They grow to 2–6 m (6 ft 7 in–19 ft 8 in) tall, often with a crown wider than the shrub's height. The leaves are ovate with an acute apex and a serrated margin, 4–20 cm (2–8 in) long and 3–15 cm (1.2–5.9 in) broad. The flowers are produced in late winter in pendulous racemes 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long with 5-30 flowers; each flower has five pale yellow petals, 4-9 mm long. The fruit is a dry capsule 10-12 mm long, containing two glossy black seeds. They are excellent ornamental trees.

Sorry, this tree can not be shipped to the United States due to restrictions by Agriculture Canada and USDA.

Collection tree. Some in stock: For minimal zone 5b maybe better in 6a

Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia; also known as giant redwood, Sierra redwood, Sierran redwood, Wellingtonia or simply Big Tree—a nickname used by John Muir is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood). The common use of the name sequoia generally refers to Sequoiadendron giganteum, which occurs naturally only in groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Giant sequoias are the world's largest single trees and largest living thing by volume. Giant sequoias grow to an average height of 50–85 m (164–279 ft) and 6–8 m (20–26 ft) in diameter. Record trees have been measured to be 94.8 m (311 ft) in height. Claims of 17 m (56 ft) diameter have been touted by taking an author's writing[6] out of context, but the widest known at chest height is closer to 8.2 m (27 ft). Between 2014 and 2016, specimens of coast redwood were found to have larger trunk diameters than all known giant sequoias.

Giant sequoia is a very popular ornamental tree in many areas. It is successfully grown in most of western and southern Europe, the Pacific Northwest of North America north to southwest British Columbia, the southern United States, southeast Australia, New Zealand and central-southern Chile. It is also grown, though less successfully, in parts of eastern North America.

Trees can withstand temperatures of −31 °C (−25 °F) or colder for short periods of time, provided the ground around the roots is insulated with either heavy snow or mulch. Outside its natural range, the foliage can suffer from damaging windburn.

The ginkgo is a living fossil, recognisably similar to fossils dating back 270 million years. Native to China, the tree is widely cultivated and was introduced early to human history. It has various uses in traditional medicine and as a source of food. Ginkgos are large trees, normally reaching a height of 20–35 m (66–115 feet), with some specimens in China being over 50 m (164 feet). The tree has an angular crown and long, somewhat erratic branches, and is usually deep rooted and resistant to wind and snow damage. Ginkgo is a relatively shade-intolerant species that (at least in cultivation) grows best in environments that are well-watered and well-drained. In some areas, most intentionally planted ginkgos are male cultivars grafted onto plants propagated from seed, because the male trees will not produce the malodorous pulp around the edible seeds.

Ginkgos adapt well to the urban environment, tolerating pollution and confined soil spaces. rarely suffer disease problems, even in urban conditions, and are attacked by few insects. For this reason, and for their general beauty, ginkgos are excellent urban and shade trees, and are widely planted along many streets. Ginkgos are also popular subjects for growing as penjing and bonsai;they can be kept artificially small and tended over centuries. Furthermore, the trees are easy to propagate from seed. the tree is hardy from zone 4a and over.

Laburnum, sometimes called golden chain, is a genus of two species of small trees in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are Laburnum anagyroides—common laburnum and Laburnum alpinum. They are native to the mountains of southern Europe from France to the Balkans.

The Laburnum trees are deciduous. The leaves are trifoliate, somewhat like a clover; the leaflets are typically 2–3 cm (1–1 in) long in L. anagyroides and 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in) long in L. alpinum.

They have yellow pea-flowers in pendulous leafless racemes 10–40 cm (4–15.5 in) long in spring, which makes them very popular garden trees. In L. anagyroides, the racemes are 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, with densely packed flowers; in L. alpinum the racemes are 20–30 cm (8–12 in) long, but with the flowers sparsely along the raceme The fruit develops as a pod and is extremely poisonous, it can be used medicinally.

The yellow flowers are responsible for the old poetic name 'golden chain tree' (also spelled golden chaintree or goldenchain tree). All parts of the plant are poisonous, although mortality is very rare. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils. In some cases, diarrhea is very severe, and at times the convulsions are markedly tetanic. The main toxin in the plant is cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist.

Laburnum has historically been used for cabinetmaking and inlay, as well as for musical instruments. In addition to such wind instruments as recorders and flutes, it was a popular wood for Great Highland Bagpipes before taste turned to imported dense tropical hardwoods such as Brya ebenus (cocus wood), ebony, and Dalbergia melanoxylon (African monkeywood).The heart-wood of a laburnum may be used as a substitute for ebony or rosewood. It is very hard and a dark chocolate brown, with a butter-yellow sapwood.

Laburnum species and hybrids are cultivated as ornamental trees for gardens and parks. They are also trained as espaliers on pergolas, for ceilings of pendant flowers in season. Hardy to zone 5a

A new product available for zone 5b.

Koelreuteria paniculata is a specie of flowering plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to eastern Asia, in China and Korea. Common names include goldenrain tree, pride of India, China tree or varnish tree.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 7 m (23 ft) tall, with a broad, dome-shaped crown. The leaves are pinnate, 15–40 cm (6–16 in) long, rarely to 50 cm (20 in), with 7-15 leaflets 3–8 cm long, with a deeply serrated margin; the larger leaflets at the midpoint of the leaf are sometimes themselves pinnate but the leaves are not consistently fully bipinnate. The flowers are yellow, with four petals, growing in large terminal panicles 20–40 cm (8–16 in) long. The fruit is a three-parted inflated bladderlike pod 3–6 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, green ripening orange to pink in autumn, containing several dark brown to black seeds 5–8 mm diameter.

It is popularly grown as an ornamental tree in temperate regions all across the world because of the aesthetic appeal of its flowers, leaves and seed pods. Several cultivars have been selected for garden planting. Prefer full sun, avoid shady place and prefer a well drain soil.

Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to much of Asia (though not, as Linnaeus thought, Syria, in spite of the name he gave it).Common names include rose of Sharon (especially in North America).

Hibiscus syriacus is a hardy deciduous shrub. It is upright and vase-shaped, reaching 2–4 m (7–13 ft) in height, bearing large trumpet-shaped flowers with prominent yellow-tipped white stamens.The flowers are often pink in color, but can also be dark pink (almost purple), light pink or white. Individual flowers are short-lived, lasting only a day. However, numerous buds are produced on the shrub's new growth, and this provides prolific flowering over a long summer blooming period. Shoots make interesting indoor vase cuttings, as they stay green for a long time, and some new flowers may open from the more mature buds. The species has naturalized very well in many suburban areas, and might even be termed slightly invasive, so frequently does it seed around.

For colder zones (3-4),  it is very hardy under the snow cover. The plant itself can stand -15°C or 5°F without being damaged. Under the insulating snow cover, there is no problem and the plant will take again next sping from the base.

The honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, also known as the thorny locust, is a deciduous tree native to central North America where it is mostly found in the moist soil of river valleys ranging from southeastern South Dakota to New Orleans and central Texas, and as far east as eastern Massachusetts. The specie has become a significant invasive weed in other regions of the world. Honey locusts, can reach a height of 20–30 m (66–100 ft), with fast growth, and are relatively short-lived; their life spans are typically about 120 years, though some live up to 150 years. They are prone to losing large branches in windstorms. The leaflets are 1.5–2.5 cm (smaller on bipinnate leaves) and bright green. They turn yellow in the fall (autumn). Leafs out relatively late in spring, but generally slightly earlier than the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). The strongly scented cream-colored flowers appear in late spring, in clusters emerging from the base of the leaf axils.

The fruit of the honey locust is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. The pods are generally between 15–20 cm. The pulp on the insides of the pods is edible and sweet, unlike the black locust, which is toxic. Honey locusts commonly have thorns 3–10 cm long growing out of the branches, some reaching lengths over 20 cm; these may be single, or branched into several points, and commonly form dense clusters. The thorns are fairly soft and green when young, harden and turn red as they age, then fade to ash grey and turn brittle when mature. Its cultivars are popular ornamental plants, especially in the northern plains of North America where few other trees can survive and prosper. It tolerates urban conditions, compacted soil, road salt, alkaline soil, heat and drought. The popularity is in part due to the fact that it transplants so easily. The fast growth rate and tolerance of poor site conditions make it valued in areas where shade is wanted quickly, such as new parks or housing developments, and in disturbed and reclaimed environments, such as mine tailings.

Ptelea trifoliata is a small tree or often a shrub of a few spreading stems, 6–8 m (20–26 ft) tall with a broad crown. The tree is native to northeast america. The plant has thick fleshy roots, flourishes in rich, rather moist soil. Its juices are acrid and bitter and the bark possesses tonic properties.

The twigs are slender to moderately stout, brown with deep U-shaped leaf scars, and with short, light brown, fuzzy buds. The leaves are alternate, 5–18 cm long, palmately compound with three (rarely five) leaflets, each leaflet 1–10 cm long, sparsely serrated or entire, shiny dark green above, paler below. The western and southwestern forms have smaller leaves (5–11 cm) than the eastern forms (10–18 cm), an adaptation to the drier climates there. The flowers are small, 1–2 cm across, with 4-5 narrow, greenish white petals, produced in terminal, branched clusters in spring: some find the odor unpleasant but to others trifoliata has a delicious scent. The fruit is a round wafer-like papery samara, 2-2.5 cm across, light brown, maturing in summer. Seed vessel has a thin wing and is held on tree until high winds during early winter.[7]

The bark is reddish brown to gray brown, short horizontal lenticels, warty corky ridges, becoming slightly scaly, unpleasant odor and bitter taste. It has several Native American uses as a seasoning and as an herbal medicine for different ailments.

Bark: Dark reddish brown, smooth. Branchlets dark reddish brown, shining, covered with small excrescences. Bitter and ill-scented.
Wood: Yellow brown; heavy, hard, close-grained, satiny. Sp. gr., 0.8319; weight of cu. ft., 51.84 lbs.
Winter buds: Small, depressed, round, pale, covered with silvery hairs.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, three-parted, dotted with oil glands. Leaflets sessile, ovate or oblong, three to five inches long, by two to three broad, pointed at base, entire or serrate, gradially pointed at apex. Feather-veined, midrib and primary veins prominent. They come out of the bud conduplicate, very downy, when full grown are dark green, shining above, paler green beneath. In autumn they turn a rusty yellow. Petioles stout, two and a half to three inches long, base enlarged. Stipules wanting.
Flowers: May, June. Polygamomonoecious, greenish white. Fertile and sterile flowers produced together in terminal, spreading, compound cymes; the sterile being usually fewer, and falling after the anther cells mature.
Fruit: Samara, orbicular, surrounded by a broad, many-veined reticulate membranous ring, two-seeded. Ripens in October and hangs in clusters until midwinter.

German immigrants to Texas in the 19th century used its seeds in place of hops in the beer-making process. "Early settlers, desperate for a drink, substituted the fruits for true hops in beer-making, giving rise to the current common name.

Horse chestnut,  Aesculus hippocastanum grows to 36 metres (118 ft) tall, with a domed crown of stout branches; on old trees the outer branches often pendulous with curled-up tips. The leaves are opposite and palmately compound, with 5–7 leaflets; each leaflet is 13–30 cm long, making the whole leaf up to 60 cm across, with a 7–20 cm petiole. The leaf scars left on twigs after the leaves have fallen have a distinctive horseshoe shape, complete with seven "nails". The flowers are usually white with a small red spot; they are produced in spring in erect panicles 10–30 cm tall with about 20–50 flowers on each panicle. Usually only 1–5 fruit develop on each panicle; the shell is a green, spiky capsule containing one (rarely two or three) nut-like seeds called conkers or horse-chestnuts. Each conker is 2–4 cm diameter, glossy nut-brown with a whitish scar at the base. The common name "horse-chestnut" (often unhyphenated) is reported as having originated from the erroneous belief that the tree was a kind of chestnut (though in fact only distantly related), together with the observation that eating the fruit cured horses of chest complaints despite this plant being poisonous to horses. Aesculus hippocastanum is native to a small area in the Pindus Mountains mixed forests and Balkan mixed forests of South East Europe. It is widely cultivated in streets and parks throughout the temperate world, and has been particularly successful in places like the United Kingdom and New Zealand, where they are commonly found in parks, streets and avenues. Cultivation for its spectacular spring flowers is successful in a wide range of temperate climatic conditions provided summers are not too hot, with trees being grown as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the Faroe Islands, Reykjavík, Iceland and Harstad, Norway. The seeds, especially those that are young and fresh, are slightly poisonous, containing alkaloid saponins and glucosides. Although not dangerous to touch, they cause sickness when eaten; consumed by horses, they can cause tremors and lack of coordination. Some mammals, notably deer, are able to break down the toxins and eat them safely. The flower is the symbol of the city of Kiev, capital of Ukraine. Although the horse-chestnut is sometimes known as the buckeye, this name is generally reserved for the New World members of the Aesculus genus.

A first rate accent tree adorned with frothy upright panicles of creamy white flowers in early summer; interesting steel-gray bark and a dense, upright habit, an ideal choice for small home landscapes; needs full sun and well-drained soil.

Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac features showy plumes of fragrant creamy white flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The pointy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The smooth dark red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 5 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America but from the mountains in northern Japan.

Zelkova serrata (Japanese zelkova, Japanese elm or keyaki is a specie of flowering plant native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, and used in bonsai. Zelkova serrata is a medium-sized deciduous tree usually growing to 30 m (98 ft) tall. It is characterized by a short trunk dividing into many upright and erect spreading stems forming a broad, round-topped head. The tree grows rapidly when young though the growth rate slows to medium upon middle age and maturity.

This tree requires full to partial sun and prefers moist, well drained soils. Zelkova serrata is planted as a lawn or park tree for its attractive bark, leaf color and vase shape. It provides good shade and has an easy fall cleanup. It is easy to transport, and often available in burlap form. It is also commonly used for bonsai; its attractive shape and colors make it a popular choice for the art. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, both in its native area and in Europe and North America.

Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) also known as Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja California. It is named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey. Jeffrey pine occurs from southwest Oregon south through much of California (mainly in the Sierra Nevada), to northern Baja California in Mexico. It is a high-altitude species; in the north of its range, it grows widely at 1,500 to 2,100 m (4,900 to 6,900 ft) altitude, and at 1,800 to 2,900 m (5,900 to 9,500 ft) in the south of its range.

Jeffrey pine is tolerant of serpentine soils and is often dominant in these conditions, even on dry sites at fairly low altitudes. On other soils, it only becomes dominant at higher altitudes where the usually faster-growing ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) does not thrive. Jeffrey pine is more stress tolerant than the closely related Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). At higher elevations, on poorer soils, in colder climates, and in dryer climates, Jeffrey pine replaces ponderosa as the dominant tree.

Jeffrey pine is a large coniferous evergreen tree, reaching 25 to 40 m (82 to 131 ft) tall, rarely up to 53 m (174 ft) tall, though smaller when growing at or near tree line.[5] The leaves are needle-like, in bundles of three, stout, glaucous gray-green, 12 to 23 cm (4.7 to 9.1 in) long. The cones are 12 to 24 cm (4.7 to 9.4 in) long, dark purple when immature, ripening pale brown, with thinly woody scales bearing a short, sharp inward-pointing barb. The seeds are 10 to 12 mm (0.39 to 0.47 in) long, with a large (15 to 25 mm (0.59 to 0.98 in)) wing. The Jeffrey pine is closely related to the ponderosa pine and is similar in appearance.

Cercidiphyllum is a genus containing two species of plants, both commonly called katsura. They are the sole members of the monotypic family Cercidiphyllaceae. The genus is native to Japan and China and unrelated to Cercis (redbuds).

The type specie, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, can reach 45 m (148 ft) in height, and is one of the largest hardwoods in Asia. Cercidiphyllum produces spurs along its twigs. These are short stems with closely spaced leaves. The foliage is dimorphic. According to a recent description "short shoots bear broadly cordate or reniform, palmately veined leaves with crenate margins; long shoots bear elliptic to broadly ovate leaves with entire or finely serrate margins." Leaf size varies from 3–8 cm long and 3-5.5 cm broad. The genus is dioecious, having separate male and female trees. The small inconspicuous flowers are produced in early spring and wind-pollinated; the fruit is a cluster of 2-4 small pods, each pod 1–2 cm long with numerous small, flattened and winged seeds. The fruits mature in autumn and release their seeds in autumn through winter.

Katsura is grown as an ornamental tree for its delicate heart-shaped leaves and bright autumn colour, a mix of bright yellow, pink and orange-red. Where conditions are suitable, it is fast-growing, but it is very sensitive to drought and needs deep, permanently moist soil. Of particular interest is the scent produced by the leaves in the autumn, resembling burnt brown sugar or cotton candy. Trees in cultivation, like those in natural environments, tend to sucker from the base when young and become multi-stemmed at maturity; pruning to maintain a single stem is not advised. Suitable for zone 4b.

The Kentucky coffeetree, Gymnocladus dioicus, is a tree in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to the Midwest and Upper South of North America. Size varies from 18 to 21 meters (60–70 feet) high with a spread of 12–15 meters (40–50 feet) and a trunk up to one meter (3 feet) in diameter. A 10-year-old sapling will stand about 4 meters (13 feet) tall. It usually separates 3 to 4½ meters (10–15 feet) from the ground into three or four divisions which spread slightly and form a narrow pyramidal head; or when crowded by other trees, sending up one tall central branchless shaft to the height of 15–21 m (50–70 ft). Branches are stout, pithy, and blunt; roots are fibrous. The Kentucky coffeetree is considered a rare tree species. "Rare species are those that are so uncommon that they should be monitored to determine whether their populations are becoming threatened."It is widely distributed, but rare. The wood from the tree is used by cabinetmakers and carpenters.

The Kentucky coffeetree is a moderately fast-growing tree, and male trees are often grown in parks and along city streets for ornamental purposes. The tree is typically long-lived, healthy trees living from 100 to 150 years.The Kentucky coffeetree sheds its leaves early during the fall and appears bare for up to 6 months. Like the Sumac, branches are absent of fine spray; smaller branches are thick and lumpish. Because of the absence of smaller branches and its later leafing, the French in Canada named it Chicot, the dead tree.The expanding leaves are conspicuous because of the varied colors of the leaflets; the youngest are bright pink, while those which are older vary from green to bronze. The bark is ash-gray and scaly, flaking similarly to black cherry, but more so. The flowers are dioecious, and the fruit is a hard-shelled bean in heavy, woody, thick-walled pods filled with sweet, thick, gooey pulp. Pod length ranges from 5 to 10 inches (130 to 250 mm); unfertilized female trees may bear miniature seedless pods. The beans contain the toxin cytisine.

Wood: Light brown; heavy, strong, coarse-grained; durable in contact with the ground, takes a fine polish. Sp. gr., 0.6934; weight of cubic foot, 43.21 lb (19.60 kg).
Winter buds: Minute, depressed in downy cavities of the stem, two in the axil of each leaf, the smaller sterile.
Leaves: Alternate, bipinnately compound, ten to fourteen pinnate, lowest pinnae reduced to leaflets, the other seven to thirteen foliate. One to three feet long, eighteen to twenty-four inches broad. In autumn turn a bright clear yellow. Stipules leaf-life, lanceolate, serrate, deciduous.
Flowers: June. Dioecious by abortion, terminal, greenish white. Staminate flowers in a short racemen-like corymb three to four inches (75–100 mm) long, pistillate flowers in a raceme ten to twelve inches (250–300 mm) long.
Fruit: Legume, six to ten inches (150–250 mm) long, one and one-half to two inches wide, somewhat curved, with thickened margins, dark reddish brown with slight glaucous bloom, crowned with remnant of the styles. Stalks and inch or two long. Seeds six to nine, surrounded by a thick layer of dark, sweet pulp.

The Kentucky coffeetree is believed to be an example of evolutionary anachronism. The tough, leathery seed pods are too difficult for many animals to chew through (in addition to being poisonous) and they are too heavy for either wind or water dispersal. It is thus believed that the tree would have been browsed upon by now-extinct mammoths and mastodons which ate the pods and nicked the seeds with their large teeth, aiding in germination. This behavior is seen among African Elephants eating Fabaceae relatives in Africa. Because of this, its prehistoric range may have been much larger than it has been in historical times. Today, in the wild, it only grows well in wetlands, and it is thought that only in such wet conditions can the seed pods rot away to allow germination in the absence of large herbivores.

It is one of three species in the genus Gymnocladus, the other two being native to eastern Asia. These are Chinese coffeetree Gymnocladus chinensis in central China, and Burmese coffeetree Gymnocladus burmanicus in Burma. Gymnocladus dioicus is cultivated by specialty tree plant nurseries as an ornamental tree for planting in gardens and parks. The peculiarly late-emerging and early-dropping leaves, coupled with the fact that the large leaves mean few twigs in the winter profile, make it a tree that is ideal for urban shading where winter sunlight is to be maximized (such as in proximity to solar hot-air systems). Trees prefer a rich moist soil, such as bottom lands. Its growth is largely unaffected by heat, cold, drought, insects, disease, road salt, ice, and alkaline soil. The beans of the tree were eaten, after roasting, by the Meskwaki (Fox), Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) and Pawnee Native American cultures. The European colonialists, however, considered it inferior to "real" coffee:

Magnolia kobus, known as the Kobushi magnolia or Kobus magnolia, is a species of Magnolia native to Japan and occasionally cultivated in temperate areas. It is a deciduous, small to tall tree which has a slow rate of growth but can reach 8–15 m (25–75 ft) in height and up to 10 m (35 ft) in spread. The Kobushi magnolia is closely related to the star magnolia (Magnolia stellata), and some authorities consider the star magnolia to be a variety of M. kobus, M. kobus var. stellata. Hardy enought for canadian zone 4a

Magnolia kobus blooms in the early spring, bearing pleasantly fragrant white flowers with hints of pale pink about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. The flowers are produced before the leaves, as with most members of Magnolia subgenus Yulania. Young trees do not flower. The summer foliage of the Kobushi magnolia is dark green. Leaves have an obovate shape with a pointed tip, a smooth, or glabrous, leaf underside, and smooth, even edges. Leaves are 8–15 cm (3–6 in) long, in an alternating arrangement. In autumn, the leaves take on a yellow color and drop from the tree. The fruit of the Kobushi magnolia grows in groups of small red seeds. Older bark, such as that of the trunk, is grey-brown, while new stems are green with small brown spots. There is a strong odor to broken branches or twigs. The Kobushi magnolia prefers full sun to partial shade, rich, well-drained soil, and is tolerant of acidic soils.

Now available for zone 5a-5b in very limited supply

Cornus kousa, the Kousa dogwood, is a small deciduous tree 8–12 m (26–39 ft) tall, in the dogwood family Cornaceae. It is native to Korea, much of China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Sikkim, Bhutan and the Ryukyu Islands. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental. Like most dogwoods, Kousa dogwood has opposite, simple leaves, 4–10 cm long. The tree is extremely showy when in bloom, but what appear to be four, white petals are actually four spreading bracts below the cluster of inconspicuous yellow-green flowers. The blossoms appear in late spring, weeks after the tree leafs out. The kousa dogwood can be distinguished from the closely related flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) of eastern North America by its more upright habit, flowering about a month later, and by the pointed rather than rounded flower bracts. The fruit is a globose pink to red compound berry 2–3 cm in diameter, though these berries tend to grow larger towards the end of the season and some berry clusters that do not fall from the tree exceed 4 cm. It is edible, a sweet and delicious addition to the tree's ornamental value. The fruit is sometimes used for making wine. It is resistant to the dogwood anthracnose disease, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva, unlike C. florida, which is very susceptible and commonly killed by it; for this reason, C. kousa is being widely planted as an ornamental tree in areas affected by the disease. A number of hybrids between C. kousa and C. florida have also been selected for their disease resistance and good flower appearance. Fall foliage is a showy red color.

video showing his edible fruit side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkkcWtQSgIY

Philadelphus lewisii (Lewis' mock-orange) is a deciduous shrub native to western North America, from northwestern California in the Sierra Nevada, north to southern British Columbia, and east to Idaho and Montana. It is widespread but not very common, usually appearing as an individual plant amongst other species. It was first collected by Meriwether Lewis in 1806. Other common names include wild mock-orange (though this can apply to any species in the genus), and syringa, a name that usually refers to the unrelated lilacs. The shrub is rounded and grows to 1.5 to 3 meters in height. It sends out long stems which are red when new and fade to gray with age, the bark shredding in small flakes. The oppositely arranged leaves vary in size across individual plants but they are usually oval, 3 to 5 centimeters long, smooth or serrated along the edges, and light green in color with a rough texture. The flowers are produced in clusters at the ends of long stems, with four white petals up to 4 centimeters long and numerous yellow stamens. At the height of flowering, the plant is covered in a mass of blossoms. The flowers have a heavy, sweet scent similar to orange blossoms with a hint of pineapple. The fruit is a small hard capsule about a centimeter long with woody, pointed wings, containing many brown seeds.

Native American tribes used P. lewisii for numerous purposes. The hard wood was useful for making hunting and fishing tools, snowshoes, pipes, and furniture. The leaves and bark, which contain saponins, were mixed in water for use as a mild soap

Currently in pre-sale, available at the end of June.

Tilia cordata (small-leaved lime, occasionally littleleaf linden or small-leaved linden) is a species of Tilia native to much of Europe. Tilia cordata is a deciduous tree growing to 20–40 m (66–131 ft) tall, diameter 1/3 to 1/2 the height, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter. The bark is smooth and grayish when young, firm with vertical ridges and horizontal fissures when older. The crown is rounded in a formal oval shape to pyramidal. Branching is upright and increases in density with age. The leaves are alternately arranged, rounded to triangular-ovate, 3–8 cm long and broad, mostly hairless except for small tufts of brown hair in the leaf vein axils - the leaves are distinctively heart-shaped. The buds are alternate, pointed egg shaped and have red scales. It has no terminal bud.The small yellow-green hermaphrodite flowers are produced in clusters of five to eleven in early summer with a leafy yellow-green subtending bract, have a rich, heavy scent; the trees are much visited by bees. The fruit is a dry nut-like drupe 6–7 mm long by 4 mm broad (infertile fruits are globose), downy at first becoming smooth at maturity.

The tree is fairly disease resistant, though a common problem is leaf scorch where planted on dry soils, however leaf scorch is not a long term problem as the leaves are lost in the autumn. Pests include Japanese beetles, aphids, lace bugs and various species of moths. Tilia cordata is widely grown as an ornamental tree. It is popular as both a shade tree with its dense canopy, an ornamental tree with its architectural shape and a street tree. Tilia cordata survives best in a soil pH range of 5.0 to 8.0. Canadian Hardiness Zone 3-7. The tree prefers moist, well drained soil, but can survive flooding; it is not highly drought tolerant. It does not do well in soils with high salinity.

Maackia amurensis, commonly known as the Amur maackia, is a species of tree in the Fabaceae family that can grow 15 metres (49 ft) tall. The species epithet and common names are from the Amur River region, where the tree originated; it occurs in northeastern China, Korea, and Russia. Only reaching about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall, Amur maackia tolerates severe dryness, cold and heavy soils. More interesting than the summer flowers are the unfolding buds in spring which appear silvery and showy like flowers with frost on them. Hardy to zone 4a. A very good ornamental tree and street tree.

Magnolia liliiflora (variously known by many names, including Mulan magnolia, purple magnolia, red magnolia, lily magnolia, tulip magnolia, Jane magnolia and woody-orchid) is a small tree native to southwest China (in Sichuan and Yunnan), but cultivated for centuries elsewhere in China and also Japan. It was first introduced to English-speaking countries from cultivated Japanese origins, and is thus also sometimes called Japanese magnolia, though it is not native to Japan. It is now also planted as an ornamental in North America and Europe, though rather less often than its popular hybrid.It is a deciduous shrub, exceptionally a small tree, to 4m tall (smaller than most other magnolias), and blooms profusely in early spring with large pink to purple showy flowers, before the leaf buds open.

This species is one of the parents of the very popular hybrid Saucer magnolia, M. × soulangeana, the other parent being the Yulan magnolia, M. denudata.

Zone 5

A hybrid magnolia selected for its spectacular purple cup-shaped flowers with white insides in spring before the leaves and improved hardiness; a medium sized shrub, good as a specimen or accent for spring bloom

Ornamental Features

Betty Magnolia is bathed in stunning fragrant fuchsia cup-shaped flowers with pink overtones held atop the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has dark green foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The large pointy leaves turn coppery-bronze in fall. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes

Betty Magnolia is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Planting & Growing

Betty Magnolia will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Pink flowers magnolia

Best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Generally intolerant of soil extremes (dry or wet). Intolerant of most urban pollutants. May take 3-4 years before first blooms appear. Best sited in a protected location, because early spring frosts can damage flowers.

Loebner magnolia is a deciduous hybrid magnolia (M. kobus x M. stellata). It is a small tree typically growing to 6 to 9 m or 20-30’ tall with a rounded crown. It is more often grown in a multi-trunked form that as a single trunk tree. Fragrant star-like white flowers (4-6” wide) with 10-15 petals appear in early spring before the foliage. Flowers give way to cone-like fruits that ripen to red in late summer, releasing individual red coated seeds suspended on slender threads at maturity. Fruits are sometimes absent on this hybrid. Obovate, medium green leaves (to 5” long). 'Leonard Messel' is a compact cultivar with a multi-stemmed habit and beautiful two-toned flowers at an early age. The strap-like petals are similar to star magnolia, white on the inside and purplish-pink on the outside. The flowers are less susceptible than most magnolias to late frosts. 'Leonard Messel' is a cross of M. kobus and M. stellata 'Rosea'.

Sorry, this item cannot be shipped to the United States due to restrictions by Agriculture Canada and USDA.

WOW. One of the most beautiful ornamental trees for northern climate after the decorative crabapples!!!

Small, fast growing and very decorative tree that produces small pears the size of an olive.

Pollination: Self-sterile. Requires another pear tree for pollination.

Compatible varieties: Ure pear tree, Early gold pear tree, John pear tree, Vekovaya pear tree, Larinskaya pear tree, Golden spice pear tree, Krazulya pear tree, Loving pear tree.

Planting distance between trees: 12-14 feet.

Hardiness zone : 2b

Out of stock

Winter hardy to Zone 7-10 where it is best grown in deep, moderately fertile, evenly moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Trees perform well in a variety of different soils as long as they are well-drained. Trees perform much better in Mediterranean-type climates with mild summers than in climates with hot summers. In southern Canada, trees may be grown in containers that must be overwintered indoors. In winter, site plants in bright indirect sun in areas with cool temperatures. Mist foliage regularly.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Araucaria araucana, commonly called monkey puzzle tree or Chilian pine, is an evergreen conifer that is native to woodland volcanic slopes up to 6,000 feet in elevation in the Andes Mountains in Chile and Argentina. It is the national tree of Chile. It reportedly has the best winter hardiness of any tree native to areas in the world south of the equator. It typically grows to 20-30' tall in cultivation, but may reach 90-130' tall in its native habitat. It is noted for its unique shape. Trees are loose-pyramidal and open when young, but develop an umbrella-like crown with loss of lower branches as they age. Horizontal, upward-arching branches appear in whorls around the trunk with rope-like branchlets. Bark is gray-brown and ridged. Dense, leathery, triangular, radially-arranged leaves (to 2" long) have sharp points. Individual leaves persist for 10 to 15 years. Trees are dioecious (separate male and female trees). Female cones (to 6" long) take 2-3 years to mature, disintegrating at maturity to release the nut-like seeds (each to 1 1/2" long). Seeds (pinones) are edible and reminiscent of pine nuts. The tree is endangered in Chile today and is now protected under Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

Common name reportedly comes from a comment made in England in the mid-1800s where an observer of a specimen tree growing in Cornwall remarked that it would puzzle a monkey to climb that tree.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Needle necrosis and canker. Mealybugs, scale and thrips. Spider mites.

Garden Uses

Interesting and unusual ornamental landscape specimen. Monkey puzzle tree does not generally perform as well indoors as a houseplant as does Araucaria heterophylla, commonly known as Norfolk island pine.

Halesia (tetraptera var.) monticola, or mountain silverbell, was originally included in H. carolina, but was identified first as a subspecies by Rehder in 1914, then as a species by Sargent in 1921. More recently, some authoritative sources regard it only as a subspecies or variety, while other authoritative sources regard it as a species, as it is treated here.

H. monticola is much larger than either the little silverbell or common silverbell (var. tetraptera), and is the largest member of the genus. It is known to grow 24 meters tall in the Great Smoky Mountains. Another important difference is that monticola has significantly larger flowers than either H. carolina or H. tetraptera.[3]

Range

The silverbell tree grows mostly in the southern Appalachian Mountains and into southern Alabama and Georgia, with small outlying populations up to and barely north of the Ohio River, and along the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. It is apparently absent from Mississippi and Louisiana.[4] In the cited reference, this species is referred to as Halesia carolina.

Cultivation

The mountain silverbell is cultivated in many places around the world. Although it may be difficult to transplant, once established it is easy to grow. It blooms while still quite small, only about 4 meters tall. Suitable for zone 5b and over.

Price has been reduced AGAIN

Catalpa speciosa, commonly known as the northern catalpa, is a specie of Catalpa native to the midwestern United States. Suitable for ornamental plantation in zone 4b. It is a medium-sized, deciduous tree growing to 15–30 meters tall and 12 meters wide. It has a trunk up to 1 m diameter where there is an optimal climate zone, with brown to gray bark maturing into hard plates or ridges. The leaves are deciduous, opposite (or whorled), large, heart shaped, 20–30 cm long and 15–20 cm broad, pointed at the tip and softly hairy beneath. The flowers are 3–6 cm across, trumpet shaped, white with yellow stripes and purple spots inside; they grow in panicles of 10-30.

The catalpa tree is the last tree to grow leaves in the spring. The leaves generally do not color in autumn before falling, instead, they either fall abruptly after the first hard freeze, or turn a slightly yellow-brown before dropping off. The winter twigs of northern catalpa are like those of few other trees, having sunken leaf scars that resemble suction cups. Their whorled arrangement (three scars per node) around the twigs is another diagnostic.

The fruit is a long, thin legume-like pod, 20–40 cm long and 10–12 mm diameter; it often stays attached to the tree during winter (and can be mistaken for brown icicles). The pod contains numerous flat, light brown seeds with two papery wings. It is closely related to southern catalpa, and can be distinguished by the flowering panicles, which bear a smaller number of larger flowers, and the slightly broader seed pods. The wood is soft, like white pine, and light, weighing only 26 pounds per cubic foot when dry. It also does not rot easily.

The tree species Aesculus glabra is commonly known as Ohio buckeye, American buckeye. Glabra is one of 13–19 species of Aesculus also called horse chestnuts. It is native primarily to the Midwestern and lower Great Plains regions of the United States, extending southeast into the Nashville Basin. It is also found locally in the extreme southwest of Ontario, on Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 15 to 25 metres (49 to 82 ft) tall. The leaves are palmately compound with five (rarely seven) leaflets, 8–16 cm (3.1–6.3 in) long and broad. The flowers are produced in panicles in spring, yellow to yellow-green, each flower 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) long with the stamens longer than the petals (unlike the related yellow buckeye, where the stamens are shorter than the petals). The fruit is a round or oblong spiny capsule 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) diameter, containing 1 to 3 nut-like seeds, 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) in diameter, brown with a whitish basal scar. The Ohio buckeye is the state tree of Ohio, and its name is an original term of endearment for the pioneers on the Ohio frontier.

Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage orange, is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8 to 15 metres (30–50 ft) tall. The distinctive fruit, from a multiple fruit family, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 centimetres (3–6 in) in diameter, and turns a bright yellow-green in the fall. The fruits exude a sticky white latex when cut or damaged. Despite the name "Osage orange", it is only very distantly related to the orange, and is instead a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae. M. pomifera has been known by a variety of common names in addition to Osage orange, including hedge apple, horse apple, bois d'arc, bodark, bow-wood, yellow-wood, mock orange and monkey ball.

The trees acquired the name bois d'arc, or "bow-wood", from early French settlers who observed the wood being used for war clubs and bow-making by Native Americans. Meriwether Lewis was told that the people of the Osage Nation, "So much … esteem the wood of this tree for the purpose of making their bows, that they travel many hundreds of miles in quest of it. Many modern archers assert the wood of the Osage orange is superior even to English Yew for this purpose, though this opinion is by no means unanimous.The trees are also known as "bodark" or "bodarc" trees, most likely originating from a corruption of "bois d'arc." The Comanches also used this wood for their bows. Mature trees range from 12 to 18 metres (40–60 ft) tall with short trunks and round-topped canopies. The roots are thick, fleshy, and covered with bright orange bark. The tree's mature bark is dark, deeply furrowed and scaly. The wood of M. pomifera is bright orange-yellow with paler yellow sapwood. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and flexible, capable of receiving a fine polish and very durable in contact with the ground. It has a specific gravity of 0.7736, or 773.6 kg/m3 (48.29 lb/cu ft).

Leaves are arranged alternately in a slender growing shoot 90 to 120 centimetres (3–4 ft) long. In form they are simple, a long oval terminating in a slender point. The leaves are 8 to 13 centimetres (3–5 in) long and 5 to 8 centimetres (2–3 in) wide, and are thick, firm, dark green, shining above, and paler green below when full grown. In autumn they turn bright yellow. The leaf axils contain formidable spines which when mature are about 2.5 centimetres (1 in) long.

As a dioecious plant, the inconspicuous pistillate (female) and staminate (male) flowers are found on different trees. Staminate flowers are pale green, small, and arranged in racemes borne on long, slender, drooping peduncles developed from the axils of crowded leaves on the spur-like branchlets of the previous year. They feature a hairy, four-lobed calyx; the four stamens are inserted opposite the lobes of calyx, on the margin of a thin disk. Pistillate flowers are borne in a dense spherical many-flowered head which appears on a short stout peduncle from the axils of the current year's growth. Each flower has a hairy four-lobed calyx with thick, concave lobes that invest the ovary and enclose the fruit. Ovaries are superior, ovate, compressed, green, and crowned by a long slender style covered with white stigmatic hairs. The ovule is solitary.

The mature fruit's size and general appearance resembles a large, yellow-green orange, 10 to 13 centimetres (4–5 in) in diameter, with a roughened and tuberculated surface. The compound fruit is a syncarp of numerous small drupes, in which the carpels (ovaries) have grown together. Each small drupe is oblong, compressed and rounded; they contain a milky juice which oozes when the fruit is damaged or cut. The seeds are oblong. Although the flowering is dioecious, the pistillate tree even when isolated will bear large oranges, perfect to the sight but lacking the seeds. Osage orange has been planted in all the 48 conterminous States and in southeastern Canada.

The natural mechanism of seed dispersal for Osage orange, and the reason for its limited historical range despite its adaptability, has been the subject of debate. One hypothesis is that the Osage orange fruit was eaten by a giant ground sloth that became extinct shortly after the first human settlement of North America. Other extinct Pleistocene megafauna, such as the mammoth, mastodon and gomphothere, may have fed on the fruit and aided in seed dispersal. An equine species that went extinct at the same time also has been suggested as the plant's original dispersal agent because modern horses and other livestock will sometimes eat the fruit. However, a 2015 study indicated that Osage Orange seeds are not effectively spread by horses or elephant species. The fruit is not poisonous to humans or livestock, as shown by several studies.However, it is mostly inedible due to the extremely hard texture and taste. The seeds of the fruit are edible and it is sometimes torn apart by squirrels to get at the seeds, but few other native animals make use of it as a food source. This is unusual, as many large fleshy fruits serve the function of seed dispersal by means of its consumption by large animals. M. pomifera prefers a deep and fertile soil, but it is able to adapt to be hardy over most of the contiguous United States, where it is used as a hedge plant. It must be regularly pruned to keep it in bounds, and the shoots of a single year will grow one to two metres (3–6 ft) long. A neglected hedge will soon become fruit-bearing. It is remarkably free from insect enemies and fungal diseases.

Magnolia sieboldii, Siebold's Magnolia, also known as Oyama Magnolia, is a species of Magnolia native to east Asia in China, Japan, and Korea. Magnolia sieboldii is a large shrub or small tree 5–10 m tall (16-32 feet). The stalks, young leaves, young twigs and young buds are downy. The leaves are elliptical to ovate-oblong, 9-16 cm (rarely 25 cm) long and 4-10 cm (rarely 12 cm) broad, with a 1.5-4.5 cm petiole.

The flowers, unlike the better-known spring flowering Magnolias, open primarily in the early summer, but continue intermittently until late summer. They are pendulous, cup-shaped, 7-10 cm diameter, and have 6-12 tepals, the outer three smaller, the rest larger, and pure white; the carpels are greenish and the stamens reddish-purple or greenish-white. Magnolia sieboldii is grown as an ornamental tree in gardens. It is one of the hardiest magnolias, successful in cultivation as far north as the Arboretum Mustila in Finland. Hardy to zone 4b

Native Range: Central and eastern China
Zone: 4 to 8
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Shade Tree

Easily grown in average, slightly acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. Intolerant of drought.

Acer griseum, commonly called paperbark maple, is a small, deciduous, oval to oval-rounded tree with slender upright branching. It is particularly noted for its exfoliating copper orange to cinnamon reddish/brown bark and its showy orange to red fall color. It typically matures to 20-30 (40)’ tall. It is native to mixed forests in central China. Bark on the trunk and limbs is extremely ornamental because it peels into large curls which remain on the tree rather that falling to the ground, often in attractive contrast to the tan to rose-brown inner bark. Each trifoliate leaf (3-5” long) features three coarsely toothed leaflets, with the middle leaflet being short-stalked. Leaves are green above, but frosty blue-green to gray-green with fine hairs beneath. Fall color varies, typically ranging from showy shades of orange and red to less spectacular shades of reddish-green to bronze green. Ornamentally insignificant yellowish flowers bloom in April-early May in clusters (drooping cymes to 1” long) on pendulous downy stalks. Flowers give way to winged samaras (to 1 1/4” long) with unusually large seeds. Excellent small tree for small properties. Deserves a location where its ornamental features can be appreciated (near a deck or patio). Appropriate as an understory tree in a woodland garden or as a specimen in many locations around the home. Popular bonsai subject, particularly in Europe.

Hardy to zone 5b..can tollerate as low as -26°C

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Native Range: Northern Iran, Caucaus
Best grown in average, slightly acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade and a wide range of soil conditions. Parrotia persica, commonly called Persian ironwood, is a small to medium sized, single trunk, deciduous tree eventually growing 20-40' tall (but typically 10' after 7-8 years) or a large, multi-stemmed shrub growing to 15' tall. Apetalous flowers with dense, red stamens surrounded by brownish bracts appear in late winter to early spring before the foliage. Flowers are attractive on close inspection, but are generally considered to be somewhat insignificant. Oval to oblong leaves (to 4" long) emerge reddish-purple in spring, mature to a lustrous, medium to dark green in summer and change to variable shades of yellow, orange and red in fall. Bark of mature trees exfoliates to show green, white or tan patches beneath and provides good winter interest.

Genus name honors F. W. Parrot (1792-1841), German naturalist and traveller who climbed Mount Arart in 1834.

No serious insect or disease problems.

Excellent small lawn tree or street tree. Can be incorporated into foundation plantings, particularly in shrub form.

Carya glabra, the pignut hickory, is a common, but not abundant species of hickory in the oak-hickory forest association in the Eastern United States and Canada. Other common names are pignut, sweet pignut, coast pignut hickory, smoothbark hickory, swamp hickory, and broom hickory. The pear-shaped nut ripens in September and October and is an important part of the diet of many wild animals. The wood is used for a variety of products, including fuel for home heating. This tree reach 15 to 24 m or 60-80 feet tall, consisting of a long straight trunk, ascending to spreading branches, and an oblongoid crown. Trunk bark is gray to gray-brown and somewhat rough, consisting of elongated ridges with flattened tops and shallow furrows. The bark of branches is more smooth and gray, while young twigs are brown and glabrous. Smaller branches and twigs are often crooked. Alternate compound leaves about 8-12" long develop along the twigs; they are odd-pinnate with 5 leaflets, and rarely with 7 leaflets

Pignut Hickory is monoecious with male (staminate) and female (pistillate) florets on the same tree. The female florets develop at the tips of young shoots in short spikes of 2-5. Each female floret is very small (1/8" long or less) and inconspicuous, consisting of a green pistil and a few lanceolate bracts. Numerous male florets develop on drooping catkins about 2-4" long; the catkins are greenish yellow and narrowly cylindrical in shape. The catkins are arranged in bunches of 3 from short spurs near the tips of young twigs. Each male floret is very small (1/8" long or less), consisting of a calyx with several stamens that is partially covered by a bract with 3 lobes. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring for about 2 weeks. The florets are wind-pollinated. During the summer, fertile female florets develop into fruits (nuts with thin husks). Individual fruits are about 1" long and ¾" across and globoid-ovoid in shape. The husks are smooth and hairless across the surface; they are initially green, but later turn brown. At maturity, each husk partially divides into 4 segments to release its nut. The tan shell of the nut is ovoid and slightly flattened in shape; the meat of the nut varies from bitter to sweet. The root system has a long taproot and less well-developed lateral roots. This tree prefers full or partial sunlight and mesic to dry conditions. It adapts to various kinds of soil, including those containing loam, clay-loam, sandy loam, or rocky material. Hardy to zone 5a.

Pinus rigida, the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized (6–30 m (20–98 ft) pine, native to eastern North America. This specie occasionally hybridizes with other pine species. Pitch pine is found mainly in the southern areas of the northeastern United States, from coastal Maine and Ohio to Kentucky and northern Georgia. A few stands occur in southern Quebec and Ontario. This pine occupies a variety of habitats from dry acidic sandy uplands to swampy lowlands, and can survive in very poor conditions; it is the primary tree of the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

The needles are in fascicles of three, about 6–13 cm (2.4–5.1 in) in length, and are stout (over 1 mm (0.039 in) broad) and often slightly twisted. The cones are 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) long and oval with prickles on the scales. Pitch pine has an exceptionally high regenerative ability; if the main trunk is cut or damaged by fire it can re-sprout using epicormic shoots. This is one of its many adaptations to fire, which also includes a thick bark to protect the sensitive cambium layer from heat. Burnt trees often form stunted, twisted trees with multiple trunks as a result of the resprouting. This characteristic also makes it a popular specie for bonsai.

Pitch pine is rapid-growing when young, gaining around one foot of height per year under optimal conditions until the tree is 50-60 years old, whereupon growth slows. By 90 years of age, the amount of annual height gain is minimal. Open-growth trees begin bearing cones in as little as three years, with shade-inhabiting pines taking a few years longer. Cones take two years to mature and seed dispersal occurs over the fall and winter and trees cannot self-pollinate. The total lifespan of pitch pine is about 200 years.

Pitch pine is not a major timber tree due to the frequency of multiple or crooked trunks; nor is it as fast-growing as other eastern American pines. However, it grows well on unfavourable sites. In the past, it was a major source of pitch and timber for ship building, mine timbers, and railroad ties because the wood's high resin content preserves it from decay. Pitch pine is currently used mainly for rough construction, pulp, crating, and fuel. However, due to its uneven growth, quantities of high quality can be very sought after, and large lengths of pitch pine can be very costly.

Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, or western yellow pine, is a very large pine tree specie of variable habitats native to the western United States and Canada. It is the most widely distributed pine specie in North America. P. ponderosa is a large coniferous pine (evergreen) tree. The bark helps to distinguish it from other species. Mature to over-mature individuals have yellow to orange-red bark in broad to very broad plates with black crevices. This is a large tree reaching up to 50 meters in a optimal environment. Hardy to zone 4b.

Morus rubra, commonly known as the Red Mulberry, is a specie of mulberry native to eastern North America. It is found from Ontario and Vermont in the north down to southern Florida, and west to southeast South Dakota and central Texas. Red Mulberry is a deciduous tree, growing to 10–15 m tall, rarely 20 m, with a trunk up to 50 cm diameter. The leaves are alternate, 7–14 cm long and 6–12 cm broad, simple, broadly cordate, with a shallow notch at the base, typically unlobed on mature trees although often with 2-3 lobes, particularly on young trees, and with a finely serrated margin. The flowers are relatively inconspicuous: small, yellowish green or reddish green, and opening as leaves emerge. Male and female flowers are usually on separate trees although they may occur on the same tree.

The fruit is a compound cluster of several small drupes, similar in appearance to a blackberry, 2–3 cm long, when it is ripening it is red or dark purple, edible and very sweet with a good flavor. The first English colonists to explore eastern Virginia in 1607 mentioned the abundance of both mulberry trees and their fruit, which was eaten, sometimes boiled, by the native Powhatan tribes. Today, mulberries are eaten raw, used in fruit pastries, and fermented into wine. The wood may be dried and used for smoking meats with a flavor that is mild and sweet. Suitable for zone 4b. Excellent tree for permaculture projects.

Self-fertilizing 

Height : 10m

Width : 10m

Hardiness zone: 5

Exposition : Sun, half-shade.

Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud) is a large deciduous shrub or small tree, native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario, Canada south to northern Florida but can thrive as far west as California. It typically grows to 6–9 m (20–30 ft) tall with a 8–10 m (26–33 ft) spread. It generally has a short, often twisted trunk and spreading branches. The flowers are showy, light to dark magenta pink in color, 1.5 cm (½ inch) long, appearing in clusters from Spring to early Summer, on bare stems before the leaves, sometimes on the trunk itself. The flowers are pollinated by long-tongued bees such as blueberry bees and carpenter bees. The fruit are flattened, dry, brown, pea-like pods, 5–10 cm (2-4 inches) long that contain flat, elliptical, brown seeds 6 mm (¼ inch) long, maturing in August to October. In the wild, eastern redbud is a frequent native understory tree in mixed forests and hedgerows. C. canadensis is perfect in parks and gardens where there is limited space.

Sassafras albidum (sassafras, white sassafras, red sassafras, or silky sassafras) is a species of Sassafras native to eastern North America, from southern Maine and southern Ontario west to Iowa, and south to central Florida and eastern Texas. It occurs throughout the eastern deciduous forest habitat type, at altitudes of sea level up to 1,500 m (5000 feet). Sassafras albidum is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 15–20 m tall, with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter, and a crown with many slender sympodial branches. The bark on trunk of mature trees is thick, dark red-brown, and deeply furrowed. The shoots are bright yellow green at first with mucilaginous bark, turning reddish brown, and in two or three years begin to show shallow fissures. The leaves are alternate, green to yellow-green, ovate or obovate, 10–16 cm (4-6.4 inches) long and 5–10 cm (2-4 inches) broad with a short, slender, slightly grooved petiole. They come in three different shapes, all of which can be on the same branch; three-lobed leaves, unlobed elliptical leaves, and two-lobed leaves; rarely, there can be more than three lobes. In fall, they turn to shades of yellow, tinged with red. The flowers are produced in loose, drooping, few-flowered racemes up to 5 cm long in early spring shortly before the leaves appear; they are yellow to greenish-yellow, with five or six tepals. It is usually dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees; male flowers have nine stamens, female flowers with six staminodes (aborted stamens) and a 2–3 mm style on a superior ovary. Pollination is by insects. The fruit is a dark blue-black drupe 1 cm long containing a single seed, borne on a red fleshy club-shaped pedicel 2 cm long; it is ripe in late summer, with the seeds dispersed by birds. The cotyledons are thick and fleshy. All parts of the plant are aromatic and spicy. The roots are thick and fleshy, and frequently produce root sprouts which can develop into new trees.

It prefers rich, well-drained sandy loam with a pH of 6-7, but will grow in any loose, moist soil. Seedlings will tolerate shade, but saplings and older trees demand full sunlight for good growth; in forests it typically regenerates in gaps created by windblow. Growth is rapid, particularly with root sprouts, which can reach 1.2 m (4 feet) in the first year and 4.5 m (15 feet)in 4 years. Root sprouts often result in dense thickets, and a single tree, if allowed to spread unrestrained, will soon be surrounded by a sizable clonal colony, as its stoloniferous roots extend in every direction and send up multitudes of shoots.

All parts of the Sassafras albidum plant have been used for human purposes, including stems, leaves, bark, wood, roots, fruit, and flowers. Sassafras albidum, while native to North America, is significant in the economic, medical, and cultural history of Europe as well as North America. Minimum hardiness canadian zone 4b-5a

For hardiness zone 5 and over. Possible to try this specimen in wind protected area in 4b

Best grown in moist, acidic, organically rich, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Generally intolerant of soil extremes (dry or wet). Site in locations protected from strong winds, but avoid southern exposures close to houses where the buds may be induced to open too early in spring. Plants appreciate consistent and regular moisture throughout the year. Best sited in a protected location because early spring frosts can damage flowers.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Magnolia x soulangeana, commonly known as saucer magnolia, is a deciduous hybrid magnolia (M. denudata x M. liliiflora). It is the most commonly grown deciduous magnolia. It is a broad shrub or small tree that typically rises to 20-25’ tall with a rounded crown. It is often grown in a multi-trunked shrubby form. It typically matures over time to 20-30’ tall and as wide. Fragrant flowers (to 8” across) bloom in early spring (early may to late may in southern canada) before the foliage emerges. Flowers are pink with white interiors. Sparse numbers of additional flowers may bloom sporadically later in spring on new growth, but the later flowers are usually less vigorous and less colorful than those of the primary bloom. Saucer magnolia is perhaps the most popular deciduous magnolia in cultivation today, with a large number of hybrid cultivars now available in commerce featuring flowers in various shades of white, pink, rose, purple, magenta and burgundy. Genus name honors Pierre Magnol, French botanist (1638-1715). Hybrid designation honors Chevalier Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), Director of the French Royal Institute, who crossed this hybrid in the early 1800s.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Leaf spot and canker can be troublesome. Watch for scale. Late spring frosts may damage flowers.

Laburnum alpinum is similar to Laburnum anagyroides, it grows to 5 metres (16 ft) by 6 metres (20 ft), at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 5a or 5b. It is in flower from late May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The panicles of vanilla scented, pea-like flowers are hermaphrodite (having both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. The fruit is a pod or legume, the seeds green at first but becoming shiny black.

The leaves are cholagogue and purgative. All parts of this plant are highly poisonous[5] and should not be eaten or used internally. It is native to Central and Southern Europe and has naturalized in Scotland. L. alpinium and L. anagyroides Medic. both are common as a garden escape in Northern Ireland. Laburnum alpinum is cultivated as an ornamental tree. Plants can be successfully transplanted even when quite large.

The plant prefers well-drained, light (sandy), medium (loamy) soil but tolerates heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Preferring acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils, it can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or full sun. It can withstand strong winds but not maritime exposure and tolerates atmospheric pollution. The plant is notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Laburnum has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a specie of pine that is native to Eurasia, ranging from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains and Anatolia, and north to well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. In the north of its range, it occurs from sea level to 1,000 m, while in the south of its range it is a high altitude mountain tree, growing at 1,200–2,600 metres (3,900–8,500 ft) altitude. It is readily identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orange-red bark.

Pinus sylvestris is an evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 35 m in height and 1 m trunk diameter when mature, exceptionally to 45 metres (148 ft) tall and 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) trunk diameter. bark is thick, scaly dark grey-brown on the lower trunk, and thin, flaky and orange on the upper trunk and branches. The habit of the mature tree is distinctive due to its long, bare and straight trunk topped by a rounded or flat-topped mass of foliage. The lifespan is normally 150–300 years, with the oldest recorded specimens in Lapland, Northern Finland over 760 years.

The shoots are light brown, with a spirally arranged scale-like pattern. On mature trees the leaves ('needles') are a glaucous blue-green, often darker green to dark yellow-green in winter, 2.5–5 centimetres long. Produced in fascicles of two with a persistent grey 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) basal sheath. Suitable for zone 3a.

Sourwood or sorrel tree, Oxydendrum arboreum, is the sole species in the genus Oxydendrum, in the family Ericaceae. It is native to eastern North America, from southern Pennsylvania south to northwest Florida and west to southern Illinois; it is most common in the lower chain of the Appalachian Mountains. The tree is frequently seen as a component of oak-heath forests.

Sourwood is a small tree or large shrub, growing to 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall with a trunk up to 50 cm (20 in) diameter. Occasionally on extremely productive sites, this species can reach heights in excess of 30 meters and 60 cm diameter. The leaves are alternately arranged, deciduous, 8–20 cm (3.1–7.9 in) long and 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) broad, with a finely serrated margin; they are dark green in summer, but turn vivid red in fall. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 6–9 mm ( 1/4 to 1/3 inch) long, produced on 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in) long panicles. The fruit is a small woody capsule. The roots are shallow, and the tree grows best when there is little root competition; it also requires acidic soils for successful growth. The leaves can be chewed (but should not be swallowed) to help alleviate a dry-feeling mouth. The bark is gray with a reddish tinge, deeply furrowed and scaly. Branchlets at first are light yellow green, but later turn reddish brown. The wood is reddish brown, with paler sapwood; it is heavy, hard, and close-grained, and will take a high polish. Its specific gravity is 0.7458, with a density of 46.48 lb/cu ft.

The winter buds are axillary, minute, dark red, and partly immersed in the bark. Inner scales enlarge when spring growth begins. Leaves are alternate, four to seven inches long, 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide, oblong to ablanceolate, wedge-shaped at the base, serrate, and acute or acuminate. Leaf veins are Feather-veined, the midrib is conspicuous. They emerge from the bud revolute, bronze green and shining, and smooth; when full grown, they are dark green, shining above, and pale and glaucous below. In autumn, they turn bright scarlet. Petioles are long and slender, with stipules wanting. They are heavily laden with acid.

In June and July, perfect, cream-white flowers are borne in terminal panicles of secund racemes seven to eight inches long; rachis and short pedicels are downy. The calyx is five-parted and persistent; lobes are valvate in bud. The corolla is ovoid-cylindric, narrowed at the throat, cream-white, and five-toothed. The 10 stamens are inserted on the corolla; filaments are wider than the anthers; anthers are two-celled. The pistil is ovary superior, ovoid, and five-celled; the style is columnar; the stigma is simple; the disk is ten-toothed, and ovules are many. The fruit is a capsule, downy, five-valved, five-angled, and tipped by the persistent style; the pedicels are curving.The sourwood is perfectly hardy in the north and a worthy ornamental tree in lawns and parks. Its late bloom makes it desirable, and its autumnal coloring is particularly beautiful and brilliant. The leaves are heavily charged with acid, and to some extent have the poise of those of the peach. It is renowned for nectar, and for the honey which is produced from it. Juice from its blooms is used to make sourwood jelly. The shoots were used by the Cherokee and the Catawba to make arrowshafts.

Magnolia stellata, sometimes called the star magnolia, is a slow-growing shrub or small tree native to Japan. It bears large, showy white or pink flowers in early spring, before its leaves open. This specie is closely related to the Kobushi magnolia (Magnolia kobus), and is treated by many botanists as a variety or even a cultivar of that. However, Magnolia stellata was accepted as a distinct specie in the 1998 monograph by Hunt.

This tree grows 1.5 to 2.5 m([2] in height, spreading to 4.6m in width at maturity. Young trees display upright oval growth, but the plants spread and mound with age.[3]

The tree blooms at a young age, with the slightly fragrant 7–10 cm (3–4 in) flowers covering the bare plant in late winter or early spring before the leaves appear. There is natural variation within the flower color, which varies from white to rich pink; the hue of pink magnolias also changes from year to year, depending on day and night air temperatures prior to and during flowering. The flowers are star-shaped, with at least 12 thin, delicate petal-like tepals—some cultivars have more than 30. The leaves open bronze-green, turning to deep green as they mature, and yellow before dropping in autumn. They are oblong and about 4 in (10 cm) long by about an 1.5 in (4 cm) wide.

These magnolias produce a reddish-green, knobby aggregate fruit about 2 in long that matures and opens in early autumn. Mature fruit opens by slits to reveal orange-red seeds, but the fruits often drop before developing fully.

Liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum is a genus of five species of flowering plants in the family. They are all large, deciduous trees, 25–40 metres (82–131 ft) tall, with palmately 3- to 7-lobed leaves arranged spirally on the stems and length of 12.5 to 20 centimetres (4.9 to 7.9 in), having a pleasant aroma when crushed. Mature bark is grayish and vertically grooved. The flowers are small, produced in a dense globular inflorescence 1–2 centimetres diameter, pendulous on a 3–7 centimetres stem. The fruit is a woody multiple capsule 2–4 centimetres in diameter (popularly called a "gumball"), containing numerous seeds and covered in numerous prickly, woody armatures, possibly to attach to animal fur. The woody biomass is classified as hardwood. In more northerly climates, sweetgum is among the last of trees to leaf out in the spring, and also among the last of trees to drop its leaves in the fall, turning multiple colors. This is a nice and perfect ornamental tree suitable in zone 5a and over.

On Sale, very low price

Seeds source: from a 45 feet tree in zone 4b . Quebec, Canada. Very hardy source

A sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. An American sycamore tree can often be easily distinguished from other trees by its mottled exfoliating bark which flakes off in great irregular masses, leaving the surface mottled, and greenish-white, gray and brown. The bark of all trees has to yield to a growing trunk by stretching, splitting, or infilling; the sycamore shows the process more openly than many other trees. Fruit: brown heads, solitary or rarely clustered, 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter, hanging on slender stems three to six inches long; persistent through the winter. These heads are composed of achenes about two-thirds of an inch in length. A tree suitable for zone 4b. Excellent as street and park tree, it can tolerate urban conditions easily.
 

known as silver linden in the U.S and silver lime in the UK, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from Hungary and the Balkans east to western Turkey, occurring at moderate altitudes.

Tilia tomentosa is a deciduous tree growing to 20–35 m (66–115 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 2 m (7 ft) in diameter. The leaves are alternately arranged, rounded to triangular-ovate, 4–13 cm long, green and mostly hairless above, densely white tomentose with white hairs below, and with a coarsely toothed margin. The flowers are pale yellow, hermaphrodite, produced in cymes of three to ten in mid to late summer with a pale green subtending leafy bract; they have a strong scent and are pollinated by honeybees. It is widely grown as an ornamental tree throughout Europe. It is very tolerant of urban pollution, soil compaction, heat, and drought, and would be a good street tree in urban areas. Hardy to zone 4b

Halesia, also known as silverbell or snowdrop tree, is a small genus of four or five species of deciduous large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae. They are native to eastern Asia (southeast China) and eastern North America (southern Ontario, Canada south through Florida and eastern Texas, United States). They grow to 5–20 m (16–66 ft) tall (rarely to 39 m (128 ft)), and have alternate, simple ovate leaves 5–16 cm long and 3–8 cm broad. The flowers are pendulous, white or pale pink, produced in open clusters of 2-6 flowers, each flower's being 1–3 cm long. The fruit is a distinctive, oblong dry drupe 2–4 cm long. All species except H. diptera have four narrow longitudinal ribs or wings on fruit; diptera only has two, making it the most distinctive of the group.

H. monticola is the largest of the genus, with specimens up to 39 m (128 ft) tall known in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Silverbells are popular ornamental plants in large gardens, grown for their delicate pendulous flowers in late spring. They are hardy to zone 5a in Canada

Liriodendron tulipifera—known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddle-tree, and yellow poplar—is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood. It is native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario and Illinois eastward to Connecticut and southern New York, and south to central Florida and Louisiana. It can grow to more than 50 m (160 ft) in virgin cove forests of the Appalachian Mountains, often with no limbs until it reaches 25–30 m (80–100 ft) in height, making it a very valuable timber tree. It is fast-growing, without the common problems of weak wood strength and short lifespan often seen in fast-growing species. April marks the start of the flowering period in the southern USA (except as noted below); trees at the northern limit of cultivation begin to flower in June. The flowers are pale green or yellow (rarely white), with an orange band on the tepals; they yield large quantities of nectar. The tulip tree is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The tulip tree is one of the largest of the native trees of the eastern United States, known to reach the height of 60 m (190 ft), with a trunk 3 m (10 ft) in diameter; its ordinary height is 20 to 30 m (70 to 100 ft). It prefers deep, rich, and rather moist soil; it is common, though not abundant, nor is it solitary. Its roots are fleshy. Growth is fairly rapid, and the typical form of its head is conical. The bark is brown, and furrowed. The branchlets are smooth, and lustrous, initially reddish, maturing to dark gray, and finally brown. Aromatic and bitter. The wood is light yellow to brown, and the sapwood creamy white; light, soft, brittle, close, straight-grained. Specific gravity: 0.4230; density: 422 g/dm3 (26.36 lb/cu ft). Winter buds: Dark red, covered with a bloom, obtuse; scales becoming conspicuous stipules for the unfolding leaf, and persistent until the leaf is fully grown. Flower-bud enclosed in a two-valved, caducous bract.

The alternate leaves are simple, pinnately veined, measuring five to six inches long and wide. They have four lobes, and are heart-shaped or truncate or slightly wedge-shaped at base, entire, and the apex cut across at a shallow angle, making the upper part of the leaf look square; midrib and primary veins prominent. They come out of the bud recurved by the bending down of the petiole near the middle bringing the apex of the folded leaf to the base of the bud, light green, when full grown are bright green, smooth and shining above, paler green beneath, with downy veins. In autumn they turn a clear, bright yellow. Petiole long, slender, angled.

The leaves are of unusual shape and develop in a most peculiar and characteristic manner. The leaf-buds are composed of scales as is usual, and these scales grow with the growing shoot. In this respect the buds do not differ from those of many other trees, but what is peculiar is that each pair of scales develops so as to form an oval envelope which contains the young leaf and protects it against changing temperatures until it is strong enough to sustain them without injury. When it has reached that stage the bracts separate, the tiny leaf comes out carefully folded along the line of the midrib, opens as it matures, and until it becomes full grown the bracts do duty as stipules, becoming an inch or more in length before they fall. The leaf is unique in shape, its apex is cut off at the end in a way peculiarly its own, the petioles are long, angled, and so poised that the leaves flutter independently, and their glossy surfaces so catch and toss the light that the effect of the foliage as a whole is much brighter than it otherwise would be.

The flowers are large, brilliant, and on detached trees numerous. Their color is greenish yellow with dashes of red and orange, and their resemblance to a tulip very marked. They do not droop from the spray but sit erect. The fruit is a cone 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) long, made of a great number of thin narrow scales attached to a common axis. These scales are each a carpel surrounded by a thin membranous ring. Each cone contains sixty or seventy of these scales, of which only a few are productive. These fruit cones remain on the tree in varied states of dilapidation throughout the winter. Liriodendron tulipifera is generally considered to be a shade-intolerant species that is most commonly associated with the first century of forest succession. In Appalachian forests, it is a dominant species during the 50–150 years of succession, but is absent or rare in stands of trees 500 years or older. On mesic, fertile soils, it often forms pure or nearly pure stands. It can and does persist in older forests when there is sufficient disturbance to generate large enough gaps for regeneration. Individual trees have been known to live for up to around 500 years.

In landscaping

Tulip trees make magnificently shaped specimen trees, and are very large, growing to about 35 m (110 ft) in good soil. Like other members of the Magnolia family, they have fleshy roots that are easily broken if handled roughly. Transplanting should be done in early spring, before leaf-out; this timing is especially important in the more northern areas.

Magnolia tripetala, commonly called umbrella magnolia or simply umbrella-tree, is a deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States in the Appalachian Mountains region. The name "umbrella tree" derives from the fact that the large leafs are clustered at the tips of the branches forming an umbrella-shaped structure. It is a small tree to 40 feet, often with several trunks, narrow crown.

Umbrella magnolias have large shiny leaves 30–50 cm long, spreading from stout stems. In a natural setting the umbrella magnolia can grow 15 m tall. The flowers are large, appear in the spring, malodorous, 15–25 cm diameter, with six to nine creamy-white tepals and a large red style, which later develops into a red fruit (an aril) 10 cm long, containing several red seeds. These trees are attractive and easy to grow. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn. The leaves are clustered at the tip of the stem with very short internodes. The tree has reddish cone-shaped fruit, is shade tolerant, has shallow spreading roots, and is pollinated by beetles. Hardy to zone 5a-5b

The Weeping Willow's grace comes from its sweeping, low branches that droop to create its familiar 'falling' canopy. A favorite among tree lovers for its dramatic appearance and rounded, weeping shape. Perfect for those looking for a quick way to add character and value to their property. An excellent shade tree that is always in high demand. This willow is one of the fastest growing shade trees, growing up to 6-8 ft. a year. They start out thin, with only a few branches that point upward against the trunk. After racing to a height of about 10 ft., they put out more and more branches that arch outword to form the weeping canopy they're famous for.

Thrives in Growing Zones 4a and over, and has the ability to absorb standing water. Plant near trouble spots where water stands in puddles, and watch them disappear. Even though Weeping Willows are often found near rivers, lakes and wetlands, they can grow just about anywhere, even demonstrating some tolerance to drought.
Very adaptable to all kinds of soils and growing conditions; these trees can even help prevent soil erosion.

You will enjoy your Weeping Willow as a first harbinger of spring when its leaves appear before most others, and as one of the last trees to lose its leaves in the fall. Excellent green color in the spring and summer months Virtually no tree litter. Everyone remembers the Weeping Willow mentioned in many poems, songs and stories because of its grace and beauty. Mature height is 12-15 m or 40-50 ft with a mature width of 11 m or 35 ft. The tree will grow easily in full or partial sun and It is a fair drought toleran tree.
 

The white mulberry is a small tree grown for its glossy foliage and globular habit with a spreading crown. It is an ornamental tree that is used alone in medium to large gardens. The deciduous leaves are oval, toothed, ribbed and shiny and turn yellow in the fall. The small edible fruits are pink, dark red, white or purplish in color, resembling cylindrical raspberries, and attract birds that love them. Requires no maintenance, pruning in spring or summer to remove dead wood and maintain habit.

Light : Full sun

Soil : Fertile, calcareous and well drained

Flowering : Spring, in May

Height : 8 - 12 meters

Width: 8 meters

Hardiness zone: Zone 4b

Aesculus flava, the yellow buckeye, common buckeye, or sweet buckeye, is a specie of deciduous tree. It is native to the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. It grows in mesophytic forest or floodplains, generally in acid to circumneutral soil, reaching a height of 20 m to 47 m.

The leaves are palmately compound with five (rarely seven) leaflets, 10–25 cm long and broad. The flowers are produced in panicles in spring, yellow to yellow-green, each flower 2–3 cm long with the stamens shorter than the petals (unlike the related A. glabra (Ohio buckeye), where the stamens are longer than the petals). The twigs have a faintly rank odor, but much less so than the Ohio buckeye, A. glabra. The fruit is a smooth (spineless), round or oblong capsule 5–7 cm diameter, containing 1-3 nut-like seeds, 2.5 - 3.5 cm diameter, brown with a whitish basal scar. The fruit is poisonous to humans but can be made edible through a leaching process.

Aesculus flava is cultivated as an ornamental tree. The tree's showy yellow flowers and good autumn color are attractive in larger gardens and in parks.

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Catalpa ovata, the yellow catalpa or Chinese catalpa, is a pod-bearing tree native to China. Compared to C. speciosa, it is much smaller, typically reaching heights between 6 to 10 m (20 and 30 feet). The inflorescences form 4–10-inch-long (10–25 cm) bunches of creamy white flowers with distinctly yellow tinging; individual flowers are about 1 inch wide. They bloom in July and August.[5] The leaves are very similar in shape to those of Paulownia tomentosa, having three lobes (two are abruptly truncated on either edge, with a third, central, slightly acute, pointed lobe forming the leaf apex), and are darkly green. Fruits are very narrow, foot-long pods. Hardy to zone 4a

Yellowhorn is a very adaptable plant tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions. It can be grown as a small tree (3-8m height) or large multi-stemmed shrub and is relatively rare in the nursery trade but still worthy of attention. It is still considered rare in America and Europe. Yellowhorn has long lasting green foliage and large masses of five-petaled flowers. Beautiful when in bloom in the spring and summer. It can be grown as a specimen or in groupings near the home (in the lawn or a shrub border). It may also be an effective background for spring flowering perennials. It is also grown for fresh cut flowers. Tolerant of a wide range of conditions including: full sun, partial shade, high pH, clay, sandy, loam, average / medium / well-drained soil and moderate to xeric moisture. It is a low maintenance plant and needs little water to survive. Protect from cold winds. Does not respond well to being transplanted as it sprouts quickly and puts down a very large root system.

Years to begin fruiting: no reliable information can be found, but a few sources stated that Yellowhorn will bloom at an early age. A single source stated that flowering will begin during the second year, most sources say year three.
Years to maximum height: 10-20 years
Years to maximum fruiting: a single source stated that maximum yield will start at around 5 years of age.
Years of useful life: no reliable information can be found, but one source stated that Yellowhorn can live for over 200 years of age.

Yield: a single source stated that fruit (nut?) yield can reach 8 tons (7260 kg) per acre, and oil yield can be 850 gallons (3200 liters) per acre.
Harvesting: early to mid-autumn (September-October). Harvest when the fruits dry out, but before the fruit splits.
Storage: seeds need to be dried for storage.

Edible nut (seed) - reports on flavor vary from a Sweet chestnut to a Brazil nut or a Macadamia nut. Can be roasted, boiled, or dried and ground into a flour. One soure states that the nuts taste fine raw.
Edible leaves – young leaves can be cooked, traditionally boiled. Leaves quickly become fibrous.
Edible flowers – cooked, traditionally boiled
Flour – dried nut can be ground into a flour and then cooked
Oil – edible oil can be pressed from the seeds (one source stated it was being evaluated for biodiesel)

Pollination: some sources state that Yellowhorn is self-fertile and some say that it requires cross-pollination. Likely, it is partially self-pollinating but will produce significantly more fruit if allowed to cross-pollinate. It is reported that there are both male flowers and bisexual (hermaphroditic) flowers found on the same plant, but not the same inflorescence.
Flowering: mid-late spring to early summer (April-June).

Suitable for zone 4b.

Dense spreading habit. Dark green foliage shows good resistance to winter burn and good heat tolerance. Sun or shade
Height: 3-4 ft
Width: 4-6 ft
Soil Conditions: Moist/Well Drained
Hardiness Zone: 4 TO 8