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Plant Characteristic Index

* starred plants may fit the requirement of the category but should not be used in Arkansas landscapes due to potential problems with invasiveness.

A. Bark characteristics

Trees with noteworthy/attractive bark?

• River Birch (Betula nigra)
• London Planetree (Platanus x acerifolia)
• American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
• Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) -variable trait, depends on cultivar
• Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

B. Flower characteristics

Aromatic Flowers

• Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)
• Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
• Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia)
• Common Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
• Rose (Rosa sp.)
• Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii)
• Mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius)
• Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

Shrubs or Trees with blue or purple flowers

• Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
• Althea, Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
• Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
• Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus)
• Azalea (Rhododendron)
• * Princess Tree (Paulownia)

Summer (June-August) flowering trees with a noteworthy flower display

• Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
• Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• * Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
• Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
• Goldenraintree (Koelreuteria paniculata)

Spring Flowering Perennials

• Columbine (Aquilegia sp)
• Yarrow (Achillea sp)
• Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
• Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
• Iris (Iris sp.)
• Common Peony (Paeonia officinalis)
• Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)

C. Fruit characteristics

Landscape plants with attractive fruit that persists all or most of the winter and adds value to the winter landscape?

• Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
• American Holly (Ilex opaca)
• Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)
• Foster Holly (Ilex x attenuata ‘Fosteri’)
• Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’)
• * Amur Privet (Ligustrum amurense)
• * Japanese Privet (Ligustrum japonicum)
• Oregon Hollygrape (Mahonia aquifolium)
• Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei)
• * Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• European Cranberrybush Vib. (Viburnum opulus)
• Gold-dust plant (Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’)
• Blue Holly (Ilex x meserveae)
• Weeping Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’)

D. Leaf characteristics

Fall Color

Deciduous landscape shrubs with vivid, reliable fall color?

• Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) - flame colors
• Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) - maroon
• Sweetspire (Itea virginica) - maroon
• European Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum opulus) - maroon
• Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var tomentosum) - maroon
• Winged Euonymus, Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) - red

Small to medium landscape trees with vivid fall color

• Redleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum) - some cultivars
• Cutleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum) - some cultivars
• Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - maroon
• Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) - maroon
• Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) - orange/red
• Shadblow Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) - orange/red
• Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) - flame colors
• Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) - yellow to reds
• Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) - deep maroon
• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) - flame colors

Large shade trees with vivid, reliable fall color

• Red Maple (Acer rubrum) - vivid red
• Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) - orange/red
• Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) - clear yellow
• Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) - orange/yellow/purple
• Blackgum, Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) - intense red
• White Oak (Quercus alba) - deep red
• Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) - deep red/maroon
• Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - deep red/maroon
• Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) - golden brown

E. Plant Habit

Weeping trees:

• Weeping White Mulberry (Morus alba ‘Pendula’)
• Weeping Higan Cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’)
• Weeping Willow (Salix alba ‘Tristis’)

Narrow, upright trees:

• Columnar Red Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong’ or ‘Bowhall’) - no pictures
• Fastigiate European Hornbean (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’)
• Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’)

F. Plant Use

Trees to avoid due to debris (e.g. messy fruits) or are weak wooded

• Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) - fruits (balls) and weak wooded
• Thornless Common Honeylocust -female (Gleditsia triacanthos)
• Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) - leaf debris
• Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) - weak wooded
• Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) - pods and weak wooded
• Ginkgo - female (Ginkgo biloba) - fruits
• Sycamore (Platanus sp.)
• Weeping Willow (Salix alba ‘Tristis’)

Potentially invasive/weedy plants

• Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• English Ivy (Hedera helix)
• Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
• Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
• Amur Privet (Ligustrum amurense)
• Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
• Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis - early flowering cultivars

Landscape shrubs (any size; deciduous or evergreen) with thorns or spurs?

• Barberry (Berberis sp.)
• Rose (Rosa sp)
• Pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea)
• Thorny Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens)
• Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
• Hardy-orange (Poncirus trifoliata)
• Japanese Floweringquince (Chaenomeles japonica)

Evergreen (Broadleaf Evergreens or conifers) plants that are well adapted for use as a low (2-3’) formal pruned/sheared hedge?

• Littleleaf Boxwood (Buxus)
• Yew (Taxus)
• Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
• Dwarf Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’)
• Convexa Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Convexa’)

Large (>8’) evergreen landscape shrubs that are useful as a screen or hedge plant?

• Sasanqua Camellia (Camellia sasanqua)
• Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica)
• Thorny elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens)
• Foster Holly (Ilex x attenuata ‘Fosteri’)
• Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex x ‘Nellie R. Stevens’)
• Japanese Privet (Ligustrum japonicum)
• Fraser Photina, Redtip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)
• Chinese Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus)

Landscape plants that attract wildlife (birds, deer, etc.) to a landscape?

• Eastern Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
• Washington Hawthorn (Crateagus phaenopyrum)
• American Holly (Ilex opaca)
• Flowering Crabapple (Malus sp.)
• Shadblow Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
• Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
• Southern Hackberry (Celtis laevigata)
• Canaert Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana ‘Canaertii’)
• White Oak (Quercus alba)
• Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
• Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
• Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
• English Oak (Quercus robus)
• Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Landscape shrubs or trees that attract wildlife (birds, deer, etc.) to a landscape?

• Redleaf Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea)
• Japanese Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles japonica)
• Foster Holly (Ilex x attenuata’Fosteri’)
• Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
• Dwarf Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’)
• Convexa Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Convexa)
• Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)
• Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
• Blue Holly (Ilex x meserveae)
• * Amur Privet (Ligustrum amurense)
• * Japanese Privet (Ligustrum japonicum)
• Oregon Hollygrape (Mahonia aquifolium)
• Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei)
• * Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• Pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea)
• Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa)
• Hybrid Tea Rose (Rosa sp.)
• Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii)
• European Cranberrybush Viburnum (Viburnum opulus)
• Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum)
• Lantanaphyllum Viburnum (Viburnum x rhytidophylloides)
• Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus)
• Weigela (Weigela florida)
• Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)
• Wintergreen Barberry (Berberis julianae)
• Thorney Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens)
• Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)
• Azalea (Rhododendron sp.)

Sun-Loving groundcovers (less than 12”)

• Shore Juniper (Juniperus conferta)
• Bar Harbor Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Bar Harbor’)
• Andorra Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Plumosa’)
• Ajuga, Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
• Wintercreeper Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’)
• Liriope (Liriope muscari)
• Mondograss (Ophiopogon japonicus)
• Japanese Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum)

Shade requiring groundcovers?

• Ajuga, Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
• Liriope (Liriope muscari)
• Mondograss (Ophiopogon japonicus)
• Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis)
• Vinca (Vinca minor)
• Bigleaf Vinca (Vinca major)

Drought tolerant low (<4’) shrubs?

• Redleaf Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea)
• Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus)
• Slender Deutzia (Deutzia gracilis)
• Shore Juniper (Juniperus conferta)
• Bar Harbor Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Bar Harbor’)
• Andorra Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Plumosa’)
• Japgarden Juniper (Juniperus procumbens)
• * Dwarf Nandina (Nandina domestica ‘Atropurpurea Nana’)
• Bumald Spirea (Spiraea x bumalda)
• Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo)
• Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

Drought tolerant large (>8) shrubs?

• Thorny Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens)
• Weeping Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’)
• * Amur Privet (Ligustrum amurense)
• * Japanese Privet (Ligustrum japonicum)
• * Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) (this should never be used!)
• Mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius)
• Fraser Photinia, Redtip Photinia (Photinia x fraseri)
• Pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea)
• Burkwood Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii)
• Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum)
• Lantanaphyllum Viburnum (Viburnum x rhytidophylloides)
• Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)
• Canaert Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana ‘Canaert Eastern Redcedar)

Drought tolerant/urban tough trees?

• Fastigiate European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’)
• Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)
• Southern Hackberry (Celtis laevigata)
• Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
• Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
• Thornless Common Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)
• Goldenraintree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
• Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
• American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
• Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
• Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
• Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
• Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
• Zelkova (Zelkova serrata)
• * Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
• Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
• Slash Pine (Pinus elliotti) - no pictures
• Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)
• Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) - no pictures

By Jim Robbins and Jon Lindstrom

Back to Ornamentals

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University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
All rights reserved.
Last Date Modified 10/22/2009
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