Landscape and Nursery - Plants for Delaware Landscapes Featured at the 2009 UDBG Spring Plant Sale I

This year, the Univeristy of Delaware Botanic Garden spring benefit plant sale features those plants that add to the biodiversity of the landscape and offer food and habitat for wildlife, especially insects and the birds that eat them. Many native plants are featured. This is the first in a series on plants being offered at the UDBG spring plant sale that are recommended for Delaware landscapes.

Acer rubrum, ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple, 40-60', full sun to part shade, moist to wet soil conditions. Sun Valley was selected at the U.S. National Arboretum for its brilliant red fall foliage and leaf hopper resistance. Like all red maples, it thrives in wet and compacted soils frequently found in home landscapes. Native plant.


Alnus serrulata, Hazel Alder, 10-20', full sun to part shade, moist to wet soil conditions. Alders rarely occur outside of wetlands in the wild although show much broader adaptability in the landscape. Additionally, they add nitrogen to the soil and support over 160 species of Lepidoptera. Native plant. Photo by Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org.


Betula lenta, Sweet Birch, 40-55', full sun to part shade, moist soil conditions. Known for its resistance to many of the damaging insects that plague other birches, sweet birch also supports nearly 230 different Lepidoptera. Plants also have a smooth cherry-like bark and clear yellow fall color. Native plant. Photo by Richard Webb, Self-employed horticulurist, Bugwood.org


Carpinus caroliniana, American Hornbeam, 20-30', full sun to full shade, moist soil conditions. A common understory tree in our local woodlands which often turns bright red and orange in the fall. The handsome smooth grey bark reminds you of a beech and like beech its fruits serve as a source of food for wildlife. Native plant. Photo by Richard Webb, Self-employed horticulurist, Bugwood.org.

For more information on the 2009 UDBG Spring Plant Sale go to http://ag.udel.edu/udbg/events/annualsale.html