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

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 second in a series on plants being offered at the UDBG spring plant sale that are recommended for Delaware landscapes.

Cladrastis kentukea, American Yellowwood, 30-50', full sun to part shade, moist soil conditions. A true star in the garden with a heavenly fragrance. The nearly 12-inch long terminal white clusters provide quite a display in mid May. A great small to medium sized tree for residential landscapes with clear yellow fall foliage. Native plant. Photo from The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org.


Crataegus crus-galli, Cockspur Hawthorn 20-30', full sun, dry to moist soil conditions. How can you resist — white spring flowers loved by pollinators, deep red fruits eaten by birds, and bronze red to purple red fall foliage. These large shrubs also offer great cover for birds due to their long 2-3 inch spines. Native plant. Photo by Richard Webb, Self-employed horticulurist, Bugwood.org.

Diospyros virginiana, Common Persimmon, 35-60', full sun, dry to moist soil conditions. The small white flowers in early summer are prized by pollinators and produce 1-2 inch apricot colored fruit. The fall foliage often turns purplish-red about the time the fruit is being savored by wildlife. Native plant. Photo by John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org.


Magnolia virginiana, ‘Henry Hicks’, Sweetbay Magnolia, 25', sun to part shade, moist to wet soil conditions. Difficulty propagating this outstanding magnolia has greatly limited its availability in the nursery trade. This cultivar retains its foliage as well as or better than all other sweetbays. The upright habit, white flowers, and stunning fragrance make this an ideal choice for nearly all gardens. Native plant. Photo by The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org.

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

Landscape and Nursery - Plants to Consider From the Upcoming UDBG Plant Sale

This is the first in a series of plants to consider for Delaware Landscapes featuring those plants that are being offered at the UDBG Spring Plant Sale.

Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Ice’. Arizona Cypress. 20-30' Steely, ice-blue foliage with mahogany stems make this one of the most sought after of conifers. The narrow (1/3 as wide as tall) habit makes these plants great for grouping in larger landscape or ideal specimens in smaller settings.

Nyssa sylvatica ‘Hayman’s Red’. Red Rage™ Black Tupelo 30-50' Red Rage™ is an appropriate name as the intensity of the emotion is equal to the intensity of the fall color. Truly a vibrant scarlet unmatched by any other plant's fall foliage display.

Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’. White Forsythia 3-5'. The “white forsythia” with pale pink flowers! Flowering early in the spring, Abeliophyllum is not a forsythia, but a close relative with exceptionally fragrant flowers. Flowers outside in March to April; however, bring spring inside by cutting branches to force.

Cercis racemosa. Chain-flowered Redbud 15-25' Many references refer to this as the most attractive redbud. Flowers are borne on 2 to 4 in. long, dangling racemes, providing a spectacular spring display. The late J. C. Raulston described it as the “most beautiful redbud in existence,” while John Frett is “amazed and enamored with the novelty of the flowers.”

Landscape - Some Recommended Evergreen Tree Species for Kent County III

This is a continuation of the series on recommended landscape plants for Kent County. The following are some recommended evergreen species that are adapted to our growing conditions.





Information and images from multiple extension and university sources and the National Arboretum.

Landscape - Some Evergreen Tree Species for Kent County Landscapes II

The following are some good evergreen cedars for use in Kent county landscapes as specimen trees or as components of borders, windbreaks, or tall screens.

Information and images from multiple extension and university sources.

Landscape - Some Good Evergreen Trees for Kent County Landscapes I

The following are some recommended evergreen trees for Kent County landscapes. Each is adapted to our area and can be used for border, windbreak, and screen plantings as well as for specimen trees in the landscape.

There are many forms of American holly for landscape use from shrubs to large trees. Selections from the Rutgers breeding program have done well as landscape trees in Delaware. They are relatively slow growing but are quite stately when mature.

Oriental spruce is not used as much as other spruces but is worthy of consideration. Skylands is an interesting golden colored form.

Colorado spruces include the blue forms that can be quite dramatic when used properly in the landscape as a specimen plants. They make good border plants too. Fat Albert seen above is perfect for screen use because it has a wide shape that will fill in more quickly.

Norway spruce is a mainstay in northern delaware for a specimen tree, windbreaks, and border plantings. It does not do quite as well on droughty soils downstate but is still a good tree for Kent county.

Concolor fir will grow in Kent county and is a beautify evergreen tree. It is susceptible to some insect problems and should not be planted in high stress sites such as berm plantings. Reserve this tree for sites with good soils with proper drainage and provide water in drought periods. You may need to control mites and bagworms.

Information and images from multiple extension and university sources.

Landscape - Some Good Trees for Windbreaks, Borders, or Screens in Kent County I

The following are some deciduous or semi-deciduous trees recommended for border, winbreak or screen plantings in Kent county. The species shown below are also good specimen trees for the middle of landscapes. The cultivars when mentioned are more column shaped types suited to massing.

Images and information from multiple extension sources, particularly the University of Florida fact sheet series on tree species.

Landscape - Some Good Shrubs and Small Trees for Kent County VIII

This is a continuation of the series on recommended plants for Delaware Landscapes. Hollies, both evergreen and deciduous, are mainstays for landscaping. Those below are just a few holly species and varieties to consider.

Images and information from multiple university and extension sources as well as from the National arboretum.

Landscape - Some Good Shrubs and Small Trees for Kent County VII

This is a continuation of the series on recommended landscape plants for Kent County. The following are some shrubs and small trees that are well suited for our area.

Click on slides for larger images.

Information and images from multiple extension and university sources as well as the National Arboretum.

Landscape - Some Good Shrubs and Small Trees for Kent County VI

This is a continuation of a series on recommended plants for Kent County landscapes. The following are some small trees and shrubs that are well adapted to our landscapes.

Information and images from multiple university and extension sources.

Landscape - Some Good Shrubs and Small Trees for Kent County V

This is a continuation of the series on recommended landscape plants for Kent County. The following are some well adapted shrubs and small trees for our landscapes.

Information and images from multiple extension sites and the National Arboretum