Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Common name: kinnikinnick
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: 2
Mature height and spread: 1/2-1 ft tall by 3-6 ft wide
Form: prostrate habit (lying on the ground), groundcover
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: dry, well-drained soil
Leaf arrangement: alternate
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: small red berries, not edible, typical ericaceous flowers- small, urn-shaped, white
Limitations: can’t tolerate foot traffic or saturated soils
Suitable uses: good container or slab ground cover
ID description: leaves short stalked, leathery, entire, rounded tips
Rhododendron kiusianum hybrids
Common name: evergreen azalea
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: variable
Mature height and spread: 50 cm to 1.5 m tall
Form: compact bush
Water use: must have moisture in summer if in full sun
Soil requirements: well-drained
Leaf arrangement:
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: red, pink, purple flowers
Limitations:
Suitable uses: popular landscape shrub
ID description: usually some hair on leaves, tip of branch is fat because multiple buds at tip that all flower at once, elliptic-ovate- lanceolate leaves
Rhododendron ‘Vulcan’
Common name: ‘Vulcan’ rhododendron
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone:
Mature height and spread:
Form: compact form
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic, moist
Leaf arrangement:
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: bright red flower, reliable
Limitations: disease prone- powdery mildew
Suitable uses: don’t use
ID description: typical rhododendron leaves
Rhododendron ‘Unique’
Common name: ‘Unique’ rhododendron
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone:
Mature height and spread:
Form: compact form
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic, moist
Leaf arrangement:
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: soft peach flower, reliable
Limitations: disease prone- powdery mildew
Suitable uses: don’t use
ID description: typical rhododendron leaves- blunter tipped leaves, onion shaped flower buds
Gaultheria shallon
Common name: salal
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: 7
Mature height and spread: 1-1.5 m tall and wide
Form: medium spreading shrub, clean looking
Water use: medium to moist
Soil requirements: well-drained, rich, forest like soil
Leaf arrangement: alternate
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: urn shaped flowers, not showy, black berries
Limitations: risky plant- must have good soil
Suitable uses: accent, barrier plant
ID description: zig zagging stems, shiny leaves, undulating, serrated margins, leathery, broad, short petioles
Rhododendron augustinii
Common name: Augustine rhododendron
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: 7
Mature height and spread: 5 ft tall by 10 ft wide
Form: upright
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic, rich
Leaf arrangement: alternate
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: flowers white- blue, 2-6 flowers per cluster, small flower buds
Limitations:
Suitable uses: hedge or screen
ID description: midrib is very fuzzy, scales on under leaves, backs feel like silk shirt
Rhododendron yakushimanum
Common name: yak rhododendron
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: 5
Mature height and spread: 3 x 3 m
Form: medium sized shrub
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic
Leaf arrangement: alternate
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: flowers showy white, May to June, come in many colours
Limitations:
Suitable uses: hedge or screen
ID description: leaves wooly undersides, dark glossy green on top, recurved leaves
Pieris japonica
Common name: Japanese andromeda shrub
Useful cultivars and selections: –
USDA hardiness zone: 5
Mature height and spread: 10 ft tall
Form: rounded dome shaped, evergreen shrub
Water use: medium
Soil requirements: acidic, moist,
Leaf arrangement: alternate, but looked whorled
Fall colour: evergreen
Flower/cone/fruit descriptions: lily of the valley flowers in spring, tiny flower buds
Limitations: often gets powdery mildew, doesn’t look good if not under optimal conditions
Suitable uses:
ID description: new growth is copper or red in some cultivars, leaves lighter below then above, simple leaves, faintly serrated
