Scientific name: Rhododendron yakushimanum

Common name:  yak rhododendron

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 1-1.5m tall and wide

Form: rounded, compact

Water use: moderate.

Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic, humus rich

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate. Whorls.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: white flowers in clusters.

Limitations: looks bad when planted alone.

Suitable uses: used in breeding. Beautiful flowers (pink buds and white flowers). Plant on N or E side of building (no direct summer sun). Heat and drought tolerant.

Quick ID: evergreen. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Whorls. Silver young foliage. Underside of leaves hairy and peach/orange (very felted and fuzzy). Rounded leaves; concave (unique).

Scientific name: Rhododendron augustiniii

Common name:  augustinii rhododendron

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 1-5m tall and 2-3m wide

Form: round

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained.

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: None

Flower/cone/fruit description: purple, blue flowers (individual)

Limitations: doesn’t grow well on slab (needs roots to be kept cool)

Suitable uses: smaller leaves therefore more sun tolerant than other rhododendron.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Smaller leaves than typically and more narrow. Leaf underside has hairy midrib. Simple. Alternate (whorles). Very soft underside and top (unique); not leathery like other rhododendrons. No backside colour.

Scientific name: Pieris japonica

Common name:  lily-of-the-valley shrub

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 5

Mature height and spread: 1.5-2m tall and wide

Form: dense, oval

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: acidic, well-drained

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: raceme; showy urns. Red/brown capsule.

Limitations: variation in leaf size and flowers but arrangement the same.

Suitable uses: shrub border, screening. Needs shade with cool, moist soil.

Quick ID: evergreen. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Spiraled. Serrate. Clustered rosette pattern (unique). Variable leaf size. New growth from axils and copper coloured. Japan.

Scientific name: Nandina domestica

Common name:  heavenly bamboo

Family name: Berberidaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 7

Mature height and spread: 1.3-2m tall, 1-1.5m tall

Form: upright, twiggy

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: alternate. compound

Fall colour: red in winter

Flower/cone/fruit description: panicle flowers; showy and white. Smell like lemon. Red berry clusters (upright and pyramidal)

Limitations: rhizomes; spreading

Suitable uses: screening. Cut flowers.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. China. Alternate. Pinnately compound (tri) . Lancelolate/elliptic. No thorns or spines. Unique leaf structure (very large leaflet structure).

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/105?image=h

Scientific name: Lonicera acuminata

Common name:  evergreen honeysuckle

Family name: Caprifoliaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 6-30m tall, very wide.

Form: spreading, climber

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: simple. Opposite.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: blue drupe. Pairs of flowers; 3cm long, creamy

Limitations: vigorous

Suitable uses: easy to grow, adaptable. Nice on chain link fence.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Climber. Europe. Simple. Opposite. Fuzzy stems and very soft feeling leaves and stems. Matted leaf texture.

Scientific name: Gaultheria shallon (N)

Common name:  salal

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 2-3m tall and 5-7m wide

Form: dense, mounded

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: acidic, well-drained, and aerated.

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: raceme flowers; showy and white. Black capsule.

Limitations: rhizomes, spreading. Hard to get rid of. Needs aerated soil.

Suitable uses: Doesn’t damage easily. Restoration. Floral arrangements.

Quick ID: evergreen. Shrub. Native. Simple. Alternate. Ovate. Fuzzy raceme of urn flowers. Leaves in two ranks. Very leathery leaves. Fine serrations. Zigzag branches (unique)

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/68?image=h

Scientific name: Euonymus fortunei var. radicans

Common name:  winter creeper

Family name: Celastraceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 5

Mature height and spread: 0.7-1.3m tall and wide

Form: mounded. Rounded.

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: simple. Opposite.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: white capsule; with orange seeds. Cyme; no showy

Limitations: Powdery mildew.

Suitable uses: accent plant, ground cover

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Climber. Simple. Opposite. Serrate. Elliptic. White fruit with orange seeds. Leaf shape changes if starts to climb (from lanceolate to rounded; when climbing it becomes mature and reproduces). Variegated styles keep variegation with leaf change.

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/1439?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/1439?image=h

Scientific name: Camellia japonica

Common name:  common camellia

Family name: Theaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 7

Mature height and spread: 2-5m height, 3-4m wide

Form: dense, oval

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained, acidic

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: solitary, showy pink/red flowers. Brown capsule

Limitations: dislikes heat; if gets hot insects are attracted to it.

Suitable uses: accent plant. Cut flower. Reflects light due to bending leaves. Drought, shade and compaction tolerant.

Quick ID: evergreen. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Elliptic leaves. Glossy. Very rounded buds (unique). Fine marginal serrations. Leaf bends at tip (slightly concave).

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/211?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/plant/plantImages/211?image=h

Scientific name: Berberis nervosa (N)

Common name:  Oregon grape

Family name: Berberidaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 0.4-0.7m tall, 0.6-1m wide

Form: Spreading

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Pinnately compound.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: raceme flowers; yellow and sweet. Blue berries.

Limitations: rhizomes; spreading.

Suitable uses: mass plantings. Edible berries. Restoration work.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Alternate. Pinnately compound; long compound leave. Leaflets overlap each other. Opposite leaflets.

Scientific name: Aucuba japonica

Common name:  Japanese aucuba

Family name: Garryaceae

Useful cultivars and selections: Salicifolia (willow leaf), variegata, Rosmani

USDA hardiness zone: 7

Mature height and spread: 2-3m wide and tall

Form: Dense, upright

Water use: Low

Soil requirements: Acidic, well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Opposite.

Fall colour: None

Flower/cone/fruit description: Panicle; not showy. Red drupe.

Limitations: Weird looking flowers, diescous plants (male and female parts)

Suitable uses: screening, shrub border. Shade and drought tolerant (bullet proof!).

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Simple Opposite. Red drupe. Leaves clustered in whorls by growth year. Pointy terminal buds. Smooth (no hairs). Green stems. Serrations only on tip. Feels like rubber. Leaf size changes between cultivars (one has yellow splotches)