Author Archives: kaitlin mcgeary

Zelkova serrata

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Scientific name: Zelkova serrata

Common name:  Japanese zelkova

Family name: Ulmaceae

Useful cultivars and selections: Villa green

USDA hardiness zone: 5

Mature height and spread: 22-30m tall, 15-25m wide

Form: Vase and low branching

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Drupe. Insignificant flowers

Limitations: Hard to get from the nursery.

Suitable uses: tough tree. Good scale.

Quick ID: Dec. Tree. Simple. Alternate. Leathery leaves. Elliptic. Strong veins. Obvious teeth; point tip, teeth rounded over. Each vein ends at a tooth. More symmetrical leaf base than elms.

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Vaccinium corymbosum

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Scientific name: Vaccinium corymbosum

Common name:  blueberry

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 3

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

Form: vase, arching

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: acidic

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: red

Flower/cone/fruit description: raceme urn flowers (showy, white), blue/black berry.

Limitations: Wants moist, acidic soil.

Suitable uses: shrub border. Edible. Great fall colour.

Quick ID: Dec. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Leathery. Red/brown stems. Urn flowers. Blue berry.  Smooth margins.

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https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/1149?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/1149?image=h

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Salix scouleriana

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Scientific name: Salix scouleriana

Common name:  Western pussy willow

Family name: Salicaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 4

Mature height and spread: 5-7m tall, 4-5m wide

Form: oval, upright

Water use: high

Soil requirements: bog

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: insignificant

Flower/cone/fruit description: Catkin. Brown capsules; insignificant.

Limitations: needs a bog. Messy looking.

Suitable uses: Grows quickly, attracts wildlife.

Quick ID: Dec. shrub. Simple. Alternate. Elliptic. Green on top, silver white on bottom. Small catkins (pussy willow-like). Many bids congested at tip. Fuzzy buds and stems (lightly).

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https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/521?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/521?image=h

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Rhododendron ‘PJM’

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Scientific name: Rhododendron ‘PJM’

Common name:  PJM rhododendron

Family name: Ericaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 4

Mature height and spread: 0.7-1.3m tall, 1-1.5m wide

Form: dense, round

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: acidic, well drained

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: Goes lightly bronzed in winter

Flower/cone/fruit description: raceme flowers (showy pink), absent fruit.

Limitations: Fall colour can make the plant look dead.

Suitable uses: mixed shrub border. Very robust and tough.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Leaves whorls at tips. Elliptic. No underside colour. Unique smell (olives) when leaves ripped.

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Quercus rubra

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Scientific name: Quercus rubra

Common name:  red oak

Family name: Fagaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 5

Mature height and spread: 22-30m tall, 15-25m wide

Form: spreading, round

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: acidic

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate

Fall colour: yellow/red

Flower/cone/fruit description: Catkin; not showy. Brown nut.

Limitations: Large scale. Not residential. Full sun. Susceptible to oak leaf skeletonizer pest.

Suitable uses: Specimen plant.

Quick ID: Dec. Tree. Lobed. Simple. Alternate. Elliptic. Pointed lobs (7-11, but not as deep sinuses as pin oak). Buds dark red. Brown nut. Leaves variable in shape and size.

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/143?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/143?image=h

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https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/143?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/143?image=h

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Quercus frainetto

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Scientific name: Quercus frainetto

Common name:  Hungarian oak

Family name: Fagaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 38m tall and 20m wide

Form: Upright

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: Heavy, acidic soils, well-drained

Leaf arrangement: alternate. Simple.

Fall colour: Brown/yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Acorns.

Limitations: Variable in shape and size. Needs lots of room (good for park or large back yard)

Suitable uses: Good looking; should be planted more. Very adaptable.

Quick ID: Dec. Tree. Large leaves. Deep parallel lobes (in sub-lobes). Leaves covered in haris. Acorns. Long, pointy buds. Alternate. Simple.

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Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’

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Scientific name: Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’

Common name:  cherry plum

Family name: Roseaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 5

Mature height and spread: 7-10m wide and tall

Form: Round and spreading

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: Well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: Red.

Flower/cone/fruit description: Solitary flowers; showy. Drupe (yellow, red).

Limitations: Sometimes looks a bit sickly

Suitable uses: Accent plant. Street tree. Shade tree. Adaptable. Good, small tree for residential.

Quick ID: Dec. Tree. Dark purple leaves all year round. Dark red (cherry/plum-like) fruit. Simple. Alternate. Elliptic. Serrate. Edible fruit.

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Phyllostachys aurea

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Scientific name: Phyllostachys aurea

Common name:goldstem bamboo  

Family name: Poaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 7

Mature height and spread: 7-10m tall, 5-7m wide

Form: Oval, arching

Water use: low

Soil requirements: well-drained, humus

Leaf arrangement: simple. alternate

Fall colour: green/yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Panicle flowers (brown purple), grain fruit.

Limitations: Running bamboo; needs to be contained.

Suitable uses: Container planting. Mass planting.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Bamboo. Flat groove on stem. Simple. Alternate. Lanceolate. Grain fruit (brown). Leaves only on tips of stems (pairs at ends). Yellow stem.

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/452?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/452?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/452?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/452?image=h

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Parthenocissus tricuspidata

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Scientific name: Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Common name:  Boston ivy

Family name: Vitaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 4

Mature height and spread: 15-22m tall, spread 3-5m

Form: Climbing

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained, humus rich.

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: Red, orange

Flower/cone/fruit description: Panicle; insignificant. Black/blue berry.

Limitations: Very hard to remove off building

Suitable uses: Climbing vine. Great climber. Beautiful fall colour

Quick ID: Dec. Vine. Lenticels. Ovate. Simple. Alternate. Self clinging. Blue/black berry (looks like a blueberry) on red stems. 3 lobed leaves (tricuspidata)

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Ilex crenata ‘Convexa’

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Scientific name: Ilex crenata ‘Convexa’

Common name:  Japanese holly

Family name: Aquifoliaceae

Useful cultivars and selections: Sky pencil (very upright)

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 1.3-2m wide and tall

Form: Round and dense

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: None

Flower/cone/fruit description: Cyme; insignificant. Black drupe.

Limitations: Can get mites but not often.

Suitable uses: Border shrub. Hedge. Hardy and reliable.

Quick ID: Evergreen. Shrub. Black drupe. Simple. Alternate. Black berries. Leaves on end curve upwards. Very tiny leaves (5mm) and very short petioles.

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/86?image=h

https://plantdatabase.kwantlen.ca/plant/plantImages/86?image=h

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