Physocarpus capitatus (N)

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Scientific name: Physocarpus capitatus (N)

Common name:  pacific ninebark

Family name: Rosaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

Mature height and spread: 3-5m wide and talll

Form: Round, arching

Water use: high

Soil requirements: acidic, wetlands/bog

Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Simple.

Fall colour: Green/yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Clusters of small white flowers. Seed aggregate.

Limitations: Needs wet area but once established can tolerate summer drought.

Suitable uses: Group plantings. Mixed shrub border.

Quick ID description: Dec. Shrub. Alternate. Simple. 3-lobed. Serrate. Bladder feeling fruit (empty ballons)

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Myrica gale (N)

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Scientific name: Myrica gale (N)

Common name:  sweet gale

Family name: Myricaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 2

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

Form: Round and upright

Water use: High

Soil requirements: Acidic, wetlands

Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Simple.

Fall colour: Yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Catkin flower; showy. Drupe.

Limitations: Suckering. Will spread with no maintenance. Needs bog soil.

Suitable uses: Fixes nitrogen and replenishes soil. Reclamation.

Quick ID description: Dec. Shrub. Simple. Alternate.Small cones (3mm) at top of branches. Teeth only on tip. Aromatic leaves (pine smelling).

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Philadelphus lewisii (N)

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Scientific name: Philadelphus lewisii (N)

Common name:  mock orange

Family name: Hydrangeaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 4

Mature height and spread: 12 feet tall, 9 feet wide

Form: Erect, spreading

Water use: moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: opposite, simple

Fall colour: Not spectacular

Flower/cone/fruit description: light grey fruit capsules. White 4-petal blossoms.

Limitations: A bit thicket like

Suitable uses: Beautiful flowers. Great for birds and pollinators. Good in a garden AND restoration work.

Quick ID description: Dec. Shrub. Opposite. Simple.  Visible white hairs on leaf surface (rough feeling). Couple of teeth only along middle edges of leaf.

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Malus fusca (N)

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Scientific name: Malus fusca (N)

Common name:  Pacific crabapple

Family name: Rosaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

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

Form: Round

Water use: Low

Soil requirements: Humus, well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate

Fall colour: orange, yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Showy white flowers; fragrant. Yellow berries (look like hips)

Limitations: no reliable form

Suitable uses: Low maintenance. Good for hedge rows

Quick ID description: Dec. Tree. Simple. Alternate. Elliptic. Pinnately lobed. Serrate. Yellow hip-looking berries. Leaves bunched on end of branches.

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Holodiscus discolor (N)

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Scientific name: Holodiscus discolor (N)

Common name:  ocean spray

Family name: Rosaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 6

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

Form: Rounded crown shape

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: Well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: Yellow

Flower/cone/fruit description: Panicle flowers; white and fragrant. Brown seed clusters.

Limitations: Fruit not attractive

Suitable uses: Shrub border. Adaptable. Restoration work. Summer drought tolerant when established

Quick ID description: Dec. Shrub. Simple. Alternate. Pinnately lobed. Fruit dangles down and lasts all winter. Distinct leaf (lobed with rounded edges, looks like a square Christmas tree form

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Cornus stolonifera (N)

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Scientific name: Cornus stolonifera (N)

Common name:  red stemmed dogwood

Family name: Cornaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 3

Mature height and spread: 5-6 feet tall and wide

Form: Tall, arching

Water use: High

Soil requirements: Damp soil

Leaf arrangement: Opposite. Simple.

Fall colour: red/orange

Flower/cone/fruit description: Small, white flowers in clusters. White berry fruit.

Limitations: runner roots; needs good maintenance or large space to grow

Suitable uses: Great red twig colour (ornamental). Erosion and restoration. Attractive even when bare in winter. Good for rain gardens

Quick ID description: Dec. shrub. White berry fruit. Opposite. Simple. Arcuate veins. Red stems (attractive), large leaves, brown bumps on branches (unique feature)

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Berberis aquifolium (N)

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Scientific name: Berberis aquifolium (N)

Common name:  Oregon grape

Family name: Bereridaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 5

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

Form: Upright, spreading

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Pinnately Compound.

Fall colour: none

Flower/cone/fruit description: Insignficant flowers. Grape fruit (cluster of purple berries)

Limitations: spreading

Suitable uses: Medicinal properties. Masses, hedges, restoration.

Quick ID description: Evergreen. shrub. Alternate. Pinnately Compound. Leather leaf texture, shiny.  Grape fruit (cluster of purple berries). Crinkly feeling leaves (crunchy), spiky and prickly leaf edges.

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Alnus rubra (N)

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Scientific name: Alnus rubra (N)

Common name:  red alder

Family name: Betulaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 3

Mature height and spread: 22-30m tall, 7-10m spread

Form: Oval, upright, pyramidal

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Alternate.

Fall colour: Yellow, brown; insignificant

Flower/cone/fruit description: Catkin flower. Brown cone nut.

Limitations: Very large, not an urban tree

Suitable uses: Erosion control, reclamation. Wetlands.

Quick ID description: Simple. Alternate. Ovate. Double serrate with rolled under edges. Persistent woody cone. Green catkin flower. Veins felt only on back of leaf

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Alnus viridis subsp. sinata (N)

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Scientific name: Alnus viridis subsp. sinata (N)

Common name:  sitka alder

Family name: Betulaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 3

Mature height and spread: 20-40 feet tall and 5-10m spread

Form: Rounded, open crown. Multi-stemmed.

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Simple.

Fall colour: insignificant

Flower/cone/fruit description: Catkin flowers (small in clusters). Semi-woody cone.

Limitations: Pest issues. Windborne pollen.

Suitable uses: Erosion control and reclamation. Very adaptable. Flexible branches therefore good for places with snow.

Quick ID description: Dec. Shrub. Doubly serrate. Alternate. Simple. Zig zag branches. Very thin branches, shallowly lobed and sharply serrated leaves (unique). Very sharp pointy buds that are not on stalks but attached right to stem.

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Acer glabrum var.douglasii (N)

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Scientific name: Acer glabrum var.douglasii (N)

Common name:  douglas maple

Family name: Sapindaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA hardiness zone: 4

Mature height and spread: 7-10m tall

Form: Oval, shrubby, multi stemmed

Water use: Moderate

Soil requirements: Well-drained

Leaf arrangement: Simple. Opposite.

Fall colour: Yellow, orange, red

Flower/cone/fruit description: Samara. Insignificant flowers.

Limitations: Very variable

Suitable uses: Waterside planting.

Quick ID description: Dec. tree. Simple. Opposite. Pinnately lobed (3-5). Very thin leaves, new growth on red stem. Lenticels. Victory V shaped samaras.

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