Week 8 Plants

Plant Group #3

Large Deciduous Shrubs

Amelanchier canadensis – ServiceberryLocation: South side of LeBaron and Catt Hall

Multi-season appeal: white spring flowers, summer glossy leaves, fruits turn from green to red/purple in the fall, good orange/red fall colorRounded simple leaves are serrate, buds are long and narrowTwig tips may be reddish or purplishMay have either single or multiple stems

Cornus alternifolia – Pagoda DogwoodLocation: North side of Honors Building

Leaves look whorled, but are alternate (most Cornus are opposite).Gummy sap (characteristic of Cornus spp.)Stratified, horizontal branching is a desirable traitWhite spring flowers, fruits turn black in fall, and leaves have reddish/purple fall color.Water sprouts and cankers maybe common problems

Cornus mas – Corneliancherry DogwoodLocation: West side of Pearson Hall

Leaves are opposite, have gummy sap, and curved veins like other dogwoodsUsually 3-5 vein pairsYellow flowers in very early spring (March)Axillary (nonterminal) flower budsUpper surface of stem is purple, while lower surface is bright green

Cornus mas – Corneliancherry Dogwood

Brown/orange flaky bark is somewhat ornamental

Berries are bright red in late summer and are about ½”

Fall color can be a reddish/purple

Cornus racemosa – Gray Dogwood

Location: East of Horticulture Hall near entrance

White flowers in spring followed by white drupes on red pediclesLeaves have curved veins and gummy sapA vigorous, suckering dogwood, reaching 20’Deep purple fall color

Euonymus alatus – Burning BushLocation: East side of Bessey Hall

Opposite leaves are elliptical w/small serrations‘Winged’ twigs make great ID traitFall fruits are red arilsGrown mostly for its reliable red fall colorExtremely common plant in horticulture‘Compactus’ is a smaller version, reaching 6’Species may reach 12’

Euonymus atropurpureus – Eastern WahooLocation: East side of Lagomarcino Hall

Opposite leaves are serrate, but longer than those of E. alatusYoung stems are greenFruits are a 4-lobed arilNot very common in horticulture, but is an interesting native plantForm is upright and loose and fall color may be yellow

Euonymus fortunei var. vegeta – Bigleaf Wintercreeper

Location: Along path between Landscape Architecture and Food Science

Opposite, glossy, serrated leaves on this broadleaf evergreenStems and fleshy buds are greenMay have fruitsSpreading and climbing (aerial roots on stems)Lots of insect and disease problems, particularly scales

Exochorda xmacrantha – Hybrid PearlbushLocation: South of Hamilton Hall

Leaves are alternate and elliptical to lanceolateLeaves may have little spines at the tips, and stipules at the bases of the petiolesBuds are plump and rusty coloredWhite spring flowers are followed by 5-sided star-like fruit capsuleFlowers are only ornamental appeal

Bud and stipules

Hydrangea paniculata – Panicle HydrangeaLocation: Southeast corner of Bessey

Leaves arrangement is opposite (may be whorled)Blooms white in the fall, flowers fade to pinkPanicles include sterile and fertile flowers

Philadelphus coronarius – Sweet MockorangeLocation: East of Honors Building.

Opposite leaves with few teeth along marginWhite spring flowers with sweet fragrance Nearly right angles of branch attachmentFruit (capsules) remain on the plant into fallYounger twigs are dark reddish, while older twigs are lighter tanAn old fashioned shrub grown for its flowers

Rhus aromatica – Fragrant SumacLocation: Lincoln Way median and NE corner of library

Trifoliate leaves with indentations along the marginLeaves are aromatic when crushedMale catkins form in the fall and pollinate yellow female flowers in the springPotential for good red/purple fall color‘Gro-low’ only gets 2’ tall and is wide spreadingGood sumac for smaller spaces, groundcovers, and erosion control

Rhus typhina – Staghorn SumacLocation: East side of Catt HallLarge pinnately compound leaves have serrationsFuzzy pubescence on stems and petiolesColonizing large shrub with coarse appearanceStriking red/purple fall color Inflorescences are also ornamental and remain into winter

Rhus typhina – Staghorn Sumac

Rhus glabra – Smooth SumacLocation: Northeast corner of Molecular Biology

Smooth stems…no pubescenceOtherwise similar to staghorn sumacAll three sumacs we’ve covered in class are native

Syringa vulgaris – Common LilacLocation: Many places, Marston Hall

Opposite leaves and large, green terminal buds in pairs.Chordate leaves are larger than those of S. chinensis.

Advantage: Large, fragrant flowers, hundreds of cultivars

Drawbacks: Leggy, irregular form, powdery mildew, single season appealOther lilacs have better form, more disease resistance,and are more useful in residential landscapes

Viburnum dentatum – Arrowwood Viburnum

Location: South of Horticulture Greenhouses

Opposite, dentate (toothed), glossy leavesBuds are not valvateWhite, flat topped flowers in spring, followed by blue drupes – both ornamentalAn upright viburnum good for screeningUsually good reddish-purple fall leaf colorGood disease resistance and shade toleranceNative to Iowa and the Midwest

Viburnum dilatatum – Linden ViburnumLocation: Near parking lot west of Forker (near fir trees)

Round leaves are opposite with small serrations Pubescent petioles, buds, and stemDoes not have valvate budsFlowers profuselyOutstanding fruits this year, but not alwaysQuestionable hardiness to the northReaches about 10’ at maturity

Viburnum farreri – Fragrant ViburnumLocation: East side of Communications Building

Opposite leaves are obovate with coarse serrationsTerminal buds are large, have scales, and are not valvateTwigs and petioles may be reddishFlowers very early (April) and has red fruits in the fallFruits usually drop early and leaves produce little fall colorReaches 14’

Viburnum lantana – Wayfaringtree ViburnumLocation: East of Lagomarcino Hall

Large leathery leaves…not as long as V. xrhytidophylloidesObvious vegetative and flower (cauliflower-like) budsFlat-topped white flowers in spring, but some buds may open in fallRed fruits in the fall…not abundant this yearGood semi-evergreen screen

Flower Buds

Viburnum lentago – Nannyberry ViburnumLocation: West side of Kildee Hall and west side of Horticulture Greenhouses

Opposite leaves are larger than those on V. prunifoliumCreamy white flowers in may and fruits that turn from green, to pink, to blue in fallHas valvate buds like V. prunifoliumA native viburnum, but is inferior because of disease – particularly powdery mildewHas the potential for nice reddish/purple if not totally disfigured by mildew .

Viburnum xrhytidophylloides – Lantanaphyllum Viburnum

Location: Southeast corner of General Services Bld.

Large, coarse leaves, longer than those on V. lantanaProduces white cymes of flowers in springBig flower buds look like cauliflowerSemi-evergreen

Vegetative Buds