Dappled Shade
Filtered sun or a half-day of shade is ideal for most of these, but some handle deep shade as well. Loamy, rich, ammended soil is always best.
Joe Witt Manchurian Maple **Limited Quantity**
Acer tegmentosum ‘Joe Witt’
This selection of Manchurian snakebark maple was chosen for its highly striped white bark. It grows into a small-sized tree with a broad, vase-like shape. Its chalky, white and green bark brightens the shade garden and creates a ghostly frame against a backdrop of evergreens. Combine it with rhododendrons, ferns, hostas, Japanese maples or viburnums under a canopy of shade trees to create a cool oasis. The tree grows 15 to 20 feet tall and 12 to 15 feet wide. Requires loamy soil and afternoon shade.
Silver Cardinal Maple **Limited Quantity**
Acer x conspicuum ‘Silver Cardinal’
A hybrid snakebark maple that was chosen for its variegated green, white, and pink foliage. It is especially striking when planted in front of a dark-foliaged evergreen. The small branches are striped in white and pink, turning white and green with age. Combine it with rhododendrons, ferns, hostas, Japanese maples or viburnums under a canopy of shade trees to create a cool oasis. It grows into a small-sized tree with an irregular shape 15 to 20 feet tall and 12 to 15 feet wide. Requires loamy soil and afternoon shade.
Hot, Dry, and Sunny
Getting plants to survive in hot & dry areas is definitely a challenge. Although any of these will require some extra attention in the first few years, they will handle the heat just fine after they are established.
Dynasty Lacebark Elm
Ulmus parvifolia ‘Dynasty’
This Lacebark Elm cultivar is a fast-growing, vase-shaped, deciduous shade tree with a rounded crown. Typically grows 40 to 50 feet tall. Tolerates drought, a wide range of soils, and urban conditions. The small dark green leaves often turn an attractive yellow and burgundy in autumn. The bark on older trees flakes off in patches revealing interesting mottling underneath in varying shades of gray, green and brown. Dynasty has good resistance to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetle.
Sunjoy Gold Pillar Barberry
Berberis thunbergii ‘Maria’
At last- a vigorous gold-leafed Barberry that will keep its color all summer without greening or burning! The new leaves emerge in brilliant shades of red and orange, followed by glowing gold tones later in summer. Gold Pillar reaches just 3 to 4 feet high and about 2 feet wide at maturity, keeping its narrow tight habit without sprawling even in summer heat. Use it in pairs flanking an entryway, in a large planting outlining a garden division, or punctuating the sunny border. We received a “sneak peak” shipment last fall and customer response was enthusiastic!
Pawnee Buttes Western Sand Cherry
Prunus besseyi ‘Pawnee Buttes’
Jutting up from the plains of northeastern Colorado, the Pawnee Buttes are a majestic sight. This starkly beautiful land is a place of extreme weather and growing conditions and Pawnee Buttes Sand Cherry was discovered growing there. Enjoy it for its groundcover growth habit, profusion of fragrant late spring flowers and fabulous glossy foliage. Fall turns the foliage a beautiful mahogany-red. Grows 1 to 2 feet high and 6 to 8 feet wide.
