Plants Identified

Juniperus virginia

Eastern Red Cedar

Family: Cupressaceae

Native region: Eastern US and Canada, Central US, naturalized in Oregon and North Dakota

Plant Community: NE Barrier Beach, Old Field

Size: 30-65′ tall, 8-25′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 2-9

Habitat: Found in forests, meadows and fields, woodlands, dry fields and hillsides, woodlands, and forest openings in sandy or rocky soils. Prefers moist to dry, well-drained soils in full sun, but is intolerant of constantly wet soils. It has the best drought resistance of any conifer native to the eastern U.S. Can also tolerate rocky, sandy, salty, acidic, overused, limestone, and dry soils.

Leaf: Dark blue and scale-like, year-round

Flowers: No flowers but blackish-green berry-like cones

Ecosystem services: A true generalist, this species does well to colonize areas where many other species can’t, like rocky ledges with poor soil conditions. In this way, it is a strong colonizer that can prevent against erosion by providing root framework in areas where that is difficult, including old fields. It is also the best native drought tolerant conifer, making it a good candidate for areas which drought or drought predicted. It is also tolerant to deer. Not tolerant to wet soil, so should not be planted in flood plains.

Juniperus virginia “Nevin’s Blue”

Cultivar of Eastern Red Cedar

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/juniperus/virginiana/

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a394

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=JUVI

Hydrangea quercifolia

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Family: Hydrangeaceae

Native region: Southeast US

Plant Community:

Size: 6-8′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 5-9

Habitat: Found in anthropogenic zones (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, forests, roadside, fragments, and areas of cultivation. Prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Functions best with a layer of mulch to maintain soil moisture and temperature in the summer heat.

Leaf: Dark green in the summer, transitions to red and purple in the fall.

Flowers: Conical white to purple/pink flowers blooming in May to July.

Ecosystem services: Works well as a anthropogenic or urban intervention for areas of moist soil and little shade. Intervention sites include previously cultivated fields, roadsides, open stormwater management sites.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d380

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HYQU3

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/hydrangea/quercifolia/

Hamamelis virginiana

Common Witch Hazel

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Native region: Eastern North America

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 15-20′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 3-8

Habitat: Found in floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests, swamps, talus and rocky slopes, and riparian forests. Prefers moist, rich, acidic, and well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best flowering occurs in full sun. It can also deal with heavy clay soils.

Leaf: Dark green in summer, transitioning to yellow in the fall.

Flowers: Yellow and crinkled in clusters of four, blooming in October through December.

Ecosystem services: This is a good choice for disturbed, acidic, sunny, floodplains. Because it has suckering roots, it is good for erosion control. In urban environments, this makes a good choice due to its appearance and in the use of a rain garden.

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HAVI4

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a749

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/hamamelis/virginiana/

Halesia tetraptera

Carolina Silverbell

Family: Styracaceae

Native region: Southeastern US, naturalized in Northeast US

Plant Community:

Size: 30-40′ tall, 20-35′ tall

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Habitat: Found in anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, and forests. Prefers moist, acidic, rich soil with full sun to part shade. Can be grown as as munk trunked or single trunked. Grows well with rhododendrons.

Leaf: Dark yellowish-green in summer, transitioning to yellow in the fall.

Flowers: White, bellshaped, then four-winged nuts. Flowers bloom in April.

Ecosystem services: Great choice for acidic, disturbed soil. Can be used to recover soil quicker by being grown munk trunked.

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HATE3

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/halesia/carolina/?key=dichotomous#dkey

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a440

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Green Ash

Family: Oleaceae

Native region: Central-eastern US and Canada

Plant Community: Oak Hickory, Red Maple Swamp

Size: 50-70′ tall, 35-50′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 3-9

Habitat: Found in floodplains (river or stream floodplains), forests, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetlands, swamps, shorelines, riparian forests, and less frequently in upland forests. A generalist, but prefers rich, humusy soil that is medium wet and well drained. Does well in moist, wet, sandy and silty soil, among other types.

Leaf: Medium green in summer, transitioning to yellow in the fall.

Flowers: Purple, blooming in April and May.

Ecosystem services: A true generalist and canopy tree, this species is great option for a canopy intervention in a range of soil conditions, favoring floodplains and areas of cyclical flooding.

Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima

Cultivar of Green Ash “Summit”

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a868

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=FRPE

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/fraxinus/pennsylvanica/

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes, 2010.

Cornus florida

Flowering Dogwood

Family: Cornaceae

Native region: Eastern US and Central/Eastern Canada

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 15-30′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 5-9

Habitat: Found in forest edges, forests, woodlands, abandoned farmlands. Grows best in average, dry-moist to moist soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers acidic soil, but also tolerates clay soil. Performs best with a layer of mulch to maintain soil moisture and temperature.

Leaf: Dark green in the summer, transitioning to red in the fall.

Flowers: White bracts with small green flowers and bright red fruits. Flowers bloom in April to May.

Ecosystem services: Works well in moist acidic soil conditions, but also serves as a soil improver because its leaves decompose at a faster rate than other species, leading to more rapid soil production. This makes it a good choice for areas of restoration, like nutrient drained forests, old mines, and other disturbed sites.

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/genus/benthamidia/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=COFL2

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c280

Cercis canadensis

Eastern Redbud

Family: Fabaceae

Native region: Eastern US and Central/Eastern Canada

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 20-30′ tall, 20-35′ wide, munk trunked

Hardiness Zone: 4-9

Habitat: Found in open woodlands, thickets, woodland margins, limestone glades and along rocky streams and bluffs. Prefers average, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Does not survive in wet or poorly drained soil and does not transplant well.

Leaf: Dull green to blue-green in summer, transitions to greenish-yellow to pale yellow in fall.

Flowers: Rose-purple, clusters of 4-10, then pods. Blooms in April.

Ecosystem services: Serves as a good shade tree because of large space and position in the canopy. Should not be planted in direct flooding areas, but fares well close to streams. Tolerates clay soil, deer, and anthropogenic areas, either areas of man-made disturbance or urban settings.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=h550 https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CECA4 https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/cercis/canadensis/

Carya ovata

Shagbark Hickory

Family: Juglandaceae

Native region: Eastern US and Eastern Canada

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 70-90′ tall, 50-70′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Habitat: Found in forests, ridges or ledges, woodlands, but thrives in rich, humusy loams that are dry-moist to moist and well-drained. It prefers full sun to part shade. It can also survive in clay soils.

Notes: This species has a taproot so should be planted young and not transplanted. It also requires a large amount of room which should be accounted for.

Leaf: Yellow-green in summer, transitioning to yellow in the fall.

Flowers: Greenish-yellow male catkins and female short spikes, then nuts encased in a husk. Bloom time is April to May.

Ecosystem services: This species is a good anchor for large sites that lack shade. Because of it size, this species serves as a good shade tree in areas of moderately rich or clay soil that have high amounts of sun in the summer.

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/carya/ovata/

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a854

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CAOV2

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes, 2010.

Betula pumila

Bog Birch

Family: Betulaceae

Native region: Northern US and Canada

Plant Community:

Size: 20′ tall

Hardiness Zone:

Habitat: Fens, Evergreen swamps dominated by Thuja occidentalis, fen-like lake and stream shores in high-pH bedrock regions. Prefers soils of pH from pH 5.1-8.5 that medium to finely textured with medium to wet soil and full sun to partial shade.

Leaf: Dark green in the summer, transitioning to reddish orange and purple in the fall.

Flowers: Yellow, blooming in May.

Ecosystem services: This species is well adapted to areas with constant moist soil like floodplains, swamps, and riverbanks and should be applied in such. Due to its native region being very far north, it can tolerate cold climates very well and is a good choice for cold climates. It can also tolerate low-oxygen environments, making it a good choice to restore moist areas that have been nutrient-stripped.