LANDSCAPE ORNAMENTALS B1 Arborvitae – (Thuja sp.) (Cupressaceae) Evergreen small trees and shrubs with thin, scale-like foliage; foliage grows in layers; blister-like gland near apex. American planetree – (Platanus occidentalis) (Platanaceae) Large, palmate veined leaves, hairy underside; gumball fruit (no spikes) smooth; notched petiole with stipule covering bud. Large, terminal buds. Stem round, smooth or pubescent, generally zig-zag. Ash – (Fraxinus sp.) (Oleaceae) Pinnately compound foliage, entire, opposite leaves with 5-7 leaflets, green above and pale below, toothed. Foliage petiole has distinctive „bend‟; fruits are produced in large groups – winged samaras. Azalea, Rhododendron – (Rhododendron sp.) (Ericaceae) Azalea – umbrella-like twigs, alternate, crowded, fuzzy leaves with white point at tip. Flowers crowded, can be single, double, or hose-in-hose. Rhododendron – no hairs on leaves, but has tip; thick, leathery leaves, reticulate veins below, terminal inflorescence. Barberry – (Berberis sp.) (Berberidaceae) Spiny foliage, long 1” spines; some leaves, 3-pointed, evergreen; some 1pointed, deciduous. Foliage may be green, purple, or chartreuse. Basswood, Linden – (Tilia americana) (Tiliaceae) Heart-shaped leaves with leaf base asymmetrical and toothed margins. Pendulous, yellow flowers in summer: Inflorescence – a large bract fused to inflorescence axis (“surfboard” or “fishing lure”). Beech – (Fagus sp.) (Fagaceae) Leaves: alternate, toothed, largest at twig apex; parallel veins pierce leaf margins. Awl-shaped, imbricate-scaled buds. Fruit: capsule, prickly, with seeds – 3-sided, winged margins. Birch – (Betula sp.) (Betulaceae) Triangular-shaped leaves with doubly serrate margins and wedge-shaped base; medium to dark green above and glaucous beneath with 7-9 pairs of inbent veins. Boxwood – (Buxus sp.) (Buxaceae) Square twigs, decurrent ridges, opposite leaves; leaves are small, entire, with white cottony midrib on leaves; fragrance.
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
B9
B10
Camellia - (Camellia sp.) (Theaceae) Leaves alternate, lustrous leathery green (sasanquas have crenate margins; japonicas have serrated margins with each serration tipped with a black gland). Flowers – large to gigantic, many petals, stamens in bundles. Cottonwood/Poplar - (Populus sp.) (Salicaceae) Swamp cottonwood leaves are broadly oval, 4-7” long, and 3-6” wide, rounded at the tips and often are heart-shaped at the base. Margins are toothed, but teeth are quite shallow and rounded. Leaves have a stout, yellow midrib. Eastern cottonwood leaves are roughly triangular, toothed, pointed, 3-6” long, 4-5” wide, paler below than above and have a flattened stem.
B11
B12
Dogwood – Cornus sp.) (Cornaceae) Twigs appear telescopic – stipular scar around twig; leaves opposite, entire, 4-6 pairs of lateral veins curving and run parallel to sides. Inflorescenses on flowering dogwoods are white or pink bracts with dark notches in bracts, small yellow flowers; fruits are terminal, clustered berries. Inflorescenses on Kousa dogwoods are white, elliptical, apex-pointed bracts; fruits are globular, fleshy, red, berry-like. Elm – (Ulmus sp.) (Ulmaceae) Short lateral branches with largest leaf at twig apex. Leaf margins are doubly serrate; leaf base is asymmetrical. Fruit: a winged samara. English Ivy – (Hedera helix) (Araliaceae) Creeping shrub, rooting at notes – twigs greenish to purplish; Leaves alternate on vine-like twigs. (Juvenile leaves palmately lobed with veins palmate, yellowish contrast). (Adult leaves broad elliptic, unlobed with palmate veins, yellowish contrast and leaves clustered, twig internodes short.) Fruit: black berries. Euonymus – (Euonymus sp.) (Celestraceae) Leaves opposite or subopposite, toothed, glossy, smooth, green, or variegated. Fruits – a capsule with 1 seed; capsules pink; seed red to orangish.
B13
B14
B15
B16
Fir – (Abies sp.) (Pinaceae) Leaves: small, linear, flat, 2 white bands below; petiole with sucker-like disc. Cones: large, erect with scales, deciduous; seeds winged, not always present. Forsythia – (Forsythia sp.) (Oleaceae) Square twigs, decurrent ridges with raised lenticels on twigs. Leaves opposite, margin toothed. Showy yellow spring flowers. Hawthorn - (Crategeus sp,) (Rosaceae) Elongated twigs, single, large, and sharp thorns. Simple leaves with small lobes; older branches have leaves on dwarf shoots. Flowers small, white, 5petals. Fruits red berries. (Christmas tree shaped leaves, ha,ha, thorn). Hemlock – (Tsuga sp.) (Pinaceae) Few leaves upside down on twig. Leaves small, flat, linear, with 2 white bands below. Cones small, pendulous; scales broad, obtuse, umbo lacking. Holly – (Ilex sp.) (Aquifoliaceae) Leaves simple, alternate with minute (1mm) triangular stipule. Leaf margins can be spinose to slightly toothed or crenate as in Japanese/Chinese hollies. Most are evergreen, but can be deciduous. Fruits red berries (rarely black); only on female plants. Honey locust – (Gleditisia sp.)(Fabaceae) Leaves crowded, compound -leaves alternate, entire -large thorns 1 or 3-pointed -thorns lacking in some cultivars
B17
B18
B19
B20
B21
Leaves once or twice pinnately compound -leaflets small, numerous -leaflets surfaces: same color Fruits – giant, flattened legume, pendulous
B22 Hydrangea – (Hydrangea sp.) (Hydrangeaceae) Leaves opposite, toothed, often pubescent below. Leaves often broad elliptic. Inflorescence terminal panicle in whites, pink, blue. (Oakleaf hydrangea have opposite, pinnately 3-7 lobed, with margins remotely serrate, brownish to whitish tomentose below. Jasmine – (Jasminum sp.) (Oleaceae) Leaves mostly evergreen, pinnate in leaflets from 3 to 7 (13), either opposite or alternate. Fragrant flowers in yellow, white, or pink.
B23
B24
Juniper – (Juniperus sp.) (Cupressaceae) Leaves awl-shaped to scale-like, often prickly; may have white bands above, opposite, imbricate. Habit: tree, shrub, ground cover. Cones present only on female plants; look berry-like or like wad of chewing gum. Lilac - (Syringia sp.) (Oleaceae) Leaves ovate to heart-shaped, entire, simple, opposite, base symmetrical. Inflorescence terminal panicle, appears after leaves borne, flowers numerous, clustered, fragrant, in lavenders and whites. (The opposite leaves form “L‟s” looking at each other as one lie leads to another). Magnolia – (Magnolia sp.) (Magnoliaceae) “southern magnolia” Stipular scar around twig Gigantic hairy buds Leaves elongate, leathery, entire, alternate Flowers in summer, gigantic, multipetals Fruits fused into syncarp Fruits are follicules with beak Fruits with one red seed “star magnolia or saucer magnolia” Leaves membranuous, often pubescent Stipular scar around twig Flowers before leaves.
B25
B26
B27
Maple – (Acer sp.) (Sapindaceae) Leaves opposite, palmately lobed with margins entire, or toothed. Fruits are winged schizocarps-samara-like. Some maples have pinnately compount leaves in leaflets of 3 or 5 (paperbark maple). Nandina – (Nandina sp.) (Berberidaceae) Leaves alternate, bi- to tri-pinnately compound and spirally arranged. Leaflets are entire, elliptic to 4” long, with short petioles. Small, white flowers are 6 petaled, and borne in panicles. Fruits are red berries, in pendulous, showy cluster
B28
B29
Natal Plum – (Carissa sp.) (Apocynaceae) – A dense, broad evergreen shrub. Simple, opposite leaves are leathery in texture and dark green. Stem has forded spines to 2 inches across. Flowers occur in spring and summer. Fruits are edible berries which are plumshaped, red, and up to 2” long. Oak – (Quercus sp.) (Fagaceae) All oaks have buds clustered at twig apex. Some leaf margins have bristles, some entire, some pinnately lobed, some glabrous below while others have tufts of hairs below. Fruits are a nut in a cup (acorn). Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis.) (Buxaceae) – Stem prostrate, upturned at apex. Leaves clustered at tip like umbrella. Leaves 3-5 veined from petiole. Perwinkle – (Vinca sp.) (Apocynaceae) Herb with vine-like branches. Leaves opposite, entire, small. Flowers solitary, rotate. Photinia – (Photinia sp.) (Rosaceae) Leaves: alternate, simple, evergreen, serrate, glossy green and paler below. Photinia x fraseri most popular referred to as “red tip” because of the color of the foliage. Pine – (Pinus sp.) (Pinaceae) Leaves in fascicles of 2, 3, or 5; juvenile leaves are in fascicles and adult leaves are scale-like, pressed close to the stem, not spreading. Cones large, erect, scales with umbo often prickly. Pittosporum – (Pittosporum tobira) (Pittosporaceae) Branches umbrella-like, leaves alternate. Leaves evergreen, leathery, thick, margin often inrolled, reticulate veins on leaf below. Flowers white, dull yellow, sweet. Potentilla – (Potentilla fruticosa) (Rosaceae) Alternate leaves, deeply and distinctly toothed and have soft pubescence. Low growing. Flowers are yellow saucer-shaped. Frequently called Buttercup Shrub.
B30
B31
B32
B33
B34
B35
B36
B37
Privet – (Ligustrum amurense) (Oleraceae) (Japanese) Twigs round, flattened at nodes with lenticels often raised. Leaves opposite, leathery, entire. Inflorescence terminal panicle, flowers white, pungently sweet. Fruits terminal clusters of small black berries. (Chinese) Leaves small, membraneous. Variegated cultivars. Redbud – Cercis canadensis) (Fabaceae) Heart-shaped leaves, entire margins, symmetrical leaf base. Petiole swollen at both ends-looks like a Q-tip. Flowers pea-shaped, purplish-pink. Spirea – (Spriea sp.) (Rosaceae) Early, mid, and late season bloomers. Leaves toothed, at least above middle, 3-veined near blade base. Early white flowers before leaves. Group 2 white flowers late spring, shape in flatten hemisphere. Group 3 summer, rose to pink, broad terminal. Spruce – (Piceae sp.) (Pinaceae) Leaves saber-shaped, pegs present. Cones large, pendulous, and only on large plants. Sweetgum – (Liquidambar styraciflua) (Hamamelidaceae) Leaves palmately lobed, toothed, sinuses shallow to deep in cultivars, lobe‟s apex pointed, alternate. (Cultivar „Rotundiloba‟) Leaf lobes rounded, teeth reduced. Fruit a hard, prickly gumball. Each fruit looks like a baby bird mouth. Viburnum – (Viburnum sp.) (Rosaceae) Stipular line around twig, leaves opposite. Leaf base often subpalmate veined, leaves toothed, often pubescent below. Inflorescence flat-topped or globular. “mapleleaf viburnum” leaves may be palmately lobed. Infloresence a “snowball.” (Viburnum leaves are usually very wrinkled). Willow – (Salix sp.) (Salicaceae) Leaves elongate, narrow, toothed, spread evenly on twig. Branches often elongate, unbranched.
B38
B39
B40
B41
B42
B43
B44
Wisteria – (Wisteria sp.) (Fabaceae) Deciduous woody vine with alternate, odd-pinnately compound leaves. Leaflets have entire margins and are pubescent when young. Pea-like flowers are bluish-white, borne in long, pendant, terminal racemes. Fruits are flattened pods, to 6” long, and velvety textured. Yew (Taxus sp.) ( Taxaceae) Leaves flat, minute, green both sides, and are radial on branches. Female cones red, berry-like (male cones often lacking).
B45