TREE DESCRIPTIONS - TREE GIVEAWAY DEcEmber 7th 2024
Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)
- Small, ornamental tree with attractive, dark-green foliage that becomes reddish-purple in fall .
- Small, creamy white flowers bloom in spring, attracting pollinators. Prune immediately after flowering, since the flower buds for the next year will start to develop in the summer.
- Typically reaches a height of 10-15’, occasionally reaching up to 20’. Spread of 6-12' at maturity.
- Prefers partial sun to partial shade and moist to dry well-drained soils. Adaptable to soil types and acidity. Drought tolerant and does well in urban conditions.
- Fruits are edible and may be eaten off the branch when ripe or used in jams and preserves.
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- White to light pink flowers appear in Spring.
- Leaves are green and glossy throughout the summer and turn orangish-red in the fall. The bark is reddish-brown and adds interest to a winter garden.
- Fruit is edible. The berries are tart and bitter and can be used in canning or making jams and jellies. They can be eaten raw.
- Tolerates wet sites and occasional flooding. Easily grown in average, medium moisture soils. It has a wide range of soil tolerance, including boggy soils. Best fruit and flower production occurs in full sun.
- Typically grows in a vase-shaped form to 6-10’ tall and 3-6' wide but tends to sucker and form colonies.
Winterberry Holly (Plant DetailShow Menu
Ilex verticillata)
-Medium and slow growing, 3 to 15 feet tall and 3 to 12 feet wide.
- Red berries that mature in the fall, providing winter interest and food for birds.
- Requires moist, acidic soil with good drainage. It tolerates heat, drought, and soil compaction.
- Can thrive in full shade-full sun.
- Low maintenance good for borders, rain gardens of recreational areas.
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
- Rapid grower, capable of reaching 60 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 60 feet wide.
- Requires full sun, soil high in organic matter and good drainage.
- Spring small white flowers provide nectar for pollinators.
- Produces a round, dark fruit that matures in late summer and attracts songbirds.
sweetbay Magnolia (magnolia virginiana)
- Beautiful native plant
- Slow growing evergreen with fragrant white flowers
- Tolerates shade or sun but blooms best in the sun
- Tolerates wet soils but needs water to get established
- Typically takes years to reach 15 feet or more
- Not to be confused with Laurus nobilis or Bay Laurel, the source of culinary bay leaves
Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
- Fragrant white flowers bloom in Spring, giving way to 1/4" purple berry-like fruit loved by birds and edible for humans. In fall the leaves turn showy red and orange.
- Small tree, usually growing to a height of 15–25' and a spread of 15–25' at maturity.
- Prefers part shade and moist, well-drained sandy loam but is adaptable to both wet and dry sites and various soil types.
- Somewhat tolerant of salt but not of urban conditions.
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
- Semi-evergreen shrub that can grow up to 8 feet tall with graceful arching branches.
-Blooms early summer with small, white and fragrant flowers. Fall color is red to purple and lasts all winter.
- Prefers moist, rich, slightly acidic humusy soils in partial shade. Will tolerate a wide array of soil conditions.
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Funding for this Giveaway provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with the City of Durham. These institutions are equal opportunity providers.