TREE DESCRIPTIONS - TREE GIVEAWAY mARCH 22ND 2025
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 and persist after leaves drop, providing winter interest and food for birds.
- Prefers moist, acidic soil with good drainage. It tolerates heat, drought, and soil compaction.
- Can thrive in full shade or full sun.
- Low maintenance good for borders, rain gardens of recreational areas.
aMERICAN hORNBEAM
(Carpinus caroliniana)
- Common name of muscle wood from its smooth bark with bumps resembling muscles.
-Medium tree that grows 20-30 feet tall.
- Prefers moist, sandy or loamy soil.
- Wildlife friendly perfect for pollinator or native garden.
- Produces small, yellow edible nuts.
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.
Willow Oak
(quercus phellos)
- Medium to large fast growing oak. It may grow 40-75 feet tall and wide.
-Balanced and rounded form, the perfect shade tree.
- High value tree for wildlife such as Imperial Moths and many butterfly species.
- Easy growing and adaptable to many soil and light conditions.
Northern Red oak (quercas ruba)
- Medium to large fast growing oak. It may grow 40-75 feet tall and wide.
- Known for vibrant red fall foliage.
-High value tree for wildlife such as Imperial Moths and many butterfly species.
-Easy growing and adaptable to many soil and light conditions.
American Fringe Tree
(Chionanthus virginicus)
-Grows about 6 to 10 inches each year and reaches 12-20 feet tall.
-Full to part sun with the best foliage in partial shade and the best flowering in full sun. Plant in average to rich, well-drained neutral to alkaline soil.
-In late spring, fragrant flower clusters with creamy white fringe-like petals appear.
-Berries are beneficial food source for birds and other wildlife.
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.