TREE & SHRUB DESCRIPTIONS
Light F = Full Sun P = Partial Shade S = Full Shade
Soil S = Sandy L = Loam C = Clay M = Moist Growth Rate Slow = 1’/yr Moderate = 2-3’/yr Fast = > 3’/yr
Native to MI indicated with an asterisk*
CONIFERS
Name Light Mature
Height Soil Growth
Rate Comments
Concolor Fir
Abies concolor F 30-100’ S, L, C
Moderate
Long, flat blue-green needles, ornamental, Christmas tree, windbreak, wildlife benefits, tolerant of many soil types, resilient to heat and cold.
Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
F-P 40-70’ S
Moderate Popular landscape and Christmas tree that provides wildlife benefits, prefers well-drained soils.
E. Red Cedar*
Juniperus virginiana
F 40-50’ S, L, C
Moderate
Native to Michigan, birds, including game birds, love the blue berries, Deer resistant, aromatic, rot resistant, wood can be used for furniture.
Norway Spruce
Picea abies F - P 60-90’ L, C Mod. - Fast Drooping branches are excellent for windbreaks, landscaping, beneficial to wildlife, tolerant of many soil types. Deer resistant.
White Pine*
Pinus strobus F - P 80-100’ L Mod. - Fast Native to Michigan, timber, windbreaks, wildlife, State Tree, long-lived.
White Spruce*
Picea glauca P-S 40-60’ S, L, C Moderate Native to Michigan, landscape, windbreaks, timber, Christmas tree, wildlife benefits. Deer resistant.
NATIVE HARDWOODS
Name Light Mature
Height Soil Growth
Rate Comments
Alder, Speckled* F - P 15-25’ M Mod. - Fast
Multi-stemmed small tree/large shrub that thrives in moist soils.
Tolerant of short-term flooding. Can form thickets. Beneficial to grouse, pheasant, bobwhite and woodcock.
Birch, River* F 40-80’ S, L, C Mod. - Fast Wildlife, ornamental, insect resistant, unique bark, tolerant of many soils.
Black Gum* F - P 30-50’ S, L Slow -
Mod. Wood used in furniture, attracts birds, honey for bees.
Cherry, Black* F-P 40-65’ S, L Fast
Fast growing, white flowers and dark, purple edible berries, prefers well-drained soil. Great for pollinators. Not recommended for planting near livestock as leaves are harmful when grazed.
Chestnut,
American* F 50-100’ L Fast
Produced from trees that have shown blight resistance, help restore an important tree to its native range, edible nuts prized by people and wildlife, prefers well drained slightly acidic soil, need full sun for flowers and at least 2 trees for cross-pollination and nut production.
Hazelnut* F - P 10-20’ S, L, C Mod. - Fast Small tree with edible nut ripening in Sept./Oct. Turkey, pheasant and grouse also enjoy hazelnuts.
Hickory,
Shagbark* P - F 90’ S, L S Long lived tree, wildlife eat the nuts, staple of eastern US forests.
Kentucky
Coffeetree* F - P 60-85’ S, L, C Slow - Mod.
Very tolerant of a variety of soils, drought and pollution, often planted as a street or shade tree. Produces seed pods and seeds that resemble coffee beans (note: pod pulp is toxic to cattle). Clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Maple, Red* P – S 40-80’ S, L Fast Landscape, timber production, wildlife consume seeds, vibrant fall color.
Maple, Sugar* F – S 60-80’ S, L Mod. - Fast Landscape, excellent for timber, maple syrup, vibrant fall color.
Oak, Swamp
White* F – P 40-60’ M Slow -
Mod.
Excellent choice for moist or poorly drained locations, provides shade, songbird and wildlife benefits, beautiful fall color.
Oak, White* F-P 80’ S, L Slow -
Mod.
Superior shade tree, acorn and buds are beneficial to wildlife, long-lived.
Persimmon* F 60’ S, L, C Slow Sweet edible fruit, beneficial to bees and wildlife, long lived.
Quaking Aspen* F 30’ S, L Fast Trembling leaves give this tree its name, clonal, beneficial to game birds, golden yellow leaves in fall.
Redbud* F – P 20-30’ S, L, C Moderate
Hardy native that thrives in many soil types, beneficial to bees, songbirds, modest sized tree with beautiful flowers, popular for landscaping.
Sycamore* F 80’ M M - F
Timber production, wood flooring, furniture, the flowers produce abundant nectar, which makes a fragrant, delicately flavored and pale-colored honey.
Tuliptree* F 70-100’ S, L, C Fast Large tree, flowers attract hummingbirds, birds eat seeds in winter.
SMALL TREES & SHRUBS
Name Light Mature
Height Soil Growth
Rate Comments
Buttonbush* F 10-15’ M Moderate Showy white flowers and fruit, attracts birds, bees and butterflies, thrives near ponds and rain gardens.
Crabapple,
Dolgo F 20-25’ L, C Moderate
A versatile and beautiful tree with pink or white flowers. Late summer fruit is larger than most crabapples, reaching up to 2” in size. Avoid sandy soils, as not drought tolerant. Apple scab resistant.
Cranberry,
Highbush* F – P 12’ M Mod. - Fast Hedges, winter berries for wildlife, edible berries used in jams and jellies.
Dogwood, White
Flowering* P 10-25’ S, L, C Moderate Beautiful spring white flowers, fall red berries, hard close grain for specialty woodworking, twigs a winter wildlife food source.
Black
Elderberry* F - P 12’ M F
Fruit matures July-Sept, used in wines and jellies, provides wildlife food and cover for woodpeckers, turkey, quail, pheasant and others.
Ninebark* F-P 4-5’ S, L, C Mod. - Fast Popular for hedges and borders. Good choice for small yards/spaces.
Paw Paw* S-P 10-25’ M Moderate
Native tree, edible fruit with a creamy texture and tropical flavor.
Excellent for habitat, butterflies, wildlife. Thrives in moist, loose soil.
Serviceberry,
Allegheny* F-P 20’ S, L, C,
M Mod. - Fast White flowers, red berries popular with birds, tolerant of many soils.
Winterberry* F-P 8’ S, L Moderate Bright red berries that stay on in winter, popular with birds.
BERRIES & ASPARAGUS
Blueberry (Bluecrop and Berkeley, sold together for pollination) Both outstanding commercial and home garden varieties; upright, mid-season, large berries. Berkeley is sweetest variety and Bluecrop is disease resistant. Available as 12-18” plants. Prefer moist, acidic soil and full sun.
Blackberries – Prefer neutral, moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Available as 1-year-old plants.
Arapaho: Bush grows erect. Thornless. Large, firm berries with excellent flavor. Earliest variety. Double blossom and rust resistant.
Concord Grapes (seedless) – Sweet, seedless blue fruit makes the best jellies, juice and sweet wine.
Red Raspberry – Prefer neutral, well-drained soil and full sun. Available as 2-year-old plants ¼” and up at collar (bottom of plant above root).
Heritage: Ever-bearing variety - High yield variety with a good, sweet flavor.
Mammoth: Premium June bearing variety – Large sweet berry with high yields.
Strawberries – Prefer well-drained soil and full sun.
Seascape: Ever bearing variety – Heavy producer of large, firm fruit with good flavor.
Jewel: June bearing variety – Very popular variety, producing large, firm, bright red fruit.
Asparagus – Grow in any well-drained soil, trench and gradually add soil. For best crop, harvest spears after second growing season.
Mary Washington: Best all-around variety for garden and commercial use. Disease resistant. Produces abundant, flavorful spears.
Purple Passion: Large, tender deep purple spears with a sweet, nutty flavor.
FRUIT TREES - ALL FRUIT TREES ARE SEMI-DWARF, MATURE HEIGHT OF 15 FT, EXCEPT ZESTAR
VARIETY FRUIT COLOR RIPENS MORE INFORMATION
APPLES
ASHMEAD’S KERNEL
Small to medium size fruit are green
to golden brown russet. Late Sept. - Early Oct.
Good fresh or in ciders or sauce. Resistant to powdery mildew and somewhat scab resistant.
Bears fruit at young age. Optimal production with 2 pollinators such as Cox Orange Pippin,
Newtown Pippin, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady or Smokehouse. Root stock EMLA 111.
COX ORANGE PIPPIN - Heirloom
Red stripes over orange skin Mid Sept. - Early Oct. Excellent for fresh eating, juice/cider and desserts.
The classic English apple. Root stock EMLA 111.
CRIMSON CRISP Medium size apple with an
attractive crimson red color. October
Firm, crisp texture with a tart, complex flavor. A fresh-eating favorite! Honey Crisp, Spitzenburg, Gala, Golden Delicious to pollinate. Root stock EMLA 7.
DABINETT Small apple with red stripes over a
greenish-yellow background October/November
Easy to grow, bears fruit young. Tolerant to fireblight and scab. Shade tolerant and considered self-fertile, but will produce more vigorously when pollinated by Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp or Winter Banana. Root stock Bud118.
DUTCHESS of
Oldenburg Red stripes over a pale-yellow skin. August
Easy to grow early apple. Tart flavor ideal for fresh eating or baking. Semi-dwarf. Root stock M7/M11. Pollinate with Crimson Crisp, Pippins, Spitzenburg.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS (Gibson)
Golden apples are small to medium
sized Late September
Crisp with a sweet-tart flavor. Self-pollinating and considered a universal pollinator. Cold hardy and heat tolerant. Root stock BUD 118.
GOLDRUSH Golden color with orange/red blush. Late October
Modern, disease-resistant apple. Complex, spicy, somewhat tropical flavor makes this apple popular for sweet and hard cider. Also good fresh. Slow to brown. Late season harvest. Semi-dwarf. Root stock BUD 118.
HONEYCRISP
(Red Royal) Mostly red with hints of yellow Mid - Late September One of the most popular apple varieties. Very juicy, crisp and tasty. Cold hardy.
IDARED Bright Red
Early to Mid October
Easy to grow sweet-tart apple with a nice crunch.
Consistent producer with fruit suitable for fresh eating and baking. Stores well. Pollinate with MacIntosh. Semi-dwarf. Root stock G890.
MCINTOSH
(Red) Deep Red Early to Mid September
Vigorous, cold-hardy tree. Tender fruit with tart flavor. Good addition to cider. Pollinates well with Idared. Root stock EMLA 7.
PINK LADY
(Lady in Red) Pink blush over yellow Mid - Late Oct
Crisp apple with a sweet-tart flavor. Long storage life. Long bloom period for pollination. Good for food plots.
RIBSTON PIPPIN Red stripes over greenish-yellow
background with russet patches Late October
Classic English dessert apple. Also good for fresh eating and cider. Crisp with a fine-grained sugary interior. Lovely aroma. Pollinate with Newtown or Cox Orange Pippin, Goldrush or Honeycrisp Root stock EMLA 7.
SMOKEHOUSE Greenish-yellow skin with a hint of
red. Mid October
Medium to large apple with an angular shape.
Very juicy, with a fresh cider aroma with spicy, malty notes. Delicious fresh, baked or in cider.
Pollinate with Golden Delicious, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Newton Pippin, Ashmeads Kernel, Pink Lady. Semi-dwarf. Root stock EMLA 7.
SPITZENBURG -
Heirloom Red apple with yellow flesh Mid - Late October One of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites! Cold hardy apple good for eating, canning, cooking and juice.
WINTER BANANA Heirloom
Yellow with rosy blush Mid October
Low maintenance tree that begins bearing fruit at an early age. Large, juicy and aromatic. Good for cooking and fresh eating. Stores well. Heavy pollen benefits orchards.
YELLOW
NEWTON PIPPIN - Heirloom
Greenish-yellow with hints of pink Late October
Antique American apple with a 250 yr. history.
Very aromatic, crisp and flavorful. Good storage apple.
ZESTAR Mostly red with hints of yellow Mid - Late August
Early variety that is crisp, juicy and tart. Stores well for 6-8 weeks. This is a dwarf tree (max. ht.
8-10’) CHERRIES
STELLA
Sweet Cherry Dark Red July Self-fertile sweet cherry with large, heart shaped
fruits. A vigorous and productive tree.
MONTMORENCY
Tart Cherry Bright Red Mid June
Winter hardy, self-pollinating, heavy producer of these popular tart cherries that are excellent in desserts.
PEACH CANADIAN HARMONY Peach
Red with yellow background Early to Mid September Large freestone peach perfect for canning or eating fresh. Self-fertile.
RED HAVEN
Peach Dark Red Early to Mid July Most popular peach variety. Sweet freestone fruit.
Cold hardy to -10 degrees. Self-fertile.
PEAR BARLETT
Pear Golden with Red Blush Late August
Classic pear, sweet and juicy. Early and prolific producer. Requires cross-pollination. Will cross with Bosc.
BOSC, GOLDEN
RUSSET Golden Late September
These vigorous trees produce long, uniform golden fruits. Requires cross-pollination (will cross with other European pears including Sekel or Bartlett)
POTOMAC Green with Red Blush Mid - Late September Sweet, buttery, juicy fruit. Fireblight resistant.
Crosses with Barlett and most other European pears.
PLUM
STANLEY Deep blue Early – Mid September
Most popular cultivar in the Great Lakes region.
Produces large, juicy fruit with deep blue skin early in the season. Good pollinator.
NATIVE WILDFLOWERS
CommonName Scientific Name Color
Ligh
t Ht. Blooms Comments Bee Balm* Monarda
fistulosa lavender F 2-4' July/Aug
Prefers dry to moderately dry sites with full sun, attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, fragrant and deer resistant
Black-eyed
Susan* Rudbeckia hirta yellow F - P 1-3' Jun-Sept Beneficial to native bees, deer resistant, will grow well in containers
Butterfly Weed*
Asclepias
tuberosa orange F 1-3’ Jun/Jul Host plant for monarchs, prefers dry to moderate sites with full sun. Modest height, bright orange blooms.
Columbine* Aquilegia
canadensis red/yellow F –
S 1-2' May-July
Early blooms. Attracts hummingbirds, does well in woodland sites and open sites, deer resistant, will grow well in containers
Golden
Alexander* Zizia aurea yellow F - P 2-3’ May/Jun
Early blooms. Prefers moist to moderate locations. Easy to grow with a long bloom time. Black swallowtail caterpillars will feed on leaves.
Ironweed* Vernonia
missurica purple F –
P 4-6' Aug/Sept Does well in moderate to wet locations, including those with heavy soils, beneficial to bees, deer resistant Joe-Pye
Weed*
Eutrochium
maculatum pink F - P 4-5’ July/Aug
Prefers moderate to wet locations, strong stems rarely need support, attracts dozens of butterfly species, will spread so plant with care in small landscape settings
Little Bluestem Grass*
Schizachyrium
scoparium blue-green F –
P 1-3' Sept
Ornamental bunchgrass that forms 1' wide mounds, foliage changes from blue-green in summer to a deep, bright red in fall and remains through most of the winter months. Tolerant of hot, sunny locations, attracts butterflies in summer and seeds are valuable food source for birds in winter
New England Aster*
Symphyotrichum
novae-angliae purple F 3-6' Sept/Oct
Prefer moderate to wet sites, but know to tolerate dry sites as well. Asters benefit over 100 species of moths and butterflies, including the Pearl Crescent and many native bees.
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus
heterolepis green F 1-3’ Aug/Sept
Tussock forming grass that loves hot, dry conditions.
Gives your landscape a pop of fall color. Seed is enjoyed by birds
Purple Coneflower*
Echinacea
purpurea purple F 3-4' Jun-Aug
Does well in moderately dry to dry sites, attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees with showy purple flowers
Purple Lovegrass*
Eragrostis
spectabilis purple/red F 1-2' Jul/Aug
This grass opens with an airy spray of soft reddish, purple blooms. Prefers well drained sites, but will tolerate poor soils, tolerant of black walnut, beautiful addition to flower arrangements
Rough Blazing Star*
Liatris aspera pink F 3-4' Jul-Sept Prefers moderate to dry locations, nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds, deer resistant Sand
Coreopsis*
Coreopsis
lanceolata yellow F 1-2' Jun/Aug Beneficial to butterflies and bees, prefers moderate to dry locations
Spiderwort Tradescantia
ohiensis blue F - P 2-3’ May- Jul
Easy to grow with long bloom time. Flowers tend to open in the mornings and close in the mid-day heat. Adaptable to many soils.
Turtlehead Chelone glabra white F - P 3-5’ Aug/Sept
Prefer moist soils and full sun. Lovely, unique white flowers resemble turtle heads. Host plant for the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. Enjoyed by
hummingbirds, bumblebees and other pollinators as well.
Wild Geranium
Geranium
maculatum Pink/purple F - S 1-2 May-Jun Shade tolerant, easy to grow woodland flower with lovely blooms.
Yellow
Coneflower* Ratibida pinnata yellow F 3-5' Jul/Sept Prefers moderate sites, but can persist in hot, sunny locations, beneficial to birds, butterflies and bees
