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Platanus occidentalis is commonly known as the American sycamore, and is also referred to as the Occidental plane, American plane and Buttonwood. This is familiar and very common species that first originated from North America. It is generally called a sycamore wherever it is widespread, and is a name that is also used for many other trees in other areas of the world.

Appearance

An American Sycamore tree is recognized most easily by the mottled, exfoliating bark it has. While all barks have to yield to give way to a growing trunk, the sycamore is possibly the tree that exhibits the exfoliation process more so than all other trees. continue reading…

The Black Walnut, scientifically known as Juglans nigra, is a flowering tree that belongs to the hickory family. This species of tree is native to eastern North America. It grows mainly in riparian zones, from places such as south Ontario, South Dakota, Georgia, central Texas and northern Florida.

Appearance

This tree is a large deciduous species that can grow to heights of forty feet. If it faces forest competition, it will develop a tall, clear bole. Unlike the open-grown form, it doesn’t have a short bole with a broad crown. The Black Walnut has a grey-black bark which is deeply furrowed. The centre of the twigs has air spaces in it. The leaves are alternate and pinnate, with the largest leaves being found in the centre. continue reading…

Fraxinus pennsylvanica is commonly known as Green Ash or Red Ash. It is a species of Ash tree that is native to central and eastern North America. It can be found in Nova Scotia, Alberta, Colorado, Florida and Texas. It is sometimes also known as the downy ash, water ash or swamp ash. It is a fast growing tree when located on moist bottomlands, and is extremely resistant to extreme climates once it gets established in an area.

Appearance

The Green Ash is a medium-sized deciduous tree that can reach heights o up to twenty five meters, and very rarely, forty five meters. Its trunk can be up to sixty centimetres in diameter. Young trees have a smooth, grey bark, which thicken and become fissured as the tree grows older. continue reading…

River Birch is a deciduous tree, which is also known as the Water Birch. This is a species of birch that originated from the eastern parts of the United States from west New Hampshire to south Minnesota. It has since spread south to Florida and Texas. It is one of the common trees found in swamps and flood plains.

Appearance

These trees can grow to heights of twenty five meters, and very rarely, thirty meters. The trunks can be quite impressively large, with diameters of fifty centimetres, or very rarely, one hundred and fifty centimetres. It often has multiple trunks. The River Birch has a bark that varies in colour from pinkish brown to dark grey-brown, and can vary from being scaly, flaky or smooth. The twigs are thin and hairy and give no odour when scraped. It has broad, alternate leaves. continue reading…

Rose of Sharon, or Hibiscus syriacus, is a deciduous flowering shrub that has a few other common names. These are Rose of Althea and Shrub Althea. It is an ornamental shrub that is widely collected.

These are very valuable shrubs because of the fact that it has a late blooming period compared to other shrubs. It blooms around August, which means that your Rose of Sharon bush will offer you colour when many of your other shrubs have stopped blooming.

Appearance

These shrubs can grow to heights between eight and ten inches and have a spread of four to six inches. Some cultivars tend to stay shorter than that. Most bushes have small, deeply-lobed, light green leaves. It is vase-shaped and similar to other species of hibiscus, these bushes have flowers that come with a striking stamen. continue reading…

The Leyland Cyprus Leylandii tree resembles a typical Christmas tree and is often used as such. Naturally shaped in a triangular pattern, this tree can also be shaped by hand to form a bush-like tree and can be used for privacy or to prevent severe wind. Growing in excess of 40-50 feet at maturity, this particular tree grows rapidly while young, effortlessly growing three to four feet per year. The record for the largest Leyland Cyprus Leylandii tree was last recorded at 130ft and growing, but due to its shallow root system large trees such as this have been known to tumble over. The shallow roots are the main reason to attempt to keep this tree out of harsh summer conditions, if at all possible, because they are susceptible to Cyprus canker disease, which is caused by a fungus. This disease leads to dieback and eventually will kill the tree. Despite that, the Leyland Cyprus can be quite hardy, easily growing to massive heights even in the worst of conditions, although it does do better in full to partial sun with excellent drainage.

The branches are covered in feather-esc foliage that has soft leaves on flat, smaller branches. While young its leaves are a mellow green and when mature they turn a dark blue-green. This Cyprus contains no flowers, yet it does produce cones that enclose the tree’s seeds. It also displays a beautiful reddish-brown bark. When branches are clipped, one should use caution while handling the clippings as the sap from this tree can cause extreme skin irritation in some individuals. continue reading…

The eastern United States is no stranger to the beauty of the American Boxwood. The bush has been planted and cultivated into breathtaking lawn scape for about three hundred years now. The reason why this hardy bush is still such a favorite is the ability to trim them as topiary into any shape or size. Some of the most intricate lawn designs, including everything from mazes to animals, have been made from the boxwood. Also, you can just stick with the name and keep them into “box” shape.

The American Boxwood is a very hardy bush, being able to take cold conditions in stride. Even if piled with ice and snow, the branches will resist breaking. Also, the wind during the stormy season won’t be able to cause as much injury to the plant. This makes it a perfect windbreaker. During low rain seasons, the plant will still be able to maintain health. It has been know to keep it’s vitality even in drought-like conditions. This variety of boxwood is very resistant to disease, which also makes it long living as well. Another reason why being resistant to diseases is good is that it can help prevent the spread of diseases from one section of shrubbery to the next. continue reading…

One of the types of bushes gaining popularity in use as a hedge is the American Holly. Out of the many types of bushes and hedges available to plant, the Holly makes a beautiful addition while being very easy to maintain. The ease of growing and adaptability of planting conditions are causing the classic holiday bush to become even more mainstream as everyday hedges.

Privacy and noise reduction are two of the major reasons why a person would decide to plant hedges around the lawn area. American Holly is able to reduce a good portion of the unwanted sound due to it’s thickness of foliage. This full, dense leafage also makes for one of the best natural screens as well. The beauty of the hedge makes the Holly a choice in demand as well. The vivid dark green shiny leaves are nice to look at all year round, but when the white fruit flowers and the sharp red of the fruit are played against the green, it is quite breathtaking. continue reading…

A good landscaping choice for a difficult yard is the Canadian Hemlock. There are several reasons why people like to use the tree in their yards. The two main ones are that the tree can be trained and trimmed to be the size the yard owner wants it to remain. The other major draw to using Canadian Hemlock is it’s ability to grow well whether in the shade or sitting in full sun. Unlike many other plants and shrubs, the Hemlock is able to do well in a variety of pH soil levels. This makes it easy to place in any area of a person’s yard.

Though the tree hails from eastern Canada, it also does well in the eastern half of North America as well. It can be recognized in the area by it’s full foliage which gracefully branches down to the ground around it. That foliage can spread around the tree anywhere from 25 feet to as big as 40 feet. A lot of the size difference depends on how it has been trimmed as well. While the upper side of the smallish needles on the Canadian Hemlock’s stems are a rich dark green in color, the bottom side shows a green much lighter in tint.

Many homeowners and professional landscapers prefer using the tree since it makes an easy addition to many different yard plans. Certain varieties of Canadian Hemlock can also be planted along with other fragrant shrubs to give off a fresh and vibrant scent to the area. Good choices to plant along with the Hemlock are shrub type plants which will stand strong along with the smaller bushes are Lavender, and Woody Sage. The tiny varieties can make a wonderful separator between garden areas and lawns, and the larger ones can really provide a home owner with privacy in their yards as well. continue reading…

The ornamental Korean Black Pine Pinus Tree is very beautiful, and takes a lot of maintenance. Many people choose to plant it because of it’s bonzi tree appearance, classic stature, and ability to grow in temperate climates. Though, the tree will do much better if placed into a warmer area. This tree requires at least five hours of direct sun per day which is something the planter must keep in mind before choosing the tree.

Another major consideration is the type of soil the Korean Black Pine Pinus Tree is going to be put in. It is not difficult at all for the tree to develop a bad case of rotting roots if the soil it’s placed in is not able to drain well. If the planting area is not known for really good drainage, the planter may want to think about adding gravel or other materials to the planting site in order to keep the water from pooling around the roots. Also, having too much water will affect the growth of the tree. If there isn’t healthy and steady growth happening, lack of well draining soil could be the culprit. continue reading…