Chinese Pistache ( chinensis)

Pistacia chinensis (English: Chinese pistache; is a small to medium-sized tree in the Pistacia in the family, , native to central and western . It is hardy, can withstand harsh conditions and poor quality soils, and grows up to 20.

The leaves are deciduous, alternate, pinnate, 20–25 cm long, with 10 or 12 leaflets, the terminal leaflet usually absent. The flowers are produced in panicles 15–20 cm long at the ends of the branches; it is dioecious, with separate male and female . The fruit is a small red drupe, turning blue when ripe, containing a single . This species is planted as a street tree in temperate areas worldwide due to its attractive fruit and autumn foliage.

Horticulturally, it is a popular choice for street trees in urban settings because it is very drought tolerant and can survive harsh environments. Chinese pistache grows best in full sun, being intolerant of shade; it is the most frost-tolerant species of Pistacia, tolerating temperatures down to about -25 °C, yet it is most highly regarded in warm climates. It is planted for its impressive fall colors, which develop at least as far south as Orlando, Florida. In the low-elevation deserts of Arizona, it is the only tree whose leaves turn scarlet in fall.

Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis)

Cercis canadensis, the eastern redbud, is a large deciduous shrub or small tree, native to eastern North America from southern Ontario, south to northern Florida but which can thrive as far west as California.

The eastern redbud typically grows to 6–9 m (20–30 ft) tall with an 8–10 m (26– 33 ft) spread. It generally has a short, often twisted trunk and spreading branches. A 10-year-old tree will generally be around 5 m (16 ft) tall. The bark is dark in color, smooth, later scaly with ridges somewhat apparent, sometimes with maroon patches. The twigs are slender and zigzag, nearly black in color, spotted with lighter lenticels. The winter buds are tiny, rounded and dark red to chestnut in color. The leaves are alternate, simple, and heart shaped with an entire margin, 7– 12 cm (3–4.5 in) long and wide, thin and papery, and may be slightly hairy below. 1 The flowers are showy, light to dark magenta pink in color, 1.5 cm ( ⁄2 in) long, appearing in clusters from Spring to early Summer, on bare stems before the leaves, sometimes on the trunk itself. The flowers are pollinated by long-tongued bees such as blueberry bees and carpenter bees. Short-tongued bees apparently cannot reach the nectaries. The fruit are flattened, dry, brown, pea-like pods, 5– 1 10 cm (2–4 in) long that contain flat, elliptical, brown 6 mm ( ⁄4 in) long, maturing in August to October.

European Hornbean (Carpinus betulus)

It is a deciduous small to medium-size tree reaching heights of 15–25 metres (49– 82 ft), rarely 30 m (98 ft), and often has a fluted and crooked trunk. The bark is smooth and greenish-grey, even in old trees. The buds, unlike those of the beech, are 10 mm (0.39 in) long at the most, and pressed close to the twig. The leaves are alternate, 4–9 cm (1.6–3.5 in) long, with prominent veins giving a distinctive corrugated texture, and a serrated margin. It is monoecious, and the wind- pollinated male and female catkins appear in early summer after the leaves. The fruit is a small 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long nut, partially surrounded by a three- pointed leafy involucres 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) long; it matures in autumn. The seeds often do not germinate till the spring of the second year after sowing. The hornbeam is a prolific seeder and is marked by vigorous natural regeneration.

Carpinus betulus is a shade-loving tree, which prefers moderate soil fertility and moisture. It has a shallow, wide-spreading root system and is marked by the production of stump sprouts when cut back. Because it stands up well to cutting back and has dense foliage, it has been much used in landscape gardening, mainly as tall hedges and for topiary. The wood is heavy and hard, and is used for tools and building constructions. It also burns hot and slowly, making it a very suitable firewood. This was the reason for lopping and hence indirectly the saving of Epping Forest, where the hornbeam was a favoured pollarding tree.

Prairiefire Crabapple (Malus ioensis)

Prairie Fire Is a genus of around 35 species native to Eurasia and North America. Prairifire is a small member of the genus that produces ornamental leaves, flowers and fruit. What is a Prairifire tree? It is a flowering crabapple with high disease resistance, ease of care and several seasons of beauty. The tree is outstanding as an ornamental specimen in the landscape and the fruits of the tree are important food for wild animals and birds. What is Prairifire Tree? In Latin, Malus means apple. The many varieties of these pomes stem from their ability to cross pollinate and hybridized. Prairifire tree is a member of these fruiting trees that produce copious blooms and edible fruit.

Prairifire can grow 20 feet (6 m.) tall with a spread of 15 feet (5 m.). It has a nicely compact form, gently rounded with light gray, scaly bark. The flowers are very fragrant, deeply pink and considered showy when they appear in spring. Bees and butterflies find them very attractive. The small fruits are ornamental and attractive to birds and wild animals. Each is about ½-inch (1.27 cm.) long, purplish red and glossy. The crabapples are mature by fall and persist well into winter, or until animals finish raiding the tree. Prairifire crabapple information identifies the fruit as a pome. Leaves are oval and deeply green with reddish veins and petioles but emerge with a purple tinge when young. Fall colors range from red to orange.

It is hardy into United States Department of Agriculture zones 3 to 8 and, once established, can tolerate a range of conditions. Prairifire crabapple has a medium growth rate and can survive for 50 to 150 years. It prefers full sun, in a location where it receives at least 6 hours of light per day. There are a broad range of soils in which the tree thrives.

Its only Achilles heel is extreme drought. Young plants may need staking initially to keep them growing vertically. This is a self-fertile which relies upon bees to pollinate the flowers. Encourage bees in the garden to increase yields of the beautiful, aromatic blooms and bright fruits

When young, Prairifire crabapple care should include regular watering, but once established the plant can tolerate brief periods of dryness. It is prone to several fungal diseases, among them include rust, scab, fire blight, powdery mildew and a few leaf spot diseases. Japanese beetles are a pest of concern. Some insects cause minor damage. Watch for caterpillars, aphids, scale and certain borers.

Lacebark Elm (Carpinus betulus)

Commonly known as the Chinese elm or lacebark elm, is a species native to eastern Asia, including China, India, , Japan, North Korea, and Vietnam. It has been described as "one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus.

A small to medium deciduous, semi-deciduous (rarely semi-evergreen) tree growing to 10–18 m (33–59 ft) tall and 15–20 m (49–66 ft) wide with a slender trunk and crown. The leathery, lustrous green single-toothed leaves are small, 2– 5 cm long by 1–3 cm broad, and often retained as late as December or even January in Europe and North America. The apetalous wind-pollinated perfect flowers are produced in early autumn, small and inconspicuous. The fruit is a samara, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 10–13 mm long by 6–8 mm broad. The samara is mostly glabrous, the seed at the centre or toward the apex, borne on a stalk 1– 3 mm in length; it matures rapidly and disperses by late autumn. The trunk has a handsome, flaking bark of mottled greys with tans and reds, giving rise to its other common name, the lacebark elm, although scarring from major branch loss can lead to large canker-like wounds. The Chinese elm is a tough landscape tree, hardy enough for use in harsh planting situations such as parking lots, in small planters along streets and in plazas or patios. The tree is arguably the most ubiquitous of the elms, now found on all continents except Antarctica. It was introduced to Europe at the end of the 18th century as an ornamental, and is found in many botanical gardens and arboreta. In the United States, it appeared in the middle of the 19th century, and has proved very popular in recent years as a replacement for American elms killed by Dutch elm disease. The tree was distributed in Victoria, Australia, from 1857. At the beginning of the 20th century it was marketed by Searl's Garden Emporium, Sydney.] In New Zealand, it was found to be particularly suitable for windswept locations along the coast.

The Chinese elm is highly resistant, but not immune, to Dutch elm disease. It is also very resistant to the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola, but has a moderate susceptibility to elm yellows. In trials at the Sunshine Nursery, Oklahoma, the species was adjudged as having the best pest resistance of about 200 taxa. However, foliage was regarded as only "somewhat resistant" to black spot by the Plant Diagnostic Clinic of the University of Missouri.

Cottony cushion scale or mealy bugs, often protected and "herded" by ants, exude sticky, sweet honeydew which can mildew leaves and be a minor annoyance by dripping on cars and furniture. However, severe infestations on, or obvious damage to, otherwise healthy trees are uncommon.

Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana)

Nuttall oak leaves are 4 to 7 inches long and deeply indented with between five and eight lobes. Each lobe sports several toothed points along its margin. The color of the leaves is dull green with a pale underside, turning red in the fall. The male flower of the Nuttall oack tree forms in long, drooping growths called catkins. They are yellow-green in color. The female flowers form as very small spikes were the leaves meet the branch. This tree produces acorns with a classic cap and nut appearance. The acorns are approximately 1 inch long and take two seasons to mature. The bark is gray brown and smooth when young, becoming rougher as the tree matures.

Nuttall oak trees have a moderate growth rate, frequently adding up to 2 feet of new growth per year. They range from the lower portions of northeastern United States, throughout the South, and up along the west coast into the Pacific Northwest. Nuttall oaks thrive in USDA hardiness zones 6B through 8. They produce few surface roots and can be planted more closely to sidewalks, pavements and buildings than some other oak tree varieties. Nuttall oaks are deciduous, dropping their leaves in fall. Nuttall oak trees are medium to large trees that can grow up to 100 feet in height. The crown of the tree can spread to 80 feet and is rounded in shape with a moderate density and medium texture. The outline of the tree is fairly irregular. Nutall oaks usually grow from a single leader trunk with large branches spreading outward and upward.

Chinese Fringe (Chionanthus spp.)

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) has always played twelfth fiddle to dogwood, saucer magnolia, flowering cherry, Bradford pear (yuck), and numerous others choices for spring-flowering trees. That's just wacky. Indigenous to the eastern U.S., it grows from Canada all the way down to the Gulf Coast. It's tougher than dogwood, more dependable than saucer magnolia, longer-lived than cherry, and smells better than stinky Bradford. And it's beautiful. Fringe tree gets its name from its clouds of fleecy white, softly fragrant flowers that hang from the branches in late spring and early summer. Other common names here in the South are grancy graybeard and old man's beard. Trees can be either male or female. Males sport larger, showier blooms, but females form attractive, blackish-blue fruits that birds like. Nurseries don't sell trees by sex, so you have to take your chances. But either sex is well worth planting.

Size: 12 to 20 feet tall and wide Shape: Rounded and usually multi- trunked Light: Full to partial sun Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained Water needs: Moderate, tolerates some drought Fall foliage: Bright yellow Pests: NONE Hardiness zones: USDA Zones 3-9 Prune: Seldom needed; prune after flowering Bonus fact: Tolerates air pollution; good for city gardens Bonus bonus fact: One of the last trees to leaf out in spring Galaxy Magnolia (Magnoliaceae)

Galaxy Magnolia is a great tree that can fit well into different landscape settings. It is largely known for its flowers, but has other great features as well. This is a hybrid magnolia created by the U.S. National Arboretum and official introduced in 1980. This tree is small to moderate is size, only rarely upwards of 40 feet, most usually 30 or less. It is a pyramidal shaped tree with ascending branches and interesting overall structure. It is well covered in foliage, making it a great cover spot for birds. The leaves of the magnolia a large, upwards of 9 inches long. The leaves are ovate in shape medium green on the top of the leaf and lighter green on the bottom. The large, sprawling flowers appear late April into May. These flowers are pink to reddish-purple in color, with up 12 large petals per flower. The tree is covered in large, fragrant flowers, providing quite the late spring show.

Magnolia ‘Galaxy’ grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet, with a spread of 18 to 22 feet. It is recommended for climate zones 5 to 9. It can lgrow in full to partial sunlight. Galaxy grows best in well drained, organically rich soils and consistent regular watering. This tree blooms later than regular magnolias, making this a good tree for northern climates where late frosts may occur. It seems to not have any disease or insect issues. This tree should be, if possible, should be protected from strong winds, where flower or leaf damage may occur.