extension.ca.uky.edu HORTICULTURE EDUCATION

Annette Meyer Heisdorffer, PhD Daviess County Extension Office

November 6, 2016

Large Shrubs and Small Trees for the Landscape

With numerous large shrubs and small trees to consider for the landscape, remember to think about the different characteristics each plant offers. The best time to plant most shrubs and trees is in the fall. Roots will continue to grow while the soil temperature is warm enough so they will be able to overcome transplant shock.

Arnold Promise witchhazel, Hamamelis X intermedia 'Arnold Promise', blooms in

February. This shrub reaches 15 to 20 feet tall and the branches may spread over 15 feet long.

The cultivar Arnold Promise is one of the best yellow flowering witchhazels. The small yellow flowers have thin, narrow petals which twist. When you see this plant blooming in February, it seems hard to believe your eyes. The fall leaf color is reddish-purple.

Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginica, is a shrub 3 to 5 feet in height. In June and July, fragrant, white flowers are arranged on a spike-like stem to form a 2- to 6-inch long flower cluster. The leaves are dark green in the summer and change to an outstanding show of reddish purple, scarlet, and crimson in the fall. Virginia sweetspire prefers soil that holds moisture. It can be planted in full sun or shade.

A nice cultivar of Viburnum x burkwoodii is Mohawk. The dark red flower buds add several weeks of interest before opening with whitish-pink petals in the spring. The flowers have a spicy clove fragrance. Fall leaf color is orange-red. ‘Mohawk’ may reach 7 to 8 feet tall with a

1 spread of 7 feet.

Koreanspice viburnum, Viburnum carlesii, is a large shrub with pleasantly fragrant

flowers that open in April to early May. The flower buds are dark pink to red, but the flowers are

white. The tube-shaped flowers are produced in rounded clusters 2 to 3 inches across. In the

fall, the leaves turn a reddish color. The Koreanspice viburnum has a rounded shape and may

reach from 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. This shrub can be pruned to keep it about 5 feet

tall by 5 feet wide.

Doublefile viburnum, Viburnum plicatum tomentosum, is another large flowering shrub.

The branches come out of the main stem almost horizontally. White flowers appear in clusters

along the branches in May. The flower clusters are 2 to 4 inches across. The fruit are one-third

of an inch long and change from red to black when ripe in July and August. Birds quickly eat the

fruit as they ripen. In the fall, leaves change from dark green to reddish purple. The shape of the

shrub is broadly rounded to a width of 9 to 12 feet and a height of 8 to 10 feet.

The fringe tree, Chionanthus virginicus, is actually a large shrub reaching 15 to 20 feet

tall that can be pruned into a tree form. The medium green leaves are lustrous on top, pale

underneath, and 3 to 8 inches long. The flowers on this shrub are eye-catching and very fragrant.

In early May to June, the three-quarter- to 1-inch white flowers hang down gracefully in clusters that are 6 to 8 inches long. This species has male and female flowers on different plants. The male plants are showier in bloom but will not have fruit. Female plants have flowers and abundant dark blue fruits that are about two-thirds of an inch long. A female and a male plant are required to have fruit. In the fall, the leaves are yellow. The fringe tree is an outstanding native shrub or small tree that is greatly underused.

The common winterberry, Ilex verticillata, is a deciduous holly and has many bright red

2 fruits that persist into winter. The slow to medium growing shrub can reach 6 to 8 feet in height

and width. Male flowers and female flowers are produced on different plants. In order to have

berries, you will need one male plant among several female plants. Several good cultivars of winterberry are available that have been selected for fruit size, fruit color, or fall leaf color.

Little girl magnolias, Magnolia hybrids, are a type of saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) which blooms seven to ten days later than the saucer magnolia. This delay in bloom often avoids damage caused by late frosts. The flower colors range from light purple-red to deep purple-red with some white to pink. The little girl magnolias are usually multi-trunked, have an upright growth habit, and reach a mature height of 10 to 15 feet. The better cultivars are

Ann, Betty, Jane, Judy, Pinkie, and Susan.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier species and hybrids) is a small tree or large shrub reaching 20 to 25 feet tall with a width of 10 to 20 feet. White blossoms cover the tree in early spring. The fruit are berrylike, orange-shaped, one-quarter inch in diameter, and change color from green to red to purplish-black when mature in June. Birds love them. The colorful fall foliage is red-orange to red-purple. The smooth, gray bark is attractive in winter. Serviceberry can be left as a large shrub or pruned into a tree. They can grow in full sun or moderate shade and prefer a well-drained soil.

For more information, contact the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service at 270-

685-8480.

Annette’s Tip:

Check the soil moisture around newly planted evergreens, such as hollies, regularly this winter to make sure they receive enough water. Evergreens continue to lose moisture through their leaves during the winter.

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