2019‐01‐15

INTRODUCTION TREES AND SHRUBS Stick with the tried & true? or Sift through the FOR NORTHERN CLIMATES masses of new cultivars?

Some change is 200 SHRUB CULTIVARS PLANTED OVER 4 YEARS necessary! Improved global genetics

NORTHERN GREEN 2019 New pests

Smaller, lower maintenance yards

EVALUATION: Determining the impact of climate, soils and pests on PHILIP RONALD, PH.D. long-term plant survival 260 TREE CULTIVARS AT 4 SITES OVER 6 YEARS

ERRATIC CLIMATE WEATHER

Minnesota: “beachhead” for Is Arctic warming Arctic cold producing hot/cold weather April 5, 2018 Zone map: an extremes in the attempt to U.S.? match plant survival with a The new normal? set of weather > summer drought conditions > April cold snaps > Min. winter temp > Frost free period “Arctic invasion” > Precipitation of April 2018 damaged plants at a time of Do zone maps limited hardiness reflect recent trends? Watch out for Less extreme winter cold extreme cold during More erratic acclimation or weather deacclimation! Dakota Pinnacle Birch – June 2018

Downtown Winnipeg, MB Thief River Falls, MN LANDSCAPE SOIL pH SOILS Bur Oak

Typical scenarios Determined by for urban >parent material landscapes: >summer moisture

Top-soil often stripped MN is divided: 1/3 alkaline Compaction of 6.5 - 8 subsoil 2/3 acidic Freeman Maple 5.5 – 6.5 Poor drainage Soil alkalinity: Minimal water Major impact on infiltration micro-nutrient availability Little organic matter Severely restricts growth for some Contamination plants

Same site – 1 year later

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PESTS OBJECTIVES

Ornamental Revisit the plants face aesthetics of many abiotic plants challenges BUT Not just cultivars, The greatest but rather threats are ornamental living concepts with cultivar General vs examples specific pests Let’s talk less about what’s Invasive alien new and more species about what’s Japanese beetle outstanding and Emerald Ash Borer adapted!

EVERGREENS

REMEMBER: No deciduous foliage - 5-6 months of the year

‘Baby Blue’ Colorado Spruce H: 40’ W: 10’

“Cultivar-like” uniformity

Intense blue foliage

Fuller branching vs other types FOLIAGE ‘Baby Blue’

‘Sky High’ ‘Medora’ ‘Turkestan’ Euonymus BROAD-LEAFED EVERGREENS EVERGREENS

Juniper: “one of the toughest” Flowering plants Adaptable to most with perennial soils leaves

Tolerates hot, dry locations Change our perception of ‘Good Vibrations’ fall and winter Horizontal Juniper H: 1’ W: 7’ Soft to the touch Turkestan ‘Good Vibrations Gold’ Yellow foliage Euonymus H: 3’ W: 3’ ‘Sky High’ / ‘Medora’ Unique capsule fruit Rocky Mtn. Juniper Blue-green foliage Columnar form Blue Ice Bog Rosemary ‘Blueberry Delight’ Common Juniper H: 1’ W: 2’ H: 1’ W: 4’ Blue foliage Blue fruit when Pink spring flowers pollinated ‘Blueberry Delight’ ‘Blue Ice’ Bog Rosemary

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‘Ivory Halo’ Acer triflorum 1515 Sugar FALL COLOR VARIEGATION

Short duration, Still a desirable but another trait for contrast dimension to the landscape ‘My Monet Purple’ ‘Ivory Halo’ Dogwood Fall color is the H: 4-5’ W: 4-5’ product of warm Top seller days and cool Red winter stems nights ‘Cool Splash’ ‘Red Rocket’ Chlorophyll Diervilla breakdown H: 3-4’ W: 3-4’ unmasks new Yellow flowers colors ‘My Monet F.C. should be: Purple’ Weigela > early H: 1-2’ W: 1-2’ Purple-pink flowers > long-lasting > intense ‘Northern Empress’ Japanese Elm ‘Cool Splash’

MARCESCENCE HYBRID OAK

Retention of dead leaves that Interspecific normally are hybrids with shed marcescent foliage Contributes to winter value ‘Prairie Less fall labor Stature’ robur x alba

‘Prairie Stature’ NDSU More rare in Red fall color zones 3 & 4 Zone 3b ‘Admiration’ N. Pin Oak ‘Admiration’ White Oak bicolor x alba Swamp W. Oak Exfoliating bark Ironwood Sparse fruited Musclewood Zone 2 Beech

Bailey - Oregon ‘Admiration’ BARBERRY NINEBARK

Most significant Compact form shrub genus in zone 3: Colorful foliage Ornamental and adaptable

Heat & drought Excellent foliage tolerant Respond well to pruning Zone 3 ‘Royal Jubilee’ ‘Concorde’ Purple revolution H: 2’ W: 3’ began with Tidy ball shape ‘Diabolo’ in 1999 ‘Concorde’ Purple foliage “Escapes winter” Newer cvs: ‘Royal Jubilee’ Zone 4 H: 3-4’ W: 3-4’ ‘Emerald Carousel’ ‘Admiration’ H: 2’ W: 2’ ‘Fireside’ Bicolor foliage H: 5-6’ W: 4-5’ ‘Fireside’ September 29/16

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Spring foliage AMBER May 23, 2018 JUBILEE ELDER NINEBARK Outstanding foliage plant Foliage colour Compound, cutleaf breakthrough foliage

‘Diabolo’ x “Wakes up early” ‘Dart’s Gold’ Red Elder Golden foliage H: 5-6’ W: 4’ Ultra hardy ‘Lemony Lace’ Fall foliage Spring foliage: ‘Morden Golden Glow’ Yellow-orange Black Elder Fall foliage: Purple foliage Red, purple Edible fruit ‘Black Lace’ ‘Laced up’

ICEBERG SUMAC ALLEY WILLOW

‘Tiger Eyes’ Cutleaf Staghorn H: 3’ W: 3’ H: 6’ W: 6’ Selected as a A “must have” native plant in Newfoundland Compound, cutleaf foliage Silver pubescence Soil tolerant covers plant

Suckering Interesting Contrast with spring catkins purple & green Excellent shrub Fall colour: for contrast orange, red

FLOWERS

Often the showiest part of a landscape plant

SMALL Typically given a high priority TREES when choosing landscape plants

Usually the component with the shortest FLOWERS duration Double Flowering Plum

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WINTERED LOTUS MOON FLOWER PEARL BUSH BUDS

Outstanding, but H: 4’ W: 4’ short-lived spring display An example of wintered flower Many flower at buds or before the time of leaf emergence “2 week wonder” but still worth planting Flower bud hardiness Hardiness revision – now Most trees zone 3 Forsythia Flowering Plum Has survived 4 Lilacs Manitoba Viburnums winters!

Differing flower bud hardiness across cultivars (Photo credit: U of Minnesota)

NEO-FORMED BUTTON BUSH FLOWERS

Neo-formed Alternative to flowers wintered buds

Fragrant, ball- Flowers shaped produced on blossoms current season’s attract/feed growth insects ‘Fiber Optics’ Extends bloom Glossy foliage period over months vs days Unique red fruit

Buttonbush Cultivars for False Spirea zone 4 Hydrangeas ‘Fiber Optics’ Potentilla H: 6’ W: 6’ Roses Spirea ‘Sugar Shack’ ‘Marmalade’ Potentilla ‘Sugar Shack’ H: 4’ W: 4’

‘Marmalade’ ‘Mandarin Tango’ CAMPFIRE POTENTILLA ROSE

Dwarf, drought H: 3’ W: 4’ tolerant

Neo-formed Best rose for blooms from zone 3 June until frost Blooms Flowers vary in: continuously > Diameter > Petal count > Color: Yellow double White, yellow, blossoms are pink, orange, red edged in red FE Cultivars gradually turn ‘Crème Brulee’ deep pink ‘Lemon Meringue’

Jeffries Cultivars Very disease ‘Mandarin Tango’ resistant ‘Crème Brulee’ ‘Lemon Meringue’ ‘Marmalade’

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‘Annabelle’ ‘Diamond Rouge’ FLOWER SMOOTH DURATION HYDRANGEA

Why are Flowers occur hydrangeas so popular? in dome- shaped 1. Large, terminal inflorescences inflorescences – panicles, corymbs (corymbs)

2. Long period of bloom initiation – ‘Annabelle’, flowers on new the standard wood for cultivar 3. Long-lasting, comparison “indestructible” flowers Major Sepal-based, more durable than breeding petals developments in flower color Sterile, no fruit development and plant size

‘IV Limetta’ SMOOTH ‘Diamond Rouge’ PANICLE HYDRANGEA HYDRANGEA

Incrediball series 20+ cultivars in ‘Incrediball’ the marketplace ‘Incrediball Blush’ ‘Incrediball Blush’ Red flowered ‘IV Spirit II’ cultivar = “holy grail” Invincibelle series ‘Diamond Rouge’ ‘IV Limetta’ H: 4-5’ W: 3-4’

‘IV Mini Mauvette’ ‘Fire Light’ H: 5-6’ W: 4-5’ ‘Invincibelle Ruby’ ‘IV Ruby’ ‘IV Wee White’ Tree-forms ‘Limelight’ - tree ‘IV Spirit II’ selling well; (3-4’) concerns about hardiness in ‘IV Wee White’ zone 3 (1-2’) ‘Fire Light’

(L) ‘Quick Fire’ – ‘Limelight’ (R) PANICLE ‘Snowbird’ Hawthorn ‘Emerald Spire’ Rosybloom DATE OF FULL FLOWERS ON BLOOM IN HYDRANGEA TREES MANITOBA: BLOOM TIME Very early bloomers Medium/Large (July 20): Time of bloom ‘Quick Fire’ trees: initiation is ‘Lil’ Quick Fire’ Apetalous, more important ‘Bobo’ wind-pollinated the further July 31, 2008 Early bloomers north you go! (July 30): Few exceptions: ‘Little Lamb’ Buckeye ‘Pinky Winky’ Want to Linden ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ maximize Pear flowering Mid-season bloom duration in (August 10) Small Trees: summer ‘Limelight’ Amur Maackia > Hawthorn ‘Little Lime’ > Maackia ‘Fire Light’ Mix and match > Crabapple Late-season bloom cvs for all- > Cherry / Plum summer (August 20): > Mountain Ash ‘Mega Mindy’ blooming > Tree Lilac September 29, 2008 Showy Mtn Ash

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FLOWER FRAGRANCE

Can be a swing factor when choosing trees & shrubs

Consider: Buttonbush Daphne Lilac Linden Mockorange Rose Summersweet FRUIT

Ussurian Pear FRUIT FRUIT DROP

The product of fertile flowers A major issue for trees with Very large / fleshy ornamental, fruits but can be messy! Landscape placement is Sterility crucial for: option? Buckeye Pear Retained fruit Walnut is an excellent some source of crabapples winter color

‘Green Spires’ ‘Russian Olive’ WEEDINESS STERILITY

Female-sterile Greater issue than Flowers, but no fruit drop fruit e.g. ‘Spring Snow’ Flowering Crab Wind-dispersed fruit/seed A way to High germination “tame” invasive Original plant in shelterbelt ‘Silverado’ species Unwanted volunteers Green Spires Caragana Boxelder arborescens x Russian Olive frutex Green Ash Cottonwood Silverado Siberian Elm Olive angustifolia x Green Ash volunteers Flowers but no fruit commutata

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‘Hot Wings’ July 1, 2018 TATARIAN WINTERBERRY MAPLE

Perhaps one of ‘Hot Wings’ the best displays H: 20’ W: 18’ of retained fruit in winter ‘Hot Wings’ ‘Ruby Slippers’ “Traffic-stopper” Outstanding red Suitable for samaras are planting in slow to senesce saturated areas - July 1 to September 15 Slow growing

Low ‘Ruby Slippers’ maintenance H: 20’ W: 15’ Listed as Amur ‘Berry Poppins’ Maple H: 3-4’ W: 3-4’

Better tree form Don’t forget the vs ‘Hot Wings’, pollinizer but inferior cultivar! samara colour ‘Mr. Poppins’ ‘Ruby Slippers’ ‘Berry Poppins’

FLOWERING Winter MOUNTAIN CRABAPPLE ASH

Siberian-type Under-rated “The other crabs” genus

‘Spring Snow’ ‘Starlite’ > Green foliage > White flowers “4 season ornamental” ‘Spring Snow’ H: 25’ W: 20’ Fruit is > Rounded form retained with > Female sterile little loss of > No fruit color

‘Starlite’ Showy H: 25’ W: 15’ H: 25’ W: 20’ > Pyramidal form Native tree > Scab resistant Rounded crown > Tiny, bead-like Resistant to fruit - retained fireblight Spring Fall

‘Mohican’ CORALBERRY ‘Hahs’ American Cranberry VIBURNUM

Outstanding fruit Shade tolerant display in fall genus and winter Notable spring flowers Rated zone 4; all Nannyberry show major Showy fall fruit: dieback in 3 >Terminal clusters > Differential ‘Galaxy’ ripening ‘Candy’ White fruit > Retained into winter H: 3’ W: 3’

‘Candy’ Challenge with plant stature Pink fruit and leggyness H: 2.5’ W: 3’ Anything ‘Sweet’ smaller? Pink fruit Hahs Cranberry H: 2.5’ W: 2.5’ H: 5’ W: 5’ ‘Galaxy’ ‘Red Balloon’

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EDIBLE CHOKEBERRY ORNAMENTALS (ARONIA)

Tough plant with “Berries are all landscape the rage” potential

Plants that Showy spring blooms combine aesthetic and Red fall color nutritional value ‘Low Scape Mound’ ‘Viking’

Black “superfruit” Serviceberry in August Blueberry ‘Low Scape Mound’ Gooseberry H: 2’ W: 2’ 2019 Landscape Honeyberry Shrub of the Year

Chokeberry ‘Low Scape Hedger’ Tart cherry H: 3-5’ W: 2-3’

HONEYBERRY TART CHERRY (HASKAP)

Lonicera caerula Prunus x edulis kerrasis

AKA Sweetberry Large shrubs Honeysuckle H: 8’ W: 6’

White spring Compact plants flowers H: 4’ W: 4’ Self-pollinated Frost-tolerant in bloom (19 F) Red fleshy fruit, picks clean Very unique, healthy fruit Must be pitted!

Breeding: ‘Carmine Jewel’ increasing yield ‘Juliet’ and fruit size ‘Romeo’

DOGWOOD

Stems contrast with snow for outstanding winter effect

Cornus sericea ‘Baton Rouge’ Dark red ‘Silver & Gold’ Yellow

Cornus sanguinea ‘Arctic Sun’ Orange-red

Cornus alba ‘Baton Rouge’ TWIGS & BARK Bright red

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PAPER & AMUR RIVER BIRCH CORKTREE

Part of the ‘Prairie Dream’ diversity H: 50’ W: 35’ solution Selected in Killdeer Mtns of N.D. Aromatic Bark turns white at a very early age compound leaves Resistance to moisture stress that protects vs. BBB Spongy bark ‘Northern Tribute’ H: 40’ W: 30’ Pest free Selected in Dickinson, N.D.

An option for zone Male cultivar ‘Prairie Dream’ 3 growers for zone 4 Immune to BBB ‘Eye Stopper’ H: 40’ W: 35’ ‘Northern Tribute’ ‘Eye Stopper’

AMUR MONGOLIAN CHERRY LINDEN

Orange-red ‘Harvest Gold’ exfoliating bark Mongolian x Mongolian Linden Little Leaf H: 40’ W: 25’ Immune to black knot Exfoliating Need bark resistance to ‘Klondike’ ‘Ming’ frost cracking Golden fall colour ‘Klondike’ maackii Resistant to > Sunscald ‘Ming’ > Japanese maackii x beetle fruticosa ‘Harvest Gold’

FORM

Overall shape of a plant as seen in silhouette

Decreasing footprint for residential FORM landscapes

Horizontal space is limited

Shrubs must be compact

Trees must go up ‘Skybound’ Arborvitae

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Bolting COMPACT COMPACT DOGWOODS NINEBARKS

Is there such a thing? Remember when dogwoods Consumer wants mature size touched the without major eaves? intervention

LARGE (5-8’): ‘Little Rebel’ ‘Center Glow’ ‘Neon Burst’ H: 3-4’ W: 3-4’ ‘Darts Gold’ ‘Festivus Gold’ Canadian – zone 2 ‘Diabolo’ Rounded, compact ‘Summer Wine’ Red stems MEDIUM (4-5’): ‘Little Devil’ ‘Neon Burst’ ‘Tiny Wine’ H: 4’ W: 4’ ‘Tiny Wine Gold’ Canadian – zone 2 Yellow foliage DWARF (3-4’): Red stems ‘Festivus Gold’ ‘Royal Jubilee’ Original plant ‘Little Rebel’ ‘Tiny Wine’ ‘Festivus Gold’

COMPACT ASIAN WHITE LILACS BIRCH

Preserve the ‘Parkland flower panicles Pillar’ BUT ‘Miss Canada’ H: 30’ W: 9’ Remove the

‘1110’ selection leggyness and Columnar suckering selection of ‘Dakota ‘Little Lady’ ‘1110’ Pinnacle’ prestoniae x Half the size of Susceptible to ‘Miss Canada’ BBB

‘Little Lady’ Apply mulch to meyeri x patula Two-thirds the size ensure cool of ‘Miss Kim’ root zone

‘Miss Kim’

COLUMNAR HYBRID ROSYBLOOM POPLAR

‘Sundancer’ ‘Emerald Spire’ H: 50’ W: 12’ H: 15’ W: 6’ Seedless and Columnar columnar

Slower growing Wind breaks, reclamation sites, erosion Disease-free control

Pink flowers Adaptable to a ® “The Emerald Spire crabapple has a very wide range of strong central leader with tight upright lateral limbs. We notice that it has many spurs but Fruit confined conditions only a few that develop into limbs.”

“It could be grown with low branches as a Potential as Developed in hedge or accent columnar tree, or limbed up summer privacy Saskatchewan as we do in our nursery to develop a very narrow short street tree.” screen zone 2

James Barborinas - Urban Forest Nursery, Inc.

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COLUMNAR HYBRID OAKS

A new way to THANKS FOR LISTENING package a useful genus ANY QUESTIONS?

Only a dream in zone 3, but possible in 4

‘Regal Prince’ ‘Kindred Spirit’ ‘Kindred Spirit’ & ‘Regal Prince’ (robur x bicolor)

‘Crimson Spire’ (robur x alba)

‘Crimson Spire’

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