Small shade tree with flaky, orange-gray bark. Colorful autumn leaves. Excellent patio specimen or bonsai subject. It is especially well adapted in the South, growing well even in full sun. A University of Georgia and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Winner.

Among the rich variety of cultivated maples, this one is highly esteemed for its peeling tissue-thin coppery bark. Leaves turn scarlet and orange in fall. Easily grown on to larger size despite its propagation difficulty, and VERY tough and adaptable in the landscape.

A fine newer cultivar distinguished by its bright red foliage. Whereas the more widely available cultivar, 'Bloodgood' has a maroon color, this one is redder, especially when the sun shines through the leaves. Hardy - leaves emerging two weeks later than 'Bloodgood'. Milwaukee, WI city arborists consider 'Emperor I' hardy within their urban area.

"Variegated" doesn't begin to describe this extraordinary cultivar of a species that generally lacks ornamental merit. In addition to the leaves being purple beneath, they're a kaleidoscope of astonishing variegation throughout. It doesn't burn in full sun, and is exceptionally drought resistant and cold hardy. Whether placed as an accent against larger, darker trees, or as a specimen up front, it will elicit comments from all who enjoy seeing it for the first time. This goes on your 'buy list'. Make sure of it, OK? You'll be back for more.

Bark peels in tight vertical curls. September brings a muted blend of yellow and claret-red foliage, capturing the essence of autumn. During winter, tufts of snow lodge on the peels of grey and honey-colored bark, lending contrast. Often listed as hardy to Zone 5, growers report it hardy to -40°F - a full zone rating hardier than Acer griseum.

Resistant to drought and polluted air, this maple is gaining recognition as a promising ornamental. Its growth rate is relatively fast but it doesn't become as large as Norway maple. Its small size, hardiness, appealing Sweetgum-like leaves and brilliant fall color make it a logical candidate for high pH soils or for areas where a tough, yet highly ornamental tree is needed.

To lump this distinguished small tree with more coarse horsechestnuts is inappropriate, as it has tremendous ornamental appeal. Shiny, scorch-free foliage and bright red spring flowers command attention. Tolerates heat well, stays small, and blooms freely even in shade. Among Aesculus this one is an aristocrat that merits far wider use in the trade. Truly a "Wow!" plant.

A hybrid of A. hippocastanum and A. pavia with intermediate characteristics. Best used in a broad, open landscape so it doesn't become crowded. Flowers are an attractive pink, splashed with yellow inside.

Tree-like, 30-40 ft. tall; rounded pink flower spikes with yellow throats in spring. Performs best in cooler climates.

Excellent trade name recognition because it is clearly a superior clone across a wide variety of Midwest and Eastern US climates. Grows to 20-25 ft. and develops reliable red-orange autumn color. The showy multi-colored fruits are relished by birds, and it never becomes obtrusive in the landscape.

A favorite among those who have tasted different varieties of pawpaw fruit. The skin color is pale green with a waxy bloom. The flavor is mild and sweet; the texture of custard. Early season ripening, but harvest stretches into late season.

Large fruits weighing up to a pound. Color is greenish yellow specked with fine black dots. The fewest seeds of any variety. Very sweet, savory flavor. Firm, smooth fruit with the consistency of Hass avocado. Late season ripening. Excellent blended with ice cream for an "Indian Summer" milk shake.

Much less congested branch structure than seedlings or the varieties 'Fastigiata' & 'Frans Fontaine'. Observant nurseryman Lanny Rawdon of Arborvillage in Holt, MO reports that it's a robust grower back in the Midwest, with a strongly upright form as a young tree. One of the first specimen trees set out by the late Buddy Hubbuch at Bernheim Forest is distinctly pyramidal in winter branch structure. Clonal propagation assures its predictable landscape uniformity, and Lanny tells us it survived -35 F in the harsh winter of 1983. This is a really tough, handsome tree for any landscape in zones 5-8 and for potentially harsh landscape conditions in the Midwest.

Pest-free and widely adapted to conditions from the stream-side to the neighborhood mall. It's surprising the trade has not more widely embraced this American native. Fall color is an appealing mix of soft red, yellow and orange. Squirrels risk falling from the slenderest of branches to eat every possible fat, fertile seed in October.

A seedling strain selected over many years by Mike Yanny of Johnson's Nursery in Menominee Falls, WI. for improved orange-red autumn color. A small-scale (to 30 ft. x 30 ft.) tree with a dense canopy. Its leaf and bark characteristics resemble a small beech tree with fall color. Easy to transplant. Use as rootstock for Firespire™ to assure grafted plants will survive in zones 3-4.

Distinctively unusual, this katsura has golden summer foliage. The leaves emerge with a pink blush and unfurl to soft yellow. Throughout summer the more shaded leaves turn green, while those in sun remain yellow or turn almost white. Autumn yields the characteristic sweet fragrance and buttery golden color of the species. Best for a site with some late afternoon sun protection to avoid foliage burn, as is typical for many yellow-leaved plants.

Even among experts, few seem to appreciate the distinctive character of this variety. We observe smaller, less glossy leaves that have serrate edges. Much flakier bark. Overall, the growth habit is more shrubby, almost bonsai-like for 10 yr. old 6 ft. seedlings. Flower character is essentially the same, so expect an abundant show of starry-white flowers at the new branch tips, followed by attractive blue olive-like fruit.

Large flowers, exceptionally fast hybrid growth, and tree-like form make this cultivar an attractive, under-used plant for the Pacific Northwest.

This is the first kousa released from the fabled Rutgers dogwood breeding program. It was selected it for its deep pink to fuchsia colored bracts. They almost glow from a distance. The bracts are pointed and do not overlap, developing an attractive starry shape.

The large, well-formed foliage is cast with a blue haze, very different than any other dogwood. Moderate sized creamy white flowers are starry and the bracts overlap halfway.

‘Burgundy Lace’ is a unique hazelnut selection for the ornamental landscape tree market. It is the only European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) cultivar in the nursery trade that combines dissected leaves (the cutleaf trait), red leaf color and resistance to the Oregon strain of eastern filbert blight (EFB). The tree is moderately vigorous and has a desirable upright-spreading growth habit that should be easy to manage in a landscape setting.

Relatively tight upright form, but not as columnar as the Dawyck selections. Its incised purple leaves with their wavy edges give this popular selection its wide appeal.

Gold Spire Ginkgo grows slowly but is dense and upright, only ¼ as wide as tall. A male selection, it has golden foliage in autumn as you would expect.

Vigorous, 60-80 ft. tree having abundant, bell-shaped flowers on previous year's wood. Flower clusters create an endearing effect, especially when viewed from below or through filtered sunlight.

Attractive as a landscape tree for its bright golden summer flowers that stand erect above the distinctive foliage. Flowers mature into clustered, papery "Chinese lantern" seed capsules that droop from the branches mid-summer through autumn. Goldenraintree seems to do best if it is somewhat neglected.

Wow! A knock-out new hybrid from the late Dennis Ledvina, a result of his astutely crossing 'Yellow Bird' with 'Caerhays Belle'. The blooms are strikingly beautiful, aptly named for their soft blush-pink color.

An upright, spreading small tree with abundant flowers of pleasing yellow color. If spring is warm, flowers tend toward a cream color.

A hybrid of curious parentage, sieboldii x tripetala, found at Kew in the 40's. Its upward facing, white flowers of pleasant fragrance are borne in May and June with the large foliage.

The late August Kehr of Hendersonville, NC considered this his finest magnolia hybrid, and we whole-heartedly agree. Upright in form, the blooms are delightfully fragrant. It has two significant attributes. First, it blooms much later than M. x soulangiana (6 weeks) so the flowers seldom freeze. Second, the rich pink flowers have a crisp, translucent character to them that makes a dramatic contrast to the duller pink blooms of M. x soulangiana selections. These plants are quite a prize.

One of the earliest-introduced yellow-hued magnolias, flowering precociously and reliably every year. 'Elizabeth' enjoys excellent name recognition. Well-known for its fragrant, creamy yellow flowers, pyramidal habit, and vigorous juvenile growth. M. acuminata x M. denudata

Really large flowers, 8 inches plus, exterior of deep purple-pink and a lighter pink interior, open mid-season missing the early frosts. It is supposed to maintain a good leader though we can't be certain of this personally as we've cut our stock so hard to get this into production for you.

Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' and Magnolia sprengeri 'Diva' were crossed to make this handsome early hybrid. Very dark purple buds open to medium purple 8 in. flowers on this hardy upright tree. Consistently praised by our clients as a dependable money-maker for its precocious blooming habit, ease of care, and fast growth in the nursery.

A vigorous tree of uniform, pyramidal habit, having light yellow frost-tolerant flowers. Even without its flowers, it is worth growing for its handsome, bronze new foliage. A choice plant, too-little known and used.

Honoring the former director of both Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Scott Arboretum, it's upright in form and has fragrant yellow and pink, tulip-shaped flowers. Always popular, so order early.

With a RHS Award of Garden Merit Lois, named in 1998, is a sister to 'Elizabeth', with more intense yellow flowers consistently opening a couple weeks later so more flowers come after spring frosts but still prior to the leaves. The flowers don't fade with age though they are slightly smaller than Elizabeth's.

Flowers of exceptional size, 10 inches, and perfect form and purity - rounded, sumptuous tepals which are cupped just right. Buds are pinky-lavender and open to palest pink white. It's a stunner to be sure, around since the 70's.

During the 2011 Magnolia Society meeting in Rhode Island, a majority of ladies in the crowd raved about this abundant bloomer with its rosy-accented flowers. It's a wonderful selection due to the warm color tones, blooming later than any of the other yellows and before the emergent leaves. August Kehr, the hybridizer, would have never accepted much credit for this plant he created, but he deserves all our thanks for his exceptional work, including this plant. Interesting story: On the way to see Augie from Raleigh, NC Pat McCracken and Mark Krautmann decided to accept August's invitation to name all of his (at that time, only numbered) superior yellows. Before we got to Hendersonville, where he and his wife lived, we came up with Stellar Acclaim, Sunsation, Solar Eclipse, Hot Flash, and Sunspire. Augie was too modest to name his own "children".

Spectacular large, ruby-red flowers and compact size characterize this trouble-free nursery plant. Even the large winter flower buds are ornamentally appealing with their distinctively thick protective covering of brownish gray "fur" to shield them from the cold. In full bloom, this short plant is un-rivaled for attractiveness because the blooms are so up easy to see up close.

A pyramidal tree with dark green leaves. 'Yellow Bird's small flowers appear with the foliage and have a good deep yellow color. Trouble free in the nursery, a consistent seller. M. acuminata x liliiflora

Very hardy - the rootstock of choice for a rich selection of new hybrids. These liners have an extensive root system - a bonus for field planting or potting up.

Bigleaf Magnolia appears tropical, but is surprisingly hardy. A medium to large native tree with huge leaves, impressive white flowers and decorative fruits.

The extraordinary growth rate of this cultivar coupled with its precocious blooming character make it a lucrative item. Moonglow® will grow to 5 ft. and bloom within 2-3 years. Selected and named by Earl Cully, this clone is surprisingly hardy to -33ºF. Lemon-fragrant blooms over a long period in late spring.

Honoring the great plantsman Don Shadow, this Magnolia is evergreen to -15F. Sweet lemon fragrance white flowers, good tight oval form and dark foliage combine to make it a very good tree.

A super hardy selection by Ned Rader that has withstood -35°F though it does drop its leaves at that temperature. The flowers are fragrant and the leaves are darker green than Magnolia virginiana Moonglow®.

Seedlings of the fertile hybrid, M. denudata x M. liliiflora. Many of the hybrids known and loved are Magnolia soulangiana, the saucer magnolia. Can be used as rootstock, sometimes preferred (vs. M. kobus) in the Southeast, given its warm and wetter summer soils.

Exceptional ornamental with handsome glossy summer foliage. A medium tree that grows to 45 ft., it prefers full sun and an acidic, well-drained soil. Honeybees relish the nectar of the delicate, heather-like blooms, borne on the branch ends like white bouquets in mid-summer. Sourwood honey is a particular delight, so special that it's sold only regionally in the Southeast, and fetches a premium at roadside stands. Oxydendrum in the autumn is a sight for tired eyes, as the foliage shows off rich blends of orange, red and yellow.

Upright form of a tough small tree that requires almost no care in return for its year-round appeal. Patchy bark, spring bronze-green foliage, exceptional month-after-month autumn color, and attractive winter branch structure put it into a class that almost approaches the perfection of Paperbark Maple and Stewartia. What it lacks in flower appeal is balanced by its extreme drought tolerance and overall tough character.

A superior, tight form that stays columnar and flame shaped over the years. Clean, insect and disease resistant green leaves turn bright golden yellow and red-orange in autumn. Over time the bark handsomely exfoliates. Golden BellTower is a moderate grower and will reach 30 ft. tall and 10 ft. wide over time. Makes an excellent choice for smaller yards, tight spots and is a logical choice for commercial plantings or as a street tree. The best fall color will be achieved by growing it in full sun, however it will grow equally well in part shade. Drought resistant once established. Found and selected by our friend Ken Christianson over a decade ago.