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Brief Description of Trees available from the Clay SWCD EVERGREENS Colorado Spruce: Mature height of 40’-80’. Prefers well drained soils. Excellent for wildlife, nesting and severe weather cover. All shades of blue and green. For shelterbelts. Slow growth rate and long-lived. Black Hills Spruce: Mature height 30’. Short bluish/green needles and cones about 1” long. Ornamental, sharply steeple-shaped evergreen. For shelterbelts. Moderate to slow growth rate and long-lived. Ponderosa Pine: Mature height 60’-100’. Prefers sandy, gravelly, silt & clay soils. Only pine, which will grow on high pH, soils. Will tolerate dry conditions. Needles 5”-10” long, yellow-green color. Moderate to rapid growth rate. Long-lived. Meyers Spruce: Mature height of 40-50’. Very good needle retention and high resistance to insects and disease problems; flue-green color; medium growth rate and tolerant of many soil conditions; resembles blue spruce but needles are not as sharp and branches are not as still. SHRUBS Highbush Cranberry: Mature height 8’-12’. Prefers well-drained, moist soils. Fruit is edible – scarlet red berry. Excellent orange-red Fall colors. Grows well in full or partial sun. Dogwood: (Redosier) Height up to 10’. Small to medium sized spreading shrub. Flowers are small, whitish in flat topped clusters blooming in May-Aug. Fruit is a white berry from July-Oct. Bright red twigs and branches. Prefers wet soils. Grows well in sun or partial shade. Fruit desired by songbirds and grouse. Moderate growth rate. Common Lilac: Height 9’-15’. Grows in wide range of soil types, but does not like wet soils. Flowers are purple, small, and densely clustered in May and June and very fragrant. Heart shaped leaves. Suckering. Prefer full sun. Good wildlife cover. Shelterbelts. Moderate growth rate. Villosa Lilac: Height 10’-12’. Grows on wide range of soil types, but does not like wet soils. Flowers are white to pale pink. Larger, coarser leaves than Common Lilac. Non-suckering. Blooms later than Common Lilac. Moderate growth rate. Plum: Height 12’-20’. Grows on well drained soils, does not do well on real droughty soils. Flowers are very fragrant, white and showy. Fruits range from 1”-1-1/2” in diameter and very good eating. Suckering. Thorny branches. Excellent wildlife habitat. Fast growth rate. Juneberry: Height 8’-15’. Prefers moist well-drained soils. White flowers are followed by bluish-purple berries that mature in July. Fruit is edible. Leaves turn yellow-orange to red-purple in the Fall. Prefers full sun. Suckering. Excellent wildlife habitat. Slow to moderate growth rate. American Hazelnut: Small size – big production. At 15’ can be used as an attractive shrub-like landscape plant with fiery fall foliage. Nuts are easy to crack & contain small sweet kernels that are delicious for eating fresh & cooking. Harvest from September to October. Plant two for pollination purposes. Medium to fast growth. ---PAGE BREAK--- TREES Black Walnut: Mature height 70’-90’. Prefers deep, rich, moist soils (good agriculture soil). Best sites are flood plains. Drought tolerant. Not particularly alkali tolerant. Shade intolerant. Fruit-large (up to round-edible nut. Growth rate moderate to rapid. Long-lived. Bur Oak: Mature height 50’-80’. Excellent for birds and wildlife. Prefers well-drained soils – prefers moist soils but will tolerate dry soils. Fall color is yellow-green to brown. Slow growth. Male Cottonwood: Mature height 40’-50’. Medium to fast growth; no cotton; will tolerate wet conditions – not standing water. Chokecherry, Common: Mature height 20’-30’. Prefers well-drained soils. Medium tolerance to high pH soils. Suckering. Green leaves. In May, white flowers in dense clusters are present. The flowers develop into 4”-6” clusters of round fruit which are dark purple or black when ripe – edible. Excellent wildlife food. Moderate to rapid growth rate. Chokecherry, Shubert: Mature height 15’-20’. Prefers well-drained soils. Medium tolerance to high pH soils. Suckering. Purple leaves (leaves emerge green & turn purple). In May, white flowers in 3”-5” clusters. Edible fruits are small, reddish-purple when ripe, excellent wildlife food. Moderate to rapid growth rate. Flowering Crab, Siberian: Mature height 20’. Extremely hardy and disease resistant. Flowers are white. 1/2” fruit eaten by song birds and game birds. Provides good nesting and cover. Suitable for windbreaks. Moderately rapid growth rate. Flowering Crab, Red Splendor: Mature height 25’. Not alkali tolerant. Hardy and disease resistant. Flowers are light-rose to red. ½” fruit eaten by song and game birds. Suitable for windbreaks. Moderately rapid growth rate. Hackberry: Mature height 40’-70’. Fruit is spherical Oct. – Nov. Fruit is eaten by numerous birds, including grouse, pheasant and wild turkey. Wood is similar to ash and of commercial value. Tolerates many soil types. Shade tolerant. For shelterbelts. Medium to rapid growth rate. Amur Maple: Mature height 15’-20’. Prefers moist, well drained soils. Makes a desirable small tree if pruned to tree form. Does not tolerate high pH soils. Small pale yellow flowers in Spring which are not very noticeable. Very colorful in Fall with shades of red, yellow and orange. Tolerates partial shade. Fairly rapid growth rate. Silver Maple: Mature height 40’-60’. Tolerates extreme conditions. Grayish older bark tends to flake leaving a characteristic brown spot. Leaves are whitened underneath. Sap is sweet but not as sweet as sugar maple. Avoid planting by buildings, as branches are susceptible to break from wet snow and high winds. Pruning is necessary to train one main leader. Rapid growth rate. Norway Poplar: Mature height 40’-70’. One of many seedless acceptable cottonwoods; short-lived. Does not tolerate droughty sites. Often used in shelterbelts as a temporary tree until evergreens or other longer living trees reach an effective size. Narrow crown. Waxy green cottonwood shaped leaf. Easy to establish. Very rapid growth rate. Flame Willow: Mature height 15’-20’. Prefers moist sites. Tolerates medium ranged pH soils. Oval shaped crown. Dark green leaves. Leaves turn golden yellow in Fall. Bark is orange-yellow color. Rapid growth rate. Laurel Leaf Willow: Mature height 30’-40’. Grows on a wide range of soils, but prefers moist sites. Will tolerate higher pH soils. Attractive leaves-shiny dark green. Shade intolerant. Somewhat short lived. Very rapid growth rate. Little Leaf Linden: Mature height 40’-60’. Grows best on deep, fertile soils. Tolerates medium pH soils. Pyramidal shaped crown. Somewhat shade tolerant. Has a fragrant yellow-June flowers. Transplants easily. Slow to medium growth rate. Paper Birch: Mature height 25’-30’ w/35’ spread. Offers year-round beauty, with smooth white bark, brilliant yellow fall leaves & stately grace against the winter sky. Does best in full sun, well-drained, acid, moist, sandy or silty loam soils. Tree Mats/Matting: Tree mats help keep down weeds while at the same time allow water and air to pass through and soil warmth is retained in the root zone. It is a geo-textile fabric guaranteed for approximately 5 years against ultraviolet deterioration.