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Beautiful Trees and Shrubs for Your Garden: Home

Cercis canadensis in the Ross Conifer Arboretum at NYBG; photo by Ivo Vermeulen
Cercis canadensis (redbud) in the Ross Conifer Arboretum at NYBG; photo by Ivo Vermeulen

 

There are so many wonderful trees and shrubs available for your garden that offer year-round interest. Whether it's the flowers, fruit, bark or leaves, there are many options to choose from. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

TREES

The Glamour Queens

Botanical Name

Common Name

Acer griseum
paperbark maple
Acer palmatum
Japanese maple
Amelanchier canadensis
serviceberry
Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Morioka Weeping'
weeping katsura
Cercis canadensis
redbud
Chionanthus retusis
Chinese fringetree
Cornus kousa
kousa dogwood
Lagerstroemia indica
crape myrtle
Magnolia x soulangiana
saucer magnolia
Oxydendrum arboreum
sourwood
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Korean stewartia
Syringa reticulata
tree lilac
Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia) at NYBG; photo by Marlon Co
Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia) at NYBG; photo by Marlon Co

Drought Tolerant

Botanical Name

Common Name

Aesculus pavia
red buckeye
Carpinus betulus
common or European hornbeam
Cercis canadensis
redbud
Chionanthus virginicus and C. retusus
American and Chinese fringetrees
Juniperus
junipers
Koelreuteria paniculata
golden raintree
Malus
crabapples
Oxydendrum arboreum
sourwood
Pinus
pines
Syringa reticulata
tree lilac

Beautiful Fall Foliage

Botanical Name

Common Name

Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Morioka Weeping'
weeping katusra
Cercis canadensis
redbud
Cornus kousa
kousa dogwood
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Korean stewartia
Beautiful fall foliage of Enkianthus perulatus at NYBG
Beautiful fall foliage of the shrub Enkianthus perulatus (white enkianthus) at NYBG

Beautiful Bark

Botanical Name

Common Name

Acer griseum
paperbark maple
Acer triflorum
three-flowered maple
Amelanchier canadensis
serviceberry
Lagerstroemia indica
crape myrtle
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Korean stewartia
Syringa reticulata
tree lilac

SHRUBS

Easy to Handle

Botanical Name

Common Name

Abelia 'Edward Goucher'
Edward Goucher abelia
Buxus
boxwood
Fothergilla gardenii
dwarf fothergilla
Hydrangea macrophylla
bigleaf hydrangea
Ilex crenata 'Helleri'
Japanese holly
Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite'
winterberry
Itea virginica
Virginia sweetspire
Rhododendron yakushimanum
Yakushimanum rhododendron
Spirea japonica
Japanese spirea
Viburnum trilobum 'Compactum'
American cranberrybush

Fancy Fall Foliage

Botanical Name

Common Name

Disanthus cercidifolius
disanthus
Enkianthus perulatus
white enkianthus
Fothergilla
fothergilla
Hamamelis
witch hazel
Hydrangea quercifolia
oakleaf hydrangea
Itea virginica
Virginia sweetspire
Lindera obtusiloba
Japanese spicebush
Rhododendron calendulaeum, arborescens, prinophyllum, vaseyi
native azaleas
Vaccinium corymbosum
highbush blueberry
Viburnum
viburnum

Shade Tolerant

Botanical Name

Common Name

Abelia x grandiflora
glossy abelia
Aucuba japonica
Japanese aucuba
Corylopsis pauciflora
buttercup winter hazel
Daphne
daphne
Fothergilla
fothergilla
Hamamelis
witch hazel
Hydrangea quercifolia
oakleaf hydrangea
Itea virginica
Virginia sweetspire
Rhododendron
rhododendron

Evergreen

Botanical Name

Common Name

Abelia x grandiflora
glossy abelia
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea Nana'
dwarf Japanese false cypress
Ilex glabra
ink berry
Ilex meserveae
Meserve holly
Kalmia
mountain laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
cherry laurel
Rhododendron
rhododendron
Taxus
yew

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with your plant questions by email

plantinfo@nybg.org

Find a Plant at NYBG

Find a Plant at NYBG

Map of NYBG

Azalea Society of America

Noteworthy Books on Trees and Shrubs