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Where the garden meets the wild
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| TREES & SHRUBS A - B | |
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| ABIES FIR Pinaceae (Pine family) | |
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Abies balsamea (L.)
Mill. Balsam fir, Balm of Gilead. With its sweet, resiny,
"balsam" scent, this is the tree that smells like old-fashioned
Christmas. You could keep it in a pot, deck it for the holidays, then plant
it in spring. We have a small hedge of it in a narrow place where we can
brush against it, releasing its scent every time we pass. Balsam fir is conical and its
needles lie flat, dark green above and grey-green below. It is native to very cold
parts of North America east of the Rockies. Height to 30 m (100'). Zone
2.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00 |
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ACER MAPLE Sapindaceae (Soapberry and Maple family) |
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Photograph © Paige Woodward
Photograph © Pat Woodward
Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Acer circinatum Pursh. Vine maple. This small deciduous tree or large shrub produces many leggy
trunks; its irregular, graceful, casual habit is at home in both western
and Asian gardens. It is also suited to penjing and bonsai. Native from SW British Columbia to
California, A. circinatum has acid-green leaves and red twigs on new growth, rose-tinged,
dangling flowers in spring ~ click on our photograph to see them ~ and leaves that are scarlet in autumn.
Chemicals in its roots discourage some undergrowth, but many native plants
and bulbs thrive in its shade. Moist humus and dappled shade to
full sun. Height 3-10
m (10-30'). Zone 5.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00. Larger sizes sometimes available. Please inquire. |
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Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Acer glabrum
var. douglasii
(Hooker) Dippel. Douglas maple, Rocky Mountain maple. This
variable, often shrubby deciduous tree has multiple trunks that are broader
and more erect than those of A. circinatum. Its dark green,
three-fingered, coarsely serrated leaves
turn red in autumn. It prefers sun but tolerates some shade, on soil
that is moist to semi-arid but always rich in nitrogen. Native from Alaska
to California, Alberta and Montana. Height 1-20 m (3-65'). Zone
4.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00. Please inquire. |
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Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Acer macrophyllum Pursh. Broadleaf
maple, Big-leaf maple, BC maple, Oregon maple. This tall, deciduous,
often multi-trunked tree grows fast to produce a high, cathedral-like
canopy of very large, deep green, 5-fingered leaves. It has has
dangling clusters of lime green, scented flowers in spring. In fall its
leaves are yellow, as you can see in this photograph from our garden.
Big-leaf maple's calcium-rich bark is often robed in mosses,
lichens and polypod ferns. Native from SW BC to California. Requires moist humus and sun to part
shade. May live for 200 years. Height 15-30
m (50-100'). Zone 6.
Pot ( 1 gal. / 6"). $8.00. Larger sizes sometimes available. Please inquire.
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| AMELANCHIER SASKATOON Rosaceae (Rose family) | |
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Photograph © Neil Smith
Photograph by Brother Alfred Brousseau, © St. Mary's College of California |
Amelanchier alnifolia (Nuttall)
Nuttall. Saskatoon, Serviceberry, Shadbush. This tall,
deciduous shrub has grey-green leaves that are browsed by elk and moose,
dazzling white flowers in spring, and blue-black berries in late summer
that are relished by humans and many other creatures. It thrives in
average soil, in full sun or at the edge of a garden or glade. Native from
Alaska to Lake Superior and south to California, New Mexico and Nebraska.
Height 2-4 m (-14'). Zone 5.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00 |
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| ANDROMEDA BOG-ROSEMARY Ericaceae (Heath family) | |
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Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Andromeda polifolia L. Bog-rosemary. This
choice small evergreen shrub grows in bogs across the northern hemisphere
but it is uncommon in gardens. Its linear, rosemary-like leaves are matte
blue-green with a white underside, and aromatic.
Abundant small, pink, heather-like flowers bloom at the tips of its
branches. Andromeda is usually found in wet peat with a low pH, but
in our garden it thrives in occasionally moist mineral soil that is only
slightly acid. Full sun. Height to 20 cm (8"). Zone 4.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $10.00 |
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ARBUTUS MADRONE Ericaceae (Heath family) |
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Photographs © Pat Woodward |
Arbutus menziesii Pursh. Arbutus,
Madrone. Here is an evergreen tree admired for its sumptuous
curves and coppery bark, qualities that also suit it to
penjing and bonsai. The leaves are
rhododendron-like, with a greenish-white reverse. The mature bark, papery
and red-brown, splits and peels back to expose a fresh layer of acid-green
bark within. Clusters of creamy, fragrant
flowers in spring give way to small scarlet berries in late summer that
are relished by birds. Arbutus is adapted to a Mediterranean climate. It
needs very good drainage to survive soggy winters. We grow it on top of
rainswept Chilliwack Mountain, though; it can be done (bottom photograph
at left). Height 2-24 m (6-80'). Zone 7, officially, but
we are Zone 6. Award of Garden Merit (Royal
Horticultural Society) 1993.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $15.00 |
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ARCTOSTAPHYLOS MANZANITA, BEARBERRY Ericaceae (Heath family) |
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Photograph © Dorrie Woodward
Photograph © Pat Woodward |
Arctostaphylos columbiana Piper. Hairy
manzanita. This shrub is a designer's dream, an elegant
"natural bonsai" with matte, leathery, blue-green leaves on
angular branches clothed in papery, peeling, red-brown bark. Clusters of
pinkish white, urn-shaped flowers are followed by red-brown fruits that
look like miniature apples (manzanita is "little apple"
in Spanish). You can grow this treasure if your site is dry and
Mediterranean. Where winter rains are heavy it struggles, and if by chance
it clings to life it never attains the casual, healthy luxuriance that is
the whole point of planting it. Our upper photograph was taken at the
Comox Bluffs on Vancouver Island. The species is native from SW
British Columbia to California. Height to 1.8 m (6'). Zone 6. Not available this season. |
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Photograph © Pat Woodward |
Arctostaphylos rubra (Rehder
& E.H. Wilson) Fernald. Red bearberry. Sometimes
called Arctous
alpina var. rubra. Deciduous. The leaves turn scarlet,
ruby and maroon in autumn, before they drop. The colder the weather, the
more intense the color. Our plants are from seeds collected in the Yukon,
where this plant turns the tundra to flame. Needs moist, acid soil and
sunshine. Height to 15 cm (6").
Pot (4"/ 10 cm). $5.00 |
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Photographs © Paige Woodward |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.)
Spreng. Ericaceae (Heath family). Kinnikinnick,
Bearberry. Prostrate, evergreen, easy to care for: this is a
classic groundcover and will also help to hold a bank. The leathery, dark
green leaves often turn maroon in autumn. Clusters of small, pink-white,
urn-shaped flowers are followed by red berries. Circumboreal. Full sun to
part shade. Drought tolerant. Height to 30 cm (12"). Zone 4.
Pot (4"/ 10 cm). $4.00 |
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ARTEMISIA SAGE Asteraceae (Daisy family) |
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| Herbaceous Artemisia species are in our Perennials section. | |
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Photograph by Charles Webber, © California Academy of Sciences. |
Artemisia tridentata
Nuttall. Big sagebrush. We love the powerful resiny
smell of sagebrush; it makes us feel clear-headed. We also love the soft
grey leaves. Imagine a low, silvery hedge of this stuff! Sagebrush is
native to dry grasslands from British Columbia to Mexico. To our
amazement it is thriving in our rainy garden, too; the habit is lusher,
but the wonderful smell is the same, so we just prune it and smile. Being
woody, drought-tolerant and aromatic, sagebrush might be worth trying as penjing
and bonsai. Height to 3 m (10'), usually much less. Zone 4? Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00 |
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ARUNCUS GOATSBEARD Rosaceae (Rose family) |
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Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Aruncus dioicus
(Walter) Fernald. Goatsbeard.
Formerly called Aruncus sylvester. This is a tall,
multi-stemmed leafy plant with creamy plumes. Think of a giant Astilbe.
Beautiful massed or lining paths, it tolerates meagre soils but needs
moisture. Male and female flowers are on separate plants; both are
handsome. Sun to part shade. Native to temperate N America and Europe.
Zone 4. Award of Garden Merit (Royal
Horticultural Society) 1993.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00. Larger sizes sometimes available. Please inquire. |
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AZALEA Please see our Rhododendron collection. |
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BETULA BIRCH Betulaceae (Birch family) |
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| Betula glandulosa Michx.
var. glandulosa.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $10.00 |
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| Betula nana L. Dwarf birch.
Pot (10 cm / 4"). $10.00 |
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| Betula papyrifera
Marshall. Paper
birch.
Pot (1 gal. / 6"). $8.00. Larger sizes sometimes available. Please inquire. |
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This page was updated May 2, 2008. |
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