Tough Plants, Tough Sites

Foot traffic, trash, chemical applications, snow removal equipment, shopping carts, and occassional out of control cars are just a few of the problems facing parking lot and street plantings.

 

While no plant can stand up to all that abuse, there are some plants tougher than others for these sites. Here's a mix of new and old favorites for these sites.

Rose Creek Abelia, shown left, is a semi-evergreen plant with summer flowers for full sun sites. Matures 2-3' x 3-4'.

Little Goldstar Rudbeckia fills the landscape border with bright golden flowers. It has an improved compact form with clean foliage. Matures 2-2 1/2'.

For an evergreen, sabina junipers have good salt tolerance: Buffalo, New Tam Blue and Skandia. Wiltonii and Bar Harbor are two horizontalis to use in these designs.

The sumacs are all tough plants with great fall color. Tiger Eyes, Prairie Flame, Gro-Low, Cutleaf, and Fragrant are a few we recommend.

Add color, form, summer flowers, drougt tolerace and durability with Bright Edge Yucca.

Green Vase Zelkova is tolerant of urban conditions. It has red-brown bark, fine textured foliage, upright vase shape form. Matures 45' x 30'.

Regent Pagodatree (Sophora) tolerates both drought and air pollution. It has creamy white flowers in the summer. Bright green bark gives winter interest to the landscape. Matures 50' x 45'.

A Caddo sugar maple, John Pair's foliage stands up to the summer heat. It has consistent red fall color. Matures 40' x 40'.

Regal Prince Oak, shown to the left with Alfredo, is one of many columnar trees great for street islands. Others to include in your design: pyramidal hornbeam, Crimson Spire and Green Pillar Oaks.

 

Susan Mertz, Director of Marketing, Loma Vista Nursery