One of our favorite evergreen trees, Serbian Spruce is fairly well known, but we wish it were used more. The most prominent features are the silvery color, and upright arching branching habit.

Serbian Spruce grows to 50+ feet tall and 20+ feet wide. The growth is modest when young but accelerates with age.

Serbian Spruce has unique flat needles - similar to Hemlock, and not the 4-sided needles of most spruce. The short needles are lustrous dark green above while the underside has two broad, white bands. These bands collectively standout, creating a unique silvery contrast that is very effective when the branches move in the wind.

Serbian Spruce branches are rather horizontal, with a slight upward curve at the end. The slight upward tilt of older branches becomes more pronounced with age and is one of the unique defining characteristics of this tree.

Serbians prefer full sun, and would rather not receive the full brunt of strong northwest winter winds. The tree is adaptable to a wide range of soils.

Serbians are best used as screens, widely spaced evergreen hedges, or as specimen plants. Given their ultimate size they should not be planted near a home or building.

Anywhere you would consider using a Blue or Norway Spruce of a White Pine - consider using a Serbian Spruce instead.

An American Arborvitae cultivar that offers a very narrow columnar habit. The rich green ruffled foliage tend to twist and layer over one another appearing somewhat fern leaf-shaped. Much more columnar than Thuja Emerald Green, this is a perfect plant for screening in very tight area or used alone as an interesting specimen.

Degroot's Spire is often considered a dwarf Arborvitae. Reaches only 15-20 feet tall and 4-5 wide in 15 to 20 years. Growth rate is slow. Shape is distinctly and tightly columnar. Some plants have more than one trunk or growing tip which can create a multi-tipped plant - a wonderful effect.

Foliage is dark green, but it is not deer-resistant. However, Degroot's Spire may be the best arborvitae for planting right next to a house - so if your deer are too timid to come right up to the home, than consider this plant. You really have to see the foliage to appreciate it - there are so many explanations but none seem to do the foliage justice.

One great characteristic is the Degroot's rarely if ever sustains snow damage. The dwarf habit, and stiffer branches resist the bending and breaking that can trouble arborvitaes - especially under roof lines.

Works great as a foundation plant, given it's mature width of 4-6' it can be planted close to the house. Great for flanking doorways, in between windows and in tight corners. Great for screens.

Cryptomeria Black Dragon is best known for its modest size - only 10' tall and 8-10' wide, its bonsai-like appearance, and its color - new growth is light green but matures to a very deep black-green.

Cryptomeria are wonderful plants but many varieties can get big - really big. Black Dragon is one of the dwarf varieties. It will mature at 10-12' tall and 8-10' wide. It is fairly slow growing, so mature height can easily take 20 years to reach.

It's shape is is fairly pyramidal when young but as it ages it takes on an irregular pyramidal form that strongly resembles a bonsai. Every plant ends up looking different - it is a wonderful quality that assures your Black Dragon will be one of a kind.

New growth is light green but matures to an very dark black-green. No picture that we've seen does justice to the mature needle color. It has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Black Dragon prefers full sun, and does not like consistently wet locations. It is deer resistant. One thing it does not like is the full brunt of northwest winter winds. Plant it in an eastern or southern exposure to avoid the strongest winter winds.

Black Dragon works as a specimen. It's dwarf size makes it perfect for foundation plantings at the corners of the home, between windows, or flanking a doorway. Great in rock gardens or poolscapes.

One of our favorite small trees. Forest Pansy Redbud is a great way to combine beautiful spring flowers and red leaves in your landscapes.

Spring starts off with the tight red buds that open to deep pink flowers. As with all redbuds the flowers cling closely to branches. Flowering is prolific and can last 3 weeks if the weather isn't overly warm. Flowering typically occurs in mid-April.

The leaves are just spectacular. When they first open the heart-shaped leaves are a deep, glossy purple. They have to be seen to be fully appreciated - but they just shine in sunlight (see picture to left). Over time the gloss on the leaves fades but the leaves remain a beautiful maroon through late spring/early summer. As summer progresses green can slowly creep into the leaves and you get a nice mix of green and maroon. The amount of green depends on the specific plant and its specific location. In some cases green is the predominant color - with a nice touch of maroon. In other cases maroon is the dominant color. We can't explain exactly why the amount of color varies - it just seems to be specific to the individual plant and location. Some feel that hot, dry weather promotes more green, some feel the more sun the more purple. We've seen trees that defy either explanation. Fall color is an attractive mix of purple and orange. In our opinion the leaves are what makes this plant - they are just amazing.

The tree will get 15+ feet tall and wide but grows considerably slower than native redbud. The tree prefers a half day of sun or more. It requires no special care, although it does not like constantly moist locations.

Forest Pansy makes a good front lawn tree, great in masses, wonderful set back on the edge of a patio, or around pools.

In our opinion Cavatine is the best of the dwarf Pieris. It is very compact and dense. Mature height is in the 3 foot range with equal width, but it can take 10+ years to reach this size. It could be the perfect plant when you are looking for an evergreen, flowering shrub that will truly stay dwarf and compact.

As with all Pieris there is multi-season interest. Cavatine has the beautiful pendulous white flower clusters in spring. Flowering lasts a solid 2-3 weeks and the plant is covered in blooms. Leaves are a glossy green all year. New growth has a pale tint but matures to a deep green. Flower buds set by fall and provide a nice texture through fall and winter.

Cavatine is strongly deer resistant, It tolerates anything from full sun to significant shade. A half day of sun is ideal. Lacebug can be an issue in full sun, but it is a minor nuisance, not a major issue. The plant does not tolerate continuously moist locations. It is more cold hardy than a number of other dwarf Pieris.

Uses are numerous - anywhere you need a dwarf plant - Cavatine works great. Excellent around mailboxes, lamp posts and driveway piers. Perfect for lining walkways. Wonderful choice underneath virtually any tree. Great rock garden plant. Might not be the best choice directly under rooflines as falling snow could flatten it.

A great plant - certainly one we love.

Magnolia 'Yellowbird' is best known for it's true yellow (not cream) flowers and late blooming period (May) which makes the flowers much less prone to freeze damage.

Yellowbird is a vigorous grower and can reach a height of 40 feet with a width of 25 feet. This is obviously a very substantial tree when it matures so it should not be planted close to any buildings. The overall shape is distinctly pyramidal and the form is relatively tight for a magnolia. The pyramidal form and tight shape make this a relatively formal Magnolia.

The flowers occur in late spring - typically May in our area. The leaves have already flushed out, so the flowers may not be as prominent from a distance. However, the backdrop of the leaves does highlight the flowers. The flowers are just gorgeous. The buds are a distinct yellow, but the open flowers are a much deeper yellow. The flowers are long-lived - up to 3 weeks. The late blooming period almost assures the flowers will not be damaged by a freeze.

Leaves are a fairly deep green, somewhat large and have a course texture. Fall color is a coppery-bronze and is interesting but not especially showy. The tree is deciduous.

Prefers full sun and requires no special soil - the plant is adaptable, vigorous and hardy. Has a preference for an acidic pH. Cannot tolerate excessively wet soils and is fairly drought resistant.

Best used as a specimen set back from a driveway, in an open lawn area, and along a border.

With numerous cherry varieties in bloom it is hard to pick a favorite - but Okame is certainly a tree we love. Very tough by cherry standards - tolerates heat and cold easily, disease resistant, long flowering period, rapid grower, reliable form - are just some of Okame's virtues.

Grows 15-25' tall and 20 - 30' wide and is a rapid grower when young. Prefers full sun and moist but well drained soils. Can actually tolerate clay soils fairly well - so long as there is no extended periods in standing water. The form is somewhat columnar when young, but becomes much more rounded with age. Branching can start relatively low on the trunk when the tree is young. Eventually these branches thin, as the canopy fully develops, but low branching can interfere with mowing when the tree is young. Can be pruned or consider locating with enough bed space so that young branches do not interfere with lawn mowing. Okame keeps a reliable form over time. Unlike some cherries which can become lopsided, or have strange branches shooting off at unique angles - Okame keeps a nice form throughout its life.

One of the earliest flowering cherries. Has light pink flowers and a bright red calyx so overall the bloom can appear deeper pink than the petals themselves. Flowering period is one of the longest for cherries - up to 3 weeks, especially if the weather stays cool at night.

The shiny reddish-brown bark typical of cherries is fully evident with Okame.

The dark green leaves have a nice texture and show a good orange-red fall color.

The ultimate size makes it too big for foundation plantings. Works well as single specimen, especially along driveways, or open lawn areas. A row of Okame's along a property line can create a spectacular blooming show in spring and a nice deciduous screening hedge through summer and fall.

This is an old cultivar that has recently gained new interest due to it's deer resistance. Good name choice since it is truly an elegant arborvitae. Foliage is a rich green with yellow tips which become more pronounced in cooler weather. Slow grower that develops a single trunk and broad base that tapers to a narrow pyramidal tree.

Elegantissima will grow from 15-25' tall and mature width can be 10'+.

We want to restate that this plant is deer resistant. Most arborvitaes seem to attract deer - not elegantissima - it is strongly deer resistant.

Another great characteristic is the broadly pyramidal base. Certain arborvitae varieties stay very slender as they age - so much so that their form can make them stick out of a landscape like a sore thumb. Elegantissima has a broad base so it works well as a substitute for conifers like spruce, firs and pine. It can still be used as a hedge and screening plant and the broad base allows you to plant fewer trees to cover a certain area. As with all arborvitae varieties the texture is soft.

The color change adds interest throughout the year. In winter the tips are distinctly bronze, in spring and fall they are golden yellow and in summer they are a yellowish-green to light green.

Elegantissima works well as a corner piece in foundation plantings, as a screening hedge or single specimen.

In general Witchhazels are large shrubs or small trees valued for their unique blooming times. Arnold Promise is one of the very best of the early blooming types. The clear yellow flowers with a reddish calyx cup, can be seen blooming in northeast gardens between late February into March unharmed by freezing weather. The flowers are consistently born with great profusion even after the coldest of winters. Named after it's birthplace, the Arnold Arboretum Boston Ma., and for a "promise" of spring to come. There is confusion in literature and the web as to whether Witchhazel is one word or two - we use either form interchangeably.

There is so much more to Witch Hazels than just the bloom, and Arnold's promise is no exception. These are some of our favorite qualities:

Shape
Arnold's Promise attains a distinct vase shape as it ages. The plant may have a single stem or multiple stems in the nursery but in either case the branching over time occurs towards the end of each branch - the result is the unique V-shape which is very attractive.

Leaf Texture & Fall Color
The leaves have to be seen to be fully appreciated. They are not oval, they are not tear-drop shaped - they are somewhere in between - whatever you call them they are beautiful. Deep veins in the leaves provide a strong texture, not quite as strong as plants like certain Viburnum, but the leaf veins are distinct. Fall color ranges from yellow to bright orange and moves through the leaves in bands - the effect can be striking.

Naturalized Landscapes
Arnold's Promise has a place in any style landscape but it may be particularly well suited for naturalized plantings. The informal look of the plant lends itself to native style plant designs. The plant has very showy flowers and good fall color, but the rest of the year it will blend in beautifully with New Jersey's native forests and plants.

Arnold's Promise will grow to 12+ feet high and wide. It is very agreeable to pruning and can be kept considerably smaller through regular pruning.

Arnold's Promise prefers full sun but will tolerate part shade. You may get fewer blooms in the shade but the plant still does well. Once established it is fairly drought resistant. It does not like clay soils, it needs good drainage.

An extract of Witchhazel is used for rashes, cuts and scrapes. It is made by boiling the bark and roots. Witch Hazel extract is available in most pharmacies.

The plant is versatile enough to be used in a wide variety of settings. Given it's overall height and spread it shouldn't be planted too close to the house - but if you have a south or east facing window and can move the plant back roughly 10 feet from the house - you'll be able to enjoy the winter blooms from inside the home. The plant works as single plantings along driveways or property lines, works well in mass, and can make an effective deciduous screening hedge. As noted above Arnold's Promise is particularly well suited to native, or naturalized planting designs.

Arnold's Promise is one of the 3 Witch Hazel varieties we sell. We also carry Diane (red flower) and Jelena (red base, orange middle and yellow tip).

This is the by far the best fir for our climate. Most firs struggle in our hot and humid summers, the Concolor will withstand heat, drought and cold equally well. It's soft bluish green foliage is a welcome replacement for the coarser spruces in the landscape. Reaching 30 to 50' in height with a 15 to 30' spread, this tree makes a beautiful evergreen specimen or screening plant in either full sun or light shade. Seldom used, this tree will add unique interest to your next project.

We often debate what is a Concolor's best feature. Is it the beautiful silvery blue-green color? Or is it the near perfect pyramidal shape it maintains throughout it's life?

The color can vary from plant to plant. There is always a strong hint of silver, but some trees have a green tint, while some have a more bluish tint. Either color combination is great, and immediately attracts the eye in any landscape.

The shape is a near perfect pyramidal form that the tree keeps it's entire life. It never needs pruning. Concolors are an increasingly popular cut Christmas tree in part because they need no maintenance to keep their shape. The tree can be extremely dense. This is not a light airy plant, it is dense, full and tight

The individual branches have to be seen to be fully appreciated. They are generally horizontal. There is not a hint of weep in any branch during the first few decades. As the tree gets older it can show a slight weep in some of the upper branches. There is sometimes an unusual angular secondary branching that creates a very distinctive look up close.

The needles are relatively short, approximately 1" long, and have a stronger silvery-white tint on the underside as compared to the top side. The needles have a wonderful citrus smell (like a tangerine) when broken, but a sensitive nose can pick up the smell even if needles remain unbroken.

There are many other great qualities. The tree is extremely hardy - it tolerates very cold temperatures, but it prefers to not receive the full blast of the strongest winter winds. It is also highly drought resistant, and tolerates our hot humid weather better than other Firs. Concolors prefer sun but will tolerate a half day of shade. The tree will not grow as densely in shade, and the color won't be as silvery - but it will survive in a half day of shade. It does not like poorly drained or heavy clay soils.

Concolors are extremely long lived - with some trees in the U.S. reported to be over 350 years old. Mature height in our area is likely to be in the 30 to 50 foot range with a 15 to 30 foot width. Growth rate is slow in the first few years as the plant sends our roots, but picks up substantially after that.

Cones are present most years, but fall off the tree on their own and tend to disintegrate rather quickly.

We feel the tree is best used as a specimen, individually or in groups. Given it's ultimate size it does not work well close to the house. It makes a great screening plant along the edge of property lines. If a home has a long driveway with open space on each side - a concolor set back from the driveway will grow into a favorite specimen. Concolors can be used to break up large lawn areas, can serve as a great backdrop behind pools, and given their density can make a great wind break.