Delano Park Preview

Scientific name: Acer palmatum

Cultivar: ‘Shindeshojo’

Common name: Japanese Maple

Family: Sapinadaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat: The Japanese maple prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial shade.

Identifiers: Smaller than the regular Japanese maple, the cultivar Shindeshojo will grow to a height between 5-7 ft tall and equally as wide. It is slow-growing, upright, and shrubby with reddish-brown bark on new growth. Its leaves, prized as having the best red spring folliage out of all other Japanese maple cultivars, are quite small. They only grow to 2 inches in length and typically have 7 serrated lobes. In summer, these leaves turn from a bright red to a reddish-green and change again in autumn to different shades of organge and red. The shindeshojo’s flowers are small and not very showy. The fruit of this tree, like other maple trees, is a winged samara. These are green to red in color and mature in early autumn. The Northern Red Oak can easily be identified by its unique bark.
The bark is typically a dark reddish gray brown and is scaly with broad, thin, rounded ridges. The bark is recognizable because of these ridges, which appear to have shiny stripes running down their center and look like ski tracks. As the tree ages and grows, the bark also develops distinctive furrows, which appear as "cracks" alternating with the ridges on the bark. The bark, being relatively thin compared to other trees, makes the Northern Red Oak more susceptible to fire damage.

Description: Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp”; palmatum is referencing the palmate nature of the leaf of the Japanese maple. The lobes of the leaf look like outstretched fingers giving the leaf a hand-like appearance.

Acession Record

2019-0001A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: Native to Japan.

Scientific name: Acer palmatum

Cultivar:

• ‘Shishigashira’ (also known as “Lion’s Head”)

Common name:

Japanese Maple

Family:

Sapinadaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The Japanese maple prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

The Shishigashira is a slow growing cultivar of Japanese maple. When mature, it will reach a height between 7 and 15 ft, but it will reach this height rather slowly. Its dappled tan-gray bark is typically smooth. Curly and crinkled best describes the 5-7 lobed leaves of this cultivar. In spring and summer, these leaves are bright green. In autumn, these turn vibrant shades of gold and crimson. Similar to other Japanese maples, the flowers of this cultivar bloom in spring and are rather inconspicuous, though attractive. The fruit of this tree is a winged samara. These are green to red in color and mature in early autumn.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” palmatum is referencing the palmate nature of the leaf of the Japanese maple. The lobes of the leaf look like outstretched fingers giving the leaf a hand-like appearance.

Accession Record:

2013-0001A; existing plant; 05/06/2013; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

All Things Acer

Range:

Native to Japan.

Scientific name:

Acer palmatum

Cultivar:

‘Tamukeyama’

Common name:

Japanese Maple

Family:

Sapinadaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The Japanese maple prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

The Japanese maple Tamukeyama cultivar is much smaller than the straight Acer palmatum speices. Tamukeyama cultivars typically grow have a rounded growth habit and rarely exceeds 8 ft in height. While it is not very tall, it grows horizontally, reaching around 10-12 ft in width. It has low arching branches with leaves that have between 5 and 7 lobes. This cultivar is a “red leaf” cultivar, and sports deep purple red leaves which turn bright red in autumn. Blooming in spring, this cultivar’s flowers are purple red and not very noticeable. The fruit of the Japanese maple, like other maple trees, is a winged samara, and these ripen in late summer to early autumn.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” palmatum is referencing the palmate nature of the leaf of the Japanese maple. The lobes of the leaf look like outstretched fingers giving the leaf a hand-like appearance.

Accession Record:

2007-0001; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Peoples Bank donation from their landscape

Range:

Native to Japan.

Scientific name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum

Cultivar:

• ‘Waterfall’ (also known as “weeping” Japanese Maple)

Common name:

Japanese Maple

Family:

Sapinadaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The Japanese maple prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

With cascading branches and a weeping habit, this cultivar well deserves its name of ‘waterfall.’ This is a slow growing cultivar which may reach up to 10ft tall. Its dark green leaves with their 7-9 deeply disected lobes are lace-like in appearance. In autumn, these leaves turn golden with streaks of red and orange. Similar to other Japanese maples, the flowers of this cultivar bloom in spring and are rather inconspicuous, though attractive. The fruit of this tree is a winged samara. These are green to red in color and mature in early autumn.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” palmatum is referencing the palmate nature of the leaf of the Japanese maple. The lobes of the leaf look like outstretched fingers giving the leaf a hand-like appearance.

Accession Record:

2007-0002; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Boike donation from their landscape

Range:

Native to Japan.

Scientific name: Acer rubrum

Cultivar: ‘Franksred’ RED SUNSET (R)

Common name: Red Maple

Family: Sapindaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat: In Alabama, red maples are found in a variety of habitats, including moist woodlands, swamps, and even drier upland sites, demonstrating its adaptability to different soil conditions.

Identifiers: Red maple leaves have a V-shaped margin. Leaves offer the easiest way to distinguish the red maple from other maples; they are simple, opposite, have serrated margins, and are variable in pubescence with lower surfaces usually whitish. Named for the strong red tones to virtually all parts of the tree: twigs, buds, petiole (leafstalk), fruit, autumn leaves, and female flowers all possess a deep scarlet color. This is a medium to large tree (60-90 ft. in height; 2-3 ft. in diameter), with unisexual flowers, light gray bark, and samara fruit. ‘Franksred’ RED SUNSET (R) is one of the best red maple cultivars available in commerce with outstanding orange to red fall color. It is a vigorous growing tree with a strong and symmetrical branching pattern. Lustrous, glossy green summer foliage changes to brilliant shades of red and orange-red in the fall.

Description: Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” rubrum is also from Latin and means red.

Wildlife: Bees are attracted to the early nectar source of the flowers. Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Flower nectar attracts bees and other pollinators. Seeds are enjoyed by birds. The fruit, along with the buds, are a primary food source for gray squirrels in late winter and early spring.

Accession Record:
20024-0001A; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

A note on native range: Because the red maples present at Delano Park are cultivars, they do not have a "native range."

Scientific name: Acer rubrum

Cultivar:

• ‘October Glory’

Common name:

Red Maple

Family:

Sapindaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The red maple is easily grown in medium to wet, well-drained soil in full to partial sun. It is cold hardy and can adapt to a range of soils.

Identifiers:

The red maple cultivar present at Delano Park, the October Glory, typically grows to a height somewhere between 40-50 ft. The bark of a young red maple is grey and smooth, but as it ages, the bark of the trunk becomes thick, dark grey, and separated by large vertical ridges which form into plate-like scales. The iconic maple leaf is palmately compound and has three principal lobes (though in some cases, it has 5 lobes). These dark green leaves are serrate and have red stems. The magnificence of this cultivar is most apparent, as its name suggests, in the autumnal months. The dark green leaves turn to brilliant shades of orange and red. The October Glory cultivar is a female-only cultivar. It flowers in spring, and these blooms range in color from bright red to pink. The red maple produces paired, winged samaras that can be pink, red, or yellow before they mature. When they are mature, they turn a papery brown and flutter to the ground, whirling around like a helicopter.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” rubrum is also from Latin and means red.

Accession Record:

2006-0001a; existing plant; 01/15/2006; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin.

Plantation Tree

A note on native range:

Because the red maples present at Delano Park are the 'October Glory' cultivar, they do not have a "native range."

Scientific name: Acer saccharum

Common names:

Hard Maple; Northern Sugar Maple; Sugar Maple.

Family:

Sapindaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The sugar maple loves rich, fertile soil, preferring soil filled with magnesium, iron, and lime. Oftentimes, it is found in cove forests, or even in dry forests and woodlands.

Identifiers:

This is a tree that can grow very large, up to 130ft. When young, its bark is a smooth grey, but as it ages, it gets rough, and strips of bark become uneven.The bark often peels in long strips of ridges that are very tough and difficult to break off.The leaves of the sugar maple are opposite, green on both sides and smooth all over. They have 5 lobes with pointed tips. In the autumn, these turn golden bronze. Blooming in springtime, the sugar maple produces drooping racemes of yellow flowers. Following the blooming of the flowers, winged samaras will fill the sugar maples, hanging from reddish stems in the summer.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp”; saccharum comes from Latin and means sugar.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

1992-0001A; existing plant; uncertain origin.

Scientific name: Acer saccharum

Cultivar:

• ‘Legacy’

Common names:

Sugar Maple.

Family:

Sapindaceae—New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap”, and indus, meaning from India.

Habitat:

The sugar maple loves rich, fertile soil, preferring soil filled with magnesium, iron, and lime. It does not well tolerate pollution or salt but will tolerate partial shade.

Identifiers:

This is a tree that can grow very large, up to 120ft. When young, its bark is a smooth grey, but as it ages, it gets rough and deeply furrowed. In summer, the leaves of the ‘Legacy’ sugar maple cultivar are opposite and lustrous green. They have 5 lobes with pointed tips. In autumn, these turn red or orange. Blooming in springtime, the sugar maple produces drooping racemes of yellow-green flowers. Following the blooming of the flowers, winged samaras will fill the sugar maples, hanging from reddish stems in the summer.

Description:

Acer is the Latin word for maple tree and means “sharp;” saccharum comes from Latin and means sugar.

Accession Record:

2011-0001A; existing plant; 02/14/2011; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin.

Hunter Trees

A note on native range:

Because the sugar maple 'Legacy' cultivar present at Delano Park is a cultivar, it does not have a native range. Native ranges only apply to species that have not been intentionally cultivated for certain characteristics.

Scientific name: Aesculus glabra

Common names:

Ohio Buckeye; Fetid Buckeye; Horse Chestnut.

Family:

Sapindaceae— New Latin, sapnidus, from the Latin word sapo “soap” and indus means from India.

Habitat:

This tree does well in remote or more naturalized areas of a landscape or in a woodland area. This tree can be found in deciduous forests, along streams, and on the margins of prairies, usually favoring calcium-rich soils.

Identifiers:

This small tree can grow to a height of between 20-40ft. It can often form into a thicket. Young stems are pubescent and brownish-gray while the bark of an older tree is grey with rough longitudinal ridges. This tree's elliptical leaves are opposite, glabrous, and have finely serrated margins. They are palmately compound with 5-7 leaflets.The stems and leaves emit a foul odor when crushed.The yellow flowers are produced in panicles at the end of branches. These panicles are between 4-8 inches long with upper male flowers and lower perfect flowers (perfect meaning containing both male and female reproductive parts). Each flower has five rounded lobes, four petals, and seven strong exerted stamens.The fruit is a prickly, leathery capsule holding 1-2 large seeds. The mature seed is dark brown with a tan-colored “eye.”

Description:

Aesculus is from Latin and means “a kind of oak tree” and glabra means smooth.

Accession Record:

Native plant: Midwest to Alabama

2019-0002; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc

Scientific name: Aesculus parviflora

Common names:

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Family:

Sapindaceae-- From Latin, spaindus, meaning soap. The plants in this family are commonly referred to as “soapberry” trees, plants, and shrubs.

Habitat:

This shrub can be found throughout the central portion of Alabama. It prefers to live in hardwood forests with neutral or basic soils and is particularly common along bluffs and ravines leading down to rivers.

Identifiers:

This shrub grows to a height between 6-12 ft, though it can reach heights up to 15ft. It produces lots of suckers.The leaves of the bottlebrush buckeye are palmately compound, with 5-7 medium to dark green leaflets. The margins are serrate. These leaves turn yellow in autumn before falling.The flowers that this shrub produces are very showy and can be enjoyed from May to July. The flowers form in erect panicles with stringy white flowers. These panicles can reach over 2 ft long and their individual flowers are tubular in shape. Once the bottlebrush has finished blooming, it produces pear-shaped capsules which hold 1-3 brown seeds.

Description:

Aesculus is from Latin and means “a kind of oak tree” and parviflora means “small flowers.”

Accession Record:

Native Plant: Alabama, Georgia

2010-0001A; existing plant; 04/08/2010; uncertain origin;

Samara Farms LLC

Scientific name: Agarista populifolia

Common names:

Coast Leucothoe; Fetterbush; Florida Doghobble; Florida Leucothoe; Pipe Plant; Carolina Doghole; Florida Hobblebush.

Family:

Ericaceae—The Heath Family. This is a family that is comprised of 126 genera and around 4,000 species. The word “Ericaceae,” comes from the Greek ereike. The meaning of the word is not entirely clear, but some believe it simply means “heather.”

Habitat:

This plant prefers moist, wet, acidic soil and as such, can be found along streams, riverbanks, and shady areas.

Identifiers:

Florida Leucothoe is a shrub that can grow up to 12 ft tall. It has upright stems that branch irregularly and are slightly arcuate (bow-shaped). Twigs are slender and green, though they may have some red coloration. Mature bark is smooth and light brown. One of this shrub’s common names, pipe plant, refers to the fact that the stems are hollow between the nodes.This shrub’s leaves are glossy green and leathery. It is simple, alternate, oblong to lanceolate in shape, and is an evergreen.Its flowers are urn-shaped, white, and grow in racemes.The Florida leucothoe’s fruit is a capsule, and is dehiscent (split), globose-depressed (think of the shape of a squat-looking pumpkin), and contains several seeds.

Description:

"Agarista” comes from the name Agariste, a female character in Greek mythology; “populifolia” is combination of two Latin words, populus and folium, meaning “many leaves.”

Accession Record:

South Carolina, Florida

2006-0001A; existing plant; uncertain origin;

Louisiana Nursery

Scientific name: Agarista populifolia

Cultivar:

• ‘Taylor’s Treasure’

Common names:

Florida Leucothoe.

Family:

Ericaceae—The Heath Family. This is a family that is comprised of 126 genera and around 4,000 species. The word “Ericaceae,” comes from the Greek ereike. The meaning of the word is not entirely clear, but some believe it simply means “heather.”

Habitat:

This plant prefers moist, wet, acidic soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

The Florida leucothoe ‘Taylor’s Treasure’ cultivar is a dense, compact shrub. It grows between 3 and 5 ft tall and 2 to 3 ft wide. Twigs are slender and green, though they may have some red coloration. The mature bark is smooth and light brown. Its leaves are narrower and smaller than the species, and when they are young, they are glossy reddish bronze in color. It is an evergreen. Its flowers are urn-shaped, white, and grow in racemes. The Florida leucothoe’s fruit is a capsule, and is dehiscent (split), globose-depressed (think of the shape of a squat-looking pumpkin) and contains several seeds.

Description:

"Agarista” comes from the name Agariste, a female character in Greek mythology; “populifolia” is combination of two Latin words, populus and folium, meaning “many leaves.”

Accession Record:

2010-0002A; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Flowerwood Nursery

A note on native range:

Because the Florida leucothoe ‘Taylor’s Treasure’ is a cultivar, it does not have a native range. Native ranges only apply to species that have not been intentionally cultivated for certain characteristics.

Scientific name: Amelanchier × grandiflora

Cultivar:

• 'Autumn Brilliance'

Common names:

Apple Serviceberry; Hybrid serviceberry; Serviceberry; Juneberry.

Family:

Rosaceae—Rose Family.

Habitat:

This plant prefers somewhat moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Because this is a cultivar, it does not occur naturally in the wild, thus there is no native range.

Identifiers:

Serviceberry grows in either a multi-trunk tree or shrub shape. The bark is smooth, silver-gray with some ridges. Its leaves are smooth, simple, alternate, and ovate. They are a blueish green in summer, and in autumn, turn brilliant shades of orange and red. The fragrant flowers, usually blooming in April, are white and are clustered in racemes.The fruit of the serviceberry resembles blueberries in shape but is usually red or burgundy when ripe.

Description:

Amelanchier × grandiflora is a hybrid cross between two species of North American serviceberry, namely, Amelanchier arborea (downy serviceberry) and Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny serviceberry). It is known in commerce today by several showy cultivars including ‘Autumn Brilliance.’ Amelanchier is New Latin, coming from French. It refers to “la mélanche,” which itself is derived from “melanka” meaning black berry. Laevis comes from Latin and means “smooth;” arborea means “tree.”

Accession Record:

2011-0002A; existing plant; 02/14/2011; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Hunter Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Aristolochia tomentosa

Common names:

Wolly Pipevine; Common Dutchman’s Pipe; Wooly Birthwort.

Family:

Aristolochiaceae—This is a family of erect or climbing herbs and shrubs. The family name comes from two Greek words, aristos meaning “best” and lochia meaning “delivery.” This references the plant’s ancient use in aiding childbirth.

Habitat:

The wooly pipevine is an Alabama native and can most often be found growing along rivers and streams in bottomland forests. It prefers rich, moist soil in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

This plant is a twining woody vine and grow up to 60 ft in length. Young stems are green and pubescent while mature bark is thin and light to dark gray in color. The dark green pubescent leaves are heart-shaped and densely overlapping. The greenish yellow, extremely hairy flowers are trumpet shaped and bloom from late spring to early summer. Come early fall, the wooly pipevine produces tubular seed capsules which hold rows of seeds.

Description:

Aristolochia comes from two Greek words, aristos and lochia which mean “best” and “delivery” respectively; tomentosta comes from Latin and means “covered in hairs.”

Accession Record:

Central and Southern North America

2023-0001; existing plant; 03/24/2023; uncertain origin;

Petals from the Past

Scientific name: Asimina triloba

Common names:

Custard apple, Indian banana.

Family:

Annonaceae—From New Latin, deriving from the Spanish anon and anón which translates to “sugar apple.”

Habitat:

The pawpaw is more commonly found in the northern two-thirds of Alabama around streams and rivers, mesic (mesic meaning a moist or damp environment) woodlands, and in hardwood bottomland forests.

Identifiers:

The pawpaw is a short tree, growing between 9-30 ft tall, verging more on the shrub-side. The young shoots are hairy with dark brown hair, and the mature bark is smooth and dark gray. The leaves of the pawpaw are alternate and reach a length between 7-10 inches. The long leaves taper gently to its widest part around two-thirds of the way to the tip. The medium green leaves have smooth margins. Dark purple or green flowers adorn the pawpaw in late spring. These flowers have backward curving petals which droop downwards. These flowers appear before the leaves and have an unpleasant smell. The fruit is an oblong, cylindrical berry filled with large inedible seeds. When ripe, the fruit becomes yellowish, and the flesh becomes soft like an overripe banana. The fruit is very sweet and is often compared to banana custard.

Description:

Asimina comes from “min” which is the Algonquin word for fruit; triloba comes from Latin and means three lobes.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0001AA; existing plant; 04/19/2018; uncertain origin

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Betula nigra

Cultivar:

• ‘BNMTF’ (DuraHeat)

Common names:

River Birch.

Family:

Betulaceae—Latin, meaning birch family.

Habitat:

The river birch, as its common name suggests, prefers wet areas. It thrives in moist, acidic, sandy or rocky, loam in full sun or partial shade.

Identifiers:

The river birch 'BNMTF' cultivar is a somewhat smaller tree than the species. It typically grows between 30-40 ft tall. It often has several trunks that grow in clumps. The identifiable feature of this tree is its bark. The bark of this cultivar is more of a creamy white and very papery. It peels in large, stiff sheets.This tree’s leaves are alternate, petiolate, and generally ovate in outline. The leaf margins are doubly serrate and pubescent. On the underside of the leaves, there are tiny resinous glands. In autumn, these leaves will turn light yellow before falling. The river birch produces both male and female flowers on the same tree in the form of catkins. Male catkins are pendant and yellowish-green and are produced either before or in tandem with the leaves as they emerge. The female catkins are erect, globose, and green.The fruit is cone-shaped and contains 3 very small seeds. This cultivar is known for having a better tolerance to summer heat and better insect and disease resistance.

Description:

Black birch. Betula, while having Latin roots (such as its family name), also has a Gaulish relation, betu- “bitumen.” According to Pliny the Elder, this was in reference to the tar extracted from birch trees; nigra is from Latin and means black.

Accession Record:

2010-0003AA; existing plant; 02/19/2010; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Select Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Carpinus caroliniana

Common names:

American Hornbeam; Blue Beech; Hornbeam; Ironwood; Musclewood; Muscle Wood; Water Beech.

Family:

Betulaceae—Betula, from Latin meaning birch.

Habitat:

This tree, being in the birch family, loves moist environments and can be found naturally along streambanks, riverbanks, and in maritime forests.

Identifiers:

One of this tree’s common names is musclewood, and it gets this name from the smooth, striated appearance of its bark that resembles muscles. The bark is light gray and can have splotches of dark gray or creamy gray. This tree reaches a height of between 20-30ft. The leaves have double-toothed margins and are rounded at the base and tapered towards the tip. The top of the leaf is smooth and dark green, and the underneath is pale green with fine hairs along the center vein. This monoecious tree, meaning that it has both male and female flowers on the same tree, blooms in the spring. Male flowers are yellow-green and female flowers are fuzzy with the same coloration.The fruit matures in the fall. The winged nutlets droop together in clusters. The nut is enclosed in the base of a three-lobed winged bract.

Description:

Carpinus possibly comes from the Latin word carpentum which was a Roman horse-drawn vehicle or chariot. The wheels of these vehicles were made from the hard wood of the hornbeam.The word caroliniana means from the Carolinas.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0002A; existing plant; 04/19/2018; uncertain origin

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Carya laciniosa

Common name: Shellbark Hickory, King Nut, Big Shellbark Hickory

Family: Juglandaceae—"Juglans" is a botanical term referring to the genus of walnut trees. The name "Juglans" is derived from the Latin terms "jovis" (Jupiter, a god) and "glans" (acorn or nut), reflecting the walnut's association with the sky god and its fruit.

Habitat: Carya laciniosa, commonly called shellbark hickory, is native to Alabama and typically occurs in the Black Belt and Tennessee Valley areas. Shellback Hickory usually grows in floodplain forests and on mesic slopes near creeks. It is prevalent on bottomlands and moist upland sites in the east-central states.

Identifiers: Carya laciniosa is very similar to shagbark hickory. The leaves and nuts of the shellbark hickory are generally larger than the shagbark hickory. Also, the shellbark has 7 leaflets per leaf and the shagbark usually has only 5 leaflets per leaf. The flowers are 2-3 inch long yellow-green male catkins. Female flowers are produced in clusters of 2-6 on the same twigs as the catkins The bark on shellbark hickory tends to peel away from the trunk in longer and wider strips than the shagbark hickory. It also differs by its orange to buff twigs and larger terminal buds.

Description: The Genus name comes from the Greek word karya used for walnut trees. Specific epithet means "with flaps or folds" referring to the shaggy bark.

Wildlife: The leaves of the shellbark hickory are eaten by deer and other browsers while the nuts are consumed by deer, bears, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkey and other animals.The
tree provides nutrition for bees in early to late spring. Carya laciniosa provides shelter and nesting sites for birds.

Accession Record:
20024-0003; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: This tree ranges from New York and southern Ontario, Canada, west to Iowa and eastern Kansas, then south to Oklahoma, and east to Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Scientific name: Carya ovata

Common name: Shagbark Hickory, Scaly Bark Hickory

Family: Juglandaceae—"Juglans" is a botanical term referring to the genus of walnut trees. The name "Juglans" is derived from the Latin terms "jovis" (Jupiter, a god) and "glans" (acorn or nut), reflecting the walnut's association with the sky god and its fruit.

Habitat: In Alabama, it typically occurs on both dry upland wooded slopes and hills and in moist valleys and lowland woods throughout the state. The tree is tough to transplant because of a large taproot. This hickory is slow to grow and sensitive to disturbance once established. Undisturbed trees are fairly disease resistant.

Identifiers: This is the hickory with bark that peels in long, tough curls off the straight trunk. The tree maintains its central stem high into the narrow, oblong crown. Trunks mature to 2-3’ in diameter. The bright, yellow-green, pinnately-compound leaves become golden in early fall, eventually drying to a warm bronze. The thick-shelled hickory nuts are edible. Shagbark hickory is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over 100 feet tall; the tree can live more than 350 years.

Description: The genus name comes from the Greek word karya used for walnut trees. Ovata means "egg-shaped" and originates from Latin.

Wildlife: The shagbark hickory attracts birds. Squirrels and birds relish the seeds and catkins. The tree is a nesting site, provides cover, and is beneficial to insectivorous birds. The crevices formed by shagbark hickory's thick, peeling bark provide summer shelter for some bats, notably the endangered Indiana bat.

Accession Record:
20024-0002A; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: Carya ovata, commonly called shagbark hickory, is native to Alabama and ranges from Quebec to Minnesota, south to Georgia and Texas.

Scientific name: Catalpa bignonioides

Common names:

Southern Catalpa; Cigar Tree; Caterpillar Tree.

Family:

Bignoniaceae—New Latin, named for J.P. Bignon, a French royal librarian from the 18th century.

Habitat:

This tree prefers to have damp feet and is often found along creek beds or in flood plains. It is a relatively easily grown tree and is tolerant of clay and dry conditions. It spreads easily.

Identifiers:

This small tree rarely grows over 40ft tall and often has a twisting trunk with gray bark. The bark forms in rough, flat plates with shallow fissures in between. Catalpa leaves are slightly heart shaped. They have smooth margins, and in between each vein, there is a gland which excretes a nectar. This nectar attracts ants, and these ants help remove other insects that try to feed on the catalpa leaves. White, trumpet shaped flowers are produced in multi stemmed clusters. Purple dots and gold lines in the flower direct pollinators into the inner portion of the flower. The fruit resembles long green beans. It is a long, cylindrical capsule that eventually splits open to release winged seeds.

Description:

The word “catalpa” has origins in the Creek language, originally as katáłpa. This word is combination two Creek words, iká, meaning head, and táłpa, meaning wing; bignonioides, like the family name for this species, is named for 18th century French librarian, J.P Bignon.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

0000-0001; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Catalpa speciosa

Common names:

Northern Catalpa; Catawba Tree; Indian Cigar Tree.

Family:

Bignoniaceae—New Latin, coming from J.P. Bignon, a French royal librarian from the 18th century.

Habitat:

This tree prefers moist, damp environments and is often found along creek beds or in flood plains. It is a relatively easily grown and is tolerant of various soil conditions. It spreads easily.

Identifiers:

This tree can grow to a height between 75-100 ft tall. The stout trunk can be either straight or twisting. Mature trees have rough, gray-brown bark, longitudinally furrowed between narrow scaly plates. The northern catalpa has light green, whorled or opposite, pinnately veined leaves. They have smooth margins and are cordate (heart-shaped). White, trumpet shaped flowers are produced in multi stemmed clusters. Purple dots and gold lines in the flower direct pollinators into the inner portion of the flower.The fruit resembles long green beans. It is a long, brown, cylindrical capsule that eventually splits open to release winged seeds. These fruits resemble cigars, which lends this tree one of its common names.

Description:

The word Catalpa has origins in the Creek language, originally as katáłpa. This word is a combination of two Creek words, iká, meaning head and táłpa, meaning wing; speciosa is from Latin and means “showy.”

Accession Record:

Midwest to Mississippi

2019-0003; existing plant; 12/3/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery

Scientific name: Celtis laevigata

Common names:

Southern Hackberry; Sugarberry.

Family:

Cannabaceae—The hemp family which contains around 170 species and 11 genera. The genus Celtis, the hackberries, is the largest genus in the family with around 100 species.[i] The family name, Cannabaceae, comes from the word “cannabis” which means “hemp.” The origin of this word can be traced back to Greek kannabis, a Scythian or Thracian word. From this word, other languages derive their word for hemp. This includes the Armenian kanap', Albanian kanep, Russian konoplja, Persian kanab, and Lithuanian kanapės.[ii]

Habitat:

Native to Alabama, the southern hackberry prefers sandy loam to clay that is well drained and in full sun. In the wild, it can be found growing along fence rows, in bottomlands, and along streams. It is a fairly hardy tree and can tolerate drought as well as flooding and can do well even in heavily compacted soils.

Identifiers:

The southern hackberry grows to a mature height of between 50-90 ft. Its thin bark is light gray and covered in warty growths. The glabrous, yellowish green leaves are alternate, petiolate, and can have either entire (meaning smooth) margins or margins that are slightly serrated. The southern hackberry has male and female flowers. Male flowers, which are produced in cymes, lack petals and have 5-6 stamens. The female flowers are typically solitary, though they sometimes grow in small clusters. They, too, lack petals and have 5-6 non-functioning stamens and a sessile, ovoid ovary. The fruit produced by this tree is a globose, dry drupe that contains a single seed. This glabrous drupe is orange or brownish red in color.

Description:

Celtis is the Greek word for a hackberry tree; laevigata comes from Latin and means “smooth.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America
0000-0002A; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Celtis occidentalis

Common names:

Northern Hackberry; Common Hackberry; Beaverwood; False Elm; Nettle Tree; Sugarberry; Nettlewood.

Family:

Cannabaceae—The hemp family which contains around 170 species and 11 genera. The genus Celtis, the hackberries, is the largest genus in the family with around 100 species.The family name, Cannabaceae, comes from the word “cannabis” which means “hemp.” The origin of this word can be traced back to Greek kannabis, a Scythian or Thracian word. From this word, other languages derive their word for hemp. This includes the Armenian kanap', Albanian kanep, Russian konoplja, Persian kanab, and Lithuanian kanapės.

Habitat:

The common hackberry loves rich, well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade. It is a tough tree and can withstand drought, urban conditions, a range of soil conditions, and wind.

Identifiers:

The hackberry commonly grows to a height between 40-60 ft but in prime conditions can grow to 130 ft. Its bark is gray and smooth in some areas but develops characteristic bumps and warts.The leaves are ovate to lanceolate in shape and somewhat resemble an elm. They are a dark to dull green with serrate margins.The insignificant, greenish flowers of the hackberry bloom from April to May. The hackberry is mostly monecious (both male and female flowers bloom on the same tree). The male flowers bloom in clusters and the female flowers are solitary.The fruit is a berry-like drupe that, when mature, is dark purple. It ripens in September and contains one brown seed.

Description:

Celtis is the Greek word for a hackberry tree; occidentalis comes from Latin and means of or from the west.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

0000-0003A; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Cercis canadensis

Common names:

American Judas Tree; American Redbud; Eastern Redbud; Judas Tree; Mexican Redbud; Texas Redbud

Family:

Fabaceae—Commonly known as the pea family, Fabaceae boasts over 20,000 species of shrubs, herbs, vines, and trees.

Habitat:

The redbud is an understory tree, often found in hardwood forests, along streams, on forest margins, and in areas that are rich in limestone.

Identifiers:

The redbud usually forks low to the ground and has two or more major limb systems. The young twigs are shiny, dark, and thin while the mature bark of this tree is dark grey with a purple cast and very scaly. Thin bark plates peel from the sides and lower ends. It can grow up to a height of 40 ft but is usually between 20-25ft.The very identifiable leaf of the redbud is heart-shaped with smooth margins.The redbud is perhaps best identified by its beautiful blooms that can be seen in early spring. The flowers are pink-purple and form in large clusters. The flowers appear before the leaves.Being in the bean family, the fruit produced by the redbud is a thin, papery pod with beans.

Description:

The name Cercis comes from the Greek kerkis, meaning “weaver’s shuttle; ” canadensis means from or of Canada, as this is within the redbud’s natural northern range. The Redbud earns its name from the seed pods resembling a weaver’s shuttle.

Accession Record:

Eastern America

2010-0003; existing plant; 04/09/2010; uncertain origin;

Samara Farms LLC

Scientific name: Chionanthus virginicus

Common names:

White Fringetree; Old Man's Beard; Grancy Gray Beard

Family:

Oleaceae—The Olive Family.

Habitat:

This small tree, or large shrub, can be found throughout Alabama, usually in open pine or hardwood forests, around rock outcrops, and along forest edges.

Identifiers:

This small tree grows to a height of between 6-20 feet tall. The bark is scaley, with dark gray-brown ridges and red furrows.The thin leaves of the fringetree are glabrous on top and slightly pubescent underneath. They are ovate to elliptical in shape with smooth margins.Fringetree flowers droop in clusters, sprouting from the previous season’s growth. The fragrant flowers are either male or female as the fringetree is dioecious. However, in some cases, fringetrees can have perfect flowers.The fruit is a bluish black drupe and resembles olives.

Description:

This plant's name is from Latin and translates to "White flower of Virginia."

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2011-0003 A; existing plant; 02/14/2011; uncertain origin

Hunter Trees, LLC

Scientific name: Cladrastis kentukea

Common names:

American Yellowwood; Yellowwood; Southern Yellowwood.

Family:

Fabaceae—This is commonly known as the pea family. Fabaceae boasts over 20,000 species of shrubs, herbs, vines, and trees.

Habitat:

The American yellowwood can be found in ravines, along river valleys, in mesic woods and on limestone slopes. It’s considered to be rare even within its range taking a long time to become established. However, once it is established, it has deep roots and is very resistant to drought and pests.

Identifiers:

This small to medium size tree reaches a mature height of between 30-50 ft. The yellowwood grows wider than it does tall, and its many branching limbs spread out towards the crown. The bark is smooth, thin, and hard and ranges from a light gray color to nearly black.The leaves of the yellowwood are compound, oblong and have smooth margins. In autumn, the leaves will turn golden or orange.The yellowwood only blooms every 2-3 years. When it does bloom, it produces delicate white flowers that are pea-like in shape. It typically blooms in late spring and early summer. Being in the pea family, the yellowwood produces papery brown, pea-filled pods in late summer

Description:

“Cladrastis” comes from the Greek klados meaning branch and thraustos, meaning brittle, weak, or fragile; kentukea, from New Latin, means “from Kentucky.” Formerly, this tree was known as Cladrastis lutea; lutea, from Latin, means yellow.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2019-0004A; existing plant; 12/03/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Clethra alnifolia

Cultivar:

• ‘Ruby Spice’

Common names:

Sweet Pepperbush.

Family:

Clethraceae—White Alder Family. This family has two genera and under 80 species. The family name comes from the Greek word klethra which is the name for “alder.”

Habitat:

This plant prefers moist, sometimes wet, acidic soil. Once established it can tolerate bouts of drought and flooding for short periods of time. It can also tolerate clay soils and being in full shade.

Identifiers:

The ‘Ruby Spice’ cultivar grows between 3-6ft tall and usually spreads to around the same width. Its bark is gray and loosely striped. Clethra’s leaves are dark green, ovate to oblong in shape, and have serrated margins. In autumn, these leaves turn various shades of yellow before falling.This cultivar produces lovely, fragrant pink flowers that grow in cylindrical spikes. The flowers produce highly desirable nectar and pollen which attracts many pollinators.The fruit of the clethra is a brown capsule which matures in autumn and provides food for songbirds in winter.

Description:

Clethra is from the Greek word klethra andmeans “alder;” alnifolia means “leaves like alder.”

Accession Record:

2018-0003A; existing plant; 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Evins Mill Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Cornus florida

Cultivar:

• ‘Appalachian Spring’

Common names:

Flowering Dogwood.

Family:

Cornaceae—This is the dogwood family. The name comes from the Latin word cornu, meaning “horn.”

Habitat:

This understory tree prefers moist, acidic, nutrient-rich soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

The ‘Appalachian Spring’ cultivar resembles the species quite a bit. It can grow between 15-20 ft tall, and occasionally has multiple trunks. The bark of the older limbs and of the trunk is brown-gray and is broken into small, rectangular plates.The leaves are simple, ovate to oval, with smooth margins. The surface of the leaves is dull green and the underside is a glaucous green with a pubescent central vein. The cultivar has excellent fall color; its leaves turn shades of red and purple in autumn. Between March and May is when the dogwood blooms. Its true flowers are green and insignificant; these are surrounded by four petal-like bracts that are notched at the ends. These are often mistaken for the flowers.The dogwood has glossy, bright red oval drupes. These grow in tight clusters of 3-4 fruits.

Description:

As mentioned above, the name comes from the Latin word cornu and means “horn;” florida comes from the Latin word floridus, meaning “flowery/flowering.”

Accession Record:

2017-0001A; existing plant; 02/09/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Sleepy Hollow Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Cornus kousa

Common name: Chinese Dogwood, Japanese Dogwood, Kousa Dogwood

Family: Cornaceae: Dogwood family

Habitat: This tree is best grown in humusy, organically rich, medium moisture, acidic to neutral, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. It grows well in sandy loams, and appreciates regular moisture during hot summers.

Identifiers: Bark develops exfoliating patches of tan and brown. Creamy, white or pink, pointed bracts appear in late spring after the foliage. Fruit is a red-to-pink drupe appearing in late summer and fall. Leaves are shiny dark green and become reddish-purple to scarlet in the fall. Mature trees have distinctly layered lateral branches like the native dogwood, Cornus florida.

Description: Genus name comes from the Latin word cornus meaning "horn", possibly in reference to the strength and density of the wood. Specific epithet, kousa, is the Japaneses name for this species.

Wildlife: Fruits and nesting sites attractive to songbirds. Squirrels eat fruits as well. Members of the genus Cornus support the following specialized bees: Andrena (Gonandrena) fragilis, Andrena
(Gonandrena) integra, and Andrena (Gonandrena) platyparia.

Accession Record:
20024-0009; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
gift from Fulgham Tree Preservation, Inc.

Range: Kousa dogwood is native to China, Japan, Korea, and Eastern Asia.

Scientific name: Cotinus obovatus

Common names:

American Smoketree; Chittamwood; Smokebush; Smoke Tree; Texas Smoke Tree; Wild Smoke Tree.

Family:

Anacardiaceae—Originally from Greek, ana, meaning “up,” and kardia, meaning “heart.” This refers to trees which produce a nut (the heart) on the outside, one that is not encased (up signifying the outward location).

Habitat:

This tree loves rocky mountain soil and can often be found on north or east facing limestone slopes. It prefers a well-drained infertile loam soil in the full sun.

Identifiers:

The American smoke tree is a small, multi trunked tree, only reaching a height between 15-30ft.The rough, irregularly shaped bark plates are furrowed, ridged and gray brown in color. As the tree ages, its plates become flaky and scaly.The egg shaped, ovate leaves are blue green. They turn vibrant shades of orange and gold in the autumn.You might assume that this tree gets its name from the smoke-like appearance of its flowers, but that would be incorrect.The flowers bloom in yellow-green clusters in summer. When the flowers are spent, airy, smoky pink to purple hairs appear on the fading blooms that give the tree a hazy, smoky appearance.Pale brown fruits are produced with one seed. The seed is dry and oblong in appearance.

Description:

Cotinus comes from the Greek kontius meaning “olive;” obovatus means egg shaped referring to the leaves.

Accession Record:

Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama

2017-0002; existing plant; 02/09/2017; uncertain origin;

Sleepy Hollow Nursery

Scientific name: Cotinus obovatus

Cultivar:

• ‘Grace’

Common names:

American Smoketree.

Family:

Anacardiaceae—Originally from Greek, ana, meaning “up,” and kardia, meaning “heart.” This refers to trees which produce a nut (the heart) on the outside, one that is not encased (up signifying the outward location).

Habitat:

This tree prefers a well-drained infertile loam soil in full sun.

Identifiers:

Growing as a small tree or multi-stemmed shrub, the American smoketree ‘Grace’ cultivar grows to a height between 12-15 ft. The rough, irregularly shaped bark plates are furrowed, ridged and gray brown in color. As the tree ages, its plates become flaky and scaly. The egg shaped, ovate leaves of this cultivar are quite beautiful and come in rich shades of maroon or wine red. The ‘Grace’ cultivar has large pink panicles (clusters of flowers) that are around 14 inches long and 11 inches wide. When the flowers are spent, airy, smoky pink to purple hairs appear on the fading blooms that give the tree a hazy, smoky appearance. Pale brown fruits are produced with one seed. The seed is dry and oblong in appearance.

Description:

Cotinus comes from the Greek kontius meaning “olive;” obovatus means egg shaped referring to the leaves.

Accession Record:

2018-0004A; existing plant; 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Evins Mill Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Crataegus viridis

Common name: Green Hawthorn, Southern Thorn, Washington Hawthorn

Family: Rosaceae: rose family

Habitat: This hawthorn is commonly found in bottomlands, alluvial woods, moist open woodlands meadows, pastures, and savannas.

Identifiers: Like most hawthorns the green hawthorn has gray, thorny bark, bears white flowers in the spring, and produces red fruit in the fall. It is a dense, rounded, largely thornless tree that typically grows 20-35’ tall with a broad spreading crown. Gray stems are clad with serrate, ovate to elliptic, glossy dark green leaves (to 3 1/2” long) that are shallowly lobed in the upper half. When present, thorns grow to 1 1/2” long. Leaves turn purple to red in fall. Fragrant, 5-petaled, white flowers in 2-inch clusters (corymbs) bloom in May. Flowers are followed by small red fruits (pomes) that ripen in September and usually persist on the tree well into winter. The green hawthorn cultivar in Delano Park is ‘Winter King’. This is a popular, more disease-resistant cultivar that is noted for its profuse bloom of flowers, larger fruits, silvery-barked stems and more attractive fall color (purple and scarlet). It is one of the best hawthorns for landscape purposes. Unlike most hawthorns, this cultivar (as well as the species) is largely spineless, with only occasional small thorns (to 1.5" long).

Description: The Genus name (Crataegus) comes from the Greek name for the tree: kratos meaning strength for its strong, hard wood. The specific epithet (viridis) is from a specimen with shiny green foliage sent from Virginia.

Wildlife: *Used by nectar-bees, nectar-butterflies, fruit-birds, fruit-mammals, for cover, for nesting sites. *Attracts birds and butterflies. *Larval Host: King's hairstreak, Gray hairstreak, Soapberry hairstreak, Banded hairstreak, Red-Banded hairstreak. *Special value for native bees *Birds are attracted to the fruit in the fall and find nesting shelter amid the thorny branches.

Accession Record:
20024-0004; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: The green hawthorn, Crataegus viridis, is a deciduous tree native to Alabama and the southeastern United States.

Scientific name: Croton alabamensis var. alabamensis

Common names:

Alabama Croton.

Family:

Euphorbiaceae—The Spurge Family. The name comes from Euphorbus, who was a Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia in around the first century.

Habitat:

The Alabama croton is endemic (meaning it is only found naturally occuring in a particular area and nowhere else in the world) to Bibb and Tuscaloosa county in Alabama. This plant occurs in calcerous woods, around rocky outcroppings and glades, and in hardwood forests. This plant has been deemed the most rare shrub in North America.

Identifiers:

This shrub grows to heights between 2-10ft. It usually has a single trunk and has many branches. The bark is smooth and gray in color. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, have entire margins and are elliptic to oblong in shape. Leaves are clustered at the end of twigs. The upper surface of these leaves are dark green. The lower surface is a silvery green. Both top and bottom are covered in lepidote trichomes, which are shield-like scales. If leaves are crushed, they produce a fruity scent. The leaves turn red or orange in autumn before falling.The flowers of the Alabama croton are produced in racemes. These racemes can be bisexual or unisexual. Flowers have 5 sepals and 5 greenish white petals.The shrub’s fruit is a three winged capsule or drupe.

Description:

Croton, from Greek, meaning “tick.” This is in reference to the appearance of the seeds; alabamaensis means from Alabama.

Accession Record:

Alabama, Tennessee

2021-0001A; existing plant; 4/15/2021; seedling;;

garden of Donie Martin, Courtland, AL

Scientific name: Danae racemosa

Common names:

Alexandria Laurel; Alexandrian Laurel; Poet’s Laurel.

Family:

Asparagaceae—The Asparagus Family. Not only does this family include asparagus, a tasty vegetable, it includes a plethora of species. It holds around 2,500 species of flowering plants spread across the world.The Word “asparagus,” comes from the Greek aspharagos or asparagos and this Greek term actually comes from the Persian asparag which means “shoot” or “sprout.”

Habitat:

Poet’s Laurel is a non-native plant and originates from Turkey, Northern Iran, and Syria. This plant prefers moist, well drained soils, though it is able to tolerate drought when well established.

Identifiers:

Poet’s Laurel is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub. It grows to a maximum height of around 4 ft and has short, shiny green stalks.This plant’s leaves are actually not leaves. They are flattened stems that resemble leaves and are a lustrous, emerald green, lanceolate in shape with entire (smooth) margins. This shrub’s flowers are not very showy. They are bell-shaped, green-yellow in color, and form in terminal racemes. The fruit of the poet’s laurel is a reddish orange berry that ripens in autumn and persists through winter.

Description:

Dánae is a Greek name, and comes from the name of the mother of Perseus in Greek mythology; racemosa is from Latin and means flowers that grow in racemes.

Accession Record:

Turkey, Syria, Northern Iran

2015-0001A; existing plant; seedling;

Garden of Donie Martin, Courtland, AL

Scientific name: Diospyros virginiana

Common names:

American Persimmon; Common Persimmon; Eastern Persimmon; Possumwood.

Family:

Ebenaceae—The Ebony Family is a family comprised of 855 species, 800 of which come from Diospyros. Ebenaceae comes from the word ebenus, or eben, which is a Middle English word meaning “ebony.”

Habitat:

The Eastern persimmon prefers moist, well-drained, sandy soils in full sun. However, this tree is hardy and can withstand poor soil conditions. It is mostly found in floodplain forests, mesic hardwood forests, and old fields.

Identifiers:

This tree can grow up to a height of 80 ft, though it is usually much shorter than this. Plants tend to grow in clusters, coming up from root sprouts. The dark gray bark is broken up into rectangular blocks. The bark is described as distinctive, coruscated, and heavily scaled. This tree’s leaves are broadly oblong with a smooth, or slightly serrate, margin. The underside of the leaf is usually a little lighter than the top and slightly pubescent. In autumn, these leaves turn yellow or reddish-purple before falling.The Eastern persimmon is a dioecious tree, meaning that male and female flowers are found on separate trees. The fragrant flowers are small, yellowish green and bell-shaped. Male flowers form in clusters and female flowers are solitary. Sweet, orange-colored fruit is produced on the female trees. Though the fruit is tasty when ripe, it is extremely astringent beforehand.

Description:

“Diospyros” comes from the Greek words dio, for deity, and pryos meaning “wheat,” or “grain.” It was known as “the food of Zeus;” virginiana means of or from Virginia.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2019-0005A; existing plant; 12/03/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Fagus Grandifolia

Common names:

American Beech; Beech; Beechnut Tree; Red Beech; Ridge Beech; White Beech

Family:

Fagaceae—A family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The beech tree is present throughout Alabama and can be found in bottomland forests, in coves, ravines and on slopes.

Identifiers:

This tree can grow very large and tall reaching a mature height of around 80-100 feet. In some cases, the beech tree can grow up to 120 feet. The smooth, gray bark of the beech tree makes it a favorite tree for vandals to carve their names into. The leaves are alternate and oval in shape with serrated edges. In spring and summer, they are bright yellow green before turning bright yellow in the fall. The leaves “persist” into winter which means the tree does not lose its leaves. During this time, the leaves are papery brown. Beech trees are monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers on the same plant. The small flowers are unisexual. The yellow-green female flowers are borne in pairs, and the male flowers are wind-pollinating catkins. The flowers are produced between April and May shortly after the new leaves appear. The Beech produces a three-winged nut much prized by wildlife and humans alike. These nuts will mature from September-October.

Description:

Fagus is the Latin word for "beech," and grandifolia, also deriving from Latin, means "big leaf."

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0005; existing plant; 4/19/2018; uncertain origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Fothergilla gardenii

Common names:

Dwarf Fothergilla; Coastal Witch Alder; Dwarf Witch Alder.

Family:

Hamamelidaceae—The witch hazel family. The word comes from Greek, hamamelis, referring to a plant that has pyriform (pear-shaped) fruit.

Habitat:

Dwarf fothergilla likes moist, slightly acidic soils. This fothergilla can be found in highland swamps and adjacent wet, grassy areas.

Identifiers:

This slow-growing, mound-shaped, deciduous shrub only grows to heights between 2-3 ft. Twigs are slender and fuzzy brown, while mature bark is gray-brown speckled with lighter lenticels. The leathery leaves of this shrub are bluish-green, simple, ovate, slightly pubescent and have serrate margins. The leaves have a quilted, bumpy appearance. This shrub is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are on separate plants. The white flowers are a mass of stamens, often resembling a bottlebrush flower or a pompom with its thimble-like spikes. Only the male flowers are showy. The dwarf fothergilla’s fruit is a two-seeded, beaked capsule that matures in autumn.

Description:

Fothergilla is based on the name of an 18th century English Botanist, Dr. John Fothergill. Similarly, gardenii comes from the name of another 18th century individual, the Scottish physician Alexander Garden, who moved to South Carolina and first discovered Fothergilla gardenii.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2010-0004; existing plant; uncertain origin;

Samara Farms LLC

Scientific name: Gelsemium sempervirens

Common names:

Carolina Jessamine; Yellow Jessamine; Evening Trumpetflower; Poor Man’s Rope.

Family:

Gelsemiaceae—This is a small family with only 11 species. The word “Gelsemiaceae,” or “Gelsemium,” comes from the Italian word for jessamine, gelsomino.

Habitat:

Carolina jessamine can be found in upland pine and hardwood forests, in pine flatwoods and savannas, in swamps, on fencerows, and on roadsides. It prefers moist, well-drained soil in full sun.

Identifiers:

Carolina jessamine is a woody vine which can reach lengths up to 30 ft long. The stem is glabrous, wiry, and greenish brown to red-brown in color. The leaves are glabrous, evergreen, opposite, lanceolate, and have entire margins. This woody vine produces beautiful, fragrant bright yellow flowers that are funnel-shaped and appear either solitary or in clusters. They bloom between February and May. The Carolina jessamine’s fruit is a capsule with many brown, flat, winged seeds.

Description:

Gelsemium comes from the Italian word gelsomino, meaning “jessamine.” Sempervirens literally means “always living.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2010-0005; existing plant; uncertain origin;

Samara Farms LLC

Scientific name: Gleditsia triancanthos var. inermis

Cultivar:

• 'Skycole'

Common names: Thornless Honey Locust, Honey Locust

Family: Fabaceae--beech family. The name comes from fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat: The honey locust, or Gleditsia triacanthos, is a deciduous tree native to Alabama which grows in moist soils of river valleys.

Identifiers: The trunk and branches of the native species have stout thorns (to 3” long) that are solitary or three-branched. The 4-8" long leaves are bipinnately compound and made up of small, elliptic to lanceolate leaflets. The many leaflets on the honey locusts grow to about 1 inch and are bright green at first, but turn yellow in the autumn. Inconspicuous yellow-green racemes of flowers appear in late spring. The flowers are followed by long, twisted and flattened, dark purplish-brown seedpods (to 18” long) which mature in late summer and persist well into winter. Seedpods contain numerous flattened, round seeds surrounded by a sweet, sticky pulp. The name "honey" can be attributed to the sweet, honey-like substance within the pods that grow on this tree and provide food to animals. Honey locusts can reach a height of 70 feet, and live up to 120 years which is a medium-long life span for a tree.

The honey locust cultivar in Delano Park is Gleditsia triancanthos var. inermis ‘Skycole' Skyline (R) which features pyramidal growth with a central leader. It is a thornless and nearly seedless variety
that typically grows to 40-45' tall. Pinnate to bipinnate dark green leaves with ovate leaflets (1/2” to 1 1/2” long) cast a sun-dappled shade. Leaves turn an attractive yellow in fall. US Plant Patent
1,619 was granted July 16, 1957.

Description: Genus name honors Johann Gottlieb Gleditsch (1714-1786), director of the Botanical Garden, Berlin. Specific epithet comes from the Greek acantha meaning "thorn" and tri meaning "three" in reference to the three-branched thorns on species plants. The infraspecific epithet inermis comes from Latin and means "unarmored" or "toothless" in reference to the lack of spines or thorns in this form.

Wildlife: This tree species provides cover and nesting sites for a variety of wildlife. It also is attractive to butterflies, bees, and moths for its nectar, and its fruit is favored by many mammals.
It is a larval host for Silver Spotted Skipper and the Bisected Honey Locust Moth.

Accession Record:
20024-0005; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: Gleditsia triacanthos, commonly called honey locust, is native from Pennsylvania to Iowa south to Georgia and Texas. Because the tree present in Delano Park is a cultivar, it does not have a native range. The native ranges mentioned here are referring to the parent species.

Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba

Cultivar:

• ‘The President’

Common names:

Maidenhair Tree (in reference to the ginkgo’s leaf resemblance to a maidenhair fern); Silver Apricot.

Family:

Ginkgoaceae—New Latin, meaning literally, “Ginkgo Family”

Habitat:

The ginkgo is a non-native tree originating in China; however, this tree thrives in the southeastern United States. It adapts well to a variety of soils where other trees would do poorly.

Identifiers:

A young gingko has a pyramidal shape. The central trunk is surrounded by clusters of sharply upturned branches. The bark is light grey with a ridge-and-valley texture. Small branches have widely spaced, right-angled, stubby twig spurs. The broad, fan-shaped leaves can be divided into two lobes. They are wider than they are long and are bright green in summer. In autumn, they turn brilliant yellow. The cultivar present at Delano Park, ‘The President,’ is especially notable for its golden foliage in fall. This particular cultivar is a male-only cultivar and as such will not produce fruit.

Description:

From 1773, the word "ginkgo" was taken from the Japanese ginkyo also from the Chinese word yin-hing. Yin meaning “silver,” and hing, meaning “apricot.” This was introduced to the New World in 1784 by William Hamilton. The Latin word biloba refers to the shape of the leaf having “two lobes.”

Accession Record:

2011-0004A; existing plant; 02/14/2011; uncertain origin;

Hunter Trees, LLC

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Hydrangea arborescens

Cultivar:

• ‘Annabelle’

Common names:

Smooth Hydrangea.

Family:

Hydrangeaceae—The Hydrangea Family which has around 260 species of woody ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs.

Habitat:

Smooth hydrangea prefers well-drained soils in partial shade. It is not tolerant to drought and prefers moist soil.

Identifiers:

‘Annabelle’ is a smooth hydrangea cultivar that grows 3-5 ft tall. The green, slightly pubescent young stems mature into brown, peeling bark. Its leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate to oval in outline (think egg-shaped), and have serrate margins. The top surface of the leaf is dark green, and the underside is a pale green. This particular cultivar is known for having larger, more impressive blooms than the species. Its flowers are flat-topped, compound corymbs that are 8-12 inches across. This plant produces a brown, ribbed capsule which ripens from July-September.

Description:

The word “hydrangea” is a compound of two Greek words. Hydor is the Greek word for “water,” and angeion means “vessel;” arborescens comes from the Latin arbor which means “tree.”

Accession Record:

2006-0012A; existing plant; 02/08/2006; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Saunders Brothers Inc

A note on the native range:

The speices Hydrangea arborescens is native to Alabama. The cultivar 'Annabelle' is a naturally occurring cultivar which was discovered in the wild near Anna, Illinois

Scientific name: Hydrangea quercifolia

Cultivar:

• ‘Ruby Slippers’

Common names:

Oakleaf Hydrangea.

Family:

Hydrangeaceae—The Hydrangea Family has around 260 species of woody ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs.

Habitat:

The oakleaf hydrangea thrives in moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

The ‘Ruby Slippers’ cultivar is a compact shrub that matures to a height between 3-4 ft tall and roughly as wide. Immature stems are orange-brown and pubescent, while older growth is thin, gray to brown, and peels in long strips. Its distinctive, oak-like leaves are dark green, deeply lobed, and somewhat coarse. In autumn, these leaves turn rich shades of mahagony and red. Flowers are produced in conical panicles of 500-1000 flowers. The flowers along the margins are large, sterile, and have enlarged sepals. The small flowers emerge white but quickly turn a soft pink before maturing into a bright “ruby” red. The oakleaf hydrangea’s fruit is a small, hemispheric capsule.

Description:

The word “hydrangea” is a compound of two Greek words. Hydor is the Greek word for “water,” and angeion means “vessel, capsule.” “Quercifolia” comes from two Latin words, quercus meaning “oak” and folia meaning “leaf” or “foliage.”

Accession Record:

2018-0007A; existing plant 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Center Hill Nursery, LLC.

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Hydrangea quercifolia

Cultivar:

• ‘Snowflake’

Common names:

Oakleaf Hydrangea.

Family:

Hydrangeaceae—The Hydrangea Family has around 260 species of woody ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs.

Habitat:

The oakleaf hydrangea thrives in moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

The cultivar ‘Snowflake’ is a deciduous, woody shrub and grows to heights between 5-8 ft and nearly as wide. Immature stems are orange-brown and pubescent, while older growth is thin, gray to brown, and peels in long strips. The dark green, oak-like leaves are opposite and petiolate with lobed and serrated margins. The leaves turn shades maroon and purple in autumn. The flowers are what are most notable about this cultivar. The ‘Snowflake’ cultivar features double white flowers, which, when pollinated, develop into small, hemispheric capsule fruits.

Description:

The word “hydrangea” is a compound of two Greek words. Hydor is the Greek word for “water,” and angeion means “vessel, capsule.” “Quercifolia” comes from two Latin words, quercus meaning “oak” and folia meaning “leaf” or “foliage.”

Accession Record:

2007-0001A; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Shadow Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Hydrangea quercifolia

Cultivar:

• ‘Snow Queen’

Common names:

Oakleaf Hydrangea.

Family:

Hydrangeaceae—The Hydrangea Family has around 260 species of woody ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs.

Habitat:

The oakleaf hydrangea thrives in moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

The cultivar ‘Snow Queen’ has an upright, broad habit and typically grows between 4-6 ft in height. Immature stems are orange-brown and pubescent, while older growth is thin, gray to brown, and peels in long strips. The oak-like leaves are deep green, and in autumn, they turn different shades of bronze, orange, and maroon. While in many respects the ‘Snow Queen’ cultivar resembles the species, its flowers set it apart. The Snow Queen’s flowers are larger and showier than the species. The oakleaf hydrangea’s fruit is a small, hemispheric capsule.

Description:

The word “hydrangea” is a compound of two Greek words. Hydor is the Greek word for “water,” and angeion means “vessel, capsule.” “Quercifolia” comes from two Latin words, quercus meaning “oak” and folia meaning “leaf” or “foliage.”

Accession Record:

2017-0003A; existing plant; 02/09/2017; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Sleepy Hollow Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Hypericum frondosum

Cultivar:

• ‘Sunburst’

Common names:

St. John’s Wort.

Family:

Hypericaceae—From the Greek words hyper meaning “above” and eikon, meaning “image.” This is in reference to the fact that this particular plant was traditionally placed above Christian icons.

Habitat:

This shrub grows best in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained, alkaline soils.

Identifiers:

The ‘Sunburst’ cultivar is fairly comparable to the speices with minor differences. The cultivar is more compact, reaching a maximum height of around 3 ft and just as wide. It has a single trunk with many branches, and its bark is tan and sloughs in large, curling plates. The newly exposed bark is reddish brown in color. The bluish-green leaves are opposite with entire margins. The ‘Sunburst’ cultivar has larger flowers than the species. Its golden flowers are 5 petaled and about 2 inches in diameter. In the fall, this plant produces capsules as its fruit. Occasionally fleshy, this capsule has 3-5 cells.

Description:

Hypericum is a Greek word and essentially translates to "above icon;" frondosum comes from Latin and means “leafy branch.”

Accession Record:

2018-0008A; existing plant 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Center Hill Nursery, LLC.

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex x attenuata

Cultivar:

• ‘Fosteri’

Common name:

Foster Holly

Family:

Aquifoliaceae: This is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen, leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “Aquifoliaceae,” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

The foster holly prefers acidic, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

This cultivar is a conical evergreen shrub, reaching a mature height of between 12-25 ft. Its bark is smooth and ranges in color from light to dark gray. Its dark olive green, glossy, lanceolate leaves are spiney and elliptic in outline. The flowers of this cultivar, like most other hollies, are small and insignificant. The white flowers bloom in late spring and have a pleasant fragrance. This cultivar produces abudant orange-red berry like drupes that ripen in the fall and persist through winter. While the holly species is dioecious (male and female plants are separate), the foster holly has a unique quality. Female foster holly trees do not need a male of their species in order to produce fruit. The botanical term for this is parthenocarpic. Fruit production is the best when the plant is situated in full sun.

Description:

Ilex comes from Latin and means “holm-oak;” attenuata also comes from Latin and means narrowing to a point.

Accession Record:

0000-0004; heritage plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Range:

While Ilex x attenuata is a naturally occurring hybrid of Ilex cassine and Ilex opaca, the specific cultivar Fosteri was cultivated for specific purposes, and therefore does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex decidua

Family:

Aquifoliaceae—This is the Holly Family. The name comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Common names:

Deciduous Holly; Possum Haw; Possum Holly; Swamp Holly; Possumhaw.

Habitat:

Possum Haw is found throughout Alabama, typically in alluvial forests, limestone areas, prairies, and in disturbed woodlands.

Identifiers:

This multi-trunked shrub will grow to a mature height of between 7-15 ft. Its bark is gray to tan in color, and the trunk and limbs often have short “spurs” shoots. The possum haw’s leaves are alternate and ovate in outline and have rounded teethed margins. It is a deciduous tree with leaves that turn yellow in autumn before falling. Possum Haw, like most other hollies, is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are produced on different plants. Female flowers are solitary, and male flowers are produced in cymes. The brilliant, bright red drupe of the possum haw stays on the tree throughout the winter and is a source of food for much wildlife, songbirds in particular.

Description:

Ilex isfrom Latin and means “holm-oak;” decidua refers to the fact that this holly is deciduous, meaning that it loses its leaves in the winter and is not an evergreen.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2021-0002A; existing plant; 2/15/2021; uncertain origin;

Boshancee Nursery

Scientific name: Ilex decidua

Cultivar:

• ‘Warren’s Red’

Common names:

Possum Haw.

Family:

Aquifoliaceae: This is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen, leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “Aquifoliaceae,” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

The Possum Haw is easily grown in a variety of conditions. It is partial to medium wet soil in full to partial sun but can adapt to wet environments.

Identifiers:

The ‘Warren’s Red’ possum haw cultivar is a multi-trunked shrub and grows to a mature height of between 6-14 ft. This cultivar’s bark is a silvery gray, and its trunk and limbs often have short “spurs” shoots. Its dark green, glossy leaves are alternate and ovate in outline. Ilex decidua is a deciduous tree with leaves that turn yellow in autumn. The ‘Warren’s Red’ cultivar has leaves which persist longer in autumn than other possum haws, but it will eventually lose these leaves. Female flowers are solitary, and male flowers are produced in cymes. The brilliant, bright red drupe of the possum haw stays on the tree throughout the winter and is a source of food for much wildlife, songbirds in particular.

Description:

Ilex comes from Latin and means “holm-oak;” decidua refers to the fact that this holly is deciduous, meaning that it loses its leaves in the winter and is not an evergreen.

Accession Record:

2011-0001; existing plant; 02/15/2011; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Boshancee Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex glabra

Cultivar:

• ‘Compacta’

Common names:

Inkberry Holly.

Family:

Aquifoliaceae: This is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen, leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “Aquifoliaceae,” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

This shrub grows in low pine woods, near and around bogs, savannahs, seeps, and stream banks.

Identifiers:

This compact cultivar, ‘Compacta,’ grows roughly 4ft high and 6ft wide. It is stoloniferous (meaning it produces suckers) which often form into dense thickets. Young stems are yellowish-green and mature into smooth gray bark. The small, evergreen leaves are alternate, elliptic to ovate in outline, and dark green in color. This is a female-only cultivar, and the flowers are small but rich in nectar. In order for fruit to be produced, a male Ilex glabra needs to be nearby. If this female cultivar is pollinated, it will produce pea-sized, jet-black drupes from early to late autumn and retain these into the winter moths.

Description:

Ilex is from Latin and means “holm-oak;” glabra is also from Latin and means “smooth.”

Accession Record:

2011-0002; existing plant; 04/18/2011; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Flowerwood Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex glabra

Cultivars:

• ‘Ilexfarrowtracey'

Common names:

Inkberry

Family:

Aquifoliaceae: This is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen, leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “Aquifoliaceae,” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

This shrub grows in low pine woods, near and around bogs, savannahs, seeps, and stream banks.

Identifiers:

The inkberry is a colonial shrub and grows to a height of 6-9 ft. It usually grows in dense thickets. Young stems are yellowish-green and mature into smooth gray bark. The small leaves are alternate, elliptic to ovate in outline, and are a lustrous dark green. On the underside of the leaves there are tiny, punctate, reddish glands. The dioecious shrub has separate male and female flowers on different trees. Male plants have flowers that grow in cymes while the female plants have flowers either as cymes or as a single flower. The pea-sized, jet-black drupe is produced on female plants from early to late autumn.

Description:

Ilex isfrom Latin and means “holm-oak;” glabra is also from Latin and means “smooth.”

Accession Record:

2018-0009A; existing plant; 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Evins Mill Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex opaca

Cultivar:

‘Satyr Hill’

Common names:

American Holly

Family:

Aquifoliaceae: This is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen, leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “Aquifoliaceae,” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

The American holly prefers well-drained, acidic, moist soil in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

This cultivar of the American holly is a small to medium sized tree with a mature height reaching to about 30ft. The bark is smooth with grey and tan coloration. The leaves are very distinctive, and sprigs of this tree are often used in Christmas decorations. The ‘Satyr Hill’ cultivar sports large, olive green, evergreen leaves that have an elliptical outline and sharp spine-tipped teeth around the margin. They are also thick and leathery. ‘Satyr Hill’ is a female-only cultivar. Its flowers are small and greenish white in color. If pollinated, the holly will produce large, bright red fruits which are evenly distributed across the tree.

Description:

Ilex comes from Latin and means holm-oak; opaca possibly comes from Latin though there is not as much consensus. If so, opaca is related to shady or shaded.

Accession Record:

2017-0004A; existing plant; 02/09/2017; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Sleepy Hollow Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Ilex vomitoria

Cultivar:

• ‘Shadow’s Female’

Common names:

Yaupon Holly.

Family:

Aquifoliaceae is the holly family. It is a family of widely distributed shrubs and trees which have alternate simple, often evergreen leaves, small dioecious flowers usually in axillary clusters, and berrylike drupes. The word “aquifoliaceae” comes from Latin and means “sharp leaf.”

Habitat:

The yaupon loves sandhills, longleaf pine forests, and flood-prone areas. It is more tolerant to drought than other hollies.

Identifiers:

The ‘Shadow’s Female’ cultivar typically grows to a height between 8-12ft. Its bark is light gray to almost white and very smooth. This tree’s dark green, evergreen leaves are small with rounded teeth along the margins. In spring, these leaves emerge bright lime green. The yaupon has small, four-petaled white flowers. The fruit of the yaupon is a bright red drupe that ripens from September to November.

Description:

Ilex comes from Latin and means holm-oak; vomitoria means vomiting.

Accession Record:

2021-0003A; existing plant; 2/15/2021; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Boshancee Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Itea virginica

Cultivar:

• ‘Henry’s Garnet’

Common names:

Virginia Sweetspire.

Family:

Iteaceae—Sweetspire family, from the Greek word itea, meaning “willow.”

Habitat:

Virginia Sweetspire prefers medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

This woody shrub grows in clumps and only reaches a maximum height of around 3-4 ft. Its bark is smooth and reddish brown. Stems are either erect or arching. Leaves are alternate, simple, and oblong in outline. Its margins are slightly serrate, and the leaves are pubescent. This shrub is what can be called “tardily deciduous,” meaning that, although it does lose its leaves in the winter, it holds onto them longer than other shrubs, often keeping them up until December or a little later. The cultivar ‘Henry’s Garnet’ is particularly notable for its more vibrant fall color compared to the species. The fragrant, dioecious flowers are produced in showy, arching racemes. Individual flowers have five white petals. ‘Henry’s Garnet’ is also known for more impressive, showy blooms. The fruit of the Virginia sweetspire is produced in woody capsules arranged in racemes.

Description:

Literally translated, Itea virginica means “Virgina willow.”

Accession Record:

2011-0002; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Flowerwood Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Itea virginica

Cultivars:

• ‘Sprich’ (also known as “Little Henry”)

Common names:

Virginia Sweetspire.

Family:

Iteaceae—Sweetspire family, from the Greek word itea, meaning “willow.”

Habitat:

Virginia Sweetspire can be found throughout Alabama, typically growing along riverbanks, around lakes and ponds, in seeps and swamps, and in low hardwood forests.

Identifiers:

The ‘Sprich’ cultivar is smaller and more compact that its parent species. It only reaches about 2-3ft tall and roughly just as wide. Its bark is smooth and reddish brown. Stems are either erect or arching. Leaves are alternate, simple, and oblong in outline. Its margins are slightly serrate, and the leaves are pubescent. The ‘Sprich’ cultivar is known for beautiful autumnal colors, often being red or burgundy. This shrub is what can be called “tardily deciduous,” meaning that, although it does lose its leaves in the winter, it holds onto them longer than other shrubs, often keeping them up until December or a little later. The fragrant, dioecious flowers are produced in showy, arching racemes. These racemes on the ‘Sprich’ cultivar are 3-4 inches long. Individual flowers have five white petals.The fruit of the Virginia sweetspire is produced in woody capsules arranged in racemes.

Description:

Literally translated, Itea virginica means “Virgina willow.”

Accession Record:

2018-0010A; existing plant ;10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Center Hill Nursery, LLC.

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Juniperus virginiana var virginiana

Common names:

Eastern Red Cedar.

Family:

Cupressaceae—It is unclear whether Cupressaceae derives its name from Latin or Greek sources, but it is likely there are influences of both. Latin influences include cypressus and cupressus. Greek influences could be derived from the Greek word kyparissos. This family is comprised of evergreen trees and shrubs that can date their origin all the way back to the Jurassic period in the fossil record.

Habitat:

The red cedar is native to many states in the US. This tree loves sandy, rocky, well-drained soils. It can be found growing on dunes, in old fields, along fence rows, and in pastures.

Identifiers:

This medium-size evergreen reaches a mature height of around 30-40 ft. Its bark is thin and papery and when mature, peels off in thin strips.The Eastern red cedar is a needled evergreen; as such, its leaves are scale-like and deep blue green in color. The Eastern red cedar is dioecious which means that male and female flowers are present on separate trees. Male flowers are little pollen cones, and the female flowers are round, berry-like cones. Female cones are blue and appear to be frosted. They have a grey-white waxy covering and display from September to February.

Description:

Juniperous comes from Latin and means "juniper tree," and virginiana means "of Virginia."

Accession Record:

2010-0006; existing plant; 02/17/2010; uncertain origin

Bold Spring Nursery

Scientific name: Juniperus virginiana var virginiana

Cultivar:

• ‘Brodie’

Common names:

Eastern Red Cedar.

Family:

Cupressaceae—It is unclear whether Cupressaceae derives its name from Latin or Greek sources, but it is likely there are influences of both. Latin influences include cypressus and cupressus. Greek influences could be derived from the Greek word kyparissos. This family is comprised of evergreen trees and shrubs that can date their origin all the way back to the Jurassic period in the fossil record.

Habitat:

This tree loves sandy, rocky, well-drained soils. It is well suited to a southern climate, being very tolerant to drought once well established.

Identifiers:

The cultivar ‘Brodie’ is a medium-size evergreen which reaches a mature height of around 15-25ft. Its bark is thin and papery and when mature, peels off in thin strips. ‘Brodie’ is a needled evergreen; as such, its leaves are scale-like and deep blue green in color. The Eastern red cedar is dioecious which means that male and female flowers are present on separate trees. Male flowers are little pollen cones, and the female flowers are round, berry-like cones. Female cones are blue and appear to be frosted. They have a grey-white waxy covering and display from September to February.

Description:

Juniperous comes from Latin and means "juniper tree," and virginiana means "of Virginia."

Accession Record:

2022-0001A; existing plant; 03/02 2022; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Cherrylake

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Juniperus virginiana

Cultivar:

• ‘Canaertii’

Common names:

Eastern Red Cedar.

Family:

Cupressaceae—It is unclear whether Cupressaceae derives its name from Latin or Greek sources, but it is likely there are influences of both. Latin influences include cypressus and cupressus. Greek influences could be derived from the Greek word kyparissos. This family is comprised of evergreen trees and shrubs that can date their origin all the way back to the Jurassic period in the fossil record.

Habitat:

The red cedar is native to many states in the US. This tree loves sandy, rocky, well-drained soils. It can be found growing on dunes, in old fields, along fence rows, and in pastures.

Identifiers:

The ‘Canaertii’ Eastern red cedar cultivar is a medium-size evergreen that reaches a mature height of around 30-40 ft once it is over 20 years old. Its bark is thin and papery and when mature, peels off in thin strips. This tree is a needled evergreen; as such, its leaves are scale-like and deep blue green in color. The ‘Canaertii’ cultivar is a female-only cultivar. Its flowers are round, dark purple-blue, berry-like cones. This cultivar is known for being prolific with its cone production which is a highly desireable ornamental feature.

Description:

Juniperous comes from Latin and means "juniper tree," and virginiana means "of Virginia."

Accession Record:

2020-0002A; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Rosewood Nursery LLC

A note on native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Lagerstroemia indica

Common names:

Common Crape Myrtle; Crape Myrtle; Crepe Flower; Crepe Myrtle; Indian Crape Myrtle; Lilac of the South.

Family:

Lythraceae—The Lythraceae family contains 650 species including perennial herbs, trees and shrubs. The word “Lythraceae” derives from the Greek work lythrum, relating to the color of flowers.

Habitat:

The crape myrtle is a non-native species and is originally from Asia. It is widely cultivated throughout the south for its beauty, but often easily spreads. It can be found around old home sites, on roadsides, along fence rows, and in disturbed woods.

Identifiers:

The crape myrtle can be considered a small tree or shrub. It has a multi-trunk growing pattern and reaches a mature height of between 30-40 feet. The bark is smooth and can range from light grey to tan. Similar to the peeling sycamore, the crape myrtle also sheds its bark in papery sheets. The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite in arrangement. The leaf texture is smooth and glabrous with un-serrated margins. In autumn, these leaves can turn various shades of red, yellow or orange before falling.The flowers of the crape myrtle are produced in clusters. Each flower has six petals with crinkled margins. The crape myrtle comes in a variety of colors including white through pink, red, lavender and purple.The fruit is a capsule with many small winged seeds.

Description:

In New Latin fashion, the genus Lagerstroemia derives its name from the Swedish merchant and naturalist, Magnus Lagerstroem with -ia being added to the end to create a Latin flare. The specific epithet, indica, indicates that the plant has its origins in India.

Accession Record:

India, China, Korea, Japan

0000-0005; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Lagerstroemia x muskogee

Cultivar:

• ‘Muskogee’

Common names:

Crape Myrtle.

Family:

Lythraceae—The Lythraceae family contains 650 species including perennial herbs, trees and shrubs. The word “Lythraceae” derives from the Greek work lythrum, relating to the color of flowers.

Habitat:

The crape myrtle is a non-native species and is originally from Asia. It is widely cultivated throughout the south for its beauty, but often easily spreads. It can be found around old home sites, on roadsides, along fence rows, and in disturbed woods.

Identifiers:

The crape myrtle can be considered a small tree or shrub. It has a multi-trunk growing pattern, and the ‘Muskogee’ cultivar grows to a mature height of between 15-25 feet. The bark is smooth and light gray. Similar to the peeling sycamore, the crape myrtle also sheds its bark in papery sheets. The leaves of this cultivar are dark green and glossy and turn red-orange in autumn. The ‘Muskogee’ cultivar is noted for its light lavender-pink flowers which bloom from mid-summer to early fall. The crape myrtle produces round seed capsules which often persist into winter.

Description:

In New Latin fashion, the genus Lagerstroemia derives its name from the Swedish merchant and naturalist, Magnus Lagerstroem with -ia being added to the end to create a Latin flare. The specific epithet, indica, indicates that the plant has its origins in India.

Accession Record:

2005-0001A; existing plant; 12/14/2005; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Select Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Lindera benzoin

Common names:

Benjamin Bush; Northern Spicebush.

Family:

Lauraceae—Latin, meaning laurel family.

Habitat:

Common throughout most of Alabama, this shrub can be found growing along streams, in upland areas with limestone, and in moist to wet woodlands.

Identifiers:

This small shrub will only reach heights between 6-12 feet. The bark is brown to gray-brown and speckled with light-colored lenticels. The stem is aromatic and has a spicy fragrance. Young twigs are glabrous or slightly pubescent and have small white lenticels. Lenticels are like pores for trees; they are tissues that transmit gases from the tree to the outside world. Leaves on the spicebush are alternate, elliptic to ovate in outline, and have ciliate margins. Ciliate, like cilia, means small, hairlike projections. When crushed, the leaves give off a pleasant fragrance. In autumn, they turn a bright yellow. Clusters of greenish-yellow flowers bloom on the spicebush’s twigs in early spring. It is a dioecious plant, meaning that the male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Once pollinated, the female spicebush shrubs produce bright red drupes that have a spicy scent.

Description:

Lindera, comes from the 18th century Swedish botanist Johann Linder; benzoin is a fragrant, yellowish resin that comes from trees.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0011A; existing plant; 02/12/2018; uncertain origin

Myer’s Cove Native Plant Nursery

Scientific name: Liquidambar styraciflua

Cultivar:

• ‘Slender Silhouette’

Common names:

Sweet Gum

Family:

Altingiaceae—This name is based on Altingia, first named by Noronha to honor the former General Governor Alting of the East Indian colonies of the Netherlands.

Habitat:

The sweetgum loves moist environments with well-drained soil and full sun.

Identifiers:

The cultivar present at Delano Park is called ‘Slender Silhouette.’ This specific cultivar only grows to about 35-45 feet tall and grows very straight and narrow. The leaves are simple, alternate, and about 4-7 inches long and almost as wide. The leaf has a very distinct, 5-pointed star shape. The margins are finely serrated. Leaves can turn red, yellow, purple, or orange in autumn. The sweetgum is monecious, meaning it has both male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers grow in heads of many stamens. Female flowers are produced in pendant heads. The fruit capsules are about the size of a golf ball and are brownish red. They are covered in spikes that stick out in all directions. You can see these “gumballs” hanging on the trees in winter.

Description:

Liquidambar is a combination of Latin and Arabic. Liquidus comes from Latin meaning fluid, and ambar is Arabic and means fragrant. The specific epithet (styraciflua) is Latin and means “flowing with resin.”

Accession Record:

2010-0007A; existing plant; 02/17/2010; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Bold Spring Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Liriodendron 𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘢

Common names:

Canary Whitewood; Canoewood; Lyre Tree; North American Whitewood; Tulip tree; Western Poplar; Whitewood; Yellow Poplar; Yellow-Poplar.

Family:

Magnoliaceae—This name comes from new Latin. It is named after Pierre Magnol, a French botanist from the 18th century. From this name, we get the Magnolia Family.

Habitat:

This tree prefers moist, well-drained soil in full sun, and can often be found in coves, hardwood forests, in ravines, and along creeks and rivers.

Identifiers:

This large tree can exceed a height of over 120ft and 9ft in diameter. Mature trees have gray, rough, furrowed bark with powdery white coloring in the valleys of the bark. On young trees, the bark is a smooth gray with very shallow, white furrows. The tulip tree’s leaves are alternate and palmately veined, with 2-4 lobes and smooth margins. They are bright green in summer and turn golden yellow come autumn. As this tree’s nickname suggests, the flowers of the tulip tree resemble tulips. They have 6 green-yellow petals that have orange stripes. They bloom from May through early June. The tree produces and aggregate of fused, cone-like samaras.

Description:

Liriodendron comes from New Latin as it is a mash up of two Greek words, leirion, meaning “lily,” and dendron, meaning “tree;” tulipifera literally translates to “tulip-bearing.”

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0012A; existing plant; 04/19/2018; uncertain origin;

Hale & Hines Nursery, Inc.

Scientific name: Magnolia grandiflora

Common names:

Bull Bay; Large Tree Magnolia; Southern Magnolia.

Family:

Magnoliaceae—The family for magnolias, the word originating from the name of a French botanist in the early 18th century, Pierre Magnol.

Habitat:

While the southern magnolia can be seen throughout the state of Alabama, it is actually native to the Costal Plain of Alabama. If you see it north of the Blackbelt region, this is due to it being intentionally planted and cultivated.This tree loves rich soil in partial shade.

Identifiers:

When young, the southern magnolia has smooth brown to gray bark. As it ages, it develops more texture with close plates or scales.The leaves of the southern magnolia are very distinctive, and you have likely seen them before even if you didn’t know what the tree was. It has alternate, simple leaves that are oval or elliptical. The surface of the leaf is waxy and dark green. The underside of the leaf is a slightly lighter green with some pubescence. The beautiful, fragrant flowers of the southern magnolia are produced singly at the ends of its branches. These flowers have anywhere from six to fifteen white tepals (sepals and petals that are similar in color and shape). The southern magnolia’s fruit is a cone-shaped aggregate of follicles. Each follicle splits to release a single, large red seed.

Description:

Magnolia comes from Pierre Magnol, and grandiflora comes from Latin and means “big flower.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

1992-0002A; existing plant; uncertain origin;

Scientific name: Magnolia grandiflora

Cultivar:

• ‘Claudia Wannamaker’

Common names:

Southern Magnolia.

Family:

Magnoliaceae—The family for magnolias, the word originating from the name of a French botanist in the early 18th century, Pierre Magnol.

Habitat:

This tree prefers rich soil and partial shade. Once established, it can tollerate bouts of drought.

Identifiers:

The ‘Claudia Wannamaker’ cultivar grows to about 50-60 ft. When young, it has smooth brown to gray bark. As it ages, it develops more texture with close plates or scales.The leaves of the southern magnolia are very distinctive, and you have likely seen them before even if you didn’t know what the tree was. It has alternate, simple leaves that are oval or elliptical. The surface of the leaf is waxy and dark green. The underside of the leaf of this cultivar is rusty. The beautiful, fragrant flowers of the southern magnolia are produced singly at the ends of its branches. These flowers have anywhere from six to fifteen white tepals (sepals and petals that are similar in color and shape). The southern magnolia’s fruit is a cone-shaped aggregate of follicles. Each follicle splits to release a single, large red seed.

Description:

Magnolia comes from Pierre Magnol, and grandiflora comes from Latin and means “big flower.”

Accession Record:

2019-0008; existing plant; 11/30/2019; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Hale & Hines, Inc.

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Magnolia grandiflora

Cultivar:

• ‘Little Gem’

Common names:

Southern Magnolia.

Family:

Magnoliaceae—The family for magnolias, the word originating from the name of a French botanist in the early 18th century, Pierre Magnol.

Habitat:

This tree loves rich soil in partial shade. It is best grown in organically rich, well drained soils. This particular cultivar is moderately tolerant of salt.

Identifiers:

When young, the southern magnolia has smooth brown to gray bark. As it ages, it develops more texture with close plates or scales. The ‘Little Gem’ cultivar is a dwarf cultivar and only reaches a mature height of around 20ft. The leaves of the southern magnolia are very distinctive, and you have likely seen them before even if you didn’t know what the tree was. It has alternate, simple leaves that are oval or elliptical. The surface of the leaf is waxy and dark green. The underside of this cultivar’s leaf is bronze in color with some pubescence. The beautiful, fragrant flowers of the southern magnolia are produced singly at the ends of its branches. These flowers have anywhere from six to fifteen white tepals (sepals and petals that are similar in color and shape). The southern magnolia’s fruit is a cone-shaped aggregate of follicles. Each follicle splits to release a single, large red seed.

Description:

Magnolia comes from Pierre Magnol, and grandiflora comes from Latin and means “big flower.”

Accession Record:

2013-0003A; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Rosewood Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Magnolia macrophylla macrophylla

Common names:

Bigleaf Magnolia; Great-leaved Macrophylla.

Family:

Magnoliaceae—The family for magnolias; the word originated from the name of a French botanist in the early 18th century, Pierre Magnol.

Habitat:

This tree produces the largest simple leaves and single flowers north of Mexico. The bigleaf magnolia is typically found in rich hardwood forests and on slopes and ravines where it is protected from wind.

Identifiers:

The bigleaf magnolia can have single or multiple trunks and can reach heights up to 60 ft. The bark is a light gray, brown color and is mostly smooth though it can be broken up into patches in some places.The distinctive leaves are clustered at the ends of branches, and each leaf can grow up to a yard long (3 ft!). They are smooth green on top and silvery beneath. The cup-shaped flowers can grow 12 inches wide. The petals are white with an occasional purple spot toward the base. These flowers are pleasantly fragrant.This tree’s fruit is about the size of a baseball and is cone-shaped, green, and hairy. When it matures in the fall, it reveals small red seeds that are very attractive to birds and other wildlife.

Description:

Magnolia, as mentioned above, stems from the name of a French Botanist; macrophylla comes from two Greek words, macro meaning big, and phylla, meaning leaf.

Accession Record:

2019-0009A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

Scientific name: Magnolia virginiana

Cultivar:

• ‘Green Shadow’

Common name:

Sweetbay Magnolia

Family:

Magnoliaceae—The family for magnolias, the word originating from the name of a French botanist in the early 18th century, Pierre Magnol.

Habitat:

This magnolia grows easily in acidic, medium to wet soils in full sun. It is unique among other magnolias in its ability to tolerate swampy conditions and clay, though it prefers organically rich soils.

Identifiers:

The sweetbay magnolia’s bark is smooth, thin, and ranges in color from light gray to a reddish brown, or even sports a mottled appearance. Its stems are pale green and pubescent, and the new stems have a green terminal bud. This tree will grow to a mature height of around 25-39 ft. The laurel-shaped, semi-evergreen to evergreen leaves of the sweetbay magnolia are dark green above and silvery glaucos beneath. Magnolias are known for their beautiful flowers, and the sweetbay magnolia is no exception. Its cup-shaped, creamy white flowers, though smaller than other magnolia species, are lovely and emit a sweet, lemony fragrance. In autumn, the sweetbay’s cone-like fruits with bright red seeds mature and offer food for a variety of wildlife.

Description:

Magnolia comes from Pierre Magnol, and virginiana means “of Virginia.”

Accession Record:

2010-0008A; existing plant; 02/17/2010; from a cultivated plant not ofd known wild origin;

Bold Spring Nursery

Range:

Cultivars do not have native ranges.

Scientific name: Neviusia alabamensis

Common names:

Alabama Snow Wreath.

Family:

Rosaceae-- The rose family, comprised of 2,500 species, many of which are armed with thorns, spikes, or prickles to discourage herbivores.

Habitat:

Found in the northern third of Alabama, it usually occurs in rocky woods, limestone areas, and along streams and riverbanks.

Identifiers:

This woody shrub can reach up to 8 ft tall. Its reddish-brown bark peels off in strips. The alternate leaves are deciduous (meaning that the shrub loses its leaves in wintertime). They are doubly serrate and ovate to elliptic in outline. The teeth of the margins of the leaves are tipped with a red gland. The underside of the leaves is slightly pubescent. The snow wreath’s flowers are produced in racemes or cymes. Interestingly, the flowers do not have petals. They have 5 greenish white sepals that somewhat resemble leaves, as well as many white stamens. The small, inconspicuous fruit is a drupe-like achene.

Description:

The genus name, Neviusia, honors the Alabamian Ruben Denton Nevius, who first discovered the plant; alabamensis means “of Alabama.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2021-0004A; existing plant; 4/15/2021; seedling

Garden of Donie Martin, Courtland, AL

Scientific name: Nyssa sylvatica

Cultivar:

• ‘Forest Fire’

Common names:

Black Gum.

Family:

Nyssaceae—This is a family of flowering trees and shrubs and includes 5 recognized genera. Previously, the plants found in Nyssaceae were grouped with the Dogwood family, Cornaceae. However, genetic analysis revealed that plants from the Nyssaceae family were distinct and thus deserved to be recognized separately.

Habitat:

Black Gum prefers medium to wet, acidic, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

The ‘Forest Fire’ cultivar can reach a mature height of around 40-50ft and has silver-gray to black colored bark. The black gum might be misidentified from its bark which with its deep ridges and diamond-shaped plates often resembles oak or elm. However, if you look up from the base of the tree you will see the crown of the tree filled with short, slender, and often twisting branches growing out of the trunk of the tree. It gives the black gum a disheveled and messy appearance. The leaves of the ‘Forest Fire’ cultivar are a glossy green and densely clustered. It is well known and loved for its deep, crimson red autumnal colors. This tree is dioecious, meaning that it needs both male and female flowers in order to fruit. The flowers produced are modest and not showy. They are small and greenish white and form in clusters. They bloom from May to June. Only female trees will produce fruit, and this fruit when young is a green drupe which matures to a dark bluish black berry-shaped fruit. The fruit is edible but sour.

Description:

The scientific name of this tree can be translated as "water nymph of the woods."

Accession Record:

2019-0010A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Hale and Hines

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Nyssa sylvatica

Cultivar:

• ‘Wildfire’

Common names:

Black Gum.

Family:

Nyssaceae—This is a family of flowering trees and shrubs and includes 5 recognized genera. Previously, the plants found in Nyssaceae were grouped with the Dogwood family, Cornaceae. However, genetic analysis revealed that plants from the Nyssaceae family were distinct and thus deserved to be recognized separately.

Habitat:

Black Gum prefers medium to wet, acidic, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

Identifiers:

The ‘Wildfire’ cultivar grows to a mature height of between 30-50ft tall and around 20-30ft wide. Its bark is silver-gray to black colored bark. This tree might be misidentified from its bark which with its deep ridges and diamond-shaped plates often resembles oak or elm. However, if you look up from the base of the tree you will see the crown of the tree filled with short, slender, and often twisting branches growing out of the trunk of the tree. It gives the black gum a disheveled and messy appearance. This cultivar is popular for its leaf color. New growth is orange red and matures to a dark, glossy green. In fall, these leaves change color to orange and crimson, giving this cultivar its name ‘Wildfire.’ This tree is dioecious, meaning that it needs both male and female flowers in order to fruit. The flowers produced are modest and not showy. They are small and greenish white, and form in clusters. They bloom from May to June. Only female trees will produce fruit, and this fruit when young is a green drupe, which matures to a dark bluish black berry-shaped fruit. The fruit is edible but sour.

Description:

The scientific name of this tree can be translated as "water nymph of the woods."

Accession Record:

2010-0010A; existing plant; 02/17/2010; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Bold Spring Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Pinus taeda

Common names:

Oldfield Pine, Arkansas Pine, North Carolina Pine.

Family:

Pinaceae—The pine tree family contains 220 species of trees in northern temperate climates.

Habitat:

The loblolly pine loves wet environments, preferring moist, acidic, poor drainage soil. It loves hot and humid summers with mild winters best, and it is by far the fastest growing of all pines.

Identifiers:

The loblolly pine can grow very large very fast. A mature height for this tree is anywhere between 80 to 100 feet. The bark is a dark brown-grey and can be described as chunky, thick, and scaly. One of the simplest ways to differentiate pine species is by their leaves which for the pines are needles. By observing the length of the needle and how many needles there are in a cluster, you can typically identify what pine it is. The loblolly pine has needles that grow between 6-9 inches with 3 needles in a bundle. The flowers of the loblolly pine form in clusters that resemble catkins. They are diecious, and have cone-shaped, reddish male flowers and female flowers ranging from yellow to purple. The tree blooms from March- April. Like all pines, the loblolly produces cones. These cones reach 3-5 inches in length, are prickly-barbed, and short stalked. The cones remain on the tree for a period of time after they open and shed their winged seeds. Once they fall to the ground, it takes several months for them to deteriorate.

Description:

“Pinus” is Latin for pine; “taeda” is from an unknown intermediary but can ultimately be traced to Greek origin essentially also meaning “pine.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

0000-0008; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Platanus occidentalis

Common names:

Buttonwood; Buttonball-Tree; American Plane Tree; Sycamore.

Family:

Platanaceae—This is a relatively small family with only 9 species. Platanaceae is New Latin, meaning “plane” or broad.

Habitat:

The sycamore is water loving and is often found growing along streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and in bottomland forests.

Identifiers:

The sycamore is a very distinctive tree and can easily be identified by its bark. It is a peeling tree, shedding its outer grey-tan colored bark to reveal a smooth, bone-white bark beneath. It is also a very large tree and can grow up to 150 ft tall making it one of the largest trees in North America. The leaves of the sycamore are large, measuring from 5-8 inches long and nearly as wide. It is a fan-shaped leaf with 3-5 lobes with pointed tips. The margins of the leaf are serrated. The top of the leaf is smooth, and in early summer, the bottom of the leaf is pubescent (meaning it is covered in soft, woolly hairs). By fall, it will lose this matting and be smooth both on top and bottom. Sycamore flowers are produced as dense heads, reddish in color. Similar to the structure of the flowers, the fruit produced by the sycamore is a dense ball of achenes. An achene is a small, dry one-seeded fruit

Description:

The genus and epithet names of this tree both come from Latin. Platanus means “Plane tree,” and occidentalis means “Western.”

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2019-0009A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

Scientific name, Latin: Prunus serotina var. serotina

Common names:

Eastern Black Cherry; Wild Cherry; Wild Rum Cherry.

Family:

Rosacea—The rose family is comprised of 2,500 species many of which are armed with thorns, spikes, or prickles to discourage herbivores.

Habitat:

Along fences, cut woodlots, urban wooded areas, open forests, and along streams.

Identifiers:

The bark of a mature black cherry is rough, dark, and broken into irregular plates with red beneath the outer layer. When it is young, however, the twigs are smooth and glabrous. It is considered to be a medium to large size tree reaching a mature height of between 40-90 feet. The leaves are oval or lance-shaped with serrated edges. If you turn over the leaf, you will see that it is “pubescent,” meaning that along the central vein, there are soft, feathery hairs. In the autumn, the leaves will turn yellow or red before falling. The flowers are produced alongside the leaves. The white flowers droop in racemes, meaning that clusters of flowers bloom along each short stalk and open from the bottom up to the top. Small, black drupes cover these trees from June to October.

Description:

Prunus is the Latin word for plum, and serotina comes from the Latin serotinus, meaning late. Within this context, the black cherry tree is being described as late blooming or late fruiting.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

0000-0009; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Pyrus calleryana

Common names:

Bradford pear; Callery Pear.

Family:

Rosaceae—The rose family is comprised of 2,500 species many of which are armed with thorns, spikes, or prickles to discourage herbivores.

Habitat:

The non-native Bradford pear was introduced and is originally from China where it is native. This tree is often found along fence rows, pastures, roads, railroads, in vacant lots, prairies, and disturbed woodlands.

Identifiers:

This small tree reaches a mature height of between 20-60 ft. The limbs of this tree are weak, and they will snap off, either encouraged by a storm or of its own accord. The bark of a young Bradford pear is reddish in color and smooth while a mature tree is gray with fissures in its bark. The leaves of a Bradford pear are petiolate (meaning that leaves attach to the limb by a stem). They are also dark green and glabrous with small serrations along the margins. In autumn, these leaves will turn either red, gold, or orange before falling. The flowers of the Bradford pear are umbel-like (this means the flowers form in clusters similar looking to parsley or Queen Anne’s lace). The flower clusters are white and bloom in early spring. The globose (meaning globe-like) fruit is a brown pome.

Description:

“Pyrus” comes from the Latin word pirus, meaning “pear;” “calleryana” is derived from Joseph-Marie Callery, a 19th century French priest and sinologist (one who studies Chinese culture, language, literature, etc.).

Accession Record:

1992-0003A; existing plant; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Scientific name: Quercus alba

Common names:

American White Oak; Eastern White Oak; Forked-leaf White Oak; Northern White Oak; Quebec Oak; White Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The white oak can be found nearly everywhere from mesic forests to dry, rocky ridges. It is drought tolerant once established and is an all-around hardy, long-lived tree.

Identifiers:

This large tree can exceed 120 ft in height. The bark is light, ashy gray with large vertical scales. The dark green, glabrous leaves, have 7-11 blunt lobes. In autumn, they turn red or purple red before falling. Male flowers form in clusters of drooping, yellow-green catkins, and female flowers are solitary or paired, short spikes. The acorn produced by the White Oak is about 1 inch long and has a lumpy cap.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and alba is the Latin word for white.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2011-0004A; existing plant; 02/14/2011; uncertain origin

Hunter Trees, LLC

Scientific name: Quercus bicolor

Common names:

Swamp White Oak; Bicolor Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The swamp white oak prefers full sun and moist to wet acidic soils. Its strong root system makes it tolerant of flood-prone areas as well as dry summers.

Identifiers:

The swamp white oak can grow up to 100 ft, but usually is found to be around 50-60 ft tall. The bark is somewhat thick, soft, and is colored with various shades of gray. The flat-topped, long, and narrow plates are separated by equally narrow cracks. The two-toned leaves are tapered, with the narrow end towards the base and the wide end at its tip. The upper half of the leaves is dark green and glossy, and the underside is covered in a layer of very fine hairs and is silvery white. The leaf has rounded, shallow lobes.The swamp white oak is monoecious, meaning that it has both male and female flowers. The male flowers form in drooping catkins and are yellow green in color. Female flowers are short, green to red-colored spikes. These flowers usually bloom in April. The acorns are very small, rough .5-.75 inches long; they are shiny brown, and are covered 1/3 of the way by a grey, scaly cap.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and bicolor, meaning two colors, refers to the leaves. This oak’s leaves are shiny green on top and silvery beneath.

Accession Record:

North Central America

2019-0010A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

Scientific name: Quercus bicolor

Cultivar:

• ‘JFS-KW12’ (also known as ‘American Dream’)

Common names:

Swamp White Oak; Bicolor Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The swamp white oak prefers full sun and moist to wet acidic soils. Its strong root system makes it tolerant of flood-prone areas as well as dry summers.

Identifiers:

The ‘JFS-KW12’ cultivar, also known as ‘American Dream,’ is smaller than the parent species. It grows to a mature height of around 50ft tall with a 40ft spread. The bark is somewhat thick, soft, and is colored with various shades of gray. The flat-topped, long, and narrow plates are separated by equally narrow cracks The leaves of this cultivar are rounded and have shallow lobes. They are thick and glossy and deep green in summer. In autumn, these leaves turn a yellow brown. The swamp white oak is monoecious, meaning that it has both male and female flowers. The male flowers form in drooping catkins and are yellow green in color. Female flowers are short, green to red-colored spikes. These flowers usually bloom in April. The acorns are very small, rough .5-.75 inches long; they are shiny brown, and are covered 1/3 of the way by a grey, scaly cap.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and bicolor, meaning two colors, refers to the leaves. This oak’s leaves are shiny green on top and silvery beneath.

Accession Record:

2020-0003A; existing plant; 12/07/2020; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Bold Spring Nursery

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Quercus lyrata

Common name:

Overcup Oak

Family:

Fagaceae: From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

This Alabama native thrives in damp environments and can be most often found in bottomland forests, swamps, and alongside streams. It prefers damp clay soil and full to partial sun.

Identifiers:

The overcup oak grows to a mature height of between 60-80ft. Like most oaks, its bark is light gray and forms in long plates with deep furrows. Its leaves are dark green and have 3-5 lobes. The surface of the leaf is typically glabrous, or slightly pubescent, while the underside is a paler color and pubescent. These leaves are alternate, petiolate, and ovate to oblong in outline. The overcup oak is monoecious, meaning that one tree has both male and female flowers. The male flowers form as drooping catkins while the female flowers grow in solitary, or paired, spikes. The overcup oak gets its name from its distinctive fruit. Its acorns are nearly completely covered by the acorn cap or bur. This enables the acorns to float along streams and come to rest in a different location, which is one of the main ways this tree spreads its offspring.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks; lyrata also comes from Latin and means “lyre” in reference to the shape of its leaves.

Accession Record:

Southeastern, Central N.Amer.
2019-0010A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;
Hale and Hines

Scientific name: Quercus macrocarpa

Common names:

Bur Oak; Mossycup Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

This oak is not as common across Alabama and is more often found in the Midwest. It is listed as an S2 in Alabama, meaning that it is rare for the state. It prefers moist soil typically found in bottomlands but can tolerate a variety of harsh conditions.

Identifiers:

The dark gray bark is deeply furrowed, and its narrow, vertical ridges appear “wrinkled” with age. It typically grows to heights between 60-80ft. The leaves are long, (from 6-12 inches) and leathery. They are dark green on top, and silvery-green and pubescent underneath. It has 5-7 lobes along its margin, and the base of the leaf is wedge-shaped. Male flowers form in clusters of drooping, yellow-green catkins, and female flowers are solitary or paired, short spikes. The bur oak has the largest acorns of all the North American oak trees. The acorn cap could be better described as a fringed cup, which gives it one of its common names, “mossycup oak.”

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and macrocarpa, is a combination of two Greek words macro, meaning large, and carpa, meaning fruit, referencing the size of the acorn.

Accession Record:

2019-0011A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

Scientific name: Quercus nigra

Common names:

Black Oak; Barren Oak; Possum Oak; Water Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

This oak, as its common name suggests, can be found along streambanks and other bodies of water. It can also be found in a variety of forests, including mesic to wet hardwood forests and recently disturbed forests where there is predominantly pine.

Identifiers:

This is a large tree and can reach heights between 90-100 ft. The bark is dark grey and thin and breaks into irregular plates. The leaves can be described as “spatulate,” meaning that it has a broad, rounded end. The leaves are bluish green and glabrous, and the exact shape of the individual leaves can vary. They typically have 5 lobes. The leaves turn yellow in autumn. Like other oaks, the water oak produces male green-yellow catkins that form in drooping clusters and female flowers that are short, upright, and solitary. The acorns, which take two years to mature, are small and shallow with the cap covering about ¼ of the nut.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and nigra means “black”.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

0000-0010; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Quercus nutallii

Cultivar:

• ‘QNFTA’ (Also known as ‘Highpoint’)

Common names:

Nuttall Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae—A family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

This oak loves full sun and average to wet soil conditions. While it can thrive in a variety of soils, it prefers acidic soil.

Identifiers:

This cultivar grows to a mature height of around 40ft and has a spread of around 25ft. Its gray-brown bark is furrowed with flat-topped ridges. The dark green leaves of this oak are deeply lobed and have bristle tips being part of the red oak family. The male flowers form in clustered green-yellow catkins, and female flowers form in solitary stalks. The acorns produced by the nuttall oak are ¾ to 1 inch long, egg shaped, and have thin, scaly brown caps.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks; nuttallii is new Latin, named after a well-known 19th century botanist, Thomas Nuttall.

Accession Record:

2006-0015A; existing plant; 02/28/07; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Select Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Quercus palustris

Common names:

Pin Oak; Swamp Oak; Spanish Swamp Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae: From the Latin word fagus which means “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The pin oak prefers moist to wet, slightly acidic soils in full sun. It is also a popular city street tree and is planted on many college campuses.

Identifiers:

This tree can usually be found at heights between 50-70ft though in some instances it is known to grow as tall as 130ft. The bark is thin, though very tough. It has long, gray-brown, flat-topped ridges and equally wide, shallow valleys that are pink brown in color. The pin oak’s leaves have between 5-7 bristle-tipped lobes and sinuses that cut deeply, nearly to the midrib. The leaves are the same color green on both sides. Small tufts of tan colored hairs form at the axil of the leaf veins. In autumn, these oaks turn a deep red before falling, though in younger trees the leaves persist in winter. Male and female flowers are produced on the same tree. Staminate flowers, aka male flowers, form in drooping, catkin clusters. Pistillate flowers, aka female flowers, form as cupules which are cup shaped flowers. The fruit of the pin oak, the acorn, is light brown with dark brown stripes and is topped with a thin cap which covers about ¼ inch of the nut. It takes two years for the acorns to develop to maturity.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and palustris comes from the Latin word, palus, meaning “swamp.”

Accession Record:

Northeastern North America

2005-0002A; existing plant; 02/15/2006; uncertain origin

Plantation Nursery

Scientific name: Quercus phellos

Common names:

Willow Oak; Swamp Willow Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae—From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The willow oak prefers moist soil and is often found in wetlands and woods that border canals, streams, or swamps.

Identifiers:

This tree can reach a mature height of between 100-120 ft. The thin bark is grey and irregularly furrowed. The dark green, glabrous leaves are 2-5 inches long and narrow. The margins are smooth, and the midrib (the central vein) is the only prominent vein. The leaves turn yellowish-brown before falling in autumn. Male flowers are drooping, yellow-green catkins, and female flowers are solitary and sessile (directly attached by a stalk). As all oaks do, the willow oak produces acorns as its fruit. Its acorns are about ½ inch long and have a scaley, bowl-shaped cap. They can come singly or in pairs.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and phellos comes from Greek meaning “cork.”

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

0000-0011; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Quercus phellos

Cultivar:

• ‘QPSTA’ (Also known as ‘Hightower’)

Common names:

Willow Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae—From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The willow oak loves to be in full sun and well-drained soil. Once it is established, it can tolerate hard soils, sand, and clay.

Identifiers:

This is a fairly large cultivar, growing between 55-65ft tall and 30-45 ft wide. It has smooth gray to gray-brown bark. This oak is easily distinguished from other oak species by its slender leaves. The dark green, glabrous leaves are 2-5 inches long and narrow. The margins are smooth, and the midrib (the central vein) is the only prominent vein. The leaves turn yellowish-brown before falling in autumn. Male flowers are drooping, yellow-green catkins, and female flowers are solitary and sessile (directly attached by a stalk). As all oaks do, the willow oak produces acorns as its fruit. Its acorns are about ½ inch long and have a scaley, bowl-shaped cap. They can come singly or in pairs.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks, and phellos comes from Greek meaning “cork.”

Accession Record:

2007-0016A; existing plant; 2/28/07; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Select Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Quercus rubra

Common name: Northern Red Oak, Red Oak, American Red Oak

Family: Fabaceae--beech family. The name comes from fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat: The Northern red oak commonly grows on mesic slopes and well-drained uplands, lower and middle slopes, coves, ravines, or valley floors.

Identifiers: Northern Red Oak is a medium-sized, moderate to fast-growing, deciduous tree with a rounded to broad spreading crown that branches close to the ground. It may grow 50 to 75 feet tall and equally as wide. It has green leaves on the upper sides and the undersides are grayish-white. They have 7 to 11 pointed lobes that are sharply pointed at the tips. The fall foliage is reddish-brown. Inconspicuous male and female flowers appear in the spring, and the fruits appear in the fall. The fruits are acorns that are rounded and large. Red oak (Quercus rubra) is a member of the broad red oak group. This group is characterized by having bristles or points on the leaf lobes and acorns which mature in two growing seasons and sprout in the spring after maturity.

Description: The name comes from fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Wildlife: This tree attracts songbirds, ground birds and mammals. It also attracts a variety of butterflies and hummingbirds and is a larval host for the Gray Hairstreak Butterfly.

Accession Record:
20024-0007A; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: The Northern red oak is native to Eastern North America. It is the only native oak extending northeast to Nova Scotia, and growing from Minnesota south to eastern Nebraska and Oklahoma, east to Arkansas, southern Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Scientific name: Quercus shumardii

Cultivar:

• ‘QSFTC’

Common names:

Shumard’s Oak; Shumard Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae—From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The shumard oak prefers moist, well-drained, loamy soils. As such, it can often be found along stream and river terraces and adjacent ridges.

Identifiers:

This oak can grow to a height between 50-90ft. The bark is smooth, gray, and thick. As it gets older, it becomes more textured with deep furrows. The trunk is often buttressed at the base. Being in the red oak family, the shumard oak’s leaves are bristle-tipped. The dark green leaves with their 2-4 pairs of pointed lobes turn bright scarlet in the autumn before falling. The shumard oak is monoecious, meaning it produces both male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers form in drooping yellow catkins, and the female flowers appear on short stalks. The fruits of the shumard oak are acorns, and they are almost as wide as they are long, reaching about ¾ to 1 inch long when they are mature.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oak. The name shumardii comes from the last name of an American Geologist, Benjamin Franklin Shumard.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2005-0003A; existing plant; 02/15/2006; uncertain origin

Plantation Nursery

Scientific name: Quercus shumardii

Cultivar:

• ‘QSFTC’ (Also known as ‘Panache’)

Common names:

Shumard Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae—From fagus, meaning “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

The shumard oak prefers moist, well-drained, loamy soils. As such, it can often be found along stream and river terraces and adjacent ridges.

Identifiers:

The cultivar ‘QSFTC,’ also known as ‘Panache,’ grows to a height between 40-60 ft and has a 40-50 ft spreading crown. The bark is smooth, gray, and thick. As it gets older, it becomes more textured with deep furrows. The trunk is often buttressed at the base. Being in the red oak family, the shumard oak’s leaves are bristle-tipped. The dark green leaves with their 2-4 pairs of pointed lobes turn bright scarlet in the autumn before falling. The shumard oak is monoecious, meaning it produces both male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers form in drooping yellow catkins, and the female flowers appear on short stalks. The fruits of the shumard oak are acorns, and they are almost as wide as they are long, reaching about ¾ to 1 inch long when they are mature.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oak. The name shumardii comes from the last name of an American Geologist, Benjamin Franklin Shumard.

Accession Record:

2010-0011; existing tree; 02/19/2010; uncertain origin

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A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Quercus stellata

Common names:

Post Oak; Iron Oak.

Family:

Fagaceae- From the Latin word fagus which means “beech.” It is a family of flowering plants that includes beeches, oaks, chinquapin, and chestnuts.

Habitat:

Native to all of Alabama, the post oak is most often found in mixed pine and hardwood forests, dry rocky slopes, and prairies. It usually prefers acidic, well-drained soils in full sun.

Identifiers:

This oak typically grows to a height between 40-50 ft but is known to grow up to 90-100 ft in certain conditions. The bark is light grey in color, and mature trees are rough textured with horizontal cross breaks. The Post Oak is part of the White Oak group. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, and cruciform lobed. The cruciform shape of the leaves is what gives it its scientific epithet, stellata, resembling a star. The top part of the leaf is dark, dull green and rough textured, and underneath it is a paler green-yellow color and pubescent. Male and female flowers are produced on the same tree. Male flowers form in drooping catkins and female flowers grow in short stalks, usually singly but sometimes paired. The fruit, an acorn which is produced annually, is egg-shaped and usually under 1 inch in length. The acorn cap covers about 1/3 of the acorn.

Description:

Quercus is the classical Latin name for oaks; stellata also comes from the Latin and means “star-like.” This is in reference to the shape of the post oak’s leaves.

Accession Record:

Eastern and Central North America

0000-0012; heritage plant; uncertain origin

Scientific name: Rhus typhina

Common names:

Staghorn Sumac

Family:

Anacardiaceae: This family name derives from the Greek words ana meaning “up” and cardium meaning “heart.” This being the cashew family, a family where the nuts (or heart) of the fruit is outward, the name is fitting.

Habitat:

This widely spreading shrub can be easily found along woodland edges, roadsides, riverbanks, and other marginal areas. It prefers to live in well-drained soils where it can get full sun.

Identifiers:

The staghorn sumac is a spreading shrub, and as such, does not grow very tall. It can grow between 3-33 ft and grows nearly as wide. The bark is light brown to light grey when mature; young branches are fuzzy. This feature has given it its common name “staghorn,” as young bucks have velvet antlers. The sumac’s leaves are alternate and pinnately compound. The individual leaflets of the sumac have serrated margins and are medium green on top and lighter green underneath. The staghorn sumac produces panicles of small, greenish white flowers that have five yellow petals. This shrub is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are on separate trees. Female trees produce pyramidal, hairy, berry-like drupes in the autumn. These persist through winter, turning a bright red and providing food for wildlife.

Description:

Rhus, or rhous, is the Greek work for sumac; typhina is in reference to the genus Typha which is the cattail family. This particular sumac has this epithet because of its young branches’ resemblance to cattails.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2010-0010A; existing plant; 04/08/2010; uncertain origin;

Samara Farms LLC

Scientific name: Sassafras albidum

Common names:

Cinnamon Wood; Common Sassafras; Mitten Tree; Sassafras; White Sassafras.

Family:

Lauraceae—Latin, meaning laurel family.

Habitat:

Sassafras can be found in forests, along fence rows, and in fields. It prefers to live in well-drained, acidic, sandy soils. It has a large taproot and tends to form thickets when left unchecked.

Identifiers:

This medium-sized tree can grow to a height between 30-60 ft tall. The bark is thick, rough, and weathered in appearance and can range in color from reddish-brown to gray. Beneath the outer layer of bark is light orange bark that has the distinctive sassafras (otherwise known as root beer) scent. The bright green leaves come in several different shapes. There is an oblong (spoon-shaped) leaf, two mitten-shaped leaves (for the right and left hand), and a three-lobed leaf (referred to as a “fork” or “turkey foot”). Sassafras trees are unisexual, meaning that male and female flowers are found on different trees. The flowers form in clusters, and they have no petals, but have 6 sepals. They are yellow green in color. The fruit is a purple drupe that hangs from the end of a red, club-shaped pedicel.

Description:

Sassafras comes from the Spanish sasafrás, and its etymology is not clear; albidum comes from the Latin word albus, meaning white.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2010-0011A; existing plant; 04/08/2010; uncertain origin;

Scientific name: 𝘛𝘢𝘹𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘮 var 𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮

Common names:

Its common name, “Pondcypress,” is one word because it is not a true cypress.

Family:

Cupressaceae—This is Latin for the cypress family.

Habitat:

The pondcypress loves moist, wet environments and can be found around sinkhole ponds, cypress domes (which are a type of freshwater forested wetland), pine flatlands, and in other areas where water is abundant.

Identifiers:

The pondcypress is a long lived, slow growing tree. It will only reach a height of 35ft once it is 20 years old, but at maturity it can reach a height over 70 ft and 20 ft in girth. Its bark is gray, brown with shallow furrows, and peels in long, slender strips. Its lateral roots break the surface appearing like knobby knees. These growths are specialized in gaseous exchange. Although this tree looks like an evergreen with its scale-like, overlapping leaves, it is deciduous. The leaves are lime green and in autumn turn yellow and then reddish brown before falling. The pondcypress is monecious producing both pollen and seed cones on the same tree. The pollen cones are formed in panicles. The seed cones occur either singly or in clusters of twos or threes. Rough-surfaced, gumball-size silvery fruit balls develop over the summer. They release seeds in the fall.

Description:

The word “Taxodium” comes from a combination of Latin and Greek. The Latin taxus means “yew,” and the Greek eidos refers to the resemblance from a similarity of leafshape; distichum comes from the Greek word distichos, meaning “two ranked,” which is reference to the leaf arrangement.

Accession Record:

Southeastern North America

2019-0011A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

Scientific name: Taxodium distichum

Cultivar:

• ‘Sofine’ (Also known as ‘Autumn Gold’)

Common names:

Baldcypress; Southern Baldcypress. Because the baldcypress is not a true cypress, there is no space between its name.

Family:

Cupressaceae—Latin, for cypress family.

Habitat:

This cultivar prefers acidic soil in full sun and can tolerate salty spray and salty soil.

Identifiers:

The ‘Sofine’ cultivar grows to a mature height of between 50-60 ft with a spreading crown of around 20-25ft. Its bark is narrowly furrowed, peeling in strips, and is a dark gray brown or occasionally reddish color. This cultivar is notable for its dense, fine-textured foliage. Its leaves are alternate, 2-ranked, and flattened. These are feathery soft and greenish yellow in color. In autumn, the leaves of this cultivar turn golden before it sheds its branchlets with leaves still attached. This tree is monoecious, meaning it produces both male and female flowers on the same individual. Male flowers form in long, drooping panicles, and female flowers appear at the end of branches. The flowers are lavender in color. The fruits produced by the bald cypress are cones, and they form in groupings of 2-3.

Description:

The word “Taxodium,” comes from a combination of Latin and Greek. The Latin taxus means “yew,” and the Greek eidos refers to the resemblance from a similarity of leaf shape; distichum comes from the Greek word distichos, meaning “two ranked,” which is reference to the leaf arrangement.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2010-0004; existing plant; 02/19/2010; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Select Trees

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Tilia americana

Common name: American Basswood, American Linden, Basswood, Bee Tree

Family: Malvaceae: Mallow family

Habitat: Basswood thrives in mesic forests, particularly on sandy or limestone soils, and it almost always grows on moist but well-drained soils.

Identifiers: This native tree is large and stately sometimes reaching 80-90 feet tall. It is pyramidal when young but eventually becomes rounded with age. The bark is pale gray and smooth on young trees but is dark, furrowed, and rough on older trees. The leaves are asymmetrically heart shaped and measure up to 6-inches long and wide with a dark green upper surface and silvery-white undersides. The fall color is pale green to pale yellow. The flowers are fragrant and creamy-colored blossoms that form into clusters. There are 10-25 flowers per cluster. American basswood flowers
in the latter part of May in Alabama.

Description: The Genus name (Tilia) comes from the Latin name for the linden or lime tree, known in Sweden as linn. This is the origin of the name Linnaeus. The specific epithet (americana) is an obvious reference to the native territory of this species.

Wildlife: There are 66 insect species known to pollinate basswood; bees and flies are the most common diurnal visitors and moths the principal nocturnal visitors. When flowering, the trees are full of
bees, hence the name "Bee-tree"; this species is favored by bees over others and produces a strongly flavored honey. Although insect pollination is predominant, wind pollination plays a minor role. The fruit is a small rounded woody nutlet eaten by small mammals. Songbirds and cavity nesting birds use the linden tree for shelter. The tree has special value to native bees and honeybees as well as other pollinators.

Accession Record:
20024-0008A; existing plant; 03/28/2024; uncertain origin;
Hale &Hines Nursery, Inc.

Range: In the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, a key native species is the American basswood (Tilia americana). Specifically, the white basswood variety, Tilia americana var. heterophylla, is common in Alabama particularly in the upper Piedmont region and Appalachian Mountains.

Scientific name: Ulmus americana

Cultivar:

• ‘Lewis & Clark’

Common names:

American Elm.

Family:

Ulmaceae—The Elm family which has around 45 species of trees and shrubs. One characteristic of the species in this family is their watery sap.

Habitat:

American Elm prefers soil that is well-drained and is medium moisture. It can tolerate light shade but prefers full sun.

Identifiers:

The cultivar ‘Lewis & Clark’ reaches a mature height of around 60ft with a 35-40ft spreading crown. The bark is a combination of ridges and valleys with the ridges being long and narrow strips. The colors range from dark brown to gray black. The leaves of the elm are short and petiolate (meaning that the leaf is attached to the twig by a stem and is not attached at the base of the leaf). The elm also has double-toothed edges. The leaves will turn yellow in the autumn before turning brown and falling. The elm produces flowers in late winter or early spring. These flowers are unique. The drooping clusters of flowers lack petals and are wind pollinated. The fruit is a disc-like samara and is covered in fine hairs. Fruit that falls under the category of samara has wings and is easily distributed by wind.

Description:

Ulmus americana comes from Latin. Ulmus, means elm, and americana means American or of America.

Accession Record:

2019-0012A; existing plant; 11/30/2019; uncertain origin;

Hale and Hines

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.

Scientific name: Viburnum dentatum

Common names:

Arrowwood Viburnum; Southern Arrowwood.

Family:

Viburnaceae— As recently as 2016, Viburnaceae has replaced the formerly accepted Adoxaceae. Viburnaceae contains all the species formerly held by Adoxaceae, including 5 genera and around 200 species.

Habitat:

The arrowwood viburnum prefers wet, well-drained soils in full to partial sun. It is quite flexible and does well in a range of soils and pH types.

Identifiers:

The arrowwood viburnum is an upright, multi-stemmed shrub that grows to heights between 6-10 ft. The bark of a mature shrub is gray with fissures and warty protrusions. The ovate, yellow to dark green leaves of this shrub are deeply serrated and have prominent veins. Autumnal color is not usually very impressive, commonly being a drab yellow or an orange-red color. Creamy white flowers bloom in early spring. These flowers form in flat-topped corymbs. Once this plant’s flowers are done blooming, it produces blue-black drupes from July through September.

Description:

Viburnum comes from Latin and means “wayfaring tree”; dentatum also comes from Latin and means tooth, or toothed, referencing the margins of the leaf.

Accession Record:

Eastern North America

2018-0014A; existing plant; 10/29/2018; uncertain origin;

Evins Mill Nursery

Scientific name: Viburnum nudum

Cultivar:

• ‘Bulk’ (also known as ‘Brandywine’)

Common names:

Possumhaw.

Family:

Viburnaceae— As recently as 2016, Viburnaceae has replaced the formerly accepted Adoxaceae. Viburnaceae contains all the species formerly held by Adoxaceae, including 5 genera and around 200 species.

Habitat:

This cultivar prefers generally damp but well drained areas in full sun but can tolerate partial shade.

Identifiers:

This multi-stemmed shrub grows to a height between 5-6 ft and just as wide. Its bark is dark gray-brown, smooth, and spotted with lenticels. The oval-shaped leaves are dark green with irregularly serrate margins. New growth has a tinge of bronze to purple. Autumnal color is deep reddish maroon. The possumhaw viburnum’s creamy white flowers grow in flat-topped clusters and bloom in late spring. Small, green fruits follow blooming flowers. These fruits turn from pink, to red, to blue, to almost back by late summer into winter. This cultivar is specifically known for its beautiful, vibrant berries.

Description:

Viburnum comes from Latin and means “wayfaring tree;” nudum means nude or naked.

Accession Record:

2018-0013A; existing plant 10/29/2018; from a cultivated plant not of known wild origin;

Center Hill Nursery, LLC.

A note on the native range:

Because this is a cultivar, it does not have a native range.