Pfitzer Juniper – Juniperus chinensis ‘Pfitzeriana’ – This original planting (late thirties/early forties) is a great example of planning for a plant’s mature size. This juniper grows 5’ tall by 10’ wide. With plenty of room to grow these junipers have survived the test of time and weather. Proper growing conditions and selective pruning has helped these plants recover from a few attacks of phomopsis blight. Junipers prefer full sun and well-drained soils and depending on the cultivar are generally hardy in zones 4 to 9. Look for cultivars that fit your space and landscape design.

Winter King Hawthorn – Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’– A four season small-scale tree with bird appeal. I was lucky enough to watch the cedar waxwings migrating through the park, clean off the fruit in one afternoon. This cultivar has fewer thorns, exfoliating bark, creamy flowers in spring, green to purple-scarlet fall color, and red fruit that can persist through winter. Grow in full sun, drought tolerant once established. Rounded habit and grows 20-25’ tall and wider, hardy in zones 4 to 7.

Serviceberry – Amelanchier spp. – Four season plant, spring bloom edible (you and the birds) fruit, good fall color (yellow, orange, brick red), smooth gray bark, tree and shrub forms, full sun to part shade, moist soil, slow to establish so be patient, native, hardy in zones 4 to 9. Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’, red fall color, 20-25’ tall A. laevis 15 to 25’ (40’) tall, A. canadensis – 6 to 20’ tall, A. arborea 15 to 25’

Althea or Rose of Sharon – Hybiscus syriacus – Rose-of-Sharon is a traditional favorite. This late summer blooming shrub has attractive hibiscus flowers and grows in full sun or partial shade. Marina has large single flowers and is considered one of, if not the best, blue. These plants are late to emerge so be patient in the spring. It grows 6 to 8’ tall and 3-4’ wide and is hardy in zones 5 to 10.

Corneliancherry Dogwood – Cornus mas – Another four season plant, this mature specimen is trained into a tree form. Attractive exfoliating bark, bright yellow flowers in early spring, elongated cherry-like fruit the birds and can be used for syrups, preserves and wine (you will need to sweeten) you can eat (for 20-25’ tall with 15-20’ spread, hardy in zones 4 to 7(8).

Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum – Upright oval tree with delicate branches, sharp sugar cone buds, furrowed sometimes shaggy bark with age, prefers most well drained soils, great shade tree for large areas, great fall color (yellow, orange and red), 60 to 70+ feet tall and usually 2/3 wide, zones 4 to 8

Katsuratree – Cercidiphyllum japonicum – 40-60’ tall with potential to reach 100’ in the wild. The leaves emerge a purplish red, turn blue-green for summer and a beautiful yellow to apricot in the fall. Plus the leaves quake, much like a quaking aspen, in the wind. And as they age in fall they smell like cinnamon/brown sugar or burnt vanilla. Katsuratrees prefer full sun and rich moist soil. The weeping form (specimen in front of Education building) grows to 25’ tall. An older multi-stem specimen of the standard species is in the peony garden. Hardy zones 4 to 8.

Bur Oak – Quercus macrocarpa – One of the true giants of Boerner (several hundred years old). Bur oaks (in the white oak group with rounded leaf lobes and acorns ripening every year) thick bark protect them from the fires of the oak savannahs. Though most yards can’t handle such large trees – it is great to visit them in parks like this. If you have the space, please plant them for future generations to enjoy. Bur oaks grow best in full sun and are adaptable to a wide range of soils. Give them room as they grow 70-80’ tall with equal or slightly greater spread; can grow to 100’+, hardy in zones 3 to 8.

Lacebark Elm – Ulmus parvifolia –Often called Chinese elm which is a common name some call the weak wooded, fast growing Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila). Somewhat American elm-like in appearance, more resistant to Dutch elm disease, elm lead beetle and Japanese beetles than other elms and Zelkova. A tough durable tree – it’s fast growing with sufficient moisture, yellow fall color and single disc-like samaras in fall. Grows 40-50’ tall and wide, hardy in zones (4)5 to 9.

Yellowwood – Cladrastis kentukea – A four season plant with rounded crown and low branching. Smooth gray bark, fragrant flowers in late spring, bright green leaves in summer and yellow to gold fall color. Heartwood is yellow thus the common name. Grow in full sun, well-drained soil, adaptable to high pH and acidic soils. 30-50’ tall by 40-55’ wide, hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Musclewood – Carpinus caroliniana –The subtle flowers of this North American native are often overlooked. The subsequent fruit adds to the winter interest provided by the smooth gray bark. Slow growing, tolerant of heavy shade this small-scale tree can be used in both small and large landscapes. Look for newer introductions like Johnson Nursery Strain, Ball ‘O Fire and Firespire selected for their growth habit and/or outstanding fall color. 20-30’ tall and wide. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.

Red Oak – Quercus rubra – oaks in the red group have pointed lobes and acorns that mature in 2 years. Relatively fast growing oak, transplant readily, prefers well-drained acid soils but more tolerant of alkaline soils than white, fall color usually yellow-brown, often used as street tree, 60-75’ tall with equal spread, hardy in zones 3 to 7(8)

White Ash – Fraxinus americana –Don’t plant ash (Emerald Ash Borer) – but enjoy this old beauty, native, prefers moist well-drained soils, not as tolerant of difficult situations as green ash but much cleaner appearance, reddish purple fall color, 50-80’ tall and wide, hardy in zones 4 to 9.

Pin Oak – Quercus palustris – in the red oak group, Growth habit distinctive - Strongly pyramidal oak, central leader, middle branches pointing out and lower branches pendulous, fast growing, prefers moist, well-drained acid soil (intolerant of alkaline soil) 60-70’ tall with a spread of 25-40’, hardy in zones 4 to 8.

White Oak – Quercus alba – In the white oak group, difficult to transplant, intolerant of compacted and alkaline soils, fungus on bark gives it the whitish appearance, rich red to reddish purple fall color, 50-80’ tall and wide, hardy in zones 3 to 9

Swamp White Oak – Quercus bicolor – In the white oak group, shreddy bark, coarse texture and native to low lying wet areas, also drought tolerant. Chlorosis can be a problem on alkaline soils, larger specimen on top of the hill, west of Whitnall Park Dr. across from parking lot overlooking the Whitnall Park Pond (watch out for groundhog holes), 50-60’ tall with an equal to greater spread, hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Amur Corktree – Phellodendron amurense – Great tree for difficult situations, tolerates pollution, drought, alkaline and acid soil. Grow in full sun, birds like the fruit but it can become a weed and a mess, 30-45’ tall with equal or great width, hardy in zones 3 to 7. Seedless cultivars include Macho, His Majesty, Shademaster (better form). Eye Stopper has good yellow fall color and is nearly seedless.

Shagbark Hickory – Carya ovata – Interesting “shaggy” bark, nuts for people and wildlife to enjoy, fall color a golden brown, adaptable to a wide range of soils, native, 60-80’ tall, hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Tuliptree – Liriodendron tulipifera – Check out the seedpods that add winter interest, flowers are greenish yellow and resemble a tulip and suppose to be fragrant (late spring) and golden yellow fall color, fairly fast growing and can be weak wooded, unique and suited for large areas. 70-90’ tall by 35-50’ wide; can grow up to 150’ or greater with 198’ and 200’ tall trees on record, hardy in zones 4 to 9.

Concolor Fir – Abies concolor – Best fir for Midwest and east as it is more heat, drought, and cold tolerant than most firs, softer texture and fewer disease problems than blue spruce 30-50’ tall with a spread of 15-30’, hardy in zones 4 to 7. (Compacta (6 to 7’) and Dwarf Globe (3’))

Serbian Spruce – Picea omorika – Graceful habit, pendulous branches turn upright at the tips, exposing lighter undersides of needles, prefers full sun, deep rich alkaline or acid soils, protect form winter winds, doe not perform well in hot and very humid climates, 50-60’ tall with a spread of 20-25’, hardy in zones 4 to 7. (Gnome 2-3’, Nana (8-10’))

Norway Spruce – Picea abies – Medium to fast grower, Big tree, pyramidal with pendulous branches, needs lots of room, prefers moist acid soil though seems to tolerate most average soils, loses its form with age, over used, but in the right place can add needed greenery to dreary winter sky, (Picea omorika a better choice), 40-60’ tall with 25-30’ spread, hardy in zones 3 to 7(8).

Black Hills Spruce – Picea glauca var. densata – Slower growing conical variety of white spruce, denser and better looking than the species, transplants readily, grows best in full sun on moist soils but is one of the most tolerant spruces of wind, heat, cold, drought and crowding, 20-40’ tall, hardy in zones 2 to 6.

Ponderosa Pine – Pinus ponderosa – 5 to 10” long needles in bundles of 3’s (sometimes 2’s), well-drained loam soils and full sun, most important timber pine in North America, scaly bark with rich vanilla smell – really - 60-100’ by 25-30’ wide in cultivation; 150-230’ tall in the wild – national champion measures 240’x70’ in Trinity, CA.

Eastern White Pine – Pinus strobus – 3 to 5” long thin needles in bundles of 5, intolerant of alkaline soil, salt, winter winds, and pollution. Pyramidal in youth, open and graceful with age. I was once told that the hill south west of the lagoons is made of dredging’s, loamy and acidic soil and why the white pine performed so well, 50-80’ tall with a spread of 20-40’ (‘Fastigiata’ measures 3 times as tall as wide) hardy in zones 3 to 7.

Lacebark Pine – Pinus bungeana – Check out the camouflage bark, often multi-stemmed, pyramidal to rounded in youth becoming flat topped with age, prefers full sun and well-drained soils, tolerate alkaline soil, may suffer from snow and ice damage, specimen plant, 2 to 4 inch needles in bundles of three, 30-50’ tall by 20-35’ wide, hardy in zones (4)5 to 7. (Compacta more compact, Temple Gem slow growing good for small spaces)

Dawn Redwood – Metasequoia glyptostroboides – A deciduous conifer, soft texture in summer, red-brown fall color, pyramidal, reddish brown bark, armpit-like depressions beneath the branches good ID clue (differentiate from Bald Cypress), brown fall color, full sun, moist well-drained slightly acid soil (seems to do okay in SE WI), can be damaged by early fall frosts. 70-100’ tall with a spread of 25’, hardy in zones (4)5 to 8.

Birds Nest Spruce – Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ – 3-6’ tall, hardy in zones 3 to 7(8).

Weeping Norway Spruce – Picea abies forma pendula – If not trained becomes trailing or prostrate in form, hardy in zones 3 to 7(8).

Bald Cypress – Taxodium distichum – Deciduous conifer, reddish fibrous bark, trunk more buttressed and knees more common on trees growing in wet areas, orange brown fall color, tolerant of wet and dry areas, Used as screens (nice planting at Chicago Botanic Garden), hedges and the cypress at Dawes Arboretum (Newark, OH) is one of the northernmost bald-cypress swamps in North America, 50-70’ tall with 20-30’ spread; can grow to 100’ or more – national champion measures 96’x74’ in Cat Island, LA. (Quite a few dwarf varieties)

European Beech – Fagus sylvatica – Formal stately tree, often branched to the ground, smooth gray bark (used for writing in ancient times), bronze fall color and some leaves persist near trunk for winter, more tolerant and easier to transplant than American Beech, not real heat tolerant, beechnuts edible. 50-60’ tall by 35-45’ wide; can reach 100’, (‘Tricolor’ measures 30’x20’, ‘Dawyckii’ – columnar form measuring 80’x10’) Hardy in zones 4 to 7.

American Beech – Fagus grandifolia – Transplants becoming more available, will not tolerate wet or compacted soils, the nuts were once fed to swine, passenger pigeons, and many birds will dine upon them, 50-70’ tall sometimes reaching 100-120’, hardy in zones 4 to 9.

Black Cherry – Prunus serotina – Platy bark looks like burnt Fritos glued on the trunk, white showy flowers in spring, small black cherries in racemes good for wine and jellies and the birds. An important timber tree (cherry wood furniture). Fall color yellow to deep wine red, Full sun, deep moist soil, 50-60’ tall; sometimes reaching 100’+ with one national champion reaching 132’ in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, hardy in zones 3 to 9.