| Plant, Shrub and Tree Options for the Washington D.C. Area |
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Acer griseum
Acer palmatum Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) It is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of Northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas. It is a deciduous tree normally reaching heights of 25–35 m tall, and exceptionally up to 45 m (150 feet). [4] The leaves are deciduous, 8-15 cm long and equally wide with five palmate lobes. The basal lobes are relatively small, while the upper lobes are larger and deeply notched. In contrast with the angular notching of the Silver Maple, however, the notches tend to be rounded at their interior. The fall color is often spectacular, ranging from bright yellow through orange to fluorescent redorange. Sugar maples also have a tendency to color unevenly in fall. In some trees, all colors above can be seen at the same time. The flowers are in corymbs of 5-10 together, yellow-green and without petals; flowering occurs in early spring after 30-55 growing degree days. The fruit is a double samara with two winged seeds, the seeds are globose, 7-10 mm diameter, the wing 2-3 cm long. The seeds fall from the tree in autumn. Achillea 'Moonshine' ![]() Common Name: Yarrow Zone: 3 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Asteraceae Native Range: None Height: 1 to 2 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1 foot Bloom Time: June - September Bloom Color: Bright yellow Common Name: windflower Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Ranunculaceae Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' Anemone are perennial herbs; plants which grow from rhizomes, caudices or tubers. Leaves grow from the base and can be simple, compound or attached with a leaf stalk.Common Name: Windflower Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Ranunculaceae Range: None Height: 3 to 4 feet Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet Bloom Time: August - September Bloom Color: White with yellow stamens Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Artemisia ludoviciana 'Silver King' ![]() Common Name: White Sage Zone: 4 to 9 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Asteraceae Native Range: None Height: 2 to 3 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: August - September Bloom Color: Yellowish-gray Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Pixie' ![]() Common Name: New England Aster Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Asteraceae Native Range: None Height: 1.5 to 2 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: August - September Bloom Color: Royal purple Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Astilbe chinensis 'Visions' ![]() Common Name: Chinese Astilbe Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Saxifragaceae Native Range: None Height: 1 to 1.5 feet Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet Bloom Time: July - August Bloom Color: Pink Sun: Part shade to full shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Aucuba Japonica
Aucuba species are native to eastern Asia, from the Eastern Himalaya east to Japan. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees 2-13 m tall, similar in appearance to the laurels of the genus Laurus, having glossy, leathery leaves, and are sometimes mistakenly called laurels. Aucubas are dioecious, having separate male and female plants. The flowers are small, 4-8 mm diameter, with four purplish-brown petals; they are produced in clusters of 10-30 in a loose cyme. The fruit is a red berry 1 cm diameter.
Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Rose Glow' ![]() Common Name: Japanese Barberry Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Berberidaceae Native Range: None Height: 3 to 6 feet Spread: 4 to 7 feet Bloom Time: April - May Bloom Color: Yellow Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Betula nigra 'Cully' HERITAGE ![]() Common Name: River Birch Zone: 4 to 9 Plant Type: Tree Family: Betulaceae Native Range: None Height: 40 to 70 feet Spread: 40 to 60 feet Bloom Time: April - May Bloom Color: Brown (male) and green (female) Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Buddleja davidii 'Royal Red' ![]() Common Name: Butterfly Bush Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Loganiaceae Native Range: None Height: 4 to 5 feet Spread: 4 to 5 feet Bloom Time: June - September Bloom Color: Magenta purple Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Buxus sinica var. insularis 'Wintergreen' ![]() Common Name: Korean Boxwood Zone: 4 to 9 Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen Family: Buxaceae Native Range: None Height: 2 to 4 feet Spread: 3 to 5 feet Bloom Time: April Bloom Color: Greenish yellow Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' ![]() Common Name: Creeping Jenny Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Primulaceae Native Range: None Height: 0.25 to 0.5 feet Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet Bloom Time: June Bloom Color: Yellow Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Medium Magnolia grandiflora 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' ![]() Common Name: Southern Magnolia Zone: 6 to 9 Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen Family: Magnoliaceae Native Range: None Height: 20 to 30 feet Spread: 15 to 25 feet Bloom Time: May - June Bloom Color: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Mazus reptans ![]() Common Name: Mazus Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Scrophulariaceae Native Range: Himalayas Height: to 0.25 feet Spread: 0.5 to 1 foot Bloom Time: June - July Bloom Color: Lavender, purplish-blue with white and yellow markings Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Metasequoia glyptostroboides ![]() Common Name: Dawn Redwood Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Tree Family: Taxodiaceae Native Range: Central and Western China Height: 70 to 100 feet Spread: 15 to 25 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Full sun Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' ![]() Common Name: Eulalia Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Ornamental grass Family: Poaceae Native Range: None Height: 4 to 6 feet Spread: 2.5 to 4 feet Bloom Time: August - February Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Nandina domestica ![]() Common Name: Heavenly Bamboo Zone: 6 to 9 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Berberidaceae Native Range: India to Japan Height: 3 to 8 feet Spread: 2 to 4 feet Bloom Time: June Bloom Color: White with yellow anthers Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' ![]() Common Name: Catmint Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: None Height: 0.75 to 1 foot Spread: 0.5 to 0.75 feet Bloom Time: April - September Bloom Color: Lavender blue Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Ophiopogon japonicus 'Gyoku-ryu' ![]() Common Name: Mon do Grass Zone: 7 to 10 Plant Type: Ornamental grass Family: Liliaceae Native Range: None Height: 0.25 feet Spread: 0.25 to 1 foot Bloom Time: June - July Bloom Color: Lavender Sun: Part shade to full shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Osmanthus fragrans ![]() Common Name: Fragrant Olive
Osmunda cinnamomea ![]() Common Name: Cinnamon Fern Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Fern Family: Osmundaceae Native Range: North and South America, West Indies, Eastern Asia Height: 2 to 3 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Part shade to full shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Oxydendrum arboreu ![]() Common Name: Sourwood Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Tree Family: Ericaceae Native Range: Eastern and Southeastern United States Height: 20 to 50 feet Spread: 10 to 25 feet Bloom Time: June - July Bloom Color: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Paeonia 'Red Charm' ![]() Common Name: Peony Zone: 3 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Paeoniaceae Native Range: None Height: 2.5 to 3 feet Spread: 2.5 to 3 feet Bloom Time: May Bloom Color: Red Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' ![]() Common Name: Fountain Grass Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Ornamental grass Family: Poaceae Native Range: None Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet Spread: 1.5 to 2.5 feet Bloom Time: August - October Bloom Color: Pinkish white Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low Perovskia 'Filigran' ![]() Common Name: Russian Sage Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: None Height: 2 to 4 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: May - June Bloom Color: Light blue Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Polystichum acrostichoides ![]() Common Name: Christmas Fern Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Fern Family: Dryopteridaceae Native Range: Eastern North America Height: 1 to 2 feet Spread: 1 to 2 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Part shade to full shade Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Polystichum polyblepharum ![]() Common Name: Tassel Fern Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Fern Family: Dryopteridaceae Native Range: Japan, South Korea Height: 1.5 to 2 feet Spread: 1.5 to 2 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Sun: Part shade to full shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken' ![]() Common Name: Cherry Laurel Zone: 6 to 8 Plant Type: Broadleaf evergreen Family: Rosaceae Native Range: None Height: 10 to 18 feet Spread: 12 to 20 feet Bloom Time: April - May Bloom Color: Creamy white Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Prunus x yedoensis ![]() Common Name: Yoshino Cherry Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Tree Family: Rosaceae Native Range: Japan Height: 30 to 40 feet Spread: 30 to 40 feet Bloom Time: March - April Bloom Color: White, sometimes tinged pink Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: High Prunus 'Kanzan' ![]() Common Name: Japanese Flowering Cherry Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Tree Family: Rosaceae Native Range: None Height: 25 to 30 feet Spread: 25 to 30 feet Bloom Time: April Bloom Color: Deep pink (double) Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Pycnanthemum tenuifolium ![]() Common Name: Slender Mountain Mint Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: Eastern United States Height: 2 to 3 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: July - September Bloom Color: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Rhododendron 'English Roseum' ![]() Common Name: Rosemary Zone: 7 to 10 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: Mediterranean Height: 2 to 6 feet Spread: 2 to 4 feet Bloom Time: June - July Bloom Color: Pale blue to white Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Medium Rosa meicoublan 'White Meidiland' ![]() Common Name: Shrub Rose Zone: 4 to 9 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Rosaceae Native Range: None Height: 1 to 2 feet Spread: 4 to 6 feet Bloom Time: May - To frost Bloom Color: White (double) Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Medium Rosmarinus officinalis ![]() Common Name: Rosemary Zone: 7 to 10 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: Mediterranean Height: 2 to 6 feet Spread: 2 to 4 feet Bloom Time: June - July Bloom Color: Pale blue to white Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Medium Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm' ![]() Common Name: Black-eyed Susan Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Asteraceae Native Range: None Height: 2 to 3 feet Spread: 1 to 2 feet Bloom Time: June - September Bloom Color: Yellow rays with black center disk Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Salvia splendens ![]() Common Name: Scarlet Sage Zone: 10 to 11 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Lamiaceae Native Range: Brazil Height: 1 to 2 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1.5 feet Bloom Time: June - To frost Bloom Color: Red Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Sciadopitys verticillata ![]() Common Name: Umbrella Pine Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Needled evergreen Family: Taxodiaceae Native Range: Japan Height: 25 to 30 feet Spread: 15 to 20 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Sedum 'Rosy Glow' ![]() Common Name: Sedum Zone: 3 to 9 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Family: Crassulaceae Native Range: None Height: 0.5 to 0.75 feet Spread: 0.5 to 1 foot Bloom Time: August - September Bloom Color: Dark ruby red Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Spiraea japonica 'Little Princess' ![]() Common Name: Japanese Spirea Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Rosaceae Missouri Native: No Native Range: None Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet Spread: 2 to 3 feet Bloom Time: May - July Bloom Color: Pink Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Taxus baccata 'Stove Pipe' ![]() Common Name: Yew Zone: 6 to 7 Plant Type: Needled evergreen Family: Taxaceae Native Range: None Height: 10 to 12 feet Spread: 4 to 6 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Thuja occidentalis ![]() Common Name: American Arborvitae Zone: 2 to 7 Plant Type: Needled evergreen Family: Cupressaceae Native Range: Eastern North America Height: 20 to 40 feet Spread: 10 to 15 feet Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold' ![]() Common Name: American Arborvitae Zone: 2 to 7 Plant Type: Needled evergreen Family: Cupressaceae Native Range: None Height: 3 to 5 feet Spread: 3 to 5 feet Bloom Time: Non-flowering Bloom Color: Non-flowering Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Verbena bonariensis ![]() Common Name: Tall Verbena Zone: 7 to 11 Plant Type: Annual Family: Verbenaceae Native Range: South America Height: 2 to 4 feet Spread: 1.5 to 3 feet Bloom Time: June - To frost Bloom Color: Rose-violet, lavender Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Verbena 'Imagination' ![]() Common Name: Verbena Zone: 9 to 10 Plant Type: Annual Family: Verbenaceae Native Range: None Height: 0.75 to 1 foot Spread: 1 to 2 feet Bloom Time: May - To frost Bloom Color: Violet-blue Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Conoy' ![]() Common Name: Burkwood Viburnum Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Caprifoliaceae Native Range: None Height: 4 to 5 feet Spread: 7 to 8 feet Bloom Time: April Bloom Color: Creamy white Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Viburnum dentatum 'Christom' Blue Muffin ![]() Common Name: Arrowwood Viburnum Zone: 3 to 8 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Caprifoliaceae Native Range: None Height: 3 to 5 feet Spread: 3 to 4 feet Bloom Time: May - June Bloom Color: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Shasta' ![]() Common Name: Japanese Snowball Zone: 5 to 8 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Family: Caprifoliaceae Native Range: None Height: 4 to 6 feet Spread: 9 to 12 feet Bloom Time: May - July Bloom Color: White Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium Maintenance: Low Wisteria sinensis 'Alba' Wisteria is a genus of about ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and the East Asian states of China, Korea, and Japan.
Wisteria sinensis ‘Alba’ -
Yucca filamentosa ![]() Common Name: Adam's needle |
It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 10-20 m tall with a trunk up to 70 cm diameter. The bark is smooth, shiny orange-red, peeling in thin, papery layers; it may become fissured in old trees. The shoots are densely downy at first, this wearing off by the second or third year and the bark exfoliating by the third or fourth year.
It is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of 6–10 m, rarely 16 m, often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. In habit, it is often shaped like an upside-down pyramid (especially when younger) or takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature. The leaves are 4–12 cm long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. Even in nature, Acer palmatum displays considerable genetic variation. As such, even seedlings with the same parent tree can show difference in such aspects as leaf size and shape, and colour. 
It is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of Northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas. It is a deciduous tree normally reaching heights of 25–35 m tall, and exceptionally up to 45 m (150 feet). [4] The leaves are deciduous, 8-15 cm long and equally wide with five palmate lobes. The basal lobes are relatively small, while the upper lobes are larger and deeply notched. In contrast with the angular notching of the Silver Maple, however, the notches tend to be rounded at their interior. The fall color is often spectacular, ranging from bright yellow through orange to fluorescent redorange. Sugar maples also have a tendency to color unevenly in fall. In some trees, all colors above can be seen at the same time. The flowers are in corymbs of 5-10 together, yellow-green and without petals; flowering occurs in early spring after 30-55 growing degree days. The fruit is a double samara with two winged seeds, the seeds are globose, 7-10 mm diameter, the wing 2-3 cm long. The seeds fall from the tree in autumn. 
Anemone are perennial herbs; plants which grow from rhizomes, caudices or tubers. Leaves grow from the base and can be simple, compound or attached with a leaf stalk.


Aucuba is a genus of three to ten species of flowering plants, now placed in the family Garryaceae, although formerly classed in the Aucubaceae or Cornaceae. 







































