Species and Varieties
You should always select the best plant for a given location or one that is able to adapt. However, there are so many types of trees and shrubs to choose from. In this section, you’ll find information on selecting the best varieties for your site. Species and varieties covered include walnut, oak, pine, hemlock, beech, ironwood, viburnum, crabapple, boxwood, fir, ash, pachysandra, poplar, privet, hackberry, holly, dogwood, elm, hawthorn, hickory, and more.
How to Choose What Type of Trees to Plant
When you’re planting trees, you first need to consider the site in which you’ll be planting. Pay close attention to the type of soil, hardiness zone, amount of light, exposure, soil compaction, drainage, space, and availability of nutrients. Choose the right plants for your home or the best tree for a given location. With the right guidance, you can easily choose the right tree for the right place.
Being able to correctly identify trees will make the choice easier. Tree and shrub growers should always be able to identify invasive species. Once they’ve become established they can be difficult to control.
Whether or not to choose native trees is a consideration. There are, for example, a wide variety of evergreen shrubs and trees that are ideal for Pennsylvania. They can tolerate the cold Pennsylvania weather, prolonged drought in the summer, and late spring frosts. Evergreen native plants are a good choice because they add interest to the winter landscape.
As well as suitability for the climate, consider whether trees and shrubs are tolerant of wet soil. There are going to be species that grow well when the soil is dry and those that can tolerate shade.
Choosing What Shrubs to Plant
Plant shrubs in your garden, public, or community area and they can provide year-round interest. There is wide variety of shrubs to choose from. Use Penn State Extension’s resources to help you identify the best deciduous performers in Pennsylvania.
Some of the most common shrubs include:
- Russian cypress (Microbiota decussata): Features include cold hardiness and likeness to groundcover juniper. Its dark green needles turn a purplish-bronze in the winter.
- Boxwood: Numerous boxwood varieties and hybrids are available, each with its own unique characteristics.
- Spicebush: Plant as a border shrub in shade or woodland gardens, naturalized areas, rain gardens, and alongside streams or ponds. When you crush the twigs, leaves, or fruit they have a spicy fragrance.
- Shrub honeysuckles: This species was introduced from Europe and East Asia in the 1800s and is well known for its iconic scent and blossoms, a favorite of the European honey bee.
- Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane': This witch hazel produces copper-red flowers from late-March to early April. In the fall, the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow.
- Mountain laurel: This shrub is very familiar, as it’s the state flower. The healthiest of mountain laurel can take on the stature of a small tree; however, it grows very slowly.
- Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia): Provides aesthetic value in the landscape in the spring and fall, as well as in the winter. Its peeling bark adds additional interest.
- White fringetree (Chionanthus Virginicus): Can reach anywhere from 12 to 20 feet. Its most valuable asset is its spring floral display.
Avoid invasive shrubs such as burning bush, privet, Japanese barberry, and butterfly bush as they can be detrimental to local ecosystems.
- Workshops
$20.00
Black Walnut Natural Dye
When 09/21/2024Length 3 hoursEvent Format In-PersonJoin us at Monocacy Farms to learn about the many uses of black walnut and take home a scarf that you've dyed yourself! - Webinars
$5.00
Native Tree and Shrub Sale Species Overview and Q&A
When 08/05/2024Length 1 hour, 30 minutesEvent Format On-Demand | RecordedDiscuss native tree and shrub species, how to select plants for your property, and a review of the plants that will be available at the upcoming Annual Native Tree and Shrub sale. - Webinars
Proper Native Tree Planting for Long-Term Success
Length 1 hour, 30 minutesDiscover the essentials of successful tree planting with experts from the Master Watershed Steward program. Learn site selection, planting techniques, and aftercare to ensure your trees thrive. - News
Master Watershed Steward Native Tree and Shrub Sale
Date Posted 7/31/2024Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards Host Annual Native Tree and Shrub Events to Promote Healthy Watersheds - Workshops
Free
Conifers: Identification, Uses, Diseases
When 11/09/2024Length 2 hoursEvent Format In-PersonLooking to add versatile charm and year-round color to your garden? Discover how conifers can enhance your landscape. Join us to explore more about these amazing plants! - Workshops
$10.00
Basic Tree Identification
When 10/12/2024Length 2 hoursEvent Format In-PersonCurious about tree identification? Ever wondered, 'What is that tree? Is it invasive or hard to grow in my soil?' Join us for an instructive session dedicated to the basics of tree identification! - Articles
Underutilized Landscape Plants: Fall Blooming Common Witch Hazel
Looking for another large native shrub that creates a woodland edge effect? One that adds interest to the landscape when no other plants are blooming? - Articles
Underutilized Landscape Plants: Calycanthus (chinensis x occidentalis) 'Aphrodite' and Calycanthus x raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine'
This beautiful shrub is a lovely addition to an understory planting, shrub border, or even native landscape. - Articles
Asian Pears in the Home Orchard - Variety Selection
Asian pears are considerably different from the old, hard, European varieties like Keiffer and Seckel. - Articles
Underutilized Landscape Plant: Carpinus Caroliniana - American Hornbeam
One of my favorite natives trees from back in my forestry days, is Carpinus caroliniana or American hornbeam, blue beech, or musclewood. - Webinars
Free
Managing Tree of Heaven and Other Invasive Trees
When Watch NowLength 1 hourRecorded Nov 17, 2023Event Format On-Demand | RecordedLearn to combat invasive species like Tree of Heaven at our workshop. Earn SAF and ISA credits while enhancing your skills. Perfect for forestry pros and anyone impacted by invasive trees. - Articles
Palm Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Palm diseases. - Articles
Lily Of The Valley (Convallaria) Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Lily Of The Valley (Convallaria) diseases. - Articles
Hemlock Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Hemlock diseases. - Articles
Pieris Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Pieris diseases. - Articles
Crabapple Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Crabapple diseases. - Articles
Honeysuckle Disease
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Honeysuckle diseases. - Articles
Key Plants and Key Diseases Outdoors
Selecting plants for placement in the landscape can be simplified if the key plants are known and if the key diseases on those plants can be identified. - Articles
Holly Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Holly diseases. - Articles
Bud Break: A Key Time for Controlling Plant Diseases
Not only do you and I look forward to Spring weather, fungi, bacteria, phytoplasmas and other plant pathogens also gear up for the season. - Articles
Hickory Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Hickory diseases. - Articles
Chestnut Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Chestnut diseases. - Articles
Ornamental Cherry Diseases
Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Cherry diseases. - Articles
Cedar Apple And Related Rusts on Ornamentals
Cedar-apple rust and closely related diseases, cedar-quince, cedar-hawthorn, and Japanese apple rusts are caused by fungi of the genus Gymnosporangium. - Articles
Bacterial Leaf Scorch
Leaf scorch, sometimes called marginal leaf burn, describes the death of tissue along the edge of the leaf.