Laburnum anagyroides
Golden chain tree Ht 4-7m
Europe. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Golden-yellow pea-like flowers in hanging racemes in Nov/Dec. Tolerates lime-rich soils. All parts are poisonous but rabbits still eat them.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Cornus controversa
Table dogwood Ht 10-15m
East Asia. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Distinctly layered branches. Creamy flowers in flattened heads in early summer followed by blue-black berries loved by birds. Purple-red autumn colours.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive autumn colours - purple
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Cladrastis kentuckea (syn lutea)
American yellow wood Ht 10-15m
S.E. USA. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Compound leaves, bright yellow in autumn. White, slightly fragrant pea-like flowers hanging in 45cm panicles in early summer. Wood heavy, very hard, strong and close-grained. Produces yellow dye.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Carpinus japonica
Japanese hornbeam Ht 10-15m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. Finer form and leaves than C. betulus. Makes an attractive garden tree with pendant hop-like fruits in the
late summer. Yellow autumn colour.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates shade
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Hedging
Alnus glutinosa imperialis
Feathery-leaf black alder Ht 5-8m
Europe. Broadly conical, deciduous. Comes 80% true from seed, with finely dissected feathery leaves, plants selected during summer, quite unusual. Could be a useful nurse species for native re-vegetation, giving erect light shade, shelter and adding nitrogen to the soil
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
Acer pentaphyllum
Five finger maple Ht 3-5m
Central China from the Yalung Valley. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Slim finger-like leaflets create a delicate effect, turning yellow in autumn.
Very rare in NZ.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
Acer campestre
Field maple Ht 10-20m
Europe and S.W. Asia. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Yellow, sometimes flushed with red autumn colour. A tough maple for exposed sites. Clips well as a hedge.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Shelter
- Tolerates limestone soils
Thuja occidentalis fastigiata
Columnar white cedar Ht 3-5m
Very narrow columnar dense evergreen conifer. Foliage bronze in winter. Great feature tree or dense easy care hedge which doesn't need trimming. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. Cold hardy. Planting spacing for dense hedge 50-75cm
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Evergreen
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Shelter
- Hedging
- Tolerates limestone soils
Styrax obassia
Fragrant snowbell tree Ht 5-10m
Japan. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Large fairly round leaves, fragrant white flowers in 20cm long racemes. Similar fruits to S. japonica though fewer produced. Enjoys a damp site.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Sorbus devoniensis
Devon form - Sorbus aria Ht 8-12m
Localised in Devon, UK. Broadly columnar deciduous. Dark green leaves - grey beneath. White flowers,bunches of orange, turning brown speckled fruits in late summer. Does well in South Island soils.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
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