Alnus cordata
Italian alder Ht 25-30m
Corsica, central and S. Italy. Broadly conical, deciduous, fast growing, roots penetrate deeply. Popular for horticultural shelterbelts, trims well into a narrow tall hedge. Sheds some leaves in drought conditions. Used as a nurse crop with oak and redwood providing mycorrhiza, nitrogen and side shade to reduce epicormic regrowth on pruned final crop trees.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
- Tolerates pumice soils
Betula platyphylla v. japonica
Japanese white birch Ht 15-25m
Narrowly weeping, deciduous. Bark pure white and retained to ground level longer than B. pendula. Leaves larger than B. pendula. Not affected by rust and has bright yellow autumn colour. Highly recommended.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Betula papyrifera
Paper birch Ht 20-30m
Northern North America. Broadly conical, deciduous. Bark white, peeling in thin layers, pale pinkish-orange when freshly exposed. Leaves relatively large, bright yellow in autumn. Yields hard white timber.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Aesculus carnea
Pink horse chestnut Ht 15-20m
A true breeding hybrid between A. hippocastanum and A. pavia. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Pink flowers followed by smooth skinned oval fruits which enclose highly polished intricately patterned conkers.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - brown
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Phormium cookianum ssp. cookianum
Wharariki or Mountain flax Ht 0.6m
Stiffly erect, evergreen leaves with a dark brown stripe on the edge. Very hardy, naturally growing in subalpine areas. Flowers attract birds and bees Suitable for small gardens and low cover on exposed sites.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Grass - Strap like leaves
- NZ native
- Evergreen
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Parrotia persica
Persian ironwood Ht 6-15m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. Exfoliating bark similar to the London Plane. Small flowers with red stamens on the bare branches in winter. Leaves sometimes edged with purple that turn yellow, orange or red in autumn. Tolerates dry sites.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates dry sites
- Tolerates shade
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Magnolia kobus
Kobus magnolia Ht 5-15m
Japan and S. Korea. Broadly conical to spreading, deciduous. White strap-like petals before the leaves in spring. Beautiful street planting in Vancouver, Canada. Cold hardy, lovely plants.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Larix kaempferi
Japanese larch Ht 30-35m
Narrowly conical, deciduous. Valuable timber tree. Soft bluey-green needles in spring, orange in autumn, quite spectacular. Copes with warmer sites better than L. decidua. Less flammable than pines. Good interplant for Sequoia.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Christmas Trees
- Tolerates limestone soils
Koelreuteria paniculata
Golden rain tree Ht 5-10m
China and Korea. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Long pinnate leaves, yellow and orange in autumn. Small yellow flowers in large panicles followed by papery triangular capsules. Both make a good display. Suit hot dry sites.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Hamamelis x intermedia
Hybrid witch hazel Ht 1-3m
(H. japonica x H. mollis) Broadly spreading, deciduous. Leaves vary from dull purple, green to red in autumn. Small spidery yellow, orange or red flowers over winter. Screening, lovely plants.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Shrub
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive flowers or catkins
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