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Plants Of Merit 2009
Over 50 outstanding and
dependable plants suitable for the St. Louis region.
Emeritus Plants Of Merit - Shrubs and Vines
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| bottlebrush buckeye - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Aesculus parviflora |
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| Showy 12-inch long bottlebrush-like spikes of tiny white flowers cover this 6-12 foot tall shrub in a spectacular mid-summer floral display. Handsome dark green palmate foliage turns bright yellow in autumn. This is one of the best summer-flowering shrubs available for shady areas. Excellent as a specimen, in groups or massed. |
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| Dutchman's pipe - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Aristolochia tomentosa |
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| Unusual, curved-trumpet-shaped, yellowish-green flowers resembling Dutch smoking pipes bloom in spring on this Missouri native twining vine that grows to 20-30 feet long. Flowers are often hidden behind large, densely-overlapping, heart-shaped, green leaves. Flowers give way to pendant, grayish-brown seed capsules. This vine can quickly cover an arbor, trellis, sun porch, veranda, post or fence. It is a larval plant for the pipe vine swallowtail butterfly and makes an interesting addition to butterfly gardens. |
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| Carolina allspice - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Calycanthus floridus |
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| Intensely fragrant flowers give this dense, rounded deciduous shrub its common name. It typically grows 6-9 feet tall, and features spicy-scented, dark reddish brown flowers in spring, lustrous dark green leaves in summer and golden yellow fall foliage color. This is an excellent specimen shrub for borders, foundations and patio areas. |
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| Japanese falsecypress - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' |
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| This broadly conical evergreen is noted for its weeping, thread-like, golden foliage that provides excellent texture, contrast and color to foundation plantings, shrub borders and other sunny areas of the landscape. In ideal conditions, it will grow slowly to as much as 10-15 feet tall over 30 years. Small cones appear only on mature plants. Peeling, reddish-brown bark develops on mature branches. |
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| cornelian cherry dogwood - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Cornus mas 'Golden Glory' |
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| Cornelian cherry can be grown as a low-branching, round to oval multi-stemmed shrub or as a single-stemmed small tree growing to a height of 15 to 20 feet. Features star-like small yellow flowers in early spring before the foliage appears. Grow in medium wet, well-drained soil and full sun. Best as a hedge, screen or grouped in the shrub border. Can be trained to a specimen tree. |
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| red twig dogwood - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Cornus sericea 'Cardinal' |
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| This dogwood is primarily grown
for its salmon-red stems which intensify in color as winter sets in and literally lights up a dreary winter landscape. Although not required, annual prunings will promote the best stem color. Clusters of tiny white flowers in spring give way to bluish-white fruits which are quite attractive to birds. Dark green leaves turn reddish-purple in autumn. Combine with yellowtwig dogwoods for a bi-color winter stem display. |
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| Harry Lauder's walking stick - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Corylus avellana 'Contorta' |
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| Discovered in an English hedgerow in the mid-1800s, this 4-10 foot tall shrub has persisted in cultivation as a curiously contorted version of the European hazelnut. Its twisted and spiraling branches, twigs and leaves bring a unique accent to shrub borders or foundations. The contorted form is most noticeable in winter after leaf drop, especially when backlit by early morning or late afternoon sun. |
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| smoketree - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Cotinus coggygria 'Velvet Cloak' |
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| Smoketree gets its name from the billowy hairs of the spent flower panicles which turn smoky purplish-pink in summer and cover the plant with fluffy, smoke-like puffs. Matures to 10-15 feet tall, but may be pruned smaller in early spring. Leaves of this selection retain good deep purple color throughout the growing season. Use in mixed plantings, shrub borders, screens, informal hedges or other sunny areas around the home. |
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| forsythia - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Forsythia 'Courtasol' GOLD TIDE |
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| This dwarf selection grows to only 20 inches tall but spreads to 4 feet wide. Light yellow flowers bloom in profusion in late winter to early spring before the foliage emerges, bringing the promise of spring to the often dreary March landscape. Oval green leaves are attractive throughout the growing season. Is at home in sunny locations in the shrub border, on slopes or trailing over a stone wall. |
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| dwarf fothergilla - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Fothergilla gardenii |
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| Native to the southeastern U. S., this dense, compact, deciduous shrub thrives in moist, acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils. Best ornamental features are fragrant white flowers in bottlebrush-like clusters in spring, quality dark green foliage in summer and brilliant fall color in varying shades of orange, red and yellow. It typically grows 2-3 feet tall and as wide but will sucker over time to form colonies. Group or mass in shrub borders, foundation plantings or native plant areas. |
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| Ozark witch hazel - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Hamamelis vernalis |
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| This Missouri native deciduous shrub grows to 6–10 feet
tall and is noted for its winter bloom of fragrant, frilly,
stem-hugging flowers that are yellow tinged with red.
Depending upon winter temperatures, flowers may
appear as early as January and as late as March, lasting
for up to four weeks. Flowers are quite interesting close up,
providing bright color to otherwise drab winter landscapes.
Oval light green leaves turn golden yellow in fall. |
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| rose of Sharon - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' |
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| This selection of an old garden favorite features a profuse bloom of showy, pure white, hollyhock-like flowers over an extremely long early summer to fall bloom period. An erect, multi-stemmed shrub that grows to 5-8 feet tall with lobed, dark green leaves. May also be trained as a single trunk tree or espalier. This cultivar is sterile so will not produce weedy seedlings. |
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| oakleaf hydrangea - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Hydrangea quercifolia |
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| Conical clusters of 4-12 inch long pure white flowers adorn this 4-6 foot tall shrub in a lengthy late spring to summer bloom. Flowers slowly age to pink and then brown, and are quite attractive in dried arrangements. Distinctive oak-like deep green leaves turn attractive shades of bronze, crimson and purple in fall. Exfoliating bark provides winter interest. A handsome and versatile native American shrub with outstanding year round ornamental interest. |
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| winterberry - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Ilex verticillata 'Nana' RED SPRITE |
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| A compact deciduous shrub to 3 feet tall that is valued for its abundant crop of bright red berries in fall. Berries are larger than those of the evergreen hollies and persist throughout winter unless consumed by local bird populations. This selection is a female clone that requires a male pollinator for berry production. Mass or group in the landscape including moist low spots or boggy soils. A great informal hedge for property lines. |
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| Virginia sweetspire - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' |
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| Erect to drooping 3-6 inch spires of fragrant creamy white flowers cover this compact, 3-4 foot tall shrub in early summer. Dark green leaves turn attractive shades of bronze, red and garnet in autumn, persisting well after first frost. Valued for both its beauty and its cultural flexibility, it grows well in sun or shade and in moist, boggy soil conditions as well as average garden soil. Naturalizes by underground suckers to form thickets. |
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| ninebark - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Physocarpus opulifolius |
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| This tough, thicket-forming, Missouri native deciduous shrub grows 5-8 feet tall with gracefully arching branches. Year round ornamental features include spirea-like clusters of pinkish to white flowers in spring, lobed dark green leaves in summer and inflated capsule-like fruits that mature in autumn. After leaf drop and throughout winter, the exfoliating reddish-brown bark, for which this plant is named, is best observed. Good for shrub borders, open woodland areas and naturalized areas. |
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| evergreen azalea - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Rhododendron 'Girard's Rose' |
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| This is an excellent evergreen azalea with cold hardiness down to -15 F. lt produces 3-inch deep rose colored flowers on dark green, glossy foliage that remains attractive throughout the season. The stems turn deep red in winter. Plant in full morning sun and acidic soils that are well-drained. |
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| fragrant sumac - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' |
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| This plant makes an excellent mass planting where a taller ground cover is desired or on an exposed embankment to
hold the soil. Its height at maturity is about 2 feet, but spreads 6 to 8 feet in width. The leaves are fragrant and very colorful in the fall. The fruit is attractive to wildlife. Plant is full sun in poor to rich soil with medium moisture. |
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| lilac - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Syringa meyeri var. spontanea |
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| One of the easiest lilacs to grow where summers are hot. Compact plants grow 3 to 5 feet in height and produce mildly fragrant clustered flowers in late spring. Good as a medium height ground cover. Not affected by powdery mildew. Position in full sun and dry to medium-wet soil. |
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| weigela - - - Shrubs and Vines |
| Weigela 'Olympiade' BRIANT RUBIDOR |
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| A densely rounded shrub, ‘Olympiad’ grows to 5-8 feet tall with a slightly larger spread. Unlike common weigela, this selection features outstanding chartreuse leaves which provide a striking contrast with the profuse funnel-shaped deep red blooms that typically cover the foliage in June and July. Scattered repeat bloom occurs throughout summer. Best foliage color and flowering is achieved in full sun. |
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© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2009
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