The Smooth Hydrangea is an Indiana native found along woodlands and waterways with rocky soils. The flowers of Hydrangea arborescens can be large and heavy, bending stems to the ground. Best used in a shady area or along foundations of buildings for some support. This plant often gets cut back hard to the ground in […]
A shade loving plant, the pachysandra procumbens can be a good naturalizing groundcover with greyish green leaves. The Alleghany Pachysandra is considered to be more attractive than the overused Pachysandra terminalis. It is considered deciduous in USDA Zones 5 and 6 bue semi-evergreen to evergreen in Zones 7-9. […]
The Black Willow is a fast-growing, wet soils tolerant tree, reaching 30 to 60 feet at maturity. Can sucker profusely, so use sparingly in the landscape. In the wild, you can find Salix nigra near floodplains, streams and rivers, and marshes. The ancient Greeks knew the therapeutic values of willow (Salix) and brewed tea made […]
The Deam Oak is a rare hybrid between the White Oak (Quercus alba) and the Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) that can be found in mature forests. Quercus x deamii was first discovered in Wells County, Indiana, about 4 miles outside the town of Bluffton in 1904 by Bruce Williamson, a zoologist, and his father. Not […]
Buds exude a resin (the source of “balm of Gilead”) that is traditionally used as an ointment to relieve chest congestion. The resin is also flammable, so twigs are used for starting fires. The streaked brown and grey wood is used in carving and woodworking. Trees are found along forest edges, forests, meadows and fields, […]
Especially useful in wet soils. One of the most beautiful trees, with habit comparable to Quercus palustris, but usually more irregular, and with a greater number of more slender main limbs. Silvery-grey, picturesque branching; strong horizontal accent. Difficult to transplant due to taproot; use container-grown plants when possible, or at least plants dug with a […]
Widely tolerant of soils and microclimates. May be troubled by aphids. Drought resistance is not good. Fruits are used in preserves. […]
This species is a hybrid of Buxus sinica and Buxus sempervirens and is described as a perfect round ball. Hardier than var. insularis ‘Winter Beauty’. Requires little prunning and shearing. Avoid cultivating around plants because they have a shallow root. Roots appreciate a good mulch ( 1-2″). Thin plants and remove damaged branches annually to […]
The Susan Magnolia is a shrubby magnolia that produces long, slender, reddish purple buds openning to beautiful, large reddish purple flowers. 5″ slightly twisted flowers are erect and have 6 tepals . Flowes later than Magnolia stellata in Spring, but can also flower sporadically throughout the Summer. Summer flowers are of lighter color due to […]
A tough find in Indiana and mostly encountered in the wild throughout the southern states, the native Post Oak can be found in oak-hickory forests of southern Indiana. Open grown trees have a dense, round-topped crown with spreading branches for shade. Bark is similar to the White Oak, gray-brown in color with flat ridges, somewhat […]
The Purdue Arboretum is a collaboration between the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Physical Facilities Grounds Department