Plants

Rubus odoratus

[Flowering Raspberry]

The Flowering Raspberry offers great texture into the landscape with its exfoliating bark during the winter months and its large course leaves during the summer months. Its rich, pink-purple flowers begin to bloom in early June, offering fragrance and color. The flowers and fruits often attract birds and other wildlife, including butterflies and bees.

Salix eriocephala 'Ames 27768'

[Heart-leaved Willow]

The Heart-Leaved Willow in the wild is found along riverbanks, this tree is used for erosion control and thrives in wet soil.

Salix exigua

[Coyote Willow]

Salix exigua is frost tolerant and dioecious. Spreads by small seeds through the wind or water and has an extensive root system caused by abundant suckering.  It is great in moist soils or stream bottoms to help prevent soil erosion.

Salix humilis

[Prairie Willow]

Prairie Willow is more drought tolerant than other willows. Rabbits and deer eat the twigs. The nectar is used by bees to provide high quality honey.

Salix nigra

[Black Willow]

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 from willow bark to relieve stiff joints and other bodily aches and pains. A number of insect species attack the…

Sambucus canadensis

[American Elderberry]

This plant is known most for its fruits, which have a high Vitamin C content and are attractive to both people and wildlife. The berry-like fruits are popular for making wine, juice, jellies, preserves, and pie. However, this plant is not generally advised for use in the landscape due to its excessive suckering and difficult to maintain form (can become quite unkempt). Very tolerant of various environmental conditions.

Sambucus nigra 'Eva' [Sold as Black Lace®]

[Black Lace Elderberry]

More lacy, fern-textured, dark purple leaves, pale pink flowers, 6 to 8' high; Origin for Black Beauty

Sassafras albidum

[Common Sassafras]

Roots sucker and form thickets, which may or may not be desirable. Sassafras tea contains safrole, a mild carcinogen banned in food products. Iron chlorosis in high pH can turn leaves yellow.

Spiraea alba

[Meadowsweet]

The meadowsweet is an Indiana native shrub that can be found in wet prairies, marshes, and flood plains. Its flowers appear on panicles during the later summer months and last till about September, making this shrub a great addition to the landscape as a late blooming shrub. The flowers also attract pollinators, such as bumblebees and other bee species. Wet soils are needed for this shrub and can even tolerate periods of flooding. Every three…

Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor'

[Tor Birchleaf Spirea]