TREES
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Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry)
$45.00An attractive tree for all seasons. Birds love its berries. Delicate white, star-like flowers bloom in early spring. Pleasant gray-green foliage, orange to rusty-red fall color, and smooth red-gray bark. Full sun to part shade. Likes well-drained soil. Host tree for moths and butterflies.
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Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Shadblow or Serviceberry)
$45.00Amelanchier laevis, commonly known as Smooth Serviceberry, is a native plant species that thrives in the state of Illinois. This small deciduous tree or multi-stemmed shrub belongs to the Rosaceae family and is celebrated for its striking appearance, ecological significance, and its adaptability to a variety of environments. Here’s a detailed description of Amelanchier laevis in the Illinois landscape:
1. **Appearance**: Smooth Serviceberry typically grows to heights ranging from 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) but can occasionally reach up to 30 feet (9 meters). It is characterized by a graceful, upright form with a dense canopy. The smooth, grayish-brown bark adds to its aesthetic appeal.
2. **Leaves**: The leaves of Amelanchier laevis are alternate, simple, and oval-shaped with finely serrated edges. They emerge as bronze or reddish in spring, transition to a deep green in summer, and transform into beautiful shades of orange, red, or purple in the fall, adding vibrant colors to the Illinois landscape.
3. **Flowers**: In early spring, Smooth Serviceberry produces showy clusters of delicate, white or pale pink, five-petaled flowers. These blossoms are an early source of nectar for pollinators, including bees and butterflies, making the plant a valuable addition to Illinois gardens.
4. **Fruits**: One of the most distinctive features of Amelanchier laevis is its edible berries, which ripen in late spring to early summer. These berries are initially red or purple and eventually mature into dark blue-black fruits that resemble small cherries. They are not only visually appealing but also a sought-after food source for birds and wildlife.
5. **Ecological Importance**: Smooth Serviceberry plays a vital role in the Illinois ecosystem. Its flowers attract pollinators, and its fruits are eagerly consumed by various bird species, including cedar waxwings and robins. It also provides habitat and shelter for a variety of wildlife.
6. **Environmental Adaptability**: This native plant is highly adaptable and can thrive in a range of soil types, from well-drained sandy soils to heavier clay soils. It is often found in woodlands, open forests, and along stream banks.
7. **Cultural and Landscaping Uses**: Smooth Serviceberry is an excellent choice for native plant enthusiasts, wildlife gardeners, and those seeking ornamental plants for their landscapes. It can be used as a specimen tree, in mixed borders, or as a naturalistic planting in more natural landscapes.
8. **Historical and Cultural Significance**: Native American tribes historically utilized Amelanchier species for medicinal purposes and as a source of food. The berries were consumed fresh or dried for later use.
Amelanchier laevis offers year-round interest with its attractive flowers, colorful foliage, and edible berries. Its ecological importance, adaptability, and historical significance make it a valuable addition to the Illinois landscape, providing both aesthetic and environmental benefits.
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Carpinus caroliniana (Blue Beech)
$45.00 – $175.00Also called American hornbeam. Finely textured, graceful understory tree with smooth, gray-fluted bark and red, yellow and orange fall color. Nice shade tree for small yards. Clean ornamental with no off-season. Highly adaptable. Full to half-day sun. Prefers moist, organically rich soils but will tolerate clay. Good replacement for buckthorn. Deer resistant.
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Carya ovata (Shagbark Hickory)
$45.00One of the best tasting nuts around, that is, if you can beat the squirrels to it. Nuts are attractive to a variety of wildlife. It grows best, in the wild and in a nursery environment, if it has a fair amount of shade early in its development. Without the shade it is a very slow growing plant. Even with shade, it grows slowly at a clip of 6” to 8” per year. The shaggy bark takes years to develop. Fall color is yellow.
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Celtis occidentalis (Hackberry)
$45.00 – $175.00Looks similar to an elm in form and foliage. Very adaptable; grows in wet and dry soils in full sun. Good street tree. Birds relish the purplish-black fruit. Also attracts butterflies. Growth rate is fast in youth and moderate as it ages. Distinctive grooved, warty bark. Deer resistant.
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Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)
$45.00Pagodas like a few hours of sun, moist soil, and protection from the west. Beautiful horizontal branching and white flowers in the spring. Birds relish the blue-black fruit in August. Maroon-red fall color. Grows fast.
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Crataegus mollis (Downy Hawthorn)
$45.00A handsome tree with a tall trunk and compact, rounded crown of spreading branches, large broad hairy leaves, many large white, unpleasant smelling flowers, and large scarlet fruit. Branches have varying degrees of thorniness. The leaves are susceptible to cedar-hawthorn rust. Recognized by pollination ecologists for attracting large numbers of native bees. Also recognized as a plant that attracts predatory insects that prey on pest insects. Grows best in full sun to part shade, in moist, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Provides a nesting habitat for a variety of birds and other wildlife.
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Gymnocladus dioica (Kentucky Coffee Tree)
$45.00 – $175.00When young, it is the ugly duckling of trees, but it turns into a beautiful swan as it matures. It has bipinnate leaves, similar to a locust and it produces 3-6 inch seed pods that stay on all winter, providing great winter interest. The leaves, as well as the seeds are poisonous. As the trees are dioecious you will need male and female trees to produce fruit. The scaly ridged bark and irregular coarse branching habit create a dramatic effect on the winter landscape. Best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates poorer soils and drought. Avoid heavy clays. Also adapts well to urban conditions. Suckers to form colonies in the wild. The tree is late to leaf out and one of the first to drop leaves in the fall. Fall color is yellow.
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Malus ioensis (Iowa Crab)
$45.00A miniature apple tree in most respects, prairie crabapple grows to 35 ft. with a dense, irregular form. A sometimes spiny shrub or small tree, with spreading branches and broad, open crown. Exfoliating bark reveals silvery-gray inner bark. The large, white or pink flowers clusters cover the tree. Fruits are eaten by several species of birds and mammals.