Alabama Azalea
Rhododendron alabamenseShrubZones 6–94–6 ft
White flowers with a lemon-yellow blotch and a lemon scent in April and May, on what may be the most fragrant of the wild azaleas.
Tree finder
Find the right native tree or shrub for your site by filtering on USDA hardiness zone, mature size, sun, soil moisture and what you want from each species. The list narrows as you set each filter. Every result is a tree or shrub we grow from seed, so anything it shows can be requested now and ordered once it is priced.
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Alabama Croton
Croton alabamensisShrubZones 6–85–10 ft
One of the rarest shrubs in the country, its apple-scented leaves silver beneath and its oldest leaves pumpkin orange in fall.
Alabama Snow-wreath
Neviusia alabamensisShrubZones 4–83–10 ft
A rare southern shrub whose arching stems carry puffs of white flowers with no petals in spring, for a shady border or woodland edge.
Alderleaf Buckthorn
Rhamnus alnifoliaShrubZones 3–72–5 ft
A low native buckthorn of fens, swamps and wet thickets, with alder-like leaves and black fruit for birds, at home in cold, limy wetlands.
Allegheny Chinquapin
Castanea pumilaSmall treeZones 5–910–25 ft
A shrubby native cousin of the American chestnut, Allegheny chinquapin ripens one sweet nut per small bur and bears within a few years of planting.
Allegheny Plum
Prunus alleghaniensisShrubZones 4–83–20 ft
A rare thicket plum of the Appalachians, with white flowers that fade to pink and small dark purple plums under a blue bloom.
Allegheny Serviceberry
Amelanchier laevisSmall treeZones 4–815–25 ft
Bronze-purple new leaves under white flowers, and the sweetest fruit of the serviceberries.
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americanaShrubZones 6–103–6 ft
Glossy violet berries ring every stem in fall and feed mockingbirds and thrushes into winter. A fast, easy native shrub for sun or light shade.
American Chestnut
Castanea dentataSmall treeZones 4–815–30 ft
Once a dominant tree of the eastern forests, with sweet nuts for people and wildlife, now held to sprouts by a blight that kills its stems but not its roots.
American Crabapple
Malus coronariaSmall treeZones 4–815–30 ft
Fragrant pink-white blossoms in May and hard green fruit that makes exceptional jelly.
American Fly Honeysuckle
Lonicera canadensisShrubZones 3–73–6 ft
A native woodland honeysuckle of moist northern and mountain forests, with yellow flowers in pairs and twin red berries for birds.
American Hazelnut
Corylus americanaShrubZones 4–98–12 ft
Sweet native filberts in late summer on a dense, easy hedgerow shrub.
American Mountain Ash
Sorbus americanaSmall treeZones 2–715–30 ft
Flat white flower clusters, orange-red berries and brilliant fall color for cold, cool-summer regions.
American Plum
Prunus americanaSmall treeZones 3–815–25 ft
A thicket-forming wild plum for dry banks and wet ground alike, with fragrant white spring bloom and tart red-yellow fruit for jelly and wildlife.
American Smoketree
Cotinus obovatusSmall treeZones 4–820–30 ft
Perhaps the best fall color of any native tree, on a small, drought-proof limestone specialist.
American Snowbell
Styrax americanusShrubZones 6–106–15 ft
Fragrant white bells with swept-back petals cover a slender native shrub in spring, for wet woods, pond edges and shady, acid ground.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatumShrubZones 2–85–10 ft
Blue-black berries nearly half fat by dry weight ripen from August for robins, bluebirds and catbirds, after flat white flower heads in May for the bees.
Ashe's Magnolia
Magnolia asheiSmall treeZones 5–910–30 ft
Fragrant white flowers up to a foot across and leaves up to 2 feet long, on a small, rare magnolia from the Florida panhandle.
Bartram's Serviceberry
Amelanchier bartramianaShrubZones 2–72–8 ft
The most northern of the eastern serviceberries, a low shrub of cool bogs and mountain woods with white flowers and pear-shaped purple fruit.
Beach Plum
Prunus maritimaShrubZones 3–84–8 ft
The dune plum of the Atlantic coast: salt-proof, drought-proof and covered in white bloom each May.
Beaked Hazelnut
Corylus cornutaShrubZones 3–84–10 ft
A small, suckering native hazel of northern and mountain woods, whose tasty nuts ripen inside bristly husks drawn out into a long beak.
Bear Huckleberry
Gaylussacia ursinaShrubZones 7–81–5 ft
A colony-forming huckleberry of southern Appalachian oak and pine woods, with greenish bells in May, glossy black berries and fall color.
Bear Oak (Scrub Oak)
Quercus ilicifoliaShrubZones 4–86–20 ft
The scrub oak of pine barrens and ridgetops: tough, fire-adapted and a powerhouse host for moths and butterflies.
Bigleaf Snowbell
Styrax grandifoliusShrubZones 6–98–20 ft
Leaves up to 8 inches long and sprays of fragrant white bells in April and May, on a native shrub for shady, well-drained woods.
Bigleaf Witch Hazel
Hamamelis ovalisShrubZones 5–88–16 ft
Wine-red, scarlet or rose flowers from late December into February, on a colony-forming witch hazel with the largest leaves of any, first described in 2006.
Black Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpaShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
White spring flowers, glossy black antioxidant-rich berries and some of the best red fall color of any shrub.
Black Elderberry
Sambucus canadensisShrubZones 3–96–12 ft
Broad white flower plates in June, purple-black berries in August, and a magnet for dozens of bird species.
Black Huckleberry
Gaylussacia baccataShrubZones 3–71–3 ft
A low, colony-forming shrub of dry acid woods with sweet, seedy black berries and crimson fall leaves.
Blackhaw Viburnum
Viburnum prunifoliumShrubZones 3–912–15 ft
A tough, tree-like viburnum with white spring flowers, purple-red fall color and sweet blue fruit.
Bladdernut
Staphylea trifoliaShrubZones 4–88–15 ft
Drooping white bell flowers in May and papery inflated seed pods that rattle in the fall wind.
Blue Ridge St. John's-wort
Hypericum buckleyiShrubZones 5–81–2 ft
A low mat of small leaves and inch-wide golden flowers for a sunny rock garden, from the high peaks of the southern Blue Ridge.
Bog Spicebush
Lindera subcoriaceaShrubZones 8–96–13 ft
A rare spicebush of southern seepage bogs, with thick leaves, pale yellow flowers before the leaves and bright red fruit on female plants.
Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parvifloraShrubZones 4–98–12 ft
A shade shrub that spreads into a broad mound and lifts white flower spikes up to a foot long in early summer, when few other shrubs bloom.
Box Huckleberry
Gaylussacia brachyceraShrubZones 5–81–2 ft
A foot-high evergreen ground cover with glossy leaves, pink-white bells in May and sweet blue berries, from a shrub whose wild patches live for centuries.
Boynton Oak
Quercus boyntoniiShrubZones 8–96–20 ft
A critically endangered white oak that stays low and shrubby, spreading from underground stems into colonies on sandstone and deep sand.
Bracted Arrowwood
Viburnum bracteatumShrubZones 6–86–10 ft
A rare arrowwood of southern limestone bluffs, with flat clusters of white flowers in spring and oval blue-black fruit for birds.
Bristly Locust (Rose Locust)
Robinia hispidaShrubZones 5–83–8 ft
Rose-pink wisteria-like flowers in May on a suckering, nitrogen-fixing shrub for dry banks.
Broom Crowberry
Corema conradiiShrubZones 5–71–2 ft
A low evergreen heath of sand barrens and rocky summits, with needle-fine leaves and tufts of purple flowers at the shoot tips in spring.
Buckwheat Tree
Cliftonia monophyllaSmall treeZones 7–1012–18 ft
An evergreen of southern bogs whose fragrant spring flowers feed honeybees, followed by winged fruits shaped like buckwheat grains.
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalisShrubZones 4–105–12 ft
A wetland shrub for pond edges and rain gardens, with round white pincushion flowers in summer that draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Canada Buffaloberry
Shepherdia canadensisShrubZones 2–83–8 ft
A slow, thornless northern shrub that fixes its own nitrogen, with silvery, rust-flecked leaves and bitter red berries that bears and birds eat.
Canada Plum
Prunus nigraSmall treeZones 2–610–30 ft
The northernmost native plum, a hardy small tree with fragrant white flowers that blush pink as they age and red to yellow plums for jam.
Canada Yew
Taxus canadensisShrubZones 2–73–6 ft
A low, sprawling evergreen for deep shade whose branches root as they spread, with bright red, berry-like fruit that birds eat.
Carolina Bog Laurel
Kalmia carolinaShrubZones 5–81–5 ft
Clusters of small pink cups ringed in red in April and May, on a low evergreen laurel of Southern bogs and wet pine savannas.
Carolina Buckthorn
Frangula carolinianaShrubZones 5–910–20 ft
Glossy leaves, red-to-black berries and yellow fall color on a native buckthorn that is nothing like the invasive ones.
Catawba Rhododendron
Rhododendron catawbienseShrubZones 4–86–10 ft
Lilac-purple trusses of 15 to 20 flowers open in late spring on an evergreen shrub of Appalachian ridges, parent of the hardy garden rhododendrons.
Catberry
Ilex mucronataShrubZones 3–73–10 ft
A deciduous holly of northern bogs and lakeshores, with red summer berries on thread-like stalks and leaves that feed Columbia silkmoth caterpillars.
Chalk Maple
Acer leucodermeSmall treeZones 5–925–30 ft
A small maple with chalky white bark and fall color from yellow to deep red, at home in sun or deep shade and on dry, rocky ground.
Chapman Oak
Quercus chapmaniiSmall treeZones 7–1010–25 ft
A small white oak of the southern coast with glossy leaves that turn red and yellow into winter, and acorns low in tannin.
Chickasaw Plum
Prunus angustifoliaSmall treeZones 5–94–20 ft
A thicket-forming wild plum that flowers white in late winter, before its leaves, and ripens tart red or yellow plums for jelly in early summer.
Chokecherry
Prunus virginianaSmall treeZones 2–1020–30 ft
A tough, thicket-forming native cherry with fragrant white flower spikes in spring and dark red to black cherries for jelly, syrup and birds.
Cinnamon Clethra
Clethra acuminataShrubZones 6–78–20 ft
Peeling cinnamon-red bark and drooping spikes of spicy, fragrant white flowers in summer, on a tall shrub of Appalachian mountain slopes.
Climbing Fetterbush
Pieris phillyreifoliaShrubZones 8–91–3 ft
The only climbing heath in the country, an evergreen that runs up inside cypress bark and hangs white bells from winter into spring.
Climbing Prairie Rose
Rosa setigeraShrubZones 4–83–15 ft
A native rose with long arching canes, rose-pink flowers that fade toward white in early summer, red hips for birds and bright fall leaves.
Clusterspike Indigobush
Amorpha herbaceaShrubZones 7–102–4 ft
A low indigobush of southern sandhills whose clustered white to violet flower spikes feed native bees in early summer.
Coastal Azalea
Rhododendron atlanticumShrubZones 5–82–6 ft
Sweet, musky white flowers flushed pink open on knee-high stems in April and May, on a wild azalea that spreads by runners into drifts.
Cockspur Hawthorn
Crataegus crus-galliSmall treeZones 3–820–30 ft
A flat-topped native hawthorn with thorns 2 to 3 inches long, white flowers in May and June, and dull red haws that often hang on until January.
Common Hoptree (Wafer Ash)
Ptelea trifoliataSmall treeZones 4–910–20 ft
A small citrus-family tree for shade or dry rock, one of only two native giant swallowtail hosts in the Northeast. Papery wafer fruit hangs all winter.
Common Prickly Ash (Toothache Tree)
Zanthoxylum americanumShrubZones 3–810–20 ft
A thorny citrus-family thicket shrub, the giant swallowtail's other native host, with lemon-scented leaves and red capsules of shiny black seed.
Corkwood
Leitneria floridanaShrubZones 5–95–20 ft
A rare swamp shrub whose wood is lighter than cork, forming thickets of slender stems in ground that stays wet or floods.
Creeping Blueberry
Vaccinium crassifoliumShrubZones 6–91–2 ft
An evergreen blueberry that creeps into a mat under a foot or so tall, with pink bells in April, black berries in summer and bronze new growth.
Creeping Juniper
Juniperus horizontalisShrubZones 2–91–2 ft
A slow, mat-forming evergreen of northern dunes, rocky shores and prairie slopes, with blue-green scale leaves that turn purplish in winter.
Cumberland Azalea
Rhododendron cumberlandenseShrubZones 4–83–7 ft
Red to orange flowers in June and July, after the leaves are out, from a low wild azalea of the Cumberland Plateau and nearby mountains.
Cumberland Rosemary
Conradina verticillataShrubZones 5–91–2 ft
A federally threatened mint of Cumberland Plateau river bars, a low evergreen mat with rosemary-scented leaves and lavender-pink spring flowers.
Dahoon
Ilex cassineSmall treeZones 7–1020–30 ft
An evergreen holly of southern swamps with glossy, nearly spineless leaves and, on female trees, bright red berries through fall and winter.
Dangleberry
Gaylussacia frondosaShrubZones 5–92–6 ft
A huckleberry for sandy, acid ground, damp or dry, that spreads into thickets hung with sweet blue berries in summer and turns orange in fall.
Deerberry
Vaccinium stamineumShrubZones 5–95–15 ft
Open white bells with yellow stamens in May, then dangling green to purple berries for grouse, turkeys and bears. The blueberry of dry sandy woods.
Devil's Walking Stick
Aralia spinosaSmall treeZones 4–910–20 ft
Two-foot heads of white flowers in August when little else blooms, then purple-black fruit for thrushes and waxwings, on a stem with leaves up to 5 feet long.
Devilwood
Cartrema americanaSmall treeZones 5–1015–30 ft
A native evergreen of the olive family for screens in sun or shade, with fragrant spring flowers and, on female trees, dark blue fruit for birds.
Downy Arrowwood
Viburnum rafinesqueanumShrubZones 3–83–10 ft
A small arrowwood for dry, shady woods, with flat white flower clusters in late spring, dark fruit for birds and purplish red fall leaves.
Downy Serviceberry
Amelanchier arboreaSmall treeZones 4–915–25 ft
First to bloom in the woods, first fruit of summer, and orange-red fall color. A four-season small tree.
Dwarf Chinquapin Oak
Quercus prinoidesShrubZones 4–86–15 ft
A true shrub oak that starts dropping sweet, low-tannin acorns within a few years of planting.
Dwarf Hackberry
Celtis tenuifoliaSmall treeZones 4–915–30 ft
A small, twisting hackberry for dry, rocky ground, with sweet orange fruit for birds and leaves that feed hackberry emperor caterpillars.
Dwarf Live Oak
Quercus minimaShrubZones 7–101–3 ft
A knee-high live oak that spreads from underground stems into evergreen patches and can bear acorns just three years from seed.
Dwarf Pawpaw
Asimina parvifloraShrubZones 7–103–12 ft
A pawpaw in miniature for dry southern woods, with maroon spring flowers, small sweet fruit and leaves that feed zebra swallowtail caterpillars.
Dwarf Witch Alder
Fothergilla gardeniiShrubZones 5–82–3 ft
A small shrub of coastal plain bogs with honey-scented white bottlebrush flowers before the leaves in spring, and red, orange and yellow fall color.
Eastern Leatherwood
Dirca palustrisShrubZones 4–93–6 ft
Tiny yellow flowers in the first week of spring, on a rare, slow shade shrub with bark you can tie in knots.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensisSmall treeZones 4–920–30 ft
Magenta flowers on bare branches in early spring, heart-shaped leaves and a graceful spreading crown.
Eastern Wahoo
Euonymus atropurpureusShrubZones 3–96–20 ft
A native shrub or small tree of rich woods and stream banks, with dark purple flowers, yellow to red fall leaves and pink capsules that open on scarlet seeds.
Elliott's Blueberry
Vaccinium elliottiiShrubZones 5–94–10 ft
A wild southern blueberry that hangs white bells on bare twigs before its leaves, ripens sweet black berries by early summer and turns scarlet in fall.
Farkleberry
Vaccinium arboreumSmall treeZones 6–1010–25 ft
The tree of the blueberry genus, with fragrant white bells in spring, glossy leaves that redden in fall and black berries that hang into winter.
Fevertree
Pinckneya bracteataSmall treeZones 7–910–20 ft
Sepals of pink, rose or white, as showy as a poinsettia's, light up this small tree of southern swamp edges for weeks in early summer.
Flag Pawpaw
Asimina obovataShrubZones 8–106–15 ft
A Florida pawpaw of sand ridges and scrub, with large lemon-scented white flowers from late winter and green fruit that people and wildlife eat.
Flame Azalea
Rhododendron calendulaceumShrubZones 5–74–12 ft
Clusters of yellow, orange or scarlet funnels with long stamens in May and June, from one of the showiest shrubs of the southern Appalachians.
Flatwoods Plum
Prunus umbellataSmall treeZones 4–1012–20 ft
A small, single-trunked southern plum that clouds over with white bloom before its leaves, then ripens tart to sweet purple plums for jelly and wildlife.
Florida Anise
Illicium floridanumShrubZones 6–106–10 ft
A fast-growing evergreen for shade and wet ground, with leaves that smell of anise when crushed and nodding, dark red spring flowers.
Florida Bully
Sideroxylon reclinatumShrubZones 8–105–15 ft
A thorny shrub of floodplain woods and wet pinelands in the Deep South, with tiny white spring flowers and small black berries that birds eat.
Florida Flame Azalea
Rhododendron austrinumShrubZones 6–96–10 ft
Yellow to orange flowers with long stamens in March and April, from a rare wild azalea of the Florida Panhandle.
Florida Leucothoe
Agarista populifoliaShrubZones 5–98–12 ft
A tall evergreen for shady stream banks, with arching stems, red new leaves and fragrant white bells hanging beneath the branches in spring.
Florida Swamp Privet
Forestiera segregataShrubZones 8–105–15 ft
A tough native shrub of southeastern coasts that shrugs off salt wind and drought, with blue-black fruit that ripens early for songbirds.
Florida Yew
Taxus floridanaSmall treeZones 6–1012–25 ft
A rare yew of the Apalachicola River ravines, a bushy evergreen small tree for shade in warm Southern gardens, with red fruit on female trees.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus floridaSmall treeZones 5–915–30 ft
The classic spring understory tree: white bracts in April, red berries and burgundy leaves in fall.
Four-petal Pawpaw
Asimina tetrameraShrubZones 9–103–15 ft
A rare pawpaw of Florida's coastal sand pine scrub, with nodding flowers that open cream and turn maroon, and fruit that smells of bananas.
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromaticaShrubZones 3–92–6 ft
A low, thicket-forming sumac for dry banks, with lemon-scented leaves, fuzzy red fruit for birds and orange to red fall color.
Franklin Tree
Franklinia alatamahaSmall treeZones 5–910–25 ft
Extinct in the wild since 1803, the Franklin tree opens fragrant white flowers from July until frost among leaves that turn red in fall.
Georgia Plume
Elliottia racemosaSmall treeZones 6–910–16 ft
Upright plumes of white flowers in midsummer and bright red leaves in fall, on a rare small tree found wild only in Georgia.
Golden Heather
Hudsonia ericoidesShrubZones 5–81–2 ft
A low evergreen mat of needle-fine leaves that turns bright yellow with flowers in late spring, on the sand barrens of the Northeast.
Golden St. John's-wort
Hypericum frondosumShrubZones 5–82–10 ft
A rounded shrub of limestone glades with blue-green leaves and golden flowers up to 1.75 inches across, each a brush of stamens, in June and July.
Granite Gooseberry
Ribes curvatumShrubZones 7–92–10 ft
A rare gooseberry of rocky Southern woods, a low spiny shrub whose arching stems root into a patch, with hanging white flowers in spring.
Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosaShrubZones 4–84–10 ft
White berries on red stalks, about a third fat, feed migrating warblers and sparrows in September. A thicket shrub for dry or wet ground, sun or shade.
Hairy Blueberry
Vaccinium hirsutumShrubZones 7–81–3 ft
A low, colony-forming blueberry of the southern Appalachians, hairy in every part, down to its sweet, fuzzy, blue-black berries.
Hairy Laurel
Kalmia hirsutaShrubZones 8–91–2 ft
A knee-high evergreen laurel of Southern sandhills, bristly in every part, with pink saucers spotted in red from May into July.
Harbison's Hawthorn
Crataegus harbisoniiSmall treeZones 5–810–26 ft
One of the rarest trees in the United States, a Tennessee hawthorn with white flowers about an inch across in May and orange-red haws in fall.
Hillside Blueberry
Vaccinium pallidumShrubZones 5–91–3 ft
A low wild blueberry of dry, rocky hillsides that spreads into colonies, with sweet blue berries in summer and scarlet leaves in fall.
Hobblebush
Viburnum lantanoidesShrubZones 3–63–12 ft
A shade shrub of cool northern woods with lacy white flower heads in spring and big heart-shaped leaves that turn bronze-red and purple in fall.
Honeycup
Zenobia pulverulentaShrubZones 6–93–6 ft
Anise-scented white bells, like an oversized lily of the valley, hang in May and June from a rare shrub of southern coastal plain bogs.
Hortulan Plum
Prunus hortulanaSmall treeZones 5–720–30 ft
A wild plum that grows as a single small tree rather than a thicket, with white spring flowers and red or yellow plums about an inch across in late summer.
Indigobush (False Indigo)
Amorpha fruticosaShrubZones 4–96–12 ft
Purple flower spikes with orange stamens in June, on a nitrogen-fixing shrub for streambanks and hot dry edges.
Inkberry
Ilex glabraShrubZones 4–105–10 ft
An evergreen holly with glossy, spineless leaves for hedges and screens on damp, acid ground, and black berries all winter on female plants.
Leadplant
Amorpha canescensShrubZones 2–81–3 ft
A prairie sub-shrub with silver leaves and purple summer spikes, rooted deep against drought.
Little Walnut
Juglans microcarpaSmall treeZones 5–920–30 ft
The smallest of the walnuts, a drought-hardy tree of Texas and the southern Plains with fine, narrow leaflets and marble-sized nuts.
Littlehip Hawthorn
Crataegus spathulataSmall treeZones 5–910–26 ft
A slow, small tree prized for its peeling bark of gray, orange, olive and brown, with tiny spoon-shaped leaves, white spring flowers and red haws.
Littleleaf Buckbrush
Ceanothus microphyllusShrubZones 8–101–2 ft
A foot-high cousin of New Jersey tea for dry, sandy pinelands of the Deep South, with leaves under half an inch and white flower clusters in spring.
Lloyd's St. John's-wort
Hypericum lloydiiShrubZones 6–91–2 ft
A low, spreading shrub of sandhills and granite outcrops, with fragrant, needle-like leaves and golden flowers from June into September.
Long-stalked Holly
Ilex collinaShrubZones 5–710–13 ft
A rare deciduous holly of high Appalachian streams and bogs, with bright red berries that dangle on stalks up to an inch long.
Maleberry
Lyonia ligustrinaShrubZones 5–96–12 ft
A tough native heath of swamp edge and dry ridge, hung with white bells in June for four rare specialist bees, that almost no nursery grows.
Mapleleaf Viburnum
Viburnum acerifoliumShrubZones 3–83–6 ft
A small viburnum for shade, with maple-shaped leaves that turn pink, magenta and purple in fall and blue-black berries for birds.
Miccosukee Gooseberry
Ribes echinellumShrubZones 7–92–5 ft
A federally threatened gooseberry of rich Southern woods, a low spiny shrub whose leaves drop in summer and return in fall, with spiny berries in spring.
Michaux's Sumac
Rhus michauxiiShrubZones 7–81–3 ft
A rare, low sumac of sandy and rocky open woods in North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, densely hairy all over, with red fruit on female plants.
Minnie-bush
Rhododendron pilosumShrubZones 5–73–6 ft
Small nodding bells of greenish white flushed with red in late spring, on an upright mountain shrub with hairy leaves and shreddy bark.
Mountain Bush-honeysuckle
Diervilla rivularisShrubZones 5–83–6 ft
A rare, colony-forming shrub of southern Appalachian bluffs, with clusters of pale yellow summer flowers, hairy leaves and yellow and red fall color.
Mountain Camellia (Mountain Stewartia)
Stewartia ovataSmall treeZones 5–810–20 ft
Large white camellia-like flowers in July on a rare Appalachian small tree with orange-red fall color.
Mountain Doghobble
Leucothoe fontanesianaShrubZones 4–83–6 ft
Arching evergreen stems hung with sprays of waxy white bells in spring, from the thicket shrub of southern Appalachian stream banks.
Mountain Fetterbush
Pieris floribundaShrubZones 4–63–6 ft
A compact evergreen of southern Appalachian balds, with upright clusters of fragrant white bells in spring from buds that show all winter.
Mountain Indigobush
Amorpha glabraShrubZones 7–83–6 ft
A smooth-leaved indigobush of Appalachian ridges and slopes, 3 to 6 feet tall, with purple flower spikes and golden anthers in early summer.
Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifoliaShrubZones 4–95–12 ft
Native evergreen with clusters of origami-like pink and white flowers in June and twisted, sculptural trunks.
Mountain Maple
Acer spicatumSmall treeZones 2–710–25 ft
A shade-loving small maple with upright spikes of tiny flowers in early summer and leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in fall.
Mountain Sweetbells
Eubotrys recurvaShrubZones 5–93–12 ft
Arching sprays of white bells on bare red twigs in spring and red leaves in fall, on a deciduous mountain shrub of the southern Appalachians.
Mountain Witch Alder
Fothergilla majorShrubZones 4–86–10 ft
Honey-scented white bottlebrush flowers in April and leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in fall, on a rare shrub of southern mountains.
Myrtle Dahoon
Ilex myrtifoliaSmall treeZones 7–1015–25 ft
A small-leaved evergreen holly of southern swamp edges, with thick, shiny leaves like a myrtle's and red berries that last into spring.
Nannyberry
Viburnum lentagoShrubZones 2–812–18 ft
A big, adaptable viburnum with creamy flowers, edible blue-black fruit and wine-red fall color.
Nantucket Serviceberry
Amelanchier nantucketensisShrubZones 3–82–6 ft
A rare, low serviceberry of the sandy Atlantic coast that spreads into a colony: white flowers in May and edible blue berries by July.
Netted Pawpaw
Asimina reticulataShrubZones 8–101–5 ft
A low Florida pawpaw of flatwoods and scrub, with fragrant white flowers banded dark purple inside from winter into spring, and edible fruit.
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanusShrubZones 4–82–3 ft
A knee-high shrub for dry, poor ground, with fragrant white flower clusters in June that feed azures, hairstreaks and two bees that use almost nothing else.
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifoliusShrubZones 2–85–10 ft
Peeling bark, white flower balls in June, and a constitution that shrugs off drought, flood and cold.
Northern Bayberry
Morella pensylvanicaShrubZones 3–75–10 ft
Waxy gray berries hold above the snow all winter for yellow-rumped warblers, tree swallows and quail. A salt-tolerant shrub that fixes its own nitrogen.
Oconee Azalea
Rhododendron flammeumShrubZones 6–96–8 ft
Scarlet, orange-red or orange flowers in April and May, among the brightest of all American azaleas, on a heat-tolerant shrub of Georgia and South Carolina.
Odorless Bayberry
Morella inodoraShrubZones 7–1010–20 ft
An evergreen bayberry of Gulf Coast swamps and bayheads whose leathery leaves, unlike those of other bayberries, have no scent when crushed.
Ouachita Indigobush
Amorpha ouachitensisShrubZones 5–83–6 ft
A rare indigobush of the Ouachita Mountains, 3 to 6 feet tall, with slender purple flower spikes up to 8 inches long in late spring.
Ozark Chinquapin
Castanea ozarkensisSmall treeZones 5–815–30 ft
The Ozarks' own chestnut, once a tree of 60 feet with sweet nuts for people and wildlife, now rare because chestnut blight kills its stems to the ground.
Ozark Witch Hazel
Hamamelis vernalisShrubZones 3–86–10 ft
Fragrant red, orange or yellow flowers on bare branches from January into March, the first bloom of the year, on a shrub that takes floods.
Pagoda Dogwood
Cornus alternifoliaSmall treeZones 3–815–25 ft
A small dogwood with branches held in flat tiers like a pagoda, cream flower clusters in late spring and blue-black fruit on red stalks.
Painted Buckeye
Aesculus sylvaticaSmall treeZones 6–810–20 ft
A small buckeye for part shade, with upright flower clusters in yellow, cream or pink that feed hummingbirds on their spring migration.
Parsley Hawthorn
Crataegus marshalliiSmall treeZones 4–97–25 ft
A small southern hawthorn with leaves cut fine as parsley, white flowers with red anthers in early spring, peeling bark and glossy scarlet fruit.
Pawpaw
Asimina trilobaSmall treeZones 5–915–30 ft
The largest native fruit in North America, custard-sweet and tropical, on an understory tree of rich bottomlands.
Pear Hawthorn
Crataegus calpodendronSmall treeZones 4–87–23 ft
One of the last hawthorns to bloom and one of the most shade-tolerant, a vase-shaped small tree with white flowers into June and small orange-red haws.
Piedmont Azalea
Rhododendron canescensShrubZones 5–106–15 ft
Fragrant pink flowers with long, upcurved stamens in early spring, from the most common wild azalea of the Southeast.
Piedmont Rhododendron
Rhododendron minusShrubZones 5–83–10 ft
One of the smaller evergreen rhododendrons, with trusses of pink to white flowers in spring and a heat tolerance few rhododendrons match.
Pinkshell Azalea
Rhododendron vaseyiShrubZones 4–75–15 ft
Wide-open pink flowers on bare spring twigs, from a rare azalea that grows wild only in the mountains of North Carolina.
Pinxterbloom Azalea
Rhododendron periclymenoidesShrubZones 4–93–6 ft
Fragrant pink trumpets open on bare branches in April for bumble bees, hummingbirds and swallowtails. The deciduous wild azalea of Mid-Atlantic woods.
Piratebush
Buckleya distichophyllaShrubZones 6–76–12 ft
A rare shrub of Southern Appalachian slopes that draws on the roots of hemlock and other trees, with leaves in two flat rows and yellow-orange fruit.
Plumleaf Azalea
Rhododendron prunifoliumShrubZones 5–98–12 ft
Orange-red to red azalea flowers in July and August, after most wild azaleas are done, on a rare shrub of Georgia and Alabama ravines.
Pondberry
Lindera melissifoliaShrubZones 7–92–6 ft
A rare, colony-forming spicebush of flooded woods and pond edges, with drooping, root-beer-scented leaves, early yellow flowers and red fruit.
Pondspice
Litsea aestivalisShrubZones 7–910–15 ft
A rare coastal plain shrub of pond and swamp edges, with zigzag twigs, small leathery leaves, yellow flowers before the leaves and red fruit.
Possumhaw
Ilex deciduaShrubZones 5–97–15 ft
A deciduous holly whose orange-red berries line the bare gray branches from September to March, feeding birds late in winter.
Possumhaw Viburnum
Viburnum nudumShrubZones 5–95–12 ft
A glossy-leaved viburnum for wet ground whose berries turn pink, blue and purplish black, often all at once in the same cluster.
Prairie Crabapple
Malus ioensisSmall treeZones 2–820–30 ft
The wild crabapple of the Midwest prairies, whose pink buds open to fragrant blossoms in spring before waxy green apples ripen for jelly and wildlife.
Prairie Redroot
Ceanothus herbaceusShrubZones 4–82–3 ft
A knee-high prairie shrub for dry, limy ground, with round clusters of white flowers in spring that feed bees and butterflies, and roots that fix nitrogen.
Pygmy Fringetree
Chionanthus pygmaeusShrubZones 7–103–12 ft
A rare dwarf fringetree from the sand ridges of central Florida, with showy clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring and inch-long fruit.
Rabbiteye Blueberry
Vaccinium virgatumShrubZones 7–96–15 ft
The tall blueberry of Southern gardens, with white or pink bells in spring and sweet blue berries through summer, tougher in heat and drought than highbush.
Red Buckeye
Aesculus paviaSmall treeZones 4–910–25 ft
A small buckeye for part shade whose upright clusters of tubular red flowers open in early spring, in time for the returning hummingbirds.
Red Chokeberry
Aronia arbutifoliaShrubZones 3–96–12 ft
A tall, suckering shrub of bogs and swamps with white spring flowers, glossy red fruit that hangs into winter and blazing red fall leaves.
Red Elderberry
Sambucus racemosaShrubZones 3–78–12 ft
Cone-shaped white flowers in April and glowing red berries by June, the earliest berry crop for birds.
Red Hills Azalea
Rhododendron colemaniiShrubZones 6–98–20 ft
Fragrant white or pink azalea flowers in May, after the leaves are out, on a rare wild shrub of the Red Hills of Alabama and Georgia.
Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericeaShrubZones 2–76–12 ft
A fast, thicket-forming shrub of wet ground whose young stems turn bright red after the leaves fall and glow against snow all winter.
Rhodora
Rhododendron canadenseShrubZones 4–61–3 ft
Rose-purple, two-lipped azalea flowers on bare twigs in May, lighting up the bogs and wet woods of the Northeast before the leaves.
Rosebay Rhododendron
Rhododendron maximumShrubZones 3–710–15 ft
The great evergreen rhododendron of Appalachian stream valleys, with pink-white trusses in July.
Roughleaf Dogwood
Cornus drummondiiShrubZones 5–86–15 ft
A fast thicket dogwood for dry or wet ground, with creamy flowers in late spring and white berries that dozens of kinds of birds eat.
Roundleaf Dogwood
Cornus rugosaShrubZones 2–83–10 ft
A shade-tolerant northern dogwood with nearly round, wrinkled leaves, flat clusters of white flowers and pale blue berries on red stalks.
Roundleaf Serviceberry
Amelanchier sanguineaShrubZones 2–83–23 ft
A shrub of rocky slopes and sandy woods with nearly round leaves, white spring flowers and sweet dark purple fruit, rare at the edges of its range.
Runner Oak
Quercus pumilaShrubZones 8–93–6 ft
A shrub oak for the poorest, driest sand, spreading by underground runners into broad, low thickets that feed and shelter wildlife.
Rusty Blackhaw
Viburnum rufidulumSmall treeZones 5–910–20 ft
Glossy, leathery leaves that turn deep red in fall, white flower clusters in spring and sweet blue fruit, on a small southern tree.
Sand Cherry
Prunus pumilaShrubZones 3–61–8 ft
A low, tough shrub of dunes, beaches and sandy prairies, with white spring flowers and purple-black cherries for jam from its second or third year.
Sand Myrtle
Kalmia buxifoliaShrubZones 6–81–3 ft
A low, dense evergreen with tiny glossy leaves that turn bronze in winter, smothered in pink buds and white starry flowers in spring.
Sandhill Oak
Quercus inopinaShrubZones 7–95–16 ft
An evergreen shrub oak found wild only in peninsular Florida, whose leathery leaves stand upright on the stems, their edges rolled under.
Scentless Mock Orange
Philadelphus inodorusShrubZones 5–106–12 ft
A tall, arching southern shrub that covers itself in big white four-petaled flowers in spring, easy in sun or part shade and tolerant of drought.
Scrub Hickory
Carya floridanaSmall treeZones 8–1010–30 ft
A small hickory of Florida's dry scrub sand, with sweet, hard-shelled nuts and rusty scales beneath its leaves.
Scrub Plum
Prunus geniculataShrubZones 9–102–6 ft
A rare, gnarled shrub of Florida scrub with zig-zag, spine-tipped branches, white flowers on bare twigs in winter and small reddish plums in spring.
Seaside Alder
Alnus maritimaShrubZones 3–912–30 ft
The one native alder that blooms in fall, hanging gold catkins in August and September on a rare shrub that stands in water and feeds its own soil.
Shadblow Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensisSmall treeZones 3–86–25 ft
A clump-forming serviceberry of swamps and wet thickets, with upright white flower clusters in early spring and sweet purple-black berries by June.
Shining Indigobush
Amorpha nitensShrubZones 7–93–10 ft
A rare indigobush of southern stream banks and wooded slopes, with glossy leaflets and dark purple spikes lit by orange anthers in spring.
Silky Camellia
Stewartia malacodendronSmall treeZones 6–910–15 ft
White flowers about 3 inches across, with purple stamens and blue anthers, on a rare shrub of southern coastal plain woods.
Silky Dogwood
Cornus amomumShrubZones 4–86–12 ft
Creamy flower clusters in June, porcelain-blue berries in September and purple-red winter stems for wet spots.
Silverleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea radiataShrubZones 3–93–6 ft
White lacecap flowers from May into July over leaves that flash silver in the wind, on a woodland shrub of the southern Blue Ridge.
Slimleaf Pawpaw
Asimina longifoliaShrubZones 8–93–6 ft
A pawpaw of southern sandhills and pine savannas with long, slim leaves, nodding white fragrant flowers in spring and summer, and edible fruit.
Smooth Alder (Swamp Alder)
Alnus serrulataShrubZones 4–910–20 ft
A nitrogen-fixing streambank shrub that holds soil, feeds woodcock and grouse, and thrives in standing water.
Smooth Winterberry
Ilex laevigataShrubZones 5–86–10 ft
A deciduous holly of East Coast swamps with glossy leaves that turn yellow in fall and orange-red berries that feed birds through winter.
Softleaf Arrowwood
Viburnum molleShrubZones 5–76–12 ft
A rare arrowwood of wooded limestone bluffs, with loose, peeling bark on its older stems and flat clusters of white flowers in May and June.
Southern Bush-honeysuckle
Diervilla sessilifoliaShrubZones 4–83–5 ft
A tough, suckering native shrub of southern mountain balds and rocky slopes, with clusters of sulfur-yellow summer flowers for bumble bees.
Southern Crabapple
Malus angustifoliaSmall treeZones 4–920–30 ft
A southern wild crabapple whose pink blossoms smell of violets in spring, followed by small, sour, yellow-green apples for jelly and wildlife.
Southern Pawpaw
Asimina pygmeaShrubZones 8–91–2 ft
A pawpaw only a foot or two tall, of Florida and Georgia flatwoods, with maroon flowers in spring and fruit that gopher tortoises eat.
Spicebush
Lindera benzoinShrubZones 4–96–12 ft
Yellow flowers in March, spicy-scented leaves, red berries for thrushes and the host plant of the spicebush swallowtail.
Squashberry
Viburnum eduleShrubZones 2–82–7 ft
A northern viburnum with lobed leaves that turn brilliant red in fall and sour red fruit for jam, for cool, moist woods and stream banks.
Staggerbush
Lyonia marianaShrubZones 5–92–6 ft
Nodding clusters of white bells up to half an inch long on bare twigs in spring, then bright red leaves in fall, on a sandy-soil shrub.
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhinaShrubZones 3–815–25 ft
Fuzzy antler-like branches, fiery orange-red fall color and red fruit cones that feed birds through the winter.
Strawberry Bush
Euonymus americanusShrubZones 6–94–6 ft
Warty crimson capsules split open in fall to show orange-red seeds, on a slender woodland shrub with square green stems.
Streambank Mock Orange
Philadelphus hirsutusShrubZones 4–103–10 ft
A thin, arching southern shrub of rocky bluffs and stream banks, with white spring flowers and leaves that are white and hairy beneath.
Swamp Azalea
Rhododendron viscosumShrubZones 4–93–8 ft
Sticky, clove-scented white flowers from May to July, one of the last wild azaleas to bloom, on a shrub that takes wet, acid ground.
Swamp Doghobble
Eubotrys racemosaShrubZones 5–94–10 ft
Arching sprays of white bell flowers in May on a deciduous heath shrub for wet, acid ground in sun or part shade.
Swamp Privet
Forestiera acuminataSmall treeZones 6–98–30 ft
A native of swamps and wet woods whose yellow flowers open on bare branches in early spring, followed on female trees by purple fruit that ducks eat.
Sweet Azalea
Rhododendron arborescensShrubZones 4–88–20 ft
Very fragrant white flowers with red stamens in late spring and early summer, among the last wild azaleas to bloom.
Sweet Pepperbush (Summersweet)
Clethra alnifoliaShrubZones 4–94–8 ft
Spires of intensely fragrant white flowers in August, when almost nothing else is blooming, and bees know it.
Sweetleaf
Symplocos tinctoriaSmall treeZones 7–915–30 ft
A small understory tree with fluffy, fragrant cream flowers on its bare twigs in early spring and leaves with a faintly sweet taste.
Sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridusShrubZones 4–96–12 ft
A shrub for sun or deep shade whose maroon spring flowers smell of strawberry, pineapple and banana.
Three-flower Hawthorn
Crataegus trifloraShrubZones 7–83–20 ft
A rare southern hawthorn with white flowers as big as a wild rose's, often three to a cluster in spring, and round red haws with juicy orange flesh.
Titi
Cyrilla racemifloraShrubZones 5–108–30 ft
Fragrant white flower sprays in early summer and orange-red leaves in fall, on a thicket-forming shrub of southern swamps whose flowers give a dark honey.
Tough Bully
Sideroxylon tenaxSmall treeZones 8–1012–30 ft
A thorny small tree of dunes and scrub with leaves silky gold to copper beneath, fragrant flowers that swarm with pollinators, and fruit for birds.
Toughleaf Dogwood
Cornus asperifoliaShrubZones 7–96–13 ft
A thicket dogwood of the southern Coastal Plain for limy soils, with rough, hairy leaves, white spring flowers and pale blue berries.
Two-wing Silverbell
Halesia dipteraSmall treeZones 4–915–30 ft
White bells in spring and two-winged fruit in fall, on a small tree of southern floodplains that takes shade and wet ground.
Umbrella Magnolia
Magnolia tripetalaSmall treeZones 4–915–30 ft
Leaves up to 2 feet long gather at each branch tip like the ribs of an umbrella, around creamy white flowers up to 10 inches across.
Upland Swamp Privet
Forestiera ligustrinaShrubZones 6–96–10 ft
A shrub of the limestone glades and rocky woods of the Southeast, with gray-green leaves, summer flowers and blue-black fruit in early fall.
Virginia Spiraea
Spiraea virginianaShrubZones 6–73–13 ft
A rare Appalachian streambank shrub with arching stems and flat clusters of tiny cream-white flowers in early summer, spreading into thickets.
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginicaShrubZones 5–93–6 ft
Fragrant white flower spikes in June, red and gold fall leaves that hang on into winter, and roots that are happy in wet ground.
Walter's Viburnum
Viburnum obovatumShrubZones 7–1010–20 ft
A fast, dense southern viburnum with small, glossy leaves and clusters of white flowers that open in late winter.
Washington Hawthorn
Crataegus phaenopyrumSmall treeZones 4–820–30 ft
White June flowers, glossy red fruit that hangs into winter, and a thorny crown that shelters nesting birds.
Western Mayhaw
Crataegus opacaSmall treeZones 6–920–30 ft
The mayhaw of the Gulf states, a thorny hawthorn of wet river bottoms that blooms white in February and ripens red fruit for jelly in May.
White Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicusSmall treeZones 4–912–20 ft
Clouds of fragrant white fringe in May, then blue fruit for the birds, on a small tree for any yard.
White Wicky
Kalmia cuneataShrubZones 8–82–5 ft
Creamy white cups banded in red in early June and scarlet leaves in fall, on the one deciduous cousin of mountain laurel, from Carolina bogs.
Wild Black Currant
Ribes americanumShrubZones 3–73–6 ft
A thornless currant of moist woods and stream banks, with drooping yellow-green flowers in spring, black berries in summer and gold and crimson fall leaves.
Wild Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescensShrubZones 3–93–6 ft
A woodland shrub that blooms on new stems even when cut to the ground each winter, with broad heads of creamy white flowers in early summer.
Winterberry Holly
Ilex verticillataShrubZones 3–96–12 ft
Bare winter branches lined with scarlet berries, on a deciduous holly that loves wet ground.
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginianaShrubZones 3–812–20 ft
The last flower of the year: ribbon-like yellow blooms in November as the golden leaves fall.
Woolly Beach Heather
Hudsonia tomentosaShrubZones 2–81–2 ft
A gray, woolly evergreen mat of dunes and sand barrens that covers itself in tiny yellow flowers from May into July.
Woolly Huckleberry
Gaylussacia mosieriShrubZones 8–91–3 ft
A bog huckleberry of the Gulf coast whose twigs, flowers and sweet black berries all bristle with long, glandular hairs.
Woolly Pawpaw
Asimina incanaShrubZones 8–94–6 ft
A Florida and Georgia pawpaw of sandhills and old fields, with soft woolly leaves, creamy white flowers in spring and edible fruit.
Yaupon
Ilex vomitoriaSmall treeZones 7–910–25 ft
A native evergreen holly for hedges and screens, with glossy leaves and, on female trees, red berries that birds take in late winter.
Yellow Anise
Illicium parviflorumShrubZones 6–1010–20 ft
A rare Florida evergreen for shade and wet ground, with olive green leaves that smell of licorice when crushed and nodding pale yellow flowers.
Carolina St. John's-wort
Hypericum nitidumShrubZones 8–91–15 ft
A wetland shrub of southern ponds and stream banks that grows into dense thickets of needle-like leaves and small yellow flowers.
Chapman's St. John's-wort
Hypericum chapmaniiShrubZones 8–97–13 ft
A Florida Panhandle shrub that grows like a small tree, with corky, peeling bark, needle-like leaves and yellow summer flowers.
Conjurer's-nut
Nestronia umbellulaShrubZones 7–81–4 ft
A rare low shrub of dry southern oak and pine woods that draws on the roots of the plants around it and spreads into large colonies.
Dwarf Tupelo
Nyssa ursinaShrubZones 6–103–16 ft
A rare, shrubby tupelo found only in the Florida panhandle, with small leathery leaves, round black fruit and stems that sprout back after fire.
Florida Willow
Salix floridanaShrubZones 8–106–20 ft
A rare willow of Southern spring runs and wet, limy woods, with broad leaves glossy above and whitish beneath and catkins in late winter.
Georgia Bully
Sideroxylon thorneiShrubZones 8–93–20 ft
A rare thorny buckthorn of limestone swamps in the Deep South, with mildly fragrant white flowers in late spring and small black fruit for wildlife.
Georgia Indigobush
Amorpha georgianaShrubZones 8–91–3 ft
One of the rarest shrubs of the South, a low indigobush of sandy pinelands whose dark purple spring spikes bristle with orange-tipped stamens.
Godfrey's Swamp Privet
Forestiera godfreyiShrubZones 8–98–16 ft
A rare native privet of wooded limestone bluffs and shell mounds, whose golden flower clusters open in midwinter, earlier than any other native privet.
Lanceleaf Buckthorn
Rhamnus lanceolataShrubZones 5–83–15 ft
A native buckthorn of limestone glades and bluffs, a slender shrub with glossy leaves and small black fruit for birds, and not the invasive kind.
May White Azalea
Rhododendron eastmaniiShrubZones 8–915–16 ft
Fragrant white flowers with a yellow blotch open in May and June, after the leaves, on a rare wild azalea found only in South Carolina.
Pyramid Magnolia
Magnolia pyramidataSmall treeZones 6–910–30 ft
A rare magnolia of southern bluffs and ravines, with creamy white flowers 5 to 7 inches across and kite-shaped leaves eared at the base.
Sarvis Holly
Ilex amelanchierSmall treeZones 7–1010–30 ft
A rare deciduous holly of southern swamps and stream banks, with soft, dull leaves and velvety rose-red berries that last into spring.
Schwerin's Indigobush
Amorpha schweriniiShrubZones 7–83–10 ft
A bushy indigobush of rocky Piedmont hills, with purple flower spikes bristling with golden stamens from April into June.
Smooth-bark St. John's-wort
Hypericum lissophloeusShrubZones 7–106–10 ft
A Florida Panhandle rarity for pond edges, with silvery bark that peels like a birch's and bright yellow flowers from May until frost.
Weeping Hawthorn
Crataegus lacrimataSmall treeZones 8–910–26 ft
A small hawthorn of southern pinewoods and sandy scrub, with strongly weeping branches, tiny bright green leaves and yellow to red haws in summer.
Narrow the list to 12 or fewer and we can email you when any of them is ready to order.
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For : one email per plant when it is priced or back in stock, and nothing else. Each carries a code for 10% off the plants in that order, not shipping or tax.
How the matching works
- Zone. A tree or shrub is listed when your zone is inside its hardiness range.
- Mature size. The type the catalog gives each one, as in the shop's size boxes.
- Height limit. Those whose typical mature height tops out at or under the limit, or at 60 ft or more for its last step. The article on small trees for a small yard says how far each goes from a house or a line.
- Sun and soil. What each one is known to tolerate, counting the labels for shade, wet ground and drought.
- Must have. Every trait you tick, all at once.
- Counts. The number beside each box and each choice is how many would remain if you chose it too.
- Best fit first. Trees and shrubs that list your sun and soil outright come before those that only tolerate them. Within that, those with your zone in the middle of their range come before those at its edge.
- Ties. Those that can be ordered now come first, then those with a photo, then the rest by name.
- ZIP code. It sets the zone from the same listing as the ZIP code tool, and the code itself is not kept.
- Compare. Tick Compare on up to four cards, then press Compare side by side for their facts in one table above the list. The trees stay in it while the filters change, and the address carries them, so a copied link opens the table.
- Hedge spacing. On a Hedge or screen list each card gives the spacing its own page sets. A hedge length gives how many to set in one straight row, with one at each end. The article on hedges, screens and windbreaks covers staggered rows.
The address carries every choice, so a copied link opens the same list. The page draws that list before any script runs, so a shared link and the page's Markdown copy show the trees and shrubs themselves. These are its keys:
- zone: 2 to 10.
- size: shrub, small-tree, medium-tree or large-tree.
- height: 15, 20, 30, 40 or 60 for a top height at or under that many feet, or 60-plus.
- sun: full, part or shade. moisture: dry, average or wet.
- want: one or more traits joined by commas, such as want=evergreen,screening. The boxes are flowers, fall-color, winter-interest, wildlife, honey, edible, evergreen, rare, early-bearing, screening, nitrogen-fixing, salt, street-tree and erosion-control. The address also takes drought, wet-tolerant and shade.
- hedge: a hedge length in feet, read when screening is wanted. sort: name, height, hardy or fast, or the price orders once prices are set.
- compare: up to four plant page names joined by commas, such as compare=black-gum,pawpaw, for the table side by side.
Each tree's facts come from its own page: its zones, mature height, sun, soil, labels and hedge spacing. The 20 and 40 ft height steps are the International Society of Arboriculture's zones by overhead wires (Avoiding Tree & Utility Conflicts, 2021). Within 15 feet of distribution wires, the species chosen "should have a mature height of 20 feet (6 meters) or lower". From 15 to 50 feet out, it should have "a potential mature height of 40 feet (12 meters) or lower". The planting-site check follows the same zones. The 30 ft step is the small-tree ceiling the growth estimator uses for its generic small tree. Virginia Cooperative Extension draws the low zone wider, to 20 feet from the line, where "trees in the low zone should not exceed 25 feet at maturity" (Selecting and Managing Trees to Avoid Conflicts with Overhead Utility Lines, 2024). Under the line itself it suggests large shrubs with "a mature height of less than 15 feet", the limit's first step. A ZIP code's zone is the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map's ZIP code listing, prepared by the PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University.
When nothing fits, the site is usually the problem rather than the catalog: tell us the zone, soil, sun and what the tree needs to do, and we will suggest something.
The address carries the tree finder's inputs, so a link opens it filled in, and Copy link on a result writes one: zone (a whole number from 2 to 10), size (shrub, small-tree, medium-tree or large-tree), height (a mature height to stay under: 15, 20, 30, 40 or 60 feet, or 60-plus), sun (full, part or shade), moisture (dry, average or wet), want (one or more of flowers, fall-color, winter-interest, wildlife, honey, edible, evergreen, rare, early-bearing, screening, nitrogen-fixing, salt, street-tree, erosion-control, shade, wet-tolerant or drought, joined by commas), hedge (a hedge or screen length in feet, for a plant count), sort (featured, name, price-asc, price-desc, height, hardy or fast), compare (the slugs of the plants to compare, joined by commas). For example, /tools/tree-finder/?zone=6&size=small-tree&sun=part&moisture=average&want=fall-color.