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Writer's pictureSean Chapman

Horticulture: Woody Ornamental Again (Again)

This is the last of the woody ornamental plants, I promise. Then, on to bigger and better things (more plants)!


American Arborvitae

The American Arborvitae is an evergreen shrub. Often used as a windbreak, this plant has a tall and slim figure. This tree gets fairly tall, having a mature age of 40-60 feet. The fan-like needles are another attractive part of the plant, along with its pleasing aroma.







The American Arborvitae is the home of several types of birds, including robins and house finches. Other animals find their diet included in this shrub, such as deer, hares, and rabbits (Arbor Day).










Creeping Juniper


The Creeping Juniper is a perfect plant if you don't enjoy lawn maintenance. This ground covering vine is able to grow 8-10 feet across. It’s used best in gravel areas where other plants struggle to grow.




The Creeping Juniper is also drought resistant, however, it doesn’t cope well with lots of foot traffic. This plant enjoys hot weather and is not commonly sought out by pests or wildlife (The Spruce).





Littleleaf Boxwood

The Littleleaf Boxwood is a great border shrub native to Japan. It has that classic green look that fades into orange in the fall. This plant is easy to work with, having little maintenance other than pruning.





The Littleleaf Boxwood blooms small yellow-white flowers. This plant is actually mildly poisonous, causing irritation to the skin. Ingesting the leaves or bark can prove to be much more dangerous to people and animals (NCSU).




Meserve Holly

The Meserve Holly is a shrub well known for its classic red fruit. This plant grows blue-green leaves that stay all winter long, as all evergreens do.





In the spring, the Meserve Holly blooms small yellow-white flowers that grow into the well known red-yellow fruits. An interesting part of this plant is its pointy leaf margins, along with its deep everlasting color (Morton Arboretum).





Yew

The Yew is another classic evergreen shrub. It has many similarities to the Meserve Holly, both having a small red fruit as the main attraction. These plants are highly adaptable and work as accents and in mass planting.



Another conifer, it stays green all winter and keeps its unforgettable look. Despite its popularity, the Yew is actually poisonous to both humans and animals (The Spruce).



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