Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees. Charlotte Adelman
Trees for AMERICAN PLUM and other native plums, p. 78; CAROLINA SILVERBELL, p. 80; CHOKECHERRY, p. 83; FRINGE TREE, p. 105; SASSAFRAS (SHRUB FORM), p. 99; SERVICEBERRY SPP., p. 20; YELLOWWOOD, p. 96.
Sweet mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius)
Nonnative:
MAGNOLIA. See Spring Trees, p. 109.
Nonnative:
MOCKORANGE, SWEET MOCKORANGE. Family: Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae). Genus: Philadelphus (P. coronarius). Origin: Europe. Height/Spread: 8–10 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers in late spring to early summer, sometimes fragrant. Lanky plants with nondescript foliage. “To avoid disappointment it is well for the fragrant-minded to realize that many Philadelphus have no perfume, ‘scentless, or souless . . . beautiful and dumb’ in Mrs. [Louise Beebe] Wilder’s words,” wrote Wilson and Bell.45 No fall color. Cultivation: Full sun to light shade, medium soil. Ecological Threat: Naturalized in midwestern states. Zones: 5–8.
Native Alternative:
SCENTLESS MOCK ORANGE, APPALACHIAN MOCK-ORANGE. Family: Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae). Genus: Philadelphus (P. inodorus, P. grandiflorus). Height: 6–12 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Fragrant, sweet citrus blossom–scented showy clusters of large bright white flowers decorate this erroneously named shrub in May to June. Its arching branches and exfoliating orange bark provide winter interest. Cultivation: Sun, or at least part sun, and moist soils best. Drought tolerant. Note: Threatened in parts of the Midwest. Nature Note: Special value to native bees; hosts 4 species of butterflies and moths. Zones: 5–8.
More Native Alternatives:
AMERICAN BLADDERNUT, p. 41; CHOKEBERRY SPP., p. 13; FOTHERGILLIA, p. 27; GOLDEN CURRANT, p. 35; NINEBARK, p. 44; OZARK WITCH HAZEL, p. 75; SPICEBUSH, p. 22; WAFER ASH, p. 45.
See Spring Trees for CHOKECHERRY, p. 83; FRINGE TREE, p. 105; SASSAFRAS (SHRUB FORM), p. 99; SERVICEBERRY SPP., p. 20; SNOWBELL, p. 116.
Scentless mock orange (Philadelphus inodorus)
Oriental photinia (Photinia villosa)
Nonnative:
ORIENTAL PHOTINIA. Family: Rose. Genus: Photinia (P. villosa). Origin: Japan, Korea, China. Height/Spread: 10–15 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers in May to June, red fall fruit. Cultivation: Sun or part sun; prolific seed producer, creates thickets. Zones: 4–8.
Native Alternatives:
NINEBARK, p. 44; RED CHOKEBERRY, p. 13; SCENTLESS MOCK ORANGE, p. 46; SERVICEBERRY SPP., p. 20; SPICEBUSH, p. 22.
See Spring Trees for AMERICAN PLUM and other native plums, p. 78; SERVICEBERRY SPP., p. 77.
Nonnative:
PRIVET, PRIVET HEDGE. Family: Olive (Oleaceae). Genus: Ligustrum. Note: Several privet species occur and they are very hard to distinguish. Cultivar Note: Ornamentally, privet cultivars (ex: variegated) often revert to their original green; AMUR PRIVET (L. obtusifolium subsp. suave, syn. L. amurense). Origin: China. Height: 12–15 feet. Spread: 8–10 feet. Ornamental Attributes: A not particularly attractive shrub used for hedges, whose insignificant white flowers are often pruned to oblivion; black berry-like fruits; some find its fragrance objectionable; produces suckers. “In the Midwest, this species is as common as grass,” writes Michael Dirr, recalling city blocks “where virtually every house had a hedge in front and in back and shared one on either side with the neighbor.”46 Cultivation: Full sun to part shade, most soil types, regular pruning. Zones: 3–7; BORDER PRIVET, REGAL PRIVET, BLUNT-LEAVED PRIVET (L. obtusifolium). Origin: Japan, Korea, China. Ornamental Attributes: Resembles Amur privet. Zones: 3–7; CALIFORNIA PRIVET (L. ovalifolium). Origin: Japan. Zones: 7–10; CHINESE PRIVET (L. sinense). Zones: 6–9; EUROPEAN PRIVET, COMMON PRIVET (L. vulgare). Origin: Europe/Africa. Zones: 4–7; JAPANESE PRIVET (L. japonica). Origin: Japan. Zones: 7–10; Privet Ecological Threat: Amur, border, European, and Japanese privet are invasive in parts of the Midwest. In Indiana, California privet is ranked a “caution” invasive species. Privets are prolific producers of seed, and birds spread them far from the original plantings. All privet species are a major threat to all natural landscapes.47 Neither the species nor their cultivars should be planted. Contrary to nursery representations, cultivars of invasive nonnative plants that are sold as not invasive and “safe to natural areas” do produce viable seeds and the seedlings—like their parents—naturalize or are invasive.48
European privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Native Alternatives:
DOGWOOD. Family: Dogwood (Cornaceae). Genus: Cornus. Cultivation