Acer tegmentosum Maxim. Manchustriped Maple. This small, 20 to 30 feet tall, oval to rounded, "striped maple" tree has ornamental, vertical, greenish-white stripes running along greenish-brown stems. Older stems eventually lose this quality. The three-to-five lobed leaves are reportedly finer-textured than most striped maples. The leaves are a light green during the summer months. Dirr reports that the leaves may turn golden yellow in fall, but, during the fall of 1999, no significant fall color was observed in the trees offered. Fruits are held in long, graceful racemes and are about an inch long with the wings spreading at a wide angle or nearly horizontal. The tree is believed to be more tolerant of sun and heat than most of the striped maples, but still will thrive in moist, cool, shady sites.
Ames 25472 was collected as seed from wild material from the Changbai Mountain Range in Jilin Province, China, along the Chinese/North Korean border. Two year old saplings were donated by Greg Morgenson of Lincoln-Oakes Nurseries of Bismarck, North Dakota, and held at the Plant Introduction Station during the 1999 growing season. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 4.
Caragana rosea Turcz. ex Kom. Rose peashrub. The literature is sparse on this species, but this uncommonly cultivated peashrub appears to have many attributes that should make it a worthwhile addition to the ornamental landscape. The plant's habit is erect with new growth arching. The bright green leaves are composed of four, closely spaced, palmately arranged, 0.25 to 1.0 inch long leaflets. The leaf quality of our plants is quite good with little pest or disease injury throughout the growing season. In late spring/early summer, 1.0 inch flowers with yellow centers blending to creamy rose-red edges are borne on previous year's wood. The red color is brightest as the flowers develop from brick-red buds, but does tend to fade over time. The flowers are best observed from nearby, tending to blend in with the foliage from afar. A specimen of this species at our Station was planted in partial shade in 1991 and has yet to attain 4 feet. Potted cuttings rooted from this specimen grow rapidly when grown in full sun, and many of the larger of these bloomed profusely last growing season. The plants do put on a brief yellow fall color display. Like many peashrubs, this species may sucker, but we have not observed any suckering with plants grown in pots or with those grown in sod. The plants do have fine, sharp, triple-spines along the branches that bear note when handling the plants. As with many other peashrubs, it is hoped that this species will perform well under challenging conditions. On his trip to China, Mark Widrlechner of the Plant Introduction Station noticed C. rosea growing near the Great Wall in alkaline soils under dry conditions with Pyrus and Cotinus. Our specimen plant is growing in neutral soil. The plants should be considered for shrub borders, as barrier plants, specimen plants, and low-to-mid height screens.
Ames 3020 was obtained as a seed lot from the Beijing Botanical Garden, China. All plants offered were propagated by cuttings from the most vigorous plant growing in the field at the Plant Introduction Station. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 4.
Clematis fruticosa Turcz. Mongolian Gold Clematis. This species is reported by Rehder to be an upright shrub to 5 feet. Flexuously upright may be more descriptive of the plant's habit - at least while young; with age its habit may become more like a typical shrub. Branches are a golden-brown, arching, and somewhat exfoliating. Bright green leaves are narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 0.75 to 2 inches long and incisely dentate. Flowers are a light, bright yellow 0.75 to 1.75 inches wide.
Ames 25282 was donated by Todd Morrissey of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum as a mixed population of cutting-propagated plants. Original plants were grown from seeds collected by Morrissey in Daqing Shan Mountains, 10 miles northwest of Hohhot, Nei Monggol Province, China. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 4.
Cotoneaster franchetii Bois var. sternianus Turrill. Franchet Cotoneaster. This is a semi-evergreen upright shrub with spreading, arching branches native from northern Burma to southern Tibet. The dark-green elliptic to ovate leaves are thick, 0.75 to 1 inch in length, pubescent at first, maturing to be glabrous and fairly lustrous above, silver-white and tomentose beneath. Fall color develops late with shades of orange and red. Flowers are approximately 0.5 inches long and pinkish in 5 to 11 flowered pubescent cymes on lateral branches. The elliptical to spherical fruit is approximately 0.25 inches long and orange-red. This shrub is likely only borderline hardy in USDA Zone 5b. It may prove to be an attractive addition to ornamental plantings for cooperators in more southerly climes.
Ames 22854 is a mixed population of cultivated origin obtained from the Botanical Garden Aka. O.V. Fomin., Shevchenko University, Kiev, Ukraine. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 5b or 6a.
Eleutherococcus henryi Oliv. Henry's Aralia. (previously Acanthopanax henryi) This upright deciduous shrub can grow to 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide with somewhat arching branches if left unpruned. It can be readily pruned to retain an upright habit however. Tan stems are rough and bumpy and have 0.25 inch, sporadically spaced thorns. Henry's Aralia blooms in late spring with 4 to 6 inch long, rounded, branched clusters of tiny whitish flowers emerging from the ends of branches. The flowers mature into shiny black fruit. Emerald green leaves are divided palmately into 5 to 7 leaflets and look like small Buckeye leaves. This species is reported to be very adaptable, performing well in dry sandy soils to heavy clay, and in full sun to partial shade. It is also reported to be quite tolerant of urban settings and has no serious disease or insect pests. Once established, the plants should grow rapidly and do tend to sucker. Henry's Aralia differs from Fiveleaf Aralia by its coarser habit, more upright habit, and, typically, better fruit set.
Ames 19099 are two year old plants grown from seed donated by the Dawes Arboretum in Ohio. Probable hardiness to at least USDA Zone 5b.
Euonymus obovatus Nutt. Running Strawberry Bush. This is a procumbent shrub native to upland forests of southeastern Canada to Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky. It is found on dry, dry-mesic, and mesic sites and tolerates a wide range of soil pH. Used on a small scale since the early 1800s, this plant deserves a closer look as an addition to the list of ornamental groundcover plants. The green, ascending to 1 foot high, interwoven branches and rooting stems retain their color throughout the winter and are of ornamental interest during that season. The leaves are light green, obovate or elliptic-obovate, and 1 to 2 inches long. Flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-purple, 0.5 to 1.0 inches across and 1 to 3 per stalk. As with most ornamental Euonymus species, the fruit are very attractive. Prior to opening, the waxy-looking, crimson, usually 3-lobed, warty capsules are approximately 0.75 inches across. Upon opening, the capsules reveal the scarlet arils of the seeds. Because of the procumbent nature of the shrub, many of the fruits are exposed to view prior to leaf fall. Many one-year-old rooted cuttings were setting seed this past fall. We have not observed any notable fall color in our plants at the Station.
Ames 21988 was propagated via cuttings from two plants grown at the Station. The original plants were started from seed collected from the Southwork Woods in Ingham County, Michigan and donated by Roger Thelen, formerly of Michigan State University. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 4.
Fraxinus 'Northern Gem' L. 'Northern Gem' Ash. Developed by the Agriculture and AgriFood Canada Morden Research Centre, this ash is a hybrid between black ash and Manchurian ash. It is reported to have attractive, glossy, green foliage and pale orangish-yellow fall color. The crown is broad and oval, and growth is moderate to rapid reaching 50 feet tall with an equal spread. The plants are grafted onto green ash rootstocks local to the Twin Cities area, and should tolerate most soil conditions but should be grown in full sun. A plant patent has been applied for by Bailey Nurseries, Inc. of St. Paul, MN.
Plants of Ames 26010 were donated by Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 3.
Fraxinus 'Northern Treasure' L. 'Northern Treasure' Ash. Also developed by the Agriculture and AgriFood Canada Morden Research Centre, this ash is a sister seedling of F. 'Northern Gem' and has similar characteristics. The plants are grafted onto green ash rootstocks local to the Twin Cities area, and should tolerate most soil condition but should be grown in full sun. A plant patent has been applied for by Bailey Nurseries, Inc. of St. Paul, MN.
Plants of Ames 26011 were donated by Bailey Nurseries, Inc. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 3.
Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. Manchurian Ash. A native of northeast Asia, this uncommon, cold-hardy species is reported to attain nearly 100 feet in height in the wild. While some populations are reported to have mediocre fall color and sparse open habits, others are noted for good globose forms with lustrous, dark green foliage and fairly good yellow fall color. The species has been rarely tested in this country; it is hoped these evaluations will identify individual seedlings with good ornamental qualities.
Ames 24101 is a population started from seed collected from wild material by collectors Paul Meyer of the Morris Arboretum, Kris Bachtell of the Morton Arboretum, and Charles Tubesing of the Holden Arboretum in a roadside forest in Changbai County, Jilin Province, China. The trees were about 30 feet tall and growing on a western facing slope at latitude 41 deg. 26 min. 52 sec. North, longitude 128 deg. 04 min. 42 sec. East and elevation of 2,789 feet. Associated vegetation included Betula platyphylla, Tilia amurensis, and Syringa reticulata.
The seed was obtained from the U.S. National Arboretum, Glenn Dale, Maryland. Probable hardiness USDA Zone 3.
Lonicera prolifera (G. Kirchn.) J. Booth ex Rehder Grape Honeysuckle. This shrubby vine has clusters of cheerful, tubular yellow and yellow-purple flowers that appear in June and July followed by bright red berries. Flowers are in peduncled spikes of 2 to 4 whorls, often with 2 smaller spikes at the base. Upper leaves are united at their bases. Waxy-white leaf undersides contribute to the plant's ornamental quality. This species is usually twining, but in open situations may develop a shrub-like growth habit. The species is native from Ohio to Tennessee, west to Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin. In Minnesota and Iowa, this plant grows on limestone and should be adapted to calcareous soils.
Ames 23678 was received as a cloned plant from the Morton Arboretum. The original plant was collected from Kendall County, Illinois.
Robinia neomexicana A. Gray New Mexico Locust. This locust is encountered as thickets and patches at elevations of from 4,000 to 8,500 feet in the southwestern United States. This shrub or small tree can reach heights of 15 feet or more. A colonizer, the species can enter disturbed sites rapidly. In its native range, it prefers moister sites such as north slopes. It appears equally on basalt and limestone soils and appears to tolerate alkali clay soils. Branches have stipular spines. Leaves are grayish with 9 to 15 elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate leaflets, 0.25 to 1.25 inches long. Flowers are reported to range from white, pale pink, rose, purplish pink, purple, to deep red. Flowers are about 0.5 inches long, in dense, many flowered racemes. Fruit pods are 2 to 4 inches long.
Ames 24469 is a population started from
seed obtained from the USDA-ARS National
Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois.
That site obtained the seed from the USDA-ARS Crops Research Division in
Maryland which obtained the seed from H. Dittmer of New Mexico. It
is unknown if the accession was originally obtained from improved/cultivated
plants or from a wild population. Probable hardiness unknown.
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Please send questions or comments to Mark Widrlechner at nc7mw@ars-grin.gov