Dawn Hummel's Top Plant Recommendations

• Deciduous and Evergreen Trees
• Bulbs
• Perennials
• Shrubs 
• Fruits & Vegetables

Deciduous and Evergreen Trees

• Sycamore Maple - Acer psuedoplatanus 'Esk Sunset'
  I first saw this tree in the northern island of New Zealand and immediately fell into plant lust. A deciduous tree with an oval spreading crown. The leaves are opposite, simple, 3-5 lobed coarsely crenate-serrate, dark green. It's spring leaves emerge orange-pink and settle into a leaf that is green splashed with cream and pink coloring. And incredibly the underside of the leaf is a pink-purple!
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• Paperbark Cherry - Prunus serrula
  Paperbark Cherry is best known for its beautiful glossy, mahogany red bark. The bark exfoliates as the tree matures. The white flowers appear in early spring along with the bright new leaf growth. Birds will strip the tree of its flowers in a few days. The cherries are very small, bright red but not considered edible. Foliage turns bright yellow in fall.
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• Japanese Snowbell - Styrax japonicus
  Medium-sized flowering tree with spring blooms of very showy white bell-shaped lightly fragrant flowers. Followed by persistent nutlet drupes. Fresh green leaves are followed by persistent yellow leaves. Leaves will shudder off in a few days mid-November.
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• Blue Ice Cypress - Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Blue Ice'
  I saw this stunning beauty growing in Heronswood display garden and new I had to add it to my collection. An evergreen tree, compact columnar form, 15 ft tall and 8 ft wide within 10 years, may reach 25 ft, mahogany stems. Leaves intensely steel-blue. Forms globular seed pods in the same steel-blue coloring. Keep other plants away from the bottom of the tree or it will not grow branches - it doesn't like to be crowded.
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• Paperbark Maple - Acer griseum
  Reddish bark that peels away from the trunk on deciduous tree. Spring green leaves give way to fall colors ranging from yellow to fiery orange then red. 
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• Coral Bark Maple - Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’
  Deciduous tree that prefers modest shade in summer to stave off leaf burn. Prefers moist well drained soil but tolerates a range of soil types including heavy clay. Coral red winter bark; color intensifies in cold weather to almost salmon. Bright green leaves turn brilliant yellow in fall.
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