Great Trees for Georgia Landscapes

Volume 4, Issue 14
April 26, 2013
Great Trees for Georgia Landscapes
The genus Prunus is made up of what are
commonly known as cherry, peach, or plum trees.
In the spring, the branches of cherry trees burst into
color with white, pink and rose-hued cherries. In
general, Prunus species prefer moist, well-drained
soil in full sun to partial shade.
Table of Contents
Trees for Georgia
Landscapes
pg. 1
Thank you, Dirt
Diggers!
pg. 2
Prunus caroliniana, or Carolina Cherry Prunus caroliniana
Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’
Laurel, is an evergreen southern native that can
be used as a specimen or for trimmed hedges and
screens. This beautiful tree features dark green,
glossy foliage and fragrant white flowers in late Lockerly Trustees
winter. The flowers attract butterflies and the
Monica Webb,
fruits that follow will attract lots of birds to your
President
garden. This is an exceedingly easy tree to grow and
maintain if you plant your specimen in a rich,
Joe Mangum,
moist site. The most popular cultivar of this species
Vice President
is ‘Bright ‘N Tight’. This is an excellent compact
evergreen that is well suited for use as hedge or Robert Culberson, Ph.D.,
screen. Its foliage is shiner than the species and
Treasurer
retains its deep green color in winter.
Sherrill Jones,
Prunus cerasifera, or Purple-Leaf Plum, is a
Secretary
small deciduous tree that is prized for its deep redpurple leaves and pale pink flowers. These flowers
Kathy Chandler
are among the first to appear in spring, making this
David Evans
tree a true sight for sore eyes after a long winter. Steven M. Fortier, Ph.D.
Although this is a short-lived specimen, it is fastJan Flynn, Ph.D.
growing and makes a great shade tree. It grows to
George Hogan, Sr.
approximately 15 to 25 ft. tall and has a rounded
James Marshall
shape at maturity. For best results, plant this tree
Jackie Nelson
in a location that receives full sun. If grown in the Doug R. Oetter, Ph.D.
shade, the leaves will turn green as opposed to
Joni Smith
their attractive red-purple. ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ is
Bruce Vaughn, CFP
perhaps the most colorful of the plum trees,
Al Woods
sporting showy light pink flowers before the emergence
of purple-black foliage. This cultivar makes a great
Prunus x incamp is commonly known as Okame Cherry. One of the very
first cherry trees to bloom in the spring, this tree is a cross between P. incisa and
P. campanulata. Unlike many other cherry trees, Okame is relatively pest and
disease resistant, and it displays better heat tolerance than most cherry species.
In the spring, this tree bursts into color with blossoms of rich rose-pink that
appear before the leaves. The bark, like other cherries, is distinctively horizontally-marked. A fast-grower, P. x incamp can easily reach heights of 15 to 20 ft. with
a width of 20 to 30 ft. Plant in full sun and give it lots of room to grow.
P. mume, or Japanese Flowering Apricot,
is a small tree whose flowers appear in late winter,
beginning as early as December. The flowers are
pink and add a bright splash of color to the winter
landscape. Although native to Japan, Prunus mume
can do very well in Southern gardens if planted in
well-drained soil in a location where it can receive
full sun to light shade. This is an upright, fastgrowing selection that typically reaches heights
around 15 to 20 ft. ‘Peggy Clarke’ is a doubleflowered cultivar that is most widely available in
the trade.
Prunus x incamp ‘Okame’
(Top)
P. persica or Peach has long been
P. mume ‘Peggy Clarke’
associated with the state of Georgia. Prized for its
blossoms
fruits that mature in June, these small trees are quite
(Left)
ornamental, bearing rich pink flowers that cover the
tree in April before the leaves emerge. Flower color can range from pink to white to deep red or multicolored. The habit
of most of these trees is rounded and can reach heights of 15 to 25 ft. Plant in moist, acidic, well-drained soil in full
sun. P. subhirtella, or Higan Cherry, is one of the longest lived
flowering cherries. In April, white to pink blossoms cover the tree
before its long, lustrous leaves emerge. This is an incredibly hardy
tree and can be planted in even the lowest quality soil. It is also
heat tolerant, making it an ideal choice for your southern landscape.
Higan Cherry typically reaches heights of around 20 to 40 ft. tall
with a 15 to 30 ft. spread. ‘Autumnalis’ produces white-pink flowers
in fall and spring, although the spring bloom is much more proliferous. ‘Pendula’ is also a noteworthy cultivar. In youth, this tree has a
weeping habit, but becomes statelier in maturity. The flowers vary in
color from white to pink.
Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’
Prunus x yedoensis is commonly known as Yoshino Cherry.
Perhaps the most popular selection in the South, the Yoshino Cherry
tree is absolutely breathtaking in the spring. Light pink buds that
cover the tree blossom into clouds of pure white, giving a
spectacular effect. The falling petals are reminiscent of giant snowflakes, according to Michael A. Dirr. This species is used extensively
for street plantings in Macon, where the annual Cherry Blossom
Festival celebrates the Yoshino Cherry’s beauty. In Washington, D.C.
this hybrid, a gift from the government of Japan, dominates the tidal
basin area. Growing 40 to 50 ft. tall, the Yoshino Cherry is guaranteed
to add soft springtime effect to your landscape.
Prunus x yedoensis
Thank You, Dirt Diggers!
The Dirt Diggers worked their last day of the season last Wednesday,
April 17. Now on a break for the hot summer months, our hardworking
volunteer group will return on Wednesday, September 18 to resume helping
the Arboretum with such tasks as weeding, planting and general upkeep. In
appreciation of their time and effort, Lockerly is hosting a luncheon specifically
for the Dirt Diggers on May 1. We would sincerely like to thank these dedicated
individuals for all of their hard work, especially in their help with this year’s
Spring Plant Sale.
If you are interested in becoming a Dirt Digger, contact Bradley Roberts
at (478) 452-2112 or by email at bradleyroberts@lockerly.org.
Dirt Digger Kathy Chandler helps out at
the Spring Plant Sale.