Plant Finder

User Guidelines

The Plant Finder is a multi-faceted tool to assist designers, contractors, maintenance personnel, community groups and the general public in selecting plants that perform well within the public right-of-way. It expands on the lists included in previous versions of the Manual and should be used in conjunction with the guidance provided in the Landscape Chapter.

The Plant Finder database is not comprehensive and there is no guarantee that these plants will survive at a specific site. All plants within the public right-of-way must be selected based on site-specific conditions and approved by the appropriate agency or agencies with jurisdiction. Download the Plant Finder User Guide for instructions on how to use the tool.

The information in this database was generated by DOT, Parks, other agency staff, and local horticulture professionals based on their first-hand knowledge as well as from existing resources. Download the Plant Finder References page for a full list of sources.

Plant Basics

Characteristics

Tolerances

Allium cernuum

Common:

Nodding Onion

Scientific:

Allium cernuum

Plant type:

Bulb

Height:

1-1.5 ft

Spread:

0.25-0.5 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Tiny bell-shaped, pink to lilac pink (occasionally white) flowers which appear in loose, nodding clusters atop erect, leafless scapes that crook sharply downward just below the flower

Blooming period:

Jun - Aug

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Flat, narrow, grass-like leaves (to 12” tall). Smells oniony when cut or bruised

Fall:

Plant or divide bulbs in fall

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Pollinator

Tolerant of rodents and squirrels. May attract butterflies.

Star of Persia

Common:

Star of Persia

Scientific:

Allium christophii

Plant type:

Bulb

Height:

1-2 ft

Spread:

0.5-1.5 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Stems, 15"-24" tall, topped with large globular pale lavender-amethyst flower heads (8"-12" diameter); each head packed with up to 100 flowers. Flower heads dry, remaining ornamentally attractive, and persist well into summer

Blooming period:

May

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Strap-shaped gray-green basal leaves. Smells oniony. Cut-back foliage after it has faded

Fall:

Plant or divide bulbs in fall

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Tolerant of rodents and squirrels. May attract butterflies.

Serviceberry

Collections:

Common:

Common Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier arborea

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-25 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

5-petaled, showy, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, edible green berries that turn red and mature to purple-blackish in late summer to fall. Resemble blueberries in appearance and taste

Foliage:

Finely toothed, elliptic, medium to dark green leaves. Typically 1"-3" long with hairy undersides when young

Fall:

Yellow-orange to red fall color. Colors early and leaves fall early

Bark:

Smooth, grayish bark. "Striped" with vertical fissures. Very ornamental

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Native

Tends to sucker. Tolerates air pollution.

Edible fruit may attract birds.

Tradition®

Collections:

Common:

Tradition® Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier canadensis

'Trazam'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

25-30 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Oval Rounded

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, green berries which turn red and finally mature to a dark purplish-black. Edible and resemble blueberries in appearance

Foliage:

Finely toothed, elliptic, grayish to medium/dark green leaves (1"-3" long)

Fall:

Good fall color. Leaves turn a scarlet red to orange

Bark:

Gray-silver bark; striped; glabrous, young stems

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Fall Color, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Native

'Trazam' maintains a central leader and is a good specimen tree for small spaces. It also has good early bloom and fall color.

Edible fruit may attract birds. 

Serviceberry

Collections:

Common:

Canadian Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier canadensis

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

25-30 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, lightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, round green berries which turn red and finally mature to a dark purplish-black. Edible and resemble blueberries in size and color

Foliage:

Finely toothed, elliptic, medium to dark green leaves (1"-3" long)

Fall:

Good fall color. Typically a showy orange to rusty-red

Bark:

Silvery-grey bark. Smooth when young, developing rough long ridges and furrows with age

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Native

Edible fruit may attract birds.

Placeholder

Collections:

Common:

Cumulus Allegheny Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier laevis

'Cumulus'

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-25 ft

Shape:

Oval Upright

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Small, round, edible berries which ripen to dark purplish-black

Foliage:

Finely toothed, obovate leaves emerge with a bronze-purple tinge in spring, mature to lustrous dark green in summer

Fall:

Showy foliage that turns from green to orange, red and yellow

Bark:

Light gray bark adorned with charcoal-gray striations

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8b

Other:

Native, Fall Dig Safe

May appear as Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Cumulus' in trade as well.

'Cumulus' has an upright-oval form noted for its abundant flowering in the spring and its yellow to orange-red fall color.

Edible fruit may attract birds.

Placeholder

Collections:

Common:

Spring Flurry® Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier laevis

'JFS-Arb'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-30 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Oval Upright

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Small, round, edible berries which ripen to dark purplish-black

Foliage:

Foliage emerges coppery-bronze and then turns a dark green. Leaves are finely-toothed, obovate about 2"-4" long

Fall:

Showy orange fall color

Bark:

Light gray bark adorned with charcoal-gray striations

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8b

Other:

Native, Fall Dig Safe

Spring Flurry® has a dominant central leader with upward-oriented scaffold branches and is noted for its abundance of pure white blooms in the spring and outstanding fall color. 

Edible fruit may attract birds.

Allegheny serviceberry

Collections:

Common:

Allegheny Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier laevis

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

25-35 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

5-petaled, showy, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, round edible berries which mature to a dark purplish-black. Resembles blueberries in appearance

Foliage:

Finely toothed, obovate leaves emerge with a bronze-purple tinge in spring, mature to lustrous dark green in summer

Fall:

Yellow-orange to red fall color. Colors early and leaves fall early

Bark:

Typically multi-stemmed. Slender glabrous stems; reddish brown stem color with striations. Older bark is a dull gray

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Native

Distinguished from other varieties by the hairless foliage, purple-tinged new growth, and tastier berries.

Tolerates air pollution. Prefers moist, well-drained loam soil. Performs well in the right of way.

Edible fruit may attract birds.

 

Juneberry

Collections:

Common:

Juneberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier lamarckii

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-25 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, round edible berries which ripen to dark purplish-black in June. Resemble blueberries in size, color and taste

Foliage:

Finely toothed, obovate leaves emerge with a bronzish-purple tinge in spring, mature to lustrous dark green in summer

Fall:

Yellow-orange to red fall color

Bark:

May be single or multi-stemmed. Light gray bark adorned with charcoal-gray striations

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Confusion exists between this species and that of A. canadensis, A. arborea, and A. laevis. Some consider it to be a hybrid.

Tolerates air pollution. Prefers moist, well-drained loam soil.

Leaf icon

Collections:

Common:

Autumn Brilliance Apple Serviceberry

Scientific:

Amelanchier x grandiflora

'Autumn Brilliance'

Plant type:

Trees, Shrub

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-25 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Showy, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Flowers give way to small, green berries which turn red and finally mature to a dark purplish-blue-black. Resemble blueberries. Edible

Foliage:

Finely toothed, obovate leaves emerge with a bronze-purple tinge in spring and mature to lustrous dark green in summer

Fall:

Brilliant orange-red fall color

Bark:

Often a multi-stemmed tree or tall shrub. Bark is typically smooth and silver-grey

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 9a

'Autumn Brilliance' is primarily distinguished from the species due to it's improved fall color and is slightly more tolerant of salt and acidic soil.

Edible fruit may attract birds.

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