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

Carex vulpinoidea

Common:

Fox Sedge

Scientific:

Carex vulpinoidea

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like, Groundcover

Height:

1-3 ft

Spread:

0.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Sturdy culms that are shorter than the foliage and topped by 5" stiff greenish inflorescences

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Flowers transition into erect deep brown bristly seed clusters reminiscent of fox tails (hence the common name). Short-lived

Foliage:

Dense tufts of narrow grass-like, shiny, arching, medium green foliage

Fall:

No significant change in color. Plant is evergreen to semi-evergreen; remove dead leaves in late winter or cut back to the ground in early spring

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Wet/Flood

Hardiness:

3a - 7a

Other:

Native, Pollinator

Host to some butterflies.

An image of a Carpinus betulus, Fastigiata tree in the fall, located on a sidewalk.

Collections:

Common:

Fastigate European Hornbeam

Scientific:

Carpinus betulus

'Fastigiata'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

30-40 ft

Spread:

20-30 ft

Shape:

Oval Rounded Pyramidal

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant. Monoecious with male and female flowers (catkins) on the same plant. Males are yellowish and up to 1.5" long while females are greenish and 1.5"-3"

Blooming period:

Mar

Fruit:

Numerous ribbed nutlets, subtended by a papery, leaf-like bract, are held together in pendulous chain-like clusters. Color changes from green to brown in September through October

Foliage:

Very dense foliage. Leaves are dark green and 2.5"-3" long and 1"-2" wide. Oblong-ovate with rounded base and acute tip. Margins are doubly serrate

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Color is yellow to yellow-green. Leaves are held late into the fall

Bark:

Interesting, smooth fluted bark with a showy steel-gray color. Form makes this cultivar especially attractive in winter

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Very popular cultivar. 'Fastigiata' displays a narrow, fastigiate form in youth, but gradually acquires a tear drop or oval-vase shape with age.

Tolerates air pollution.

May attract birds.

An image of the Carpinus betulus tree, with a full and rounded crown, along a sidewalk.

Collections:

Common:

European Hornbeam

Scientific:

Carpinus betulus

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

30-40 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant. Monoecious with male and female flowers (catkins) on the same plant. Males are yellowish and up to 1.5" long while females are greenish and 1.5"-3"

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Numerous ribbed nutlets, subtended by a papery, leaf-like bract, are held together in pendulous chain-like clusters. Color changes from green to brown in September through October

Foliage:

Very dense foliage. Leaves are dark green and 2.5"-3" long and 1"-2" wide. Oblong-ovate with rounded base and acute tip. Margins are doubly serrate

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Color is yellow to yellow-green. Leaves are held late into the fall

Bark:

Interesting, smooth fluted bark with a showy steel-gray color. Dense habit provides winter interest as well

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Bark

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

Tolerates air pollution. 

May attract birds.

An image of Carpinus caroliniana with its bulbous crown, and green leaves amidst cars.

Collections:

Common:

American Hornbeam

Scientific:

Carpinus caroliniana

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-35 ft

Spread:

20-35 ft

Shape:

Rounded Spreading

Bloom:

Flowers appear in spring in separate male and female catkins. Red/reddish-green in color

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Ribbed nutlet subtended by a 3-winged samara, generally held in clusters. Start off green and mature to orange-brown from mid June to October. Nutlets are edible, but small

Foliage:

Doubly serrated, elliptic-oval-oblong, dark green, glabrous leaves

Fall:

Attractive and variable yellow, orange, or red fall color

Bark:

Often multi-stemmed. Smooth, gray, muscle-like bark with fluted base, vertical ridges, and slender, hairy stems

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Fall Color, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Full Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3b - 9a

Other:

Native

Grows best in partial shade.

Japanese hornbeam

Collections:

Common:

Japanese Hornbeam

Scientific:

Carpinus japonica

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-30 ft

Spread:

20-30 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Monoecious with yellow-green male and female hanging flowers (catkins) on the same plant

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Fruit catkins emerge green and mature to brown. Large, up to 2.5" long, and sausage-shaped, featuring dense overlapping bracts

Foliage:

Doubly-toothed, oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed, lush dark green leaves with prominent veining

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Yellow

Bark:

Often multi-stemmed. Gray-brown, shallow furrows with age, fluted

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Full Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 9a

Will tolerate full sun, but grows best in partial shade.

An image of the Caryopteris x clandonesis ('Dark Knight' cultivar) shrub, with grayish-green foliage.

Common:

Dark Knight Bluebeard

Scientific:

Caryopteris x clandonesis

'Dark Knight'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

1.5-3 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Profuse, shrub-covering bloom of fragrant deep bluish-purple flowers from late summer into fall; flowers said to resemble clouds of blue smoke or mist. Blooms on new growth

Blooming period:

Jul - Sep

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Ovate to lance-shaped, dense, dull green leaves that are silvery below (1.5" long). Fragrant

Fall:

Early fall blooms provide interest. Prune back in spring to make way for new foliage

Bark:

Ornamentally insignificant. Pubescent, green stems

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry/Drought

Hardiness:

5a - 7a

Other:

Pollinator

'Dark Knight' features a profuse, shrub-covering bloom of fragrant, deep bluish-purple flowers in terminal and axillary clusters from late summer into fall. 

Occasionally dies back to the ground - particularly in harsh winters. Drought tolerant.

Attracts butterflies.

A wide-angle shot of the Catalpa speciosa tree, which has bright green leaves, and white seed pods that dangle.

Common:

Catalpa

Scientific:

Catalpa speciosa

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-70 ft

Spread:

20-50 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Bell-shaped orchid-like white flowers (up to 2" long) with purple and yellow inner spotting appear in panicles

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Very distinctive, long (8"-20"), bean-like capsules. Start out green and mature to a dark brown in fall and split open to release winged seeds

Foliage:

Large (up to 12" long), opposite or whorled, heart-shaped leaves are light green to yellow green above and densely pubescent below

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Yellow-green color

Bark:

Grayish-brown bark that is ridged and furrowed

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Dry to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Has Invasive Tendencies

Has demonstrated some invasive tendencies in the tri-state area (Connecticut).

Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions as well as seasonal flooding. Performs best in moist, fertile loams.

New Jersey tea

Collections:

Common:

New Jersey Tea

Scientific:

Ceanothus americanus

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

3-5 ft

Spread:

3-5 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Fragrant, cylindrical clusters of tiny, white flowers appear in panicles on long stalks at the stem ends or upper leaf axils

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant. Flowers transform into rose colored 3-lobed seed capsules that mature to dark brown and split open

Foliage:

Toothed, broad-ovate, medium to dark green leaves are gray and hairy below

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. May develop yellow hues

Bark:

Ornamentally insignificant

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Native, Pollinator

Dried leaves were used as a substitute for tea during the American Revolution (hence the common name).

Performs best in sandy loams or rocky soils with good drainage. Long tap root makes it difficult to transplant once established. Fixes nitrogen.

Attracts hummingbirds and is a host to some butterflies.

DEP Sun/Shade Plan 1

A wide image of multiple Cedrus atlantica trees on a grassy hillside.

Common:

Blue Atlas Cedar

Scientific:

Cedrus atlantica

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

30-40 ft

Shape:

Rounded Pyramidal

Fruit:

Cones borne upright along branches. Cones are 3" long, rather fat, and barrel-shaped

Foliage:

Needles (to 1" long) are curved toward the tip and appear in tufted clusters

Fall:

Evergreen

Bark:

Gray and smooth for 20-30 years. It eventually develops a plate-like pattern

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6b - 9a

Drought tolerant once established. 

Care must be taken when selecting this plant for the right-of-way to ensure proper site conditions are met.

Himalayan cedar

Common:

Himalayan Cedar

Scientific:

Cedrus deodara

'Shalimar'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-50 ft

Spread:

30-40 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Non-flowering

Fruit:

Upright cones to 4" long.

Foliage:

Dark grayish-green to blue-green needles in clusters to 1.25" long.

Fall:

Evergreen

Special Qualities:

Evergreen

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8b

'Shalimar' has a much better winter hardiness than the species.

Drought tolerant once established.

Care must be taken when selecting this plant for the right-of-way to ensure proper site conditions are met.

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