Distinctive Foliage

Family:  Adoxaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 8'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Green and white variegated foliage.  Large, lacy flowers clusters in early summer.  Purple-black fruit in autumn.  Needs a pollinator variety such as Black Beauty, Black Lace, Lemony Lace.
Notes:  A major improvement over older variegated varieties.

Pot size:  4" Band

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: May to June
Attributes: Evergreen, scalloped green leaves with silver markings between the veining.  Numerous white flowers.
Notes:  Collected in China by Dan Hinkley.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Saxifragaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range: Spain, North Africa
Soil:  average, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 2" - 4"
Bloom Time: May to June
Attributes: Evergreen rosettes of gray-white toothed leaves.  White flowers held above the foliage.
Notes:  Saxifraga longifolia is found growing on rocky outcroppings in the Pyrenees and Atlas Mountains.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Araliaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 15'
Attracts:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Evergreen, 10' - 15' tall.  Large leaves.  Sprays of small white flowers in fall.
Notes: A tropical looking species that is a spectacular foliage plant for temperate gardens.  This is one of those plants that you say.......what, hardy?.............awesome! Grows similar to Fatsia.

Pot size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Elaeagnaceae
Zone:  2 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average to dry
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  4' - 8'
Bloom Time:  May to July
Attracts:  Birds
Pest Resistance:  Deer
Attributes:  Deciduous. Gray green leaves brown scales on the undersides of the leaves.  Small yellow flowers with red berries in fall.
Notes:  Like other Elaeagnus the silvery foliage is the main attraction.
 
Pot size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China; North-west Yunnan, Cangshan Range
Family:  Rosaceae
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 20 feet tall
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Crimson fruit becoming pink later in the season.  Orange-yellow fall foliage.
Notes: Great fall foliage

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Family:  Rosaceae
Soil:  Average  to moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 20'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Pinkish new growth with prominent veining.  White flowers.  Brownish fruit.
Notes:  A choice species that is not often available.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: China
Family:  Rosaceae
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 1' - 2'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  White flowers, pinkish-red fruit.  Small, glossy green leaves that turn shads of red and orange in the fall.
Notes:  A nice small growing species.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Family:  Rosaceae
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 20 feet tall
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bright red-orange new growth with deeply pleated texture from leaf veining.  Large white flowers with green fruit, spotted brown and blushed with red when in more sun.  Nice structural branching.
Notes:  This species is tentatively ID as S. caloneura but seems distinct.  The fruit on this species is very hard, as a result they last well into fall and after the foliage has dropped.  Stunning fall foliage ranging from yellow to red.  We collected this form near the top of Fanjinshan at 2300 m.  It was a nice sunny day and the fall foliage was particularly nice with bright red coloration running the ridge-line.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Rosaceae
Zone: 4 - 8
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 2.5'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Deep orange new growth turning bright yellow.  Dark purple blooms in late spring.
Notes:  Sterile, triploid hybrid developed by Tom Ranney of NCSU.

Pot size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Styracaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range:China
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 20'
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Deciduous.  Large, bell like white flowers in mass.  Dark purple foliage.  Rounded fruit in fall.  Keep in a bit more sun for best foliage.
Notes:  Great flower and foliage.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  Sycopsis sinensis x Parrotia persica
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 5' - 10'
Bloom Time:  February to March
Attributes: Semi-evergreen.  Growth resembling Parrotia.  This form has thick, leathery leaves with deep green circled with light green.  Good autumn color, ranging from yellow to orange.  Red frilly flowers.
Notes: Parrotia-like structure and with showy red flowers when little else is blooming.  I find that paring this rare find with Sarcococca near the main entry is a good way to feel good during the doldrums of winter.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Asteraceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 2' tall foliage, 6' tall flower stems.
Bloom Time:  June to July
Attributes: Deciduous.  Unusual umbels of upward facing pink, and white flowers.  Silver, pubescent new growth.  Mature foliage can be more than 1' across with deeply toothed, narrow foliage.  Toothed segments are finer and more serrated than S. palmata.
Notes: This woodland composite is a must have for the foliage enthusiast.  In early spring the foliage emerges from the soil looking like Shaggy Mane Mushrooms.  One of three species of Syneilesis.  S. aconitifolia over time will form a sizeable patch, creating an invaluable focal point in the shady garden.  I have found that S aconitifoia can take a more sun than s. palmata but needs to kept cool and moist. One of my top five favorite foliage plants

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, shade
Attributes:  Deciduous, foliage is 24" tall bloom spikes are up to 7' tall.  Blooms in summer. Unusual umbells of upward facing pink, and white flowers.  Silver, pubescent new growth.  Mature foliage can be more than 1' across with deeply toothed, narrow foliage.  Broadly toothed segments. 
Notes:  This woodland composite is a must have for the foliage enthusiast.  In early spring the foliage emerges from the soil looking like Shaggy Mane Mushrooms.  One of three species of Syneilesis.  S. palmata over time will form a sizeable patch, creating an invaluable focal point in the shady garden.  I have found that S. palmata takes shade better than s. acontifolia but needs to keept cool and moist.  Syneilesis palmata is reported to adapt well to a moderately dry shaded garden.  One of my top five favorite foliage plants.  Rare but becoming increasingly popular with collectors.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Araliaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: China, Taiwan
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 15'
Attributes:  Semi-evergreen. Massive palmate leaves on tall woody trunks.  White flowers in fall.
Notes: In extra cold winters plants can die back to the ground but in warmer zones trunks will remain season to season.  A Bit of patiens is needed these can take a couple of years to realy get established.  In time plants will send out new plants from root nodes.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light:  Part shade, sun
Attributes:  Deciduous, 15" tall.  Light purple - lavender blooms in spring.  New growth is purple - red with silvery - gray veins. 
Notes:  A fantastic dwarf meadow rue that does not over take its neighbors and is a great companion to other woodlanders.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Cupressaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 30'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Slow growing.  Thick leaves with yellow-orange tipped leaves in sun.
Notes: Foliage looks like a fern or moss.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family: Cupressaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height:  2' - 4'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Slow growing.  Thick leaves with green on top and white stripes on the back.
Notes: Foliage looks like a fern or moss.  Great Plant Picks

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Cupressaceae
Zone:5 - 9
Natural Range: Japan
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 30'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Slow growing.  Thick leaves with dark green on top and white stripes underneath.
Notes: Foliage looks like a fern or moss.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Malvaceae
Zone:  3 - 9
Natural Range:  Europe, Southwestern Asia
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  20'
Bloom Time:  June
Attracts:  Birds, Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous. Gold leaf selection turning chartreuse in the summer.  White flower bracts.
Notes:   Selected by Mr. Akira Shibamachi of Japan and introduced by Barry Yinger into the United States. 

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Malvaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range:  China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  15'- 30'
Bloom Time:  June
Attracts:  Birds, Butterflies
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Pale gray, scaly bark.  New growth is pinkish orange becoming green above and paler beneath.  Toothed margins.  White flower bracts.
Notes:   Quite hard to find in cultivation. 

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Meliaceae
Zone:7 - 9
Natural Range:Asia
Soil:  Average humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 15'
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attributes: Deciduous.  Vertical stems with pink new growth.  1-2 foot long leaves with pointed oblong leaflets.  .
Notes:  Known as the tree vegetable, young leaves and shoots are used for culinary.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Anacardiaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 15'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Pubescent branches, dioecious flowers June, then turning brilliant scarlet in fall.  Non suckering tree like multi-branching.
Notes:  Great new foliage.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Liliaceae
Zone:4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Shade, part sun
Height: 12"-24"
Bloom Time:  August to September
Attributes: Deciduous, Fall blooming.  Foliage is heavily spotted with purple.  Tall, upright stems with lavender flowers spotted purple.
Notes: One of the best Tricyrtis for spotted foliage.  In the wild they grow on rocky cliffs in forests and woodlands.  Work well and look good in a hanging basket.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Melanthiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW; Oregon, California
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 14"
Bloom Time:  March to May
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Large mottled foliage.  Early spring blooming.  Sessile blooms that are white in color, or some times pink at the base.
Notes: Great foliage.  One or two more years to bloom.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Ulmaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range:  China, Korea, Japan
Soil:  Average, drought tolerant
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  40'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Air Pollution
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Yellow leaves that are scorch resistant.  exfoliating bark.
Notes:   Graceful tree that was introduced by B. Rey.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot 5'

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun, Shade
Height:  4'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Orange-red new growth turning dark green.  Pale pink flowers.  Purple-black berries in summer.
Notes:  Good small and relatively slow-growing evergreen shrub.
 
Pot size:  Quart Size Pot

Family:  Ericaceae
Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  PNW
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun, Shade
Height:  4'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Coral pink new growth turning creamy white and green.  Red and green winter foliage.  Pale pink flowers.  Purple-black berries in summer.
Notes:  Great new foliage selection.
 
Pot size:  Quart Size Pot

Family:  Vitaceae
Zone:  5 - 9
Natural Range:  Hybrid
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light:  Part sun
Height:  30'
Bloom Time:  July to August
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  New growth emerges with a flush of burgundy, then developing more burgundy-red as the season progresses.
Notes: Great Plant Picks
 
Pot size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Caprifoliaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  'Verweig9' PPAF; CBRAF
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 18"
Bloom Time: June to July
Attributes: Deciduous shrub with orange and red summer-autumn foliage.  Pink flowers
Notes: Small growing and tidy habit making it perfect for the front of the border.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Caprifoliaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  USPP23,781; CBR 4655
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 3'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attributes: Deciduous shrub with dark red, wavy leaves and spreading habit.  Purple-magenta flowers.
Notes: 2018 Landscape Shrub of the Year.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Caprifoliaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  'SMNWFGV' PP34,297; CBRAF
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 3' - 5'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attributes: Deciduous shrub with lime green leaves ringed in dark chocolate margin.  Red-pink flowers.
Notes: Great combo of flowers and foliage.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Caprifoliaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid;  'SMNWFGC' PP34,358; CBRAF
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 3' - 5'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attributes: Deciduous shrub with dark chocolate leaves and spreading habit.  White flowers.
Notes: Great combo of flowers and foliage.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: Mexico
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 3' or more
Attributes:  Evergreen, Thick crown.  Large arching fronds.  Does not produce bulbils on the fronds.
Notes:  One of 4 native species to Mexico.  First described in 1988 as a hybrid and in 2004 changed to a species status.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Japan, China, Himalayas
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 3' or more
Attributes:  Evergreen, Thick crown with glossy red new growth turning dark green.  toothed pinnae.
Notes:  In the wild this produces cascading fronds colonizing damp mountain forests.  This is a great foliage plant in a shady moist garden.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:Araliaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid; Fatsia japonica x Hedera helix or hibernica
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 4'
Attributes:  Evergreen,  Palmate light green and green variegated leaves. 
Notes: Hybrid made around 1910.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Ulmaceae
Zone:  5 - 9
Natural Range:  Eastern Asia
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part shade
Height:  15'
Bloom Time:  March to April
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous.  White speckled variegation surrounding a green center.  Yellow and orange fall foliage.
Notes:   Graceful tree with a vase-shape with age.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot