April 2007 – We planted three new trees on the new extension to the perennial bed (on Earth Day in fact). I’m looking forward to watching them grow over the next few years (another reason we can’t move, Bart). The following pictures are not mine as mine are nowhere near that exciting … maybe next year!

Planted in order from south to north:

Pyrus Chanticleer / Ornamental Pear

Common Name: Ornamental pear
Genus: Pyrus
Species: calleryana
Cultivar: ‘Chanticleer’
Skill Level: Beginner
Exposure: Full sun
Hardiness: Hardy
Soil type: Well-drained/light, Dry, Moist, Sandy
Height: 50 feet
Spread: 20 feet

An unusual, stately, deciduous, thorny Chinese tree (introduced to the West in 1908) which has superb late autumn colour. This particular cultivar, with flamboyant red autumn leaves, comes from North America and is now very popular because of its terrific show of early spring blossom, its relatively tall, thin, spire-like shape and its ability to tolerate pollution, which is why it’s often seen in cities. It has been given the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society. The variety ‘Bradford’ was the traditional alternative, but there are also other forms, like ‘Autumn Blaze’, which produces striking late-season colour.

Viburnum opulus ‘Sterile’ / Eastern Snowball

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Genus: Viburnum
Species: opulus
Cultivar: Roseum
Additional cultivar information: (aka Sterile)
Medium-sized to large-sized ornamental shrub (cultivars are smaller)
Species form matures at about 10′ tall by 10′ wide, although sometimes larger
Upright oval growth habit in youth, becoming arching and spreading with age.medium growth rate
Full sun to partial shade
Prefers moist, well-drained soils of average fertility in full sun, but is highly adaptable to permanently moist to wet soils, dry soils, poor soils, soils of various pH, heat, drought, and pollution

Masses of pure white snowball-like flower clusters make a showy display in summer. Bright green leaves have a purplish-red fall coloring. Spectacular landscape specimen. Deciduous. Full sun. Moderate grower to 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide, larger with age. Cutting grown.

Cornus ‘Rutgan’ STELLAR PINK / Stellar Pink Dogwood

Common Name: dogwood
Zone: 5 to 9
Plant Type: Tree
Family: Cornaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range : None
Height: 15 to 30 feet
Spread: 15 to 30 feet
Bloom Time: April – May
Bloom Color: Pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium wet
Maintenance: Low

This flowering dogwood cultivar is a small, deciduous tree which typically grows 15-30′ with a low-branching, flat-topped, broadly pyramidal to uniformly broad habit. Profuse bloom appears in spring, with each “flower” (3-4″ in diameter) featuring four showy, petal-like, slightly overlapping, light pink bracts which surround a small, yellowish-green, center flower. In autumn, the oval, dark green leaves (3-6″ long) gradually change to a uniform red to purplish red. Bright red fruits (poisonous to humans, but loved by birds) mature in early fall and usually persist until the middle of December.