Handy Nursery Plant List

This weeping outline is seldom found in snakebark / striped bark maples. Branches cascade out and downward eventually making a broad spreading pendulous tree. Staking and greenhouse conditions negates this trait for the first year in young 1-gallon plants. As a mature specimen its overall crown is confidently pendulous and has no lasting upright tendencies.

Three lobed 3-4” wide leaves are a riot of color combinations. Emerging bronze, then bright salmon pink transitioning to rich pink with splotches of green. Older leaves take on a speckled patchwork of softer pink, light green and white. Mature leaves are dark green with patches of white, light green and only hints of pink. The autumn tone is a solid butter yellow, some years exhibiting some red to purple.

A selection from hybrids between Acer davidii and Acer pennsylvanicum

We are still evaluating this one for structure but preliminary evaluations point towards a typical species habit. A large, fast growing conifer with conical, or pyramidal habit and tiered structure accentuated by spreading branches that are pendant towards the ends. Single leader or sometimes multi trunked depending on how it is trained.

The needles are narrow, sharply pointed and spiraled all along the branches, This selection was primarily trialed for hardiness, along with the rich light blue leaf color.

New for us in 2024 - Information regarding habit and hardiness will be updated as we continue to evaluate

Since this is a climbing vine, the ultimate habit is determined by what it can find to attach itself to in order gain height and spread. In the wild the species can achieve great height and width, but if left to thrive on flat ground it can serve as a spreading groundcover. This cultivar has a growth rate that is slower than the species, but it is still quite fast will quickly fill in a trellis or fence once established. The pure white tubular flowers are 3" long and .75" wide, appearing in mid summer and often continue on in to the fall. Within a genus known for fragrance, the descriptive ranges from creamy sweetness to intensely elegant and intoxicating. Often used in perfumes and teas.

Leaves are deciduous in most cooler northern climates, but it can also be semi-evergreen to fully evergreen further south. The pinnate leaves consist of 7-9 pointed leaflets and are a vivid yellow throughout the season. Protection from harsh afternoon sun may be warranted. No significant fall color traits are noted.

One of a series of dwarf lindens, 'Monto' is the second smallest of the five dwarfs we have evaluated (Komsta Minima being the smallest). Dense, low branched with an intricate network of closely spaced branches and tiny branchlets. Remarkably easy to prune, lending itself to a bonsai look with little or no training. Makes a generally rounded outline and thick trunked small tree.

The medium to dark green leaves are the typical hear shape but greatly reduced in size to the point of being miniature, rarely will exceed 1.5". Fall color is a decent, but not brilliant, yellow. The pale yellow flower is likewise smaller, borne in pendulous racemes, fragrant. The bark is a light yellow-brown, subtle but quite pleasing in winter.

Small deciduous tree, generally upright and usually taller than wide with moderate growth rate. The 10" long creamy white conical panicles appear in May-June and are highlighted with hints of pink and yellow.

Extraordinarily fine foliage type. Green leaves are very slender and deeply incised. So much so that some are left with a wisp of of a leaf surrounding the mid rib. The fall color is yellow, not spectacular, but not grocery bag brown like some of the other Horse Chestnut forms.

Foliage issues normally associated with Horse Chestnut do not seem to be a prevalent in this cultivar.

A rapid growing (8-12" per year) form that is not not overly broad when young and over time makes a dense, well balanced pyramid with strong single leader dominance.

The outstanding foliage colorations evolve throughout the season that upon close inspection could be called variegated. The spring hue is best described as a lime-green to light yellow-green. In late spring and in to the summer, the colors will morph in to a combination of kelley green and just shy of butter yellow. Throughout the growing season the leaves close to the midrib, and midrib itself, will display a contrasting light cream. Fall foliage and winter colors yield a mix of beige-bronze and champagne.

Named collectors conifer of the year in the fall issue of the Conifer Quarterly. This selection was one of a multiplicity of varying types amassed at the Rowe Arboretum in Cincinnati, OH. The collection, in large part, was pioneered by the late Clark West M.D. Just a few others from this collection worth considering are 'Coral Sea Green', 'Pincushion, 'Little Filly' and 'Snowstorm'. 'Enlightened' is only one of the named forms that has emerged in the trade in recent years. The original plant of 'Enlightened' was derived from seed collected from the cultivar 'Marrisen's Sulfur' in the UK in 1995.

A heavily branched tree with dominant central leader. It rapidly makes a full size dense shade tree of oval to rounded outline. On older plants, the tulip shaped blooms are displayed on the outer branches in mid spring, with the leaves. The color is light green with a yellow-orange base and numerous rich yellow internal anthers.

The unique tulip-shaped leaves are accentuated by a wide band of bright yellow along the leaf edge surrounding the dark green center. . Fall color is a muted golden yellow.

If the preference is to seek out a tough tree with dense shade and to do so in a hurry, this is a top contender .

Southeastern Native - small to medium size deciduous tree with a very symmetrical branching outline. Broadly pyramidal when young, later becoming more spreading with a rounded crown.

The large elliptical leaves are large, 6-12” long and slightly pendant. The medium to dark green color is irregularly splashed with generous amounts of bright white along with smaller patches of gray-white and lighter green. Almost all the newly emerging terminal shoots possess this trait. The size and density of the foliage provides for decent shade and, as a bonus, it has no insect or disease issues, rare among fruit trees on both counts. The flowers are two-tiered 6 petal blooms, heavily textured and colored dark red to purple, usually showing in April to May. The large oblong fruits are yellow-green, maturing in early fall to a dark brown. The consistency and flavor are often referred to as custard-like and akin to bananas or mangos. They can be eaten raw, but it is best to carry a knife and a spoon. Asimina is not self-pollinizing, so to enjoy decent fruit production other Asimina nearby would be a must.

‘Spilt Milk’ is one of those extra rare ones that for a time was thought to be lost to the trade and only recently re-introduced.

Deciduous tree, the form is generally upright and eventually forms a small spreading mid-sized tree.

Selected for both shape and color, the lobes of the leaves are cut quite deep to the midrib and are deeply and irregularly serrated creating a lacey and delicate appearance. In spring the reticulated variegation is primarily a coral color with hints of amber and light pink, contrasted by burgundy veins. In summer the leaf edges & veins are yellow green with an amber-peach interior. Fall color is red-orange. No significant bark character noted.

Dwarf squatty upright. Slowly makes a dense vase or loosely rounded form suitable for almost any small space in the garden. Once established the annual growth should not exceed 3-5", under most landscape conditions.

At maturity, the small (not tiny) medium green leaves are splashed and speckled with light green, cream and pink. New shoots yellow with orange edge. In winter the new shoots display a dark red coloration. Fall color red-orange.

Fast growing upright tree that forms a narrow vase shape the first few years, with a spreading canopy over time. Reminiscent of an old variety called 'Higasayama' but with more of everything including vigor.

The variegated leaves are edged pure white with a broad medium green center of each lobe running from base to tip. This trait is most prominent on older more shaded foliage found under the new growth. New leaves are mostly typical green and combined with the aforementioned create a tiered hierarchy effect. The fall color when in transition (pictured) will hold the green color in the center for a bit while the white sections turn pink, gradually dark and light pink and finally solid pink orange.

A small to medium sized deciduous shrub consisting of a fairly dense network of slender angular stems. It is a non-invasive colonizing plant, which forms a rounded, dense mound. Excellent for massing along borders, as a foundation plant or as an understory plant along the woodland border. The white flowers are honey scented 2-inch spikes with yellow anthers, appearing on the ends of the branches and before the leaves, usually in April to early May. As is the case with its parentage it has proven to be a much more prolific bloomer than either of the species.

It is difficult to point to a deciduous plant with a better blue color. The leaves will first emerge green, as the leaf reaches mature size and the cuticle layer thickens, it develops in to a soft light blue color. Older plants that have foliage emerging in different stages will exhibit an outstanding combination of both green, blue and transitional colors. In warmer climates this color transition is much quicker and often almost instantaneous. In fall the eaves turn a brilliant combination of yellow, dark red, orange and purple, often all appearing at the same time.

Selected as a branch sport from Fothergilla 'Mount Airy', which has been determined to be a cross between F. major and F. gardenii. As a Group the Winter Hazel's are easily established, require no pruning and have no serious disease or insect problems. 'Blue Shadow' is a perfect foil for golden leafed plants in the garden. Handy Nursery introduction.

Small multi trunk tree, like the species but more upright with spreading side limbs derived from the lower trunk. Perhaps one of the best new introductions to our native vine maple, selected for the bark character. Bright red and red-orange stems set this one apart for winter interest. Gaining in popularity with the trade as another option vs. Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’.

New growth a combination of light green & amber-orange. Takes full sun but well suited for shade and the Pacific Northwest conditions. Fall color can be typical scarlet red but more often we see red-orange or yellow-orange, depending on conditions.

Discovered by Wayne Belcher of T.H. Belcher and Sons Nursery in Boring, Oregon. Named by Handy Nursery.

A true columnar selection, the narrow pillar like form will eventually become slightly wider at the base but overall it is a very narrow form, observations of the parent tree over many years is a testament to its sustained uniform habit. Further, the growth rate is close to that of the species making it a more substantial plant in a shorter period than other narrow forms offered in the trade. Subtle patches of gray and tan exfoliating bark appear on mature trees.

4” long leaves are oval to oblong, appear red-purple in spring but quickly mature to medium to dark green in summer. The fall color is holds for a decent amount of time and is predominantly bright yellow to yellow-orange but depending on soil and weather conditions more reds and oranges will come into play. Being a member of the Witch-hazel family, the blooms appear in late winter to early spring. Clusters of tiny yellow filaments tipped with dark red anthers, appearing before the leaves. Small but a delicately impressive display viewed from a short distance.

Parrotia forms have been gaining in popularity particularly for street tree applications, this is due to its durability, lack of messy seed & flower, ease of transplanting and absence of any real pest problems. Further, the finely structured root system seems less problematic when planted in city conditions involving more confined concrete and asphalt surroundings.

Small deciduous shrub making a rounded to spreading outline, the latter usually occurring in more shaded conditions. The stems are a dark red to red-purple. A slow to medium grower, some consider this one a dwarf, I would say smaller stature as compared to the species. The flower is a lace-cap type, fertile flower cluster pink to mauve, outer sterile flowers white with blush pink, June to August.

The leaves are irregularly dusted and dappled with light green and gold, bright yellow within the mid-riband radiating veins. Darker green sometimes appears at the leaf edge. A complex and somewhat subtle variegation but outstanding, further evaluation is needed as to full sun tolerance, partial sun recommended. The fall color consists of a dark purple outer band trending violet towards the center, ending with a pink midrib with yellow at the base.

Medium to large sized deciduous shrub, the structure is generally upright but with age becomes a rounded outline with branch tips semi-cascading upon flower onset. This form, as with the species, can be trained into a small tree. Medium to fast growth rate, takes pruning easily. Happiest in full sun to partial shade, with fair drought tolerance once established. The flower is similar to the species, cone shape white 6-8” long terminal panicles, pink towards the latter 1/3 of the bloom period. Born on the current year’s growth, flower size can be increased by thinning the branches. Flowering runs from July through September.

An unusual variegated form, the leaves are 3-6” long and half as wide and whorled at the branch ends. Color is medium to dark green splashed with creamy white. Elliptical in shape with serrate wavy leaf margins, oppositely attachment but whorled towards the tips. Yellow fall color but not particularly ornate.

Deciduous conifer. A newly introduced dwarf witches’ broom with dense structure and conical to rounded outline. Trunks on older trees can be widely flared. The bark texture is deeply furrowed and reddish brown when young. Older trees exhibit darker brown to black-brown and will exfoliate in long strips.

One of the best aspects of this genus with soft feathery fern-like rich green leaves. This selection is prized for bronze tip growth over the underlayment of green. Leaves turn a bronze red in autumn. Ornamentally pleasing fruit is a 1” long soft green cylindrical cones born at the branch ends, dark brown at maturity.

This close relative of Taxodium is currently a very popular genus, but until the 1940’s it was only found in the fossil record. All the progeny in the trade today derived from distributed seeds collected from a natural stand near Modaoqui, China. Follow the link below for further details. https://arboretum.harvard.edu/arnoldia-stories/how-metasequoia-the-living-fossil-was-discovered-in-china The form image courtesy of the Dawes Arboretum, Newark OH.

Deciduous conifer. A much less aggressive growing selection, almost semi dwarf when considering the size of the species. It has an elegantly structured pendulous branching that will gain some height over time, with age it will spread at the base creating a pyramid shape, the shape will vary somewhat depending on how it is trained.

One of the best aspects of this genus is the soft feathery fern-like green leaves, turning a bronze red in autumn. The ornamental fruit is a 1” long soft green cylindrical cone born at the branch ends, turning dark brown at maturity.

This close relative of Taxodium is currently a very popular genus, but until the 1940’s it was only found in the fossil record. All the progeny in the trade today derived from distributed seeds collected from a natural stand near Modaoqui, China. Follow the link below for further details. Harvard aroretum