| Species |
Common name |
Description |
Size |
Price each |
# Available |
| Acer rubrum |
Red maple |
Medium size, mid successional tree of wetland forests and moist upland areas; spectacular fall foliage of reds, oranges, and yellows. |
6"-8" |
$7.50 |
5 |
| Acer pennsylvanicum |
Striped maple |
Small understory tree/shrub of moist upland forests;smooth green bark with vertical white stripes contrasts wonderfully and makes for a spectacular specimen for the shade garden; obligate shade plant. |
6"-8" |
$12.00 |
15 |
| Acer saccharinum |
Silver maple |
Large specimen tree of floodplain forests and riparian areas. Does well as a street tree, which was used widely to replace the disease ravaged American Elm; tolerates a wide range of soil types. |
12"+ |
$8.50 |
10 |
| Alnus rugosa |
Speckled alder |
Multi stemmed,pioneer shrub of wetland and steamside communities; stabilizes stream banks and lake edges from strong currents and wave action; tolerates nutrient and oxygen deficient (saturated) soils; roots fix nitrogen. |
12+" |
$7.50 |
8 |
| Amelanchier stolonifera |
Thicket Shadbush |
Compact,colonial shadbush with densely suckering habit;profuse flowering in May, followed by an abundance of fruit in July that is much relished by wildlife;grows in full sun and dry sandy to loamy upland soils; rare in the nursery trade. |
6" |
$15.00 |
5 |
| Aronia melanocarpa |
Black chokeberry |
Highly adaptable shrub, growing in both saturated wetlands and bone dry sandy soils, tends to remain more compact in the latter; tart berries are loaded with beneficial phtyochemicals like phenols and antioxidants, grown in Europe for berries were they are turned into value added products like wine, yogurt, and juice blends; dark colored anthers contrast against bright white flower petals make for eye catching effect |
8"-16" |
$7.00 |
25 |
| Betula papyrifera |
White birch |
Snow white smooth bark, with coal black irregular rings intermittently spaced on trunk; makes an elegant, glamerous specimen tree when grown in medium to full sun with loamy rich soils, full potential is limited if competing with other trees; juvenile form is markedly different then at maturity-like seagulls, the bark is brown when a sapling,turning white with age; these are true-blue American paper birch, in contrast to the less desirable European paper birch that is common in the marketplace-it is prone to pests like Bronze birch borer and Birch leaf miner. |
12" |
$10.00 |
10 |
| Betula populifolia |
Grey birch |
Pioneering, early successional species that is among the first woody species to infiltrate old fields; small stature, not more then 20ft tall, often multi-trunked; usually considered a "weed" tree of little value, but its adaptability to poor soils,sunny sites, and dimunitive stature make it an overlooked choice for the smaller garden where paper birch is too big and the soil is too poor; form can be easily controlled for macroscopic bonsai-like effects. |
12"-14" |
10.00 |
5 |
| Chamaecyparis thyoides |
Northern Atlantic white cedar |
Isolated to the coastal plain of New England and the mid-Atlantic states; grows in saturated wetlands in the wild, tolerates dry upland soils in cultivation, but will not reach full size; exfoliating bark, juniper blue-green scale leaves, a striking choice for open, wet to saturated soils; rare in the wild due to overharvesting for wood, and habitat destruction. |
6"-8" |
12.00 |
3 |
| Clethra anifolia |
Summer sweet |
Rare plant in southern Maine, being more common to the south; obligate wetland plant in the wild but very adaptable in cultivation,thriving in upland soils; flowers intoxicatingly scented, much like Narcissus or Paperwhites; fall foliage is a blinding yellow, that glows as if its plugged in; multistemmed, colonial habit is the norm when growing in wetlands, more solitary in upland situations. |
10"-12" |
8.50 |
25 |
| Cornus alternifolia |
Pagoda dogwood |
A striking shrub on all levels-strongly geometric branching structure is marvelous esp. when leaves are absent, adding considerable form to the dormant landscape; puffy dense clusters of white flowers attract multitudes of hungry pollinators; cobalt blue fruit on coral red stems feed feathered friends in July; grows in part to full sun in upland soils. |
10"-12" |
15.00 |
5 |
| Hamamelis virginiana |
Witch hazel |
Multistemmed habit, often dominates the shrub layer in moist deciduous forests; leaves have been used for centuries as a powerful astringent; the preferred wood for water dowsing- the mystical art of sensing water using a forked piece of wood; branches are densely covered in pastel yellow flowers in the Fall lighting up a dying landscape, often lasting until snow fall; prefers shade. |
10" |
12.00 |
2 |
| Ilex verticillata |
Winterberry |
A common component of scrub shrub wetlands; dense habit provides shelter and nesting for birds in Summer,brilliant red berries persist all Winter adding vivid color to the monochromatic winter-scape; fruit is an important food source to small mammals and birds; an adaptable medium sized shrub that will also grow in upland soils with full sun. |
10"-12" |
$9.00 |
25 |
| Nemopanthus mucronatus |
Mountain Holly |
Shares the same neighborhood with Winterberry, but is not as common as its close relative (some botanists place Mt. Holly in the genus Ilex); Mt holly has the whole package-fruit is a lucious matte red, strongly reminescent of Christmas Tree balls,but short lived unlike Winterberry; bark has a wonderfully patterned grey camoflauge color scheme; leaves are a matte bluish-green color. Few shrubs offer such a glamerous package |
6"-8" |
$12.50 |
8 |
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
Virginia creeper |
Spectacular bright red foilage in Fall; sucker disks on tendrils have a wickedly tenacious grip allowing this vine to easily scale trees, as well as chimneys, cement walls and the like, making it an outstanding replacement for the sometimes invasive Helix hedera, or English ivy; sparse purple fruit formed in Fall are reminsecnt of mini-grapes, in fact it is in the Grape Family- Vitaceae. |
12" |
$10.00 |
4 |
| Pinus strobus |
White pine |
Large growing tree in both girth and height; prob. the most economically important tree in Maine as its makes most of our lumber; smooth grey bark turns deeply furrowed w/age; pine cone seeds are critical food source for many small mammals and birds; canopy provides filtered light to forest floor, not a "light sucker" like hemlock; part sun and loamy upland soils, quickly acidifies surrounding soil as tree matures. |
2' |
18.00 |
4 |
| Prunus maritima |
Beach plum |
Denizen of the dry nutrient deprived fore-dunes of the north eastern Atlantic coast; scraggly growth in the wild, but will grow handsome and strong, producing copiously when planted in loamy soils, and full sun; fruit is bitter off the branch, but makes superb jelly and wine; relished by both man and beast alike, unfortunately this includes Japanese beetles, so plan accordingly |
12" |
15.00 |
4 |
| Prunus virginina |
Chokecherry |
Suckering colonial shrub producing abundant strings of beautiful ruby red cherries in mid Summer, savored by birds and mammmals of all sizes, not lasting long on the branch; excellent hedge species providing structure, food, and habitat for fauna; prefers loamy upland soil in full to part sun; an underated species for inclusion into the landscape depsite its many outstanding qualities. |
12" |
10.00 |
15 |
| Rubus odoratus |
Purple flowering Raspberry |
Large clusters of spectacular magenta flowers begin around Fathers Day and go into September; arching canes have attractive exfoliating bark; large plush palmate leaves; this species is thornless, the thorns being replaced by sticky glands, an interesting evolutionary quirk; shade to part sun; loamy, moist organic soil. |
12"+ |
12.00 |
8 |
| Rubus occidentalis |
Blackberry |
Produces tons of sweet black berries in a variety of demanding conditions that other cane fruit would find intolerable; I have large patches in part sun and rich loam, as well as full shade growing in gravel-they both are very fruitful; this species is the wild stock from which all of the commercial Blackberrie varities were bred from; cut canes to the ground every few years to maintain productivity |
12"+ |
8.00 |
4 |
| Sambucus canadensis |
Elderberry |
Berries are nutrient dense and contain healthy phytochemicals like phenols and antioxidants-more so then blueberries, berries are bitter off the cane, and are best used in jellies, wine, and added to other juices; berries are a source of an intense and natural purple color used in grape juice and wine; several improved varities like 'Johns' and 'Adams' are suitable for commercial production; I find this plant to be challenging to satisfy, being most successful with rich loamy soil, in part sun, and no competition from grass; brids and other critters love the berries, flowers attract lots of insect pollinators; branches are cane-like and should be treated as such, being cut to the ground every 3-4 years to rejuvinate the plant as a whole. |
12" |
12.00 |
15 |
| Sambucus racemosa |
Red Elderberry |
Pyrimidal clusters of vibrant red berry clusters are eye catching and are a unique edition to the native landscape;flowers and berries come out sooner then purple Elderberry; berries attract many types of birds; more abundant in northern Maine,commonly found on the sides of wide open logging roads; full to part sun, tolerates drier soils and more competition from other plants then purple Elderberry. |
14" |
15.00 |
4 |
| Spiraea lattifolia |
Spiraea |
Multistem, clump forming shrub with small diameter (2-6 mm),arching stems; dense flowering habit is a reliable and ample food source for pollinating insects; tolerates part shade but prefers more sun, grows in dry, often poor and/or sandy soils, which makes this a good choice for difficult areas |
14"+ |
12.00 |
6 |
| Spiraea tomentosa |
Steeplebush |
Soft, velvety leaves; flowers form a pyrimidal shape at the end of the stem, and are white tinged with a pleasant pastel pink, making it an outstanding selection; grows in wetland areas in native haunts, but will also take to loamy moist-dry soils in cultivation; prefers full sun |
12"+ |
14.00 |
5 |
| Viburnum acerifolium |
Maple leaf viburnum |
Prefers full shade and tolerates bone dry acidic soils of Red oak and Pine forests, a rare trait for any shrub, much less a Viburnum; rich loamy soil in part shade will yield a larger, more robust plant; as specific epithet implies, leaves are shaped like a maple's; small in stature, reaching no more then 4-5 ft tall; spectacular fall foliage of mouth watering grape-gum purple to regal burgundies; dark blue drupes (fruit) are long lived and will often hold on until Winter, serving as an important late season food source for wildlife (judging by how long they stay on the bush, they don't seem to be a preferred food stuff). |
8" |
$15.00 |
1 |
| Viburnum dentatum |
Arrowood |
Vase shaped, multi-stemmed shrub of wetlands and moist upland soils with full sun; Spring brings foamy, cream white flower clusters abuzz with pollinators; vivid clusters of azure blue fruit mature in late Summer and are ravenously consumed by feathered friends; will be victimized by the the inroduced pest Viburnum leaf beetle if its in your area;( important shrub of wetland and ecotone shrub communities |
10"-18"
| 12.00 |
20+ |
| Viburnum lantanoides |
Hobblebush |
Large tropical looking leaves strongly ribbed and covered with a fine fuzz; flower clusters in Spring up to 6" across with sterile "neutral flowers" on perimeter, and smaller fertile flowers in center; seeds turn a bright crimson red in Fall, and mature into a dark purple; "naked" buds (buds without protective scales) add a unique texture and aesthetics to Winter lanscape; an obligate shade plant, prefering moist acidic soils;NOTE-Plants will ship in late Spring-early Summer |
6"-8" |
15.00 |
5 |
| Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides |
Witherod |
Multistemmed Viburnum found in both wetlands and upland areas; grows in almost full sun to part shade in wet to seasonally dry soils; this "all American" Viburnum puts on a stunning color show as its fruit matures from white to red to blue in the late Summer into the Fall; copius fruit production appreciated by birds; poofy white, densely packed flower clusters in Spring feed the typical hordes of pollinators that Viburnums have a tendency to attract. |
12" |
15.00 |
4 |
| Vitis labrusca |
Fox grape |
The wildling from which the famous Concord grape sprang; sunny to part sunny, dry to moist soils-just as happy to grow near a river as it is in a dry field; robust yearly growth requires a strong trellis system to support its mass, nearby trees will work just as well; large nickel sized grapes are great for jelly and wine making, but sour right off the vine; attractive brown exfoliating bark on vines; superb choice for a native vine, you'll never go to a Euonymous again. |
Beefy rootstock |
13.00 |
8 |
| Species |
Common name |
Description |
Size |
Price each |
# Available |
| Actaea pachypoda |
Dolls eyes |
Woodland herb of shady, moist to dry soils, growing best in the former, and simply tolerant in the latter; compound leaves, porcelain white berries bear a creepy resemblance to doll's eyes, its namesake, unfortunately they are posionous, as early settlers found out, which earned it its other name-Baneberry; choice plant for the woodland garden, especially when planted in groups; large chunky rhizomes easily make divisions |
Chunky, large rhizomes |
12.50 |
12 |
| Aralia nudicaulis |
Wild sarsparilla |
The dominant hebaceous layer in acidic woods with filtered light; compound leaves similar to Ginseng, which is in the same family, Araliaceae; roots quickly form large colonies, pulling up one plant is like unraveling the string on a shirt; fruit is devoured by deer and other animals, making seed collection a challenging race; although tolerant of dry acidic soil, it does best in loamy rich ones; excellent natural, non-smothering ground cover, that is amiable to other herbs; quickly spreads-put it only where you want it. |
2-3 year old roots |
$9.00 |
4 |
| Aster macrophylla |
Big leaved Aster |
Forms a thick, dense carpet of lucious green leaves in ecotone areas-habitats between field in forest, where it is simultaneously intolerant of the excesive shade of the forest, and sensitive to the searing sun of wide open spaces, like Goldilocks, it likes its just right; grows equally well in moist to dry soils; pretty white flowers grow on stalks from August through November; a great natural, intensive ground cover option. |
2 gallon pots |
$7.50 |
20 |
| Aster umbellatus |
Flat topped Aster |
A giant denizen of moist sunny to partly sunny fields, where it grow up to 5 feet tall; broad,large, concave flower heads act as a vertiable heli-pad for the droves of pollinators seeking late Summer early Fall feeding opps.; a fantastic selection for meadow plantings it should be spaced widely to accentuate its admirable stature; single stems arise from stout, elongate rhizomes, and bear off white flowers |
2-3 year old rhizomes |
$8.50 |
10 |
| Corydalis sempervirens |
Pale corydalis |
A non-imposing, seldomly encountered member of the bleeding heart family; found growing on top of large rocks in deciduous woods where enough organic matter has accumulated to sustain life, curiously enough it is most often in moderate elevation areas like small mountains of 1000 or so feet and large hills; anemic, fraigile stems; does best with filtered shade and moist soil; lacey light green compound leaves, and delicate pink and yellow flowers; a rare find in the nursery trade. |
2-3 year old rhizomes |
12.00 |
4 |
| Eupatorium perfoliatum |
Boneset |
A fantastic and unique addition to the perennial garden- stem clasping leaves give the appearance that the stem is perforating the leaves, hairy stems and leaves, large heads of off white flowers are handsome and attractive to pollinators, slightly reminescent of Yarrow; in nature it is largely associated with wetlands, but grows well in upland areas too; full to part sun, wet to dry upland soils |
chunky 4 yr old rhizomes |
12.00 |
8 |
| Hydrastis canadensis |
Goldenseal |
Native range reaches into southern New Hampshire, but does very well further north in Maine; bright yellow root is highly revered for its medicinal qualities, treating maladies of the mucous membranes; obligate full shade plant, preferring rich, highly organic soils, like Ginseng and Blue Cohosh. |
multi year rhizomes |
14.00 |
4 |
| Iris versicolor |
Wild iris |
Forget the Bearded Irises, you'll never look back when you see this beauty; dainty, delicate leaves, rich royal blue/purple petals with yellow markings; grows in wet areas in the wild (pond margins, wetland meadows) with full sun, but should be tolerant of drier soils |
multi year rhizomes |
12.00 |
5 |
| Jeffersonia diphylla |
Twinleaf |
Straight, wirey stems sporting a terminal pair of butterfly wing shaped leaves, older plants with many sets of leaves add wonderful geometry and shape to the woodland shade garden; readily self seeds when happy, and generally easy going (growing); seed pods are fun as well- they are short vase shaped with a lid that pops open to disperse seeds, looking a bit like a pitcher plant; likes moist, loamy, calcareous (basic) soil with full shade;native range is from Alabama north to western New York |
multi year rhizomes |
$12.00 |
4 |
| Liatris scariosa var novae-angelae |
Liatris |
Large spikes of brilliant purple flowers borne widely spaced on stems, this is notable, because it is in marked contrast to the densely flowering varities offered in the nursery trade; full sun, will tolerate bone dry sandy soils to loam; grown from seed collected at the world famous Kennebunk Plains site, the largest population in the world of this species; rare across all of its range |
multi year rhizomes |
$15.00 |
5 |
| Podophyllum peltatum |
Mayapple |
I finally got a chance to see this in the wild, at a roadside stop in West Virginia last April,; it comes up when the rest of the landscape is still sleeping, large pairs of great green leaves that unfold in slow motion over many days,they die back by mid to late Summer and disappear; flowers are borne under the leaves, you feel like a kid peering up a ladies dress when you look for them; fruit is well liked by box turtles; leaves and roots are toxic to us, they contain a potent anti-cancer compound pre-cursor called podophyllotoxin. |
multi year rhizomes |
10.00 |
5 |
| Rhodiola rosea |
Roseroot |
Not much to look at, but the magic lies below the soil line; chunky rhizomatous roots have long been used for their adaptogenic properties-compounds that help the body fight off the ill effects of stress and physically induced fatigue; extremely hardy as well, growing in the Arctic (is their a Zone 0?) with ease;leaves are succulent green discs, and the whole plant dies back to the soil level every year; must be grown in full sun with sharply drained soil, rot will quickly consume the plant if these conditions are not met |
multi year rhizomes |
15.00 |
4 |
| Sanguinera canadensis |
Bloodroot |
One of the "classic" spring ephemerals, blooming in late April alongside of Hepatica; flowers are short lived, lasting no more then 2 days; compact plant tend to form small colonies once well established, seedlings grow readily under moms; pure white petals contrat against pastel yellow anthers and style; roots bleed a deep red fluid, earning its common name |
multi year rhizomes |
13.50 |
4 |
| Solidago arguta |
Forest goldenrod |
"A goldenrod for every situation" I say; Forest goldenrod, contrary to its name, tends not to grow in the forest per se, but it does have a distinct preference for that fine line just inside of the forest shadow, at the edge of a field; tolerates part shade to part sun, dry loamy soils; a vivid crimson colored stem can be found on some individuals, I'm not sure if this is a genetic particularity, or if its due to plants growing in a sunnier spot; found growing with other ecotone plants like Big leaf aster, False Solomons seal (Similacina racemosa), and Wood lilly Lilium philadelphicum |
2-3 yr plants |
12.00 |
25+ |
| Solidago caesia |
Blue stem goldenrod |
The prettiest of all the goldenrods, attractive darkgreen/blue foliage and stems, lined with dainty chrome yellow flowers; does well in full to part shade; stems do not grow ram-rod straight and tall like most other G-rods, but stay short and tend to curve around like that of a wreath. |
2-3 yr plants |
12.00 |
8 |
| Solidago puberula |
Downy or Dusty Goldenrod |
"I will call him...MINI-ME!", an appropriate name for this lilliputian G-rod, in the wild it seldom grows more then 10-12" tall; has a distinct preference for drier sandier soils in its native haunts, but adapts quite well to richer soils in cultivation; full to part sun; an excellent choice for the perennial garden, adding interest, late season color and certainly something the Jones's won't have. |
2-3 yr old plants |
12.00 |
6 |
| Solidago sempervirens |
Seaside goldenrod |
Adapted to life in the spray zone and high tide area of beaches and dunes (whats left of them), its thick waxy cuticle on the leaves keeps dessication to a minimum from the salt environs, leaves almost have a succulent look to them; grows well in nutrient poor sandy soils in full sun; some authors report leggy growth when grown in more fertile soil; obviously a good native perennial choice if you live near the coast, or have just plain,bad soil. |
2-3 yr old plants |
12.00 |
15 |
| Solidago rugosa |
Rough stemmed goldenrod |
The classic goldenrod that you see ablaze in late summer and early Autumn fields; stems and leaves are covered with dense fine bristles giving a fuzzy appearance like a Woolly bear caterpillar; nicely branced flowers at the top with rich chrome yellow color, strongly attracting lots and lots of pollinators; no, they don;t cause Hay fever, the pollen is sticky and heavy, meant for adhereing to the legs and bums of pollinating insects, and not blowing in the wind; prefers full sun and loamy soils |
2-3 yr old plants |
12.00 |
8 |
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