An amazing,underutilized ground cover for shady, dry areas under trees, according to Bruce Crawford of Rutgers Gardens, writing in the March 2010 issue of Gardener News. Spreads slowly by underground suckers, eventually forming an evergreen carpet.
Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, Sweetbox
April 26, 2010 at 12:29 pm (Plants to remember to try)
Tags: broad leaf evergreen, Ground cover, lustrous leaves, shade tolerant
Prunus laurocerasus, English or cherry laurel
July 13, 2009 at 1:08 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, broad leaf evergreen, lustrous leaves, Obovate leaf, serrate, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Shrub
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- Branch
Identifying characteristics:
1. Vase-shaped evergreen shrub/small tree with alternate lustrous leaves
2. Larger, more rounded leaves than Skip laurel with fully serrated leaf margins
3. White flowers in racemes, black drupe fruit matures in August
4. 1 to 2 pairs of glands on leaf base
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Bearberry
July 12, 2009 at 10:54 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, broad leaf evergreen, elliptical, lustrous leaves, simple leaf
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- Shrub habit
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- Branching
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- Leaf front
Identification features:
1. Low growing, mat-forming, glossy leaved evergreen ground cover
2. Alternate glabrous dark green leaves, green underneath
3. Thin, sprawling stems
Ligustrum vulgare, European or Common Privet
July 12, 2009 at 5:57 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: deciduous, entire, lustrous leaves, Opposite, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Hedge
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- Branch
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- Leaf
Identifying characteristics:
1. Opposite, simple, deciduous leaves on fast-growing hedge; shorter petioles and slightly larger leaves than L. amurense
2. Green, minutely pubescent young branches (vs. purplish & pubescent for L. amurense)
3. Multi-branched with irregularly spreading branches
Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’, Skip laurel
July 12, 2009 at 5:41 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, broad leaf evergreen, lustrous leaves, serrate, Shrub
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- Shrub
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- Fruit
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- Branch
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- Leaf front
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- Leaf back
Identifying characteristics:
1. Vase-shaped evergreen shrub/small tree with alternate lustrous leaves
2. Skip laurel is more “refined” habit than species, with narrower, more lanceolate/elliptical leaves; serration typically only near apex
3. White flowers in racemes, black drupe fruit matures in August
4. 1 to 2 pairs of glands on leaf base
Euonymus kiautschovicus ‘Manhattan’, Spreading euonymus
July 12, 2009 at 5:03 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: broad leaf evergreen, Crenate margins, lustrous leaves, Opposite, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Shrub
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- Branch
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- Leaf
Identifying features:
1. Lustrous dark green evergreen leaves
2. Simple opposite oblong leaves 2 – 3″ long, with crenate margins
3. Rounded habit
4. Imbricate, conical green buds with red edges and a sharp apex
Buxus sempervirens, Common Boxwood
July 12, 2009 at 4:23 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: broad leaf evergreen, elliptical, entire, lustrous leaves, Opposite, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Shrub
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- Leaf front
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- Leaf back
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- Leaf size
Difficult to distinguish this sample from Buxus microphylla; could be either
1. Opposite evergreen simple leaves (distinguishes from Ilex)
2. White line on leaf back distinguishes from Buxus microphylla
3. Elliptical leaf <1″ long, broadest below middle
Rhododendron hybrid, Azalea (evergreen)
July 12, 2009 at 3:21 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, broad leaf evergreen, elliptical, lustrous leaves, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Shrub
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- Branch
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- Leaf
Identifying characteristics:
1. Evergreen shrub
2. Alternate shiny dark green entire leaves
3. Brilliantly colored funnel-form terminal flower clusters
Pieris japonica, Japanese Pieris
July 12, 2009 at 2:28 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, broad leaf evergreen, lustrous leaves, serrate, Shrub, simple leaf
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- Shrub
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- Branch
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- Leaf
IDentifying features:
- Simple alternate evergreen leaves with shallow toothed margins held in whorls at shoot tip
- Pendulous clusters of small white urn-shaped flowers, followed by persistent dehiscent 1/4″ long brown capsules
- Reddish-bronze new growth
Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’, Cherry plum
July 12, 2009 at 1:34 pm (A Plant-a-Day(ish))
Tags: alternate, juglone (walnut) tolerant, lustrous leaves, serrate, simple leaf, tree
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- Tree
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- Branch
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- Leaf
Identifying characteristics:
- Alternate lustrous deep purple leaves w/serrated edges
- pinkish white flowers appear before foliage
- small tree w/upright spreading habit
