A Pacific Northwest native, Vine Maple heralds the arrival of autumn as its colors light up the forest. Best grown in clump form, it lends a pleasing accent to larger trees in a border planting and requires almost no care.

One-year plants are perfect for re-potting to grow on for a season; transplants are best for prompt resale. For best branching, lightly pinch the stem tips when they're in tender new growth. An inexpensive alternative to grafted varieties, they are often sold in the GC in a #1 or #2 pot.

This hardy, medium-sized tree is truly distinctive. Heart-shaped leaves attract interest, changing from translucent bronze in spring, to summer green, to yellow and apricot-orange in autumn. Multi-trunked specimen trees with shaggy bark have eye-catching appeal. Throughout the seasons, it is among the most appealing of any hardy landscape tree. Dr. Mike Dirr names it his personal favorite. These liners are exceptional, with a strong central leader.

Widely adapted and often associated with Cornus florida in its native range. Bright pink flowers appear in the first warm days of spring; a delight after a long winter.

This handsome, wide-spreading Chinese tree reaches 30-45 ft. in height. It has a layered, horizontal branch habit, and showy 5-7 in. clusters of small white flowers that precede purple-black fruits in the fall. Taller and more tree-like than its American cousin, Cornus alternifolia.

Beautiful small American native with tiered branching. Wonderful floral display of white flowers and great fall color. Despite the enormous number of named selections out there, when one sees seedling specimens in the East in cemeteries or parks, there are always plenty of these that elicit, "Someone ought to name that one."

Tolerates wet or dry conditions. Occasional pruning promotes best winter stem color. Exceptionally tough shrubs grown for their bright winter stems. Choose either color.

Witness to the birth and extinction of countless species over a period of 150 million years, Ginkgo survives to charm us with its unique fan-shaped leaves and butter-yellow fall color. Consider that even after Hiroshima was devastated by nuclear blast, fire and radiation in 1945, at ground zero it was the lone re-generating tree the following spring. Merits wider use: many new grafted male cultivars are becoming very popular. These are un-sexed seedlings, used almost exclusively for grafting.

Among the tallest of our native American hardwoods, it shares much in common with Magnolia acuminata. Intriguing cup-shaped flowers of orange, yellow, and green in early summer. Grows fast if planted in deep, moist soil, but it will languish if planted in a dry or compacted area.

Upright evergreen shrub with spiny leaves. Native in the Northwest, it benefits from occasional pruning to keep foliage clean and diminish its tendency to become overgrown. Native Americans used the stems and roots to make a yellow dye.

Exceptional ornamental with handsome glossy summer foliage. A medium tree that grows to 45 ft., it prefers full sun and an acidic, well-drained soil. Honeybees relish the nectar of the delicate, heather-like blooms, borne on the branch ends like white bouquets in mid-summer. Sourwood honey is a particular delight, so special that it's sold only regionally in the Southeast, and fetches a premium at roadside stands. Oxydendrum in the autumn is a sight for tired eyes, as the foliage shows off rich blends of orange, red and yellow.

Among the most desirable of all deciduous landscape trees. Camellia-like flowers in early summer. Striking bark patches that resemble pieces of a puzzle. Diminutive mature size, ideal as a small specimen tree. Red, yellow, and orange autumn leaf colors. This taxon is the ideal landscape tree - the complete package. Our strain is originally from the vicinity of Nikko Park in Japan, and has survived the extremely harsh winter lows of the UP in Quinnisec, Michigan. We're talking 35 below zero! Check out their amazing root systems, pot up or plant them out, and make some money.

Small leaves and profuse white, bell-shaped June flowers. Best planted where the masses of pendant blossoms may be seen from below, such as along a rock wall or embankment. Pest-free, hardy, and rapid-growing. Occasional pruning when it is young encourages an open branch habit so that its flowers are more easily seen.

Slender, clump forming sedge 12-16 ' tall, light green leaves and nodding inflorescence.

A relatively inexpensive alternative to more expensive grafted varieties, these beauties offer dark purple leaves in the spring draw customer attention in the garden center. Utilize them as specimens or to make a distinctive hedge. Seed is difficult to procure annually so our supply is hard to predict. So get these when you can, a few years' supply at a time.

Always sought after, this uncommon tree is celebrated because of its legendary origin in horticulture as well as its role as an extraordinary landscape plant. Camellia-like flowers are borne from early autumn until frost. Brilliant, shiny autumn foliage-a plant for your connoisseur clients.

Soft needles, pleasing form, and kind of pre-historic in its overall appearance, Umbrella Pine is somewhat slow-growing, but always in demand from those suppliers who invest in liners annually and hold them for 4-5 years. Best if not crowded or planted in a wet spot, or simply "let go". This is an expensive plant to buy but a profitable one to sell if you're patient and want to offer something other than red maples, crabapples and honeylocust.

Very hardy - the rootstock of choice for a rich selection of new hybrids. These liners have an extensive root system - a bonus for field planting or potting up.

This ancient tree evokes a sentiment of awe when one realizes it has endured change and upheaval essentially in its present form for millions of years. Discovered as a "living fossil" in China in 1941, it prefers a moist, well-drained soil. Dawn Redwood is a fast-growing, pest-free and fine-textured conifer, hardy and adaptable.

Its autumn color, early spring flowers, small habit, ease of care, and fragrant foliage make this shrub highly ornamental. It is well-adapted in wet areas, great for naturalizing, and rarely taller than head-high.

A seedling strain selected over many years by Mike Yanny of Johnson's Nursery in Menominee Falls, WI. for improved orange-red autumn color. A small-scale (to 30 ft. x 30 ft.) tree with a dense canopy. Its leaf and bark characteristics resemble a small beech tree with fall color. Easy to transplant. Use as rootstock for Firespire™ to assure grafted plants will survive in zones 3-4.

Most often used as a rootstock for selected cultivars. This native American shrub can grow to 20 ft. with equal spread. Prefers moist soils, but full sun in the landscape encourages more compact growth. Trim branches just before the plant blooms to force indoor flowers.

Heat tolerance helps this native tree outperform F. sylvatica in the Southeast, and yet it is also cold hardy. Best for large, open area where it is free to grow, reaching heights of 70-90 ft.

The Oakleaf Hydrangeas share many desirable characteristics: white flowers with bold, trouble-free foliage that turns burgundy red in the fall. Double-flowered 'Snowflake' may have the largest inflorescences, which are usually upright. Prefers light shade.

Of refined, delicate appearance year-long, this woodland shrub from Japan makes a great substitute for witchhazel in smaller gardens. It slowly mounds up, becoming more broad than tall, and is easily maintained. Primrose yellow flowers cover the branches in early spring. Prefers moist, partially shaded borders and open woods, but tolerates a sunny spot fine: it just grows more slowly in full sun.

Fall color is variable, but striking on some trees. Widely adapted. Shallow roots may cause problems in turf areas or around sidewalks.

Sassafras is aromatic in all its parts. Historically, it has found medicinal uses and was the raw ingredient used to make “root beer”. It surely found its way into “moonshine” for some spicy flavoring. Its foliage is distinctive with 4 different shapes: right and left-handed mitten, un-lobed, and tri-lobed. Difficult to propagate reliably, it is nevertheless a trouble-free native American tree once established in the landscape. Often suckers if it is disturbed. Occurring in groves of small trees, along fence rows, and in abandoned fields in its native range; if it grows on its own in the open it can reach a height of 60 ft. with a 2-3 ft. trunk diameter. Needless to say, trees of this size are now rare and merit protection.

A large shrub that spreads from root suckers, it is usually no more than 10 ft. tall. Tolerates deep shade and still flowers reliably. Although its suckering habit and small stature might suggest a tender nature, it is remarkably hardy, tolerating winter lows to -31°F. Rarely found in quantity in the wholesale trade, this is a choice American native to reserve for your best customers.

Bigleaf Magnolia appears tropical, but is surprisingly hardy. A medium to large native tree with huge leaves, impressive white flowers and decorative fruits.

Seedlings of the fertile hybrid, M. denudata x M. liliiflora. Many of the hybrids known and loved are Magnolia soulangiana, the saucer magnolia. Can be used as rootstock, sometimes preferred (vs. M. kobus) in the Southeast, given its warm and wetter summer soils.

Distinctive among magnolias for its shiny narrow leaves, dark green above and a downy white beneath. A refined small tree (best) or large multi-stemmed shrub if given a prominent place in the landscape where its wonderfully fragrant flowers can be appreciated.

The leaves are tough, dark, grass-like, and nearly evergreen on this showy iris. It blooms in a spectacular color range from almost white to purple and all hues of blue in between. It is clump forming, blooming April-May, it is only 14 in. tall. This is an excellent, easy, very drought tolerant garden plant that is used far too infrequently. Nectar species for Dusky Wing and, occasionally, Fenders Blue Butterfly.

Aptly named, its fragrant pink flowers are a delight to the senses. This plant delivers exceptional value in performance for price paid. It is a clean, easily grown plant worthy of a prominent spot where you can appreciate it. Extremely hardy.

Late-flowering form, essentially disease free. Deep pink to red flowers on this dogwood that makes most growers' top ten list.

A crowning jewel for the connoisseur's garden. Tall Stewartia differs from the larger, more commonly encountered species Stewartia pseudocamellia with its smooth, reddish brown bark and smaller leaves, Flowers are more abundant and smaller. Charming muted maroon fall color, even in the South. This tree is perfectly planted in afternoon-shaded loose, organic soil or near a woods edge. Alongside an old rotted tree stump is perfect. It will NOT tolerate wet or compacted soil in the immediate vicinity of home or street construction. Yet, with thoughtful planting care and judicious watering practice, few small trees are as tastefully gracious in their full-season garden appeal.

A select American native, 'Mt. Airy' merits wider use as compared to its close relatives, the witchhazels, which are much larger in mature stature. Exhibits excellent hardiness, attractive summer foliage and spectacular autumn color. The white bottlebrush flowers are borne in showy abundance during April/May.

Shrubby tree with a prominently horizontal, tiered branch pattern, suggesting its common name. Flat clusters of fragrant May flowers add to its layered ornamental appearance. Blue-black fruits ripen in late summer, followed by bronze autumn foliage.

Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' and Magnolia sprengeri 'Diva' were crossed to make this handsome early hybrid. Very dark purple buds open to medium purple 8 in. flowers on this hardy upright tree. Consistently praised by our clients as a dependable money-maker for its precocious blooming habit, ease of care, and fast growth in the nursery.

Fast growing, more so than Princeton Sentry, it is pyramidal with ascending branches becoming half as wide as tall at maturity. It was discovered in New Brunswick New Jersey.

One of our favorites, an attractive male selection with distinctly narrow, elongated leaves remiscent of the tail from a fancy gold-fish. Definitely a "top three" selection.

A pyramidal tree with dark green leaves. 'Yellow Bird's small flowers appear with the foliage and have a good deep yellow color. Trouble free in the nursery, a consistent seller. M. acuminata x liliiflora

This species is prized for its small stature and remarkably beautiful flowers. The fragrant, nodding white blooms are accented by red stamens. Since this is a small tree, close inspection of the flowers is easy - a true delight! Although most references list it as zones 6-8, it has proved hardy at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, growing successfully in a windy Zone 4.

Named to honor Nicholas Garry of the Hudson Bay Company, this is the climax species of the pre-1850s Willamette Valley oak savannah. We see occasional see remnants of these original trees, some of which measure more than 5 ft. through and exceed 300 yrs. old. These are truly heritage trees, having sheltered and fed the Calapooya Indians, who gathered acorns by the ton and processed them to make thick soup and flatbread.

Scaled-down version of Magnolia macrophylla for the modern garden. A precocious bloomer, it sometimes buds up to yield a flower in a pot only 3 yrs. from seed. Fragrant flowers in June... what an early-evening close-up sight for tired eyes! Structurally, they're so fascinating, a delight for their delicate scent and always tempting to touch….reminds one of the biblical verse in praise of lilies "…Solomon in all his glory was never arrayed like one of these...” An 8 ft. multi-stem shrubby form in the Krautmann landscape produces 20 dinner plate-sized blooms over a 2-week period. For such ephemeral blooms, it's a wonder to contemplate that this plant and its cousins have populated the planet since before the dinosaurs perished. YOU NEED this plant, whether you realize it or not. Grow a few in your home garden where you can simply relish them with no prices on them. They are in fact, a priceless experience for any thoughtful nurseryman or gardener.

Evergreen shrub with rich forest-green foliage to accent its bright yellow early winter flowers. Upright growth and drought/shade tolerance make this a great focal plant when winter's arrival means fewer possibilities to brighten the garden. Offers bloom succession after 'Charity'.

The outstanding features of this small Asiatic maple are its extreme cold-hardiness and brilliant yellow, red and orange fall color. Not injured by wintertime lows down to -40°F. This is a full 20°F colder than the low temperature limit of other Japanese maples! Here's a fine plant to add some spice to gardens in the upper Midwest. Seed source is northeast China.

Bark peels in tight vertical curls. September brings a muted blend of yellow and claret-red foliage, capturing the essence of autumn. During winter, tufts of snow lodge on the peels of grey and honey-colored bark, lending contrast. Often listed as hardy to Zone 5, growers report it hardy to -40°F - a full zone rating hardier than Acer griseum.

Among the most popular of the fruitless male selections. Not as strongly upright as the variety 'Fastigiata', Liners require staking early. With age it attains a handsome form and consistent brilliant gold color in autumn. This clone and 'Saratoga' come from the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation.