See Spring Trees for AMERICAN PLUM and other native plums, p. 78; CAROLINA SILVERBELL, p. 80; CRAB APPLE SPP., p. 89; FRINGE TREE, p. 105; REDBUD, p. 92.
Nonnative:
CHINESE FRINGE TREE. See Spring Trees for FRINGE TREE, p. 103.
Nonnative:
CORNELIAN CHERRY, CORNELIAN CHERRY DOGWOOD. Family: Dogwood (Cornaceae). Genus: Cornus (C. mas). Origin: Europe, Asia. Height/Spread: 15–20 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Pale yellow flowers in April. Red fall fruits; reddish fall leaves. Cultivation: Full sun, moist well-drained soil. Dense shade beneath mature specimens prevents growth of other plants. Zones: 4–7.
Cornelian cherry flowers (Cornus mas)
Native Alternatives:
SPICEBUSH, NORTHERN SPICEBUSH, COMMON SPICEBUSH, ALLSPICE BUSH, FORSYTHIA OF THE WILDS. Family: Laurel (Lauraceae). Genus: Lindera (L. benzoin). Height/Spread: 6–12 feet. Ornamental Attributes: The tiny, bright yellow, very fragrant flowers bloom March to April. “In the North this plant is thought of as the ‘forsythia of the wilds’ as its early spring flowering gives a subtle yellow tinge to many lowland woods where it is common,” notes the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.16 “The combination of the yellow foliage and red berries really makes this shrub pop in the fall,” writes Jason Sheets.17 Cultivation: Fast-growing, moist woods, understory shrub. Partial sun to light shade; best in rich moist soil, takes wet to moderately dry soil. Needs male plant for berries on female plants. Deer resistant; tolerates black walnut tree toxicity. Nature Note: Preferred host of spicebush swallowtail butterfly; also hosts an additional 10 species of Lepidoptera, including the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (p. 18), giant leopard moth, and promethea silkmoth. Birds and their nestlings eat the caterpillars. Mammals seek the July to October fruits, as do 17 bird species, including eastern kingbird (p. 55), wood thrush (p. 175), northern mockingbird (p. 256), great crested flycatcher, red-eyed vireo (p. 112), gray catbird (p. 79), American robin (p. 62), and white-throated sparrow (p. 108). The nutritious high-fat, protein-rich fruits enable migrating warblers to store a special, high-energy fat in their bodies to survive what might be several weeks without eating. The flowers attract small native bees, flies, and other tiny insects that warblers and other nesting birds feed to their young. Wood thrush (p. 175) and other mid-canopy species nest in the larger shrubs. Zones: 4–9.
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
Spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus)
Promethea silkworm caterpillar (Callosamia promethea)
Spicebush flowers (Lindera benzoin)
For more yellow-flowering spring shrubs, see GOLDEN CURRANT, p. 35; NATIVE HONEYSUCKLE ALTERNATIVES, p. 38; OZARK WITCH HAZEL, p. 75; ROUGHLEAF DOGWOOD, p. 49.
See Summer Shrubs for AMERICAN BLACK CURRANT, p. 138, BUTTERFLY SHRUB, p. 129.
See Fall Shrubs for LEATHERWOOD, p. 232, SILVER BUFFALOBERRY, p. 229.
See Spring Trees for SASSAFRAS (SHRUB FORM), p. 99.
More Native Alternatives:
CHOKEBERRY SPP., p. 63; DOGWOOD SPP., p. 48; FOTHERGILLA SPP., p. 27; OZARK WITCH HAZEL, p. 75; SERVICEBERRY SPP., p. 20; VIBURNUM SPP., p. 69.
See Winter Shrubs for DWARF CHINKAPIN OAK, p. 311.
See Spring Trees for AMERICAN PLUM and other native plums, p. 78; CAROLINA SILVERBELL, p. 80; CHERRY SPP., p. 82; COPENHAGEN HAWTHORN and other native hawthorns, p. 106; FLOWERING DOGWOOD, p. 94; SERVICEBERRY, p. 77.
Nonnative:
DAPHNE, MEZEREUM, SPURGE OLIVE, FEBRUARY DAPHNE. Family: Mezereum (Thymelaeaceae). Genus: Daphne (D. mezereum). Origin: Europe. Height/Spread: 3–4 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Short-lived plant with fragrant pink flowers in April to May. Cultivation: Part to full sun, well-drained dry, sandy soil. Problems: All daphne species, hybrids, and cultivars are highly poisonous if eaten and are known to inexplicably die; susceptible to disease, frost, and snow damage. Salt intolerant. Ecological Threat: Invasive in midwestern states. Zones: 5–8.
Daphne (Daphne mezereum)
Native Alternatives:
BLACK HUCKLEBERRY, p. 28; BLUEBERRY SPP., p. 27; CHOKEBERRY SPP., p. 13; CURRANT SPP., p. 35; FOTHERGILLA SPP., p. 27; RHODODENDRUM, AZALEA SPP.,