Tree & Shrub Descriptions & Pictures
Shrubs
American Plum
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-14)
A large shrub or small tree (20 to 30 feet tall). It has rapid growth with wide-spreading branches and grows well in outer rows of multiple-row windbreaks. This plum flowers profusely in late spring, making it an attractive addition to any planting. Plums can be used to make jams, jellies, and pies. Its dense growth provides cover and nesting sites for many species of birds.
Chokecherry
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-12)
A very hardy, large shrub or small tree, growing fast to a mature height of 10 to 25 feet. This Idaho native, common throughout Idaho, bears white flowers clustered in hanging spikes that later produce dark, purple fruits. The fruits are a wildlife favorite and make good jellies and pies. Because of its dense growth form, chokecherry is an excellent choice for outer rows of multiple-row windbreaks. Wildlife benefit: The fruits are a prime source of food for chipmunks and many songbirds in the fall.
Nanking Cherry
(Seedlings are Superstock 9-12)
6-10, Very hardy, attractive shrub that produces abundant, edible fruit good for making jelly. Its fast growth makes it a good choice for exterior rows of windbreaks. Withstands heat, drought, cold and wind and may bloom 2-3 years after planting.
Sandcherry
(Seedlings are Superstock 10-16)
Shrub to 7' Hardy shrub that withstands heat, cold, wind, and drought. Spring blooming white flowers are replaced with edible fruit. Provides great food source for wildlife. Rapid growth, producing fruit by second year. Recommended for outer rows of multi-row windbreaks.
Potentilla (or Shrubby Cinquefoil)
(Seedlings are Superstock 6-12)
4-6, Idaho native tolerant of cold, heat, drought, flooding, saline, acidic and alkaline soils. Inch-wide yellow flowers bloom continuously from June until frost. Recommended for stabilizing streambanks, revegetating disturbed sites, and outer rows of windbreaks.
Redosier Dogwood
(Seedlings are Superstock 6-14)
7'-10' Very colorful all year with bright red twigs. Winter hardy, shade tolerant and fast growing. Prefers moist soils. White flowers appear in clusters in late May to mid June followed by white berries in the fall. The berries are utilized by birds. Recommended for outer rows of multi-row windbreaks. Also has potential for use as a single-row windbreak where a dense, short barrier is desired.
Purple Lilac
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-12)
12'-20', An attractive, winter-hardy, slow growing, suckering, drought-tolerant, medium to tall shrub. Fragrant flowers blossom in May. Attractive green foliage. Recommended for planting in outer rows of multi-row windbreaks. Can be planted in a single-row windbreak where a low, dense barrier is desired.
Siberian Peashrub
(Seedlings are Superstock 7-12)
12-18', Probably the most frost, drought, alkaline-soil resistant shrub suited to Idaho growing conditions. Bright yellow May flowers. Fruits yellow-green, linear pods up to 2 inches long. Ideal for planting in outer rows of multi-row windbreaks or for single row hedges.
Serviceberry
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-12)
615 An Idaho native. Winter hardy, long lived, tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions. In spring, it has drooping white or pinkish flowers that fade rapidly, replaced with pinkish fruits that turn purple when ripe. Fall red color. High quality plant for wildlife cover and food. Fruit is also edible. Ideal for exterior rows of multiple-row windbreaks.
Arctic Blue Willow
(Seedlings are Superstock 12-16)
Shrub 10'-15' Grows into a very dense mound, making it a superb living snow fence. Ideal for planting as a single-row windbreak or in exterior rows of multi-row windbreaks. Rapid growth rate. Prefers moist soils. This dense plant is a fine source of cover for rabbits and birds.
Apache Plume
(Seedlings are Superstock 6-10)
4-6 desert shrub native to the Southwest. This shrub is evergreen in desert climates, but may drop leaves in colder and wetter winter conditions. Apache Plume is extremely drought tolerant once established, and like many other desert plants, has an extensive root system. This quality makes it very useful in erosion control and soil stabilization. Lovely 2 showy, feathery, pink-plumed seeds which resemble the head dress of an Apache warrior. The native people used the stems to make brooms and arrow shafts, and the leaves to make a tea that prevented hair loss. The flowers of Apache Plume attract bees and butterflies and the plant also provides cover for small mammals and ground-dwelling birds. The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.
Silver Buffaloberry
Shrub 6-14 A very hardy, drought resistant, thorny native shrub withstands cold and wind. Well adapted to dry, moderately alkaline and saline soils. Tolerates infertile soils. Excellent windbreak tree. Maintains dense cover through winter, ideal for many birds and animals. Fruit highly prized for making jelly. Plant in outer rows of multi-row windbreaks. Good for single-row plantings where a low, dense barrier is desired.
Trees
Common Wild Apple
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-12)
Will grow 25-30 with a nearly equal spread, with full sun and moderate moist soil. It is used in the outer rows of multiple-row windbreaks. Edible apples follow fragrant white flowers. The apples provide food for bears, chipmunks, robins, woodpeckers, waxwings, pheasants, and deer. If left unpruned, the drooping lower branches provide winter cover for upland game birds.
Green Ash
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-14)
40'-60' A very winter-hardy, drought-resistant, alkali resistant, long-lived native tree which is adapted to a wide range of soils and climatic conditions. This species is easily transplanted with high survival rates. Plant in central rows of multi-row windbreaks.
Quaking Aspen
About 40, Idaho native, grows quickly. The limbs and trunk are smooth, white to light-green to gray in color. Leaves are round and quake or flutter in even a slight breeze and turn a splendid golden color in fall. Cold hardy and not too particular about soil. Sends up suckers.
Bur Oak
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-14)
60-75 - 30-foot spread. Rugged and tolerant of adverse conditions. Its leaves are large (8-10 inches) with deep lobes. Seedlings grown from acorns collected near Filer, Idaho. Moderate drought tolerance. Slow growth first 2 to 3 years when taproot is developing. Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, birds, and turkeys eat the acorns
Rocky Mountain Juniper
(Seedlings are Superstock 12-14)
20'-30', Idaho native, long-lived, winter hardy, medium to rapid growth rate. Highly drought tolerant (12-26 water requirement). Grows in a wide range of soils. It forms a very dense, symmetrical crown and is a superior small tree for windbreaks in this region. This species is known for its uniform broad conical shape, vigorous growth, and greater than average foliage density. Important source of food, shelter, and nesting for numerous birds, mammals, big horn sheep, and deer.
Austrian Pine
(Seedlings are Superstock approx. 10)
40'-60' A long-lived, winter hardy tree. It grows well on a wide variety of soils, but requires supplemental watering (35-50). Has a fast rate of growth, growing 18-24 inches a year once established. It has a dense, dark green crown. Excellent windbreak tree because it holds its lower branches very well. As a young tree, it has a pyramidal form and in maturity develops a round, flat-topped head.
Ponderosa Pine
(Seedlings are Superstock 8-12)
60-80, Idaho native withstands hot, dry sites well. Fast growth rate, 18-24 inches a year once established. Adapts to a variety of soil conditions but must have good drainage and full sunlight. Many consider this pine to be the most reliable evergreen for windbreaks. Provides excellent cover, food and nesting sites for much wildlife.
Hedge Maple or English Field Maple
(Seedlings are 10-16)
This tree slowly grows 25-35 feet tall with a round crown and dense branches. Summer foliage is dark green, changing to a lovely golden yellow in the fall. Hedge maple is very drought tolerant, grows in acid and alkaline soils and adapts to most soil types, but prefers moist well-drained soils and full to partial sun. This maple is a low branching tree and is commonly pruned into a tall hedge, hence its common name. If a tree look is desired, the lower branches can be pruned for a less hedge like shape. Hedge maple is also a good choice for bonsai. The wood used in the Middle Ages for making musical instruments. We recommend this maple for the interior rows of a windbreak, or as an urban or residential landscape tree. Seeds and buds are eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, and grouse.
Hybrid Siouxland Poplar
(Seedlings are Bareroot 12-24)
60'-80', Very fast growing, seedless hybrid. Tolerates alkaline conditions. Requires deep moist soils or supplemental irrigation for fast growth. Will survive in dry conditions. Large glossy leaves. Because of its rapid growth, has been utilized to provide early windbreak protection.
Blue or Green Spruce
(Seedlings are Superstock approx. 12)
50'-60', An attractive, hardy, long-lived tree grows unusually slow the first 1-3 years after planting, but has a medium growth rate after that. Its crown is very dense with attractive pyramidal form. It prefers deep, moist, well drained soils but will grow well on other soils if sufficient moisture (20-45) is available. The color varies from green to blue. It makes an excellent windbreak species and traps and holds snow well.
Scotch Pine
(Container stock approx. 2 feet)
Height of 40-50 feet and a spread of 25-30 feet, The Scotch Pine is a lovely pine widely used throughout North America as a landscape pine and as a commercially grown Christmas tree. It is notable for its beautiful bluish-green or yellowish-green foliage. It can be successfully grown in even poor soils.A distinctive characteristic of this tree is its scaly, bright orange-red bark, often seen on the upper trunk and branches. This bark becomes darker and very rough on the lower trunk of older trees. This tree is very tolerant of soil conditions, moisture and extremes of weather. As a young tree it grows rapidly, but has a moderate growth rate after that.