Superior
Woody Plants
Currently there are about 1100 different taxa
of woody plants being evaluated in the arboretum area at the W. D.
Holley Plant Environmental Research Center (PERC) on the Colorado
State University campus. The woody plants are evaluated yearly for
growth rate, hardiness, growth habit, foliage characteristics, flower
& fruit characteristics, disease and insect resistance and other
landscape features. Listed below are just six plants that merit more
attention for use in the Rocky Mountain/High Plains Area. You are
welcome to visit PERC located in the south-west corner of Colorado
State University in Fort Collins any day of the year during daylight
hours.
Malus 'Guinzam'
Guinevere Crabapple
Habit - Dwarf tree with rounded habit.
Height: 8-10', spread: 10'
Flowers - pink buds open to white flowers in late May
Fruit - Bright red fruit, 3/8", persistent
Fall Foliage - yellow
Cultural Requirements - well drained and moderately moist soil, sun.
Comments - No significant disease problems. Received in 1992 from
Bailey Nurseries and has done well in our research plots.
Acer grandidentatum
Big Tooth Maple
Growth Habit - broad rounded.
Height: 30-40', spread: 20-25'
Fall Foliage - yellow to red orange
Cultural Requirements - tolerant of both dry and alkaline soils. Zone
3 hardiness. Prefers full sun.
Comments - The Plant Select program is trying to select one for outstanding
fall color. Makes a very nice small tree or large
shrub. Difficult to move as bare root or B&B.
Juniperus sabina 'Mini Arcadia'
Mini Arcadia Savin Juniper
Growth Habit - a lower and more spreading growth habit than 'Arcadia'.
Very uniform appearance.
Height: 1-2', spread: 5-8'
Fall Foliage - keeps soft green color all winter
Cultural Requirements - Can tolerate dry soils and is adaptable. Sun.
Comments - Not as susceptible to Juniper blight as compared to J.
horizontalis. Received from the Greenleaf Nursery in 1988.
Cercocarpus ledifolius
Curleaf Mountain Mahogany
Growth Habit - open spreading habit, irregular
Height: 10-20', spread: 8-12'
Leaves - tough, leathery, dark green leaves with edges that curl under.
Evergreen.
Fruits - seeds have "fuzzy tails" which provide fall interest
Cultural Requirements - sun, drought tolerant.
Comments - When pruned into a small tree it shows off a very attractive
silver/gray bark. Received from Fort Collins Nursery in 1982.
Prunus persica 'Bonfire'
Bonfire Patio Peach
Growth Habit - dwarf mounding habit.
Height: 5-6', width: 5-6'
Leaves - Beautiful red color on new growth. Attractive long leaf makes
a good texture contrast with many plants.
Flowers - loaded with pink flowers
Fruit - occasional fruit but not suitable for eating
Cultural Requirements - well drained moist soil, sun
Comments - Good for small spaces but has some suckers. May not be
long lived. Received from Greenleaf Nursery in 2000.
Pyrus calleryana x betulaefolia 'Edgewood'
Edgewood Pear
Growth Habit - Upright oval, compact
Height: 25', width: 20'
Leaves - silvery green
Flowers - white, abundant
Fall Foliage - excellent reddish purple
Cultural Requirements - Zone 5, adaptable to many soils, full sun,
tolerates some dryness.
Comments - No fireblight problems observed. Received from J. Frank
Schmidt and Son Co. in 1996.
Funded by: Agricultural Experiment Station
Project 713, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Foundation, Colorado Nurseryman
Research & Education Foundation, Colorado Tree Coalition and various
nurseries throughout the state and country. In-kind donations were
received from Organix, and the City of Fort Collins.
