Phormium tenax (seedlings ex Goliath)
Harakeke or giant swamp flax Ht 3m
Native, stiffly erect evergreen. Taller than usual flax, useful for sheltering stock. Seed pods stand erect. Favours wet sites but adaptable. Used for shelter in exposed moist coastal sites.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Grass - Strap like leaves
- NZ native
- Evergreen
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Shelter
Carpinus betulus 1/0
European hornbeam (1 yr old) Ht 15-20m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. A tough hedgerow and woodland tree. Popular for trimmed formal hedges. The timber is very hard and used for turnery. Yellow autumn colour. We also recommend Fagus sylvatica as a good alternative for a clipped hedge. 1 year olds - HEDGE spacing 30-60cm
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Tolerates shade
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - brown
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Firewood
- Shelter
- Hedging
Alnus glutinosa
European or black alder Ht 20-25m
Broadly conical, deciduous. Vigorous growth and good form. Habitat beside rivers and will grow in very wet places. Tolerates salt winds better than the other alders. Good firewood crop to utilise wet ground. Timber durable under water.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Alnus cordata
Italian alder Ht 25-30m
Corsica, central and S. Italy. Broadly conical, deciduous, fast growing, roots penetrate deeply. Popular for horticultural shelterbelts, trims well into a narrow tall hedge. Sheds some leaves in drought conditions. Used as a nurse crop with oak and redwood providing mycorrhiza, nitrogen and side shade to reduce epicormic regrowth on pruned final crop trees.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
- Tolerates pumice soils
Griselinia littoralis (OG grown)
Kapuka or Broadleaf Ht 5-15m
Broadly spreading, evergreen. Common throughout NZ. Long lived. Tolerates salt laden winds. A good screening plant with its glossy green leaves. Palatable to stock and possums.
Cold hardy form from the Lewis Pass.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Shrub
- NZ native
- Evergreen
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates shade
- Attractive to birds
- Erosion control
- Shelter
- Hedging
Betula platyphylla v. japonica
Japanese white birch Ht 15-25m
Narrowly weeping, deciduous. Bark pure white and retained to ground level longer than B. pendula. Leaves larger than B. pendula. Not affected by rust and has bright yellow autumn colour. Highly recommended.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Betula papyrifera
Paper birch Ht 20-30m
Northern North America. Broadly conical, deciduous. Bark white, peeling in thin layers, pale pinkish-orange when freshly exposed. Leaves relatively large, bright yellow in autumn. Yields hard white timber.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Parrotia persica
Persian ironwood Ht 6-15m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. Exfoliating bark similar to the London Plane. Small flowers with red stamens on the bare branches in winter. Leaves sometimes edged with purple that turn yellow, orange or red in autumn. Tolerates dry sites.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates dry sites
- Tolerates shade
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Crataegus ellwangeriana
Large fruited haw Ht 3-6m
Eastern USA. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Healthy large green leaves - yellow in autumn. Branches on older trees have a few large thorns. 2cm wide white flowers in large clusters and large scarlet fruits. Good screening.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Shrub
- Deciduous
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Shelter
Cornus kousa chinensis
Chinese dogwood Ht 4-10m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. Larger leaves than C. kousa. White flower bracts very showy and last twice as long as C. florida. Compound fruits pinky-red food for birds. Autumn colours are variable - purplish to bright red.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive autumn colours - purple
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive to birds
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Shelter
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