Trees

This may be the heirloom fig Amato, sometimes incorrectly Amata, that was imported by Amato Tassa from Italy during his immigration from Italy. An article was written about his Mr. Tassa's 25' high fig tree in Washington, D.C. in the October 8, 1910 issue of the Washington Times as fresh ripened figs seem to be almost unknown from that area at that time. In Dr. Ira Condit's Figs: a Monograph he lists this variety as Royal with the synonyms: Obispo, Trojano di Napoli, Tassa Brown, and Geraci Black and suggests that it was imported several times and was given a variety of names. Dr. Condit states that it produces both a fair breba crop and a decent primary crop of medium to large, black, violet, to green, turbinate, or flattened and with little or no neck, with a modereately rich, sweet flavor and an amber to strawberry flesh. It has a medium to large eye and so may be best suited to drier climates. Amato's cold hardiness, as proven by its ability to apparently thrive and produce in the Washington, D.C. area, should make this a good fig to try in more northerly latitudes. These were kindly shared with us by Christine Jones. Item# 11450

The large rounded, thick, tough, blue-green to deep olive green, evergreen foliage is long-lived and as the name suggests you can sign your name on a young leaf and watch it grow as the leaf expands. The Autograph Tree, Clusia rosea, is an upright growing tropical to subtropical tree from the Caribbean and southern Florida that produces white to pink, 2-3 inch wide, waxy flowers that open at night and may last into morning on overcast days and are followed by 2-3" diameter green fruits that eventually fall and split open to reveal bright red-orange seeds that attract birds. Although this is a tropical tree it can easily be maintained as container shrub with pruning. Provide full sun to part sun in a well-drained, average moist soil. Its night opening flowering suggest moth pollination making this a good addition to the moon moth garden. Drought resistant and a forgiving and easy container specimen. Item# 12609

The sweet melon scented, 8-10" wide huge white flowers are produced in midspring and can potentially reach 12" across with pollinated flowers producing large cones with bright orange-red fleshy seeds. One of the most notable aspects of the Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, as its name suggest is its huge, wide, bluish-green foliage with a white reverse that can be up to 30" long and over 12" wide boasting the largest leaves of any native North American tree. This is a medium sized, deciduous tree with a slow to moderate rate of growth with a pyramidal habit when young eventually developing a rounded crown at maturity. Provide the Bigleaf Magnolia with an average moist, well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter preferably sited out of strong winds to protect the foliage. It can be grown in full sun to partly shaded conditions and flowering usually begins at around 10 years of age. The flowers offer nectar to a variety of pollinators and the ripe fruit is utilized by birds and small mammals. Item# 12600

Large dense clusters of deep red bottle-brush shaped flowers are produced throughout the growing season suspended at the ends of the ropelike weeping limbs adorned with deep green glossy narrow foliage. Boyette Weeping Bottlebrush was selected for its continuous display of showy red flowers, where most Weeping Bottlebrush cultivars are spring and fall flowering, and an extreme weeping habit. The nectar and pollen laden flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Moderately drought resistant once well-established. Boyette Weeping Bottlebrush develops into a small evergreen tree whose unusual form lends it to use as a specimen tree in a sunny site with a well-drained soil. Young plants may need staking until they reach the desired height. Item# 12013

A small native tree or large thicket forming, suckering shrub which is covered with lightly fragrant white flowers in late winter or early spring before the leaves emerge and are followed by about 1" diameter or slightly larger red to yellow fruit. The Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia, is widely distributed throughout the south central and southeastern portion of the US and is typically found on well-draining sandy sites although it is considered to be fairly adaptable even in clay soils. Fruit quality varies from tree to tree with some fruits being tart to sweet while that on other trees may be bitter and typically ripens in early to midsummer. The dense growing canopy offers protection to nesting birds, the flowers attract a variety of pollinators especially bees, and the fruit can be eaten fresh or made into preserves or jelly. Provide this deciduous native with a full to mostly sunny site, with average or better drainage, and an average moist soil. Item# 1097

Large, 4-7'', clusters of fragrant brilliant white flowers are borne in spring as the rich green new growth emerges. A beautiful and easy small flowering tree. Rich dark glossy green foliage. Durability, toughness, and vigor lend this tree to use as a street tree or practically anywhere in the garden. Chinese Fringe is moderately drought tolerant once well established. Highly recommended by Dr. David Creech at Stephen F Austin University, Nacogdoches, Texas where a huge planting of this wonderful tree lines Wilson street on campus. A 2003 UGA Gold Medal winner! Item# 9129.

Large, 4-7'', clusters of fragrant brilliant white flowers are borne in spring as the rich green new growth emerges. A beautiful and easy small flowering tree. Rich dark glossy green foliage. Durability, toughness, and vigor lend this tree to use as a street tree or practically anywhere in the garden. Chinese Fringe is moderately drought tolerant once well established. Highly recommended by Dr. David Creech at Stephen F Austin University, Nacogdoches, Texas where a huge planting of this wonderful tree lines Wilson street on campus. A 2003 UGA Gold Medal winner! Item# 11089

This rare and magnificent member of the Witchhazel family, Hamamelidiceae, is a close kin to the more widely grown Persian Ironwood, Parrotia persica, but offers better cold hardiness, improved heat tolerance, brilliant red long-lasting fall color, better wind resistance, excellent disease and pest resistance, and it tends to be faster growing. The Chinese Ironwood, Parrotia subaequalis, develops into a multi-trunked, naturally vase-shaped to rounded, deciduous large shrub to small tree growing to 15-30' high. The beautiful exfoliating bark in shades of green, tan, and white and on mature trunks add another season of interest while the clusters of small Witchhazel-like red winter to early spring flowers are hardly noticeable. The fall color of the Chinese Ironwood starts out maroon and deepens to an intense glowing red that lasts for weeks whether grown in sun or shade. It is considered to be drought resistant but should be provided with average moisture until well-established. Item# 12265

Bronze new growth on red stems quickly matures into large, dark green, glossy foliage with a serrated edge. Spring brings large clusters of white flowers that are followed by large red berries. A close kin of Red-Tip Photinia but with a more disease resistant disposition. Chinese Photinia has a moderate rate of growth and develops into a large evergreen shrub or small tree. Grow it as a specimen or as a hedge. Item# 10319.

Large drooping panicles of fragrant fleecy-white flowers adorn this small, native tree in spring and are followed by clusters of tiny black olive-like fruit in summer and fall and are great for birds. The Grancy Graybeard is a tough and adaptable small deciduous tree with a medium rate of growth that is makes an excellent understory tree, specimen, or in mixed natural landscapes. It is also tolerant of urban settings. Item# 10958.

Large drooping panicles of fragrant fleecy-white flowers adorn this small, native tree in spring and are followed by clusters of tiny black olive-like fruit in summer and fall and are great for birds. The Grancy Graybeard is a tough and adaptable small deciduous tree with a medium rate of growth that is makes an excellent understory tree, specimen, or in mixed natural landscapes. It is also tolerant of urban settings. Item# 10958.

Considered by many to be one of the best Bottlebrush cultivars, Hannah Ray is a vigorous growing selection whose large deep orange-red flowers hang from weeping stems. The new growth is bronze and develops into a soft blue green. An excellent choice anywhere a small evergreen tree or large shrub is desired. Hannah Ray is drought resistant and the nectar and pollen laden flowers are sure to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Established plants may be found in flower nearly throughout the warmer months. Item# 11043

Large, 1-2" long x 3/8-1/2" diameter, shiny black mulberries with a very sweet flavor are produced in spring and are basically seedless. Fruit can be eaten fresh as well as to make jelly, jams, and even wine. The Illinois Everbearing Mulberry, a highly popular hybrid of Morus alba and the native M. rubra, reliably produces large crops at a young age and is self-pollinating. These are fast growing, medium sized trees with a natural umbrella to rounded shaped mature habit to 30-40' high and wide. Songbirds love the ripe fruit and waves of Cedar Waxwings come through annually to feast on them. Mulberries make an easy and low maintenance fruit tree for homes and gardens. These are cuttings grown from our own tree. Item# 1000

The culmination of years of breeding and selection, the LaNana Cypress was selected for its deep emerald green, fine textured foliage with excellent disease resistance and the trees produce no knees, have excellent vigor potentailly growing 4-6' per year, a naturally conical growth habit, are both salt and alkaline soil tolerant, and are drought resistant once well-established. Dr. Dave Creech of SFA Gardens, Nacogdoches, Texas in cooperation with Dr. Yin Yunlong and the Taxodium Breeding and Improvement Program at Nanjing Botanical Gardens in China have developed and selected this highly improved kneeless Cypress that was bred from controlled crosses of the Montezuma Cypress, Taxodium distichum var. mexicana, and the Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum var. distichum. LaNana Cypress, a.k.a 'T406', has proven to be the most popular of the resultant clones and has been trialed across much of the southern US. Image credit of Laurence Truett, SFA Gardens via Dr. Dave Creech, all rights reserved. Item# 10697

Large clusters of sweetly fragrant white flowers are born in winter which are followed by delicious 1" apricot-like fruit. Large dark green tropical foliage adorns the limbs of this large evergreen shrub to small tree with a dense rounded habit. Can be grown as an espalier, in containers, and certainly in the garden. Few if any pest or disease problems. Item# 497.

Huge, 3-5" long mulberries, with a raspberry-like flavor. Mulberries are typically fast growing, medium sized trees with a natural umbrella shaped mature habit to 30' high and wide. These are  grown from cuttings from our own tree. We  have a few ready for spring.  Item # 854.

3-5" green-yellow fruit with banana custard-like flavor, some say they are best after being frozen. Produces fragrant purple flowers in spring. A small native, normally understory tree, and is the caterpillar host plant of the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Seedling grown. Plant two different varieties or seedlings for pollination. Item# 786.

The large conical spikes are composed of tubular flowers that curl around curiously at their tips open a pastel creamy yellow and mature to a peachy pink and orange are produced nearly year round attracting both hummingbirds and bees. At maturity the red tipped styles spring open providing additional contrast and creating a bottlebrush-like display. Peaches and Cream Grevillea is a compact well-branched medium-sized heat and sunloving evergreen shrub that is cloaked in medium-textured deeply cut rich green foliage. Grevillea are normally somewhat xeric but Peaches and Cream has proven to be wonderfully tolerant of high humidity and average moist soils but will need little supplemental water once well-established in the garden or landscape. It also makes an easy, low-maintenance and forgiving container specimen that can be overwintered indoors where not hardy. Can also be utilized as cut flowers. Images courtesy of Star Roses and Plants, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12205