Pruning is a vital part of caring for your landscape plants. But when do you prune … everything?
Certain plants need certain types of pruning at specific times of the year in order to grow, bloom, fruit and look their very best. Determining when these different types of pruning and when to do it, can seem daunting, but here is a great list to break it all down for you, taking the guesswork out of your annual landscaping chores!
When everything is completely dormant for the winter, now is the best time to prune many trees and woody shrubs. When leafless, it’s easier to see the branching structure!
All Ornamental Grasses - Unless you are keeping the blooms for winter interest
Most Deciduous Woody Trees
Early Spring Before Flowering
Before or just as you see new growth emerging for the year. Shrubs that bloom in summer and fall form next year's flowers on that current year’s growth, so they can be pruned early spring without disturbing those blooms.
Perennials - That you have left winter interest or seed heads on all winter
Annuals - Pinch now to encourage branching
Ornamental Grasses - If you left their blooms on for winter interest, cut down to just a few inches
Late Spring
Because sap flows in certain trees in the spring, it’s important to know that pruning too early will create a sticky mess. Waiting until these trees flower in spring, or just when the new leaves show, is a good idea.
Maples
Walnut Trees
Birch
Poplars
Hornbeam
Elm
Before Flowering
Any shrub that blooms on new growth can be pruned in early spring before they start to grow to shape, reduce the size, and eliminate the old and thick, less vigorous wood.
Perennials & Annuals - Before flowering to delay their bloom or to create a bushier, fuller plant with more branching
Fruit trees, Shrubs & Specimen flowers - Decrease the number of blooms per stem & increase the size of individual flowers
After Flowering
It is very important to know which of your plants bloom on new wood. Should they get pruned at the wrong time, you may not ever see flowers. Generally, these plants form their flower buds on last year’s growth and they will bloom in spring, so pruning them in fall or early spring will cut off the flowers that formed. The best time to prune these plants is as soon as they finish blooming. Prune to reduce the size or change the shape, and remove the oldest thickest stems too.
Kousa & Dogwood Trees
Redbud Trees
Honeylocust Trees - Prune in June while actively growing & prevent spreading disease
Other Flowering Trees - Magnolia, flowering versions of Fruit trees & Crabapples, & Witchhazel
Deadhead Perennials & Flowering shrubs - Unless you’re keeping seed pods or fruit for winter interest
Fruit Trees & bushes - Time to thin fruit, creating larger fruit & decrease weight per limb
Fruiting & Flowering Trees - Prune to open the canopy for sunlight & air circulation.
After Fruiting
To prevent removing next year's blooms that become next year's fruit, pruning after harvest or fruiting is done ensures you won’t diminish fruit set each year.
Cherry Trees - Typically bloom & fruit early in the growing season, it's important to prune after fruiting is complete
Tropical Fruiting & Flowering Trees & Shrubs
As Soon As Foliage Yellows
Flowering bulbs form roots in the fall before going dormant, so the green foliage is very important for making food and storing energy for the next year’s blooms. So leaving the green leaves intact until they turn yellow, then you can trim the old leaves to the soil making room for other plants in your borders.
Spring & Fall Planted Bulbs - Hyacinth, Tulip, Muscari, Daffodils, etc.
Spring Planted Bulbs - Gladiolos, Canna Lily, Elephant Ears, etc.
Spring Ephemerals
Early Autumn
Nights start getting cooler and some plants have already started shutting down for the year. Now is also the time to remove the leaves and stems that were diseased or dead to prevent overwintering in the old leaf litter.
Peonies
Annuals that are done for the year
Late Autumn
Deciduous plants are shutting down at this time and it’s time to prune if the leaves have fallen off. Rake up these leaves and compost them or dispose of them to prevent disease or overwintering insect eggs from transferring to the new year.
Most Perennials - Remove spent leaves & stems, plus remove old growth to make room for new growth. Unless leaving intact seed heads for winter interest or bird food.
Daylilies & Hostas - Let die down from a heavy frost or two & then remove all of the old foliage. Discard for sanitation purposes.
Special Plants & Situations
Wisteria Vines & Wisteria Tree-forms
Wisteria has a specific method of pruning that we suggest with a 2 step pruning cycle:
Early Spring - Remove dead/old limbs & shape
Summer Pruning - Shorten new growth by half after flowering to reduce the size
Allow the first round of blooms to flower on the old canes from the previous year. Climbing Roses differ in that you will have to maintain some older canes until new shoots come from the ground. Then selectively remove the oldest, fattest stems to the ground after the first round of flowers.
After their first flush of new growth for an informal look, make individual cuts on branch tips, or some like to shear them for a formal look. This is best done in early spring to remove any winter-damaged tips and again to reduce the amount of new growth in the first flush.
Fruit Trees
Pruning fruit trees is a whole science and changes by region because of climate or insects or disease.
It makes a big difference too if you have a newly planted young tree, or maybe you are renovating an older neglected fruit tree or orchard. Most suggest pruning Apples, Apricots, Peaches, Pears, Cherries or Plums during the winter when you can see crossing branches or broken or diseased branches that can be cut out. Young plants may not have those issues yet, and that may be more appropriate for older plants.
It is important to prune fruit trees right from the beginning so you can alter the form, opening up the center for air circulation and sunlight, and to select branches to best hold the weight of fruit without tearing the tree. Winter pruning is suggested to prevent the spread of disease or insects, and because you can see the branching of the plant.
While many others suggest pruning fruit trees during the growing season to easily correct the form because those pruning cuts heal almost immediately with less chance of disease issues. So before pruning your fruit trees, it is a great idea to do a little homework to get the timing right for your area of the country.
Types of Pruning
Most pruning should be completed by mid-summer so any new growth that forms afterward will have time to ‘harden off’ before winter frost.
Annual Cleaning
Removing dead or diseased, crossing branches - can be done any time, mostly late winter
Removing water growth & suckers - done in late spring or summer
Tip Pruning (Pinching)
Snipping off or literally pinching off the tips of growth before your plant flowers to encourage side branching and fullness. Done in Spring or as the new growth begins to expand.
Annuals, Perennials & Young shrubs
Candle pruning Pine trees - Read about this method in detail in our Garden Blog
Thinning
Removing the largest, thickest stems to make room for younger more vigorous stems, while also stimulating new growth.
Opens canopy for air circulation & sunlight
Roses, Evergreen shrubs & trees, Large shrubs
Heading
Heading back a tree or shrub means shortening up some of the lengths of the longer stems by pruning them back to control the size and shape of your plant.
A light surface pruning to create a smooth and formal appearance to evergreens and hedges. Topiary and hedges are often sheared after they’ve completed their first spring flush of growth, and some hedges can be sheared again in mid-summer.
Evergreen & Broadleaf Evergreen shrubs & trees
Hedge & Screening Plants - Prune so the limbs closest to the ground are wider and the tops narrower, no matter the maintained height. This ensures that they won’t shade out the bottoms and hold their foliage right to the ground for best screening
Renewal pruning rejuvenates older, neglected shrubs by cutting out the oldest, thickest stems to the ground leaving the thinner younger stems in place to flower and fruit. This can also apply to removing the top third of a shrub to encourage a flush of new growth.
Many Shrubby, Deciduous Flowering Shrubs - Especially those that bloom on last year’s growth, benefit from having the oldest, thickest stems cut out leaving the thinner, younger and more vigorous stems in place to flower and fruit
Flowering & Fruiting Trees & Shrubs - Flower & fruit better with a renewal pruning every third year
Red & Yellow Twigged Dogwoods, Lilacs & Viburnums - All respond beautifully to renewal pruning
Cutting back perennials and some grasses is a yearly task done to remove all of the old top growth from the previous growing season. This is best done either in fall for perennials that may have had diseased leaves or the old growth, or in early spring before there is new growth. Ornamental Grasses are best left up for winter to enjoy, and so the cut hollow stems don’t collect water which can cause problems.
Topiary
Spirals, boxes, circles or cones, even pom-poms - Create unusually shaped shrubs or small trees with specialized cuts and training, combined with shearing to create a unique garden Topiary sculpture!
Boxwood
Privet
Juniper
Holly
Grafted Spruce
Espalier
Space-saving flat pruning technique that trains a tree or vine into a unique specimen that can act as a focal point or living wall/screen in the garden without taking up space. Read more here in our Garden Blog!
So Sharpen Your Shears!
Pruning is a very important part of garden maintenance! Nature Hills is happy to take the guesswork out of when and how to prune! Save time and prevent mistakes by allowing NatureHills.com to help you keep your garden growing beautifully every year!
We love it when things are easy to care for! That goes for our landscaping as well!
Ditch the fussy, high-maintenance shrubs that need constant shearing, pruning, fertilizing, spraying … and worrying! There’s so much more out there that’s available!
Check out these shrub alternatives to plant instead!
1. Rose Bushes
2. Formally Sheared Evergreens & Hedges
3. Shrubs That Are Deer Buffets = Spray Spray Spray!
4. Foolproof and Fuss-Free Shrubs
5. Water Hungry Shrubs
Get a Fuss Free Landscape With Shrub Alternatives
Whether it’s pests, diseases, the weather, maintenance and upkeep, or deer that keep you busy (or holding you back from buying that hottest new variety hitting the market), there’s an easy-going alternative available in every instance!
Some shrubs are gorgeous, but they’re just too much work!
1. Rose Bushes
Roses were made to be thought of as difficult when they first became popular. After all, the aristocracy didn’t want anyone else growing them! Grandma’s Roses did have some issues with disease and pests, which are still present to this day. But now there’s so many easy to grow and disease-resistant Roses on the market that your head will spin!
Check with your local County Extension Office to see what issues are in your area for Roses and buy shrubs that are made to resist them - Whether it’s Black Spot or Japanese Beetles, or some other disease… There's a Rose out there resistant to it!
Problem - High Maintenance
Oso Easy® Roses need no spraying or deadheading, plus they stay compact and full of flowers!
Knock Out® Roses - bloom from spring until frost and do not need deadheading. Disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and only need pruning once a year.
Easy Elegance® Roses are perfect for beginners! Hardy and disease-resistant type of Shrub Rose that resists everything!
Problem - Constant Spraying, Chemicals & Insect Damage
Rugosa Roses - salt tolerant wild and hybrid Roses that grow and bloom like crazy. Very hardy to cold and won’t be bothered by many pests or common Rose issues
Wild Roses - If they can grow in ditches, think of what they can do in your backyard!
Problem - Climate too Cold or too Hot?
Choose Roses rated for USDA growing zones 9, 10 and 11 for hot climates
Choose Roses rated for USDA growing zones 3 to 4 that have extreme cold in the winter
For Arctic zone 2 winters - Choose Redleaf Rose, Rugosa Roses, or Purple Pavement Rose
Problem - High Humidity and Powdery Mildew
Sunbelt® Roses - highly heat and humidity resistant
Try Rose alternatives like Rhododendrons, Gardenias, or Camellias
2. Formally Sheared Evergreens & Hedges
Problem - Sheared formal hedges look fantastic, but they need shearing at least a couple times of the year plus the usual maintenance and issues that may arise. Even shearing once a year is a significant chore when you have a lot of hedges!
Instead, try one of these naturally neat and tidy shrubs that may only need a single trim to keep them looking just as formal and tidy.
False Holly (Osmanthus)
Deutzia
New varieties of Spirea
American Arborvitae
Native Inkberry Holly
Dwarf Conifers - False Cypress, Junipers, Bird’s Nest Spruce and Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Boxwood
Indian Hawthorn
Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)
3. Shrubs That Are Deer Buffets = Spray Spray Spray!
Wintercreeper Euonymus, Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Yew (Taxus), Hydrangea (Bigleaf/Panicle/Oakleaf), Blue Holly, Staghorn Sumac, Roses, and American Arborvitae (Thuja) are often favorites of hungry deer in some parts of the country. Even when they have plenty to eat outside of your yard. But when food is scarce, these and many other shrubs take a hit each winter.
You can spray every three months from the date of installation to train deer to not like your shrubs and go for the neighbors instead, put up expensive fencing and barriers … or you can simply plant shrubs that deer despise!
Plant Boxwood instead of Yews in areas it does well
Plant Daphne instead of Rhododendrons in hot growing zones
Plant Oregon Grape Holly in place of Azalea in cold growing zones
Try Fragrant Sumac instead of Staghorn Sumac
Pieris are evergreen and fragrant alternatives to Azaleas
Use Snowball or Arrowwood Viburnum instead of Hydrangea
A Dwarf Alberta Spruce or False Cypress as great alternatives to Arborvitae
Weigela bushes are great alternatives flowering shrubs
Try Deutzia or Rose of Sharon instead of Roses
Crape Myrtle shrubs are great deer-resistant shrubs too!
Wintercreeper alternatives include Fothergilla
Scarlet Firethorn is a thorny barrier plant with colorful berries and evergreen foliage
4. Foolproof and Fuss-Free Shrubs
Quite a few shrubs need babied along and fussed over while they get established. Watered, papered, and worried over. In this hectic day and age, we need a plant-it-and-forget-it shrub! While all new shrubs need your attention their first year, these are the best for being the most resilient, easiest to get established, and foolproof shrubs for even the most black thumb out there!
In addition to the easy-care Landscape Roses above, try these shrubs for the forgetful or lazy gardener!
Forsythia
Yew (Taxus)
Viburnum
Native Buckeye Bushes
Flowering Quince
Abelia
Privet
Scarlet Firethorn
Bush Honeysuckle
Sweet Box
American Beautyberry
Possumhaw
Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo)
Sweetspire
Camelia
5. Water Hungry Shrubs
Rising costs and increased strain on the water supply mean that thirsty shrubs need to be replaced for more Xeric, water-wise options! Climate change too is increasing drought in some areas, so you need shrubs able to look good on less!
Wax Myrtle
Manzanita
Abelia
California Lilac
Rockrose
Daphne
Hebe
Pittosporum
Pieris
Potentilla (Bush Cinquefoil)
Go Native - If they grow in your area anyway and already thrive without your involvement
Get a Fuss Free Landscape With Shrub Alternatives
Save time, money, keep chemicals out of the environment, reduce water dependency, and focus on more enjoyable aspects of your landscape by planting Shrubs that practically take care of themselves!
See our #ProPlantTips for Care for additional tips and tricks to make your existing landscape easier to care for, while you are including these lower-maintenance options! Nature Hills is here to help you squeeze every drop of enjoyment from your garden - without the work!
Happy Planting!
Fine-textured and easy-to-grow Ash trees (Fraxinus) were one of the most popular street and landscaping trees in the US for many years! With airy greenish blooms and winged seed pods, their pointed foliage cast shade over many a garden until recently.
Fraxinus americana, also known as the White Ash/American Ash tree, is a species of native deciduous tree to Eastern and Central North America. They readily colonize riparian zones, and stabilize stream banks, and provide shade and nesting sites for wildlife.
So why is it that Ash Trees became so popular to plant anyway? And why would you want to replace yours with something else?
The Small Green Problem With Ash Trees
What to Plant Instead of Ash Trees
Bring on the Biodiversity!
Green, Black, and White Ash are native to a large portion of the US and Canada. Many nurseries have some incredible selections from the native species that are seedless, have great fall color, and have beautiful upright and rounded forms!
Municipalities, homeowners, and landscape architects began noticing the beautiful seedless selections that were coming on the market. They began being used on almost all the projects not only because of their varied forms and fall color, but because of their adaptability to different soil types, and hardiness.
If you have ever seen an Autumn Blaze Ash in full fall display, you know just how unbelievably and intensely gorgeous they can be!
The Small Green Problem With Ash Trees
So why would anyone want to replace or find an alternative to the amazing Ash Tree?
Too much of a good thing maybe? You would think we would have learned from our past mistakes by lining so many streets and urban plantings of American Elm only to see the demise of such a stately tree from Dutch Elm Disease that has wiped out so many trees. Thus, plant hybridizers and nurseries have developed so many different new Elm selections that are Dutch Elm Disease resistant and we are now able to grow many different cultivars once again.
The same thing has now happened with the way we were using (or we should say overusing) Ash trees in our landscapes. Because of its widespread distribution, the Ash Tree has now also begun to face its own struggles - the Emerald Ash Borer.
Who would have guessed that we would import a bug that bores into the trunks of all the different kinds of Ash trees and eventually kills them?
What no one really expected is that borers typically only affect trees that are stressed or not healthy, but the difference with this bug is that it wildly attacks every single healthy Ash in its path.
At first, the movement was slow, but eventually, we figured out the movement of infected Ash tree firewood was being transported to many campgrounds, cabins, summer homes, and heavily wooded areas. Areas that contained native Ash trees!
Many years later, we have yet to introduce a resistant Ash Tree to the market. The bug continues to spread slowly and in all directions taking out all Ash in its path.
So to help stop the spread of the Borers and still enjoy your landscape, try one of these amazing alternatives!
What to Plant Instead of Ash Trees
If you live in an area where the Emerald Ash Tree Borer is prevalent, you will no doubt be looking for an alternative! Those areas now include most of the East Coast, New England, and as far West as Texas to Nebraska, affecting 30 states and killing tens of millions of native and non-native Ash trees in their wake.
Check out these alternatives that also have great shade, fast growth, and incredible blooms!
1. Birch Trees
The fine-textured foliage of the Birch Tree and its many cultivars also have gorgeous bark and fall color that creates a picturesque look to your landscape. Try a native River Birch or Paper Birch, or have some fun by planting a variegated Shiloh Splash River Birch or Royal Frost® Birch that is sure to have the neighbors green with envy! All Birch will perform best where the roots are not baked by the sun, but shaded by a north-facing site, where the roots are in the shade of another tree or house, or covered in a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch that is spread out past the dripline.
Unique Colored & Peeling Bark
Fine-Textured Foliage
Great Fall Color
Wildlife & Bird-Friendly
Cold-Hardy USDA Zones 2 Through 9
2. Linden Trees (Basswood)
The lovely heart-shaped leaves and light green, winged seed pods of the Linden Tree create such a lovely display! Very pollinator-friendly, these trees have strong pyramidal-shaped canopies at maturity. Try a native American Linden Tree, or the smaller Littleleaf Linden to adorn your yard and enjoy the sweet-smelling flowers!
Magnificent Pyramidal Canopy
Tight, Upright Pyramidal Growth
Winged Light Green Flowers/Seed Pods
Heart-Shaped Leaves
Cold, Heat & Urban Environment Tolerant
3. Sweetgum Tree
The Sweetgum (Liquidambar) is a unique and underutilized native tree that features spring flower clusters that become persistent spiky seed balls that birds love! But standing back one will notice that the narrow Burgundy is a very balanced pyramidal tree that tapers down from a central leader. When space is limited, this modern variety is the right choice! The Burgundy Sweetgum features vibrant burgundy and purple fall color rounds out the season beautifully!
Unique Star-Shaped Leaves
Columnar Shade Tree Fits In Small Landscapes
Brilliant Burgundy/Purple Fall Foliage!
Mature Height 40 - 60 feet
Mature Spread 20 - 30 feet
4. Hackberry Tree
Another big native tree with great shade is the Hackberry Tree. Named for its fall fruit that can be very bitter (but foragers use them as a chocolate substitute!), the mighty tree features strong growth and an upright form. The textured bark on mature trees adds winter interest too!
Large Pointed Foliage
Strong Trunk & Branches
Hardy Deciduous Tough Native
Long-Lived Shade, Street & Specimen Tree
Seeds for Birds
Resists Windy Sites & Urban/Drought-Tolerant
5. Elm Trees
After the lesson with Dutch Elm disease, hybridizers have worked diligently to create hybrid Elms or selections of American Elm that are resistant to the disease. These include the Princeton Elm Tree, Accolade Elm, the Triumph Elm Tree, New Harmony Elm, and the St. Croix™ American Elm. The fine-textured leaves and wide adaptability, make Elms a natural choice for an Ash Tree alternative.
Wonderful Shade & Fine-Textured Leaves
Graceful Form
Many Elm Disease-Resistant Varieties to Choose From
Shade, Specimen & Street Tree
Honorable Mention
Honeylocust Trees have come a long way with a wider variety of options, sizes, and colors to choose from! The fragrant blooms, strong open canopies, and fine-textured leaves create light shade that won’t shade out your lawn and the small leaves take care of themselves in the fall! Try a Shademaster Honeylocust or other Thornless and seedless Honeylocust Tree for a great alternative!
Should I treat the Ash Tree I have in my yard?
Treatment is available and if you have a significant specimen in your yard, you may want to consider having it treated by an Arborist or Tree Service. What many are finding out in areas that are infected, they are spending their money on replacing those Ash trees instead of treatment.
Your local County Extension Office will be an amazing resource for you to learn about options in your area, and be able to tell you if Emerald Ash Borer is a rising issue. County Extension Offices can also let you know tips and tricks to help prevent the spread!
Bring on the Biodiversity!
Biodiversity is the key when it comes to all urban landscapes. A healthy urban forest includes many different kinds (many different Genus) smartly planted without a monoculture of any one kind of tree. Planting many kinds of trees alternating with different Genus is the key!
Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to ensure we adhere to all State and Federal Agricultural Laws and not ship this Tree into areas where it will be any kind of an issue!
Check out all the great shade trees available at Nature Hills and accent your landscape without worry!
Happy Planting!
With soft sage green foliage and fine texture, the Russian Olive Tree is common to see growing along roadside and highway ditches. These scrubby-looking, wild trees may not look the greatest in these areas but a cared-for Russian Olive in the landscape is something to behold!
So why can’t you find a Russian Olive for sale in a tree nursery?
Russian Olive Tree Alternatives For Your Landscape!
Non-Invasive Alternatives
The Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a deciduous tree native to Europe and Asia and unfortunately, has found its way here and become invasive in many areas. Growing That is why you will not see them sold in stores.
Introduced in the early 1900s as a windbreak tree that stabilized soil along riverbanks (its favorite environment) and provided habitat for wildlife, unfortunately, the Russian Olive escaped cultivation and is invasive throughout California and 16 other states. Outcompeting and choking out native trees and plants.
So what can you plant instead?
Russian Olive Tree Alternatives For Your Landscape!
Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 7, here are some cold-climate and warm-growing zone options for the Russian Olive.
1. Serviceberry/Juneberry Trees
The Amelanchier tree or shrub goes by many names like Common Serviceberry, Downy Serviceberry, Juneberry, Saskatoon Serviceberry, Shadblow, Shadbush, and Sugarplum, but this hardy native with small soft-green foliage and brilliant fall color creates an open and airy tree or shrub that thrives in a wide range of climates and growing conditions. The white flowers feed bees and become fat, juicy, edible purple berries resembling blueberries! Make syrups and jam from the fruit or let your songbirds eat them instead. Try a large-scale Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, or the Cole's Select for incredible three-season beauty.
Smaller White-Flowering Shade & Street Tree
Wide Range of Heights & Widths
Edible Fruit For Humans & Wildlife
Incredible Fall Color
Open, Airy Canopy
2. Amur Chokecherry Tree
Nicknamed the Manchurian Cherry, the Amur Chokeberry (Prunus) is a fantastic edible ornamental that has four seasons of visual interest. This mid-sized tree delivers a symmetrical look but has an open and airy feeling that works well in naturalized landscapes. You'll welcome spring with a wonderful, fragrant flower display of drooping clusters. Delicate 3-inch racemes of pristine, white blossoms herald the new season. Those pretty, white flowers transition to small, red drupes that transition to black as they ripen in July. They are edible and - with sugar - can be used in tasty jams and jellies.
Leaves Turn Yellow in Fall & Drop Cleanly for Easy Fall Clean-up
Mature Height 20 - 30 feet
Mature Spread 25 - 30 feet
Decorative Bark With Year-Round Interest
Great Pollinator & Wildlife Tree
Fragrant, White Spring Flowers
Growing Zones 2 - 6
Use the Berries to Craft Jam or Jelly
3. White Fringe Tree
Known as the Old Man's Beard and many other regional names, the White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus) features unusual streamer-like white spring flower clusters that become purple grape-like fruit (on female trees) that birds love! The lacy fine texture and open canopy complement any landscape in both sun and partial sun locations. They’ll even handle full shade in hotter climates of USDA zones 4 to 9.
Unique Fringed Streamer-Like Flowers
Open & Airy Canopy
Purple Fruit In Fall On Female Trees
Mature Height 15 - 20 feet
Mature Spread 10 - 15 feet
Can Handle Moist to Average Conditions
4. Japanese Snowbell Trees & Shrubs
The small foliage and smooth grey bark that fissures as it matures, the Japanese Snowbell is densely packed with elliptical deep green, and glossy foliage all growing season long! Plus you and your pollinators will benefit from the abundant white, pendulous flowers that become flashes of red berries for birds in the fall! As this deciduous tree ages, its bark starts to exfoliate and reveal mottled orange streaks beneath the gray outer surface.
Smaller White-Flowering Shade & Street Tree
Mature Height 15 - 20 Feet
Mature Spread 6 - 9 Feet
Yellow-Green Tulip-Like Early-Spring Flowers
Great Fall Color & Textured Bark For Winter Interest
Pollinator/Bird-Friendly
5. Real Olive Trees
Fruiting Olive Trees are the natural choice in warm regions as alternatives to Russian Olives. But with the bonus of edible fruit. Olive Trees are best in warm growing zones of 7 to 10 and have all the perks and benefits of the Russian Olive without any invasive tendencies. However, these trees prefer more arid, Mediterranean conditions instead of moist, riparian sites.
Open Light Shade Canopy
Sage-Green Fine-Textured Foliage
Drought/Xeric Loving
Airy Flowers For Bees
Edible Fruit For Preserving & Brining
Honorable Mentions
For a smaller option with silvery foliage reminiscent of the Russian Olive, the Silver Buffaloberry is an 8-12 foot tall bush or multi-trunked tree form, that also has the added benefit of vibrant red berries for birds! It offers unique silver foliage, is extremely drought-tolerant, and spreads wide without getting too tall!
Another option is the native Nannyberry Viburnum bush, you don't have to work hard for its priceless rewards - including shockingly bright fall foliage, cherry-red bird-friendly berries finish ripening to blue-black, and profusions of pure white blooms for pollinators. Growing 18 - 20 feet in height and spreading 6 - 10 feet, this incredibly cold-hardy shrub can be trimmed into a multi-trunked tree form for a more formal look!
Non-Invasive Alternatives
The Russian Olive tree may have cemented its presence along American roadsides and ditches, but finding alternatives that aren’t invasive is easy!
Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to ensure we adhere to all State and Federal Agricultural Laws and not ship this Tree into areas where it will be any kind of an issue!
Find these fantastic alternatives and many more Unique Trees at Nature Hills Nursery today!
Happy Planting!
It’s Apple season! But many Apples with thin skin won’t stick around for long and you’ll be rushing to use up your harvest. So you need good, old-fashioned storing Apples! Plus, once those early and mid-season Apples are done, you will still want a tree to fill your larders with Apples that will last through the late fall and winter!
Late-season Apples last and last, and often get better in flavor after storage! Check out some of the best late-season winter and storage Apples for your home orchard!
Honorable Mentions
Storing Apples For A Year-Round Supply
A Note About Apple Tree Pollinators
Know When to Harvest Your Apples
Tasty Long-Term Late-Season Goodness!
Your usual long-storage Apple favorites include Fuji, Red Delicious, and Gala Apple trees that have a range of harvest dates and great storage capabilities! But maybe you are looking for one that isn’t regularly sold in stores!
A good winter or long-term storage Apple needs good thick skin to resist bruising and cuts, plus help keep the flesh inside from drying out!
1. Wealthy Apple
The Wealthy Apple Tree (Malus 'Wealthy') is a very juicy apple, with a tart and sweet, lively flavor and notes of honey, raspberry, and strawberry-like flavor. It was one of the first high-quality Apple varieties grown commercially and it is now often grown by backyard orchardists and great for smaller urban landscapes in the cold North. This mid-season Apple will be full of loads of red-blushed yellow-green fruit. The flesh is white with occasional streaks of red, which is crispy and very juicy.
Very Juicy Red & Yellow-Green Apple
Stores for 2-3 Months
Semi-Dwarf Size
Great Heirloom Apple
1,000 Chill Hours
2. Mutsu (Crispin) Apple
The Mutsu Apple Tree (Malus 'Mutsu'), also known as the Crispin, is a cultivar first grown in Japan. It is a large to very large, greenish-yellow skin with a conical shape and an incredible sweet-tart flavor. Crisp and juicy with an alluring hint of tartness, the Mutsu has a unique exotic flare. Some say the flavor is closer to apple cider. Storing for a very long time, these are prolific producers! The Mutsu apple tree provides its bounty in September, and what a bounty it is! It has creamy white flesh and is delicious when eaten right off the tree, or stored for later use.
Large to Very Large Green-Golden Fruit
Sweet-Tart Crispy Flavor
500-600 Chill Hours
Very Long Storage & Late Season Harvest
Baking, Pies, Sauces, & Salads
3. Red Rome Beauty Apple
Rosy red round fruit, the Red Rome Beauty Apple Tree (Malus domestica 'Rome') is a medium-large, Apple with lovely greenish-white, fine-grained, juicy flesh that is perfect for baking because it holds together great when cooked! These spur-bearing trees are named after the Ohio town where this chance seedling was discovered.
Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 6 through 9, you can try pairing with an early season and a late season ripening Apple tree to extend your harvest! The late-arriving fragrant blossoms show up later to avoid lingering spring frosts to ensure an abundant crop by September to October.
Flavorful Rosy Red Round Apples
Fine-Grained Greenish-White Flesh
Tart Long Storing Late Season Fruit
Fantastic Firm Texture For Baking & Preserves
Harvest September to October
700 Chill Hours
4. Granny Smith Apple
One of the best-known Apple varieties for baking, and cooking, the Granny Smith Apple Tree (Malus 'Granny Smith') enjoys a long history of embodying an Apple with exceptional tartness for fresh eating and baking qualities! The greenish-white flesh is crisp and juicy! The juicy, white flesh is likewise energizing, with a crisp, tart flavor that's perfect for award-winning pies, culinary dishes...or just right off the tree!
Its lovely, light-green skin (occasionally with a subtle, pink blush) presents a vibrant sight amid the branches in October, and in some growing zones can still be harvested until January! Storing remarkably well, these fruits remain crisp in cold storage or refrigeration for up to 6 months!
Popular Green-Skinned Baking Apple
Crisp Greenish-White Flesh
Delicious Tart Apples
Perfect Baking Apple - Holds Shape Well
Late-Season Harvest & Stores 6 Months in Cold Storage!
~400 Chill Hours
5. Arkansas Black
Outstanding color and flavor, with unique fruit on a gorgeous ornamental, the Arkansas Black Apple Tree (Malus 'Arkansas Black') will be full of dark red, nearly-black gems! This antique variety is a hardy and long-lived tree! The flavor is described as wine and honey, with hints of almonds and a mild vanilla finish, making them amazing dessert apples! It develops its best flavor after it has been stored chilled for a couple of months where it will darken and ripen where it sweetens.
Dark Purple-Red Skin & Pure White-Flesh
Late-Season Harvest
Can Store 5 Months or More
Honorable Mentions
The Frostbite Apple is an extremely cold-hardy variety with sugar-sweet crisp fruit! Typically ripe late in the season in September to October, and then the red round fruit lasts 3 months in storage.
For a late-season Apple with a very long hang time, the Jonagold is a standout sweet fruit!
Storing Apples For A Year-Round Supply
There are a few key points to remember when starting to store your Apple harvest!
Apples must be of the best quality - no blemishes, bruises, or broken skin
Clean your fruit well and dry the skin completely
Wrap clean and dry Apples in newspaper or other clean wrapping
Dry skin but higher air humidity
You can wrap them in a plastic bag in a lower-humidity location
Basements or cellars are great locations, crisper drawers or cardboard boxes
Ideal storage conditions must include cool, dark locations above freezing with high humidity. Check your harvest frequently and immediately remove any that are bruised, showing signs of rotting, or spotting.
A Note About Apple Tree Pollinators
Some Apple trees are self-fruitful or partially self-pollinating, every fruiting variety does better with a friend! By planting in groupings, linear hedgerows, and high-density plantings, you’ll enjoy a far larger harvest per tree when planting your Apple with a pollination partner planted nearby.
Know When to Harvest Your Apples
Knowing when your Apple variety is typically ripe is the first step. It helps to know if you are growing an early, mid, or late-maturing Apple so you have an idea of when to start checking. Different apple varieties have different ripening dates, which can vary from year to year depending on the weather and your growing zone.
While picking one and taking a bite can let you know if it's time to harvest, there are a few other indicators that let you know when the time is right.
Look for unbruised Apples that feel firm and heavy in your hand. The fruit should be firm and richly colored. The Apple should come off the tree easily when slightly pulled back from the fruiting spur on the tree. Cut the Apple in half to check for white flesh and if the seeds are brown. Then taste it … it should not be strongly sour or pithy.
Your local County Extension Office can be a good source for knowing when Apples are ripening in your area so check with them.
Check out all of Nature Hills' #ProPlantTips on caring and maintaining your Apple tree for the healthiest plants, the most fruit, and a long lifetime of fruit!
Tasty Long-Term Late-Season Goodness!
Get ready to enjoy your harvest all year long! Imagine still having tasty Apples during the off-season or as winter and holiday gifts for your loved ones!
All of Nature Hills’ fruiting trees and shrubs are shipped with mature 3-4-year-old root systems so you’ll enjoy fruit sooner! Find all these late-season and storage Winter Apple Tree varieties and more here at Nature Hills Nursery!
Happy Planting!
Are your coniferous evergreens turning yellow or brown in their interior or dropping needles this time of year? Did you just receive an evergreen from Nature Hills this fall and the bottom of the is full of needles?
Don't fret!
Every year the calls and questions ramp up in the fall, usually after the first cold snap or after the first strong autumn storm. And every year Nature Hills is here to ease your worries and remind you that Evergreens shed their old 'leaves' too!
Out With The Old
What To Expect In Autumn
Leaf Shed During Delivery
When To Be Concerned About Evergreen Needle Drop
It Is Called 'Fall' For a Reason!
Out With The Old
Just like deciduous trees do each fall, the oldest, most interior foliage drops as a way of making room for fresh new growth in the spring! Evergreens with needles or needle-like structures, like Pines, Spruce, Fir, and other types of conifers and broadleaf evergreens - All dispose of their old leaves that don't photosynthesize efficiently any longer.
While an autumn drop of needles and leaving bare branches is completely normal for deciduous conifers like Larch, some Redwoods, and Bald Cypress, other evergreens also shed their needles in the autumn as well! Just not completely.
Some evergreens hold only one year of foliage on the newest growth, while others may hold two years or more. Douglas Fir Trees and Hemlocks may stick around 3-4 years while some Spruce can hold needles up to 5!
Broadleaf Evergreens such as Camellias, some Rhododendrons, types of Holly, and Boxwood drop their leaves throughout the year as they become less efficient. Chances are you probably won’t even notice.
What To Expect In Autumn
Pine trees like White Pine hold the green, newest needles at the branch tips, but the older needles towards the interior will turn lemon yellow, brown, or tan, and fall off in a matter of a week or so. Leading to many gardeners biting their nails worrying something is wrong.
Don’t worry, all Pines will do exactly this, just some more noticeable than others!
Spruce, Hemlock, and Fir trees also shed their older interior needles closest to the trunk, but it is much less obvious and sometimes the shed isn’t noticeable.
Arborvitae shrubs and trees this time of year will also see their older foliage turning yellow or tan and getting ready to drop. All cultivars and species of Arborvitae will drop the older foliage each fall season, but some are much more obvious than others leading to some concerned gardeners.
This holds true for plants that are established, in the ground, in containers and planters …and plants that have just been delivered!
Oldest needles not photosynthesizing efficiently fall away
Interior needles being shaded out by new growth drop since they can’t produce food
Old needles in general
Just like the old hair on our heads, needles fall out to be replaced by new fresh growth!
Leaf Shed During Delivery
Being boxed and shipped exasperates the needle and fall leaf drop. Changes in humidity, temperature, and being out of the sun while your new plants are being shipped to you stimulate plants that are going dormant for the winter to hurry up the process of dropping those old leaves. Shipping can be a bit stressful for a plant after all!
Not just for the plant but for you too! When you receive your newly delivered tree or shrub in the fall with the bottom of the box full of shed needles - we understand that can leave you with good reason to be concerned!
Don’t worry! Follow the instructions for unboxing and inspecting limbs and roots, soak your new plant, and then get it planted as soon as possible!
When To Be Concerned About Evergreen Needle Drop
When should you be worried when your Evergreens drop their foliage?
Any time during the growing season when entire branches or limbs suddenly become defoliated (lost all their needles)
Whenever needles at the tips of your branches fall off
If new buds drop before opening
Any time new growth falls off either still green or turns brown/tan first
Sometimes Spruce trees and shrubs can in some areas of the country be susceptible to a fungus called Rhizosphaera needle cast, or Spruce Tree Needle Drop, which causes the needles to turn brown and fall off.
In other areas, Rusts and other fungal issues on the foliage can cause yellowing and lead to needle drop too.
Spider mites can be an issue on stressed trees as well.
It’s a good idea to always check your trees and shrubs yearly and check in with your local County Extension Office to see which evergreens perform best in your immediate area and which to avoid due to a higher probability of potential issues prevalent in your region.
This is because susceptibility can change from one region/climate to another, and change from year to year as well!
Sanitation is key so if you suspect any issues with your trees - both deciduous and evergreen - be sure to rake up and dispose of any possibly infected dropped needles or leaves each fall. Stopping it from spreading or reinfecting your plants from year to year.
Any time you are concerned about your trees or shrubs, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local County Extension Office or contact Nature Hills!
It Is Called 'Fall' For a Reason!
Being aware that this happens, especially in a drought year, it is more obvious and may happen earlier in the fall. The key is keeping newly planted Arborvitae soil moist until the ground freezes. It also helps to provide supplemental water during the dry periods of the year and top off the root zone with a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch.
So if you have needles dropping in the autumn - It's just your trees removing old needles that aren’t pulling their weight! Get the rake and gather up this free mulch for your acid-loving plants and break out the hose!
Your conifers are just getting ready for the winter and preparing for bursts of fresh new spring growth! Nature Hills is here with you to help you get your garden tucked away for the winter and will be here for bright spring beginnings too!
Check out all the fantastic Evergreen Trees available at Nature Hills today!
Happy Planting!
longer stems by pruning them back to control the size and shape of your plant.
Cutting back perennials and some grasses is a yearly task done to remove all of the old top growth from the previous growing season. This is best done either in fall for perennials that may have had diseased leaves or the old growth, or in early spring before there is new growth. Ornamental Grasses are best left up for winter to enjoy, and so the cut hollow stems don’t collect water which can cause problems.
Spirals, boxes, circles or cones, even pom-poms - Create unusually shaped shrubs or small trees with specialized cuts and training, combined with shearing to create a unique garden Topiary sculpture! 
