Large Shrubs for the Panhandle
Culture Key:
d - Plants that can withstand periodic drought.
w - Plants that can tolerate wet soils. A + indicates plants that require consistently moist soils.
p - Plants that need a protected planting site - avoid exposed or windswept sites.
Large Shrubs (over 7' tall at maturity)
1. Buffaloberry, Silver - Shepherdia argentea (d; neglected native; nice silver leaves; open habit)
2. Chokecherry - Prunus virginiana (d; reliable native; easily renewed with pruning)
3. Cotoneaster - Cotoneaster spp. (d; several types; Szechuan Fire is a release from Cheyenne exp. station)
4. Dogwood, Gray - Cornus racemosa (d; good fall color; can get quite large; likes to sucker)
5. Dogwood, Roughleaf - Cornus drumondii (d; native to e. Nebraska; good fall color; similar to gray dogwood)
6. Elderberry - Sambucus canadensis (w+; prefers moist areas; suckers; great for jams and wine)
7. Honeysuckle - Lonicera spp. (d; choose forms that are not prone to aphid damage; Amur Honeysuckle is a nice type and 'Blue Velvet' was selected from Cheyenne Exp. Station)
8. Indigobush Amorpha - Amorpha fruticosa (dw; native; good on wet or dry sites; purple blooms; legume)
9. Juniper - Juniperus spp. (d; many different types with lots of size ranges to choose from)
10. Lilac - Syringa spp. (d; lots of species and types to choose from; try to choose later flowering types)
11. Locust, New Mexico - Robinia neomexicana (d; purple/pink flowers; thicket forming)
12. Mahogany, Curl-leaf Mountain - Cercocarpus ledifolius (d; semi-evergreen; can be grown as small tree)
13. Mockorange - Philadelphus spp. (d; fragrant flowers on upright plants; P. lewisii has proven to be exceptionally hardy at Cheyenne station)
14. Peashrub - Caragana spp. (d; 'Sutherland' from Cheyenne exp. station and C. frutex are better choices)
15. Plum, American - Prunus americana (d; great native; should be used in the home landscape more)
16. Privet, Cheyenne - Ligustrum vulagre (proven at Cheyenne Station; nice dark green foliage; used as hedge)
17. Sumac, Smooth - Rhus glabra (d; good fall color; spreads underground and can be aggressive)
18. Sumac, Staghorn - Rhus typhina (d; nice fall color; similar to smooth sumac; great character plant)
19. Viburnum, Alleghany - Viburnum x rhytidophylloides (P; wonderfully large, leathery leaves; semi-evergreen)
20. Viburnum, American Cranberrybush - Viburnum trilobum (p; 'Wentworth' has great flower and fruit set)
21. Viburnum, Blackhaw - Viburnum prunifolium (p; great fall color)
22. Viburnum, European Cranberrybush - Viburnum opulus (p; very similar to American type)
23. Viburnum, Nannyberry - Viburnum lentago (dp; nice, large native shrub; good fall color)
24. Viburnum, Sargent - Viburnum sargentii (similar to V. trilobum; Onodaga is a nice cultivar)
25. Viburnum, Wayfaringtree - Viburnum lantana (d; very tough and reliable shrub; Mohican has better fruit set)
26. Wahoo, Eastern - Euonymus atropurpureus (d; native to E. Nebraska; can have great fall color)