Trees

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic

Learn more about specific trees:

• Acer rubrum, (Red Maple)
• Aesculus pavia, (Red Buckeye)
• Amelanchier arborea, (Downy Serviceberry)
• Betula lenta, (Sweet Birch)
• Betula nigra, (River Birch, Red Birch)
• Cercis canadensis, (Eastern Redbud)
• Chionanthus virginicus, (Fringetree, White Fringetree, Old Man’s Beard)
• Cornus alternifolia, (Alternate-leaf or Pagoda Dogwood) new 2019!
• Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)
• Ilex opaca, (American Holly)
• Juniperus virginiana, (Eastern Redcedar)
• Liquidambar styraciflua, (Sweet Gum)
• Magnolia virginiana, (Sweetbay Magnolia)
• Nyssa sylvatica, (Black Gum, Sour Gum, Black Tupelo)
• Ostrya virginiana, (Hop-hornbeam,Eastern Hop-hornbeam, Ironwood)
• Oxydendrum arboreum, (Sourwood)
• Pinus strobus, (Eastern White Pine)
• Quercus alba, (White Oak)
• Sassafras albidum, (Sassafras)
• Taxodium distichum, (Bald Cypress)
• Thuja occidentalis, (Arborvitae, Northern Whitecedar)

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Where to See These Trees in Our Demonstration Gardens

Many of these recommended plants can easily be seen in person at local public gardens. The following gardens feature native plants and are designed and maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria.

Glencarlyn Library Community Garden
300 S. Kensington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204

Features:
Native plants suitable for a container garden, shade garden, or scented garden

• Acer rubrum (Red Maple) in the Memorial Garden
• Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry) in the NE quadrant of cemetery
• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) in 3rd Street Garden
• Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar) in the Cemetery and Woodland Garden
• Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum, Sour Gum, Black Tupelo)  in the Memorial Garden and Carlin Hall Grounds
• Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress) in the 3rd Street Garden

Shade Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street  Arlington, Virginia 22205 (near the shelter)

Features:
Native plants that thrive in morning shade and partial sun

• Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry) in section 2C
• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) in section 1W
• Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringetree) in section 8C
• Ilex opaca (American Holly) in section 8w

Simpson Park Demonstration Garden
420 E. Monroe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22301 (next to the YMCA parking lot)

Features:
Native selections for waterwise gardening and host plants for butterfly gardens

• Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry)
  Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Princess Diana’ in Princess Diana bed
• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) in the Butterfly Garden
• Magnolia virginiana (Sweetbay Magnolia) in the garden
• Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)  in the garden

Sunny Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22205 (at the end of the parking lot)

Features:
Sun-loving perennials and shrubs that thrive despite  excessive humidity or drought

• Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry) in the Bon Air Rose Garden nearby
• Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringetree) One near hollies & one near theparking lot
• Magnolia virginiana (Sweetbay Magnolia) in the row between nearby Bon Air Rose Garden and tennis courts
• Quercus alba (White Oak) at Lexington Street

Other Local Public Gardens Where These Trees May be Seen

The Potomac Overlook Native Plant Garden, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA 22207, next to the demonstration Organic Vegetable Garden maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, has a variety of trees. The garden is maintained by Audubon at Home, the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists in collaboration with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority

Features:

• Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry) is in section 2
• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) are in section 2
• Ilex opaca (American Holly) in section 21
• Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar) is in the garden
• Magnolia virginiana (Sweetbay Magnolia) is in section 4.