Plant Finder

User Guidelines

The Plant Finder is a multi-faceted tool to assist designers, contractors, maintenance personnel, community groups and the general public in selecting plants that perform well within the public right-of-way. It expands on the lists included in previous versions of the Manual and should be used in conjunction with the guidance provided in the Landscape Chapter.

The Plant Finder database is not comprehensive and there is no guarantee that these plants will survive at a specific site. All plants within the public right-of-way must be selected based on site-specific conditions and approved by the appropriate agency or agencies with jurisdiction. Download the Plant Finder User Guide for instructions on how to use the tool.

The information in this database was generated by DOT, Parks, other agency staff, and local horticulture professionals based on their first-hand knowledge as well as from existing resources. Download the Plant Finder References page for a full list of sources.

Plant Basics

Characteristics

Tolerances

Sea Holly

Common:

Sea Holly

Scientific:

Eryngium

'Sapphire Blue'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

2-2.5 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Tiny, stemless, steel-blue flowers tightly packed into large egg-shaped heads resembling thistles appear in profusion in summer in branched clusters at the top of stiff stems. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong bloom

Blooming period:

Jun - Aug

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Basal rosettes of elliptic to oblong, cordate-based, serrate leaves (up to 4" long) with smaller, spiny-lobed stem leaves. Leaves and stems are tinged with blue

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Leave spent flowers on as they persist providing winter interest

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry/Drought

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

‘Sapphire Blue’ is a sea holly cultivar that is noted for the steel blue coloration in the flowers, stems and foliage.

Drought tolerant and needs good draining soil.

Sea Holly

Common:

Sea Holly

Scientific:

Eryngium planum

'Blue Hobbit'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

0.5-1 ft

Spread:

0.5-1 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Spiny, egg-shaped. purplish-blue flower heads atop silver-blue stems appear in a profuse and long summer bloom

Blooming period:

Jun - Sep

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Compact clump of rounded basal leaves. Violet-blue branched stems bear deeply-lobed, silvery blue-green spiny leaves

Fall:

Ornamentally insignificant. Cut back to the ground after flowering

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry/Drought

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

‘Blue Hobbit’ is a dwarf sea holly that rises in a globular mound to only 8-12" tall when in full bloom. 

Drought tolerant.

An image of a Eucommia ulmoides tree on a sidewalk, with green leaves and a thin trunk.

Collections:

Common:

Hardy Rubber Tree

Scientific:

Eucommia ulmoides

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

30-50 ft

Shape:

Rounded Spreading

Bloom:

Dioecious with insignificant apetalous greenish-brown male flowers (in clusters) and female flowers (solitary) on separate trees

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Female flowers give way to flattened ash-like winged seeds (wings to 1.5" long)

Foliage:

Serrate, elliptic to ovate, pointed, elm-like, glossy dark green leaves (3"-6" long) remain attractive throughout the growing season

Bark:

Attractive, ridge and furrowed gray-brown bark with branches that end in leaves

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 7a

Drought tolerant.

This is a general image of Euonymus fortunei ('Emerald Gaiety' cultivar ) shrubs, which has green leaves, and white margins.

Common:

Wintercreeper Euonymus

Scientific:

Euonymus fortunei

'Emerald Gaiety'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

3-5 ft

Spread:

3-6 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Inconspicuous, greenish-white flowers may appear in June. Flowers are at best sparse, but are usually not present

Blooming period:

Jun

Fruit:

Dehiscent capsules, 0.33' in diameter. Orange aril on seeds. Ripens in October

Foliage:

Rounded glossy deep emerald green leaves (to 1.75" diameter) with irregular but attractive creamy white margins

Fall:

Leaves turn dark purple in fall and winter

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

Other:

NYS Listed Invasive Species (Regulated)

‘Emerald Gaiety’ is a variegated, shrubby form with a spreading habit. Leaves are a glossy deep emerald green with irregular, but attractive creamy white margins.

Regulated in New York State. Extreme caution must be taken when siting this plant.

This is a general, overhead image of Euonymus fortunei ('Coloratus' cultivar) on mulch.

Common:

Purple Wintercreeper

Scientific:

Euonymus fortunei

'Coloratus'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

0.5-0.75 ft

Spread:

1-3 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Inconspicuous, greenish-white flowers may appear in June. Flowers are at best sparse, but are usually not present.

Blooming period:

Apr - Jun

Fruit:

Dehiscent capsules, 0.33' in diameter. Orange aril on seeds. Ripens in October.

Foliage:

Lustrous, ovate to elliptic, dark green leaves (1"-2" long).

Fall:

Leaves turn dark purple in fall and winter.

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Not available

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4b - 9a

Other:

NYS Listed Invasive Species (Regulated)

'Coloratus' is primarily a trailing ground cover form that can spread indefinitely by rooting stems. It features lustrous, ovate to elliptic, dark green leaves (1-2" long) which turn dark purple in fall and winter. 

Regulated in New York State. Extreme caution should be used when siting this plant.

Cushion Spurge

Common:

Cushion Spurge

Scientific:

Euphorbia polychroma

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

1-1.5 ft

Spread:

1-1.5 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Cymes of inconspicuous greenish flowers (lacking both sepals and petals) bloom at the stem ends in spring. Although flower cymes are not showy, they are subtended by long-lasting, bright sulphur-yellow bracts which are exceptionally showy

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Foliage:

Oblong, downy, medium green leaves (to 2" long)

Fall:

Leaves turn red in fall.

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry/Drought

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Tolerates deer, drought and air pollution.

Joe Pye Weed

Common:

Joe Pye Weed

Scientific:

Eutrochium dubium

'Little Joe'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

3-4 ft

Spread:

1-3 ft

Shape:

Compact

Bloom:

Small disk flowers (rays absent) ranging in color from pale pink to dark purple bloom in corymbiform, dome-shaped clusters (4"-7" across)

Blooming period:

Jul - Sep

Foliage:

Ovate, coarsely-toothed, strongly three-veined leaves (to 6" long) arranged in whorls of 3-4

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

3a - 9a

‘Little Joe’ is a more compact cultivar than the species. It is distinguished from the species by stiffer, more upright, and more compact growth habit, more compact inflorescences typically colored light lavender, and greater drought tolerance.

Attracts butterflies. Tolerates deer.

Leaf icon

Collections:

Common:

Dawyck Purple European Beech

Scientific:

Fagus sylvatica

'Dawyck Purple'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

25-50 ft

Spread:

6-15 ft

Shape:

Columnar Upright

Bloom:

Monoecious yellowish-green flowers are on display in mid-late spring

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Angular nuts are enclosed by bristly, spiny bracts. Beechnuts ripen in fall and are edible

Foliage:

Ovate to elliptic (to 4" long) foliage emerges deep reddish-purple in spring and darkens to burgundy purple as the season progresses

Fall:

Leaves turn more golden and bronzy in the fall

Bark:

Smooth, pale gray bark provides stunning interest in the winter

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 7b

Deer resistant.

Leaf icon

Collections:

Common:

Fern Leaved Beech

Scientific:

Fagus sylvatica

'Asplenifolia'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

60-80 ft

Spread:

35-40 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Blooms are inconspicuous

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Angular nuts are enclosed by bristly, spiny bracts. Beechnuts ripen in fall and are edible

Foliage:

Glossy, long, narrow foliage (1-3 inches) is deeply cut, soft and fern like

Fall:

Dark glossy green turning a sumptuous golden yellow in autumn

Bark:

Attractive, silky smooth grey bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8b

'Asplenifolia' gets its name for its asplenium-like leaves (folia); refers to the fern genus Asplenium.

Leaf icon

Collections:

Common:

European Beech

Scientific:

Fagus sylvatica

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

50-60 ft

Spread:

35-50 ft

Shape:

Oval Rounded Pyramidal

Bloom:

Monoecious yellowish-green flowers bloom in April to May, the male flowers in dropping, long-stemmed, globular clusters and the female flowers in short spikes

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Triangular nuts enclosed by spiny bracts. Beechnuts ripen in fall and are edible

Foliage:

Ovate to elliptic, lustrous dark green leaves (to 4" long) have wavy mostly toothless margins and prominent parallel veins

Fall:

Foliage turns golden bronze in fall

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 7a

Needs rich soil, good drainage. Shallow roots compete for available water, Not recommended for right of way.

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