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

Panicum Virgatum 'Shenandoah'

Collections:

Common:

Switch Grass

Scientific:

Panicum virgatum

'Shenandoah'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

3-4 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Shape:

Columnar

Bloom:

Pink-tinged, finely-textured flower panicles rise above foliage

Blooming period:

Jul - Feb

Fruit:

Panicles turn beige as seeds mature with the seed plumes persisting into winter

Foliage:

Long and narrow leaves (to 2-3' long x 1/2" wide) emerge bluish-green then rapidly turn burgundy-red by early summer

Fall:

Leaves turn yellow with orange tints then fade to tan

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

Other:

Native

'Shenandoah' is noted for its beautiful burgundy-red foliage. 

DEP Urban Plan 3, Especially Dry Plan, and Especially Wet Plan.

This is an image of Panicum virgatum ('Heavy Metal' cultivar), which is an ornamental grass that has a vertical shape.

Collections:

Common:

Switch Grass

Scientific:

Panicum virgatum

'Heavy Metal'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

4-5 ft

Spread:

1-2 ft

Shape:

Columnar

Bloom:

Pink-tinged, finely-textured flower panicles rise above foliage

Blooming period:

Jul - Feb

Fruit:

Panicles turn beige as seeds mature with the seed plumes persisting into winter

Foliage:

Metallic-blue, long and narrow leaves (to 2' long x 1/2" wide)

Fall:

Leaves turn yellow then fade to tan-beige

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

Other:

Native

'Heavy Metal' features metallic-blue foliage and a columnar form.

DEP Urban Plan 2.

Panicum virgatum 'Cheyenne Sky'

Common:

Prairie Winds® Switch Grass

Scientific:

Panicum virgatum

'Cheyenne Sky'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Columnar Clumping

Bloom:

Pink-tinged, finely-textured flower panicles rise above foliage

Blooming period:

Jul - Feb

Fruit:

Panicles turn beige as seeds mature with the seed plumes persisting into winter

Foliage:

Long and narrow leaves (to 2' long x 1/2" wide) emerge blue-green then turn deep wine red in early summer

Fall:

Leaves turn yellow with orange tints then fade to tan

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

Other:

Native

‘Cheyenne Sky’ is noted for its tall, upright, blue-green foliage that turns deep wine red in early summer. 

This is an image of a young Parrotia persica tree, that has a pyramidal shape and a thin trunk, located on a sidewalk.

Collections:

Common:

Persian Ironwood

Scientific:

Parrotia persica

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-40 ft

Spread:

20-30 ft

Shape:

Oval Rounded

Bloom:

Flowers with no petals (apetalous) have a profusion of dense, red stamens surrounded by brownish bracts

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant; irregular, dry, brown capsules (1/2" diameter)

Foliage:

Ovate leaves (to 4" long) emerge reddish-purple then mature to a medium to dark green

Fall:

Foliage turns shades of yellow, orange and red

Bark:

Mature bark exfoliates to show green, white or tan patches

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

None

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9b
This is an image of Parthenocissus quinquefolia, a woody vine that has green, saw-toothed leaflets, which are climbing upon a wall.

Common:

Virginia Creeper

Scientific:

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Plant type:

Vine

Height:

30-50 ft

Spread:

5-10 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant

Blooming period:

May - Aug

Fruit:

Small, dark blue to black berries (to 3/8" diameter) are often hidden by foliage until fall

Foliage:

Compound-palmate leaves made up of five ovate, saw-toothed leaflets (each to 6" long) emerge purplish then mature to dull green

Fall:

Foliage turns shades of purple and crimson red

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Full Shade

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9a

Other:

Native

Use caution when planting as vine can damage wood/shingle walls. Regular trimming is also advised to regulate spread. 

This is an image of Parthenocissus tricuspidata, which is a climbing vine that has three distinctly stalked leaflets.

Common:

Boston Ivy

Scientific:

Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Plant type:

Vine

Height:

30-50 ft

Spread:

5-10 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant

Blooming period:

Jun - Jul

Fruit:

Small, dark blue to black berries (to 1/3" diameter) are often hidden by foliage until fall

Foliage:

Lustrous dark green leaves with three lobes (4-8" wide)

Fall:

Foliage turns scarlet red to purple but can be semi-evergreen in warmer climates

Special Qualities:

Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Full Shade

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Emerging or Reported Invasive (locally)

Use caution when planting as vine can damage wood/shingle walls. Regular trimming is also advised to regulate spread. 

Pennisetum alopecuroides

Common:

Red Head Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum alopecuroides

'Red Head'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

4-5 ft

Spread:

4-5 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Deep smoky red flowers rise above the foliage in the narrow bottle-brush form on the end of the spike

Blooming period:

Jul - Oct

Foliage:

Medium to dark green leaves (to 2-3' tall x 1/2" wide)

Fall:

Leaves turn shades of gold to orange then pale tan

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

Other:

Regionally Invasive

'Red Head' is noted for its stylish red-hued bottlebrush plumes (up to 8-10") that emerge in midsummer. 

Listed invasive in PA.

Leaf icon

Common:

Black Flowering Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum alopecuroides

'Moudry'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

2-2.5 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Deep purple flowers rise above the foliage in the narrow bottle-brush form on the end of the spike

Blooming period:

Aug - Oct

Foliage:

Medium to dark green leaves (to 2-3' tall x 1/2" wide)

Fall:

Leaves turn shades of yellow, chartreuse and amber

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

Other:

Regionally Invasive

'Moudry' is noted for its distinctive dark purple flower spikes.

Listed invasive in PA.

This is an image of Pennisetum alopecuroides ('Little Bunny' cultivar), showcasing the long, green grass blades and its white, feathery flowers.

Collections:

Common:

Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum alopecuroides

'Little Bunny'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

1-1.5 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Silvery to pinkish-white flowers are concentrated in the narrow bottle-brush form on the end of the spike

Blooming period:

Aug - Oct

Foliage:

Medium to dark green leaves ( to 18" long x 1/2" wide)

Fall:

Leaves turn to golden yellow to beige in fall with it persisting into winter

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

Other:

Regionally Invasive

'Little Bunny' is one of the smallest fountain grass cultivars growing only about 12-18" tall.

Listed invasive in PA.

DEP Urban Plan 1. 

Leaf icon

Common:

Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum alopecuroides

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

2.5-5 ft

Spread:

2.5-5 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Silvery to pinkish-white flowers are concentrated in the narrow bottle-brush form on the end of the spike

Blooming period:

Jul - Feb

Foliage:

Medium to dark green leaves ( to 3' long x 1/2" wide)

Fall:

Leaves turn to golden yellow to beige in fall with it persisting into winter

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

6a - 9a

Other:

Regionally Invasive

Listed as invasive in PA.

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