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

This is an image of multiple Pennisetum alopecuroides ('Hameln' cultivar) plants along a median, which have light brown, feathery flowers.

Collections:

Common:

Hameln Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum alopecuroides

'Hameln'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

1.5-2.5 ft

Spread:

1.5-2.5 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Silvery to pinkish-white, bristly, bottle brush-like flower spikes that can persist through winter

Blooming period:

Aug - Oct

Foliage:

Medium to dark green leaves

Fall:

Leaves change to golden yellow in fall fading to beige in late fall; foliage persists through 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:

5a - 9a

Other:

Regionally Invasive

'Hameln' is similar to the species, except the flower spikes of this cultivar are shorter and the plants are more compact.

Listed invasive in PA.

DEP Urban Plan 2 and Especially Dry Plan 

An image of Pennisetum orientale ('Karley Rose' cultivar) on a sidewalk, displaying the glass blades and long, conical, and purple flowers.

Common:

Oriental Fountain Grass

Scientific:

Pennisetum orientale

'Karley Rose'

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

2-3 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Bottlebrush spikes of soft-pink flowers rise above foliage (to 3' tall)

Blooming period:

Jun - Aug

Foliage:

Long, narrow blades (to 18" tall by 1/4" wide)

Fall:

Foliage turns yellowish-tan

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

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

‘Karley Rose’ is distinguished from the species by having deeper green foliage, darker, smoky rose-purple flower spikes that are larger and fuller, longer bloom period extending into September, and better winter hardiness. 

Needs good drainage.

Penstemon digitalis

Collections:

Common:

Beardtongue

Scientific:

Penstemon digitalis

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

3-5 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Two-lipped, tubular flowers (to 1.25" long) bloom in panicles

Blooming period:

Apr - Jun

Foliage:

Glossy, elliptic leaves with pointed tips (to 6" long)

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Wet

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

DEP Sun/Shade Plan 1.

Leaf icon

Common:

Cutleaf Russian Sage

Scientific:

Perovskia atriplicifolia

'Filigran'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

2-4 ft

Spread:

2-3 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Long, thin, two-lipped, light blue flowers bloom in branched, terminal panicles

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Foliage:

Finely cut, gray-green leaves

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

'Filigran' is noted for its very fine textured, almost lacy, silvery aromatic foliage and overall upright habit. 

Do not plant near natural areas

This is an image of Perovskia atriplicifolia ('Little Spire' cultivar), which has green-gray leaves and tubular violet flowers that branch out.

Common:

Russian Sage

Scientific:

Perovskia atriplicifolia

'Little Spire'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

1.5-2 ft

Spread:

1.5-2 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Long, thin, two-lipped, light blue flowers bloom in branched, terminal panicles (12-15" high)

Blooming period:

Jun - Dec

Fruit:

Non-fruiting

Foliage:

Finely cut, gray-green leaves

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

Other:

Pollinator

'Little Spire' is a compact cultivar.

Do not plant near natural areas.

Perovskia atriplicifolia

Common:

Russian Sage

Scientific:

Perovskia atriplicifolia

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

3-5 ft

Spread:

2-4 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Long, thin, two-lipped, light blue flowers

Blooming period:

Jul - Oct

Fruit:

Non-fruiting

Foliage:

Finely cut, gray-green leaves

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

High

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

Do not plant near natural areas.

Phlox subulata

Common:

Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox

Scientific:

Phlox subulata

'Emerald Blue'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

0.25-0.5 ft

Spread:

1-2 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Five-petaled flowers with notched tips bloom profusely

Blooming period:

Mar - May

Fruit:

Blooms are followed by small inconspicuous oval seed capsules

Foliage:

Prickly, awl shaped, blade-like leaves (to 1" long) are clustered along the stems

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Evergreen

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

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:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9a

'Emerald Blue' is noted for its masses of starry blue-violet flowers. 

This is a general image of Physocarpus opulifolius ('Seward' cultivar), illustrating the dark green leaves of the plant, and the small pinkish-white flowers that are clustered.

Common:

Summer Wine TM Ninebark

Scientific:

Physocarpus opulifolius

'Seward'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

4-6 ft

Spread:

4-6 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Whitish-pink flowers (to 2" in across) bloom in dense, rounded clusters

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Blooms are followed by drooping clusters of reddish seed capsules

Foliage:

Burgundy, deeply cut, ovate to rounded, 3-5 lobed leaves (4" long)

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Exfoliating bark peels to reveal layers of reddish to light brown inner bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Dry/Drought

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

Other:

Native

'Seward' is noted for its deeply cut, wine-red foliage and its dense, free-branching, mounded growth habit.  

This is an image of Physocarpus opulifolius on a street median, which has dark reddish-brown leaves and branches.

Common:

Ninebark

Scientific:

Physocarpus opulifolius

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

5-8 ft

Spread:

4-6 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Whitish-pink flowers (to 2" in across) bloom in dense, rounded clusters

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Blooms are followed by drooping clusters of reddish seed capsules

Foliage:

Ovate, dull green leaves (to 4" long) have 3-5 lobes

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Exfoliating bark peels to reveal layers of reddish to light brown inner bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

Other:

Native
Picea glauca

Common:

White Spruce

Scientific:

Picea glauca

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

10-20 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Species does not flower

Fruit:

Oval cones (to 2.5" long)

Foliage:

Glaucous, blue-green needles (to 3/4" long)

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Thin and scaly bark may exfoliate

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Evergreen

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:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 6a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe
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