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 a mature Pinus strobus, an ovular pine tree that has bright green needles.

Common:

Eastern White Pine

Scientific:

Pinus strobus

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

50-80 ft

Spread:

20-40 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Species does not flower

Fruit:

Cylindrical, light brown cones (4-8" long)

Foliage:

Blue-green needles (to 5" long) grow in bundles of five

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Gray-brown bark darkens with age and becomes deeply furrowed and scaly

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Evergreen

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

Other:

Native, Fall Dig Safe
Pinus wallichiana

Common:

Himalayan Pine

Scientific:

Pinus wallichiana

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

30-50 ft

Spread:

20-35 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

Species does not flower

Fruit:

Slender cones form (6-10” long) on 1-2” stalks that begin to droop as they mature to light brown

Foliage:

Gray-green needles (to 8” long) form in bundles of five

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Smooth bark that becomes fissured with age

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Evergreen

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 7a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe
Pistacia chinensis

Common:

Chinese Pistache

Scientific:

Pistacia chinensis

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

30-35 ft

Spread:

20-30 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Inconspicuous green panicles

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Pollinate blooms on female trees give way to small spherical fruits (to 1/4" diameter) that emerge red then ripen to blue

Foliage:

Even, pinnately compound leaves (to 10" long) are composed of 10-12 lanceolate dark green leaflets (to 4" long)

Fall:

Foliage turns shades of yellow, orange and red

Bark:

Fissured grey-brown bark flakes off to reveal salmon-red to orange inner bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

6a - 9a

Other:

Pollinator, Fall Dig Safe
This is a low image of a Platanus occidentalis tree, which allows the crown to be visible, and has green leaves that appear yellow.

Common:

American Planetree

Scientific:

Platanus occidentalis

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

75-100 ft

Spread:

75-100 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant; Monoecious, with separate male and female flowers; male flowers are yellowish and female flowers are reddish

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Female flowers are followed by green round fruit that matures to a yellow-brown fuzzy spherical balls (to 1 3/8" diameter)

Foliage:

Large, 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves (4-9” wide) have coarse marginal teeth

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Attractive, patchy bark is a mix of creamy-white to olive-green. Mature trees may shed large sections of bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

High

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 9a

Other:

Native, Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe
This is an image of Platanus x acerifolia ('Columbia' cultivar) on a sidewalk, showcasing its thin trunk and cylindrical shape.

Collections:

Common:

Columbia Planetree

Scientific:

Platanus x acerifolia

'Columbia'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-80 ft

Spread:

30-40 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant; Monoecious, with separate male and female flowers; male flowers are yellowish and female flowers are reddish

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Female flowers are followed by green round fruit that matures to a yellow-brown fuzzy spherical balls (to 1 3/8" diameter)

Foliage:

Large, 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves (4-9” wide) have coarse marginal teeth

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Attractive, patchy bark is a mix of creamy-white to olive-green. Mature trees may shed large sections of bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

High

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

3a - 10a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe

'Columbia' is a hybrid between P. occidentalis and P. orientalis that is resistant to anthracnose which can cause discoloration and leaf drop. 

This is an image of Platanus x acerifolia ('Bloodgood' cultivar), displaying its pyramidal shape and green leaves that are beginning to turn yellow.

Collections:

Common:

Bloodgood Planetree

Scientific:

Platanus x acerifolia

'Bloodgood'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

70-85 ft

Spread:

50-70 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant; Monoecious, with separate male and female flowers; male flowers are yellowish and female flowers are reddish

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Female flowers are followed by green round fruit that matures to a yellow-brown fuzzy spherical balls (to 1 3/8" diameter)

Foliage:

Large, 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves (4-9” wide) have coarse marginal teeth

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Attractive, patchy bark is a mix of creamy-white to olive-green. Mature trees may shed large sections of bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

High

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

5a - 9a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe

'Bloodgood' has dark green foliage and shows some resistance to the problematic anthracnose disease of sycamores.

This is an image of a common Platanus x acerifolia tree, with its light brown bark and bright green leaves.

Collections:

Common:

London Plane Tree

Scientific:

Platanus x acerifolia

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

75-100 ft

Spread:

60-75 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Ornamentally insignificant; Monoecious, with separate male and female flowers; male flowers are yellowish and female flowers are reddish

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Female flowers are followed by green round fruit that matures to a yellow-brown fuzzy spherical balls (to 1 3/8" diameter)

Foliage:

Large, 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves (4-9” wide) have coarse marginal teeth

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Bark:

Attractive, patchy bark is a mix of creamy-white to olive-green. Mature trees may shed large sections of bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

High

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe
This an image of Polygonatum odoratum ('Variegatum' cultivar), which has soft green leaves that are outlined with white.

Common:

Solomon's seal

Scientific:

Polygonatum odoratum

'Variegatum'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

0.75-1 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Greenish-white, elongated, bell-shaped flowers droop in pairs on short pedicels

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Attractive blue-black pendulous berries (1/4" in diameter) hang from leaf axils

Foliage:

Stems spread by rhizomes with each clad with alternate, elliptic bright green leaves with streaks of creamy white (to 4" long)

Fall:

Foliage turns an attractive yellow

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Part Sun to Full Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

'Variegatum' is noted for its showy light green leaves that are edged with white.

This is an image of Potentilla fruticosa ('Goldfinger' cultivar), which is flowering, including its green foliage and yellow flowers.

Common:

Shrubby Cinquefoil Goldfinger

Scientific:

Potentilla fruticosa

'Goldfinger'

Plant type:

Perennial

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

2-4 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Profuse blooms of rich yellow, five petaled saucer-shaped flowers (to 1.5" in diameter)

Blooming period:

Jun - Sep

Fruit:

Dry, brown achene

Foliage:

Compound, medium to blue-green pinnate leaflets are elliptic and linear; 3 to 7 leaflets per leaf

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow to green fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

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:

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

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 7a

Other:

Native, Pollinator

'Goldfinger' is noted for its profuse blooms that area richer golden yellow than the species. 

Blooms throughout the summer into the fall.

This is an image of Potentilla fruticosa ('Coronation Triumph' cultivar), showing both its foliage and occasional yellow flowers.

Common:

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Scientific:

Potentilla fruticosa

'Coronation Triumph'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

2-4 ft

Spread:

2-5 ft

Shape:

Rounded Mounded

Bloom:

Profuse blooms of bright yellow, five petaled saucer-shaped flowers (to 1.5" in diameter)

Blooming period:

Jun - Sep

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant; dry, brown achene

Foliage:

Compound, medium to blue-green pinnate leaflets are elliptic and linear; 3 to 7 leaflets per leaf

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow to green fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

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:

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

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 7a

Other:

Native, Pollinator

'Coronation Triumph' is noted for its early and profuse bloom of bright yellow flowers in late spring.

Blooms throughout the summer into the fall.

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