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

Placeholder Image

Collections:

Common:

Snow Goose Cherry

Scientific:

Prunus

'Snow Goose'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-25 ft

Spread:

20-25 ft

Shape:

Spreading Upright

Bloom:

Small, fragrant, white flowers (to 1/2" across) bloom profusely and cover the branches

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Ovate, bright to dark green leaves (to 2.5" long)

Fall:

Foliage turns shades of yellow and gold with flashes of orange

Bark:

Reddish brown bark, horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

'Snow Goose' is noted for its abundant, pure white blooms and for being more resistant to common Prunus diseases.

 

This is an image of a blossoming Prunus ('Okame' cultivar) tree in an elevated planter, highlighting the plants light pink blossoms.

Collections:

Common:

Taiwan Cherry

Scientific:

Prunus

'Okame'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Showy and fragrant, rosy pink flowers cover branches in profuse blooms

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Inconspicuous, small fruit (to .5" diameter)

Foliage:

Ovate, dark green leaves (to 2.5" long) have a fine texture

Fall:

Foliage turns bronzy red to bright orange

Bark:

Reddish brown bark, horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Not available

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8a

'Okame' is noted for its bright, rosy pink flowers. 

Leaf icon

Collections:

  • Median Plants

Common:

Dream Catcher

Scientific:

Prunus

'Dream Catcher'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-30 ft

Spread:

10-15 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Small, very fragrant, pink five petaled flowers (to 1" across)

Blooming period:

Mar - May

Fruit:

Small fruit (to 1" diameter) emerged red and quickly ripens to black

Foliage:

Elliptic to obovate dark green leaves (to 2.5" long)

Fall:

Foliage turns yellowish-orange to purple

Bark:

Dark reddish-brown to gray bark; smooth with horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

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

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe

'Dream Catcher' is similar to 'Okame'. It is noted for its soft-pink flowers and orange-to-purple fall leaves. 

This is an image of Prunus cerasifera ('Thundercloud' cultivar), which has burgundy-colored leaves, with a round canopy.

Collections:

Common:

Cherry Plum

Scientific:

Prunus cerasifera

'Thundercloud'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Small, very fragrant, white to pink five petaled flowers (to 1" across)

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Small purple plums (to 1" diameter)

Foliage:

Thin, ovate to elliptic leaves (to 2.5” long) emerge bright red then gradually mature to reddish-purple

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Dark reddish-brown to gray bark; smooth with horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

'Thundercloud' is a purple-leaved cultivar that typically grows as a dense, upright-spreading tree.

Best purple leaf color occur in full sun locations.

Prunus cerasifera

Common:

Cherry Plum

Scientific:

Prunus cerasifera

'Newport'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

15-20 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Small, very fragrant, white to pink five petaled flowers (to 1" across)

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Small fruit (to 1" diameter)

Foliage:

Elliptic to obovate leaves (to 2.5" long) emerge light bronze-purple then gradually mature to dark purple by summer

Fall:

Foliage turns reddish in fall

Bark:

Dark reddish-brown to gray bark; smooth with horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

High

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe

'Newport' is best known for its purple foliage. 

This is an image of a row of Prunus cerasifera ('Krauter Vesuvius' cultivar) trees, displaying their purplish-red foliage and dark grey bark.

Collections:

Common:

Cherry Plum

Scientific:

Prunus cerasifera

'Krauter Vesuvius'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

15-25 ft

Spread:

15-20 ft

Shape:

Rounded Upright

Bloom:

Small, very fragrant, white five petaled flowers (to 1" across)

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Small fruit (to 1" diameter)

Foliage:

Dark purple ovate leaves (to 2.5" long) have serrate margins

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Dark reddish-brown to gray bark; smooth with horizontal lenticels

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe

'Krauter Vesuvius' is noted for its showy purple foliage and its profuse spring bloom of pink flowers. 

Best purple leaf color occur in full sun locations.

Prunus cerasifera

Common:

Crimson Pointe™ Flowering Plum

Scientific:

Prunus cerasifera

'Cripoizam'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-25 ft

Spread:

5-10 ft

Shape:

Columnar

Bloom:

Small, fragrant, white five petaled flowers (to 1" across)

Blooming period:

Mar - Apr

Fruit:

Small fruit (to 1" diameter)

Foliage:

Dark purple ovate leaves (to 2.5" long) have serrate margins

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Dark reddish-brown to gray bark; smooth with horizontal lenticels and vertical splits forming with age

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Urban (rubble/fill), Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe

'Cripoizam' is noted for its columnar form.

This is an image of Prunus laurocerasus ('Schipkaensis' cultivar), which is a shrub with dark green leaves and feathery, white flowers.

Common:

Skip Laurel

Scientific:

Prunus laurocerasus

'Schipkaensis'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

10-18 ft

Spread:

25-30 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Fragrant white flowers bloom in tight, upright racemes (2" to 5" long)

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Small, glossy red cherry-like fruit forms in drupes then darken to purple-black by fall

Foliage:

Oblong, deep green leaves (to 4” long) slightly droop on the stem

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Reddish brown, smooth

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, 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 Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8a

'Schipkaensis' is noted for its glossy foliage and highly fragrant white blooms in spring. 

This is an image of Prunus laurocerasus ('Otto Luyken' cultivar), focusing on the dark green leaves, surrounded by other plants.

Common:

Cherry Laurel

Scientific:

Prunus laurocerasus

'Otto Luyken'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

3-4 ft

Spread:

6-8 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Tiny, cup-shaped flowers bloom in upright clusters (racemes to 5” long)

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Glossy red cherry-like fruit forms in drupes (to 1/3” diameter) darken to purple-black by fall

Foliage:

Oblong, deep green leaves (to 6” long)

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Bark:

Mature branches are medium gray-brown

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, 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 Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8a

'Otto Luyken' is a compact cultivar noted for its dense, spreading form. 

Good for hedges and screens.

Prunus laurocerasus

Common:

Cherry Laurel

Scientific:

Prunus laurocerasus

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

10-18 ft

Spread:

25-30 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Tiny, cup-shaped, in upright clusters (racemes to 5” long)

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Inedible for humans (bitter aftertaste) but is loved by local bird populations

Foliage:

Lustrous, oblong, dark green leaves (to 6” long).

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Not available

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Not available

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

6a - 8a
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