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

Common:

Sargent Oak

Scientific:

Quercus sargentii

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

65-70 ft

Spread:

50-65 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Insignificant, monoecious, yellow-green flowers bloom in separate male and female catkins

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Oval to elliptic acorns ripen early in the season

Foliage:

More dentate leaves than lobed, base cordate to ariculate

Fall:

Orangish-red to brown fall color

Bark:

Dark brown-gray bark has deep fissures

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Wet

Hardiness:

3a - 9b

Other:

Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe
This is an image of a Quercus shumardii tree on a sidewalk, with a wide trunk and green leaves, being obstructed by a lamppost.

Collections:

Common:

Schumard Oak

Scientific:

Quercus shumardii

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

30-40 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal Spreading

Bloom:

Insignificant, monoecious, yellow-green flowers bloom in separate male and female catkins

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Oval to elliptic acorns are produced when tree has matured (~25 years)

Foliage:

Glossy, dark green, obovate leaves (to 7" long) have 6-8 obtuse lobes

Fall:

Brownish-red late fall color

Bark:

Thick bark is smooth and grayish when young, but darkens and becomes furrowed with age

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

Other:

ALB Safe
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Collections:

Common:

Texas Red Oak

Scientific:

Quercus texana

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

50-80 ft

Spread:

40-65 ft

Shape:

Rounded Spreading

Bloom:

Insignificant, monoecious, yellow-green flowers bloom in separate male and female catkins

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Elliptic acorns (to 1.25" long) have scaly saucer-shaped tops

Foliage:

Dark green leaves (4-8" long) have 6-11 pointed lobes

Fall:

Leaves turn shades of red late in fall

Bark:

Furrowed, gray-brown to black bark

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

6a - 9b

Other:

Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe
This is an image of a mature Quercus velutina tree, which has an oval-shaped canopy, providing shade for parked cars.

Collections:

Common:

Black Oak

Scientific:

Quercus velutina

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

50-60 ft

Spread:

50-60 ft

Shape:

Rounded Spreading

Bloom:

Insignificant, monoecious, yellow-green flowers bloom in separate male and female catkins

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Elliptic acorns (to 3/4" long) are half covered with saucer-shaped acorn cups

Foliage:

Leathery, shiny, dark-green leaves (to 10" long) have deeply incised lobes (7-9)

Fall:

Leaves turn yellow to yellow-brown to red

Bark:

Almost black bark with deep furrows

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Low

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

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

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9b

Other:

Native, Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe

Acorns are an important food source for wildlife.

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Common:

Regal Prince® Oak

Scientific:

Quercus x warei

'Long'

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

40-60 ft

Spread:

20-25 ft

Shape:

Columnar Upright

Bloom:

Insignificant, monoecious, yellow-green flowers bloom in separate male and female catkins

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Oval to elliptic acorns (to 1" long) form on 1-3" long stalks

Foliage:

Glossy, dark green, obovate leaves (to 7" long) have 6-8 obtuse lobes

Fall:

Yellowish-orange to brown fall color

Bark:

Grooved, green-grey bark

Special Qualities:

Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 9b

Other:

Fall Dig Safe, ALB Safe

'Long' is a patented, columnar to narrow-oval cultivar noted for its form.

Rhododendron 'Hino-crimson'

Collections:

  • Median Plants

Common:

Evergreen Azalea

Scientific:

Rhododendron

'Hino-Crimson'

Plant type:

Shrub, Groundcover

Height:

2-5 ft

Spread:

3-5 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Small, single, funnel-shaped, crimson red flowers (to 1.25" across) bloom in clusters

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Very small, ovate, glossy dark green leaves (1/2 to 1 1/4" long)

Fall:

Leaves acquire tones of bronze in the winter

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Evergreen

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Winter

Light:

Part Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8a

'Hino-Crimson' is noted for its profusion of single, crimson blooms that cover this low-growing, compact shrub. 

This is an image of Rhus aromatica ('Gro-Low' cultivar) in a sunny light, displaying its dark green leaves and brown branches.

Collections:

Common:

Fragrant Sumac

Scientific:

Rhus aromatica

'Gro-Low'

Plant type:

Shrub, Groundcover

Height:

1-2 ft

Spread:

6-10 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Tiny yellow flowers bloom at the tips of twigs

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Female flowers give way to small clusters of hairy red berries

Foliage:

Rounded, trifoliate, dense, medium green leaves

Fall:

Leaves turn attractive shades of orange, red and purple

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9b

Other:

Native

'Gro-Low' is noted for its dense, low-growing form.

DEP Residential Plan Sun and Dry - Option 1. 

Leaf icon

Common:

Winged Sumac

Scientific:

Rhus copallinum

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

7-15 ft

Spread:

10-20 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Tiny, yellowish-green flowers bloom in terminal panicles (5-10" long) with separate male and female flowers appearing on separate plants (dioecious)

Blooming period:

Jul - Aug

Fruit:

Female plants produce showy, erect, pyramidal fruiting clusters (to 8" long)

Foliage:

Large, compound pinnate, odd-pinnate leaves (each with 9-27 leaflets) grow to 18" long with a fern-like appearance. Unlike Rhus glabra, leaflets are untoothed and have leafy ridges/wings

Fall:

Leaves turn bright red

Bark:

Stem color ranges from red to green

Special Qualities:

Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

4a - 9a

Other:

Native

Good for naturalized areas where it can for thickets.

Rhus glabra 'Laciniata'

Common:

Cut-Leaf Smooth Sumac

Scientific:

Rhus glabra

'Laciniata'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

9-15 ft

Spread:

9-15 ft

Shape:

Rounded

Bloom:

Tiny, yellowish-green flowers bloom in terminal panicles (5-10" long) with separate male and female flowers appearing on separate plants (dioecious)

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Female plants produce showy, erect, pyramidal fruiting clusters (to 8" long)

Foliage:

Large, compound pinnate, shiny, dark green leaves (each with 9-27 leaflets) grow to 18" long with a fern-like appearance

Fall:

Leaves turn attractive shades of bright orange to red

Bark:

Stem color ranges from red to green

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Medium

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9a

Other:

Native

'Laciniata' is noted for its bright scarlet fruit and deeply cut feathery leaves.

This is a general image of Rosa ('Radyod' cultivar), which has vibrant pink flowers and vibrant green foliage.

Common:

Blushing Knockout

Scientific:

Rosa

'Radyod'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

3-4 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Shape:

Upright Compact

Bloom:

Lightly fragrant, pink, single to semi-double blooms (to 3.5" across) cover the shrub in clusters

Blooming period:

May - Nov

Fruit:

Pea-sized orange-red hips (to 0.5" long)

Foliage:

Medium green to blue-green leaves are composed of 5-9 broad-elliptic, finely-toothed, leaflets (to 2.5" long)

Fall:

Undistinguished fall color

Bark:

Smooth, brown bark with some thorns

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Medium

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Low

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Loam

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 9b

'Radyod' is noted for its compact form and pink blooms.

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