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 a general image of Spiraea nipponica ('Snowmound' cultivar), which is focusing on the foliage of the plant, its green, elliptical leaves.

Common:

Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea nipponica

'Snowmound'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

2-4 ft

Spread:

2-4 ft

Shape:

Vase-Like

Bloom:

Tiny white five-petalled flowers (each to 1/3" diameter) bloom in hemispherical clusters (corymbs)

Blooming period:

May - Jun

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown capsules

Foliage:

Shiny dark bluish-green leaves (1-1.5" long) with rounded serrated tips

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

'Snowmound' is noted for its abundant white flowers that bloom in small corymbs that cover arching stems.

Attracts butterflies. Tolerates deer and erosion.

This is an image of Spiraea thunbergii ('Ogon' cultivar) which mainly focuses on its lime-green foliage that is narrowly shaped.

Common:

Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea thunbergii

'Ogon'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

3-5 ft

Spread:

3-5 ft

Shape:

Spreading

Bloom:

Tiny white flowers (each to 1/3" diameter) bloom in 3 to 5 flowered clusters

Blooming period:

Apr

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown follicles

Foliage:

Narrow, pale green leaves have a linear, willow-like appearance (~1.5" long and 1/4" wide)

Fall:

Undistinguished yellow fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

'Ogon' is noted for its golden-yellow foliage.

Attracts butterflies. Tolerates deer.

Steeplebush

Collections:

Common:

Steeplebush

Scientific:

Spiraea tomentosa

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

2-4 ft

Spread:

3-5 ft

Shape:

Upright

Bloom:

Attractive, tiny, pink to purple flowers bloom in dense, steeple-like, terminal spikes (4-8" long)

Blooming period:

Jul - Sep

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant

Foliage:

Medium to dark green, ovate leaves (to 3" long) are tapered at both ends with coarse teeth and yellowish-brown hairs on the underside

Fall:

No significant change in fall color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med to Wet

Hardiness:

3a - 8a

Other:

Native

DEP Full Sun Plan 1

This is an image of multiple Spiraea x bumalda ('Goldflame' cultivar) bushes with its dense green foliage and pink flowers, located in an urban resting area.

Common:

Japanese Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea x bumalda

'Goldflame'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

3-4 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Tiny flowers in flat-topped clusters (corymbs) (to 6" wide) cover the shrub

Blooming period:

Jun - Jul

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown follicles

Foliage:

Leaves merges as bronze-red and mature into yellow-green

Fall:

Brilliant orange-copper hues in the fall

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

'Goldflame' is noted for its changing foliage that emerges bronze-red before acquiring yellow-orange-copper hues in fall. 

This is an image of the Spiraea x bumalda ('Anthony Waterer' cultivar) shrub, showing its flat-topped, pink flowers, with some being dried up.

Common:

Japanese Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea x bumalda

'Anthony Waterer'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Tiny, flat-topped clusters (corymbs) (to 6" wide) cover the shrub

Blooming period:

May - Aug

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown follicles

Foliage:

Leaves emerge reddish purple in spring, but gradually matures to a blue-green through summer

Fall:

Foliage turns reddish in fall

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8a

'Anthony Waterer' is a compact cultivar. 

Spiraea x bumalda ‘Goldmound’

Collections:

  • Median Plants

Common:

Japanese Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea x bumalda

'Goldmound'

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Shape:

Mounded

Bloom:

Tiny, flat-topped clusters (corymbs) cover the shrub

Blooming period:

May - Jul

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown follicles

Foliage:

Leaves emerge golden in spring, but gradually fade to a gold-green through summer

Fall:

Foliage turns attractive shades of yellow, orange, and red.

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

4a - 8b

Other:

Has Invasive Tendencies

'Goldmound' is known for its golden-yellow foliage and contrasting rosy-red panicles of flowers.

Attracts butterflies. Tolerates: Deer, Erosion, Air Pollution

Demonstrated invasive tendencies in CT.

Spirea

Common:

Spirea

Scientific:

Spiraea x vanhouttei

Plant type:

Shrub

Height:

5-8 ft

Spread:

7-10 ft

Shape:

Vase-Like

Bloom:

White, tiny flowers (1/3" diameter) cover the shrub in umbellate clusters (~2" wide)

Blooming period:

Apr - May

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant: dry, brown follicles

Foliage:

Small, obovate, coarsely serrated leaves are dark blue-green (~1.5" long)

Fall:

Occasional purple hues

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun Only

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Alkaline (5.0-8.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

3a - 8a
This is a general image of Sporobolus heterolepis, which is an ornamental grass with thin grass blades and seed heads.

Common:

Prairie Dropseed

Scientific:

Sporobolus heterolepis

Plant type:

Grass/Grass-like

Height:

2-3 ft

Spread:

2-3 ft

Shape:

Clumping

Bloom:

Open, branching flower panicles appear on slender stems which rise well above the foliage clump in late summer to 30-36" tall. Fragrant

Blooming period:

Aug - Oct

Fruit:

Tiny, rounded mature seeds drop to the ground in fall (hence the common name)

Foliage:

Leaves are fine-textured and hair like (up to 20" long and 1/16" wide)

Fall:

Foliage turns an attractive golden color with orange hues. Cut back to the ground in late winter to early spring

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Showy Fruit, Distinctive Foliage, Fall Color

Level of Maintenance:

Low

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, Heavy Clay

Moisture:

Dry to Med

Hardiness:

3a - 9b

Other:

Native
Korean Stewartia

Collections:

Common:

Korean Stewartia

Scientific:

Stewartia koreana

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

20-30 ft

Spread:

15-25 ft

Shape:

Pyramidal

Bloom:

White, 5-6 petals, Camellia-like flowers (~3" wide) with orange-yellow stamens and filaments in the center

Blooming period:

Jun - Jul

Fruit:

Ornamentally insignificant; red oval fruit (1-3")

Foliage:

Simple, elliptic, dark green leaves (2-4") have serrated edges in alternate pattern

Fall:

Foliage turns an attractive yellow-orange and bright red

Bark:

Attractive, flaky bark is a mix of steel gray, browns, and orange-brown

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Foliage, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Requires Acid (5.0-7.0)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5b - 8a

Other:

Fall Dig Safe
Japanese stewartia

Common:

Japanese Stewartia

Scientific:

Stewartia pseudocamellia

Plant type:

Trees

Height:

12-40 ft

Spread:

8-25 ft

Shape:

Oval Pyramidal

Bloom:

White, cup-shaped flowers (to 2.5" diameter) have showy orange-yellow anthers

Blooming period:

Jun - Jul

Fruit:

Oval, pointed capsules (1-3" long)

Foliage:

Dark green, alternate, elliptic leaves (to 3" long) with fine serrations

Fall:

Foliage turns showy shades of yellow, red, and purple

Bark:

Showy trunk; Bark is is exfoliating with a reddish-brown color

Special Qualities:

Showy Blooms, Distinctive Bark

Level of Maintenance:

Low

Season of Interest:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Light:

Full Sun to Part Shade

Salt:

Unknown

pH:

Acid to Neutral (5.0-7.4)

Soil:

Sand, Loam, Clay

Moisture:

Med

Hardiness:

5a - 8b

Other:

Fall Dig Safe
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