- Flowering cherries are highly popular ornamental trees.sakura flowering image by Petro Feketa from Fotolia.com
Ornamental plants are the ones that have some ornamental value in the landscape and increase the aesthetics in the garden with either their foliage or flowers. Ornamental plants can be of any nature such as flowering trees, herbaceous annuals and perennials or flowering shrubs that are popularly used as specimen and foundation plantings. Ornamental plants are a staple in every landscape and are chosen according to the mature size of plant and the site where they are to be planted. - Higan cherry (Prunus subhirtella) is an ornamental flowering cherry tree which is grown for its masses of 1/2-inch white to pink flowers that bloom during early spring. The small-sized tree is deciduous and grows to a mature height of 20 to 40 feet with a 15- to 30-foot spread. Higan cherry has a moderate growth rate and a medium texture. The 1- to 4-inch-long, alternate, simple foliage takes on yellow shades during fall. Higan cherry grows best in areas of sun and in moist, well-drained soil. The tree is well tolerant of heat and clay and is one of the longest lived varieties of ornamental cherry trees.
- Fragrant abelia (Abelia mosanensis) is a semi-evergreen shrub that grows to a mature height of 5 to 6 feet. The shrub has bright, glossy green foliage and arching stems and blooms with tubular, fragrant, white-centered pink flowers in the summer. Medium textured fragrant abelia has a moderate growth rate and grows best in areas of sun to partial shade. The shrub prefers a well-drained, moist, acidic soil.
- Hoary azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is a deciduous ornamental shrub and is also referred to as piedmont azalea and pinxter flower. The shrub grows to a mature height of 6 to 15 feet with a spread of 6 to 10 feet and blooms with fragrant clusters of rose-pink to white flowers in early spring. Hoary azalea is multi-trunked and has a medium texture. The plant grows best in areas of sun to partial shade and prefers a moist to damp soil. The simple, dark-green foliage is alternate and takes on rusty shades of fall color. Hoary azalea is drought tolerant and attracts butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
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