Bittersweet

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)

 

American Bittersweet is a deciduous twining woody vine that is best known for its showy orange-red berries that brighten up fall and winter landscapes. reaching 15-20′ tall/ 3-6′ wide it is not a first choice of birds, however, the fruits hold on during the winter which may provide an additional feast for some in the winter or spring. Bittersweet needs full sun to fruit well, but will tolerate a variety of Zone 3 soil conditions. Caution: Fruits can cause nausea and vomitting if ingested. Female plants need a male pollinator to produce fruit. Be careful that some nurseries do not sell the vines as male or female. Generally one male plant is needed for 6-9 female plants.

NOTE: Be wary of the invasive species, Oriental bittersweet. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) website includes photos comparing American and Oriental bittersweets. [CLICK HERE]

Plum

American Plum (Prunus americana)

Size: 8′ to 20′ tall/ 10-15′ spread.

Flowering: early-mid May

Fruiting: September

Birds: warblers attracted to pollenating insects. Fruit eaten by larger birds such as robins, orioles, blackbirds, or some woodpeckers

One of my personal favorites for the insect attracting flowers in the spring, and the edible fruits (for me) in the fall. American Plum is a multi-stemmed, shrubby, small tree with a spreading crown reaching up to 30 feet tall with numerous rigid spiny branches. Readily suckers from roots. American plum is a great native plant for wildlife because it bears small tasty plums in the fall. The native plum has a fast growth rate, and is also good for wind breaks. the flowers are White, long filaments, and appear in small clusters in early spring with the leaves. The fruit is a fleshy drupe, nearly round, 1 inch across, reddish-purple to yellow-brown some glaucous bloom, ripen in mid to late summer.

Mountainash

American Mountainash (Sorbus americana)

Size: 10-30′ tall’/15 wide.

Flowering:

Fruiting: mid-late autumn

Birds: catbird, oriole, grosbeak, waxwings, robin, and thrushes (bluebird, solitaire)

Mountainash fruit crops are fairly regular and the ability to hang on throughout winter makes the berries excellent emergency food.Yellow-bellied sapsuckers sometimes drill larger specimens for sweet sap. Be cautious of purchasing varieties that are more susceptible to fire blight as these trees will likely fall victim within the first 15-20 years.

American mountain-ash is a native, smooth-barked, deciduous shrub or small tree 10 to 30 feet tall. It tends to be slow growing and short-lived. American mountain-ash prefers moist habitats from the borders of swamps to rocky hillsides. It is common in openings or in woods, scattered on uplands along edges of woods, roadsides, and under semi-open stands. It will grow well in a stunted form on relatively dry soils. American mountain-ash flowers from May to July; fruit ripens in August. The berries remain on the tree and are available to birds all winter.

 

Showy Mountainash (Sorbus decora) 25-30′ tall’/15 wide. A smooth-barked deciduous shrub or small tree up to 30 feet high with a short trunk, slender, spreading branches, and a narrow, open round-topped crown; similar to American Mountain Ash but winter buds are sticky. Numerous flowers in showy round or flat-topped clusters 5-15 cm diameter; individual, 5-petaled flowers, small, 6-8 mm wide; appearing June and July. Scarlet berries in loose clusters; ripening in August and September.

Korean Mountainash (Sorbus alnifolia) 15-30′ tall’/15 wide. The glossy, dark green leaves of this Mountain Ash are not compound as on other Sorbus species. The fall color is yellow to orange. Stress can predispose the plant to disease and insect problems. It can be susceptible to borers, and frequently develops fireblight though is less susceptable to disease than other Sorbus spp. Often short-lived in the landscape. White flowers in early summer; cherry red to vermillion berries in fall that persist into winter.

European Mountainash (Sorbus acuparia) 20-40′ tall’/20 wide. European Mt. Ash has alternate, pinnately compound, 5 to 8 inches long, individual leaflets are serrated on their upper halves, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, dull dark green above paler below. Flower is showy clusters of small white flowers, clusters 3 to 5 inches across, appearing in May followed by clusters of bright deep orange small pomes, very showy, ripening in September, which are persistent. Stress predisposes the plant to disease and insect problems. Can be very susceptible to borers, and frequently develops fireblight. Often short-lived in the landscape. Prefers acid soils. Does not do well in compacted soils and polluted atmospheres. High summer temperatures appear to limit growth.