(R. scandens). Origin: China, Korea, Japan. Height: 3–6 feet. Spread: 4–9 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers in May to June, black fruits. No fall color. Cultivation: Full sun to part shade, medium soil. Ecological Threat: Invasive in midwestern states. Zones: 4–8.
Native Alternatives:
BLACK CHOKEBERRY, p. 13; BLACK HUCKLEBERRY, p. 28; CURRANT SPP., p. 35; FOTHERGILLA SPP., p. 27; NINEBARK, p. 44; SERVICEBERRY SPP., pp. 20, 77; TWINBERRY HONEYSUCKLE, p. 38; VIBURNUM SPP., p. 69.
See Summer Shrubs for AMERICAN BLACK CURRANT, p. 138; HYDRANGEA SPP., p. 143; NEW JERSEY TEA, p. 134.
See Fall Shrubs for AMERICAN BARBERRY, p. 233; AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY, p. 235.
See Spring Trees for FRINGE TREE, p. 105.
Japanese kerria, Japanese rose (Kerria japonica)
Nonnative:
KERRIA, JAPANESE KERRIA, JAPANESE ROSE. Family: Rose (Rosaceae). Genus: Kerria (K. japonica). Origin: Japan. Height/Spread: 5–10 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Yellow flowers in April to May. Green, weedy stems die back and sucker; requires pruning. Cultivation: Sun; part shade prevents fading flowers; medium soil. Ecological Threat: Invasive in some midwestern states. Zones: 5–9.
Native Alternatives:
AMERICAN BLADDERNUT. Family: Bladdernut (Staphyleaceae). Genus: Staphylea (S. trifolia). Height: 8–12 feet. Spread: 6–10 feet, may grow taller; shrub or small tree. Ornamental Attributes: Bladdernut “is a consummate Midwestern plant. . . . It has beautiful chains of creamy flowers in early spring, unusual, persistent pods and yellow fall color. Its twigs are deep green and especially attractive in the winter months,” note Weeks and Weeks.35 Unusual three-chambered bladder-like seedpods resemble Chinese lanterns and persist into the winter months. Greenish bark is textured with white cracks. Cultivation: Native to moist, deep woods, the plant prefers shade, moist well-drained sandy or silty loams. Insect and disease resistant. Suckering forms thickets. Good for shady woodlands. Tolerates black walnut tree toxicity. Nature Note: Provides wildlife with protective cover and northern cardinal (p. 61), gray catbird (p. 79), and wood thrush (p. 175) with nesting sites. Hosts 2 species of butterflies and moths. Birds eat the caterpillars and feed them to nestlings. Zones: 3–9.
More Native Alternatives:
AMERICAN FLY HONEYSUCKLE, p. 38; CHOKEBERRY SPP., p. 13; GOLDEN CURRANT, p. 35; NINEBARK, p. 44; RHODODENDRON, AZALEA SPP., p. 56; ROSE SPP., p. 60; SPICEBUSH, p. 22; VIBURNUM SPP., p. 69.
American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
See Summer Shrubs for AMERICAN BLACK CURRANT, GOOSEBERRIES, DEERBERRY, p. 138; BUTTERFLY SHRUB, p. 129; HYDRANGEA SPP., p. 143.
See Fall Shrubs for AMERICAN BARBERRY, p. 233; LEATHERWOOD, p. 232; SILVER BUFFALOBERRY, p. 229; SUMAC SPP., p. 242.
See Spring Trees for SNOWBELL, p. 116.
Nonnative:
LILAC, COMMON LILAC. Family: Olive (Oleaceae). Genus: Syringa (S. vulgaris). Origin: Europe. Height/Spread: 8–10 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Clusters of often fragrant white, purple, or lavender flowers in April to May. Cultivation: Full sun, medium soil; pruning. “Lilacs are not a particularly attractive plant except in the spring when they are blooming,” writes Melissa Howard.36 Leggy, no fall color. Ecological Threat: Naturalized and potentially invasive in midwestern states; JAPANESE LILAC (S. villosa). Origin: China. Height/Spread: 12–15 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Briefly blooming flowers in May to June; MEYER LILAC, DWARF KOREAN LILAC (S. meyeri). Origin: China, Japan. Height: 4–8 feet. Spread: 6–12 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Flowers in May; PERSIAN LILAC (S. × persica); LITTLELEAF LILAC (S. pubescens subsp. microphylla). Zones: 3–7.
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens)
Native Alternatives:
AMERICAN WISTERIA. Family: Pea (Fabaceae). Genus: Wisteria (W. frutescens). Height: 15–30 feet. Spread: 4–8 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Woody vine; can be trained as a shrub. Large, showy clusters of lilac or purple flowers bloom on new wood in waves for two to four weeks in April and May and “evoke the same romantic feeling as the Asian types.”37 Cultivation: Full sun, part sun, moist to
