Maymont Trees
Weeping Higan Cherry
Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’
The beautiful weeping habit of this cherry tree softens any landscape. This fast growing tree is usually grafted; care must be given to remove all shoots below the 6-foot graft.
Location: Maymont Mansion Lawn and east of Italian Garden
Zone: 5-8
Blooms: clusters of single, half-inch, pink to white flowers in March before the leaves emerge
Fruit: red turning black, oval to rounded, 1/3″ diameter
Leaf: 1-4″long and half as wide, lustrous dark green
Height: 20-30’ tall, 15-20’ wide
Exposure: full sun, can tolerate some shade.
Culture: most cold, heat and stress tolerant of the cherry trees
Red Buckeye
Aesculus pavia
Sometimes referred to as the Hummingbird tree, Aesculus pavia is a little known native that is gorgeous in any landscape.
Location: east of the Italian Garden
Zone: 6-9
Blooms: 1″ tubular red flowers in 4-8″ long panicles
Fruit: a smooth capsule with 2 large brown seeds insid
Leaf: lustrous, dark green palmate leaves; no fall color
Height: 10-20’
Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Culture: moist, well-drained soil; leafs out early and loses leaves early; tolerates drought at Maymont quite well
White Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus
Don’t be fooled by its delicate white blossoms, Chionanthus virginicus is a very tough native plant which is easy to grow in any landscape.
Location: The Robins Nature Center parking lot
Zone: 6-9
Blooms: white, fleecy blooms in 6-8″ long panicles
Fruit: dark blue, egg-shaped fruit in late summer
Leaf: 3-8″ oblong or elliptical dark green leaves
Height: 12’-20’ tall, with equal spread
Exposure: full sun to partial shade
Culture: moist, fertile, acidic soil, but very adaptable; tolerates drought admirably; no serious pests
Golden Raintree
Koelreuteria paniculata
This is an ideal tree for the landscape due to its size, flowering habit, ornamental seedpod and resistance to insects and diseases. When choosing a tree, be sure the trunk is growing straight.
Location: Maymont Mansion Lawn, Maymont Farm
Zone: 5-8
Blooms: clusters of yellow flowers in June
Fruit: lantern-like seedpods in the late summer to fall
Leaf: dark green compound leaf with yellow fall color
Height: 30-40’ with a rounded growth habit
Exposure: full sun; will tolerate partial shade
Culture: adaptable to varying soil conditions; drought tolerant
Eastern Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis
Use this evergreen shrub for screening, as a wind shield or as an accent plant. There are many cultivars with various growth habits; be sure to choose a cultivar that remains green all year long.
Location: near the Historic Estate entrance
Zone: 3-7
Blooms: not conspicuous
Fruit: small, half-inch, oblong, yellowish cones, turning to brown by summer’s end
Leaf: compressed flat sprays of bright green scale-like growth in half-inch segments
Height: 20-30’ tall, 10-15’ wide
Exposure: full sun
Culture: transplants easily; drought tolerant once established; tolerates limestone-based soils
Japanese Cornel Dogwood
Cornus officinalis
This unique dogwood is the first to bloom and is covered with clusters of bright yellow flowers February to April. The exfoliating bark reveals shades of brown, gray and a bit of orange which offers winter interest.
Location: east of the Aviary
Zone: 5-8
Blooms: clusters of small yellow flowers
Fruit: bright cherry red fruit in July
Leaf: typical dogwood leaf
Height: 15-20’ tall
Exposure: partial sun
Culture: needs moist, acidic soil; remove all water sprouts from within tree
Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercidiphyllum japonicum has a very striking fall color and the leaves have a delightful fragrance in the fall as well. Once established, this tree will provide years of beauty to any landscape.
Location: Japanese Garden
Zone: 4-8
Blooms: not showy
Fruit: 3/4″ pods in clusters
Leaf: rounded like a Redbud leaf, reddish-purple changing to a bluish-green in the summer, fall color can be a soft yellow to a buff apricot-orange
Height: 40-60’ with a spread around 20-30’
Exposure: full sun
Culture: thrives in rich, acidic, moist soils; can be a challenge to transplant; water well for the first year
Chinese Pistache
Pistacia chinensis
Pistacia chinensis is native to China, Taiwan and the Philippines. This tree grows quickly and is resistant to pests and diseases. The beautiful fall color is the reason to add this tree to your landscape.
Location: near the Italian Garden
Zone: 6-9
Blooms: small greenish flowers on long panicles in April, not showy
Fruit: red or blue fruit in loose clusters during the fall
Leaf: dark green compound leaves, brilliant orange to red fall color
Height: 30-35’ tall with about equal spread
Exposure: full sun
Culture: adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions; drought tolerant and very easy to transplant
Sourwood
Oxydendron arboreum
This Virginia native is a favorite of Maymont’s garden volunteers due to its blossoms, fruit and fall color. The tree flowers best when growing in full sun. With few insect and disease problems, this is a wonderful addition to any landscape.
Location: Japanese Garden; near Magnolia Drive; The Robins Nature Center parking lot
Zone: 5-9
Blooms: sprays of white flowers cover the tree creating a veiled effect
Fruit: small, yellow to brown capsules on sprays, very attractive
Leaf: dark green in the summer, yellow, red and purple in fall
Height: 30-40’ high with an approximate 20’spread; pyramidal in habit
Exposure: full sun, partial shade, full shade
Culture: thrives in well-drained, acidic soil but can tolerate dry soils
Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
There are hundreds of cultivars of Japanese maples exhibiting varying leaf size, color and shape along with an array of heights and growth characteristics. Do a little research to choose the cultivar perfect for your landscape.
Location: Japanese Garden
Zone: varies depending on the cultivar
Blooms: small clusters of red to purple blossoms in the spring
Fruit: red parallel winged fruit
Leaf: palm-shaped leaves varying in size and color (maroon/red/green) depending on the cultivar
Height: 3’-25’ depending on the cultivar
Exposure: partial shade, full shade
Culture: thrives in moist, acidic soil in a protected spot; easy to transplant, water well
English Holly
Ilex aquifolium
Ilex aquifolium has been used in the landscape for centuries. There are many cultivars to choose from with varying leaf coloration or heights.
Location: Maymont Mansion lawn
Zone: 6-7, to 10 on West Coast
Blooms: small clusters of white flowers in late spring
Fruit: round red berries in the fall and winter
Leaf: 3″-long dark green, lustrous, evergreen, spiny leaf
Height: pyramidal growth, 30-50’ tall
Exposure: partial shade to full shade
Culture: can tolerate dryness; is salt-tolerant; needs male English holly for pollination
This page was sponsored by a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry.