Planting Flowers and Shrubs
Planting around street trees and yard trees is recommended if done carefully, however, aggressive flowers and shrubs compete with the tree for limited resources. Find out more about what to plant – and what to avoid – within a tree bed.
Guidelines for Planting Vegetation in Street Tree Beds
- Perennials, annuals and bulbs are beautiful additions to a tree bed, as long as you remember that the tree’s health comes first.
- Some perennials can be complementary, but flowers that have shallow roots and die back each year (annuals) are highly recommended.
- Choose plants that require little watering. Key words to look for are “drought tolerant” and “xeric conditions”.
- Use small plants and bulbs – large plants require large planting holes, which damage tree roots. In addition, plants with large root systems compete with the tree for water and nutrients.
- Please do not plant flowers within 1-foot of the tree trunk.
- Do not add more than 2” of soil to your tree bed. Raising the soil level will harm the tree.
- Mulching a tree bed is always good for your tree and plants. Mulch keeps the soil moist and prevents weeds from sprouting in tree beds.
- Be sure to provide enough water for the tree, not just enough to perk up the flowers.
- Greenstreets are individually crafted by our landscape designers and maintained by gardeners; please do not add extra plantings to them.
- Never plant bamboo, ivy, vines, woody shrubs, or evergreens. They are all major competitors for water and nutrients and can stunt or kill a tree.
What to Plant
Bulbs
Bulbs are a nice addition to greenstreets and tree beds, and are great for fall planting activities. Many Bulbs will return each spring, bringing color to your neighborhood. They are both affordable and easy to plant.
- Crocus
- Chinodoxia
- Daffodil
- Winter Aconite - Eranthis hyemalis
- Snow Drops - Galanthus nivalis
- Spanish Bluebells - Hyacinthoides hispanica (Best in shade)
- Honey Garlic - Allium siculum
- Grape Hyacinth - Muscari armeniacum
- Tulips - Tulipa
Plants for the Sun
Good for newly planted trees
Native Annuals
- Partridge Pea - Chamaecrista fasciculata
- Sweet Everlasting - Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- Canadian toadflax - Nuttalanthus canadensis
- Blue Curls - Trichostema dichotomum
- Blue Waxweed - Cuphea viscossima
Annuals
- Sweet Alyssum - Lobularia maritima (mat-forming, small yellow or white flowers)
- Dusty Miller - Senecio cinerara (beautiful snow white and shiny silver color)
- Licorice Plant - Helichrysum petiolare
- Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Portulaca: Rock Rose, Moss Rose
- Verbena
- Geranium (an old standby that requires little water)
- Salvia coccinea
- Snapdragon
- Heliotrope (beautiful scent)
- Cosmos (dwarf – height 24 inches)
- Ageratum (low growing with small purple flowers)
- Blue Marguerite Daisy - Felicia amelloides
- Lantana (a variety of unique flowers)
- New Guinea Impatiens - Impatiens hawkeri
- Tickseed - Coreopsis tinctoria
- False Purple Thistle - Eryngium leavenworthii
- Blanketflower - Gaillardia pulchella (short lived perennial)
- Snow on the Mountain - Euphorbia marginata
- Rio Grande Globe Amaranth - Gomphrena haageana
Native Biennials
- Spotted Bee Balm - Monarda punctata
- Blackeyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
- Rabbit Tobacco - Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- Common Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis
Native Perennials
- Seaside goldenrod - Solidago sempervirens
- Purple love-grass - Eragrostis spectabilis
- Little bluestem - Schizachyrium scoparium
- Pearly Everlasting - Anaphalis margaritacea
- Wild columbine - Aquilegia canadensis
- Eastern Narrowleaf Sedge - Carex amphibola
- Woodland sunflower - Helianthus divaricatus
- Early Goldenrod - Solidago juncea
- Showy Goldenrod - Solidago speciosa
- White Old Field Aster - Symphyotrichum pilosum
- Smoot Blue Aster - Symphyotrichum leave
- Heath Aster - Symphyotrichum ericoides
- Common Milkweed - Asclepias syriaca
- Wild strawberry - Fragaria virginiana
- Hay-scented fern - Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- Flat-topped goldenrod - Euthamia graminifolia
- Round-leaved ragwort - Packera obovata
- Virginia mountainmint - Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
- Common Violet - Viola sororia
- Golden Alexander's - Zizia aurea
Perennials
- Bugleweed - Ajuga reptans
- Snow in Summer - Cerastium tomemtosum
- Lilyturf - Liriope muscari
- Sedum - Sedum acre (only low growing)
- Thyme - Thymus serpyllum or pseudolanugipsus (mat-forming varieties)
- Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea
- Purple Poppy Mallow - Calliroe involucrata
- Prairie Clover - Dalea purpurea
- Rattlesnake Master - Eryngium yuccafolium
Plants for the Shade
Good for newly established trees
Native Annuals
- Purple False Foxglove - Agalinus purpurea
- Jewelweed - Impatiens capensis
- Partridge Pea - Chamaecrista fasciculata (part shade)
Annuals
- Begonia (elegant flowers that come in a large variety)
- Coleus (many colorful varieties)
- Lobelia - Lobelia erinus (small edging plant)
- Pansy (some are winter hardy)
- Impatiens (popular colorful flowers that will do well in your tree bed, sun or shade)
- Wishbone Flower - Torenia fournieri
- Monkey Flower - Mimulus ringens (a variety of colorful flowers)
- Browallia (fabulous blue color)
- Fuchsia (variety of species, most annuals bear a red tubular flower)
Native Biennials
- Rabbit Tobbaco - Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
- Spotted Bee Balm - Monarda punctata (part shade)
Native Perennials
- White avens - Geum canadense (basal rosette long-lasting, white flowers)
- White snakeroot - Ageratina altissima (white flowers)
- Heart leaved Aster - Symphyotrichum cordifolium
- White Wood Aster - Eurybia divaricata
- Coral Bells - Heuchera americana
- Foam Flower - Tiarella cordifolia (vigorous groundcover with white upright flowers)
- Wild columbine - Aquilegia canadensis
- Wavy Hairgrass - Avenella flexuosa
- Common Upland Star Sedge - Carex rosea
- Eastern Bottlebrush grass - Elymus hystrix
- Woodland sunflower - Helianthus divaricatus
- Round-leaved ragwort - Packera obovata
- Smooth Blue Aster - Symphyotrichum laeve
- Moss Phlox - Phlox subulata
- Wild Geranium - Geranium maculatum
- Wreathe Goldenrod - Solidago caesia
Perennials
- Pigsqueak - Bergenia cordifolia (Holds good winter color)
- Spotted Deadnettle - Lamium maculatum (Excellent groundcover)
- Lilyturf - Liriope muscari (evergreen)
- Woodland Phlox - Phlox divaricata (lovely blue, purple, or pink flowers)
- Creeping Phlox - Plox stolonifera (lovely blue, purple, or pink flowers)
- Meehan' Mint - Meehania cordata