We got this Nanking Cherry as a bare root plant. Planted May 2015.

Back in February 2015 we ordered five bare root Nanking Cherry plants (Prunus tomentosa) from the Timp-Nebo/Alpine Tree sale. We received them in mid April. We planted them right away in 1 gallon pots and they leafed out pretty good. We got around to planting them in the ground at the end of May. We’ll add some chicken wire around the tomato cages to keep the rabbits and deer away while the plants get a start.

They are said to grow 6′-10′ tall and up to a 15′ spread. We didn’t leave enough room for that kind of growth, but we’ll deal with when and if they grow. They should grow 1′-2′ per year.

• Adapts well to cold winters, hot summers and drought.
• Blooms in early spring, with pink buds opening up into fragrant pale pink or white flowers.
• The cherries are tart and tangy scarlet-colored and can be eaten fresh or used in pies, jams and jellies.
• Two or more shrubs should be planted within 100′ of each other to ensure cross-pollination. It isn’t self-fertile.
• Can be planted 4–5′ apart to form a hedge.
• Adapts to a variety of soil conditions and pH levels. It prefers well-drained soil but will tolerate drought and can grow in semi-arid conditions.

I’m anxious to see what kind of cherries we get off these $3 plants.

Orange Rocket Barberry – Spring 2015

The Orange Rocket Barberry starts out coral-orange/red in the Spring, green in the summer and ruby red in the Fall. They grow up to 4-1/2′ tall and 1-1/2′ wide.

• Height: 4-1/2′
• Width: 1-1/2′
• Full Sun/Partial Sun

Pros

• Pros: Deer Resistant.
• Makes a good hedge

Cons:

• Thorns – sharp thorns.
• Lots of color in the Spring and Fall.

Lime Glo Barberry, Spring 2015

Lime Glow Barberry can grow up to 5′ tall and 4′ wide. It is a slow grower and will need regular watering when it is hot. It should turn a brilliant red in the Fall, I can’t wait to see it and get some pictures on here.

• Height: 5′
• Width: 4′
• Full Sun

Pros

• Deer Resistant
• Leaves can handle the sun, some light green/yellow barberries do not

Cons

• Thorns (this can be a plus if you want to deter people from an area)
• Slow growing

Orange Rocket and Lime Glow Barberries

Evergreen Trees
Colorado Blue Spruce, Atlas Cedar, Mugo Pine

Deciduous Trees
Littleleaf Linden, Siouxland Cottonwood (cottonless), Amur Maple, Eastern Red Bud, Thornless Honey Locust

Shrubs
Dwarf Almond, Cotoneaster, Chokecherry (½ tree, ½ shrub), Common Purple Lilac, Common Privet, Redosier Dogwood, Forsythia, Buffaloberry, Nanking Cherry, Siberian Pea Shrub

We are going to try the Amur Maple, Nanking Cherry, Purple Lilac, Forsythia and Mugo Pine. We’ve had great luck with Mugos. We had one Forsythia that didn’t do great, but we are going to try it again in a spot with more sun.

Here is why I’ll never plant it again. It spreads. It sends roots out 20-30′ to pop up a new plant and it just won’t die. It is nearly impossible to remove from a yard. You’ve been warned.

Russian sage with purpler flowers. Also in the photo, Artimis Powis Castle, and an ornamental grass.

• Height: 3-4′
• Width: 3-4′
• Sun: Full sun
• Flowers: Summer
• Low water requirements

Don’t let the dwarf name fool you. I’ve listed the sizes here according to what we saw in our yard. They are always advertised in the 3-5′ range, but it isn’t uncommon for them to be much larger.

• Sun: Full to partial
• Height 5-6′
• Width 5-8′
• No flowers

Rose Glow Japanese Barberry can grow up to 5′ tall and 4′ wide, but it is a slow grower. It will need water weekly or more often in the heat.

• Height: 5′
• Width: 4′
• Full Sun

Pros

• Pros: Deer Resistant.
• In a mild winter they will keep many of the leaves and berries so you can have some winter color.

Cons:

• Thorns – sharp thorns.

November photo shows nice fall colors. (2014)

This is Gro-low Sumac in the Fall. It can grow 2-3′ tall and 6-8′ wide. We decided to try it because it is waterwise and should tolerate our poor soil.