The Gardeners Corner

5 Native Trees FOR WET SOILS

6/20/2024

These Trees Tolerate Wet Feet

It's really no surprise that native plants are nature's problem solvers in lowcountry landscapes. They've adapted to our some of our region's most adverse growing conditions such as dry or wet soils, salt exposure, and Charleston's hot, humid summers.

Listed here are native tree cultivars that address one issue that Charleston residents know well - wet soils, or areas that tend to hold water in their landscapes after heavy rains. The good news is that each of these varieties provide a beautiful and functional solution when deciding what to plant in or near those damp, problem areas.

Dura Heat® River Birch

This multi-trunk, fast-growing River Birch exhibits attractive peeling bark and diamond-shaped green leaves that turn yellow in fall. Adaptable to a variety of soil types, it is notably tolerant of clay and poorly drained soils.

Mature size: 30'-40'h x 25'-35'w

Silver Mist Sweet Bay Magnolia

A silvery spin on our native Sweet Bay Magnolia, Silver Mist offers showy silver-backed leaves, compact growth habit, and plentiful fragrant blooms May through August. Silver Mist prefers moist soils and is tolerant of clay.

Mature size: 35'-45'h x 20'-30'w

Little Gem Magnolia

Like all Southern Magnolias, Little Gem is not only moderately tolerant of salt, but also prefers moist, rich soils. Abundant white, fragrant flowers last spring through fall against a backdrop of glossy, deep green foliage.

Mature size: 40'-50'h x 10'-15'w

Cascade Falls Weeping Bald Cypress

A unique variety of our native Bald Cypress, Cascade Falls has an eye-catching, graceful form that is softened by feathery foliage that is bright green in spring and burnt orange in fall. Damp soils are ideal for this tree, making it a great choice for a rain garden or other damp area of your landscape.

Mature size: 12'-15'h x 8'-10'w (branches will drape to the ground and continue to sprawl, but can be easily maintained with pruning)

Red Flame Maple

A fast-growing, beautiful shade tree! Red Maples adapt readily to wet soils here in the southeast, but can also thrive if provided with supplemental irrigation when planted in well-drained soils. Enjoy beautiful red shades on new growth that transition to bright green during the growing season and a brilliant "flame" red color in fall.

Mature size: 50'-60'h x 25'-35'w

All of these native trees and more are available now at our Garden Center at 1290 Brownswood Road on Johns Island. Come out to see us soon - a Nursery Professional would be happy to assist you in choosing the perfect tree for your landscape!

For Planting Success:

We highly recommend amending the soil in your planting area with Brownswood Premium Planting Mix as well as a starter fertilizer such as Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus to give your new plants their best start. You can find our Planting Guide at the link below. It provides planting instructions and helpful information about watering and getting new plants established. We look forward to seeing you at the Garden Center!

Download Our Planting Guide

Ornamental Trees for Charleston Gardens

5/14/2024

Beautify Your Landscape with Colorful Flowers and Leaves

Searching for the perfect ornamental tree for your landscape? We've got a great selection for you! From the earliest spring bloomers to spring and fall foliage interest, these selections are a feast for the eyes. Pollinators will appreciate their beautiful flowers as well!

Redbud Trees
One of the earliest spring bloomers
Redbuds are a crowd pleaser with vibrant, pinky-purple blooms along bare branches followed by the lovely, heart-shaped leaves. Leaf color and mature size depends on variety, but these are generally considered small to medium-sized ornamental trees. A showpiece for your landscape, these trees prefer a spot where they'll get a break from harsh, direct afternoon sunlight.

Fringe Trees
Beautiful puffs of white
Both our native and Chinese (shown) Fringe Trees offer showy white blooms in early spring. The native Fringe Tree has multiple trunks while the Chinese Fringe Tree is typically grown with a single trunk. Either choice is perfect for smaller spaces in the landscape as they mature to 15-20 feet tall and wide (maintainable at a smaller size with pruning).

Chaste Trees
Pollinators flock to the purple blooms
The Brownswood Grown Shoal Creek Chaste Tree (Vitex) is a flowering favorite that adds a bold splash of color to the landscape late spring into summer. Useful as a large shrub or small, ornamental tree, the sun-loving Chaste Tree grows quickly to 10-15' tall and wide and is easily maintainable with pruning.

Magnolia Trees
A classic choice
From the traditional, grand Southern Magnolia with large, fragrant blooms to the space-saving Tulip Magnolia (shown) with colorful flowers in early spring, these trees make quite the statement in the landscape. Southern Magnolias provide privacy year-round while the Tulip Magnolias shed their leaves for the winter months.

Japanese Maple Trees
Colorful foliage and unique form
One of the most colorful foliage choices, Japanese Maples boast bright new foliage in spring, stunning color changes in fall, and unique forms and/or bark color during the winter when branches are bare. Japanese Maple sizes vary depending on variety - upright varieties may be maintained anywhere between 15-20' tall x 5-10' wide whereas weeping varieties may only reach 6-10' tall and spread 6-8' wide. All are maintainable at smaller sizes with pruning.

Crape Myrtle Trees
Vibrant flowers that last for weeks
These gorgeous trees grace Charleston gardens with a breathtaking display of vibrant and abundant blooms year after year. Whether you prefer hues of pink, red, lavender, or white, there's a Crape Myrtle to suit your landscape. Mature size depends on variety, so be sure to speak with a nursery professional at our Garden Center about your space to find the selection that will best fit your needs.

It's easy to see why these selections are some of our guests' favorites. Visit our Garden Center soon for these and other new arrivals to add beauty to your landscape!

READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR YARD?

Our Landscape Design and Installation teams are here to serve you! We would love to guide you through the step by step process of creating your dream landscape. The first step is booking a design consultation.

Book Your Design Consultation Today!

5 Native Trees FOR WET SOILS

These Trees Tolerate Wet Feet

For Planting Success:

Ornamental Trees for Charleston Gardens

Beautify Your Landscape with Colorful Flowers and Leaves

READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR YARD?

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5 Native Trees FOR WET SOILS

These Trees Tolerate Wet Feet

For Planting Success:

Ornamental Trees for Charleston Gardens

Beautify Your Landscape with Colorful Flowers and Leaves

READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR YARD?

Categories

Archives

CONTACT US

HOURS OF​OPERATION

CUSTOMER CARE

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

HOURS OF
OPERATION