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Following are some of the more
common types of trees that are used by the DOT in roadside
plantings throughout Iowa.
Amur
Maple |
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
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Amur
Maple
Acer ginnale
Aceraceae
An excellent, low-growing deciduous tree/shrub;
can be grown as a multi-stemmed clump or trained into
a small tree with a single trunk; tree grows about 20
to 30 feet tall; leaves are medium green, shiny and
rippled on the edges; fruit is red and showy; fall color
can be red, yellow, orange or brown. |
Bur
Oak |
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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Bur
Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
Fagaceae
A large impressive tree with a thick trunk and stout
branches; grows to 55 feet tall by 45 feet wide; foliage
is dark green; fall color is yellow to yellow brown.
The bur oak was designated as Iowa's official state
tree in 1961. |
Catalpa
|
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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Shawnee
wood/Northern Catalpa
Catalpa speciosa
Bignoniaceae
A medium-sized tree growing 40 to 60 feet tall and
20 to 30 feet wide; a very fast-growing tree.
Natural habitat includes borders of streams. Cannot
grow in shade. |
Honeylocust
|
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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Honeylocust/Shademaster
Thornless Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos var inermis "Shademaster"
Fabaceae
Deciduous tree with upright ascending branches,
which makes it a good street tree; grows 40 to 45 feet
high; rapid growing tree.
Requires full sun; is tolerant of drought and winter
roadway salt. |
Linden
|
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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American
Linden/American Basswood
Tilia americana
Tiliaceae
A deciduous tree; grows to 70 feet at a medium rate;
noted for attracting wildlife; dark green leaves above,
with a pale green to silvery color underneath.
Young leaves are edible raw or cooked; a very good chocolate
substitute is made from a paste of the ground fruits
and flowers. |
Red
Cedar |
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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Red
Cedar/Pencil Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Cupressaceae
Red cedar is an evergreen growing 20 to 40 feet tall
and spreading 8 to 12 feet when given a sunny location;
grows at a slow rate; in leaf all year.
Fruit is edible raw or cooked; medicinal purposes include
berries made into a tea to treat colds and rheumatism;
plant is said to contain the anti-cancer compound podophyllotoxin. |
American
Plum |
Common
name:
Latin name:
Plant family:
Physical Characteristics:
Other information:
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American
Plum
Prunus americana
Rosaceae
Deciduous shrub/tree; grows 10 to 20 feet in height
by 8 to 12 feet wide.
Edible fruit - raw, cooked in pies or used in preserves;
a tea made from scraped inner bark can be used as mouth
wash to treat sores. |
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