Landscaping in Streetside Places

Streetside environments experience dry, harsh conditions and are exposed to pollutants, dust, spray, salt, and compacted soil. Soil pH can also be affected through leaching from concrete curbs and sidewalks. The best street trees also happen to be marsh species adapted to an environment with saturated soil and low oxygen. Consider the following species in streetside environments.

Perennials (Forbs)

Achillea millefolium - Common Yarrow
Eupatorium perfoliatum - Common Boneset
Hibiscus moscheutos - Swamp Rose-mallow
Opuntia humifusa - Eastern Prickly-pear

Groundcovers

Chamaecrista fasciulata - Common Partridge Pea
Salvia lyriata - Lyre-leaf Sage
Viola pedata - Bird’s-foot Violet

Ferns

Onoclea sensibilis - Sensitive Fern
Thelypteris palustris - Marsh Fern

Grasses, Sedges & RUshes

Panicum virgatum - Switchgrass
Schizachyrium scoparium - Little Bluestem

Shrubs

Aronia arbutifolia - Red Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa - Black Chokeberry
Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush
Gaylussacia baccata - Black Huckleberry
Lindera benzoin - Spicebush
Rosa Carolina - Carolina Rose, Pasture Rose
Sambucus canadensis - Common Elderberry, American Elder
Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush Blueberry, Northern Highbush Blueberry
Viburnum dentatum - Arrow-wood, Southern Arrow-wood Viburnum

Trees

Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Amelanchier arborea - Downy Serviceberry
Amalanchier canadensis -  Canada Serviceberry
Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Red Cedar
Quercus alba - White Oak
Quercus palustris - Pin Oak
Quercus rubra -  Northern Red Oak
Quercus stellata -  Post Oak
Quercus velutina  - Black Oak
Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress