GreatPlants names 2008 selections

Nebraska Nursery & Landscape Association and Nebraska Statewide Arboretum announced its 2008 GreatPlants selections. The program also is celebrating its 10th year of marketing plants proven to perform in the Great Plains.

The program’s 2008 recommendations are:

* Tree of the year: Ostrya virginiana, American hophornbeam, is a medium-sized tree with heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in fall.

* Conifer: Pinus bungeana, lacebark pine, is a good alternative to Scotch pine. Its attractive bark features a patchwork of white, green and purple.

* Shrub: Euonymus atropurpurea, Eastern wahoo, grows well in full sun or shade. It reaches 12 feet high.

* Perennial: Geum triflorum, prairie smoke, features purple-red flowers in early spring and feathery silver and pink seedheads by midspring.

* Ornamental grass: Bouteloua gracilis, blue grama, forms low mats of curly, narrow leaves that measure 6 inches long. Seedheads grow 18 inches tall in July and last all winter.

GreatPlants also announced its 2008 releases, which are all drought tolerant:

* Populus tremuloides ‘NeArb’ Prairie Gold quaking aspen is a fast-growing selection resistant to canker, leaf spot and borers.

* Quercus prinoides, dwarf chinkapin oak, grows 15 feet tall and wide in full sun.

* Dianthus ‘Wink’ features evergreen foliage and pink flowers from midspring to early summer.

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For more: Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, (402) 472-7923; http://arboretum.unl.edu/greatplants/.