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< Back Crabapple (MALUS THUNDERCHILD) - ‘Thunderchild’ Deep purple leaves emerge on 'Thunderchild' Crabapple after rose colored buds have formed and begin opening to large, dark-pink, single blossoms in mid-spring. These stunning blooms are then followed by tiny (1 cm), ruby-red fruits in abundance that attract birds. Highly disease resistant and extremely hardy, this compact, upright deciduous tree continues to dazzle as its deep purple leaves turn a stunning dark red in the fall. Due to its many virtues and sized perfectly at 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide, ‘Thunderchild’ makes an excellent specimen tree planted alone or in mass plantings. Extremely cold hardy to USDA Hardiness zone 2, this crabapple is an excellent choice for cold Wyoming winters. It is also adaptable to a wide range of soils and pH. However, it requires full sunlight and should not be allowed to dry out; should be irrigated consistently to keep the soil conditions average to moist. Select a planting site with well-drained soil. Tolerant of urban pollution with a medium growth rate. Like most crabapples, occasional pruning and maintenance is required. Suckers should be removed in summer, but pruning should be done in late winter after the the threat of extreme cold has passed to remove damaged, diseased, or misplaced growth. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics. Previous Next

Apricot, Cherry, Peach, Pear, & Plum Trees Cherry - 'Evans Bali' Cherry Tree 'Evans Bali' Cherry is the ideal size for backyard orchards sporting showy white flowers in spring followed by loads of bright red cherries in mid- summer. Although this is a sour cherry, it is considered to be the sweetest of the sour cherries and is delightful for fresh eating as well as in pies and jams! 'Bali' is bathed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers along the branches in mid spring before the leaves. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The pointy leaves turn an outstanding orange in the fall. The fruits are showy cherry red drupes carried in abundance in mid-summer. This extremely hardy cherry is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn’t require a second plant nearby to set fruit. The smooth dark red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape. It's shapely oval form complements its average texture to blend well into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. It has no significant negative characteristics. Read More Cherry - 'Montmorency' Cherry Tree 'Montmorency' is one of the most popular dessert cherries in North America. Boasting large, bright red fruit and excellent cold-hardiness, 'Montmorency' is self-fertile and will produce even more fruit when paired with another cherry variety for pollination. It's sour cherries are firm and juicy and delicious eaten fresh but most especially in pies, preserves, and juiced. There are many health benefits from cherries and their juice. The flavor is tart and tangy. Montmorency is very cold hardy and disease resistant. Ripens in late June. Self-fertile. (As a side note, this is one of Simply Sunshine's favorite cherry varieties for making pie filling.) Read More Pear - 'Bosc' Semi-Dwarf Pear Tree 'Bosc' fruit both looks and tastes beautiful with a naturally occurring russet, radiating a gorgeous golden appearance. The juicy, firm flesh is sweetly-spicy and is absolutely delicious with it's crunchy texture! 'Bosc' pears remain firm and keep their classic shape during cooking. It is a high-quality, vigorous, and productiver pear that matures mid-season about 20 days after Bartlett. 'Bosc' trees are large with upright growth. The fruit is large and narrow shaped with a long neck; skin color is dark yellow with russet. Pear is juicy, sweet and tender. Good for canning, and fresh eating and does not need to be peeled before eating. European pears are late blooming, tolerant of heavy wet soils, and a good choice for many areas. Plant at least two varieties for best results. Harvest 3rd year. Read More Pear - 'Summercrisp' Pear Tree Very good for colder areas, 'Summercrisp' is an early maturing pear introduced by the University of Minnesota for use in colder climates, where most other pear varieties survive poorly and often do not produce fruit. 'Summercrisp' Pear bears stunning clusters of white flowers with purple anthers along the branches in mid-spring, followed by showy chartreuse fruit marked with a red blush. An abundant crop can be expected in late summer with unique fruit that is best consumed without having been ripened fully. 'Summercrisp' pears naturally taste best while the flesh is firm and crisp. The low canopy of this tree typically clears the ground around 4 feet high and is suitable for planting near power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more. Read More Plum - 'Early Italian' Dwarf Plum Tree The large, sweet, oblong, purple freestone fruit of the Early Italian Plum is perfect for fresh eating or preserving in a multitude of ways, including canning and drying. European plums are the best plum varieties in cold climates, and this hardy and vigorous mid season plum ripens 14 days earlier than traditional Italian Plums. The delicious yellow-green flesh turns to a beautiful rich red wine color when cooked. This is a self-fertile tree also great for commercial production. It is considered an easy tree to get established and can begin bearing fruit from between three to six years. Considered self-fertile, but will have greater production when cross-pollinated with another European plum variety. Read More Plum - 'Mount Royal' Plum Tree Considered by many to be the best all-around plum for consistent crops, fruit quality and yield in tougher climate regions. Heirloom blue, European type that ripens in early to mid-Septmeber, Mount Royal Plum has dark green foliage throughout the season with leaves that turn yellow in fall. An advantage of this cultivar is that it is self- pollinating with white, showy, fragrant blooms that emerge in the spring. Blue drupes are ripe in August and are sweet and tender. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or in baked goods. This tree would fit perfectly as part of an edible landscape, orchard, under power lines, and would even make an ideal stand-alone specimen tree due to a wide opening canopy. It is extremely cold hardy. Read More

< Back Peony (PAEONIA LACTIFLORA) - 'Festiva Maxima' ​ ​ Previous Next

< Back Spirea (SPIRAEA X BUMALDA) - 'Goldflame' ​ ​ Previous Next

< Back Strawberry, Everbearing - 'Albion' Strawberry Albion' strawberry produces very large fruit that is mostly conical, very firm and red in color. It's flavor is excellent for a day-neutral cultivar. Compared to Seascape, Albion bears larger and slightly firmer berries, and is more disease resistant. Albion's disease package includes resistance to verticillium, phytophthora crown rot, and partial resistance to anthracnose crown rot. Good freezing quality. To get the high yields it is capable of producing, this variety will need a stronger watering and nutrient program than any other everbearer. Wider plant spacing will deliver the largest berries. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-7 with a height of 6-8 inches and a spread of 3 feet. Requires more than 6 hours of daily sun and light to medium moisture. Plant strawberries in early spring. Water them often through July. Remove flowers the first year and fertilize and water regularly. Do not plant them where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, or okra were planted the previous year. There is a disease that sometimes attacks these plants that will also attack strawberries. When planting, make sure that the roots are spread apart, and not tightly packed in a small hole. The plant will spread faster if the blossoms are removed so that more runners can be produced. The second year, allow the buds to stay so that fruit can be produced. Because strawberries have shallow roots, they should be fertilized during the growing season. Previous Next

Evergreen Trees Juniper Tree (JUNIPERUS CHINENSIS) - 'SPARTAN' Juniper Juniper trees have unique 'needle-leaves' that separate their appearance both from Spruces and Pines. 'Spartan' Juniper has dense branches, a handsome pyramidal shape, and rich green foliage that keeps it's color year round. It is an excellent choice for a windbreak or screen. This hardy, low-maintenance, versatile tree creates a dense, lush privacy screen in groups or can be planted alone as a specimen tree. 'Spartan' has a handsome shape, but can also be clipped into a stunning spiral topiary and it's size is perfect for compact yards or small spaces. Junipers can thrive in harsh climate conditions and survive both drought and cold. Read More Juniper Tree (JUNIPERUS SCOPULORUM) - 'MOONGLOW' Juniper 'Moonglow' is a very columnar tree with upright, bright, bluish green, needle-like foliage. Many landscapers enjoy it as an accent, combination, or screen planting thanks to it's neat and tidy upright growth. It has slightly blue cast, scale-like needles and the foliage serves as a pleasing contrast to other garden colors. It's branches ascend vertically contributing to the trees overall pyramidal shape. The bark of a 'Moonglow' Juniper is typically reddish brown, but can turn gray over time and exfoliates into thin strips which gives it somewhat of a shredded appearance. It is an easy specimen to grow. Read More Pine, Austrian (PINUS NIGRA) - 'OREGON GREEN' Deep, glossy, rich green needles densely spaced and curved against the branches make 'Oregon Green' an outstanding specimen. It's unique, open form adds strength to the landscape while also creating a sense of home with it's fine-textured needles and distinctive pyramidal shape. Bright white clusters of 'candles' of new growth that emerge in the spring stand out against the attractive green needles. This small to medium sized evergreen tree can be used as a stand alone specimen, privacy screen, windbreak, or to add to a wooded area. It is loved by a variety of birds that nest in its dense branches. Read More Pine, Mountain (PINUS MUGO) - 'COLUMNARIS' The form of this mugo pine has a distinct, very narrow, upright, pyramidal shape that is different from the more traditional rounded mugo. This shape allows it to provide a nice pop of height to the landscape; although, it is a dwarf tree and so it will not overwhelm your space. This super hardy cultivar is perfect for tight landscape spaces where a strong vertical accent is appropriate. Additionally, the long, dark green needles of 'Columnaris' combined with red-orange bark and conspicuously white, waxy buds creates a specimen that adds a unique touch. Our favorite trait of 'Columnaris', though, is that it reliably produces adorable, small ornamental cones that catch the eye and add even more personality to this already inviting tree. Read More Pine, Mountain (PINUS MUGO) - 'TANNENBAUM' The perfect Christmas-tree shaped evergreen with the toughness of mugo pine! 'Tannenbaum' is an upright mugo, with a broad base and pyramidal shape creating the traditional look we all love during the holiday season. The deep green needles carry a hint of gray/blue and hold their color even during winter months. This highly adaptable, hardy tree is believed to be the first single-stem tree form of Mugo Pine to be commercially produced and distributed. It was selected from hundreds of seedlings in the trial beds of McCrory Gardens at South Dakota State University and the original plant reached 10 to 11′ tall and 6′ wide after 25 years. Read More Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'BAKERI' This large, broadly conical selection of Colorado Blue Spruce has a nice pyramidal shape and beautiful silvery-blue needles. 'Bakeri' has long, stiff, dense foliage making it an excellent choice in the landscape. Furthermore, it is drought tolerant and adaptable to different soil conditions making it perfect for xeriscaping applications or traditional landscapes in dry climates. Read More Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'FASTIGIATA' A popular cultivar of the Colorado Blue Spruce due to it's columnar nature and tidy, tight habit, 'Fastigiata' is a narrow, upright tree with stiff bright blue needles. It adds vertical interest to the landscape and incredible blue color making this narrow selection the ideal accent or focal point where space is a consideration. Although it will broaden at the base with age, it will maintain it's tight, upright form that can also be sheared if needed. Since it will not grow as tall as the species, nor as wide, it is the perfect choice for planting in a smaller area. Read More Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'FAT ALBERT' This evergreen is a Simply Sunshine favorite due to it's tough, stout stature and it's ability to be content with very little care. 'Fat Albert' It is noted for its near perfect conical shape with a strong, straight central leader and full, pyramidal form from the time it is young through maturity. It's dense ascending branches and steel blue needle color adorned with light brown cones make this everything an evergreen should be. It can be used as a windbreak, screen, or accent tree. Because it is typically found in elevations from 6,000 feet to 11,000 feet, it is an excellent high elevation selection. Additionally, it prefers cool climates and will struggle in heat and humidity of southern states making it the perfect choice for northern plantings. Once established, 'Fat Albert' has some drought tolerance, however, the soil should be kept consistently moist in the early years. Requires no staking or training to achieve it's stature and is considered a "perfect and predictable Colorado Blue Spruce". (Iseli Nursery) Read More Spruce, Colorado Blue (PICEA PUNGENS) - 'HOOPSII' This stately variety of Colorado Blue Spruce is not only extraordinary and eye-catching, but robust and strong. It is considered to be the bluest of all the Colorado Blue Spruce cultivars with its long, thick, silvery blue needles on spreading branches. In addition to it's rich, attractive foliage, it produces large magenta cones in spring. It has gained a reputation as an exceptional specimen tree and grows with a full, pyramidal form. Not one to be passed over, 'Hoopsii' definitely demands a space in the landscape. Read More Spruce, Norway (PICEA ABIES) - 'PAULS SELECT' Norway Spruce Unique blue color that makes this pyramidal cultivar a standout in the garden and landscape. 'Paul's Select' is suitable as a stand alone or specimen plant due to it's brilliant blue color. Useful as windbreak tree and good alternative to Colorado Blue Spruce selections where disease pressure is an issue from overplanting. Moderate growth rate, performs well under dry conditions. Read More

< Back Ornamental Pear (PYRUS USSURIENSIS BAILFROST) - 'Mountain Frost Pear' A hardy, flowering ornamental pear, Pyrus ussuriensis ‘Bailfrost’ MOUNTAIN FROST® PEAR has a nice, vigorous, upright oval growth habit. Profuse white flowers in spring, sparse fruit production, glossy-dark green foliage, and good burgundy fall color make this an outstanding and hardy ornamental tree. A Bailey Nurseries introduction. Reaching a height of 25 feet and width of 20 feet, 'Mountain Frost Pear' claims to be the hardiest of the ornamental pears. It is rated at USDA Hardiness Zone 3 and is very resistant to fireblight. When selecting a planting site, be sure that it will receive full sun and well-drained soil. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to the soil type or pH and is highly tolerant of urban pollution. This dense, deciduous tree has a strong central leader and distinctive, refined pyramidal form making it a lovely accent shade tree or used in a combination planting grouped with one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs. Best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should NOT be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more. Previous Next

< Back European Snowball Viburnum (VIBURNUM OPULUS) - 'Roseum' ​ ​ Previous Next

Shade Trees Above 30 Feet Tall Aspen, Quaking (POPULUS TREMULOIDES) As the breeze blows the leaves of the Quaking Aspen, the quaking of the flat-stemmed leaves create a rustling sound that is reminiscent of the mountain landscapes we love so much. This attractive tree robed in white, textured bark and small, glossy green leaves is highly adaptable to most soil conditions. It grows natively over a very large are of the northern United States and Canada. Suckering occurs as the tree gets older and if left unclipped can create a grove of Aspens. Fall color is beautiful golden yellow. Read More Crabapple (MALUS 'DOLGO') - 'Dolgo' A unique cultivar in that it produces larger, brilliant red crabapples than other varieties that are ideal for making jelly. ‘Dolgo’ crabapple also is an excellent pollinator for traditional apple trees. This hardy, early bloomer is full of prolific white blossoms in mid-spring that emerge from distinctive shell pink flower buds. Soon after, the pointy dark green leaves fill in the branches and then turn a lovely shade of yellow in the fall. A heavy yield of edible crabapples form in late summer. Good cold tolerance and a high level of disease resistance makes this an excellent choice as both an ornamental and edible in cooler climates. Read More Honeylocust (GLEDITSIA TRIACANTHOS INERMIS) - 'Imperial' Imperial® Honeylocust is the most compact of the honeylocust varieties allowing it a place in a wider range of landscapes. It also boasts a finer texture of it's bright green foliage when compared with other honeylocusts. The pinnately compound foliage is reminiscent of fern leaves and provides a dappled shade that still lets a little light through. Fall color is yellow. This thornless, mostly seedless variety has strong, wide branch angles that resist storm damage and is fast-growing and relatively maintenance-free. Deer tend to leave honeylocusts alone and they are highly adaptable, tolerant, and reliable. Read More Honeylocust (GLEDITSIA TRIACANTHOS INERMIS) - 'Northern Acclaim' Northern Acclaim® Honeylocust is a good hardy introduction from NDSU with an upright, pyramidal growth habit much like 'Skyline' Honeylocust. Thornless and seedless, this variety of honeylocust grows at a moderate to fast rate with greater winter hardiness than the standard available cultivars in the nursery trade. Maintains attractive bright green foliage during the summer months changing to golden-yellow in the fall. The bi-pinnately and pinnately compound foliage is reminiscent of fern leaves and provides a light, filtered shade. Deer tend to leave honeylocusts alone and they are highly adaptable, tolerant, and reliable. Read More Honeylocust (GLEDITSIA TRIACANTHOS INERMIS) - 'Prairie Silk' Prairie Silk® Honeylocust is a uniquely hardy selection from Manitoba exhibiting good rounded form with bright green foliage. The strong horizontally-tiered branching gives this cultivar a good resistance to wind damage. Does not form pods. Maintains attractive bright green foliage during the summer months changing to golden-yellow in the fall. The bi-pinnately and pinnately compound foliage is reminiscent of fern leaves and provides a light, filtered shade. Deer tend to leave honeylocusts alone and they are highly adaptable, tolerant, and reliable. Read More Maple (ACER NEGUNDO) - 'Sensation' ‘Sensation' was discovered by Warren Carnefix in Southwestern Idaho and it has a much improved branch structure and central leader than other varieties within the species. Spring foliage emerges brilliant in hues of copper red which fade to green with red highlights during the summer months then later turn soft, bright red in the fall. This unique and stunning tree is highly adaptable to site conditions including wet or dry soils and is extremely hardy. During it's youth, it forms a pyramidal shape and spreads as it ages. The trunk is silvery in tone and enhances the spectacular foliage beautifully. Furthermore, because it is a male seedless variety, it is considerably less attractive to boxelder bugs. Read More Oak (QUERCES MACROCARPA) - 'Burr Oak' Despite it's rugged, dull appearance, the tough and timeless nature of Burr Oak makes this a valuable tree in the landscape, particularly in harsh climates. It has a rounded, open form, slow growth rate, and is very adaptable to adverse and dry soil conditions. It does much better in higher alkalinity than most other oak and is more drought resistant as well. It's dark gray, rough, corky-like bark develops deep ridges as it ages and it's dark green leaves exhibit more vegetative variation than other oaks. Fall color varies from dull yellow, yellow green to yellow brown and the acorns that it grows tend to be 3/4 - 1 1/2" long. Strength, hardiness, and durability are traits of Burr Oak that make it a tree worth the wait. Read More

< Back Aspen, Quaking (POPULUS TREMULOIDES) As the breeze blows the leaves of the Quaking Aspen, the quaking of the flat-stemmed leaves create a rustling sound that is reminiscent of the mountain landscapes we love so much. This attractive tree robed in white, textured bark and small, glossy green leaves is highly adaptable to most soil conditions. It grows natively over a very large are of the northern United States and Canada. Suckering occurs as the tree gets older and if left unclipped can create a grove of Aspens. Fall color is beautiful golden yellow. Growing as high as 40 feet tall with a spread of 30 feet, Quaking Aspen is the most widely distributed tree in North America. It is known widely for it's ability to create a grove from it's suckering roots. If not desired, suckers should be pruned back. Rated at USDA Hardiness zone 2, this tree is an excellent choice in group plantings with evergreens and other deciduous trees and shrubs. Quaking Aspen will grow best in full sunlight and consistently moist well-drained soils, although it is quite adaptable. Grows best in cool, northern climates anywhere from rocky mountain tops to the clay soil in valleys in a wide range of elevations. Generally not tolerant of urban pollution. Aspens require careful monitoring as they are susceptible to a large number of disease problems, including dieback, leaf spots, rusts, powdery mildew and cankers. Diseased trees often suffer premature leaf drop as a result thereof. Common insect visitors include caterpillars, borers, aphids and scale. Treat accordingly. Previous Next

< Back Shrubby Cinquefoil (POTENTILLA FRUTICOSA) - 'Mango Tango' ​ ​ Previous Next

< Back Plum - 'Early Italian' Dwarf Plum Tree The large, sweet, oblong, purple freestone fruit of the Early Italian Plum is perfect for fresh eating or preserving in a multitude of ways, including canning and drying. European plums are the best plum varieties in cold climates, and this hardy and vigorous mid season plum ripens 14 days earlier than traditional Italian Plums. The delicious yellow-green flesh turns to a beautiful rich red wine color when cooked. This is a self-fertile tree also great for commercial production. It is considered an easy tree to get established and can begin bearing fruit from between three to six years. Considered self-fertile, but will have greater production when cross-pollinated with another European plum variety. The Early Italian Dwarf Plum tree under ideal growing conditions should reach a height of 20' and a spread of 10'. Like all fruit trees, it requires full sun exposure and should be pruned annually for best crop yield. As a zone 5 plum (there are some sources that put this at a zone 4), plant Early Italian Dwarf in a protected, warmer region of your yard away from harsh winds and mulch well. Plums like well-drained soil and avoid competition with grass at the base of the tree. Fruit should ripen June to early August with high yields. Special Considerations: Prune when young to create an open branching structure that allows for even light distribution and more consistent ripening of fruit. Better yields associated with cross-pollination with another European plum (Prunus domestica). For general care and maintenance of plum trees, watch for plum aphids, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth, bullfinches, silver leaf, bacterial canker, and brown rot. Previous Next