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Chapter A177
PLANTING MATERIALS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Table of Contents

§ A177-1. Recommended trees and shrubs.

A. General.

B. Planting materials for wet or dry conditions.

C. Footnote: For plant sources and availability.

 

§ A177-2. Planting specifications.

A. Specifications for trees.

B. Specifications for shrubs.

C. Specifications for planting under wet and dry conditions.

 

GENERAL REFERENCES
Natural features conservation -- See Ch. 101.
Stormwater management and erosion control -- See Ch. 121.
Shade trees -- See Ch. 128.

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Merion 5-17-1989 as Sec. 5 of Ord. No. 3155. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ A177-1. Recommended trees and shrubs.

The following plantings are recommended:

1. General. [Amended 11-19-2003 by Ord. 3694]

1. Street trees.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
35	Carpinus caroliniana	Ironwood; American hornbeam
100	Fraxinus pennsylvanica cv seedless	Seedless ash
50	Ostrya virginiana	Hop hornbeam
50	Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood
60	Quercus acutissima	Sawtooth Oak
80	Quercus Alba	White Oak
60	Quercus bicolor	Swamp white Oak
75	Quercus borealis	Red Oak
75	Quercus imbricaria	Shingle Oak
125	Quercus macrocarpa	Bur Oak
90	Quercus prinus	Chestnut Oak
130	Taxodium distichum	Bald cypress
90	Tilia americicana	American linden
90	Tilia cordata	Littleleaf or European linden
50	Ulmus parvifolia	Chinese elm
80	Zelkova serrata	Zelkova Village Green or Green Vase

 

2. Shade trees.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
75	Acer rubrum	Red Maple
70	Acer saccharum	Sugar Maple
70	Carya glabra	Pignut Hickory
70	Carya ovata	Shagbark Hickory
60	Cercidiphylium japonicum	Katsura Tree
70	Fagus granifolia	American Beech
60	Fagus sylvatica	European Beech
100	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Green Ash
60	Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis	Thornless Honeylocust
80	Ginko biloba	Ginko/Maidenhair Tree
75	Gymnocladus dioicus	Kentucky Coffeetree
100	Liquidambar styraciflua Rotundiloba	Sweetgum
100	Larix decidua	European larch
50	Nyssa sylvatica	Black Tupelo
80	Platanus x acerifolia	London Planetree
90	Platanus occidentalis	Sycamore
45	Quercus acutissima	Sawtooth Oak
80	Quercus alba	White Oak
80	Quercus coccinea	Scarlet Oak
80	Quercus imbricaria	Shingle Oak
80	Quercus marcrocarpa	Bur Oak
80	Quercus montana	Chestnut Oak
70	Quercus phellos	Willow Oak
80	Quercus rubra	Red Oak
80	Quercus velutina	Black Oak
70	Taxodium distichum	Bald Cypress
60	Tilia cordata	Littleleaf European Linden
90	Tilia tomentosa	Silver Linden
40	Ulmus parvifolia	Chinese Elm
80	Zelkova serrata	Japanese zelkova

 

3. Ornamental trees.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
35	Acer campestre	Hedge Maple
20	Acer ginnala	Amur Maple
30	Amelanchier canadensis	Shadbush, serviceberry, juneberry
75	Betula lenta	Cherry birch
70	Betula nigra	River birch
35	Carpinus caroliniana	Ironwood, American Hornbeam
35	Cercis canadensis	Eastern Redbud
30	Cladrastis lutea	American yellowwood
25	Cornus kousa	Japanese dogwood
25	Cornus mas	Corneliancherry Dogwood
35	Cornus floridia	Flowering dogwood
30	Cotinus coggygria	Smoke Tree
30	Crataegus cras-galli var. inermis	Thornless Hawthorn
30	Koelreuteria paniculata	Panicled goldenrain
30	Malus floribunda	Japanese flowering crab
30	Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood
20	Prunus serrulata cv Kwanzan	Kwanzan Cherry
30	Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis'	Higan Cherry
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Bradford	Bradford Pear
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Aristocrat	Aristocrat Pear
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Autumn Blaze	Autumn blaze
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Chanticleer	Chanticleer
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Fauriei	Faurier
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Redspire	Redspire
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Trinity	Trinity
30	Pyrus calleryana cv Whitehouse	Whitehouse

 

4. Evergreens.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
90	Abies concolor	White Fir
70	Cupressocyparis leylandii	Leyland Cypress
45	Ilex opaca	American Holly
100	Pinus strobus	White pine
40	Pinus cv. Fastigiata	Pyramidal white pine
90	Pinus thunbergi	Japanese black pine
100	Pseudotsuga taxifolia	Douglas fir
50	Thuja occidentalis	American arborvitae
90	Tsuga canadensis	Hemlock

 

5. Native shrubs.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
8 to 12	Aesculus parviflora	Bottlebrush buckeye
9	Aronia arbutifolia	Red chokeberry
8	Aronia melanocarpa	Black chokeberry
5	Callicarpa americana	Beautyberry
12	Calycanthus floridus	Sweetshrub
10	Cephalanthus occidentalis	Buttonbush
18	Clethra acuminata	Summersweet
18	Clethra alnifolia	Summersweet
9	Cornus amomum	Silky dogwood
10	Cornus sericea	Red osier dogwood
9	Fothergilla major	Fothergilla
15	Hamamelis virginiana	Witch hazel
8	Hydrangea quercifolia	Oak-leaved hydrangea
3 to 9	Itea virginica	Sweet-spire
9	Ilex glabra	Inkberry
10	Ilex verticillata	Winterberry
6	Kalmia latifolia, named varieties	Mountain laurel
5	Leucothoe fontanesiana	Leucothoe
8	Lindera benzoin	Spicebush
20	Magnolia virginiana	Sweet bay
9	Myrica pensylvanica	Bayberry
6	Pieris floribunda	Mountain andromeda
9	Rhododendron arborescens	Sweet azalea
	Rhododendron atlanticum	Coast azalea
26	Rhododendron bakeri	Cumberland azalea
10	Rhododendron calendulaceum	Flame azalea
10	Rhododendron canadense	Catawba rhododendron
6	Rhododendron carolinianum	Carolina rhododendron
12	Rhododendron fortunei	Fortune rhododendron
6 to10	Rhododendron x gandavense	Ghent azalea
3	Rhododendron obtusum	Hiryu azalea
3	Rhododendron obtusum kaempferi	Torch azalea
3	Rhododendron schlippenbachii	Royal azalea
12 to 20	Rhododendron maximum	Rosebay
6	Rhododendron nudiflorum	Pinxterbloom azalea
6	Rhododendron vaseyi	Pinkshell azalea
6	Rhododendron viscosum	Swamp azalea
8	Rhus aromatic	Fragrant sumac
20	Rhus copallina	Shining sumac
15	Rhus glabra	Smooth sumac
20	Rhus typhina	Staghorn sumac
12	Sambucus canadensis	Elderberry
6	Symphoricarpos albus leavigatus	Snowberry
5	Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Coralberry
6 to 10	Vaccinium corymbosum	Blueberry
5	Viburnum acerifolium	Mapleleaf viburnum
6	Viburnum cassinoides	Witherod
10	Viburnum dentatum	Arrowwood
15	Viburnum nudum	Smooth witherod
15	Viburnum prunifolium	Black haw
10	Viburnum trilobum	American cranberry

 

6. Nonnative shrubs.

Height at Maturity (in feet)	Scientific Name	Common Name
5	Abelia grandiflora	Glossy abelia
3	Cotoneaster apiculata	Cranberry cotoneaster
3	Cotoneaster conspicua	Wintergreen cotoneaster
6	Cotoneaster divaricata	Spreading cotoneaster
3	Cotoneaster horizontalis	Rock spray cotoneaster
30	Enkianthus campanulatus	Redvien enkianthus
9	Euonymus alatus	Burningbush or winged euonymous
10	Forsythia cv Farrand	Beatrix Forsythia
10	Lynwood
10	Spring glory
15	Hamamelis x intermedia cv Arnold Promise	Arnold's Promise witch hazel
15	Hibiscus syriacus	Rose of sharon or althea
3	Hydrangea arborescens cv Grandiflora	Hills-of-snow
1.5	Hypericum patulum cv Hidcote	Hidcote St. Johnswort
20	Ilex crenata	Japanese holly
4	Ilex crenata cv Helleri	Helleri holly
10	Ilex x Meservea Juniperus horizontalis	Blue holly series creeping juniper
2	cv Bar Harbor	Bar Harbor
2	Emerson	Black hill creeper
2	Wiltonii	Blue rug
15	Philadelphus spp.	Mock-orange
8	Pieris japonica	Japanese andromeda
8	Pinus mugo mugo	Mugo pine
15	Prunus laurocerasus	Cherry-laurel
6	Spirea x vanhouttei	Vanhoutte spirea
60	Taxus baccata	English yew
50	Taxus cuspidata	Japanese yew
8	Viburnum carlesii	Spice viburnum
9	Viburnum dilatatum	Linden viburnum
8	Viburnum plicatum cv Mariesii	Doublefile viburnum

 

2. Planting materials for wet or dry conditions (recommended for use in and around stormwater management basins and related facilities).

1. Wildflowers for wet meadows.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Asclepias incarnate	Swamp milkweed
Aster novae-angliae	New England aster
Aster puniceus	Purple-stemmed aster
Aster laevis	Smooth aster
Bidens aristosa	Bidens or tickseed sunflower
Bidens polyepsis	Bidens or tickseed sunflower
Eupatorium coelestinum	Mistflower
Eupatorium fistulosum	Hollow joe-pye weed
Eupatorium dubium	Joe-pye weed
Helenium nudiflorum	Purple-headed sneezeweed
Helianthus giganteus	Giant sunflower
Hesperis matronalis	Dame's rocket
Hibiscus palustris	Swamp rose mallow
Impatiens capensis	Jewelweed
Impatiens pallida	Jewelweed
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow iris
Lilium canadense	Canada lily
Lobelia cardinalis	Cardinal flower
Lobelia siphilitica	Blue lobelia
Ludwigia alternifolia	Seedbox
Monarda didyma	Bee balm
Penstemon digitalis	Beardtongue
Pycnanthemum virginianum	Mountain mint
Rudbeckia laciniata	Green-headed coneflower
Rudbeckia triloba	Black-eyed susan
Senecio aureus	Golden ragwort
Solidago gigantea	Late goldenrod
Solidago graminifolia	Lance-leaved goldenrod
Zizia aurea	Golden alexanders

 

2. Wildflowers for wet edges.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Bidens aristosa	Bidens or tickseed sunflower
Bidens polylepis	Bidens or tickseed sunflower
Hibiscus palustris	Swamp rose mallow
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow iris
Iris versicolor	Blue flag
Lobelia cardinalis	Cardinal flower
Lobelia siphilitica	Blue lobelia
Monarda didyma	Bee balm
Scirpus acutus	Hardstem bulrush
Typha angustifolia	Narrow-leaf cattail
Typha latifolia	Common cattail

 

3. Grasses for wet meadows.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Panicum virgatum	Switch grass
Sorghastrum nutans	Indian grass
Tridens flavus	Red top
Phalaris arundinaceae	Reed canary grass

 

4. Shrubs for wet meadows.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aronia arbutifolia	Red chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa	Black chokeberry
Cornus amomum	Silky dogwood
Ilex verticillata	Winterberry holly
Salix spp.	Willow
Clethra acuminata	Summersweet
Clethra alnifolia	Summersweet
Viburnum lentago	Nannyberry
Viburnum trilobum	American cranberry bush
Cephalanthus occidentalis	Button bush

 

5. Trees for wet soils.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer rubrum	Red or swamp maple
Amelanchier canadensis	Downy shadblow or serviceberry
Carpinus caroliniana	American hornbeam
Ilex opaca	American holly
Liquidambar styraciflua	Sweetgum
Magnolia virginiana	Sweetbay magnolia
Myrica cerifera	Southern bayberry
Platanus occidentalis	American sycamore, buttonwood
Quercus bicolor	Swamp white oak
Taxodium distichum	Bald cypress
Thuja occidentalis cv nigra	Dark American arborvitae
Tilia americana	American linden
Betula nigra	River birch

 

6. Wildflowers and grasses for dry meadows.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Andropogon gerardi	Big bluestem grass
Andropogon scoparius	Little bluestem grass
Asclepias tuberosa	Butterfly weed
Aster pilosus	Aster
Aster simplex	White aster
Elymus canadensis	Canada wild rye
Monarda fistulosa	Wild bergamot
Panicum virgatum	Switchgrass
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium	Slender mountain mint
Rudbeckia hirta	Black-eyed susan
Solidago nemoralis	Old field goldenrod
Solidago speciosa	Showy goldenrod
Sorghastrum nutans	Indian grass
Tridens falvus	Red top
Veronicastrum virginicum	Culver's root

 

7. Shrubs for dry meadows.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Comptonia peregrina*	Sweetfern
Cornus racemosa	Gray dogwood
Diervilla sessilifolia*	Southern bush honeysuckle
Hamamelis virginiana	Common witch hazel
Myrica pensylvanica*	Northern bayberry
Rosa carolina*	Pasture rose
Rhus aromatic*	Fragrant sumac
Rhus copallina*	Shining sumac
Rhus glabra	Smooth sumac
Rhus typhina	Staghorn sumac
Viburnum lentago	Nannyberry

*NOTE: Dense, spreading shrubs appropriate for steep slopes.

8. Trees for dry soils.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer rubrum	Red or swamp maple
Celtis occidentalis	Hackberry
Fraxinus pensylvanica lanceolata or Marshall's seedless	Marshall's seedless ash
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis	Thornless honey locust
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern red cedar
Liquidambar styraciflua	Sweetgum
Pseudotsuga taxifolia	Douglas fir
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet oak
Quercus macrocarpa	Bur oak
Quercus rubra (borealis)	Red oak
Robinia pseudo-acacia	Black locust
Sassafras albidum	Sassafras
Thuja occidentalis	Dark American arborvitae

 

3. Footnote: For plant sources and availability, applicants are encouraged to consult the following publications:

1. Nursery Sources - Native Plants and Wildflowers, published by the New England Wildflower Society, Inc., Garden in the Woods, Hemenway Road, Framingham MA 01701; and

2. The American Association of Nurserymen Plant Locator Guide.

§ A177-2. Planting specifications.

1. Specifications for trees.
   1. All trees planted within the road rights-of-way shall be approved species and varieties and shall conform to the full requirements of the Shade Tree Commission in size and form.
   2. All trees shall be true to name, nursery grown, unless otherwise approved by the Township Arborist, and free of all injurious insect pests, plant diseases or unhealed trunk or basal scars.
   3. All trees or, at a minimum, representative samples of all trees shall be subject to inspection at the planting site prior to planting (it is recommended that representative samples of all trees be inspected, rather than all trees, in the event that any or all trees are rejected). Plantings will be approved or rejected for cause. All plantings shall conform to the standards of the publication American Standard for Nursery Stock, ANSI Z60.1 - 1980 of the American Association of Nurserymen, as amended.
   4. All plants must be dug with ball and burlap and shall conform with the ball diameter to depth ratio standards of the publication American Standard for Nursery Stock, ANSI Z60.1 - 1980, of the American Association of Nurserymen, as amended, i.e., one foot of ball for each inch of trunk caliper measured one foot above ground and shall be not less in depth than 2/3 of the ball diameter. Wire baskets which may be used to transport trees shall be removed prior to planting.
   5. Trees should be planted in elliptical planting holes rather than the traditional straight-sided holes. Holes should be dug at least two feet wider than the greatest width of the tree ball for trees of less than five inches' caliper and four feet wider for trees of greater than five inches' caliper. All trees shall be planted at the same depth as the ball. The tree shall be set on firm soil that has not been loosened or to which soil amendments have been added (this is to prevent future settling of the tree to below the point that the tree was originally grown naturally or in the nursery row). Check each tree for the start of the flair or the root system and plant at that depth. Untie the burlap on the ball and pull it down to the bottom of the ball. Plastic burlap, if used, shall be removed. Use good quality topsoil in planting. Firm up soil to ensure soil contact to root mass. Water the tree until the entire root ball is wet. Thereafter, keep the root system moist but not wet. Injured, diseased trees and trees with broken branches or double leaders should be pruned. With trees with double leaders, remove either one of the double leaders totally. Do not top the central leader. Stake the tree using flat strapping or webbing instead of wire, making sure the tree can move at least one inch in either direction. Double bracketing is best with a support on each side of the tree. Examine ties during growing season since trees can be girdled if they grow too quickly. Mulch saucer of tree but do not pile mulch on tree trunk. Leave three inches of bare soil adjacent to trunk. Maintaining a permanently mulched area around the tree promotes growth and helps prevent mowing injuries.

   6. Take customary precautions according to the standards of the American Association of Nurserymen in preparing plants for digging, moving, transplanting and planting.

2. Specifications for shrubs. Plant material should be balled and burlapped or container grown.
1. Spacing. Unless a hedge is desired, give shrubs room to grow by providing proper spacing; place planting holes on centers that approximate the height of the shrub at maturity. If set against a building, shrubs should not touch walls or be planted in the building's dripline, where plants can be damaged by excessive runoff and falling ice and snow. Do not plant in areas that will have large piles of snow from plowing of parking lots or roadways.
2. Planting.
1. Dig a separate hole for each shrub. Add organic materials such as peat moss, leaf mold or compost to soil. Holes should be dug at least eight inches wider than the shrub and the same depth as the ball. Plants must be taken out of containers and plastic burlap must be removed. Natural fiber burlap may be left, but loosen the top and remove from shrub's stem.
2. Set the shrub at the same level as grown at the nursery; fill with mixture of soil and organic material until the hold is 2/3 full; water. Build saucer around shrub and finish filling, tamping to ensure good soil to root contact. Water and cover with mulch; do not pile mulch deeper than three or four inches. Prune out any broken branches. Maintain a watering schedule whenever rainfall is insufficient to keep the soil moist. A slow release fertilizer should be added early in the spring of the second year.
3. Azaleas and rhododendrons and other ericaceous plants must be planted in soil with a pH value of between 4.5 and 6.5. These plants are fibrous rooted and grow within the upper 12 inches of soil. A mulch will keep the topsoil cool and aid in their growth.

4. Mulch on all shrubs should be renewed yearly to keep down weeds, conserve water and increase soil humus.

3. Specifications for planting under wet and dry conditions (recommended for use in and around stormwater management basins and related facilities). In areas prone to flooding, a plan can be designed to create an ecosystem capable of withstanding occasional flooding, be aesthetically pleasing, biologically diverse and need limited maintenance. As each site is unique, each site needs an original plan based on site conditions.
   1. Wet meadows or basin floors.
      1. Clump-forming grass species should be selected rather than mat-forming grasses to allow space for wildflowers. Species used should be native or naturalized species, where possible, with a mix of annual, biennial and perennial and with a succession of blooming time.
      2. Soil tests of basin floors in stormwater facilities, including tests for organic content, should be undertaken and fertilizer added only if necessary. Where fertilizer is used, a slow-release variety should be used as seedlings are unable to absorb large amounts of nutrients and the possibility of nutrient-rich runoff may occur.
   2. Planting.
   1. In stormwater management facility construction, simply saving the topsoil of a biologically rich site, rather than burying it during construction, would preserve many of the rhizomes and seeds of native grasses and wildflowers.
   2. Seeds pressed into the soil by drills or roller seeders have better access to soil moisture. Drop or cyclone spreaders are effective, as is hand sowing. Lightly rake over the area or use tine harrow to ensure proper soil-seed contact.
   3. Seed can also be hydroseeded onto slopes, hard to reach or wet areas. For best results, do not mix the mulch in with the seed; spray the mulch over the seed in a separate application.
   4. Meadow species are mostly perennials and require several years for good establishment.
   5. Because most soil contains dormant seeds, it is not unusual to see weeds the first year. These can be mowed if they are in such quantities to cause a problem. Using a rotary mower is recommended as they mulch as they cut.
   6. The practice of allowing native species to mature before they are moved allows many to reproduce and survive. After the second year, one annual mowing either in late fall or early spring before April 1 will maintain the meadow. Woody invaders must be eliminated from the site, either by mowing or removal.