Gardening Near Street Trees

Gardening Near Street Trees
Annuals | Bulbs | Groundcovers | Perennials | Plants to Avoid



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Planting flowers is a great way to add beauty to your tree box. Not only will plantings deter pedestrians and dogs from walking through the tree pit, but wilted flowers will also tell you when the tree pit soil is dry.

Please plant your flowers or groundcovers at least 18 inches away from your young tree, because they will compete for water and nutrients. PLEASE don't plant ivy in your tree box, because vines climbing on the trunk will slowly kill the tree.

Ivy will strangle your tree, but flowers will add beauty your tree box.

If you are a D.C. TreeKeeper, you can buy all of the flowers listed below with your discount at


1801 14th Street, NW	911 11th Street, SE

Shade-Loving Annuals
Annual plants are perfect companions to newly planted trees less than three years old. Their root systems are small enough that they won't compete with the tree for water. Annuals live only one year, and therefore must be replanted each spring.

Name	Height	Flower color	Bloom	Conditions	Features
Begonia, Begonia spp.	6-8 inches	Red, pink or white	All summer	Grows in sun or shade, tolerates drought.	Some varieties have bronze leaves.
Impatiens, Impatiens walleriana	12 inches	Red, coral, pink, purple, or white	All summer	Needs water and shade.	Badly wilts when dry.
Sweet Alyssum, Lobularia maritimum	4-6 inches	Purple, pale pink or white	April to October	Grows in sun or shade.	Low, spreading growth.
Coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides	12-18 inches	This leafy plant is available in different color combinations.	Grown for leaves	Prefers partial to full shade, but tolerates some sun.	Large, brightly colored leaves.

Sun-Loving Annuals
Plant on the edges of your treepit, where there is still plenty of sun reaching the ground.

Name	Height	Flower color	Bloom	Conditions	Features
Geranium, Pelargonium hortorum	12 inches	Red, pink or white	All summer	Sun	Remove spent flowers to keep plant blooming.
Vinca, Catarantharus rosea	6-10 inches	Many colors available	All summer	Sun	Annual vinca is not invasive to the environment.
Verbena, Verbena x hybrida	6-12 inches	Purple, blue and white flowers	All summer	Sun, Drought tolerant	Easy to grow, attracts butterflies.
Lantana, Lantana camara	12-15 inches	Orange, yellow and red flowers	All summer	Sun, Drought tolerant	Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Pentas, Pentas lanceolata	8-18 inches	Pink, purple, and white flowers	All summer	Partial shade to sun	Easy to grow, attracts butterflies.
New Guinea impatiens, Impatiens wallerana	6-10 inches	Maroon or green foliage and pink, coral, purple, red, or orange flowers.	All summer	Tolerates sun better than most impatiens	Remove spent flowers to keep plant blooming.
Petunia, Petunia x hybrida	12 inches	Reds, pinks, lilac, yellow, white, purple or bicolors	All summer	Sun	Remove spent flowers to keep plant blooming.

Spring Flowering Bulbs
Plant bulbs in the fall, and they will flower in the spring. Bulbs will not compete with your tree for water, as long as they are planted at least 18 inches away from the trunk. Squirrels love to dig up and eat flowering bulbs. You can protect your plantings by burying your bulbs in pea gravel under the soil.

Name	Height	Flower color	Bloom	Conditions	Features
Glory-of-the-Snow, Chionodoxa forbesii	3-4 inches	Royal blue flowers with white eyes	Early spring	Plant bulbs 2-3 inches deep, 1-2 inches apart.	One of the first spring flowers, blooms even in snow!
Crocus, Crocus spp.	4-8 inches	Yellow, purple and white	Early spring	Plant bulbs 2-3 inches deep, 1-2 inches apart.	A favorite squirrel food!
Daffodil, Narcissus spp.	6-20 inches	Yellow, white and bicolors	April	Plant bulbs 6 inches deep, 4-6 inches apart.	Lift and divide bulbs every 3 to 4 years.
Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis	4-10 inches	White	Early spring	Plant bulbs 3-4 inches deep, 2-3 inches apart.	One of the first spring flowers, blooms even in snow!
Scilla 'Spring Beauty', Scilla sibirica	4-6 inches	Dark blue	Early spring	Plant bulbs 3-4 inches deep, 3-4 inches apart.	A beautiful and uncommon spring flower.

Perennial Groundcovers
Perennial plants have big root systems that can compete with a new tree for water. Plant groundcovers 18 inches away from the trunk, but only after the tree has lived in its pit for three or more years.

Name	Height	Bloom Time	Conditions	Features
Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum	6-12 inches	White star-shaped flowers bloom in the spring.	Prefers partial to full shade, and can tolerate air pollution.	Scented flowers and leaves can be harvested for tea.
Liriope (also known as Monkey Grass), Liriope muscari	Foliage: 10 inches Flower spikes: 16-18 inches	Purple flower spikes bloom in mid-summer.	Can grow in full sun or deep shade. Can tolerate drought, traffic and pollution.	Blooms sometimes followed by dark, shiny berries. Cut back in early spring.
Pachysandra, Pachysandra terminalis	8-10 inches	White flowers bloom from April to May.	Prefers partial to full shade, can tolerate drought, requires well-drained soil.	Flowers are sometimes followed by white berries in the fall.
Plumbago (also known as Leadwort), Ceratostigma plumbaginoides	8-12 inches	Blue flowers bloom from late summer to fall.	Partial shade. Doesn't like wet soil.	Purple leaves look great with bulbs. Cut back woody stems in late winter to stimulate new growth.
Ajuga, Ajuga reptans	9-12 inches	Lavender or blue flowers appear in late spring.	Can tolerate full sun.	Nearly evergreen.
Creeping Phlox 'Sherwood Purple', Phlox stolonifera	Foliage: 3-5 inches, Flowers: 6- 12 inches	Purple flowers bloom from April - June.	Prefers partial to full shade but will grow in sun.	Spreading evergreen.
Lamb's Ears, Stachys byzantina	6-12 inches	Small purple flowers bloom in late spring.	Prefers full sun to partial shade, can tolerate drought.	Leaves have an unmistakable furry texture.

Shade-Loving Perennials
Perennial plants have big root systems that can compete with a new tree for water. Plant perennials only after the tree has lived in its pit for three or more years. Some perennials grow very tall and can create safety hazard by blocking clear lines of sight. If you plant perennials, make sure they only grow to a maximum of 18 inches in height.

Name	Height	Flower color	Bloom time	Conditions	Features
Alumroot, Heuchera Americana	18 inches	Tiny, pale, lacy flower clusters	Early spring	Prefers partial to full shade.	Semi-evergreen and colorful in the fall.
Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia	12 inches	Delicate white flowers grow in clusters on spikes.	April through June	Prefers partial to full shade.	Spreads easily.
Lady's Mantle, Alchemilla speciosa	12 inches	Small yellow, greenish flowers	Spring and early summer	Requires partial shade to handle heat and humidity, but can tolerate drought.	Has pleated, kidney-shaped leaves, and looks similar to Baby's Breath.
Plantain Lily or Hosta, Hosta spp.	18 inches	Lavender, purple or white flowers grow on stalks.	Stalks rise above leaves in June or July.	Prefers partial to full shade.	Durable, broad leaves have yellow, white or gray stripes.

Sun-Loving Perennials
Perennial plants have big root systems that can compete with a new tree for water. Plant sun-loving perennials on the edges of your tree pit only after the tree has lived for three or more years. Some perennials grow very tall and can create safety hazard by blocking clear lines of sight. If you plant perennials, make sure they only grow to a maximum of 18 inches in height.

Name	Height	Flower color	Bloom time	Conditions	Features
Tickseed, Coreopsis verticillata	18 inches	Yellow	Early summer	Prefers full sun, tolerates drought.	Great alternative to Black-eyed Susans.
Salvia or Sage, Salvia spp.	12-18 inches	Violet blue spikes	Early to mid-summer	Prefers full sun, tolerates drought.	Remove spent flowers to keep plant blooming.
Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia	12-18 inches	Lavender blue flower spikes	Early to mid-summer	Prefers full sun to partial shade, tolerates drought.	Needle-like evergreen leaves are known for their aroma.
Sedum "Autumn Joy", Sedum spectabile hybrid	12-18 inches	Green flowers transition to pink, mauve, then rosy brown	Late summer to fall	Prefers full sun, tolerates drought.	Succulent leaves and flowers provide fall and winter interest.
Dwarf New England Aster, Aster novae-angliae	12-18 inches	Mounds of violet flowers with yellow centers	Late summer to fall	Prefers full sun.	Compact plant.

Plants You NEVER Want to Grow
There are several plants that have become invasive in Washington, D.C. Their seeds are carried by birds and the wind into our parks and forests, where they crowd out native species and kill our trees with their parasitic growth. Please protect our local parks by NOT planting (or removing) the following plants in your tree pits and gardens:

Name	Seeds	Features	Instead Plant...
English Ivy, Hedera helix	Late summer	Glossy or variegated leaves and vines climb dozens of feet and strangle trees. Very invasive	Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia Aggressive climber will not kill trees and has beautiful red leaves in fall.
Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera spp.	Late summer	Yellow and white fragrant blossoms. Very invasive.	Native Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens Fragrant blossoms come in yellow, white, orange and red.
Chinese Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, W. floribunda	Summer	Heavy vines bloom with purple pannacles of flowers. These heavy, quickly-growing vines can pull down trees, roofs, and porches.	American Wisteria, Wisteria frutescens Less aggressive, native wisteria Trumpet Vine, Campsis radicans Heavy, climbing vine with large yellow, orange or red trumpet flowers
Perennial Vinca, Vinca minor	Spring	Perennial groundcover has glossy leaves and small purple flowers. Very invasive	Annual Vinca (Catarantharus rosea), Alyssum or Creeping Phlox (see Groundcovers, above)
Goutweed or Bishop's Weed, Aegopodium podograria	Early summer	Very invasive groundcover.	Sweet Woodruff, Aguja or Pachysandra (see Groundcovers, above)
Porcelainberry, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata	Summer	Glossy blue, green, and pink berries are often carried off by birds. Very invasive.	American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens
Wintercreeper, Euonymus fortunei	Late summer	Very invasive groundcover.	Green-and-gold, Chrysogonum virginianum Native, variegated groundcover