November's plants of the month are trees

November's plants of the month are trees

November's plants of the month are trees, in all their bewildering variety.


Container gardens:

  • Olive (Olea europaea) for gnarled shapes and slender, elegant grey-green leaves
  • Japanese maples like 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' for graceful shapes and colourful foliage
  • Sophora microphylla 'Sun King' for butter-yellow flowers in late winter and spring


Small gardens:

  • Betula utilis var jacquemontii for multiple stems of gleaming white bark and delicate foliage
  • Magnolia stellata with a compact shape and huge, spidery white spring flowers
  • Sambucus nigra (black elder) has purple foliage and clear pink flower sprays in June


Medium-sized gardens:

  • Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst' has ferny foliage which gleams golden in spring
  • Arbutus unedo is aptly named the strawberry tree for its bright red fruits in late autumn
  • Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' is an ornamental pear with a neat shape and white spring blossom


Big gardens:

  • Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' has handsome foliage and spectacular autumn colour
  • Liriodendron tulipifera is called the tulip tree for its flowers - but the foliage is just as gorgeous
  • Quercus rubra has huge architectural leaves flushed brilliant scarlet in autumn