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The sustainable plants rating system was developed to give some guidance to plant selection in a given a given region. The US Green Building Council LEED® program relies on the plant professionals to select the best plants that are most sustainable and are not invasive in a given region.
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has taken the lead in creating this rating system based on our work with tracking plants for over 25 years. There are many different species that we have worked with at the CZBG and the information is invaluable. We also have taught many different plant courses over the years for University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati State and Technical College as well as helped develop the Sustainable Plants Class with the Horticulture program at Cincinnati State.
Arboretums around the region are another vital source of this information. We did not just base our recommendations on the CZBG. We are working with and will continue to work with local arboretums such as Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. Spring Grove may have one of the most significant plant collections in the United States. Between the CZBG (1875) and Spring Grove Cemetery (1845) there is a wealth of plant knowledge to be gained. Other arboretums with incredible collections include Rowe Arboretum, Mt. Airy Forest and Arboretum, Boone County Arboretum in Northern Kentucky, and the many parks of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The city of Cincinnati also has one of the strongest Urban Forestry Programs in the country. They also have kept great records on their plantings.
Another source of information comes from our involvement with www.plantplaces.com. This website identifies specimens locally that are currently growing in our region. It is like an online arboretum. Specimens are identified, photographed and located to give real proof that a specimen is growing in our region. The more plants identified of a particular species the greater confidence one has of the plant doing well in our region. Many of the plants from the above arboretums are documented on this website.
The last source of information comes from the nursery and landscape industry that provides the plants and installs new varieties around the region. Nurseries and the landscape community all play a vital role in increasing the diversity in which our landscapes are made of.
Search plants by sustainability ratings and other factors here.Sustainable Plants Rating System - Definitions
Categories
Categories are separated out by size of the plant. The larger the tree the more ecosystem services it will provide through shading, stormwater mitigation, carbon sequestration, and providing "green" to an environment. We use in landscaping several size categories for trees. Here are those categories as well as the letter signifying what category it is in:
- A = Large Trees over 50' +
- B = Medium Trees 25' 50'
- C = Small Trees under 25'
- D = Large Shrubs 8' +
- E = Medium Shrubs 4' - 8'
- F = Small Shrubs under 4'
- G= Groundcovers and Vines
- H = Bamboo
Within each of these categories are a number system that reflects our levels of confidence on these plants performing in the landscape based on our records and observations. We also use the tools from i-Tree to help base some of our ratings. I= Herbaceous Perennials, J = Ornamental Grasses, K = Turfgrass and L = Annuals will be added as soon as time allows.
The scale is based on 1-5.
- 5 = Outstanding Best in Category, Highly Recommended
- 4 = Very Good Highly Recommended
- 3 = Good Recommended (may be site specific)
- 2 = Fair Caution! Not enough information available. Could be a weak performer.
- 1 = Poor Not Recommended for our region
Large Trees 50ft+ - Category A
Evergreens
Abies cilicica Cilician Fir 5Abies nordmaniana Nordmann Fir 5
Calocedrus decurrens California Incensecedar 3
Cedrus libani Cedar of Lebanon 4
Cedrus libani ssp. stenocoma Hardy Cedar of Lebanon 4
Picea abies Norway Spruce 5
Picea glauca White Spruce 4
Picea orientalis Oriental Spruce 4
Pinus strobus White Pine 3
Pinus wallichiana Himalayan White Pine 2
Pinus nigra Austrian Pine 3
Deciduous
Acer saccharinum Silver Maple 4
Acer x freemanii Freeman Hybrid Maples
- 'Autumn Blaze' 4
- 'Marmo' 4
- 'Celebration' 4'
- Armstrong' 3
- 'Autumn Fantasy' 4
- 'Sienna Glen' 4
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 5
- 'Green Mountain' 5
- 'Legacy' 5
- 'Bonfire' 5
- 'Wright Brothers' 5
- 'Fall Fiesta' 5
- 'Commemoration' 4
- 'Majesty' 4
Acer nigrum Black Maple 5
Aesculus flava Yellow Buckeye 5
Aesculus hippocastanum Horsechestnut 4
Ailanthus altissima Tree of Heaven 1
Betula nigra River Birch 4
- 'Heritage' 4
- 'Dura-heat' 4
Carya cordiformis Bitternut Hickory 5
Carya glabra Pignut Hickory 4
Carya illinoiensis Pecan 5
Carya laciniosa Shellbark Hickory 5
Carya ovata Shagbark Hickory 5
Carya tomentosa Mockernut Hickory 5
Catalpa speciosa Northern Catalpa 4
Catalpa bignoidioides Southern Catalpa 4
Cedrella sinensis Chinese Toon Tree (Med)
4
Celtis laevigata Sugarberry 4
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry 4
- 'Prairie Pride' 4
Fagus grandifolia American Beech 5
Fagus sylvatica European Beech 5
- 'Asplenifolia' 5
Fraxinus Americana White Ash 1
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash 1
bicolor Swamp White Oak 5
Fraxinus quadrandulata Blue Ash 1
Fraxinus nigra Black Ash 1
Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo or Maidenhair Tree
5
- 'Autumn Gold' 5
- 'Fairmount' 3
- 'Princeton Sentry' 3
Gleditsea tricanthos var. inermis
Thornless Honeylocust 4
- 'Skyline' 5
- 'Moraine' 5
Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky Coffeetree
4
- 'Expresso' 4
- 'Kentucky Colonel' 4
Juglans nigra Black Walnut 4
Larix decidua European Larch 3
Liquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum 4
Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip Poplar 4
Maclura pomifera Osage Orange 4
- 'Whiteshield' 4
Magnolia acuminata Cucumber Magnolia
4
Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn
Redwood 4
- 'Ogon' 3
Nyssa sylvatica Blackgum 4
- 'Red Rage' 4
- 'Wildfire' 4
Paulownia tomentosa Royal Paulownia,
Princess Tree 2
Phellodendron amurense Amur Cork Tree
2
Platanus occidentalis Sycamore 4
Platanus x acerifolia London Planetree 4
- 'Bloodgood' 5
- 'Exclamation' 5
Quercus acutissima Sawtooth Oak 4
Quercus alba White Oak 5
Quercus
Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak 5
Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak 5
Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak 5
Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak 5
Quercus palustris Pin Oak 5
Quercus phellos Willow Oak 5
Quercus prinus Chestnut Oak 5
Quercus robur English Oak 4
Quercus rubra Red Oak 5
Quercus shumardii Shumard Oak 5
Quercus velutina Black Oak 5
Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust 2
Sophora japonica Japanese Sophora 4
Taxodium distichum Bald Cypress 5
- 'Shawnee Brave' 5
- 'Prairie Sentinel' 5
Taxodium ascendens Pond Cypress 3
Tilia americana American Linden,
Basswood 5
- 'American Sentry' 5
Tilia x euchlora 'Redmond' Redmond
Linden 5
Tilia tomentosa Silver Linden 4
- 'Sterling Silver' 4
Ulmus Americana American Elm
- 'Valley Forge' 5
- 'Princeton' 5
- 'New Harmony' 3
Ulmus hybrids Hybrid Elm
- 'Frontier' 3
- 'Accolade' 4
- 'Triumph' 4
- 'Patriot' 4
- 'Prospector' 4
- 'Urban' 4
Ulmus parviflora Chinese Elm 5
- 'Allee' 5
- 'D.B. Cole' 4
- 'Dynasty' 4
Zelkova serrata Japanese Zelkova 5
- 'Green Vase' 5
- 'Village Green' 5
Medium Trees 25'-50' - Category B
Evergreen
Abies concolor White Fir 3Cryptomeria japonica 'Yoshino' Yoshino Cryptomeria 4
Juniperus chinensis Chinese Juniper 4
- 'Hetzii Columnaris' 4
- 'Keteleeri' 4
Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar 4
- 'Canaertii' 5
- 'Burkii' 4
- 'Glauca' 5
- 'Emerald Sentinal' 5
- 'Brackens Brown Beauty 4
- 'DD Blanchard' 4
Picea pungens Colorado Spruce 5
- 'Hoopsii' 5
- 'Fat Albert' 5
- 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' 4
Pinus sylvestris Scotch Pine 4
Pseudotsuga menziesei Douglas Fir 3
Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar 3
- 'Spring Grove' 4
Tsuga canadensis Eastern or Canadian Hemlock 3
Deciduous
Acer platanoides Norway Maple 3
- 'Royal Red' 3
- 'Deborah' 3
- 'Crimson King' 3
- 'Columnare' 2
- 'Emerald Queen' 3
- 'Emerald Lustre' 3
Acer rubrum Red Maple 4
- 'Red Sunset' 4
- 'October Glory' 4
- 'Burgundy Belle' 4
- 'Autumn Flame' 4
- 'Sun Valley' 4
- 'Autumn Radiance' 4
- 'Brandywine' 4
- 'Red Pointe' 4
Acer campestre- Hedge Maple 3
Acer miyabei Miyabei Maple 3
- 'State Street' 4
Aesculus glabra Ohio Buckeye 3
Aesculus turbinata Japanese
Horsechestnut 3
Castanea mollissima Chinese Chestnut 3
Cercidiphyllum japonicum Katsura 3
Cladrastis kentukea Yellowwood 5
- 'Perkins Pink' 4
- 'Summershade' 4
Corylus colurna Turkish Filbert 4
Diospyros virginiana Persimmon 5
Eucommia ulmoides Hardy Rubber Tree 3
Evodia hupehensis Bee Tree 3
Fagus sylvatica European Beech 5
- 'Pendula' Weeping European
Beech 4
- 'Roseomarginata' Tricolor Beech 3
Fraxinus oxycarpa Narrow Leaved Ash 1
- 'Raywood' 1
- 'Flame' 1
Gleditsea tricanthos var. inermis
Thornless Honeylocust
- 'Imperial' 5
- 'Sunburst' 5
Koelreuteria paniculata Golden Rain 4
- 'September' 4
Maackia amurensis Amur Maackia 3
Maackia chinensis Chinese Maackia 3
Magnolia x (Yellow Hybrids)
- 'Butterflies' 5
- 'Yellow Bird' 5
Magnolia x soulangiana Saucer Magnolia
4
- 'Alexandrina' 4
- 'Galaxy' 4
Magnolia x loebneri Loebner Magnolia 4
- 'Merrill' 4
- 'Wada's Memory' 4
Magnolia macrophylla Bigleaf Magnolia 3
Magnolia tripetala Umbrella Magnolia 3
Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay Magnolia 4
- 'Glauca' 4
- 'Moonglow' 4
Morus alba White Mulberry
- 'Strybling' 4
Ostrya virginiana Hop-hornbeam 4
Pistacia chinensis Chinese Pistache 3
Prunus serotina Black Cherry 3
Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' - Weeping
Cherry 3
Pyrus calleryana Callery Pear 1
- 'Bradford' 1
- 'Aristocrat' 1
- 'Cleveland Select' 1
Salix alba 'Tristis' or babylonica Weeping
Willow 3
Sassafras albidum Sassafras 4
Tilia cordata Littleleaf Linden 5
- 'Greenspire' 5
- 'Corinthian' 5
Zelkova serrata 'Wireless' Wireless
Zelkova 4
Small Trees Under 25' - Category C
Evergreen
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Lawson Falsecypress 3Chamaecyparis pisifera Sawara Falsecypress 3
- 'Boulevard' 3
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Alaskan Cedar 3 - 'Pendula' Weeping Alaskan Cedar 3
Juniperus rigida Needle Juniper 4
Cunninghamia lanceolata China-fir 2
- 'Samurai' 2
Magnolia virginiana var. australis Evergreen Sweetbay Magnolia 4
- 'Northern Belle' 4
- 'Henry Hicks' 4
- 'Rowe Arboretum' 5
Pinus thunbergiana Japanese Black Pine 3
Taxus cuspidata Japanese Yew 5
- 'Capitata' 5
Deciduous
Acer palmatum Japanese Maple 3
- 'Bloodgood' 4
- 'Emperor 1' 4
- 'Burgundy Lace' 4
- 'Oshio Beni' 3
Acer palmatum var. disectum 'Crimson Queen' J.
Maple 3
Acer palmatum 'Viridis' Green Cutleaf Japanese
Maple 3
Acer ginnala Amur Maple 4
- 'Flame' 4
Acer griseum Paperbark Maple 4
Acer x 'Girard's Hybrid' Girard's Hybrid Maple 5
- 'Gingerbread' 5
Acer tataricum Tatarian Maple 4
Acer triflorum Three-Flower Maple 2
Acer truncatum Shantung Maple 3
Aesculus pavia Red Buckeye 4
Aesculus x carnea Red Horsechestnut 3
- 'Briotii' 3
Albizia julibrissen Mimosa 3
Amelanchier x grandiflora Apple Serviceberry 4
- 'Autumn Brilliance' 5
- 'Princess Diana' 5
Amelanchier laevis Alleghany Serviceberry 4
Amelanchier 'Cumulus' Cumulus Serviceberry 4
Asimina triloba Pawpaw 4
Betula alleghaniensis Yellow Birch 3
Betula lenta Sweet Birch 3
Betula nigra 'Little King' Little King River Birch 4
Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade' Weeping River
Birch 4
Betula paperifera Paper Birch 2
Betula pendula European Whitebark Birch 2
Carpinus caroliniana American Hornbeam 4
- 'Palisade' 3
Carpinus betulus European Hornbeam 4
- 'Fastigiata' 3
- 'Columnaris' 3
- 'Franz Fontaine' 3
- 'Pendula' 4
Cercis Canadensis Redbud 5
- 'Appalachian Red' 5
- 'Royal White' 5
- 'Tennessee Pink' 5
- 'Hearts of Gold' 5
- 'Ace of Spades' 4
- 'Lavendar Twist' 4
- 'Ruby Falls' 3
Cercis Canadensis var. alba Whitebud 5
Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Amazing Grace'
Weeping Katsura 4
Chionanthus virginicus Fringetree 4
Chionanthus retusus (Northern Form) Chinese
Fringetree 4
Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood 4
- 'Cloud Nine' 4
- 'Spring Grove' 4
- 'Appalachian Spring' 4
- 'Cherokee Princess' 4
- 'Cherokee Chief' 4
- 'Rubra' 4
Cornus x 'Venus' Venus Dogwood 2
Cornus x Rutgers Hybrid Dogwoods 3
Cornus kousa Kousa Dogwood 3
- 'Milky Way' 4
- 'Wolf Eyes' 3
- 'Samaritan' 3
Cornus mas Corneliancherry Dogwood 4
Cornus officinalis Japanese Cornel Dogwood 4
Cotinus obovatus American Smoketree 3
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4
Crataegus viridis 'Winterking' Winterking
Hawthorn 5
Crataegus x lavallei Lavalle Hawthorn 4
Crataegus crus-galli Cockspur Hawthorn
- 'Inermis' 4
Davidia involucrata Dove Tree 2
Evodia daniellii Korean Evodia 2
Firmiana simplex Chinese Parasol Tree 2
Franklinia alatamaha Ben Franklin Tree or
Franklinia 1
Halesia Carolina Carolina Silverbell 2
Koelreuteria paniculata Golden Rain Tree 4
- 'September' 4
Laburnum x watereri Golden Chain Tree 1
Magnolia stellata Star Magnolia 4
- 'Royal Star' 4
Magnolia hybrids
- 'Jane' 4
- 'Ann' 4
- 'Betty' 4
- 'Susan' 4
Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' L. Messel
Magnolia 4
Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay Magnolia 5
Malus CVs Crabapple
- 'Donald Wyman' 5
- 'Sugar Tyme' 5
- 'Red Jade' 5
- 'Louisa' 5
Oxydendron arboreum Sourwood 1
Parrotia persica Persian Parrotia 5
Prunus yedoensis Yoshino Cherry 5
- 'Akebono' 5
Prunus sargentii Sargent Cherry 5
Prunus serrulata- Japanese Flowering Cherry 5
- 'Kwanzan' 5
Prunus subhirtella Higan Cherry
- 'Autumnalis' 5
Prunus cerasifera Cherry Plum
- 'Thundercloud' 4
- 'Newport' 4
Rhus glabra Smooth Sumac 4
- 'Laciniata' 4
Rhus typhina Staghorn Sumac 4
- 'Laciniata' 4
- 'Tiger Eyes' 4
Rhus copallina Shining Sumac 4
- 'Lahnam's Purple' 4'Creel's Quintet' 3
Rhus chinensis Chinese Sumac 4
- 'September Beauty' 4
Sorbus alnifolia Korean Mountain Ash 4
Stewartia pseudocammelia Japanese Stewartia 2
Styrax japonica Japanese Snowbell 2
Syringa reticulata Japanese Tree Lilac 5
- 'Ivory Silk' 5
Syringa pekinensis Pekin Lilac 3
- 'China Snow' 3
Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls' Baldcypress 4
- 'Peve Minaret' 4
Large Shrubs 8' + Category D
- 'Wintergreen' 3
- 'Techny' 3
Medium Shrubs 4' 8' Category E
- 'Runyan' 5
Juniperus chinensis Chinese Juniper
- 'Pfitzeriana', 'Gold Coast', 'Mint Julep', 'Sea Green', 'Nick's Compact', 5
- Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl' Grey Owl Eastern Red Cedar 5
Buxus - Boxwood
- 'Green Gem', 'Green Velvet', 'Green Mountain', 'Vardar Valley', 'Wintergreen'
Ilex x meserveae 'China Boy/China Girl'
Ilex glabra Inkberry Holly
- 'Densa'
- 'Shamrock'
Small Shrubs Under 4' Category F
- 'Repandens' 5
- 'Wardi', 'Everlow', 'Tauntoni', 5
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'Blue Star Juniper 4
Juniperus horizontalis Creeping Juniper 5
- 'Wiltoni', 'Blue Chip', 'Bar Harbor' 5
Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper 4
Juniperus sabina 'Broadmoor' Broadmoor Juniper 4
Picea omorika 'Nana' Dwarf Serbian Spruce 3
Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata' Prostrate Japanese Plum Yew 3
Microbiota decussata Russian Cypress 2
Groundcovers and Vines Category - G
Vines
Bignonia capreolata - Cross Vine 4
Bignonia capreolata 'Tangerine Beauty' Tangerine Beauty Crossvine 4
Campsis 'Mme Galen' Madam Galen Trumpet Vine 5
Campsis 'Flava' Yellow Trumpet Vine 5
Clematis Jackmanii, Ramona, Henryi 3
Clematis paniculata Sweet Autumn Clematis 3
Gelsimium sempervirens 'Margarita' Carolina Jasmine 3
Hydrangea petiolaris Climbing Hydrangea 4
Lonicera sempervirens Trumpet Honeysuckle 3
Lonicera s 'Magnifica' 4
Lonicera s 'John Clayton' 4
Lonicera s 'Alabama Crimson' 4
Parthenocissus tricuspidata Boston Ivy 4
Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Green Showers', 'Fenway Park' 4
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper 3
Rhus radicans - Poison Ivy 1
Schizophragma hydrangioides 'Moonlight' 2
Wisteria floribunda Japanese Wisteria 3
Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls' 3
Groundcovers
Hedera Helix English Ivy 3
Euonymus fortunei var. coloratus Wintercreeper Euonymus 1
Pachysandra terminalis Pachysandra 4
Liriope spicata Creeping Liriope 4
Liriope muscari Big Blue Lilyturf 3
Carex Evergold, Silver Scepter, Ice Dance 3
Convalaria majalis Lily of the Valley 3
Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' 2
Sedum 'Angelina' 3
Lamiastrum g. 'Variegata' Variegated Lamiastrum 3
How sustainable is your garden? Download the PlantPlaces.com Mobile app on your Android™ phone, upload your plant collection, and get a Sustainability Report Card!