Japanese Lilac (Syringa reticulate)

Appearance: It deciduous small tree growing to a height of 12 m, rarely to 15 m, with a trunk up to 30 cm (rarely 40 cm) diameter; it is the largest species of lilac, and the only one that regularly makes a small tree rather than a shrub. The leaves are elliptic-acute, 2.5–15 cm long and 1–8 cm broad, with an entire margin, and a roughish texture with slightly impressed veins. The flowers are white or creamy-white, the corolla with a tubular base to 4–6 mm long and a four-lobed apex 3–6 mm across, and a strong fragrance; they are produced in broad panicles5–30 cm long and 3–20 cm broad in early summer. The fruit is a dry, smooth brown capsule15–25 mm long, splitting in two to release the two winged seeds

Location: Native to eastern Asia, in northern Japan, northern China, Korea, and far southeastern Russia.

Culture: Full sun; moist, well drained, slightly acid soil.

Features: Large clusters of creamy white flowers in early summer; bark similar to that of cherry trees (shiny with long horizontal lines).

American Linden (Tilia americana)

Appearance: A medium-sized to large deciduous tree reaching a height of 18 to 37 m (60 to 120 ft) exceptionally 39 m (129 ft) with a trunk diameter of 1-1.5 m (3–4 ft) at maturity. The crown is domed, the branches spreading, often pendulous. The bark is gray to light brown, with narrow, well defined fissures. The roots are large, deep, and spreading. The twigs are smooth, reddish-green, becoming light gray in their second year, finally dark brown or brownish gray, marked with dark wart-like excrescences. The winter buds are stout, ovate-acute, smooth, deep red, with two bud scales visible. The leaves are simple, alternately arranged, ovate to cordate, asymmetrical, unequal at the base (the side nearest the branch the largest), 10–15 cm (can grow up to 25 cm) long and broad, with a long, slender petiole, a coarsely serrated margin and an acuminate apex. They open from the bud conduplicate, pale green, downy; when full grown are