Plants that Survive Winter Rock Salt

Gardeners can control the way they melt the snow on their properties. What they cannot control is what their community uses to remove the salt from the streets. Then the snow plows come along and plow the snow and/or slush from the street right up on the grass by the curb where your trees and other plants are waiting for spring to come. Then when the show melts, the water with the salt runs over more of the property damaging hedges, grass and any other plants in front of the house. The chances of plants in the rear of the house being damaged is less, but the plants that survive the onslaught of rock salt look beautiful back there also.

Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioica) is hardy in zones 3 to 8 and grows from 60 to 80 feet tall and 40 to 55 feet wide. Green-white flowers bloom in May and June. Plant in moist, rich well-drained soils and give the tree plenty of room in a full sun situation. The tree is very adaptable except when it comes to heavy, clay soils. The tree will be either male or female. Choose a male tree if you are worried about falling seeds and in the front of a house this can be a big problem with the seeds landing on the sidewalk. The tree produces blue-green leaves 3 inches long that turn yellow in the fall.

Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a member of the honeysuckle family and grows up to 9 feet tall and 9 feet wide. The shrub likes full sun or partial shade and a moist, well-drained soil. Medium-green to dark-green, egg-shaped leaves turn to green, chartreuse, yellow, orange, burgundy or red in the fall. Whiter flowers bloom in May and June growing in flat-topped clusters 3 inches in diameter. The flowers give way to blue or blue-purple fruits that are a favorite meal for birds.

Chinese fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is an ornamental grass that grows 2 to 4 feet tall with an equal spread. Thin leaves grow from 12 to 20 inches long and turn from a bright green to golden brown in the winter. Flowers grow in clusters up to 8 inches long from spring to winter. Plant in full sun or partial shade and a moist to dry soil. The plant is hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Many cities do not allow the homeowner to plant the trees by the curb. The city does it to make everything look as uniform as possible. However, the homeowner could be responsible the maintenance of the tree and be responsible if the tree needed to be removed. Check with your local agency for the rules on street trees.

Source:

Philadelphia Post Gazzette