Tree Edging on a Hillside

Four-Season Interest

• Some of the best small hillside edging trees create buffers or boundaries with four seasons of visual interest. These include downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Topping out at 25 feet, with an equal spread, serviceberry features white spring flowers, oval leaves that color in fall and glossy blue-black summer berries. Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia), grows to 40 feet tall, bearing camellia-like flowers in midsummer. The leaves turn red-orange in fall and exfoliating bark provides year-round beauty. Japanese stewartia is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8.

Narrow Edgers

• If space is limited because of boundary or property size issues, choose columnar or fastigiate trees to edge hillsides. "Bowhall" red maple (Acer rubrum "Bowhall"), hardy in USDA zones 3b through 9, features reddish spring foliage that turns green in summer and returns to brilliant red in fall. The trees grow up to 50 feet tall, with a 15-foot spread. "Fastigiata" English oak (Quercus robur "Fastigiata") grows up to 60 feet tall, with a maximum height of 15 feet wide. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Holly Choices

• Evergreens are traditional slope edgers, with strong roots to hold the soil and persistent needles or leaves for multi-season interest. American holly (Ilex opaca), features spiny, dark green leaves and bright berries. Growing up to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, the trees have a pyramidal habit and are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. In warmer climates, yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 9, grows in full sun to part shade. The small trees reach 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide. All plant parts can cause gastric distress if ingested.

Flowering Verges

• Flowering dogwoods (Cornus spp.) and redbuds (Cercis spp.) are traditional woodland understory plants and make good hillside edgers as well. Common dogwood (Cornus florida) lights up the spring landscape with white flowers on trees that grow up to 30 feet tall and wide. Red berries provide fall interest on trees that are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, covers itself in pink-purple, pea-like flowers in spring, followed by heart-shaped green leaves. The trees grow up to 30 feet tall and 35 feet wide.