Deltoid Shaped Plants

Shrubs

• Several shrub species have deltoid foliage. The beach sunflower (Helianthus debilis) has dark-green, small leaves with serrated margins. It produces showy, sunflowerlike flowers year-round. Beach sunflowers grow to 4 feet tall with a similar spread and are hardy in USDA zones 8b to 10. They prefer full sun and well-drained, sandy soils. Beach sunflowers can be grown as ground covers.

  The coral bean or cardinal spear (Erythrina herbacea) grows from 8 to 20 feet tall. It has semi-deciduous, light-green deltoid leaves covered with prickles. Coral beans have spiny stems and produce tubular red flowers that attract pollinators. They prefer full sun to partial shade and rich, well-drained soil. Coral beans will climb if provided support and are hardy in zones 8 to 11.

Native Trees

• Native trees are indigenous to North America. The eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) grows to 100 feet tall with a 75-foot spread. This deciduous tree is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9 and thrives in full sun and a range of soils. It has 3- to 5-inch wide, deltoid leaves and produces fuzzy white flowers. Eastern cottonwoods tolerate drought and air pollution. They are native to eastern North America.

  The Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) has deltoid, glossy, leaves with serrated edges. This North American native grows to 30 feet tall and blooms with white flowers in late spring. It has thorned stems and produces long-lasting, bird-attracting red fruits. Washington hawthorns grow well in full sun and moist to dry soil. They are hardy in zones 4 to 8.

Non-Native Trees

• Non-native trees were introduced after the advent of European settlement. The Chinese tallowtree (Sapium sebiferum) has deltoid, deciduous foliage that turns red, orange and yellow in fall. It produces spikes of yellow flowers in spring followed by long-lasting white seeds. Chinese tallowtrees thrive in full sun and tolerate drought and a range of soils. They are hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11 and grow to 35 feet tall.

  The coral tree (Erythrina variegata var. orientalis) is native to Asia. This deciduous tree grows to 50 feet tall and has variegated, green-yellow, deltoid foliage. It blooms with long spikes of red flowers, followed by foot-long red-brown seedpods. Hardy in zones 10 and 11, this drought-tolerant tree prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

Wildflowers

• Several wildflowers have deltoid foliage. The broad-leaved shooting star (Dodecatheon hendersonii) grows in open woodlands and grassy regions. This perennial has smooth, deltoid leaves and blooms with five-petaled, pink and purple flowers. Broad-leaved shooting stars are native to the Pacific Northwest.

  The anoda (Anoda cristata) is native to the Midwestern U.S. and grows as far west as Colorado. Anodas have deltoid foliage and bloom with single, purple-red to blue flowers. Their natural habitat includes roadsides and disturbed areas. The sand verbena (Abronia fragrans) grows naturally in sandy soils, grasslands and roadsides in the western U.S. This perennial has deltoid to oval leaves and produces an abundance of aromatic white flowers.