Shrub

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Trees & Shrubs

The United States is the world’s leading producer and consumer of forest products and accounts for about one-fourth of the world’s production and consumption.

Tulips blooming near the entrance to McCrory Gardens.

May 22

Garden Discovery Festival @ McCrory Gardens

Join us on May 22 for the 2022 Garden Discovery Festival at McCrory Gardens in Brookings, featuring plant sales, interactive booths, guided garden tours and expert-led workshops!

Three woody plants. From left: Ponderosa pine tree, chokecherry bush and greasewood.

Poisonous Plants on Rangelands: Woody Species

Several woody plant species that are poisonous to livestock are found throughout South Dakota rangelands, including ponderosa pine, chokecherry, greasewood and broom snakeweed.

Green and brown grasshopper with two yellow lines that originate on the head and meet on the abdomen.

Due to large populations and dry conditions, grasshoppers are moving into gardens and feeding on whatever they can find. In a normal year, grasshoppers can be a nuisance in a garden, but during an outbreak year, they can present a real threat to gardens, shrubs and small trees.

Plant Hardiness Zones

Spring is the season for planting new garden and yard landscapes. When selecting perennial varieties that will survive winters in South Dakota, use the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones to identify the best candidates for your landscape.

grove of trees with noticable yellowing and browning on leaves

Trees & Drought Stress

Trees require a lot of water to meet their functional needs and long-term shortages can influence their growth and survival.

Maple leaf branch with green to yellow leaves

Why Are The Tree Leaves Turning Yellow?

Chlorosis, a condition where the leaf veins remain green but the surrounding foliage turns pale green or yellow, is a common occurrence on certain tree species in South Dakota.

a shrub-like plant green leaves and dark purple, grape-like fruit

Fruit Variety: 2019 Recommendations for South Dakota

The varieties listed in this publication were selected on the basis of general availability to the consumer and upon their known reliability, including disease resistance, for general growing conditions in South Dakota.

beetle with metallic green head and red wings resting on soybean leaf

Japanese Beetles

Japanese Beetles (Popillia japonica) are pest beetles feed on trees, ornamental plants and food crops.

Brown and green insect with clear wings that are folded over its body like a tent.

What’s Buzzing in the Trees?

Each summer we hear a droning buzz that comes from the trees. Many residents of South Dakota attribute this noise to locusts. But that isn’t what is making the buzzing sound! The insects responsible for the buzz are actually called cicadas