Bur Oak Tops List of Nebraska's 2004 GreatPlants

NEBRASKA - Nebraska's GreatPlants committee recently announced their list of choices for best Great Plains-specific plants for 2004.

The Bur Oak tops the list due to its rugged hardiness that allows for its survival in the Great Plains' climate.

Bob Henrickson, assistant director of horticultural programs for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and head of the the GreatPlants committee, told IANR News Service that GreatPlants are seleced for their hardiness, ornamental value and promoted for wider use in landscaping. "Bur oak is the king of the oaks – a majestic, rugged tree that thrives in a climate that devours lesser trees," he said.

Other 2004 GreatPlants include:

• Clove Currant - Shrub of the Year
• Variegated Solomon's Seal - Perennial of the Year
• Indiangrass - Grass of the Year

GreatPlants is a joint effort of the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.