Road Salt Tolerant Plants

The use of deicing materials is necessary on streets, sidewalks and sometimes on driveways. But the shrubbery and trees that line those areas suffer from contact with the salt.

Evergreens will die back from salt hitting their needles and next summer we will see the results of salt on trees and shrubs. Grass that has been doused with salt, simply will not come back.

Since we will probably have to replace some street and driveway plantings, it would be good to put in some of the dozens of choices for salt-tolerant ones.

Trees with a high salt-tolerance include: White Cedar, Gray Dogwood, Cockspur Hawthorn, Golden Rain, Crabapple and Sargent Cherry.

Shrubs with a high salt-tolerance include: Siberian Peashrub, Pfitzer Juniper, Silver Buffaloberry, Vanhoutte Spirea, Adam's Needle Yucca, and others.

It's a good time to plan for spring planting.