Q&A with Sandy Feather: Salt-tolerant roadside plants
December 8, 2007 5:00 AM
Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette
Lilacs are among the shrubs that can tolerate road salt.
By Sandy Feather
Q: I need suggestions for salt-tolerant plants to screen my view of a road. I recently purchased the property, and there have been a variety of shrubs and trees planted along the road, but several have died. My neighbor thinks it is due to road salt runoff in the winter.
A: Road salt is very tough on plants, both from its build-up in the soil near treated surfaces and its physical contact with foliage and branches as salt-laden spray is splashed or aerosolized by fast-moving traffic. You can see the effect of road salt on trees when you travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike, particularly between New Stanton and Donegal.
Fortunately, there are a number of plants that tolerate road salt that would make an attractive screen for your yard. I will include a short list of books and Web sites at the end of this article so you can learn more about these plants (size, cultural requirements) and find pictures of them to make sure you like their appearance. You may find other lists of salt-tolerant plants. I have omitted those known to have severe insect and disease problems, such as Austrian pine (Pinus nigra), or non-native plants known to be invasive, such as Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia).
Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
Cherry birch (Betula lenta)
Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis)