Winter safety includes keeping walkways free of ice. Many ice melting products are not plant-friendly. Commonly used rock salt, or sodium chloride, is extremely harmful to plant material and can impact the soil health. Instead, choose products made with calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, or calcium magnesium acetate. If using a service, ask about their plant safe deicer options.
Signs of Damage
Some plants show immediate damage from ice melting products, such as browning on evergreens. In summer, deciduous plants may display burn or scorch on leaves, branch dieback, stunted growth, or lack of vigor and death. Lawns along sidewalks and streets can be killed from excessive salt.
Advice on Care
Adding sand or sawdust will extend a deicer and provide extra traction. Try to avoid piling salt-laden snow around trees and shrubs. Make sure drainage patterns flow away from the plants. Thoroughly watering the area in the spring to wash deicer out of the soil, off of the root zones and woody structures of the plants will help.
Chose Salt Tolerant Plants
The best way to deal with potential salt damage is to choose plants known to be salt-tolerant especially if you don’t have control of what type of deicer is used. This does not mean you can use a heavy hand with the deicer, but these plants can handle the salt better.Â
Shrubs Tolerant of Salt
Common Name: Chokeberry
Latin Name: Aronia
Common Name: Barberry
Latin Name: Berberis thunbergii
Common Name: Forsythia
Latin Name: Forsythia
Common Name: Hydrangea
Latin Name: Hydrangea
Common Name: St. John’s Wort
Latin Name: Hypericum
Common Name: Holly
Latin Name: Ilex
Common Name: Mockorange
Latin Name: Philadelphus x virginalis
Common Name: Mugo Pine
Latin Name: Pinus ‘Mugo’
Common Name: Sumac
Latin Name: Rhus aromatic
Common Name: Alpine Currant
Latin Name: Ribes alpinum
Common Name: Spirea
Latin Name: Spirea
Common Name: Coralberry
Latin Name: Symphocarpos
Common Name: Lilac
Latin Name: Syringa
Common Name: Yucca
Latin Name: Yucca
Trees Tolerant of Salt
Common Name: Coffeetree
Latin Name: GymnocladusÂ
Common Name: Honeylocust
Latin Name: Gleditsia
Common Name: Ginkgo
Latin Name: Ginkgo
Common Name: Eastern Redcedar
Latin Name: Juniperus virginiana
Common Name: Oak
Latin Name: Quercus
Perennials & Perennial Grasses Very Tolerant of Salt
Common Name: Sea Thrift
Latin Name: Armeria
Common Name: Reed Grass
Latin Name: Calamagrostis
Common Name: Pinks
Latin Name: Dianthus
Common Name: Fountain Grass
Latin Name: Pennisetum alopecuroides
Common Name: Virginia Creeper
Latin Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Perennials Tolerant of Salt
Common Name: Japanese Anemone
Latin Name: Anemone
Common Name: Wormwood
Latin Name: Artemesia
Common Name: Pigsqueak
Latin Name: Bergenia
Common Name: Jupiter’s Beard
Latin Name: Centranthus ruber
Common Name: Plumbago
Latin Name: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Common Name: Daylily
Latin Name: Hemerocallis
Common Name: Coral Bells
Latin Name: Heuchera
Common Name: Hosta/Plantain Lily
Latin Name: Hosta
Common Name: Lavender
Latin Name: Lavandula
Common Name: Shasta Daisy
Latin Name: Leucanthemum
Common Name: Creeping Lilyturf
Latin Name: Liriope spicata
Common Name: Sedum
Latin Name: Sedum spectabile
Common Name: Speedwell
Latin Name: Veronica
Common Name: Creeping Thyme
Latin Name: Thymus
Perennial Grasses Tolerant of Salt
Common Name: Big Bluestem Grass
Latin Name: Andropogon
Common Name: Northern Sea Oats
Latin Name: Chasmanthium latifolium
Common Name: Blue Fescue
Latin Name: Festuca glauca
Common Name: Maiden Grass
Latin Name: Miscanthus
Common Name: Switch Grass
Latin Name: Panicum
