I wonder if it depends on the particular cultivar. The #1 source for woody
plant info, hands down, is Michael Dirr's, Manual of Woody Landscape
Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture,
Propagation and Uses.

Suzy O, Zone 5 Wisconsin

"Steve" wrote in message
. ..
I am in no way any kind of gardening expert, just a hobbyist that has done
it a few years and learned from reading or doing. However, something I
noticed and seem to think is getting worse over time is conflicting
information on the identical plants. I mean the same common and technical
named plants - ie, exactly the same, not just offshoots or slightly
different species, but identical . I am located in SE Wisconsin. I rely
on
tags, nurseries, experience, books, mags, the net, etc for what I want to
plant and where. The information on size if very conflicting though I
notice. So, overall I am very much a gardening newbie.

For example, a few years back when I really knew nothing - I bought
some
green velvet boxwoods and I still have the tag that came with that that
says
grow 3 ft tall and 3 ft wide.. Both at local nurseries and on the net, I
have found the same plant with descriptions of the following:

1) 2-3 ft tall and wide
2) 3 ft tall and wide
3) 4ft tall and wide
4) 5 ft tall and wide
5) 3-5 ft tall and wide

I've seen many plants like this - another example is a Blue Muffin
Vibirnum
that I've seen at:

1) 4-5 ft
2) 5-6 ft
3) 4-6 ft
4) 6-8 ft
5) 8-10 ft
6) 10-12 ft

All of these are from tags at various nurseries in my area over a few
years
or even the same nursery at different times. I'm not so concerned when
you're talking 3 ft vs 4 ft or even 3 ft vs 5 ft - but 2 ft vs 5 ft and
4-5ft vs 10-12ft is a significant difference and affects what I plant and
where.

I've asked nursery owners locally and across the net on these and how I
can
determine what to expect, but their answers conflict as well. Some example
explanations:

1) The tags from Oregon where the climate lets them get larger
2) The tags is based on no pruning
3) I've never seen one that (large, small - pick one)
4) On the boxwood at different nurseries - "It will stay around 3 ft" or
"It
will definately get to 5 ft"
5) On the Blue Muffin - "those are small versions, only 5-6 ft tops" or
"those get 8-10 ft or larger"
6) "They say there so small because they grow slow, but they'll be much
larger over a few years"

I understand that climate, location, etc, etc will have an impact. I also
understand pruning is a way to keep size to desirable. How I look at it
though is that I don't want to unnecessarily create more work so if I have
a
location that would fit a 5 ft plant nicely then I don't want to drop in a
plant I should expect to get to 10ft and then require 2x's the
maintenance.
If I have a 5ft space to fill, I seek out a plant I like around that size,
not twice as large.

Any tips, advice, or resources where ones gets reliable information on
plant
charateristics? Is the only way to figure this out by experience when
something becomes way overgrown for its spot and you have to dig it up? I
suppose its like our Wisconsin forecast though - 1 to 4 inches of snow in
the morning, 3 to 6 inches in the afternoon, and 4 to 8 inches overnight -
adds up to 8 to 18 inches! If only paychecks were the same where I make my
normal rate this week and then 60% more next week!