Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Deciduous Shrub Of The Day
Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'Winged Euonymus
Type Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range 4B to 8B
Height 8' to 10' / 2.40m to 3.00m
Spread 6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate Average
Form Rounded
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous
Bloom Color Green and yellow
Bloom Time Spring
Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in very dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Red
This plant has attractive fall colors.
Leaf Identification
Type: SimpleArrangement: Opposite
Venations: Pinnate
Margins: Serrate
Shapes: Elliptic and obovate
Length: Less than 2in./5cm to 4in./10cm
Culture Notes
This cultivar stays smaller than the species, but is not as compact as 'Rudy Haag'. This is still not a small plant but is better adapted for residential landscapes than the species. The fall color is second to none among any plant used in the US. Use the compact cultivars instead of the species for planting along foundations. Plants appear to survive dry periods well but will enjoy a mulched layer like other shrubs and trees will. Killing point for young roots is 19 degrees F; for mature roots 7 degrees F. Pollen causes mild allergies.
Planting and establishing shrubs
The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.
Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Perennial Of The Day
Heuchera 'Green Spice'Alumroot, Coral Bells
Type Perennial
Hardy range 4A to 9A
Height 6" to 9" / 15cm to 23cm
Spread 14" to 16" / 35cm to 40cm
Growth rate Fast
Form Rounded
Exposure Full shade to partial sun
Persistence Evergreen
Bloom Time Summer
The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.
Environment
This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.
Leaf Color Green, silvery and variegated
This plant has attractive foliage.
Culture Notes
These herbaceous, evergreen, perennial herbs are increasing in popularity due to the fact that newer varieties of Heucheras offer taller and larger flowers, ruffled foliage and increased hardiness to heat, humidity and cold. Heucheras are already valued for their lovely, varied foliage and striking, bell-shaped flowers in various colors. Their stalks spike up from the center of the plant and vary in height.
When planting, make sure crowns are just above the soil level. Keep plants moist, but well-drained, and mulch before the onset of cold weather. It's highly unlikely that Heucheras will survive in clay. In the South, Heucheras do best if planted in partial shade; if grown in cooler climates, the plant flowers longer if spent blossoms are removed. Many Heucheras will attract both hummingbirds and bees.
'Green Spice' has variegated foliage of greenish-gray-silver colorations with purple veins.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Deciduous Shrub Of The Day
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Alpenglow' syn. Hydrangea hortensis; Hydrangea opuloidesBigleaf Hydrangea, Florist's Hydrangea
Type Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range 5B to 9A
Height 4' to 6' / 1.20m to 1.80m
Spread 6' to 8' / 1.80m to 2.40m
Growth rate Average
Form Rounded
Exposure Full shade to partial sun
Persistence Deciduous
Bloom Color Red
Bloom Time Spring and Summer
The flowers are very showy.
Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, occasional wetness and some salt.
This plant will grow in dry to occasionally wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color No change in fall color
Culture Notes
Since the deciduous Bigleaf Hydrangea blooms on large buds formed on previous season's growth, any pruning should be done immediately after flowering. Long popular as a florist's plant, Bigleaf Hydrangea performs well in moist, rich garden soil in partial sun to fairly deep shade, where it can grow 4 to 8 feet tall. Be sure that tree roots are not competing with the roots, since this will slow growth dramatically. Flowers are bluish in acid soil, pink in neutral. Pollen can cause slight allergy symptoms.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Deciduous Tree Of The Day
Acer tataricum ssp. ginnala 'Durand Dwarf' syn. Acer ginnalaAmur Maple
Type Tree, woody plant
Hardy range 3A to 8A
Height 12' to 15' / 3.60m to 4.60m
Spread 15' to 18' / 4.60m to 5.40m
Growth rate Average
Form Rounded and vase shapes
Exposure Full shade to full sun
Persistence Deciduous
Bloom Color White
Bloom Time Spring
The flowers are fragrant.
Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and some salt.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Red
This plant has attractive fall colors.
Culture Notes
Amur Maple has brilliant red fall foliage color and persistent showy fruit which makes a great choice for almost any landscape. Fruit turns brown in winter and persists until spring. The tree tolerates poor, clay soil well by developing a shallow root system. Leaves dry up in summer drought if the plant is in full sun, but some irrigation will help prevent this in a dry year. It is most drought-tolerant in partial shade. It has been used along streets beneath power lines and can make a nice specimen or patio tree for summer shade. Dwarf cultivars include 'Compactum', 'Durand Dwarf' and Emerald Elf'. 'Flame' (red fruit) and 'Embers' (fabulous fall color) are also available.
This multi-stemmed tree can be trained into a single trunk in the nursery and can make a great street tree.Use as a street tree
This plant can be grown as a multi-trunk tree for use in highway median strips and in landscapes, or can be used as a street tree where there is not a need for tall-vehicle clearance beneath the crown. The small stature and low, spreading, branching habit makes pruning for vehicular clearance difficult unless it is properly trained from an early age to develop one main trunk. The effort required initially to train this tree for street tree use, however, may be offset by its advantages.
Maintain adequate mulch area
Clear all turf away from beneath the branches and mulch to the drip line, especially on young trees, to reduce competition with turf and weeds. This will allow roots to become well established and keep plants healthier. Prune the tree so trunks and branches will not rub each other. Remove some secondary branches on main branches with included bark. This reduces the likelihood of the main branch splitting from the tree later when it has grown to become an important part of the landscape. Locate the tree properly, taking into account the ultimate size, since the tree looks best if it is not pruned to control size. The tree can enhance any landscape with its delightful spring flush of foliage. It can be the centerpiece of your landscape if properly located.
Tree establishment specifications
Choose good quality trees for planting. The most common cause of young tree failure is planting too deep. In most instances, the point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk (referred to as the root flare zone or root collar) should be located just above the soil surface. You may have to dig into the root ball to find the root flare. If there is nursery soil over this area, scrape it off. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider because roots grow best in loose soil. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, extensive research clearly shows that there is no need to incorporate any amendments into the backfill soil. Simply use the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Simply planting with the topmost portion of the root ball slightly higher than the surrounding soil might still install the tree too deep - be sure to locate the root flare.
Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch to at least a six-foot diameter circle around the tree. This area should be at least two feet in diameter for each inch of tree trunk diameter and maintained during the establishment period. Apply a thinner layer of mulch directly over the root ball but keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. This allows rainwater, irrigation and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk and applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water.
Regular irrigation after planting encourages rapid root growth that is essential for tree establishment. Trees provided with regular irrigation through the first growing season after transplanting require about 3 months (hardiness zones 9-11), 6 months (hardiness zones 7-8), or one year or more (hardiness zones 2-6) per inch of trunk diameter to fully establish roots in the landscape soil. Trees in desert climates may take longer to establish. Trees that are under-irrigated during this establishment period (and most trees are) often require additional time to establish because roots grow more slowly. Be prepared to irrigate through the entire establishment period, especially during periods of drought.
Irrigation also helps maintain and encourage the desirable dominant leader in the tree canopy on large-maturing trees. Instead of a dominant leader, trees that are under-irrigated during the establishment period often develop undesirable, low, co-dominant stems and double leaders that can split from the tree later.
Unlike established plants, which do best with deep, infrequent irrigation, research clearly shows that recently transplanted trees and shrubs establish quickest with light, frequent irrigation. For trees planted in spring or summer, provide one (cooler hardiness zones) to three irrigations (warmer hardiness zones) each week during the first few months after planting. Daily irrigation in the warmest hardiness zones provides the quickest establishment. Following the initial few months of frequent irrigation, provide weekly irrigation until plants are fully established. With every irrigation, apply one (cool climates) to two (warm climates) gallons of water per inch trunk diameter (e.g. 2 to 4 gallons for a 2-inch tree) over the root ball only. In most landscapes that receive more than 30 inches of rain or irrigation annually, if the mulch area is maintained weed-free, irrigation does not need to be applied outside of the root ball. Never add water if the root ball is saturated.
In cooler hardiness zones, in all but the driest years, irrigation of spring- and summer-planted trees usually can be discontinued once fall color has begun. Irrigation of fall planted trees, however, should be continued until foliage has dropped from the deciduous trees in the region. In warmer climates, irrigate fall-and winter-planted trees as described for the spring- and summer-planted trees.
In drier, desert climates there is benefit to be gained from applying additional irrigation outside of the root ball area. This is best done by making a large diameter berm four to six inches high, then filling it with water so it percolates into the soil. For the first two years, irrigate twice each week through the spring, once per week in summer provided monsoons arrive, and twice each week again in fall if it remains warm. Taper off watering to once or twice each month in winter and resume twice weekly next spring. For years three to five, water twice per month in spring, summer, and fall and once or twice per month in winter. During years five through seven, water once every three weeks in warm weather and once every six weeks in winter. After this, the drought-tolerant desert trees should be able to survive on natural rainfall.
Trees with good, strong structure need no pruning at planting, except to remove broken twigs. Do not remove branches to compensate for root loss - research has shown that this can be detrimental to establishment.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Perennial Of The Day
Anemone x hybrida 'Whirlwind'Japanese Anemone, Hybrid Anemone
Type Perennial
Hardy range 4A to 8A
Height 4' to 5' / 1.20m to 1.60m
Spread 12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Growth rate Fast
Form Irregular or sprawling
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Bloom Color White
Bloom Time Summer and Fall
The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.
Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.
Leaf Color Green
Culture Notes
Provide protection with a heavy layer of mulch in the colder zones where there is no snow cover. Cut back to basal foliage after blooming. 'Whirlwind' has gorgeous semi-double white blossoms and can grow up to 5 feet tall.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Perennial Of The Day
Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades'Grecian Windflower, Greek Anemone, Windflower
Type Perennial
Hardy range 6A to 10A
Height 4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Growth rate Average
Form Spreading or horizontal
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous
Bloom Color Blue
Bloom Time Spring and Winter
The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.
Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.
Leaf Color Green
This plant has attractive foliage.
Culture Notes
Leave anemones undisturbed after planting. Do not let the soil get too wet, or rotting may occur. The flowers of the anemone close at night and during cloudy weather. Division can be made to the tuber in fall or early spring. This plant does self seed easily and form large colonies.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Deciduous Shrub Of The Day
Cornus stolonifera 'Cardinal' syn. Cornus sericeaRed Osier Dogwood, American Dogwood
Type Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range 3A to 7B
Height 8' to 10' / 2.40m to 3.00m
Spread 8' to 10' / 2.40m to 3.00m
Growth rate Average
Form Rounded and upright or erect
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous
Bloom Color White
Bloom Time Spring
The flowers are showy.
Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and flooding.
This plant will grow in dry to wet or submerged soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Red
This plant has attractive fall colors.
Culture Notes
Red Osier Dogwood can be grown in full sun or partial shade on moist to wet, acid, well-drained, and cool soil. Keep a mulch around the root system to encourage vigorous root growth. This is certainly one of the better cultivars for red stem color. Bright red stems are showy all winter.
Red twig color fades in the southern portion of its range. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people. Plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae.
Planting and establishing shrubs
The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep. Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery. In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off. The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider. In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole. Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.
Weed suppression during establishment is essential. Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth. Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk. If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer. This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry. Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water. Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.
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