Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Featured Plant of The Day: 'Blue Ice' Bog Rosemary

Andromeda polifolia 'Blue Ice'
Bog Rosemary


Type Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range 2A to 6B
Height 12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Spread 24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Growth rate Fast
Form Rounded
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Pink
Bloom Time Spring

The flowers are showy.


Environment
This plant tolerates flooding.
This plant will grow in wet or submerged soil.
Suitable soil is sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color Blue and green
Fall Color No change in fall color

Culture Notes
Plant these shrubs in fall or early spring, keeping the soil moist. This is a hardy plant that does well in the northern climates. It is not tolerant of dry summer heat.
Bog Rosemary is a small evergreen shrub that belongs to the same family as azaleas and rhododendrons (Ericaceae). Its culture is somewhat difficult and will thrive best in moist, cool climates. Areas with hot and humid summers will prevent it from prospering. Bog Rosemary prefers a peaty or sandy acid soil. It is imperative that sufficient water is
available. As its common name suggests, it thrives in peat bogs. Despite its difficult culture, it is hard to resist the beauty of the delicate flowers of this plant. Its 1/4-inch white-tinged pink flowers are borne in terminal clusters in May. The dark green, stiff leaves form a perfect background for the dainty masses of flowers. Bog Rosemary is used best in naturalized settings.

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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