Tussock Bellfower, Perennial of the Day

Campanula carpatica 'Blue Clips'
    Tussock Bellfower,  Carpathian Bellflower,  Carpathian Harebell

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3B to 8B
Height    6" to 9" / 15cm to 23cm
Spread    10" to 12" / 25cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral to slightly alkaline (6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Campanula will not do well in dry or wet soils or if humidity is high.  As long as there is adequate drainage, this herbaceous plant will easily spread to show off its numerous bell-shaped flowers.  It's a good idea to remove spent flower heads for continuous blooming.  Shear lightly after blooming.  In the fall OR spring, cut to basal foliage; cut in the fall if foliage is poor - this will improve the plant's appearance.

Black Snakeroot, Deciduous Perennial of the Day

Cimicifuga ramosa 'Hillside Black Beauty'
    Black Snakeroot

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    6' to 7' / 1.80m to 2.20m
Spread    24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full shade to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink and white
Bloom Time    Fall

The flowers are fragrant, suitable for cut flowers and suitable for dried flowers.

Leaf Color    Purple
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
The long bottlebrush flower spikes of this plant give it its height and erect form.  C. ramosa is a later flowering species.  It performs wonderfully when planted as a woodland border as it is very shade tolerant.  Divisions can be made in early spring, and seeds can be gathered in late fall.   Plant goes well with: Rodgersia, Ligularia, Astilbe, gold-leafed hostas and ferns.  'Hillside Black Beauty' (Patent # 9,988) has very dark, purplish-black leaves and pinkish-white blossoms.  Asexual propagation of this plant is prohibited.

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Seven Son Flower, Deciduous Woody Plant of the Day

Heptacodium miconioides
    Seven Son Flower

Type    Tree, shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    5A to 8B
Height    6' to 20' / 1.80m to 6.00m
Spread    4' to 10' / 1.20m to 3.00m
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Irregular or sprawling, upright or erect and vase shaped
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Red and white
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are fragrant.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and occasional wetness.
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 neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    Yellow
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Heptacodium miconioides is the only one of the four Gold Medal 1995 selections not native to North America.  It is a rapid growing plant that is very adaptable to a variety of cultural conditions.  It is tolerant of sun or shade, wet or dry soils, and a wide range of pH levels. Plant in the southern portion of its range are best in some shade. Plant can be grown as a multi stemmed shrub or trained as a single stem.

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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Spider Flower, Annual of the Day

Cleome hassleriana 'White Queen'     syn. Cleome spinosa
    Spider Flower,  Spider Plant

Type    Annual
Height    36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m
Spread    18" to 24" / 45cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are fragrant and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
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
Seeds can be gathered after flowering in the summer and sown in the spring, but this plant self seeds very easily.  When removing the plants at the end of the season, gloves may be necessary as the stems are rather thorny.  Known for their long-lasting, spider-shaped blossoms, deadheading spent blooms will prolong this process.

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