Ivory Queen Inkberry Holly, Featured Plant of The Day

Ilex glabra 'Ivory Queen'
    Gallberry Holly,  Inkberry Holly

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    5A to 10A
Height    6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Spread    6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Oval and vase shaped
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, flooding and some salt.
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 neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    No change in fall color

Culture Notes
This clump-forming, evergreen shrub is valued for its foliage and fruits.  The lustrous, dark green leaves may have a few obtuse teeth toward the leaf apex or they may have entire margins.  They are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and may reach a length of 3/4 to 2 inches.  Gallberry becomes somewhat open with age and often loses its small lower branches.

Plants have berry-like, white drupes that occur from September to May of the following year.  These 6- to 8-foot-tall plants are especially valuable to birds for their persistent fruits and branch structures.  The flowers of Ilex glabra appear in May, and the staminate and pistillate flowers occur on separate plants.  The female flowers are solitary. This cultivar has a tight canopy when it is young but opens up more typical of the species as it grows older. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Ilex glabra prefers a full sun to partial shade location in the landscape and moist, acid soils; high pH soils should be avoided.  Older plants may be renewed by heavy pruning.  Gallberry is excellent when used in mass plantings and as naturalizing material.  It has been utilized as a hedge, foundation plant and accent plant.  It makes a poor hedge because it thins toward the bottom, but plants withstand renewal pruning if they get too leggy. Plants can be found in nature growing at the edge of swamps.  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

Japanese White Pine, Featured Plant of The Day

Pinus parviflora 'Brevifolia'

Japanese White Pine

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    4B to 7A
Height    25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m
Spread    25' to 35' / 7.60m to 10.60m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Columnar and pyramidal
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and salt well.
This plant will grow in dry 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    Blue and green
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Japanese White Pine should be grown in full sun on well-drained soil with adequate moisture. This makes a nice, small picturesque pine tree especially well suited for small spaces and residential landscapes. Needles in fascicles of 5.  If trees must be pruned in the western US, do it October through January to help avoid infestation from pitch moths.

Maintain adequate mulch area

Be sure to clear all turf away from beneath the branches and mulch to the drip line (the edge of the branches), especially on young trees, to reduce competition with turf and weeds.  This will allow roots to become well established and keep plants healthier.  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.

Like most pines, trees best recover from transplanting when moved balled and burlapped, not bare-root. They also grow fine when planted from containers provided plants are not root bound.

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.

Red Osier Dogwood, Featured Plant of The Day

Cornus stolonifera 'Cardinal'     syn. Cornus sericea
    Red 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.

Firethorn, Featured Plant of The Day

Pyracantha koidzumii 'Santa Cruz'

Firethorn, Pyracantha

Type Shrub, groundcover, woody plant

Hardy range 7A to 10A

Height 24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm

Spread 5' to 10' / 1.60m to 3.00m

Growth rate Fast

Form Prostrate and spreading or horizontal

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color White

Bloom Time Spring

The flowers are showy


Environment This plant tolerates drought, occasional wetness and some salt.
This plant will grow in very dry to occasionally wet 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 No change in fall color

Culture Notes Surviving best in full sun and well-drained soil, pyracantha is slightly salt-tolerant. Flowers are borne on last year's wood, so prune after flowering in the spring to maximize flower display. This cultivar is popular due to the bright red berries and ground cover effect.
Planting and establishing shrubsThe 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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Autumn Magic Black Chokeberry, Featured Plant of The Day

Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic'
    Black Chokeberry,  Black Berried Aronia

Type    Shrub, woody plant


Hardy range    4B to 9A
Height    4' to 6' / 1.20m to 1.80m
Spread    36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Oval
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink and white
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and occasional wetness.
This plant will grow in dry to occasionally wet soil.
Suitable soil is 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.

Culture Notes
Spreading by seeds and suckers, Chokeberry transplants well, has a moderate growth rate and is very hardy.  Attractive in borders and clumps, Chokeberry thrives in moist soil but will tolerate dry soils in sun or partial shade, also growing in coastal areas.  Chokeberry is much prized for natural landscapes due to its easy care and the popularity of the berries to wildlife, especially birds.

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.

Dragon's Eye White Pine, Featured Plant of The Day

Pinus strobus 'Bennett Dragon's Eye'

White Pine, Eastern White Pine

Type Tree, woody plant

Hardy range 3B to 7A

Height 20' to 30' / 6.00m to 9.20m

Spread 25' to 35' / 7.60m to 10.60m

Growth rate Slow

Form Pyramidal

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Pink and yellow

Bloom Time Spring

Environment This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color Green, variegated and yellow
Fall Color No change in fall color

This plant has attractive foliage.


Culture Notes White pine is a traditional favorite in northern landscapes that grows well in situations mimicking its native habitat. Unfortunately, few urban sites match this criteria. Try to provide loose loamy, acidic, moist soil with adequate organic matter. Young White Pines are quite tolerant of half-day shade while mature White Pines prefer a sunny location. They grow poorly and develop chlorosis and die on clay soil. Sites with an alkaline pH also causes decline. Trees appear to have little tolerance for drought, soil compaction and heat. Eastern White Pine suffers from application of roadside deicing salts and is sensitive to air pollution, especially ozone and sulfur dioxide.

Trees are probably best suited for zone 6B and north. Trees transplant easily but allow plenty of open soil space for root development. Trees perform poorly in restricted soil spaces. Needles in fascicles of 5.
Like many pines horizontal branches break easily in ice and wind storms. Something always seems to be falling from this pine tree; needles, sap, branches, and fruit appear on nearby cars, roofs and sidewalks year round. Unless grown in the open with no other trees nearby, shaded lower branches die as the tree grows taller. Open-grown trees keep more lower branches, probably due to greater sun exposure. It is important to maintain only one leader to the top of the plant.

Dropping needles often discourage people from planting pines near streets, parking lots, or near other pavement. Roots also enjoy growing just under the surface of the asphalt and cracking it. Probably the most serious problem of Pines in areas with high pH irrigation water is pine chlorosis.

Maintain adequate mulch areaBe sure to clear all turf away from beneath the branches and mulch to the drip line (the edge of the branches), especially on young trees, to reduce competition with turf and weeds. This will allow roots to become well established and keep plants healthier. 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.
Like most pines, trees best recover from transplanting when moved balled and burlapped, not bare-root. They also grow fine when planted from containers provided plants are not root bound.

Tree establishment specificationsChoose 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.