Weigela florida 'Rumba', Featured Plant of The Day

Weigela florida 'Rumba' 

Old Fashioned Weigela,  Rose Weigela

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    3B to 8A
Height    30" to 36" / 75cm to 90cm
Spread    30" to 36" / 75cm to 90cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Red and salmon
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are very showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought.
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 and purple
Fall Color    No change in fall color

Culture Notes
Weigela grows best in a sunny location and moist soil.  Shaded plants are straggly.  Weigela also dislikes crowding.  The growth rate is moderate and the shrub transplants well.  Some annual dieback and winter injury make annual pruning necessary.  Plants suffer in the deep south eastern part of the US. This is one of the Dance SeriesTM.

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.

Fernleaf Peony, Featured Plant of The Day

Paeonia tenuifolia 'Rubra Flora Plena'
    Fernleaf Peony

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    12" to 15" / 30cm to 40cm
Spread    12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Red
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are fragrant, very showy, suitable for cut flowers and suitable for dried 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
When planting Paeonia, place the "eyes" of the roots between 1"-2" below the surface.  Needs partial shade in hotter climates.  Some of these plants that have heavy blooms may need staking to support the blooms.  The buds of this plant attract ants, and it is thought that the ants help the buds open.  Peonies should be planted in areas with good air circulation.  However, established plants are best left undisturbed.  Avoid watering overhead when the plants are setting buds.  Removal of the lateral buds on the stem will allow the single flower to grow larger.  Remove flower heads as soon as they start to fade.  In autumn remove foliage to ground and destroy it.  Do not compost this to prevent the spread of disease.  When preparing the planting bed, incorporate equal amounts of composted oak leaf mulch and coarse sand to your soil.  Some plants will want a small amount of lime added to the soil.

'Rubra Flora Plena' has deep red, double flowers and fernlike, deep green foliage.

Wide Wide World Daylily, Featured Plant of The Day

Hemerocallis x 'Wide Wide World'

Daylily

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    2A to 6A
Height    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Spread    24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Irregular or sprawling and upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Red
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in moist 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
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Hemerocallis hybrids come in a wide range of colors, flowering times and  sizes, and some even come with a fragrance.  For the most part, daylilies are long-lived, hardy perennials that are tolerant of the sun.  However, some species will show sun scald and prefer partial sun.  Daylilies are adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions, and most bloom from late June until the first frost (depending on the cultivar).  These plants attract both butterflies and hummingbirds and, usually, are both heat and drought resistant.  Hemerocallis are extremely tough plants that spread rapidly in most conditions, thereby choking out weeds without becoming invasive themselves.  The best time to plant daylilies is early spring.  Although the individual blooms are short-lived, the number of blooms you get from an average flower stalk continues on for weeks.

Daylilies adapt to almost any location that provides at least six hours of sunlight, but it's best to plant them in a prepared, raised bed of soil that is high in organic matter.  For clay soil, coarse sand and organic matter should be mixed in.  When planted, the crown should be even with the soil line.  The growth rate of daylilies can be increased via generous irrigation practices.  At the end of the flowering season, remove the spent flower stalks only so that the remaining dying foliage will protect the center of the plant through the colder winter months.   Also, division of the plant every two or three years will increase stem strength and flower size.

'Wide Wide World' has rosey-red petals with a light orange throat.  It is a repeat bloomer and goes dormant during the winter months.  As a tetraploid Daylily, it is generally a stronger plant and has larger, richer and more vivid blooms and color.

Beechwood Landscape is Featured on Cover of a National Magazine!

GOLDFLAME SPIREA

Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame'
    Japanese Spirea

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Spread    36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded and spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are very showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in 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, purple and yellow
Fall Color    Purple and red
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Foliage emerges red and fades to light yellow and then green in warm climates. Flowers are not especially showy. Spirea grows best in full sun or high shifting shade.  Plants receiving less than 4 or 5 hours of direct sun become thin and flower poorly.  Plant on 4 to 5-foot centers to form a mass planting.  As with other light colored-flowering plants, place in front of other green foliage plants or other dark background to show the best flower display. Spireas combine well with ornamental grasses and plants with large foliage. Remove spent seed heads and developing seed heads to improve the neat look of the plants. Some foliage emerges green and these can be removed to keep the plant in yellow foliage.

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.