Leyland Cypress, Evergreen Tree Of The Day

 

X Cupressocyparis leylandii

Leyland Cypress

Type Tree, woody plant
Hardy range 6A to 10A
Height 25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m
Spread 15' to 25' / 4.60m to 7.60m
Growth rate Fast
Form Columnar, oval and pyramidal
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Evergreen

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 alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

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

Culture Notes
Leyland Cypress grows in full sun on a wide range of soils, from acid to alkaline, but looks its best and stays most healthy on moderately fertile soil with sufficient moisture near the coast. It is tolerant of pretty severe pruning. The plant appears to recover after the entire top half of the plant is removed. It grows well in clay soil and tolerates poor drainage for only a short period of time. It also is very tolerant of salt spray. Often used as a Christmas tree. Pollen can cause significant allergy.
It is short lived in many landscapes throughout the US due to a fungus canker disease. Some trees last just about 10-20 years in the eastern and western US, then branches begin to die from canker disease. Other plantings appear to do fine, at least for a while. Mature plants are susceptible to blowing over in strong winds due to a poor root system. Since this Leyland Cypress is so susceptible to disease, consider substituting with the native eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana or J. silicicola), 'Hogan' western redcedar (Thuja plicata), incense-cedar, 'Green Giant' Thuja, or 'Nigra' or Techny' Thuja occidentalis.
Plants do not appear to have much of a root system. 'Irish Mint' is reported by Jim Berry to have a better root system.

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.

Coastal Leucothoe, Evergreen Ground Cover Of The Day

Leucothoe axillaris

Coastal Dog Hobble, Coastal Leucothoe

Type Groundcover, woody plant
Hardy range 4B to 8A
Height 24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Spread 6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate Average
Form Prostrate and spreading or horizontal
Exposure Full shade to partial sun
Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Pink and white
Bloom Time Spring
The flowers are fragrant.

Environment

This plant tolerates some drought, occasional wetness and a little 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 neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Purple
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes

This graceful and informal shrub may grow 2 to 4 feet in height and may spread 6 to 10 feet. Its arching stoloniferous stems support large, glossy, evergreen leaves. These dark green leaves turn to a purple-green color in the winter. The April flowers of Coastal Leucothoe are very small and occur in bell-shaped racemes. These flowers are white or pinkish-white and are borne in the leaf axils. The fruits of this shrub are inconspicuous capsules.
Coastal Leucothoe is outstanding in masses and is a good choice for enclosed city gardens. It is commonly used in the landscape as a specimen, ground cover, and border plant. This shrub is also impressive when naturalized along wooded stream banks.
Coastal Leucothoe should be grown in a partially or densely shaded site. It grows best in areas that receive morning sunlight and in moist, acidic, soil containing high organic matter and silt. Plants grown in full sun appear to suffer unless provided with regular irrigation in dry weather. This plant is a good choice for shaded, moist to occasionally wet sites. Soil should not be continually wet but should drain well after rain. This plant can be rejuvenated into vigorous growth in the center of the plant if the 2 and 3 year old canes are removed after bloom. All parts of the plant may be poisonous if ingested.

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.
Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Montauk Daisy, Deciduous Perennial of The Day

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

syn. Chrysanthemum nipponicum
    Montauk Daisy,  Nippon Daisy

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5A to 9A
Height    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Spread    24" to 30" / 60cm to 75cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full sun

Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

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

Culture Notes
Depending on your area, this plant may need pinching until mid-July to produce good blooms or staking to maintain form, so check with your local nursery for the specific care of your plant.  The dormant buds will emerge from the woody cane in the spring, so do not cut this stem in the late fall.  Cuttings should be taken in the spring.  Montauk Daisy is a shrubby perennial with thick, fairly succulent leaves. Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources.

Pests, Diseases and Damaging Agents
Pests:  Beetles, borers, caterpillars, cut worms, galls, leaf hoppers, leaf miners, leaf nematodes, mealybugs, scales, slugs, thrips, weevils, whiteflies, red spider mites and aphids.

Diseases:  Blights, crown gall, leaf spots, powdery mildew, wilts, rots and rust.

 Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Weeping Canadian Hemlock, Evergreen Tree of The Day

Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula' 

Canadian Hemlock,  Eastern Hemlock

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    4A to 7A
Height    50' to 75' / 15.20m to 22.80m
Spread    25' to 35' / 7.60m to 10.60m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Weeping
Exposure    Full shade to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Green and yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and a little salt.
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
Fall Color    No change in fall color

Culture Notes
Hemlock transplants well balled-in-burlap due to a branched root system and will grow in moderately dry or moist, acidic soil but prefers moist, well-drained sites. Trees are often found in shaded ravines in their native habitat growing where roots have ready access to moisture. However, root rot and bark splitting are common on sites which are constantly wet. Some die-back can be expected after transplanting if irrigation is not managed just right. Many people have success locating the plants on a slight mound several inches above surrounding soil to help roots become established. Be especially careful not to plant trees any deeper than they were at the nursery. The top-most root in the root ball should be within an inch or two of the soil surface.

Despite its like for shaded landscapes, plants grow well in full sun in the middle and northern part of their range provided there is plenty of open soil for root expansion. This is not a tree to plant in a lawn in competition with turf unless a large area of mulch is maintained around the tree. Nitrogen fertilizer applications should be kept to a minimum to help keep insect attacks from woolly adelgid in check; these insects kill trees.  This is the state tree of Pennsylvania. National champion is 165 x 38 feet in Tennessee.

Plants grown in full shade will be thin and will not produce the screening effect so characteristic of Hemlock in full sun or partial shade.  This is a picky plant but well worth the extra effort to cultivate it.  Canadian Hemlock is tolerant of shearing and can be used for large or small, sheared screens.  Unfortunately, infestations of woolly adelgid have been severe in New England and in the mid-Atlantic states and this may limit their use in these areas.

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.

Spring transplanting best

Balled-and-burlapped and bare root trees recover best when transplanted in late winter or early spring in the cooler portions of North America.  This usually corresponds to the initiation of root growth.




 Pests, Diseases and Damaging Agents
Pests:  Woolly adelgid, scales, weevils, bagworm, mites, sapsucker

woodpecker, loopers.  Woolly adelgid and scale infestations can devastate a planting and kills many trees in their native habitat and in landscapes in the mid-Atlantic states and in other places. Insects increase in number on plants fertilized with too much nitrogen.

Diseases: Needle rust, cankers, non-parasitic bark splitting on heavy, poorly drained soil.

 Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Korean Angelica, Biennial, perennial of The Day

 

Angelica gigas
    Korean Angelica,  Purple Parsnip

Type    Biennial, perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8B
Height    5' to 6' / 1.60m to 1.80m
Spread    36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

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

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
In cooler zones, angelica should be grown in full sun; warmer climates allow for partial shade.  These plants actually die off after flowering and the production of seeds.  Dead-heading spent blossoms will not only discourage the production of seeds, but may extend the plant's life.  A. gigas grows 5-6 feet tall, has divided leaves and burgundy-red blossoms and stalks.  Often listed as a biennial, it is at the very best a short-lived perennial.  A. gigas does best when grown in partial shade.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Amur Corktree, Deciduous Tree, woody plant of The Day

Phellodendron amurense
    Amur Corktree,  Chinese Corktree

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    3B to 8A
Height    25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m
Spread    35' to 50' / 10.60m to 15.20m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded, spreading or horizontal and vase shaped
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Green and white
Bloom Time    Spring

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    Copper and yellow
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Amur Corktree grows rapidly and prefers to be grown in full sun on deep, rich soil but will tolerate any soil, acid or alkaline.  Tolerates wet soil and drought provided there is plenty of open soil space. Once highly recommended as a street and urban-tolerant tree, it does not appear to hold up to the rigors of urban conditions under certain conditions, particularly restricted soil spaces (the experts appear to disagree as to the tolerance of this tree to urban conditions - the tree may be more sensitive to soil conditions than is commonly realized, or perhaps there is simply great variability among seedlings). The best trees I (Dr. Gilman) have seen (Morton Arboretum) were always planted in an open area with plenty of soil for root expansion. This is probably what the tree needs.

The fruitless (male) cultivar `Macho' has thick, leathery leaves and a more pleasing, upright-spreading growth form. 'Shademaster' also has not fruit. But remember that fruitless cultivars generate significant quantities of allergenic pollen. It does not produce the fruit common on the species. The wood is a beautiful orange color and would be interesting to turn or work into a piece of furniture.

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.

Spring transplanting best

Balled-and-burlapped and bare root trees recover best when transplanted in late winter or early spring in the cooler portions of North America.  This usually corresponds to the initiation of root growth.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

American Arborvitae, Shrub, woody plant of The Day

Thuja occidentalis 'Tiny Tim'
    Eastern Arborvitae,  American Arborvitae,  Siberian Arborvitae,  Northern White Cedar,  White Cedar

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    3A to 7A
Height    36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m
Spread    4' to 5' / 1.20m to 1.60m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, flooding and a little 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 alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    Copper
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Transplanting is moderately easy if plants are root-pruned and either balled and burlapped or potted.  White-Cedar likes high humidity and tolerates wet soils and some drought, but not salt exposure of any kind.  The foliage turns brownish in winter, especially on cultivars with colored foliage and on exposed sites open to the wind.  Many of the natural stands in the United States have been cut.  Some remain in isolated areas along rivers throughout the East.

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.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Globe Mallow, Perennial of The Day

False Mallow,  Globe Mallow
Malvaceae (Mallow)

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 10A
Height    24" to 39" / 60cm to 100cm
Spread    36" to 5' / 90cm to 1.60m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun

Bloom Color    Orange and pink
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
Grow in a warm dry position in full sun.  Does not grow where winters are cool and damp regardless of hardiness.  Growth area map may not be representative for this plant.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

Japanese Loquat, Evergreen Tree, Woody Plant of The Day

Eriobotrya japonica
    Loquat,  Japanese Loquat

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    8A to 11
Height    15' to 25' / 4.60m to 7.60m
Spread    25' to 35' / 7.60m to 10.60m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Fall and Winter

The flowers are fragrant and showy.

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    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Loquat provides the best fruit and form when grown in full sun. Root rot can occur on soil that is kept too moist. It grows well on soils with a high pH and maintains the characteristic dark green foliage. Clay soil is fine as long as there is positive drainage away from the trunk. It often looks best in the southern portion of its range when given some shade in the afternoon, especially if it is not irrigated.

Loquat should be well-watered until established, but can then survive periodic droughts. It performs well along the coast with some protection from salty air. Overfertilized plants will be more susceptible to fireblight disease. Leaves and seeds are considered poisonous. Pollen causes only slight allergy problems.

Maintain adequate mulch area

Clear all turf away from beneath the branches and mulch to the drip line to reduce competition with turf and weeds.  This will allow roots to become established quickly and keep plants healthier. Train and prune the trunks and branches so they will not touch each other.  Remove some secondary branches on main branches with included bark, or those that are likely to develop it, as soon as possible. This reduces the likelihood of splitting from the tree later, when the tree 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 flowers.  It can be the centerpiece of your landscape if properly located. Flowers develop from buds formed the previous year.

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.

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.


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Persian Shield, Perennial of The Day

Strobilanthes dyerianus
    Persian Shield

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    9A to 11
Height    24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Spread    36" to 6' / 90cm to 1.80m
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Irregular or sprawling and rounded
Exposure    Full shade
Persistence    Evergreen and semi-evergreen

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

Environment
This plant will grow in moist 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, silvery and variegated
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
This tropical shrubby perennial is grown for its beautiful purple silver leaves.  Stem cuttings can be taken in the summer and rooted. Persian Shield graces the landscape with rich, purple and silver, variegated foliage in the shade.  Foliage bleaches to a less attractive, washed out silver when leaves are exposed to full sun after the noon hour.  Green stems emerge square, then develop a more rounded cross section as the base of the stems become woody latter in the year.  Purple flowers develop later in the summer and stand above the foliage, but they go largely unnoticed among the colorful foliage.  Plants reach about 4-feet-tall and slightly wider by the end of the first growing season.

Persian Shield can be used as a small shrub for next to the foundation, or in a shrub border to accent the area.  The foliage is sure to attract attention away from other parts of the yard.  It combines nicely with light-gray house siding.  Plant about 4-feet apart to allow for rapid growth.  It is a wonderful accent for the shaded landscape, but is not suited for planting in the full sun.  Morning sun appears to be fine afternoon sun causes extensive wilt.

In hardiness zone 8B and in the coldest parts of hardiness zone 9, winter temperatures often knock the plant to the ground, but warm weather in the spring brings the shrub back from the base of the stems.  Visitors to your garden will comment on this plant and ask for cuttings.  It is a very attractive plant.  Flowers develop later in the season.  They can be pinched off to help keep the plant growing.

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Mountain Fleece, Perennial of The Day

Polygonum amplexicaule

Knotweed,  Mountain Fleece,  Smartweed

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5B to 9A
Height    24" to 5' / 60cm to 1.60m
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun

Bloom Color    Pink, purple, red and white
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

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
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
This plant grows best where summers are not too hot and winters are not extremely cold.  It produces slender spikes of red flowers in summer.  The name knotweed comes from the fact that the stem of this plant has swollen nodes.  This is considered a dwarf Polygonum species.

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Treasure Flower, Perennial of The Day

Gazania rigens 'Daybreak Red Stripe'

Treasure Flower,  Gazania

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    7A to 9A
Height    6" to 12" / 15cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun

Bloom Color    Red and yellow
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates drought and salt well.
This plant will grow in dry to moist soil.
Suitable soil is sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green and silvery

Culture Notes
The well known garden plant Gazania splendens (or "rigens") originates in South Africa. The petals are usually orange, yellow or white, but sometimes bronze or pink. At the base they are often brown forming an attractive ring at the center. The flowers close in darker weather and opens again with the first rays of the sun. "Daybreak", called after this surprising effect of the sunlight, is one of the most well known Gazania hybrids.

'Daybreak Red Stripe' is a really unique variation of this Gazania series, with a red stripe dissipating out over each deep yellow petal. This gives the startling effect of a radiating sun when the flowers open.

It is the third Gazania from the 'Daybreak' series to win a Gold Medal from Fleuroselect, the international organization for testing new flower seeds. The golden-yellow 'Garden Sun' from 1990 was only emanated in 1996 by 'Bright Orange' which bloomed earlier, richer and more uniformly than any other seed Gazania. The new 'Daybreak Red Stripe' yet again beats its predecessors in beauty, keeping the compact form, and countless, large, single flowers, which open earlier than other Gazanias. This richly flowering and unusual plant therefore shines in the garden, even before the penetration of the first sun's rays.

If sown in January, 'Daybreak Red Stripe' can be planted out from May (end of the frosts). To germinate, the seeds should be covered lightly and kept damp at 21 ° C. After 3 weeks the seedlings can be transferred to 9 cm pots or sets (16 or 24). Growth regulators are not required. Hobby gardens can expect later flowering due to lower temperatures during the growth period. Gazanias perform well in borders, rockeries and in pots. They can withstand dry conditions, salty air and wind and have a preference for a sunny spot and well-drained soil.

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Plumeria, Deciduous Woody Plant of The Day

Plumeria spp.

 Frangipani,  Plumeria

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    10B to 11
Height    15' to 25' / 4.60m to 7.60m
Spread    15' to 25' / 4.60m to 7.60m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded and vase shaped
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink and red
Bloom Time    Spring through Fall

The flowers are fragrant and very showy.

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 alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

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

Culture Notes
Frangipani is a wonderful small garden tree for tropical and subtropical landscapes. It is small enough to have a place in residential gardens and front yards. However, it is very susceptible to freezing temperatures. Plants will grow well and flower freely in full sun on a variety of well-drained soils. Frangipani works well as a specimen, a patio tree, or as part of a shrub border. In flower the tree displays well in a front yard as an attention-grabber. It can be grown with a single trunk or branched low to the ground into a multi-trunked specimen.  Single-trunk specimens could be planted as median or street trees on 15 to 20-foot-centers. Multi-trunked plants are nicely suited for commercial and residential landscapes.

There are numerous cultivars for every imaginable flower color and form. Planting seeds can result in a great diversity of flower colors and growth habits in the offspring. Some plants have tight canopies; others are more open and rangy. The dwarf evergreen plumerias tend to have a poor flower display. 'Gardenia' and 'Celadine' have an early season bloom, 'Donald Angus' flowers later. See www.stokestropicals.com for availability of many cultivars. P. pudica has an attractive upright growth habit, evergreen foliage, and bears white flowers almost continuously.

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.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.