Perennial Of The Day

Canna x generalis 'Tropical Rose'

Garden Canna, Canna Lily

Type Perennial

Hardy range 9A to 10B

Height 24" to 30" / 60cm to 75cm

Spread 12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm

Growth rate Fast

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink

Bloom Time Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment This plant tolerates occasional wetness and a little salt.
This plant will grow in moist to wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes 'Tropical Rose' was chosen as an All-America Selections for 1992. These improved dwarf Cannas are often grown as annuals in areas where they are not hardy. They are not tolerant of poor, dry, or rocky soil and need plenty of water during their growing season. However, they are tolerant of heat and humidity.

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Deciduous Tree Of The Day

 

Cornus florida 'Red Beauty®'

Flowering Dogwood

Type Tree, woody plant

Hardy range 5B to 7A

Height 15' to 20' / 4.60m to 6.00m

Spread 20' to 25' / 6.00m to 7.60m

Growth rate Average

Form Spreading or horizontal

Exposure Full shade to full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Red

Bloom Time Spring

The flowers are very showy.

Environment This plant tolerates some drought and a little salt.
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
Fall Color Red

This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes Red Beauty (P.P. #8214) is a very compact semi-dwarf dogwood. Dogwood is a standard tree in many gardens where it is used by the patio for light shade, in the shrub border to add spring and fall color or as a specimen in the lawn or groundcover bed. It can be grown in sun or shade but shaded trees will be less dense, grow more quickly and taller, have poor fall color, and less flowers. Trees prefer shade in the afternoon in the southern end of its range. Plants in full sun are considered more resistant to anthracnose, a lethal disease. This is a compact cultivar probably best suited for northern gardens. Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources and as hosts for butterfly larvae.

Flowering Dogwood prefers a deep, rich, well-drained, sandy or loam soil and has a moderately long life. It is not recommended for heavy, wet soils unless it is grown on a raised bed to keep roots on the dry side. The roots will rot in soils without adequate drainage. It is not recommended for planting along streets or in parking lots due to intolerance to hot dry conditions. Trees tolerate root disturbance poorly. If it is too hot, too dry, or too wet, tip necrosis and marginal necrosis appear on the foliage.

Maintain adequate mulch areaClear 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.

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.

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Perennial Of The Day

 

Cordyline terminalis

Hawaiian Ti Plant, Dracaena, Red Dracaena, Good Luck Plant

Type Perennial, succulent

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 4' to 6' / 1.20m to 1.80m

Spread 12" to 36" / 30cm to 90cm

Growth rate Average

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color White

Bloom Time Spring

Environment This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in dry to 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, pink, purple and variegated
Fall Color No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes Good Luck Plant grows well as a house plant in a sunny location. It is used in outdoor landscapes as an accent, either planted alone in a small garden or massed in larger-sized landscapes. For best leaf color, grow in partial shade. Cordyline will defoliate when there are temperature and moisture extremes. Overall, however, it's a long-lived plant under favorable conditions.

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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Day Of The Orchid

    Zygopetalum mackaii

Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 15" to 20" / 40cm to 50cm

Growth rate Average

Form Irregular or sprawling

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun

Bloom Color Brown, purple and white

Bloom Time Fall and Winter

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


Culture Notes To use in a container, pot with pieces of tree fern and fern roots for drainage. Prevent the full sun from reaching the plant. It will need lots of moisture in the summer with fertilizer once every 2 weeks. Once the pseudotubers are formed, give the plant a dormancy period to promote blooming, but never let the Zygopetalum dry completely out. The bloom is a yellow-green color and is shaped like a star. It is speckled with a purple-brown color, and the lip has a fan shaped blade that is white; spotted and streaked with some purple.

Paphiopedilum x 'Agincourt'

Venus' Slipper, Lady's Slipper, Slipper Orchid 

Type Perennial
Hardy range 10A to 11
Height 8" to 10" / 20cm to 25cm
Growth rate Average
Form Irregular or sprawling
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun

Bloom Color Yellow
The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

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

Leaf Color Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes Venus' Slipper prefers rain or soft water and frequent spraying. Fertilize frequently during the growth period, although a dormant period is not necessary. A well-drained soil is a must for this plant to be healthy.

 

Phalaenopsis x

Moth Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm

Growth rate Average

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full shade to full sun

Bloom Color Lavender, pink, purple, red, white and yellow

Bloom Time Spring and Summer

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment This plant tolerates a little salt.
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 and purple

Culture Notes Water can collect in the thick leaves of the Moth Orchid. No dormancy is needed because this orchid has no pseudotubers. It requires a low temperature in the winter with less moisture. During the growth period, fertilize every 2 weeks and keep the humidity high, with lots of moisture at the roots. This is a rock dwelling plant. These are very popular orchids, particularly when it comes to cut flowers for bridal bouquets, etc.

 

Cypripedium acaule

Pink Lady's Slipper, Moccasin Flower, Ladyslipper Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 5A to 8A

Height 8" to 12" / 20cm to 30cm

Growth rate Slow

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full shade to partial sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink

Bloom Time Spring and Summer

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

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes These orchids are difficult to cultivate. If they are doing well in the garden, they should not be disturbed.

  

  

 

Cymbidium x

Cymbidium Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10A to 10B

Height 12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm

Growth rate Average

Form Irregular or sprawling

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun

Persistence Evergreen

Bloom Color Orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow

Bloom Time Spring and Summer

The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.

Environment This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes Orchids are frequently used as house plants, but they will grow outdoors and tolerate even some frost. Avoid excessive high temperatures and give plenty of water and food when orchids are actively growing. Keep them in a bright location, away from direct sun. Staking may be required on the taller types.

 

Cattleya maxima

Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 8" to 12" / 20cm to 30cm

Growth rate Slow

Form Irregular or sprawling

Exposure Full shade to partial sun

Bloom Color Lavender, pink, purple, red, white and yellow

Bloom Time Year 'round

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

Environment This plant tolerates drought and a little salt.
This plant will grow in moist to wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes Beautifully marked flowers are large and may range in color from a lavender to a light rose. Growing on trees, this orchid is an epiphyte. It can be grown in a container, such as a lattice basket, as long as the pot is well draining. Never give this orchid full sun in the summer or spring. During growth, provide lots of water and fertilize regularly and, once dormant, keep dry.

 

Disa uniflora

Pride of Table Mountain, Orchid

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 6" to 24" / 15cm to 60cm

Growth rate Average

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full shade

Bloom Color Pink

Bloom Time Spring and Winter

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment This plant will grow in moist to wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes Grow cool in the winter, giving less water. In the summer keep shaded with plenty of rainwater and a well-drained environment. The Pride of Table Mountain has the largest flowers in the genus. The roots of this plant prefer a wet soil. Exportation from their native land is prohibited.  

 

Dendrobium x

Orchid, Rock Lily

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10B to 11

Height 6" to 14" / 15cm to 35cm

Growth rate Average

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Lavender, pink, purple and white

Bloom Time Summer

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

Environment This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes The Orchid needs a cool, dry winter with little water and no fertilizer. It can be grown outdoors where there are frost free winters and moderate summers. In the South, cool conditions and minimal temperatures are needed. In the North, it needs warmth, high light and a rest during winter to promote flowering.

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Perennial Of The Day

 Arenaria montana

Mountain Sandwort

Type Perennial

Hardy range 4A to 7A

Height 8" to 10" / 20cm to 25cm

Growth rate Average

Form Spreading or horizontal

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color White

Bloom Time Summer

EnvironmentThis plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture NotesKeep sandwort well watered during its growing season and only moist during the winter.

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