Sweet Alyssum, Featured Plant of The Day

Lobularia maritima     syn. Alyssum maritimum
    Sweet Alyssum

Type    Annual
Height    6" to 8" / 15cm to 20cm
Spread    10" to 12" / 25cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Irregular or sprawling
Exposure    Full sun

Bloom Color    Pink, purple and white
Bloom Time    Spring through Fall

The flowers are fragrant.

Environment
This plant tolerates salt well.
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
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Sweetly fragrant flowering plant that can be encourage to bloom longer by pinching.  Seeds can be grown under glass in the winter, or sown outdoors in the spring.  This plant will often self sow.

Giant Alumroot, Featured Plant of The Day

Heuchera villosa 'Night Watch'
    Giant Alumroot,  Hairy Alum Root,  Hairy Alumroot

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    6A to 9A
Height    12" to 36" / 30cm to 90cm
Spread    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full shade to partial sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Pink and white
Bloom Time    Summer

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 soil.

Leaf Color    Purple
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
This plant prefers shaded, rocky areas and ledges of the appalachian mountains.  It should be grown with some protection from the sun.  It also prefers soil rich in organic matter.  Generally speaking, H. villosa grows taller and blooms later than other Heucheras.  Deadhead spent blossoms. 'Night Watch' has dark purple/brown foliage.

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Black Chokeberry, Deciduous Shrub 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
Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Red

Bloom Time Spring
 This plant has attractive fall colors.

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.

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.

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Persian Violet, Perennial Of The Day

Cyclamen coum

Persian Violet, Sowbread, Alpine Violet

Type Perennial
Hardy range 6A to 9A
Height 4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Growth rate Average

Form Rounded

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun

Bloom Color Pink
Bloom Time Spring and Winter

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 an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green

This plant has attractive foliage.


Culture Notes

Plant in late summer when this cyclamen goes dormant Water during growing period and sparingly during dormancy. Protect from winds, do not cultivate around roots and mulch in the cooler zones.
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