James Macfarlane Lilac Featured Plant of The Day

 Syringa x prestoniae 'James Macfarlane'
    Lilac

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    3B to 7B
Height    8' to 12' / 2.40m to 3.60m
Spread    8' to 12' / 2.40m to 3.60m
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded and vase shaped
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Spring

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 slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    No change in fall color

 Culture Notes
Lilac is a common flowering shrub that grows best in a sunny location.  The plant will grow in shade but flowering is poor and powdery mildew is likely to be severe.  The growth rate is rapid and the plant produces many suckers. Pruning should be completed after flowering and by late spring to ensure next year's flower buds are not removed. Pollen bothers certain people.

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.

True Lavender, Featured Plant of The Day

Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'
    English Lavender,  True Lavender

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    5B to 9A
Height    12" to 15" / 30cm to 40cm
Spread    12" to 36" / 30cm to 90cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous and semi-evergreen

 

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Spring and Summer

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

 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 a neutral to slightly alkaline (6.8 to 7.7) soil.

 Leaf Color    Green and silvery
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage and fragrant foliage.

 Culture Notes
Prune plant after flowers bloom to keep it compact and to promote vegetative growth.  Shear back in spring to create denser plants.  In the spring, remove dead foliage only.  Deadhead spent flowers after blooming. Lavandula angustifolias lose their vigor after several years and will need to be replaced with new plants.  Plants prefer a well-drained, sunny position.  Plants go well with: Santolina, Dianthus, Armeria, Lychnis, and Thymus sp.  Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources.

If there is a lot of winter damage, cut plant back by 1/3.

 

Amity Wilson Japanese Camellia, Featured Plant of The Day

Camellia japonica 'Amity Wilson'
    Japanese Camellia

Type    Shrub, woody plant

Hardy range    7A to 9A
Height    10' to 15' / 3.00m to 4.60m
Spread    6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Oval
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Spring and Fall

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 (less than 6.8) soil.

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

Culture Notes
Camellia is the state flower of Alabama.  It is natural for some flower buds to drop, and it should not cause too much concern, because Camellias set more buds than they can open.  Sometimes bud drop can be caused by overwatering, but even more by underwatering, especially during summer, or by spells of very low humidity. Excess fertilizer can prolong the growth period and make the plant more susceptible to cold damage. However, best performance of plants occurs with regular applications up to four times per year. Soil with a pH less than 7.0 is best. Camellia pollen causes few if any allergy problems.

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.

Transplant in winter during full bloom when the other parts of the plant are dormant.

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.

Alba Eastern Redbud, Featured Plant of The Day

Cercis canadensis 'Alba'
    Eastern Redbud

Type    Tree, woody plant
Hardy range    4B to 9A
Height    25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m
Spread    15' to 25' / 4.60m to 7.60m
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded and vase shaped
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    White
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are 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    Yellow
This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Known also as C. canadensis var. alba, Eastern Redbuds grow well in full sun in the northern part of its range but will benefit from some shade in the southern zones, particularly in the lower mid-west where summers are hot. Best growth occurs in a light, rich, moist soil underlaid by alkaline clay but Eastern Redbud adapts well to a variety of soil, except permanently wet and very dry. Trees grow fine in sandy or alkaline conditions. Tolerance to alkaline soil appears to depend on the seed source - not surprisingly those from western Texas and other areas with alkaline soil perform best on alkaline soil in urban landscapes. Trees grow exceedingly fast on moist soil that drains well in a few hours after rain.  Although a legume, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) have not been associated with the root system. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Trees are often short-lived often due to trunk canker infection and included bark causing branch splitting from the tree. Injury resulting from included bark might provide entry for the canker fungi. This variety typically flowers about one week latter than the more common purple flowering species.

Trees look better when they receive some irrigation in summer dry spells. The native habitat ranges from stream bank to dry ridge. Young trees are easiest to transplant and survive best when planted in the spring or fall. Containerized trees can be planted anytime soil is not frozen. Be sure to follow pruning guidelines closely as unpruned trees are susceptible to splitting apart, especially in ice storms. Weak unions make these trees very susceptible to breakage in ice storms. Wood is considered ring porous.

Plants provide nectar for butterflies and are hosts for butterfly larvae.

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.

Spanish Blue Bell, Featured Plant of The Day

Hyacinthoides hispanica     syn. Endymion hispanicus
    Spanish Blue Bell

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    8" to 12" / 20cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Irregular or sprawling
Exposure    Full shade to partial sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Blue, pink, purple and white
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are suitable for cut 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
Prefers a woodland setting.  Will naturalize in the garden, so give it space.  It is recommended that these bulbs not be dug or divided unless necessary.  Bell-shaped flowers in pyramidal racemes appear on sturdy stems.  Since this plant's leaves eventually turn yellow and die, it's best to plant them with a mixture of other perennials (Pachysandra, Phlox divaricata and Hosta) that can take over.