Bluebird Sawtooth Hydrangea, Featured Plant of The Day

Hydrangea serrata 'Bluebird' 

syn. Hydrangea japonica; Hydrangea macrophylla ssp. serrata

Sawtooth Hydrangea, Hydrangea, Mountain Hydrangea

Type Shrub, woody plant

Hardy range 5B to 9A

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

Spread 6' to 8' / 1.80m to 2.40m

Growth rate Average

Form Rounded

Exposure Full shade to partial sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Blue, lavender and purple

Bloom Time Spring and Summer

Leaf Color Green

Fall Color No change in fall color


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 slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.
The flowers are very showy, suitable for cut flowers and suitable for dried flowers.

Viking Ship Foamy Bells, Featured Plants of The Day

X Heucherella 'Viking Ship'
    Foamy Bells

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Spread    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full shade to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen and semi-evergreen

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Spring and 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 an acidic (less than 6.8) soil.

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

Culture Notes
Heucherellas enjoy cool, moist areas and have a clump forming habit.  For best performance, it's important they not be allowed to dry out.  Excellent for use in a woodland garden, particularly if combined with plants such as Pulmonaria.  Heucherellas are classified as evergreens or semi-evergreens, depending on the zone in which they are thriving.  Its maple-like foliage does tend to change with the seasons, most notably showing purple markings in the spring.   In the case of 'Viking Ship', its spring foliage has more silver markings, and its star-shaped, pink blooms stand atop stalks up to 18" tall.  Asexual propagation of 'Viking Ship' is prohibited.

Copeland Daffodil

Narcissus 'Copeland'

Daffodil

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are fragrant 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
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Clump forming bulbs that can be lifted and divided in the fall.  Will increase in numbers if left undisturbed and dry in late summer.  'Copeland' is not easily found in the trade.

Cassata Daffodil, Featured Plant of The Day

Narcissus 'Cassata' 

Daffodil

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5A to 7A
Height    12" to 16" / 30cm to 40cm
Spread    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    White and yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

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

Environment
This plant will grow in dry to 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
'Cassata' is distinguished because its corona is split for about one-third its length and therefore is a Division 11split corona cultivar.  The blossoms of 'Cassata' are white with yellow-gold colorations, and it is truly one of the more showy narcissus plants.

Cushion Spurge, Featured Plant of The Day

Euphorbia polychroma     syn. Euphorbia epithymoides
    Cushion Spurge,  Spurge

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5A to 9A
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    18" to 20" / 45cm to 50cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Spring and Summer

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in dry to 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
Plant is easily grown if a well-drained soil is provided and some afternoon shade.  It is a notorious self-sower and will quickly colonize a garden if not deadheaded prior to seed formation.  Plant with other mound forming plants.

Does not transplant well.  Divide every 10 years. Delay deadheading to allow for seed collection, if so desired.