Persian Violet Featured Plant of The Day

Exacum affine

German Violet, Arabian Violet, Persian Violet

Type Perennial

Hardy range 9A to 10B

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

Growth rate Slow

Form Rounded

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun

Bloom Color Lavender and white

Bloom Time Spring through Fall

The flowers are fragrant and showy.

Environment This plant will grow in moist 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

Culture NotesThis plant's sweet smelling flowers make it a great houseplant.

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

Day Of The Spring Bloomers

Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder' 

Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    6A to 8A
Height    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Spread    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Spring

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

Culture Notes
Lifting and replanting of bulbs is recommended every 2-3 years in the fall to prevent crowding. Tulips prefer a moist, but well-drained soil.

Tulipa x 'Early Harvest'
    Hybrid Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous


Bloom Color    Red
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

Culture Notes
Most of the hybrids bloom for a few seasons and then need to be divided or removed.  Tulips should be planted in the fall in soil that is fertile and well-drained.  Deadheading and feeding can promote longevity.

Tulipa clusiana
    Lady Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    9" to 12" / 23cm to 30cm
Spread    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Red 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

Culture Notes
Lifting and replanting of bulbs is recommended every 2-3 years in the fall to prevent crowding. Dead heading and feeding can promote longevity.  T. clusiana yields striking white blossoms with red stripes.

Curcuma alismatifolia 

Siam Tulip,  Summer Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    8A to 11
Height    18" to 24" / 45cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun


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

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.


Environment
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 neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green


Culture Notes
Many new white, pink, red and rose cultivars of this plant have been introduced.  This low-maintenance, exotic ginger blooms better in bright light.  The tips of its snapdragon-looking bracts contain chlorophyll, thereby adding green highlights to the ends.  Blooming covers an extended period of time, from June all the way through November.  Its vase life is also long, lasting anywhere from 6 to 18 days as a cut flower.

Tulipa x 'Texas Fire' 

Hybrid Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    12" to 30" / 30cm to 75cm
Spread    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Purple and red
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


Culture Notes
Most of the hybrids bloom for a few seasons and then need to be divided or removed.  Tulips should be planted in the fall in soil that is fertile and well-drained.  Dead heading and feeding can promote longevity.

Tulipa x 'Johann Strauss'
    Hybrid Tulip

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous


Bloom Color    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, purple and variegated


Culture Notes
Most of the hybrids bloom for a few seasons and then need to be divided or removed.  Tulips should be planted in the fall in soil that is fertile and well-drained.  Deadheading and feeding can promote longevity.

Bursting into Spring

 

Pulsatilla vulgaris

syn. Anemone pulsatilla
Pasque Flower

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5A to 8A
Height    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are 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.

Culture Notes
Since the beautiful blooms of this plant nod, planting on a slope will make it easier to appreciate them.   Do not let the soil get too wet, or rotting may occur.   The seed heads do not need to be removed, because they form interesting plumes and do not rob the plant of its vitality.  Division can be made to the tuber in fall or early spring.  This plant does self seed easily and forms large colonies. Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources.

Phlox x arendsii 'Anja'

    Arend's Phlox

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 8A
Height    18" to 24" / 45cm to 60cm
Spread    12" to 14" / 30cm to 35cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Spring and Summer

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

Culture Notes
Plants can be lifted and divided in the spring and the fall.  Plant in areas with good air circulation.  Periodic pruning until mid summer will produce more stems and a later blooming plant.  'Anja' has purple blossoms that have a red tinge to them.

Anemone magellanica
    Anemone

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5B to 8B
Height    6" to 12" / 15cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    White
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 or sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Leave anemones undisturbed after planting.  Do not let the soil get too wet, or rotting may occur.

Narcissus 'Avalon'
    Daffodil

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    6" to 9" / 15cm to 23cm
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 or sandy.
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
'Avalon' is a Division 2 large-cupped cultivar.  Clump forming bulbs that can be lifted and divided in the fall.  Will increase in numbers if left undisturbed and dry in late summer.

Oakleaf Hydrangea, Deciduous Shrub Of The Day

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen'
syn. Hydrangea platanifolia

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Type Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range 5B to 9A
Height 6' to 8' / 1.80m to 2.40m
Spread 6' to 8' / 1.80m to 2.40m
Growth rate Fast
Form Rounded and upright or erect
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink and white
Bloom Time Spring and Summer
The flowers are very showy, suitable for cut flowers and suitable for dried flowers.


Environment
This plant tolerates drought, occasional wetness and a little 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 slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.


Leaf Color
Green
Fall Color
Purple and red
This plant has attractive fall colors.


Culture Notes

Because of their size, most residential landscapes only need one or two of these plants. Especially attractive at the edge of woods or other natural settings, Oak-Leaf Hydrangea likes fertile, acid, well-drained soil, and requires no attention once it becomes established. It makes a nice accent in a shrub border or growing out of a ground cover. Flowers appear at the ends of short shoots with two to three sets of leaves. After plants have flowered, new shoots emerge from the base of the flower stalk. Flower buds for next year's display will develop in the terminal bud at the end of these shoots. Deer enjoy chewing the stems and will eat plants to the ground.

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.

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