Morning glory vines (Ipomoea tricolor) add a dash of old fashion charm to today’s gardens. YES! these aggressive vines demand a high degree of attention. Their funnel or tubular-shaped flowers open in the morning and close late in the afternoon. In a single growing season, vines may grow 6 to 12 feet and more (depending on variety). Morning […]
Archive for August, 2018
Growing Morning Glories
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Annuals, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Failure to Bloom, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Morning glory (Ipomoea), mulching, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Vine, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Growing Morning GloriesTexas Elephant Ears Study*
Posted by Hugh on August 23rd, 2018
Dr. Jared Barnes and colleagues at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas, trialed 46 Colocasia species/cultivars over two years to determine what performed best over a two-year growing period. First of all, Nacogdoches is in east Texas (Zone 8-b) and typifies the upper coastal plain, stretching from there east to South Carolina. Cultivars were […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Colocasia, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Foliage plant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Texas Elephant Ears Study*Ligularias For Moist Sites
Posted by Hugh on August 20th, 2018
Ligularias (ligs) are big leafy perennials whose roots must be kept constantly moist so that plants don’t wilt or “faint”. An established plant may tolerate several days in dry soil, yet the droopy foliage will recover from the water loss each night. Several species are tropical (under the genus Farfugium). Bigleaf ligs (L. dentata) and narrow-spiked ligularias (L. stenocephala), […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Garden ecology, Landscape ideas, Ligularias, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ligularias For Moist SitesFavorites Among The Rose Of Sharon (Althea) Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on August 15th, 2018
Rose of Sharon, aka shrub althea, (Hibiscus syriacus) is a woody hibiscus shrub that is hardy in temperate northern areas of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). This summer flowering shrub is exceptionally easy to grow. At one time, it was a great pass-along shrub that fell out of favor. However, old fashioned varieties frequently reseeded […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus syriacus, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Favorites Among The Rose Of Sharon (Althea) ShrubsGrowing Castor Bean Plant
Posted by Hugh on August 10th, 2018
Over the years castor bean (Ricinus communis) plants have been a common sight in public gardens. These tall ornamental annuals are cherished for both their colorful flowers and seed capsules, and bold foliage. The species, a botanical member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), is indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean region, Eastern Africa, and India. Unlike many spurges, the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Castor bean, Castor bean (Ricinus), compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fruits poisonous, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental vegetables, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Growing Castor Bean PlantKorean Sweetheart Tree
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2018
The late Dr. J. C. Raulston, N.C. State University horticulture professor emeritus, discovered Korean sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica) in 1985 on the Korean Peninsula while participating in a U.S. National Arboretum collection expedition (USDA hardiness zones 6-8). Dr. Raulston brought seeds back to the N.C. State Arboretum for assessment and evaluation. The species common name “sweetheart […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Korean Sweetheart Tree
