More than 30 available oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) cultivars, you can select the perfect specimen to complement any size garden USDA hardiness zones 5 -9). Oakleaf hydrangea is a native plant that delights gardeners with four seasons of distinct features. In spring, oak-shaped leaves are followed by summer’s white-panicled flowers. When it sheds its colorful […]
Archive for May, 2019
Sacred Lily (Rohdea)
Sacred lily (Rohdea japonica), aka nippon lilies, are native to Japan and China. Rohdeas are truly collector’s plants (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). In the Orient these lovely shade perennials are highly revered. In traditional Japanese horticulture, sacred lilies (known as o moto) came to be associated with long life and good fortune. Containers are planted […]
Try Maple-leaf Viburnum In Woodsy Areas
Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) is a small to medium deciduous shrub that is indigenous to many areas of the Eastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). This underutilized native viburnum is at its finest in a dappled shady woodland landscape. Slow-growing at first, a single plant may reach heights of 4-6 feet and 2-4 feet in […]
Black Mondo Grass
Black mondo grass or black lilyturf (Ophiopogon planiscapus) is sold as a number of cultivars – ‘Arabicus’, ‘Black Dragon’, ‘Nigrescens’, or ‘Ebony Knight’. This stoloniferous grass-like perennial belongs to the lily family (Liliaceae) (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Its blackish-purple foliage (3/16 inch wide leaf blades) forms lush arching clumps. For the patient gardener, know that […]
Annual Geraniums Make Garden Comeback
Once popular annual geraniums (Pelargonium x) are making a comeback with U.S. gardeners. Geraniums are also planted in window boxes or hanging baskets. Three types of geraniums are sold at garden centers: zonal or bedding geraniums (P. x hortorum), ivy-leaf geraniums (P. peltatum), and Martha Washington geraniums (P. x domesticum). Color choices include red, pink, rose, salmon, […]
Russian Arborvitae For Cool Areas Of The U.S.
Russian arborvitae and Siberian cypress (Microbiota decussata) is an underutilize ground cover (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). This tough juniper-like evergreen hails from Siberia and demonstrates exceptional cold hardiness to -40 ° F. In extreme northerly sites, the lacy evergreen foliage may turn complete brown in the dead of winter and re-sprout in spring. In the cool temps of […]