Archive for the ‘Autumn flowering’ Category

Clump Type Ornamental Grasses Excel In Autumn

City gardeners want low maintenance. These ornamental grasses are what you’re looking for. They achieve their intended growth heights in summer, and produce flowers (inflorescence). Foliage of some change color as temps start cooling in late summer. Five of six listed grass species are winter hardy and overwinter outside in large containers or tubs in most regions […]

Fall Anemones

Japanese anemones (Anemone x hybrida) are popularly called “fall anemones”. These late summer-fall blooming perennials are long-lived and make fine additions to flower borders and open woodland areas (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7). Many colorful varieties are available and their flowers are great additions to cut floral arrangements. Showy 2-4 inch wide flowers stand […]

Kalimeris – Late Summer Flowering Perennial

Japanese asters (Kalimeris spp.) are synonymous with boltonias (Boltonia). It is native of China, Japan and Siberia. It superficially resembles Boltonia, but differs enough to be assigned to the genus Kalimeris in the 1990s. Kalimeris incisa ‘Blue Star’ is a superior form. This clump-forming species is noted for its long summer bloom period featuring 1 ½ inch wide, […]

Mexican Bush Sage

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), aka velvet sage, is a perennial that lights up the late summer / fall garden (USDA hardiness zone 7b-10). Indigenous to Central America and Mexico, it can be grown as an annual that grows to about 3-4 feet tall. In the U.S., bush sage is only hardy from the lower […]

New Compact Anise Hybrid Shrubs

Two new hybrid anise (Illicium) shrubs have been released by the NCSU Mountain Crop Improvement Lab in Mills River, NC.  These new star anise shrubs, bred by Dr. Tom Ranney, are hybrids between Illicium floridanum and I. mexicanum.  These native evergreen shrubs are low-maintenance and adapt to a wide range of growing conditions (USDA hardiness zones 6b-9a […]

Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti

Holiday cacti are not true cactus plants. They are native to tropical rainforests of South America and their care is much different than desert cacti. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti refers to the time that they bloom in Fall. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (S. bridgesii are available in several flower colors: red, salmon, pink, purple, orange and […]

Three Common Witchhazel Varieties

Common witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is likely the last native woody shrub or tree to bloom in the northern areas of the U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness zone 3-8). This autumn blooming deciduous shrub or tree grows in open woodlands, often near a lake or a stream bank. Common witchhazels grow 15-20 feet tall as a large […]

Growing Cyclamen In The Home

Cyclamens, the non-hardy forms, have become popular gift plants. Cyclamens are incorrectly labelled as tropical houseplants at garden shops. Many people enjoy this flowering plant for long as possible and toss it once blooming has stopped. Cyclamens enjoy a long blooming period indoors in a cool room and are fussy, a bit of a challenge […]

Standout Ornamental Grasses Inflorescences

Ornamental grasses standout in the landscape most of the year. These six ornamental grasses showoff spectacular seed heads (inflorescences) in late summer or fall. These grasses are also beautiful and effective landscape screens. PAMPAS GRASS (Cortaderia selloana) – are seen planted at the beach, city parks or in your neighbor’s yard. The big feathery plumes […]

Fall Color Of Ornamental Grasses

Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergeri capillaris) grows 3-4 feet with blemish-free green foliage all summer long. By early fall, its bright colored floral seed heads (inflorescenses) are showing up, which gives Muhly its decorative look. ‘Pink Muhly’ tends to grow floppy and struts pink-hued inflorescenses that shimmer in a breeze. ‘White Cloud’ is a white flowering form […]