Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) has been declawed and neutered. Also called Bois D’Arc (pronounced “bow-dark”) by native Americans, this tough native prairie tree species (USDA Zones 5-8) produces large 4-6 inch diameter yellowish green fruits (“hedge apples”) which may weigh 2 to 3 pounds. They fall from the tree in October to create a maintenance […]
Archive for the ‘Spring flowering’ Category
‘White Shield’ – New Thornless Osage Orange
Posted by Hugh on February 26th, 2013
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Osage Orange (Maclura), Privacy Screen, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark 
Comments Off on ‘White Shield’ – New Thornless Osage OrangeMore Winter Hardy Encore Azaleas Now Available
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2013
For spring 2013, 22 of 32 Encore™ Azalea varieties are cold hardy in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Thirteen (13) varieties are reliably cold hardy throughout Zone 6-a&b. They are: Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Carnation, Autumn Cheer, Autumn Jewel , Autumn Lilac, Autumn Lily, Autumn Royalty, Autumn Ruby, Autumn Sangria, Autumn […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Autumn flowering, Azaleas (evergreen), Evergreen, Flowers, mulching, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on More Winter Hardy Encore Azaleas Now AvailableLungworts- Perfect Shade Companion With Hostas
Posted by Hugh on February 18th, 2013
The lungworts (Pulmonaria spp.) are very popular in shade gardens with hostas, astilbes, Solomon seals, and ferns (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Their green or silver-colored foliage may be dusted with green, silver or white spots. Lungworts are divided into two distinct foliage forms: narrow long-leaf (P. longifolia) and silvery or speckled oval leaves (P. saccharata). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Downy mildew, Flowers, Ground cover, Hummingbird, mulching, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pulmonaria, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Lungworts- Perfect Shade Companion With HostasGrowing Pear Trees Too Challenging For Southeast Gardeners?
Posted by Hugh on February 15th, 2013
For many reasons growing pears in the Southeastern U.S. is very challenging. First, European (Pyrus communis) and Asian (P. pyrifera) pears are susceptible to fireblight (Erwinia amylovora). This bacterial disease is very difficult to manage. Two of the leading European pear varieties, ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Bosc’, are highly susceptible to fireblight. Varieties found to be fire […]
Posted in acidic soil, Biennial bearing, Disease prone, Failure to Bloom, Fruits & Vegetables, Harvest Time, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Planting tips, Pollination needs, Pruning, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering Comments Off on Growing Pear Trees Too Challenging For Southeast Gardeners?‘Pink Lemonade’ Blueberries Will Delight Your Taste Buds
Posted by Hugh on February 12th, 2013
Pink Lemonade blueberry (Vaccinium x ‘Pink Lemonade’) is a new variety introduction from the USDA. It combines the benefits of growing a beautiful landscape plant and one that produces a tasty crop of pinkish red blueberries. Pink Lemonade is also very winter hardy (USDA hardiness zone 4). Select a sunny location, preferably with an […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Blueberries, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Uncategorized, watering tips, Wildlife attractant Comments Off on ‘Pink Lemonade’ Blueberries Will Delight Your Taste BudsLeatherleaf Mahonia – Love It Or Don’t Plant It
Posted by Hugh on January 30th, 2013
Leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia bealei), aka Beale’s barberry, is a holly-like evergreen shrub which appears in your garden uninvited. It is a member of the barberry family (Berberidaceae) (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). It has no sharp thorns on the stems, but leaf tips are sharply pointed. Leatherleaf mahonia is a princely evergreen shrub which blooms in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Evergreen, Heat Tolerance, Mahonia, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Leatherleaf Mahonia – Love It Or Don’t Plant ItAdd Some Gold to Your Landscape
Posted by Hugh on January 30th, 2013
Is your garden awash in green foliage? A few well placed bright gold-leaf shrubs or perennials can awaken almost any dull green landscape spot. Here are two shrubs, Mellow Yellow® spirea and Gold Nugget barberry, plus one perennial (‘All Gold’ hakone grass) that may add some flair. Mellow Yellow® Spirea (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’) forms small white flowers which cover […]
Posted in acidic soil, Barberry (Berberis), Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Hakone grass, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Add Some Gold to Your LandscapeFragrant Honeysuckle Is Long-Lived Heirloom Shrub
Posted by Hugh on January 21st, 2013
Fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) has creamy white flowers which open in January during a brief warm-ups and continues, off and on, through February and March in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). It is an old heirloom shrub indigenous of China. It’s hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. Fragrant honeysuckle is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Privacy Screen, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter flowering Comments Off on Fragrant Honeysuckle Is Long-Lived Heirloom Shrub‘Otto Lukyen’ Cherry Laurel Exhibits Better Winter Hardiness
Posted by Hugh on January 17th, 2013
Otto Luyken (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’) is a very compact form of cherry laurel. It produces showy, fragrant, erect white spike flowers primarily in the spring, and repeats with light blooming thru the summer months. Its fragrant white flowers are showy racemes which rise several inches above the foliage in mid-spring. Its glossy pointed tip […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Cherry Laurel (Prunus), compact shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Otto Lukyen’ Cherry Laurel Exhibits Better Winter HardinessSkip (Schipka) Laurel Creates Dense Evergreen Privacy Screen
Posted by Hugh on January 14th, 2013
Schipka laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’) is a dense growing evergreen shrub with lustrous evergreen foliage and clusters of small white flowers in the spring. It is rated as one of the cold hardiest of cherry laurels (USDA hardiness zone 6-8). In the garden center it is often labeled ‘skip laurel”. Skip laurel grows 10 to […]
