Archive for the ‘Summer flowering’ Category

Mexican Feather Grass

The ultra-fine soft foliage of Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) will grab your interest. Just a slight breeze will create wave movement in your garden (USDA hardiness zones 7 to 10). It grows 1½ feet high (2 feet tall in flower) and 1½ to 2 feet in width. Mexican Feather Grass is a cool season […]

Staghorn Sumac’s Reliable Fall-Winter Assets

Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is known by several names, including velvet sumac and hairy sumac. This large shrub or small tree is native to northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). Staghorn sumac often arrives uninvited into a landscape and its aggressive suckering root system makes it difficult to eradicate. For landscape use […]

‘Halloween Hocus Pocus’ Daylily For Garden Goblins

On a pleasant July morning I saw my first ‘Halloween Hocus Pocus’ daylily (Hemerocallus x ‘Hocus Pocus’) in a friend’s garden. The 5 ½ inch flowers stand on 26 inch tall stems (scapes) and the foliage is semi-evergreen. The cultivar name describes it best. Its creamy orange color with a triangular black throat and wide […]

Tropical Flowering Maple

(Abutilon spp.), often called Chinese lantern or Chinese parasol plant, is a tropical houseplant (USDA hardiness zones 8-10). It offers pendant umbrella-shaped flowers along with handsome rich green five-lobed maple-like foliage. Some variegated leaf forms are available. Leaf petioles are long. Utilize as a tropical foliage plant in the garden or a container. The brightly […]

Why Some Crapemyrtles Do Not Flower

There are several probable reasons why your crape myrtle did not flower this summer. The two leading reasons are lack of adequate daily sunlight and planting depth. Crape myrtles should be planted in full sun. They don’t flower well in locations receiving less than 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. If the leaves are […]

Beautyberry Deservedly Becoming More Popular

The stunning purple berries of beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.) are eye-catching in late summer. White fruited varieties are also sold, but the purple forms are most popular. This 6-8 foot shrub has medium green, 3-5 inch long foliage spring thru summer. Autumn leaf color adds little, the deciduous leaves turning purple to pale yellow, shriveling, and abcising. The purple fruit clusters are electifying, perhaps […]

‘Guacamole’ Hosta An Outstanding Garden Performer

Guacamole (Hosta plantaginea ‘Guacamole’) is rated one of the top performing hostas in the Northeast and mid-South U.S. gardens. Guacamole is a hybrid and one of its parents is H. plantaginea ‘Fragrant Bouquet’. In 2002 it was selected Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Society. Guacamole is a medium-sized hosta. It matches its […]

Daylilies Not Blooming?

Gardeners become disappointed when their daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) are not bloom. There may be reasons for this including: old clumps in need of dividing, inadequate nutrition, too much nitrogen fertilizer, too much shade, and pest and disease issues. Daylilies may be shaded or crowded out by overgrown trees, shrubs, ground covers, or weeds. Heavy amounts […]

Arrowwood Viburnum Very Tough U.S. Native Shrub

Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is an easy to grow deciduous shrub that handles most landscape conditions, including soil types (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8). It grows best in full sun and in a well-drained soil. Clusters of tiny, creamy-white flat-topped flowers appear from late spring into summer. A bountiful crop of dark blue berries […]

New ‘Big’ Begonias Showier Alternative To Wax Begonias

Wax begonias (Begonia x semperflorens) continue to be dependable a summer flowering annual for gardens and container use. They also hold up to summer’s heat, humidity, and dry spells and foliage remains mostly pest and disease free. Begonia benariensis are a relatively new introduction by the Benary Seed Co. and are trademarked as Big™ begonias […]