Chinese pistache tree (Pistachia chinensis) is a small to medium size 25–40-foot landscape tree, an ideal size for a yard or street tree. Chinese pistache is native to China, Taiwan and the Philippines (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). It is related to the edible pistache nut tree (Pistachia vera). (Botanical family: Anacardiaceae). Foliage consists of pinnate compound, […]
Archive for the ‘alkaline soil’ Category
Chinese Pistache – Great Yard / Street Tree
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2025
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese pistache (Pistacia), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness 
No Comments »Tall Sedums In Your Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2025
Sedums are clumping, perennial succulents in the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae) and are mostly native to China and Korea. Depending on variety, plants discussed in this blog are tall-growing mound forms that grow 1 to 2 feet high and wide. Botanical nomenclature has changed and is a bit confusing. Sedum genus, now Hylotelephium, contains many of the […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sedum (Shrub type), Soil drainage, Staking, Stonecrop sedums, Stonecrops (Sedum), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness No Comments »Fountain Grass
Posted by Hugh on March 24th, 2025
Fountain grasses (P. alopecuroides) are perennial warm season grasses that are native to meadows and open woods of Eastern Asia (mainly China and Japan) and Western Australia. Cultivars hardiness ranges from zone 4 (5) – 10. These ornamental grasses have finely textured deep green foliage and elegant form. Leaves and flower spikes sway in the breeze, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)), Landscape ideas, Non-native, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fountain GrassChristmas Rose
Posted by Hugh on December 22nd, 2024
Christmas roses (Helleborus niger), aka Christmas roses, are early winter flowering lenten roses. They bloom around Christmas time if winter temps are generally still mild. Based on the severity of winter temps, start of bloom date will vary considerably between H. niger and the more popular Helleborus x hybridus (H. x orientalis). (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Christmas rose (H. niger), Cold tolerance, Container garden, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Fruits poisonous, Ground cover, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, Lenten rose (Hellebore), Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, root injury, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wind protection, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Christmas RoseSummer Snowflakes (Leucojum)
Posted by Hugh on November 21st, 2024
Summer snowflakes originate from Europe and northern Africa and are carefree spring-blooming bulbs. They belong to the Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae) botanical family and are critter proof. (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Flowers and foliage are similar to snowdrops, but snowflakes grow twice as tall and bloom about 2-3 months later, usually just after most daffodils. Pure white, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Flowering Bulb, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Snowflake (Leucojum), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer snowflake (Leucojum), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summer Snowflakes (Leucojum)Harlequin Glorybower
Posted by Hugh on September 11th, 2024
Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendron trichotomum) is a rambling 15-foot-tall rambling shrub which can be easily shaped into a multi-stemmed 10-to-20-foot small tree. Glorybower shines in the late summer and early fall landscape. Its sweetly scented, very showy flowers attract the attention of gardeners as well as hummingbirds and butterflies. (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). Where I garden in Northeast Tennessee […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Cold tolerance, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Harlequin glorybower, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Harlequin GlorybowerSurprise / Resurrection lilies
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2024
The beautiful colorful large flowers of Spider lilies (Lycoris spp.) pop up overnight in summer (July and August). In the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states, Spider lilies are popular passalong plants. They are known by a number of colloquial names such as “surprise lilies”, “resurrection lilies”, “hurricane lilies”, “Equinox Lily”, and “naked ladies”. They are members of […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, Lycoris (Spider lily), Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Surprise / Resurrection liliesTen Powerhouse Summer Flowering Perennials
Posted by Hugh on August 14th, 2024
For many years of floral beauty in your perennial garden, get off to a good start. Plant in an area in full or partial sun along with good air circulation to avoid mildew and leaf spot disease problems. Before planting, generously amend soil with compost and well-drained ground. Irrigate the first year to establish the landscape planting. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Agastache (Hyssop), alkaline soil, Aralia 'Sun King', Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Joe Pye (Eutrochium), Landscape ideas, Liatris, Lobelia (cardnial flower), Monarda (Beebalm), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ten Powerhouse Summer Flowering PerennialsSome Summer Perennials Reach New Heights
Posted by Hugh on July 7th, 2024
Celebrate this 4th of July with three giant flowering perennials: Giant coneflower, Joe Pye weed and Queen Of The Prairie Filpendula. Giant / Large coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) is an herbaceous perennial that is grows in average, moist, well-drained soils in mostly full-day sun (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Also called “Dumbo’s Ears”, it tolerates light shade, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Filipendula, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rudbeckia maxima, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflower, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Some Summer Perennials Reach New Heights‘Sun King’ Aralia Glows In the Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2024
Plants with golden foliage can brighten up almost any drab garden patch. Sun King golden aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’) is no exception, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9. It is also known as Japanese spikenard and mountain asparagus. Under ideal conditions this thornless, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial grows rapidly to 3-5 feet tall and as […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Aralia 'Sun King', Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Sun King’ Aralia Glows In the Summer Heat
