Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) has been declining in planting popularity. But its scarlet red leaf color is both sensational and reliable every autumn in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Most people identify the tree by its cultivar name, e.g. ‘Bradford’, Aristocrat®, ‘Cleveland Select’, ‘Redspire’ pear. There are many other cultivars. Callery pears are tough reliable medium sized trees which […]
Archive for the ‘Drought tolerant’ Category
Autumn Colors Conclude with Callery Pears
Posted by Hugh on November 23rd, 2011
Posted in Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bradford Pear, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Heat Tolerance, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Autumn Colors Conclude with Callery Pears‘Morgan’ Oriental Arborvitae
Posted by Hugh on November 12th, 2011
Among dwarf conifer collectors, ‘Morgan’ Oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis) has become one of the most sought out evergreens over the past decade. Its oval form and seasonal coloration makes Morgan a standout. It performs well in part sun, but its chartreuse-yellow foliage appears more vibrant in direct sunlight. Its dense foliage grows in vertical layers. Andy Pulte at the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), compost, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Platycladus orientalis 'Morgan', Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering evergreens, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on ‘Morgan’ Oriental Arborvitae‘Snow Flurry’ Zone 6 Hardy Camellia
Posted by Hugh on October 31st, 2011
‘Snow Flurry’ camellia is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with good plant vigor. It was one of the first zone 6 cold hardy camellias hybridized by Dr. William Ackerman and released by the U.S. National Arboretum in 1986. Snow Flurry grows into a 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide shrub over a 10 year […]
Irrigate Evergreens This Winter
Posted by Hugh on October 28th, 2011
Fall slowdown in the garden brings many of us back indoors to prepare for the winter holidays ahead. A number of serious canker diseases attack evergreens in the fall and winter if soil moisture is not plentiful. These diseases include botryosphaeria, cytospora, phomopsis, and seiridium cankers. Each organism is capable of causing branch dieback or […]
Posted in Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Christmas trees, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Leyland cypress, Pines (Pinus spp.), Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips, winter injury, Winter Protection 1 Comment »Natural Evergreen Needle Drop in Autumn
Posted by Hugh on October 25th, 2011
Some needle loss on evergreens in the fall is natural. As night time temperatures cool, needles in the interior of many evergreen trees or shrubs regularly turn brown (or golden yellow) and drop off. Needle loss is most obvious on pines (Pinus spp.) and arborvitae (Thuja spp.) in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). The […]
Posted in Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Pines (Pinus spp.), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Transplant problem, watering evergreens, winter injury Comments Off on Natural Evergreen Needle Drop in AutumnNative Plumleaf Azalea Blooms In The Heat Of Summer
Posted by Hugh on July 28th, 2011
Plumleaf Azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) From my garden here is a look today (July 28th) at plumleaf azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium). Plumleaf is an Alabama native, and its orangey red flowers has been growing in my east Tennessee garden for the past 15+ years. It is hardy to zone 5-b (- 15°F) which includes most of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England states. Plumleaf handles Southern […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), compost, Deciduous Azaleas, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Hummingbird, Native Plant, Plumleaf azalea, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Native Plumleaf Azalea Blooms In The Heat Of SummerSummer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2011
Bigleaf or “mophead” hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) tend to get tall and leggy, and outgrow their garden space. Our native oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are pruned as blooms quality declines. Remove or “deadhead” all withered or faded flowers. Main pruning time for these two species is from mid-June thru mid-August. Mopheads may rebloom if they had […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Garden Maintenance, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Summer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf HydrangeasWinter King Hawthorn – A Winter Fruit Attraction
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2011
bright red fruit in winter season ‘Winter King’ is an outstanding cultivar of our native green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) and is at home here in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Over the winter season few deciduous trees present a colorful fruiting display much better than Winter King. Winter King hawthorn is a small landscape tree, maturing to 25-30 […]
Posted in Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark Comments Off on Winter King Hawthorn – A Winter Fruit AttractionLacebark pine- an investment in the future
Posted by Hugh on December 13th, 2010
Many rare and unusual garden plants are introduced into a garden as a thoughtful gift. Lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana) is an arboreal aristocrat which a few gardeners are privileged to own. Lacebark is a lovely 3- needle pine with exquisite exfoliating bark which becomes more attractive each succeeding year. The lacebark feature begins after 8-10 years, but it’s […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, mulching, Pines (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness 2 Comments »Arkansas Bluestar Great In Spring, Summer and Fall
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2010
Blue star (Amsonia hubrichtii) exhibits one of nature’s finest autumn foliar displays. This Arkansas native is a long-lived perennial and prospers here in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). After its initial year in the garden, amsonia exhibits good heat and drought tolerances. Its fine textured needle -like foliage is very soft and airy. In the […]
Posted in Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Spring flowering, watering tips Comments Off on Arkansas Bluestar Great In Spring, Summer and Fall
