Archive for the ‘Propagation (Cuttings)’ Category

Three New Summer Annuals You’ll Get Excited Over

Here are three new annuals which should delight: Striking Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ has silky, silvery white foliage. Angel Wings senecio is beautiful to add to mixed containers or use it solitary on patio or deck planters. Warning: you can’t resist touching the long, broad velvety leaves. Angel Wings grows 10-12 inches high and about as wide. Plant Angel Wings […]

Hybrid Wax Begonia Revolution

Wax begonias (Begonia x semperflorens) are popular summer annuals in public and private  gardens. Begonias are excellent for mass bedding, in mixed borders, and in large containers. Plants hold up to summer heat, humidity, and moderate dry spells. The foliage stays mostly pest and disease free. A few years back, two series of interspecific hybrids (Begonia […]

Temperamental Big Leaf Hydrangeas

Get use to it… big leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), also called hortensia hydrangeas, are temperamental (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). After a long winter of sub-freezing temperatures, these blue (or pink) flowering shrubs should be stunningly beautiful in spring. However, if the late winter- early spring temps flucuate wildly, grab your pruning shears. Too most gardeners, myself included, […]

Spike Winterhazels

I Winterhazels (Corylopsis spp.), native to China and Japan, is a wonderful genus comprised of winter flowering shrubs of varying heights and widths (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8). Few U.S. gardeners know of them. Their bright yellow flowers are a lot bigger and showier than the witchhazels (Hamamelis spp.) which are close botanical relatives. […]

The Fragrant Viburnums

Fragrance is a wonderful trait to include in your landscape. Although most viburnum species are not odorous, these 7 stand out for their spring floral fragrance. Bloom dates mentioned here are for zones 6-7 (TN, VA, NC and KY). Burkwood Viburnum (V. x burkwoodii)  is semi-evergreen, 7 to 8 feet tall and wide, with glossy dark green leaves that turn […]

Saucer Magnolias

Saucer magnolias (M. x soulangeana) are deciduous hybrid magnolias (M. denudata x M. liliiflora) as broad shrubs or small trees. They typically grow 20-30 feet in height and width. Saucer magnolias are often called tulip magnolias because of the shape of the colorful blooms. Flower colors range from white, pink, rose, purple, magenta, and burgundy. Flowers […]

Early Flowering Magnolias

If you live (and garden) in the northern  climes of the U.S. and Canada, Magnolia ×loebneri Leonard Messel is an excellent choice of a flowering yard tree. It is a hybrid deciduous magnolia (M. kobus x M. stellata) (zones (4)5-9). Other similar crosses include ‘Ballerini’ and ‘Merrill’. Leonard Messel magnolia grows to 20-30 feet tall with a rounded crown. It is […]

Re-blooming Poinsettia This Fall

The winter holidays may be over, but your poinsettia plant is likely still looking pretty.  If you opt to grow and re-bloom your plant next Christmas, follow this growing schedule. Keep the soil evenly moist and set the plant in bright daylight. Feed bi-monthly with a house plant fertilizer. Inspect and rid your plants of all […]

Unusual Forms Of Umbrella Pine Are Really Cool

Japanese Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) is a prized ornamental evergreen (USDA hardiness zones 5b -9). It is not actually a pine.  The only species within genus Sciadopitys, this conifer dates back to the dinosaurs. Umbrella pine is a mid-sized landscape tree with several fine attributes: 1. glossy green long narrow needles arranged like the spokes of a wheel; 2. peeling […]

Outdoor Holiday Decorating With Poinsettias and Cyclamens

If you live in U.S. hardiness zones 3-7, December weather is ordinarily is too frigid to grow poinsettias and cyclamen outdoors. Southeastern U.S. cities like Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, and northern parts of FL like Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando enjoy mild December temperatures 50 º F. lies in zone 8 as well as most of the Dallas […]