Wild indigos or Baptisias (Baptisia spp.) are long-lived native perennials. Baptisias are tap rooted perennials that will reward you for many years. They’re sometimes mistaken for Carolina lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana). Modern day cultivars are hybrids of 4 Baptisia species: purple (B. australis), lavender blue (B. minor), white (B. alba), bright yellow (B. sphaerocarpa). Several bicolors are also […]
Archive for the ‘Propagation (Seed)’ Category
Baptisias – Long-Lived Native Perennials
Posted by Hugh on March 10th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Baptisia (wild indigo), Bees and other pollinators, compost, deadheading, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Messy Fruits, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Baptisias – Long-Lived Native PerennialsBest Annuals Of 2017
Posted by Hugh on January 31st, 2018
Each year Greenhouse Grower* magazine compiles a listing of the best annuals selected by field garden staff and garden visitors to 19 public and seed company trial gardens across the U.S. Talleying the resuts, thirty-five (35) varieties appeared more than once, with Salvia ‘Mystic Spires Improved’ and Alternanthera ‘Purple Prince’ appearing five times. Before proceeding further, keep in mind […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alternanthera, Annuals, Bees and other pollinators, Begonia, Calibrachoa (Million bells), Canna lily, Coleus, compost, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, Dianthus, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Ersyimum (wallflower), Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Miscanthus grass, Ornamental Grasses, Ornamental Pepper, Pentas (Egyptian star flower), Perennials, Petunias, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Star zinnia, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant Comments Off on Best Annuals Of 2017Deck The Halls With These Ten Festive Plants
Posted by Hugh on December 24th, 2017
Celebrate the holiday with these live plants, some of which you receive as gifts. These houseplants can stand alone or complement the festive holiday decor: Poinsettia. No other houseplant captures the Christmas spirit more than poinsettias. Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera bridesii or S. truncata) – these easy to care for dependable flowering cacti (they’re really succulents) come in red, pink or […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amaryllis, Amaryllis (Bulb), Autumn flowering, Bulb Crops, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Container garden, Cyclamen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Kalanchoe, Norfolk Island Pine, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Thanksgiving cactus, Tillandsia, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Protection Comments Off on Deck The Halls With These Ten Festive PlantsAmur Cork Tree
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2017
Amur corktree (Phellodendron amurense) is native to Northern China, Korea and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Amur corktree is a fast growing, upright branched tree that makes an excellent yard or shade tree. Corktree grows in a wide range soils, and tolerates soil pH between 5.0 to 8.2. It does best in moist, well-drained soils, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, Cork Tree (Phellodendron), Corktree (Phellodendron), Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Amur Cork TreeThe Great Little Bluestems*
Posted by Hugh on November 12th, 2017
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is an attractive prairie grass native in southeastern or southwestern areas of the U.S. It is exceptionally hardy (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Heights of the species (including inflorescences) vary from 2 – 2.5 feet tall and many cultivars grow 3-4 feet tall. Its late summer to fall foliage is a kaleidoscope of pastel […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Little Bluestem, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Great Little Bluestems*Unappreciated And Underplanted Sawtooth Oak
Posted by Hugh on November 5th, 2017
Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) is a medium-sized deciduous oak that exhibits traits similar to both the white oak and red oak sections. Indigenous to China, Korea and Japan, sawtooth oak has naturalized in some parts of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones (5?)6-9). Sawtooth oak grows 40-60 feet tall and wide with broad spreading branches and rounded canopy. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sawtooth oak (Q. acutissima), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Unappreciated And Underplanted Sawtooth OakTis The Season For Ornamental Kales and Cabbages
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2017
Ornamental cabbage and kale (Brassica oleracea) are very close related to the same vegetables that we eat at our kitchen table. They are edible, just not as tasty. Plants are biennials, e.g. they produce leaves one year and flower the following spring. Ornamental kales have deeply cut serrated or ruffled leaves while leaves of ornamental cabbage […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Biennial, Butterflies, Cabbage, Caterpillars, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, kale, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental vegetables, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tis The Season For Ornamental Kales and CabbagesPlant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2017
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a loose open growing shrub valued for its spectacular fruits in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The growth rate of this native shrub is rapid, eventually reaching 4-7 feet in height and 4-6 feet in spread within 5 years after planting. Beautyberry thrives in a moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic, well-drained soil […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant American Beautyberry For A Fall ShowNuts About Acorns
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2017
Acorns are nuts that form on mature oak trees (Quercus spp.). Acorns come in many shapes, sizes and colors, depending on the species. An acorn is a single nut encased in a hard shell by a cap (used to identify what oak species it is). For example, Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra) tree produces egg-shaped […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), Butterflies, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Environmental Conservation, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Nuts About AcornsHalloween Pumpkins And Gourds
Posted by Hugh on October 3rd, 2017
It’s Pumpkin Time!…celebration of Halloween across America. A local pumpkin farm had over 60 kinds of pumpkins to choose from. According to the Missouri Botanical Gardens website: “the term pumpkin really has no botanical meaning”. Pumpkins and gourds are classified as squashes in the Cucurbitaceae family along with cucumbers and melons. If you want to grow […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Aphids, Bees and other pollinators, Borers, Cucumbers, Disease prone, Downy mildew, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Gourd, Melons, mulching, Ornamental vegetables, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Squash, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Weed control, Wildlife attractant Comments Off on Halloween Pumpkins And Gourds
