Petunias (Petunia x hybrida) are top performing summer flowering annuals. There are hundreds of colorful varieties to beautify any flower bed or container garden. Petunias are divided into three basic types: Grandiflora petunias grow 8-12 inches tall and 8-10 inches spread; they start out upright branched and bear large size 4 to 5 inch wide blooms. Ideal for flower […]
Archive for the ‘Summer heat tolerant’ Category
Asian Pears Becoming Very Popular
Whether home-grown or store bought, Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) fruits ripen sweet and tasty on the tree (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). There are over 100 varieties available worldwide, many with difficult to pronounce. Investigate variety cold hardiness and winter chilling rating as some cultivars are hardier than others. Southern varieties require only 300- 600 hours of winter chilling temperatures […]
Fall Anemone 2016 Perennial Plant of The Year
Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida), popularly called “fall anemone”, are long-lived, fall-flowering perennials for cottage and open woodland gardens. They start to flower in late summer in many parts of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7). Several colorful varieties are available. Fall anemones make great additions to cut floral […]
Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea Raises Money For The Cure
Since the introduction of the Invincibelle Spirit® hydrangea in 2009, sales from this special plant have raised funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF). At the end of 2015, fundraising efforts reached over $900,000 toward its million dollar goal. In addition to donating one dollar for every plant sold, it serves as the heart […]
Care of Holiday Cactus
Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (S. bridgesii) are popular fall- and winter-flowering houseplants. Flower colors (by variety) include red, purple, lavender, cream, and white. Holiday cacti thrive in hanging baskets. The scalped stems and foliage start out growing vertically and weeks later begin to spill over the edge of the pot. Plants flourish for many years if […]
American Holly For Year-round Interest
American Holly (Ilex opaca) is a pyramidal evergreen tree that deserves to be planted more for multiple reasons. It is native to the eastern and central U. S. and is easily identified by its spiny green leaves (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9). It grows slowly to 15 to 35 feet, sometimes taller. The leathery, deep […]
Growing Calamondin Orange
Calamondin (Citrofortunella mitis) hails from China and is hardy to 20 ºF in temperate regions. It prospers outdoors in Florida, central and southern Texas, and Southern California gardens. Its sweetly fragrant flowers develop into edible ornamental fruits beginning in late fall. Small 1-2 inch diameter orange fruits are highly decorative as an indoor house plant. Calamondin can be […]
Re-blooming Your Poinsettia
Many people like to save their poinsettia plant and re-flowered it next Christmas. Scheduling a poinsettia to re-bloom is not difficult, but you need to follow an exact year-long procedure. First, continue to water the soil in the pot until early April. In April, cut the stems back to about 4 inches above the soil. […]
Care Of Staghorn Ferns
Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifercatum) is an epiphyte from the forests of Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia. In temperate regions, it is a popular house plant. In their natural habitat, it prefers to grow attached to tree trunks or rock outcroppings for support. It draws no nutrients from the tree. Two very different types of fronds (leaves) […]
Stop Destroying Forsythias
Forsythia (Forsythia spp.), also called “yellow bells”, is an extremely popular spring flowering shrub (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Their bright yellow flowers signal the coming of spring. However, many gardeners do not know how to prune them. Tall 8-12 foot forms of F. x intermedia are commonly sold at most U.S. garden centers. Forsythias grow from 2 to 10 […]