Archive for the ‘Summer heat tolerant’ Category

Goldenrain Tree – A Golden Shower of Bloom

Goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) is a medium sized landscape tree maturing to 30-40 feet in height and spread with rounded canopy. A native of China, Japan, and Korea, the tree is winter hardy in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Large panicles of dark yellow flowers set off a golden fireworks for your 4th of July celebration. Individual flowers barely measure […]

Summer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf Hydrangeas

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 […]

Calliope™ Dark Red Geranium- One of the Best

Garden performance is very important. Calliope™ Dark Red geraniums have it!! Calliope geraniums are interspecific hybrids with zonal-type leaves and huge vibrant red flowers. Plant breeders crossed ivy geraniums (the kind commonly used as hanging baskets) and zonal geraniums (found growing in pots, window boxes, and as bedding plants). Calliope is a vigorous grower with a mounding to semi-trailing […]

Stewartia- A Tree for All Seasons

    Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) is a truly beautiful 20-30 foot small tree or multi-trunked shrub. Stewartia may be finicky to grow, but a great plant nonetheless. Although rarely seen in U.S. gardens, Japanese stewartia is the most commonly grown of the six stewartia species. All are winter hardy in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 […]

‘Janet Blair’ Rhododendron

Here in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7) rhododendrons can be challenging. Of critical importance is to choose a good garden spot and to plant a hardy cultivar. Over the past 25 years ‘Janet Blair’ has been one of the most reliable varieties in my Northeast Tennessee garden.  ‘Janet Blair’ bears medium-sized […]

“Mary, Mary, How You Do Grow in My Garden”

‘My Mary’ is a hybrid deciduous azalea (R. ‘Nacoochee’ x R. austrinum) ending its flowering cycle in my spring garden. ‘My Mary’ has been a steady performer, averaging 4-5 feet in height in 10 years. Its clusters of bright yellow orange tubular flowers measure 2 1/2” across. Its early morning sweet fragrance is a gentle […]

Wolfeyes Chinese Dogwood

Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa), a favored spring-flowering tree, reaches 20-25 feet in height and blooms two weeks subsequent to our native flowering dogwood (C. florida). The ‘Wolf Eyes’ cultivar forms a compact tree or large shrub, standing 8–10 feet tall and nearly twice as wide. lowly reaches 10 to 20 ft. tall and wide; largest […]

A Perfect Small Garden Tree– ‘Ace of Hearts’ Redbud

Ace of Hearts redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Ace of Hearts’) is an arboreal treasure, a compact form of our native redbud. Heavy clusters of light purple pea-like flowers cover twigs and branches from late March into early April, depending on your locality. Ace of Hearts grows 12 by 15 feet in height and spread, roughly one-third […]

Double Take™ Flowering Quinces

Photo credit: Dr. Tom Ranney, NCSU Research Horticulturist Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp) is an early spring flowering shrub, treasured for its brightly colored blooms (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Old fashioned quince shrubs produced small amounts of fruits which were gathered and prepared into yummy jelly in the autumn kitchen. These often large 10-12 foot tall shrubs produced small sharp […]

Better Choices for Golden Moon Maple

Photo credit: Mr. Brian Upchurch, Highland Creek Nursery, Fletcher, NC A few months back I asked Mr. Brian Upchurch, owner of Highland Creek Nursery*, his opinion of Golden Fullmoon Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’) in our Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7).  He responded: “I have grown it in the past and it […]