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) […]
Archive for the ‘watering tips’ Category
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 […]
Stylish Boulevard Cypress
A twist here…a turn there, that’s the unique growth of Boulevard Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’). It is a popular medium-sized evergreen shrub for home and commercial landscapes (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Boulevard cypress exhibits a twisted pyramidal form with soft, silvery blue foliage that also grows in a slightly twisted manner. The fine, […]
Winterberry Holly Brightens Winter Scene
To escape from dreary days this winter, brightened up your landscape with deciduous hollies. Among a long, long list of deciduous holly species, winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is the superior choice (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Inconspicuous white blooms in spring are followed by red, orange, or yellow berries in fall. Compared to their evergreen […]
Selecting Japanese Maple Varieties For Winter Hardiness
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and (A. japonicum) are among the most picturesque of trees and shrubs. Their star-shaped leaves are comprised of 5-7-9 pointed lobes, depending on variety (cultivar). Trees exhibit layered branching, cascading form, lacy foliage (dissectum types), and stunning fall color. There are countless numbers of cultivars… […]
Tips On Sowing Milkweed Seeds
Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), aka butterfly weeds, are tuberous rooted perennials native to the Eastern and southern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9). It grows in dry/rocky open woodlands, prairies, farm fields, and along roadsides. A clump of milkweed plants grow 1- 3 feet tall and spread 1 ½ feet wide. Unlike other milkweeds […]
10 Winter Care Tips For Landscape Plants
Fall-planted perennials, shrubs and trees need some additional attention. Here are 10 basic tips to help plants get past potential winter woes: Select balled-and-burlapped (b&b) or container-grown plants rather than bare-rooted stock. Most bare-root plants are planted in late winter or early spring when plants are still dormant. Evergreens, […]
Foxtail Lilies Are Uniquely Different
Foxtail lilies or desert candles (Eremurus spp.) are beginning to find an audience with U.S. gardeners. Foxtail lilies are indigenous to the grasslands and semi-arid parts of Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan (USDA hardiness zones 5–8). Tall spires of brightly colored flowers emerge in late spring; small individual flowers are densely packed together. Each showy […]
Fall Lawn And Landscape Planting Tips
The combination of warm soil and cool air makes autumn an ideal time to plant new trees, shrubs, perennials, and cool season annuals. You may want to divide certain perennials such as iris, hostas, daylilies, and lots more. Fall weather favors root growth which aids transplants to recover quickly before winter’s chill arrives. Autumn planting […]

Posted in

