Not enough gardeners know about stewartias (Stewartia spp.). Six species are found under cultivation, 2 native to the U.S. and 4 of Asian origin. One of the rarest seen in U.S. gardens is tall stewartia (S. monadelpha) (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Tall stewartia is a more site forgiving than Japanese stewartia (S. pseudocamellia), the most […]
Archive for the ‘winter hardiness’ Category
Lovely Tall Stewartia Deserves Your Attention
Posted by Hugh on June 24th, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Japanese beetles, mulching, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tall stewartia, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Lovely Tall Stewartia Deserves Your AttentionGladiolas Are Wonderful Cutflowers
Posted by Hugh on June 21st, 2014
Across most regions of the U.S., planting gladiola corms (they’re not really “bulbs”) begins a week before the probable frost-free date has passed in the spring. Stagger individual plantings every 2-3 weeks through mid- July. Many people opt to grow them as cutflowers for their homes. Purchase large or premium sized corms that measure 1 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Gladiolus, Insect (Pest) Problems, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Thrips, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Gladiolas Are Wonderful Cutflowers‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To Bloom
Posted by Hugh on June 13th, 2014
For over a quarter of a century, wherever daylilies (Hemerocallus spp.) grow, you will find the very popular gold-flowered ‘Stella d’Oro’ daylily (USDA hardiness zones 2-9). It’s one of a few daylilies that blooms 3 out of 4 seasons. Its small size makes it an ideal choice as a ground cover. This short clump growing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To Bloom‘Hyperion’ Daylily Still Popular 90 Years Later
Posted by Hugh on June 11th, 2014
‘Hyperion’, a mid-season June-July bloomer, was designated the 2011 Award of Merit winner by the British Horticultural Society. That’s not bad for a daylily (Hemerocallus spp.) variety that was introduced in 1924. It’s still very popular among gardeners and garden designers. You see it everywhere, planted in shopping mall parking lots or along NC highways. […]
Posted in Butterflies, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Hummingbird, mulching, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Hyperion’ Daylily Still Popular 90 Years LaterSmoketree – Reliable Urban Tree Or Shrub
Posted by Hugh on June 8th, 2014
“Smokin” may be a corny way to describe the billowy inflorescence (floral head) of common smoketree (Cotinus coggygria). It is native from eastern European to central China. U.S. native, American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus), is far less popular as its inflorescence is much smaller and less showy. Dusky 6-8 inch diameter ball-shaped inflorescences appear in late […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Smoketree (Cotinus), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Smoketree – Reliable Urban Tree Or ShrubDoghobble for Shady Landscape Areas
Posted by Hugh on May 30th, 2014
Mountain doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana) is native to woodland areas in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Florida coast leucothoe (L. axillaris) is another regional favorite, native from Virginia south to Florida. Over time it grow tall, usually 3-4 feet high as a rambling ground cover. Every 3 to 4 years hand pruning […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Doghobble for Shady Landscape AreasAllium ‘Millennium’ Outstanding Summer Blooming Ground Cover
Posted by Hugh on May 26th, 2014
Allium ‘Millennium’ is a rhizomatous type allium (onion) introduced by plant breeder Mark McDonough over a decade ago (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In nursery catalogs it is sometimes listed Allium nutans‘Millennium’. Fleshy strap-like 12-inch long glossy green foliage emits a slight oniony smell when crushed. ‘Millennium’ is a rhizomatous (clump growing) long-lived perennial. Individual plants […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alliums (onion), Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Ground cover, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Allium ‘Millennium’ Outstanding Summer Blooming Ground CoverHow Hardy Is Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)
Posted by Hugh on May 24th, 2014
Loropetalum or Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinensis) has clearly caught on with professional landscapers and gardeners (USDA hardiness zones 7 thru 9). It is rated as marginally hardy in northerly zones 6-b, and has succeeded in consecutive mild winters in the past decade. The winter of 2014 had killed some established plants to the ground, […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, Disease resistant, Fringe flower (loropetalum), Heat Tolerance, mulching, plant nutrition, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on How Hardy Is Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering Form
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2014
Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a late flowering lilac, often 2-3 weeks later than the popular common and hybrid shrub lilacs (USDA hardiness zone 3-7). Tree lilac is tall growing, often 20-25 feet tall with a 15-25 foot spread. It forms a nice small multi-trunked street tree. Tree lilac is the last of the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Lilac (Syringa), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering FormSweetbay Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on May 15th, 2014
Sweetbay, aka laurel magnolia, (Magnolia virginiana) is a U.S. native tree. This small to medium-sized native species often 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide as a large shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. Finding a 50-60 feet sweetbay near by a lake or pond near where you live is not unusual (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Magnolia virginiana, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sweetbay Magnolia
