Witchhazels (Hamamelis spp.) are medium to large shrubs which can be shaped into small trees by judicious pruning. In general, all witchhazels grow in full sun but can prosper with moderate amounts of shade. Other than pruning, they require little extra care. Plant in any soil type as long as it is adequately drained and mildly acidic. Species native to the Eastern […]
Archive for the ‘winter hardiness’ Category
Witchhazels Invent Their Own Season
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2013
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, compact shrub, compact tree, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Pruning, Root suckering, Summer heat tolerant, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) 
Comments Off on Witchhazels Invent Their Own SeasonLong-Lived Cedar of Lebanon – A Record Of Human History
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2013
Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) is a tree aristocrat among conifers. Among the true evergreen cedars it is rated the cold hardiest (USDA zone 5). Its broad horizontal branching and dark green needles defines this tree. The bright green tufted needles are less than 1 inch long and not as showy as the more popular […]
Posted in Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Long-Lived Cedar of Lebanon – A Record Of Human HistoryAdd A Little Muscle To Your Landscape
Posted by Hugh on December 28th, 2012
Underutilized and underappreciated. That’s American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), aka ironwood or muscle wood. It grows primarily in moist, slightly acid soils along woodland rivers and streams. Our native hornbeam possesses the ability to adapt to a range of landscape situations. It grows equally well in full sun or partial shade. Its dark green summer foliage is rarely troubled […]
Posted in acidic soil, American hornbeam, Autumn foliage color, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Add A Little Muscle To Your LandscapeTwo Native Sedges Excel In Dry Shade
Posted by Hugh on December 14th, 2012
Sedges (Carex spp.) are becoming popular groundcovers with gardeners! Most demand a moist, well drained soil. Two native forms, Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachica) and Pennsylvania sedge (C. pensylvanica) excel in dry woodland shade in the eastern U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness 3-8). Their fine textured grassy foliage and a fountain-like growing habit make them excellent […]
Posted in Carex (Sedges), Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Two Native Sedges Excel In Dry ShadeDeer Don’t Feed On Plum Yews
Posted by Hugh on December 10th, 2012
Plum yews (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) are evergreen needle conifers which flourish in the heat and humidity of the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Likely, the groundcover forms are hardier to zone 5-b if protected by snow cover or surrounding vegetation from dry winter winds. Plum yews are native to China, Korea and Japan. Many people […]
Posted in acidic soil, container shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Ground cover, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Deer Don’t Feed On Plum Yews‘Beni kawa’ Japanese Maple for Winter Bark Color
Posted by Hugh on December 10th, 2012
Beni kawa Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Beni kawa’) is a smaller version of the popular coral bark maple ‘Sango kaku’. It was introduced by Greer Gardens Nursery in Oregon in 1987. ‘Beni kawa’ matures to 12-15 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide, compared to 20-25 feet tall for ‘Sango kaku’. Both cultivars form a vase-shaped branched small […]
Posted in acidic soil, compost, Japanese maple, Maples (Acer), mulching, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Beni kawa’ Japanese Maple for Winter Bark ColorFranky Boy Arborvitae
Posted by Hugh on December 5th, 2012
Franky Boy oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis ‘Franky Boy’ [syn Thuja orientalis]) is a dwarf evergreen conifer currently in hot demand among collectors. What immediately catches your eye is its thread-like foliage which changes color from one season to the next. Its evergreen foliage adds a fine textured look to the landscape. The new spring growth […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), compact shrub, Disease resistant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Franky Boy Arborvitae‘Morgan’ Oriental Arborvitae
Posted by Hugh on November 20th, 2012
When dwarf conifer hobbiests visit one another’s gardens, they discover new plants, some which later show up in their own landscape. Morgan oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis ‘Morgan’) has become very popular among collectors living in the southeast and mid-Atlantic regions. Morgan arb is a fairly slow-growing, typically 5 inches or less per year. It provides […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), compact shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering hydrangeas, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Morgan’ Oriental Arborvitae‘Autumnalis’ Is Good Flowering Cherry, Perhaps Over-hyped
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2012
Autumnalis cherry (Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’) is a long-lived, fast growing flowering cherry. This variety of higan cherry grows to medium size, 20-40 feet in height and 15-30 feet in spread. Autumnalis produces a heavy bloom of semi-double pink flowers in spring and again, in sparse numbers in autumn (mid-October) in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Autumnalis flowering cherry, Disease resistant, Flowers, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Autumnalis’ Is Good Flowering Cherry, Perhaps Over-hypedPignut Hickory: What’s In A Name
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2012
Pignut hickory (Carya glabra) is a medium to large tree that you may fortunately inherit when purchasing property. Pignut deserves a better name like “smooth bark hickory”. The species is commonly found in upland forests. Pignut hickory prefers fertile well-drained soil and in full sun to partial shade. A young seedling trees start off slowly from a large […]
Posted in Butterflies, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Nut Producer, Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Pignut Hickory: What’s In A Name
