Dendranthemums (mums) are favorite plants for outdoor decorating in the autumn season. Fall mums come in a variety of colors from white, yellow, pink, orange, red, bronze, and purple. Blooms attract numerous bees and butterflies. Plant heights vary, depending on the degree that the greenhouse grower has sheared or sprayed (with growth retardants) the mums. As perennials, mums are […]
Archive for the ‘Perennials’ Category
Decorate With Fall Mums
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2012
Posted in Aster, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Chrysanthemum, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Decorate With Fall MumsMuhly Grass Pink Color Emblazens The Autumn Season
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2012
For most of the season Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grows pretty much unnoticed. Muhly exhibits a semi- erect growth habit, 3-4 feet in height and 3-4 feet in spread. Walking past a pink billowy inflorescences of Muhly on a brisk sunny October morning is nothing short of “wow”. For 10- 12 weeks, from early September thru late November, a pink haze arises […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Muhly grass, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter hardiness Comments Off on Muhly Grass Pink Color Emblazens The Autumn Season‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Is Environmentally Tough and Beautiful
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2012
Young Clump of ‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Northwind switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’) is a medium sized 5 to 6 feet tall ornamental grass. This tall native prairie grass grows best in full sunlight for most of the day. Its tight narrow posture seems to fall apart in shade. There are many good switchgrass varieties. Northwind makes […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Is Environmentally Tough and BeautifulCommon Ditch Lilies
Posted by Hugh on August 14th, 2012
A native of eastern Asia, tawny daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are often called “ditch lilies”. You see them growing along roadsides, in back alleys, and in old gardens, often in very poor soil. Their tenacious root system helps to stabilize steep slopes. They seem to thrive in places too difficult for most plants. They’re grow so easily […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Common Ditch Lilies‘Hot Lips’ Turtlehead – A Late Summer Flowering Native
Posted by Hugh on August 8th, 2012
Turtlehead (Chelone spp.) is a U.S. native. Turtle-head shaped flowers appear in August and September. The 1 inch flowers open from bottom to top along the stem (s). Colors vary from bright white, creamy white, and white tinged with pink (depending on species and cultivar grown). Pink turtlehead (C. lyonii ) is native to the Southern […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Native Plant, Perennials, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Turtlehead (Chelone), watering tips Comments Off on ‘Hot Lips’ Turtlehead – A Late Summer Flowering NativeOstrich Fern Likes It Moist And Cool
Posted by Hugh on August 6th, 2012
For sheer toughness ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) handles most landscape situations (USDA hardiness zones 2-7a). Ostrich fern is commonly seen growing naturally in cool moist river bottom soils, 3-5 feet in height and spreading aggressively. Roots have a clumping rhizomatous nature. The fronds grow upright with a slightly arching form, typically to 2-3 feet in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Disease resistant, Foliage plant, Native Plant, Ostrich fern (Matteuccia), Perennials, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ostrich Fern Likes It Moist And CoolThe Boys Or Girls of Summer
Posted by Hugh on August 3rd, 2012
Gardeners are looking for simple plant combinations and this photo, shot at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio, shows three easy to grow perennials, “no-brainers” as some might call them. Originally, all three plants emigrated from the prairie where each coped with hot summers without much rainfall. In the hands of modern plant breeders, each perennial has been greatly improved. All are disease and pest resistant. Some […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Weed control Comments Off on The Boys Or Girls of SummerBoxwood Blight Discovered on Pachysandra
Posted by Hugh on July 30th, 2012
In June 2012 plant pathologists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station have confirmed a natural infection of pachysandra in the landscape by boxwood blight (Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum), the boxwood blight fungus. The infection originated from recently installed balled and burlapped (B&B) boxwood plants. A plant inspector in Fairfield, CT noticed that an established bed of pachysandra […]
Posted in Boxwood (Buxus), Disease prone, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Ground cover, Pachysandra, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Boxwood Blight Discovered on Pachysandra‘Morning Grace’ Spiderwort Is A Delicate Beauty
Posted by Hugh on July 26th, 2012
Morning Grace spiderwort (Tradescantia rosea ‘Morning Grace’) is a short growing spiderwort native from Maryland south to Florida. Its small size and clumping nature makes it a wonderful rock garden plant. It grows into 8″ tall x 8″ wide clump of narrow medium green leaves. At first glance this spiderwort’s foliage appears very grass-like. […]
Posted in Butterflies, Native Plant, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tradescantia (Spiderwort), winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Morning Grace’ Spiderwort Is A Delicate BeautyHollyhock Rust Prevention Tips
Posted by Hugh on July 19th, 2012
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are old-fashioned perennials (and biennials) which are currently finding a new audience. There are numerous cultivars differing in plant height from 5 to 9 feet and spread of 1 to 3 feet. Flowers come in single and double forms and in many color shades. Hollyhocks are hardy to USDA hardiness zone 4. […]
Posted in Disease prone, Disease resistant, Flowers, Hollyhock (Alcea), Japanese beetles, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering Comments Off on Hollyhock Rust Prevention Tips
