Christmas roses (Helleborus niger), aka Christmas roses, are early winter flowering lenten roses. They bloom around Christmas time if winter temps are generally still mild. Based on the severity of winter temps, start of bloom date will vary considerably between H. niger and the more popular Helleborus x hybridus (H. x orientalis). (USDA hardiness zones […]
Archive for the ‘Pests’ Category
Christmas Rose
Posted by Hugh on December 22nd, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Christmas rose (H. niger), Cold tolerance, Container garden, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Fruits poisonous, Ground cover, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, Lenten rose (Hellebore), Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, root injury, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wind protection, Winter flowering, winter hardiness 
No Comments »Summer Snowflakes (Leucojum)
Posted by Hugh on November 21st, 2024
Summer snowflakes originate from Europe and northern Africa and are carefree spring-blooming bulbs. They belong to the Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae) botanical family and are critter proof. (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Flowers and foliage are similar to snowdrops, but snowflakes grow twice as tall and bloom about 2-3 months later, usually just after most daffodils. Pure white, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Flowering Bulb, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Snowflake (Leucojum), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer snowflake (Leucojum), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summer Snowflakes (Leucojum)Triggering Holiday Cactus To Bloom
Posted by Hugh on October 12th, 2024
Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are not desert plants. They’re indigenous to the tropical rain forest environment in South America. Holiday cacti thrive in bright indirect sunlight along with other house plants. Set them near an east-facing window when indoors over fall and winter or shaded under trees outdoors in the spring and summer months. Indoors, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Fall Garden Interest, Mealy bugs, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Soil drainage, Thanksgiving cactus, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on Triggering Holiday Cactus To BloomToad Lilies Shine In The Autumn Garden
Posted by Hugh on October 3rd, 2024
Toad lilies (Tricyrtis spp.) are late season flowering perennials in the shade garden. Most summer perennials have finished blooming as their flower buds are just forming. They’re native to moist woodsy environs of eastern Asia and are botanical members of the lily (Liliaceae) family (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). When properly sited, toad lilies are long-lived […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Toadlily (Tricyrtis), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Toad Lilies Shine In The Autumn GardenObedient Plant – A Native Autumn Favorite
Posted by Hugh on September 20th, 2024
Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), and like garden mint, it spreads easily by rhizomes and easily self-seeds; the plant is not “obedient” in behavior. It is called “obedient plant” because each tubular flower will, upon being pushed in any one direction, stays in its new position. It grows in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, deadheading, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Obedient plant (Physotegia), Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Obedient Plant – A Native Autumn FavoriteHarlequin Glorybower
Posted by Hugh on September 11th, 2024
Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendron trichotomum) is a rambling 15-foot-tall rambling shrub which can be easily shaped into a multi-stemmed 10-to-20-foot small tree. Glorybower shines in the late summer and early fall landscape. Its sweetly scented, very showy flowers attract the attention of gardeners as well as hummingbirds and butterflies. (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). Where I garden in Northeast Tennessee […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Cold tolerance, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Harlequin glorybower, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Harlequin GlorybowerSurprise / Resurrection lilies
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2024
The beautiful colorful large flowers of Spider lilies (Lycoris spp.) pop up overnight in summer (July and August). In the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states, Spider lilies are popular passalong plants. They are known by a number of colloquial names such as “surprise lilies”, “resurrection lilies”, “hurricane lilies”, “Equinox Lily”, and “naked ladies”. They are members of […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, Lycoris (Spider lily), Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Surprise / Resurrection liliesCelebrate Three New Summerific® Hibiscus Varieties
Posted by Hugh on July 31st, 2024
Summerific® is a trademarked series of Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) from Walters Gardens Inc. in Zeeland, Michigan. It is a native perennial hibiscus that emerges from the soil in late spring and grows rapidly. Both their huge flowers and foliage are natural focal points in the summer garden. This long-lived perennial can be utilized as […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus moscheutos, Hummingbird, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Protection Comments Off on Celebrate Three New Summerific® Hibiscus VarietiesMimosa Tree – A Different Option
Posted by Hugh on July 20th, 2024
Over the hot spring and summer months, weedy Mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) stand beautiful along U.S roadsides. During the rest of the year, people pay very little attention to this arboreal Asian beauty that inhabit a vast area from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). YES, this tree can be invasive. Read on. From […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Mimosa tree (Albizia), mulching, Non-native, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Weak branching, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mimosa Tree – A Different OptionSome Summer Perennials Reach New Heights
Posted by Hugh on July 7th, 2024
Celebrate this 4th of July with three giant flowering perennials: Giant coneflower, Joe Pye weed and Queen Of The Prairie Filpendula. Giant / Large coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) is an herbaceous perennial that is grows in average, moist, well-drained soils in mostly full-day sun (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Also called “Dumbo’s Ears”, it tolerates light shade, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Filipendula, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rudbeckia maxima, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflower, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Some Summer Perennials Reach New Heights
