The late J.C. Raulston introduced euscaphus tree (Euscaphus japonica) to gardeners in the 1980’s. Tennessee nurseryman Don Shadow is credited with naming it “Korean sweetheart tree” which has become its more popular name. It is reliably winter hardy to USDA zone 6-b. Sweetheart tree is a small 15-20 foot tree or large shrub. The pinnately compound foliage is […]
Archive for the ‘Regional’ Category
Fall In Love With Sweetheart Tree
Posted by Hugh on August 20th, 2012
Posted in acidic soil, compost, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Ornamental fruit, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis), Winter Garden Interest 
Comments Off on Fall In Love With Sweetheart TreeStrong Vertical Presence of Serbian Spruce
Posted by Hugh on August 17th, 2012
Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) rises as a tall spire in the urban landscape. A mature tree may reach 50 to 60 feet high and it creates a narrow footprint of 15 to 25 feet wide. Lateral branches uniquely bend downward while the growing tips sweep gracefully upward. Annual growth rate is slow at 12-15 inches. Two-thirds of the short dark green needles lay […]
Posted in acidic soil, Evergreens, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Serbian spruce, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), winter hardiness Comments Off on Strong Vertical Presence of Serbian SpruceCommon 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 SummerDawn Redwood Is Back From Extinction
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2012
Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was thought to be extinct until the mid-twentieth century. In 1948 dawn redwood was re-introduced into North America from Sichuan-Hubei Provinces in China. Dawn redwood grows in full sun and in well-drained, compost-rich soil. The tree struggles in dry or high pH soils. Dawn redwood will tolerate standing water for a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bald cypress (Taxodium), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Japanese beetles, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens Comments Off on Dawn Redwood Is Back From ExtinctionBoxwood 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 BeautyYellow Nutsedge Control Is In Your Hands
Posted by Hugh on July 21st, 2012
Yellow nutsedge, aka “nutgrass” (Cyperus esculentus) is a nasty weed found in lawn and garden areas. It is a sedge, and not a grass, and methods of eliminating it vary. Yellow nutsedge is easily identified by its yellow to light green glossy leaves and the triangular shape of the stem. It grows most actively during […]
Posted in Garden Maintenance, Nutsedge Control, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Weed control, Weeds, Weeds Comments Off on Yellow Nutsedge Control Is In Your Hands
