No flowers On Your Crape Myrtles? Look at these five common problems: 1. Not Adequate Sunlight Crape myrtles need 6-8 hours of full sun a day. Too much dry heat will cause poor flowering as well as leaf scorch. 2. Too much /Too Little Soil Moisture Crape myrtles are tolerant of moderate drought, dry weather spells […]
Archive for the ‘Container growing’ Category
Mountain Hydrangeas
Mountain hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata) look very much like big leaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla) except shrubs are smaller, more compact in growth habit with smaller flowers and leaves. They are native to the cool moist woodland valleys in Japan and Korea mountains. (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). These unique hydrangeas fare better in cool climates in zones 5 […]
Six Mini-Shrubs For Small Gardens
Many green thumbers and veteran senior gardeners have opted to grow in small garden beds. Here are six (6) small flowering shrubs that add lots of seasonal color from early spring to late summer. All six are easy to maintain; check the easy-care info at the end. Plants can also be grown in 12 inches […]
All About Flowering Quinces
Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) is a deciduous shrub in the Rose (Rosaceae) family and related to apple and pear (Zones 5-9). It is native to China and is relatively easy to grow. Plant quince in moist, well-drained soil; it flowers best in full sun but is moderately shade tolerant. Feed quince shrubs annually in early […]
Purple Beautyberry
Purple beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) is a compact, deciduous, woody shrub with showy ornamental fruits that may last long after the shrub has dropped its leaves in fall. Beautyberry is among the finest ornamental fruiting shrubs and easy to care for. Purple beautyberry is a native of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam and is in the […]
Rose of Sharon – A Summer Delight
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), aka althea, is a vigorous, upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically grows 8-12 feet tall with some exceptions. Altheas may also be trained as small trees or espalier. Showy 5-petaled flowers appear over a long summer period and sometimes into early fall. The center of each flower has prominent […]
Four Space-Saving Summer Blooming Shrubs
Miniaturation of many of our garden shrubs has been a trend for over 30 years. A common saying among gardeners has been they no making any more land making anymore or, in this case, garden planting space. In particular, urban gardeners continue to squeeze more color into limited spaces. Here are four flowering shrubs that […]
Next Generation Of Kousa Dogwoods
‘Scarlet Fire’ is a 2017 introduction from Rutgers University with 4-5 inch wide, fade-proof, dark pink floral bracts. This Kousa dogwood tree is also heat and drought tolerant and highly disease resistant. ‘Wolf Eyes’ is a compact tree (10-20 feet tall) or multi-branched shrub form; creamy white variegated foliage is scorch-resistant. Wolf Eyes flaunts eye-catching gray-green […]
Five Redbuds With Dynamite Seasonal Foliage
Here are five notable redbuds (Cercis canadensis) possessing colorful summer foliage. Of note, the first 3 of 5 varieties are the creation of noted plant breeder Dr. Dennis Werner of NC State University in Raleigh. Flame Thrower® has stunning eye-catching foliage color breakthrough in the world of redbuds. It is marketed as Eternal Flame® in Europe. […]