Amur maackia (Maackia) is a small deciduous tree with a broad, rounded canopy. Typically, it grows in cultivation at a slow-to-moderate rate to a height of 20-30 feet (to 60 feet in wild). This compact growing tree is an ideal fit in smaller landscapes. A botanical member of the Pea family (Fabaceae), it grows in […]
Archive for the ‘Trees & Shrubs’ Category
Summer Blooming Amur Maackia
Posted by Hugh on July 7th, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Maackia amurensis, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Summer Blooming Amur MaackiaAvoid Mulch Volcanos
Posted by Hugh on June 22nd, 2021
Ever heard of a “mulch volcano? It is a load of mulch that is piled up around the base of a landscape shrub or tree. A common answer I get from homeowners guilty of this practice is that they see professional landscapers and city maintenance crews doing it. Volcano mulch can also cause tree roots […]
Posted in Canker disease, Certified Arborist, compost, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Elms (Ulmus), Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Garden Maintenance, Garden Problems, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), Mulch Quality, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Pests, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter injury Comments Off on Avoid Mulch VolcanosAttracting Hummingbirds
Posted by Hugh on June 16th, 2021
In early spring many area gardeners rush to set out hummingbird feeders filled with a sugary solution to encourage these feathery critters to visit. However, the sugary drink also attracts ants, bees, and wasps. The solution does not furnish vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids that hummingbirds pick up from pollinating flowers and eating insects. In addition, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Agastache (Hyssop), Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Campsis grandifolia 'Morning Calm', Canna lily, Climbing honeysuckle (Lonicera), Container growing, container shrub, Cupheas, Daylilies, Environmental Conservation, Flowering, Foxglove (Digitalis), Hibiscus syriacus, Hummingbird, Impatiens, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Lobelia (cardnial flower), Monarda (Beebalm), Morning glory (Ipomoea), Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Penstemon, Pentas (Egyptian star flower), Perennials, Phlox, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Sage (Salvia), Salvia leucantha, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Summersweet (Clethra), Trees & Shrubs, Trumpet vine (Campsis), Weigela, Wildlife attractant, Zinnia Comments Off on Attracting HummingbirdsShorter Version Of Six Landscape Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on June 11th, 2021
Sugar Shack™ Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis Sugar Shack™) – Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. cut the size in half and added colorful red fruit and glossy foliage. Add in cool looking, fragrant white flowers and you’ve got a delightful plant […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), Chokeberry (Aronia), compact shrub, compost, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summersweet (Clethra), Trees & Shrubs, Virginia sweetspire Comments Off on Shorter Version Of Six Landscape ShrubsGrowing Cosmos
Posted by Hugh on May 26th, 2021
Cosmos are native to Mexico. In the U.S. these old-fashion annuals bloom throughout the summer months and attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden. They produce colorful 2- to 4-inch wide daisy-like flowers that sit atop 3-5 feet tall slender stems. Cosmos make excellent cut flowers and dwarf forms are ideal in containers. Annual cosmos […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Container garden, Container growing, Cosmos, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, Wind protection Comments Off on Growing CosmosLittle Leaf Linden
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2021
Littleleaf linden Littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata) is highly praised as an excellent urban shade tree. The species reaches 60 to 70 feet tall and spread of 30 to 40 feet. The foliage tolerates several urban pollutants. This durable tree is often utilized as a street and park tree because of its environmental adaptability. Two year […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, Linden (Tilia), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Little Leaf LindenAshe Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on May 16th, 2021
Ashe magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla subsp. Ashei) is a small 10-20 feet tree with enormous leaf and flower sizes (zone (5)6-9). Anindividual white flower measures 6- 12 inches across with a purple blotch at the base of 3 inner petal-like tepals. Ashe magnolia blooms in late May – early June in Tennessee. Many of the white […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ashe magnolia (M. ashei), Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Overcrowding, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Ashe MagnoliaMountain Laurels – A Native Shrub Many Gardeners Forget To Plant
Posted by Hugh on May 6th, 2021
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a U.S. native broadleaf evergreen shrub (USDA hardiness zone 5 – 7(8)). Whether you are hiking through area woodlands or driving through Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC, flowering mountain laurels dominate the May-June landscape in Northeast Tennessee or Western North Carolina. Mature shrub sizes range from 5 feet (dwarf cultivars) […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, compost, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, Mountain laurel (Kalmia), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mountain Laurels – A Native Shrub Many Gardeners Forget To PlantNew Compact Anise Hybrid Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2021
Two new hybrid anise (Illicium) shrubs have been released by the NCSU Mountain Crop Improvement Lab in Mills River, NC. These new star anise shrubs, bred by Dr. Tom Ranney, are hybrids between Illicium floridanum and I. mexicanum. These native evergreen shrubs are low-maintenance and adapt to a wide range of growing conditions (USDA hardiness zones 6b-9a […]
Posted in acidify soil, Anise tree (Illicium), Autumn flowering, Autumn Fruiting, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compost, container shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on New Compact Anise Hybrid ShrubsFive Hardy Evergreen Ferns
Posted by Hugh on April 11th, 2021
In the southeastern U.S., ferns are important additions to shady perennial and woodland gardens. Ferns can be used as a ground cover to soften the hard edges of water features, rocks and paths, and make wonderful filler for mixed container plantings. Ferns do not flower or seed, but instead, reproduce by spores that usually form […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Container garden, Container growing, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Ferns, Flower arrangments, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Holly Fern (Cyrtomium), Japanese Holly fern (Cyrtomium), Korean Rock fern (P. tsus-simensis), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tassel fern (P. polyblepharum), Wind protection, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Hardy Evergreen Ferns
