The following five evergreen shrubs are smaller versions of the larger growing species. They make a better fit in smaller urban gardens. Gyokuryu Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyokuryu’) is a fast-growing, broadly conical selection with coarse bluish-green evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green through most of the winter in zone 6 and […]
Archive for the ‘Trees & Shrubs’ Category
Five Evergreens For Small Garden Spaces
Posted by Hugh on December 21st, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bagworms, Bald cypress (Taxodium), Chamaecyparis, compact shrub, compact tree, compost, Container growing, container shrub, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Deciduous conifer, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Native Plant, Nootkatensis cedar, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Five Evergreens For Small Garden SpacesProtect New Trees From Winter Sunscald
Posted by Hugh on December 13th, 2017
Across the northern U.S. and Canada, cold temperatures can damage many plants. Wide fluctuations in temperature can be particularly detrimental to newly planted landscape and fruit trees from late fall to early spring. Street trees are particularly susceptible. Sun scald is described by elongated, sunken, dried, or cracked areas of dead bark, usually on the […]
Posted in apple orchard, Apple tree, Asian Pears, Cherries, Cold tolerance, Crabapple, Environmental issues, Garden Problems, Honeylocust (Gleditsia), Landscape ideas, Linden (Tilia), Maples (Acer), Mountain ash (Sorbus), Peach, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Plum, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sun scald, Trees & Shrubs, Wind protection, Winter bark, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Protect New Trees From Winter SunscaldCare of African Violets
Posted by Hugh on December 8th, 2017
African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) or AVs are among the easiest flowering house plant to grow. They need indirect moderate to bright lighting and moist well-drained potting soil. Grow plants in plastic pots and not in clay (terra cotta). AVs should be repotted annually. Here are some additional cultural tips: Room temperatures: AVs thrive at room […]
Posted in acidic soil, African violet (Saintpaulia), Botrytis disease, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mites, plant nutrition, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Sanitation, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Thrips, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Care of African VioletsLive Cut Foliage And Berries For Home Holiday Decorations
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2017
Many conifers make great cuts for indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations. Foliage choices: Eastern red cedar and many other junipers, white pine, Norway spruce, Colorado spruce, Balsam fir, Canadian hemlock, Arizona cypress (and cultivars ‘Carolina Sapphire’ and ‘Blue Ice’), and False cypresses (C. pisifera). Needle retention varies among species. For example, Norway spruce and balsam […]
Posted in Abelia, Alexandrian Laurel, Anise tree (Illicium), Autumn Fruiting, Bayberry (Myrica), Boxwood (Buxus), Camellia, Cherry Laurel (Prunus), Christmas tree, Crabapple, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Cupressus (cypress), Doghobble (Leucothoe), Evergreen, Evergreens, Flower Arranging, Garden Tools, Green Recycling, Ground cover, Heather (Calluna), Hemlock (Tsuga), Hydrangeas, Ilex (hollies), Ivy (Hedera), Juniper, Landscape ideas, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia virginiana, Native Plant, Oleander (Nerium), Pines (Pinus spp.), Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Viburnums, Vine, Willows (Salix), Winterberry holly Comments Off on Live Cut Foliage And Berries For Home Holiday DecorationsProtect Young Trees and Shrubs From Voles, Rabbits And Other Critters
Posted by Hugh on November 27th, 2017
Rabbits, chipmunks, and voles (field mice) need a home for the winter. They often choose to nestle up near newly planted trees and shrubs and gnaw on their sweet sapwood, girdling the trunk and essentially killing the tree. Fruit-bearing plants often damaged by critters over their first 1-2 winters include: apple, pear, peach, redbud, blueberry, and cane fruits. Young […]
Posted in Apple tree, Asian Pears, Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Blackberries, Blueberries, Deciduous Azaleas, Encore azaleas, Environmental issues, Evergreens, Fencing, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, mulching, Peach, Pear (Ornamental), Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pests, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raspberries, Redbud, Sanitation, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wildlife attractant, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Protect Young Trees and Shrubs From Voles, Rabbits And Other CrittersEuonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All Seasons
Posted by Hugh on November 24th, 2017
Many so-called shade perennials such as hostas, astilbes, brunneras, and coralbells (Heuchera spp.) actually excel in areas that are bathe mostly morning sunlight. In these areas ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Moonshadow’) makes a great companion shrub with these perennials (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Moonshadow has become a favorite ground cover euonymus of mine. ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus is […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Euonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All SeasonsThe Glorious Katsura Tree
Posted by Hugh on November 20th, 2017
Katsura Tree (Cercidophyllum japonicum) is a medium to large tree indigenous to China, Korea and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Fossil imprints indicate that Katsura Tree has existed over 1.8 million years and flourished throughout Asia and North America. Katsura’s genus name Cercidophyllum translates to “leaf (phyllum) like a red bud (Cercis)”. A mature tree can reach […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compost, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Regional, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Glorious Katsura TreeAmur Cork Tree
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2017
Amur corktree (Phellodendron amurense) is native to Northern China, Korea and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Amur corktree is a fast growing, upright branched tree that makes an excellent yard or shade tree. Corktree grows in a wide range soils, and tolerates soil pH between 5.0 to 8.2. It does best in moist, well-drained soils, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, Cork Tree (Phellodendron), Corktree (Phellodendron), Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Amur Cork TreeUnappreciated And Underplanted Sawtooth Oak
Posted by Hugh on November 5th, 2017
Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) is a medium-sized deciduous oak that exhibits traits similar to both the white oak and red oak sections. Indigenous to China, Korea and Japan, sawtooth oak has naturalized in some parts of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones (5?)6-9). Sawtooth oak grows 40-60 feet tall and wide with broad spreading branches and rounded canopy. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sawtooth oak (Q. acutissima), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Unappreciated And Underplanted Sawtooth OakPlant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2017
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a loose open growing shrub valued for its spectacular fruits in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The growth rate of this native shrub is rapid, eventually reaching 4-7 feet in height and 4-6 feet in spread within 5 years after planting. Beautyberry thrives in a moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic, well-drained soil […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
