Chinese (kousa) dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a small spring flowering dogwood. Kousa blooms about 2 – 3 weeks after our native flowering dogwood (C. florida) has finished. Lustrous dark green leaves begin to emerge a week or two before the lovely pointed 3- inch white bracted flowers. Fall leaf color is purplish red and not quite as vibrant […]
Archive for the ‘Trees & Shrubs’ Category
Evergreen Kousa Dogwood? – Depends on Where You Garden
Posted by Hugh on March 28th, 2012
Posted in Chinese (kousa) dogwood, Disease resistant, Evergreens, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Evergreen Kousa Dogwood? – Depends on Where You GardenVery Tall Stake For A Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2012
Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’) is “gravity prone”. This strongly weeping tree just doesn’t happen without staking in its formative years. At planting position a sturdy 12-16 foot metal or plastic stake or rod close to the trunk at planting time. The staking and tying procedure is neither complicated nor time […]
Posted in acidic soil, Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Evergreens, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weeping habit Comments Off on Very Tall Stake For A Weeping Blue Atlas CedarContorted Filbert Offers Great Fall And Winter Interest
Posted by Hugh on March 23rd, 2012
Contorted filbert (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’), aka Harry Lauder’s walking stick, is an 8-10 foot tall shrub. It grows in average well-drained acidic or mildly alkaline soil and thrives either in full or partial (6 hours) sunlight. Contorted filbert is usually sold in a grafted form. It is also called corkscrew hazelnut because most branches, twigs and leaves display […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Contorted filbert (Corylus), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Weeping habit Comments Off on Contorted Filbert Offers Great Fall And Winter InterestEvaluating The Weeping Redbuds
Posted by Hugh on March 21st, 2012
There are so many fine redbuds (Cercis spp.) which are hardy in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7) and elsewhere. Through research and breeding efforts at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC, Southeast U.S. gardeners can grow several more cultivars of our native Eastern redbud (C. canadensis and subspecies texensis) and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Redbud, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Weeping habit, winter hardiness Comments Off on Evaluating The Weeping RedbudsProtect Fruit Trees and Bee Population
Posted by Hugh on March 19th, 2012
Cedar rust infection spot Warm weather in early spring means scab, cedar apple rust and powdery mildew diseases are upon the new leaves as they start to emerge. Preventative spraying for leaf diseases will result in management of additional fungi diseases through the growing season. Fungicides are protectants and not cure-alls. A light rain shower (as […]
Posted in apple orchard, Apple tree, apple varieties, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Fruits & Vegetables, Insect (Pest) Problems, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Uncategorized Comments Off on Protect Fruit Trees and Bee Population‘Goshiki’ Osmanthus Brightens Up Any Garden Spot
Posted by Hugh on March 13th, 2012
Holly Tea Olive (Osmanthus spp.) comprises a number of evergreen shrubs from Japan which are winter hardy in USDA zone 7- 9. ‘Goshiki’ (O. heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’) is a hardier compact evergreen shrub, which grows very slowly at 3-4 inches per year. It is long-lived, maturing to 5- 6 feet in height and 5 to 7 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Osmanthus 'Goshiki', Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant Comments Off on ‘Goshiki’ Osmanthus Brightens Up Any Garden SpotEfforts To Solve Japanese Barberry Invasive Problem
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2012
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is a very popular landscape shrub. Japanese barberry is indigenous to Eastern Europe and Asia and is commonly planted in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. There is justified concern over the invasive nature of Japanese barberry. A number of states have declared most barberry species (Berberis spp.) to be invasive and have […]
Posted in acidic soil, Barberry (Berberis), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Efforts To Solve Japanese Barberry Invasive ProblemOutdoor Greenery for Interior Winter Decoration
Posted by Hugh on March 5th, 2012
If you are a new property or home owner, perhaps you’re planning some landscaping this year. Likely, you have several objectives in mind. You might include a few evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees which, in later years, can be cut for holiday wreaths, garlands, swags and indoor ornamentation. Here is a short list to […]
Posted in Boxwood (Buxus), Contorted filbert (Corylus), Foster Holly (Ilex), Hydrangeas, Ilex (hollies), Magnolia grandiflora, Pussy willow (Salix), Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Outdoor Greenery for Interior Winter DecorationThe Right Rhododendron for the Right Location
Posted by Hugh on March 2nd, 2012
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense) were born in the cool of the North Carolina and Tennessee mountains. Hundreds of lovely hybrids have been bred by dedicated plantsmen. Winter hardiness is rarely an issue, but rhododendrons are challenged by summer heat and disease problems in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Your most important decision is […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, compost, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, plant nutrition, Rhododendrons, root injury, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, winter injury Comments Off on The Right Rhododendron for the Right LocationRedbuds With Very Few Messy Seed Pods
Posted by Hugh on February 27th, 2012
A few years back my church pastor complained about the ugly load of seed pods covering the redbud branches (Cercis canadensis) on the property in the fall. My suggestion to avoid messy seed pods is to plant seedless redbud cultivars. A number of native redbud (C. canadensis) cultivars produce few to no seed pods. Let’s start with the cultivars ‘Ace of Hearts’ and sister seedling ‘Little […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Redbud, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Redbuds With Very Few Messy Seed Pods
