Pomegranate trees (Punica granatum) cherished for their delicious fruits and easy maintenance in warm climates. These trees, native to the Middle East (Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India), take about 3-6 years to begin producing their unique edible red fruits, which are filled with sweet, edible seeds. Juice from the fruits is sweetly delicious […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting birds’ Category
Growing Pomegranates
Posted by Hugh on October 9th, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Pomegranate (Punica), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs 
No Comments »Update On Perennial Ironweeds
Posted by Hugh on October 2nd, 2026
U.S. native ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) develop a broad visual swath from the mid-Atlantic to the Midwest and from Minnesota south to Texas. Vernonia spp. is in the aster or daisy family (Asteraceae). Their abundant purple-hued flowers brighten the autumn landscape from late summer into autumn. Ironweeds serve as an important food source for pollinators. Scores […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant No Comments »Heleniums Are Nothing To Sneeze At
Posted by Hugh on September 25th, 2026
Helenium Helenium autumnalis), aka sneezeweed, is a cheerful, daisy-like perennial wildflower that lights up moist meadows and stream banks across nearly all of North America with masses of golden-yellow flowers from late summer through fall (USDA hardiness zones 3–8). It has an unfortunate common name – “Sneezeweed”— which refers to a historical use of dried […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Helenium, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness No Comments »Winter Berries For Birds
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2026
Spring-summer flowers lead to an attractive & bountiful harvest of berries in your landscape. In the cool autumn and snowy frigid winter months, our feathered wildlife feast on colorful berries that range from purple, red, pink, white, or blue. Listed here are 12 berry-licious plants. 1. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly native to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Chokeberry (Aronia), Coralberry (Symphoricarpus), Cornus sericea, Crabapple, Deciduous, Deciduous holly, Dogwood (Cornus), Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Foster Holly (Ilex), Hawthorn (Crataegus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winterberry holly Comments Off on Winter Berries For BirdsAdd Chinese Pistache To Your Landscape
Posted by Hugh on September 3rd, 2026
Chinese pistache tree (Pistachia chinensis) is a 25–40-foot small to medium landscape tree in the Botanical family known as Anacardiaceae. Branching habit is slightly upright that creates a narrow tree profile that is ideal for a small patio or a curb-side street tree. The bark of a young tree is silvery gray with a more rugged […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese pistache (Pistacia), Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Add Chinese Pistache To Your LandscapeLate Blooming Swamp Azalea
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2026
Native to the southern and eastern U.S., swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family. This shrub generally grows 3 – 8 feet tall and nearly as wide. It is a spreading shrub that spreads slowly via underground stolons and is most at home in a moist humus-rich soil that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Azalea (deciduous), Bees and other pollinators, Cercopora leaf spot, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Swamp Azalea (R. viscosum), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Late Blooming Swamp AzaleaButtonbush
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2026
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), aka honeybells, pond dogwood, and swampwood, is a highly prized native shrub. Yes, in small landscapes, buttonbush tend to grow big @ 6-12 feet tall and wide. Their fragrant white orbital blooms are uniquely out of this world. Botanical member of the Rubiaceae (USDA hardiness zones 5-9), flowers appear from spring to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), compact shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ButtonbushDwarf Vitex Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on July 22nd, 2026
Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) is an 8–10-20-foot deciduous shrub or tree form. Branching habit is dense and vase-shaped (upright). Without question, ‘Shoal Creek’ is a very popular Vitex variety that measures around 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide (USDA hardiness zone 6 – 8). So… so many varieties that grow large and should not be […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering shrub, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), winter hardiness Comments Off on Dwarf Vitex CultivarsAward Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’
Posted by Hugh on July 9th, 2026
‘Jeana’ phlox was found and named by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. ‘Jeana’ phlox is discovered by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. Jeana phlox grows vigorously to 4-5 feet in height and 2-3 feet in spread. Stems are sturdy and well-branched to support the sweetly scented 6-inch soft lavender-pink flowers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Award Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’America’s Happy 250th Tree- Franklinia
Posted by Hugh on July 2nd, 2026
Franklinia (Franklinia altamaha) is a uniquely different large shrub or small tree. Although rated hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-8, I’ve never seen a landscape quality specimen in zone 5 and find that the tree performs best in zones 7. Success with growing franklinia hinges on purchasing a quality nursery plant, proper siting, and annual care, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Fertilizing plants, Franklinia, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on America’s Happy 250th Tree- Franklinia
