Japanese asters (Kalimeris spp.) are synonymous with boltonias (Boltonia). It is native of China, Japan and Siberia. It superficially resembles Boltonia, but differs enough to be assigned to the genus Kalimeris in the 1990s. Kalimeris incisa ‘Blue Star’ is a superior form. This clump-forming species is noted for its long summer bloom period featuring 1 ½ inch wide, […]
Archive for the ‘Bees and other pollinators’ Category
Kalimeris – Late Summer Flowering Perennial
Posted by Hugh on August 21st, 2021
Posted in Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Kalimeris (Japanese aster), mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region 
Comments Off on Kalimeris – Late Summer Flowering PerennialDeer Resistant Perennials
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2021
Most deer-resistant plants share several traits or characteristics: 1. Aromatic flowers / foliage; 2. thorny, bristly, or hairy (pubescent) leaves or stems; 3. toxic plants. If “deer pressure” (population) is exceptionally high, deer don’t heed plant lists like this one. Available food resources, species of deer, seasonal weather are all factors. Flowers, foliage, fruits, and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Artemisia, Aster, Astilbe (false spirea), Attracting Butterflies, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Baptisia (wild indigo), Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Blazing star (Liatris), Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra), Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Bugleweed (Ajuga), Butterfly weed (Asclepias), Calamagrostis, Calamint, Columbine (Aquilegia), Compass Plant (Silphium), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Cranesbill (Geranium), Crocosmia (Montbretia), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Echinops (Globe thistles), Eupatorium 'Gateway', Evening primrose (Oenothera), Filipendula, Flower Arranging, Foxglove (Digitalis), Gaura, Goldenrod (Solidago), Hellebores, Iris (Tall bearded), Landscape ideas, Lavender (Lavandula), Liatris, Ligularias, Liriope, Monarda (Beebalm), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Ostrich fern (Matteuccia), Pennisetum spp., Penstemon, Peony, Perennials, Pests, Planting tips, Platycodon (Balloon flower), Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Rodgersia, Rosemary, Rosinweed (Silphinum), Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', Russian sage (Perovskia), Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tennessee Coneflower, White Wood Aster (Eurybia) Comments Off on Deer Resistant PerennialsMexican Bush Sage
Posted by Hugh on August 6th, 2021
Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), aka velvet sage, is a perennial that lights up the late summer / fall garden (USDA hardiness zone 7b-10). Indigenous to Central America and Mexico, it can be grown as an annual that grows to about 3-4 feet tall. In the U.S., bush sage is only hardy from the lower […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Salvia leucantha, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mexican Bush SageMallow Plant Breeders Developing Resistance To Hibiscus Sawfly
Posted by Hugh on July 16th, 2021
Mallows, hardy hibiscus, and perennial hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) are vigorous shrub-like growers on sturdy 4-5 feet tall (and 2-4 feet wide) stems. The species is native to wetland areas from Ontario and Massachusetts south to Ohio, Indiana, Alabama and Florida. Huge colorful 4-6(9) inch wide flowers have five overlapping petals with reddish-purple to dark crimson […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hardy hibiscus, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus moscheutos, Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mallow Plant Breeders Developing Resistance To Hibiscus SawflySummer Blooming Amur Maackia
Posted by Hugh on July 7th, 2021
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 […]
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 MaackiaBlack Snakeroot (Bugbanes) For Woodland Beauty
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2021
The bugbanes (Actae spp.) represent a varied botanical genus. In my opinion, the most attractive and easy to grow perennial form is black cohosh or snakeroot (Actaea racemosa), formerly (Cimicifuga racemosa). It is a tall growing U.S woodland native (USDA hardiness zones 4 – 8). Bugbanes are beloved for their tall architectural floral spikes. Small, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bugbane (Actae), compost, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Black Snakeroot (Bugbanes) For Woodland BeautySeven Picks For Your Summer Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on June 26th, 2021
1. Coleus (Solenostemon) are known for their colorful foliage in containers around trees or shrubs. For shady areas select the Kong Mosaic™ or Wizard™ series. 2. Begonias, as a group, represent lots of variety series. Most garden begonia varieties should do well in beds, planters and pots. Begonia types like the Rex and Angel Wing are grown […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Begonia, Breeding Plants, Caladium, Coleus, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Fuchsias, Impatiens, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer heat tolerant, Torenia (wishbone flw.), watering tips Comments Off on Seven Picks For Your Summer Shade GardenAttracting 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 Cosmos
