Smoketree or smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) is a large shrub or small tree native from southern Europe to central China (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Over time it typically matures to 10-15 feet high and wide. Depending on cultivar (see list below), smoketrees have oval leaves tinted in rich purple, gold, or green shades. Generally, they grow […]
Archive for the ‘Deciduous’ Category
Smoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal Appeal
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2020
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Smoketree (Cotinus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs 
Comments Off on Smoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal Appeal‘Alleghany’ Viburnum – A Versatile Spring Flowering Shrub
Posted by Hugh on February 26th, 2020
Alleghany viburnum (Viburnum x rhytidophylloides ‘Alleghany’) is a hybrid cross between V. rhytidophyllum and V. lantana ‘Mohican’ (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). ‘Alleghany’ viburnum is rated a four season landscape shrub, with multiple year-round appeal including a durable semi-evergreen leathery foliage, dependable spring flowering, and showy fruits in fall and winter. This lovely spring flowering shrub grows 10-12 feet tall and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Viburnum 'Alleghany', Viburnums, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Alleghany’ Viburnum – A Versatile Spring Flowering ShrubDependable Conifer Trees For Southeast U.S. Landscapes
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2020
Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra) is a southwestern U.S. conifer tree that is often underplanted. Soil drainage is an absolute must! Growth rate is moderate (15 feet high after 10 years) and eventually will reach 30-50 feet at maturity. (zones 7-9). I have seen multi-year specimens thriving in zone 6b. Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Attracting birds, Bagworms, Bald cypress (Taxodium), Borers, Chamaecyparis, China fir (Cunninghamia), Christmas trees, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Cupressus (cypress), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Deciduous, Deciduous conifer, Deer resistant, Deodara cedars (Cedrus), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Evergreen, Evergreens, Firs (Abies), Heat Tolerance, Hedges, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Pine (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pseudolarix amabilis, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Dependable Conifer Trees For Southeast U.S. LandscapesFebruary Blooming Hybrid Witchhazels
Posted by Hugh on January 26th, 2020
Witchhazels (Hamamelis spp.) are somewhat coarse, loosely-branched, medium to large, deciduous shrubs that typically grow 12-20 feet tall. (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). They are particularly noted for their strapped shape, often fragrant, mid- to late winter flowers which appear before the spring leaves emerge. Five cultivars were selected by Mr. Tim Brotzman, an Ohio nurseryman […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Caterpillars, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Pollination needs, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on February Blooming Hybrid Witchhazels‘Sun King’ Aralia Named 2020 Perennial Plant Of The Year
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2020
Plants with golden foliage can brighten up almost any drab garden patch. Sun King golden aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’) is no exception, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9. It is also known as Japanese spikenard and mountain asparagus. Under ideal conditions this thornless, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial grows rapidly to 3-5 feet tall and as […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aralia 'Sun King', Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sun scald, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness 1 Comment »Downtown Street Trees With A Narrow Vertical Form
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2019
On the subject of land, Mark Twain wrote: “they’re not making any more of it”. This is particularly true in downtown urban areas where land to grow trees is usually very limited. Here are five tall trees that possess a striking vertical accent. Their upright branch habit does not take up much horizontal space. Trees […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, compact tree, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Ginkgo biloba, Hornbeam (Carpinus), Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Medium sized Tree, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Tulip tree (Liriodendron), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Downtown Street Trees With A Narrow Vertical FormSpace-Saving Vertical Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2019
Try these slim and sleek varieties in a small space such as on patios or the front porch, in courtyards, or as a single specimens in narrow gardens or containers. Set them at the back of beds for space-saving walls and backdrops. Pot them up for container magic on the porch. All six plants grow […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Barberry (Berberis), Bees and other pollinators, Boxwood (Buxus), Camellia, compact shrub, Container garden, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Ilex (hollies), Juniper, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Podocarous, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Space-Saving Vertical ShrubsUniquely Different Red Dragon™ Contorted Filbert
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2019
Uniquely Different ‘Red Dragon’ Contorted Filbert European filbert or hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa where it is often found growing in thickets and hedgerows. Red Dragon™ filbert is an outstanding red leaf selection of contorted filbert (C. avellana Red Dragon™). This unique landscape shrub grows 6 – 8 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Contorted filbert (Corylus), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Japanese beetle, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Monoecious, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Uniquely Different Red Dragon™ Contorted FilbertTrees That Age Gracefully
Posted by Hugh on November 21st, 2019
Trees transition from youth (seedling), middle age and old age (maturity) before requiring a chain saw and replacing. Some age gracefully, actually appreciating in $$ value. Many ginkgo, hickory, beeches, sugar maples, and Southern magnolias live 100 years plus. Oaks such as such as white (Q. alba) and live oak (Q. virginiana) mature in majesty over several hundred years. It’s […]
Posted in American Beech (F. grandifolia), American hornbeam, Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Beech (Fagus spp.), Black gum (Nyssa), Camellia, Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus), Chamaecyparis, Deciduous, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, European beech (F. sylvatica), Evergreen, Flowering, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Hickory (Carya spp.), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese maple, Juniper, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Linden (Tilia), Magnolia grandiflora, mulching, Native Plant, Nootkatensis cedar, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Paperbark maple, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sycamore (Platanus), Three Flower Maple (A. triflorum), Trees & Shrubs, White oak (Quercus) Comments Off on Trees That Age GracefullyNew ‘Chastity’ Ornamental Pear
Posted by Hugh on November 11th, 2019
Before you totally give up on ornamental pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) as invasive, a decision that I would never argue against, take a look at the new Chastity pear. NEW! NEW! NEW! on the market is Chastity pear, a triploid hybrid that is both very ornamental and highly infertile (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Chastity™ Pear was specifically […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Pear (Ornamental), Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on New ‘Chastity’ Ornamental Pear
