‘Midwinter Fire Bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) is a multi-season deciduous shrub that is native to Europe and western Asia. It is an upright, round-topped, spreading, twiggy, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically matures to 8-15 feet tall and as wide. It is native to northern Europe and northwestern Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). ‘Midwinter Fire’ is […]
Archive for the ‘Deciduous’ Category
Stunning Midwinter Fire Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on January 22nd, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Cornus sanguinea, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Erosion control, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Ornamental bark, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Stunning Midwinter Fire DogwoodNew Redbuds From Dr. Dennis Werner
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2026
Despite his retirement from NC State University, Dr. Werner, the redbud breeder of varieties like ‘Flamethrower’ and ‘Ruby Falls’, has introduced two more new varieties. Both cultivars are the beginning of the new compact redbud series. The two newest redbud releases from NCSU are ‘Pom Poms’ and ‘Amethyst’ are two new compact redbud trees. (Zone […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Cold tolerance, compact tree, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on New Redbuds From Dr. Dennis WernerEarly Risers In The New Year Garden
Posted by Hugh on January 2nd, 2026
Some flowering bulbs, corms, and tubers are early-bloomers. With the start of calendar year January 2026, several days in the 50’s and 60’s have been forecasted. In our garden, flowers of three perennials are beginning to poke through the soil. That’s besides the early daffodils which are always early-risers but hold off blooming until late […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Galanthus (snowdrops), Ground cover, Hellebores, Lenten rose (Hellebore), mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Winter aconite (Eranthis), Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Early Risers In The New Year Garden‘Blackhawks’ Grass – 2026 Perennial Pant Of The Year
Posted by Hugh on October 23rd, 2025
Big bluestem grass (Andropogon gerardii) is a tall, native, perennial, warm season grass that is a dominant species in a large part of the Midwestern U.S. (zones 3-9). Its attractive foliage that changes color seasonally, its good architectural height, and its interesting flower/seed heads have caught the eye of plant breeders. ‘Blackhawks’ (PP27,949) was introduced […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Big bluestem 'Blackhawks', Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Erosion control, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Blackhawks’ Grass – 2026 Perennial Pant Of The YearGround Covers Maybe You Should Avoid
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2025
Some varieties of groundcovers make good lawn substitutes because they’re vigorous and aggressive growers. Many garden centers and box stores sell many of these garden thugs. Yes, the selling point for these plants is their rapid, low-growing groundcovers that fill in spaces between steppingstones or may be utilized as a lawn alternative. Some non-native species […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chameleon plant (Houttuynia), Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Ground cover, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Periwinkle (Vinca spp.), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant Comments Off on Ground Covers Maybe You Should AvoidArborvitae Fern
Posted by Hugh on September 29th, 2025
Arborvitae Fern (Selaginella braunii) is not a true fern, but it produces spores. This ancient plant is called a club moss and spikemoss. A diverse group of over 700 species, spikemoss is native to China. Its thick lacy fern-like foliage resembles Arborvitae or Cedar. Spikemoss (S. braunii) is a hardy landscape selection that forms a low-growing matting […]
Posted in acidic soil, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Ferns, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spikemoss (Selaginella braunii), Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Arborvitae Fern‘Jindai’ Japanese Aster
Posted by Hugh on September 23rd, 2025
Tatarian aster (Crinitaria tataricus) / (Aster tataricus) is an herbaceous perennial wildflower indigenous to eastern Europe, Siberia, and Mongolia (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Its stiff sturdy stems support showy abundant flower clusters comprised of 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, with deep lavender to blue rays and yellow centers. The flat-topped clusters add late season color […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Aster, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Botrytis disease, Butterflies, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Jindai aster (Aster tataricus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Overcrowding, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Tatarian aster (Crinitaria), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Jindai’ Japanese AsterAmerican Elm Continues To Be Planted
Posted by Hugh on September 11th, 2025
American elm (Ulmus americana) is a medium to large deciduous tree, typically growing to 60-80 feet tall with a vase-shaped, broad-rounded crown. It is native to eastern and central North America. Once widely planted as a street and lawn tree, its populations have been decimated by Dutch elm disease (DED) over the past century. Numerous […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Elms (Ulmus), Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on American Elm Continues To Be PlantedSomething New – El Niño™ Chitalpa
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2025
A new large shrub or small tree, called EL Niño Desert Orchid is a very special North American native hybrid. Hardy to USDA hardiness zones 6-9, it is as easy to grow as it is beautiful. El Niño produces large rose pink, orchid-looking blooms that appear in early summer. NCSU’s Dr. Ranney is credited for […]
Posted in Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Purchasing Plants Comments Off on Something New – El Niño™ ChitalpaScarlet Rose Mallow
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2025
Swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), aka scarlet rose mallow, is a hardy perennial plant that grows in swamps, marches and roadside ditches in the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The 5- to 6-inch-long palmate leaves are 3 – 7 lobes and have jagged […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus coccineus, Hummingbird, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Staking, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Scarlet Rose Mallow
