Climbing or coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is a native vine. It can be spotted growing on fence rows along roadsides and in woodlands from Connecticut to Nebraska, and south to Texas and Florida. ‘Major Wheeler’ is one of the better climbing honeysuckles noted for its non-stop production of bright red trumpet flowers and green mildew resistant foliage. Red […]
Archive for the ‘Disease resistant’ Category
Exceptional Describes ‘Major Wheeler’ Climbing Honeysuckle
Posted by Hugh on April 25th, 2012
Posted in Aggressive grower, Butterflies, Climbing honeysuckle (Lonicera), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Native Plant, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer flowering, Uncategorized, Vine 
Comments Off on Exceptional Describes ‘Major Wheeler’ Climbing HoneysuckleFountain Grasses Are Summer Sizzlers
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2012
Purple Pennisetum Grass in Hot Parking Lot Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ) is a warm season grass native to Northern Africa (USDA zones 8-10). It is a dense clump-forming grass with several topnotch cultivars. Most popular are purple fountain grasses (varieties ‘Purpureum’ and ‘Rubrum’) for their heat resistant dark reddish purple foliage. The pink to […]
Posted in acidify soil, alkaline soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Heat Tolerance, Ornamental Grasses, plant nutrition, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Fountain Grasses Are Summer SizzlersThe 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 LocationDawn Redwood Lives On From Its Prehistoric Past
Posted by Hugh on January 26th, 2012
Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was thought to be extinct for the past 20 million years. Since 1948 gardeners have witnessed its re-introduction back into the North American landscape from Sichuan-Hubei Provinces in China where the tree was re-discovered. Dawn redwood prefers a well-drained, compost-rich, acidic soil. This deciduous conifer tolerates standing water for a brief 2-3 day span, not as long as bald cypress […]
Posted in acidic soil, Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Winter bark Comments Off on Dawn Redwood Lives On From Its Prehistoric PastVolcano Mulching Harmful
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2012
Piling up mulch around trees or shrubs, called “volcano mulching”, is a bad practice and is killing them. Perhaps you’ve seen a neighbor or a professional landscaper doing it, and assumed that it must be alright. It’s not! The deep mulch pile smothers the natural buttress flair of the trunk which breathes and absorbs air for […]
Posted in Disease prone, Disease resistant, Garden Maintenance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Millipedes & centipedes, Mulch Quality, mulching, mulching trees, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Volcano Mulching HarmfulDisease Free Apple Varieties
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2011
Over the past 30 years, the goal has been to develop good eating and storing apples which are not susceptible to four major diseases. The first 3 cultivars released were ‘Prima’, ‘Priscilla’, and ‘Sir Prize’, but they lacked great flavor and storage quality. Apples are susceptible to four serious diseases: apple scab, cedar-apple rust, fireblight, and powdery mildew. Scab, rust and mildew […]
Posted in apple orchard, Apple tree, apple varieties, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fruits & Vegetables, Insect (Pest) Problems, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering Comments Off on Disease Free Apple VarietiesEuropean vs Asian Pears
Posted by Hugh on December 4th, 2011
Growing pears in the Southeastern U.S. is both challenging and rewarding. Both the European (Pyrus communis) and Asian (P. pyrifera) pears are susceptible to fireblight (Erwinia amylovora), a bacterial disease with no satisfactory cure. Two popular European pear varieties, ‘Bartlett’ and ‘Bosc’, are highly susceptible to fireblight. Varieties found to be fire blight resistant are: ‘Warren’, […]
Posted in Biennial bearing, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Failure to Bloom, Fruits & Vegetables, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pollination needs, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering Comments Off on European vs Asian Pears‘Duet’ – A New Variegated Beautyberry That Is Stable
Posted by Hugh on October 13th, 2011
‘Duet’ is a variegated leaf cultivar of white fruited Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Albifructus’). It was discovered at Tennessee Technological University in 2000 by Dr. Gary Bachman and Mr. W. Edgar Davis. ‘Duet’ beautyberry was released jointly by the U.S. National Arboretum and Tennessee Technological University. […]
‘Chocolate’ White Snakeroot Is A Better Choice
Posted by Hugh on September 7th, 2011
White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) is native to moist woodland areas in most eastern and midwestern states (U.S.). It grows in average, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. It is a long-lived and an aggressive perennial. ‘Chocolate’ (E. rugosum ‘Chocolate’) earns its namesake for its chocolaty or burgundy tinted foliage. ‘Chocolate’ white […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', plant nutrition, Poisonous plant, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Chocolate’ White Snakeroot Is A Better Choice‘Gateway’ Joe-Pye Fits Most Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 22nd, 2011
On hot clammy August days, towering 6-8 feet in height, there is Joe-Pye* weed (Eupatorium purpureum) to enjoy. It is visually hard to miss when driving along rural roads in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Joe-Pye’s flowering sends me a timely message that autumn is only six weeks away. For gardens the cultivar […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Fertilizing plants, Native Plant, Perennials, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Gateway’ Joe-Pye Fits Most Gardens
