Archive for the ‘Fragrant’ Category

Mimosa Tree- Love It or Weed It

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) is essentially a 4-5 month ornamental tree indigenous from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). From late spring through summer, mimosa struts an attractive fine textured foliage and beautiful flowering. This small tree rarely leafs out until mid-May (in zone 6) and offers little in autumnal leaf color. Two seedling forms, […]

‘Going Bananas’ Daylily Blooms Continuously

‘Going Bananas’ is an extended-blooming daylily. This diploid cultivar flowers a three month long continuous blooming cycle (rather than stopping and starting again) from early summer into fall. Each bloom stays open longer, at least 16 hours per day. Each trumpet-shaped flower opens wider, a new genetic trait in daylilies. Going Bananas features slightly fragrant, […]

‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To Bloom

For over a quarter of a century, wherever daylilies (Hemerocallus spp.) grow, you will find the very popular gold-flowered ‘Stella d’Oro’ daylily (USDA hardiness zones 2-9). It’s one of a few daylilies that blooms 3 out of 4 seasons. Its small size makes it an ideal choice as a ground cover. This short clump growing […]

Doghobble for Shady Landscape Areas

Mountain doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana) is native to woodland areas in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Florida coast leucothoe (L. axillaris) is another regional favorite, native from Virginia south to Florida. Over time it grow tall, usually 3-4 feet high as a rambling ground cover. Every 3 to 4 years hand pruning […]

Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering Form

Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a late flowering lilac, often 2-3 weeks later than the popular common and hybrid shrub lilacs (USDA hardiness zone 3-7). Tree lilac is tall growing, often 20-25 feet tall with a 15-25 foot spread. It forms a nice small multi-trunked street tree. Tree lilac is the last of the […]

Sweetbay Magnolia

Sweetbay, aka laurel magnolia, (Magnolia virginiana) is a U.S. native tree. This small to medium-sized native species often 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide as a large shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. Finding a 50-60 feet sweetbay near by a lake or pond near where you live is not unusual (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). […]

‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Tackles Southeast U.S. Heat and Humidity

When northerners move south, they insist on growing lilacs (Syringa spp.). Southern U.S. heat and humidity often take their toll on these lovely fragrant and colorful spring flowering shrubs (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). One very popular and exceptionally reliable lilac is ‘Miss Kim’ lilac (S. pubescens ssp. patula ‘Miss Kim’). A cultivar of Manchurian lilac, […]

Yoshino Flowering Cherry Is Southern Favorite

In The Southeast U.S. most ornamental flowering cherry trees (Prunus spp.) are challenged by summer heat and humidity. ‘Yoshino Cherry’ (Prunus x yedoensis) continues to be the top performer in the group (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In 1912, the Japanese government gifted the United States 3000 Yoshino flowering cherries. In the years that followed, Yoshino […]

Challenging Sourwood Worth A Try

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), aka lily of the valley tree, is one of the most beautiful U.S. native flowering trees (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). However, attempting to establish one in your landscape may prove challenging. The tree grows in sparse populations from eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and Georgia Piedmont. It grows naturally to 20-30 feet […]

Give Edgeworthia A Try In Your Winter Garden

To begin, I must thank South Carolina nurseryman, Mr. Ted Stephens, who gifted me a Chinese paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) 12 years ago. Most plant authorities rate its winter hardiness to USDA zones 7 and 8, but no one told this to my edgeworthia in zone 6-b. People who see it blooming in my early March […]