Over the hot spring and summer months, weedy Mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) stand beautiful along U.S roadsides. During the rest of the year, people pay very little attention to this arboreal Asian beauty that inhabit a vast area from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). YES, this tree can be invasive. Read on. From […]
Archive for the ‘Non-native’ Category
Mimosa Tree – A Different Option
Posted by Hugh on July 20th, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Mimosa tree (Albizia), mulching, Non-native, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Weak branching, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Mimosa Tree – A Different OptionGroundcover Sedums In Containers
Posted by Hugh on July 14th, 2024
Low creeping sedums (stonecrops) are super nice groundcover plants. Consider planting stonecrops in border fronts, on moderate slopes, containers and rock gardens. Plant in the partial to full sun, although many species grow well in light shade. The site should have good soil drainage. Sedums are also planted on “green roof” and “green wall” systems. I […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sedum, Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Groundcover Sedums In Containers‘Sun King’ Aralia Glows In the Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2024
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, Aphids, Aralia 'Sun King', Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Sun King’ Aralia Glows In the Summer HeatBletilla – Hardy Garden Orchid
Posted by Hugh on June 26th, 2024
Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata), aka “Hardy Garden Orchid”, is a terrestrial orchid which produces small, cattleya-like, downward-facing purple flowers. It is indigenous to moist grassy slopes of central China and southern Japan. Ground orchids produce attractive foliage and showy flowers, that bloom from mid-spring and early summer. The flowering racemes stand approximately 12-18 inches high […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Ground orchid (Bletilla), Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bletilla – Hardy Garden OrchidRed Hot Pokers /Exceptional Summer Performers
Posted by Hugh on June 21st, 2024
Red-hot Pokers (Kniphofia spp.) are easy to grow long-lived perennials from South Africa. (USDA hardiness zones 5b-9). They go by a number of common names including torch lilies and tritoma. Colorful floral spikes (with a little imagination) resemble sizzling pokers or fiery torches, visited often by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Modern day cultivars are mostly […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Red hot Poker (Kniphofia), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Red Hot Pokers /Exceptional Summer PerformersPerennial Salvias Getting Better
Posted by Hugh on June 14th, 2024
Perennial salvias (Salvia × sylvestris) represent a number of hybrid crosses between S. nemorosa and S. pratensis but may include S. × alpestris, S. × asperula, S. × collina, and S. × superba. Most cultivars are branched, upright, clump-forming, perennials with opposite, oblong to lanceolate, medium green leaves and showy spikes of tiny, tubular, two-lipped flowers (each to 1/2” long). Flower color choices range from blue to lavender to purple, depending […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Salvia nemorosa, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennial Salvias Getting BetterMT. Cuba Evaluates BlueStars (Amsonia)
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2024
MT. Cuba Center is located near Hockessin Delaware, near Wilmington (USDA hardiness zone 7a.). It has recently published a new trial report on bluestars (Amsonia spp.) for the mid-Atlantic region. BlueStars are a genus of popular, long-lived herbaceous perennials. Most are native to the U.S. and Mexico in addition to one Asian species (A. elliptica) […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Chlorosis (yellowing), compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on MT. Cuba Evaluates BlueStars (Amsonia)Rethink Before Planting These Five Groundcovers
Posted by Hugh on April 26th, 2024
Initially, these 5 groundcovers were alluringly beautiful. But, over time, each grow very aggressively and become a major chore to restrained in the garden. Several states have declared one or more species as invasive and ban them for sale and interstate transportation. The most effective way to eliminate these aggressive groundcovers is to cut plants […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Biennial, Bishop's weed (Aegopodium), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Evening primrose (Oenothera), Evergreen, Ground cover, Invasive plant, Ivy (Hedera), Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Periwinkle (Vinca spp.), Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weeds, winter hardiness, Wintercreeper (Euonymus) Comments Off on Rethink Before Planting These Five GroundcoversChinese Fringetree
Posted by Hugh on April 7th, 2024
Gardeners are waking up to the tough as nails Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus). (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It has gorgeous foliage, showy snow-white flowers in the spring, and exfoliating bark. Native to Korea, China, and Japan, this low maintenance multi-stemmed large shrub or small deciduous tree is becoming easier to purchase at U.S. garden centers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Fragrant, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese FringetreeLacebark Pine – A Year-round Treasure
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2024
Native to China, lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana) is an excellent, low-maintenance evergreen treasure. Winter-hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-8, this specimen pine struggles in the summer heat and humidity of the Southern U.S. Best specmens are found growing in arboretums and botanical gardens north of zone 8. This 3-needle pine offers 4-seasons of ornamental interest. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Lacebark pine (P. bungeana), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Pine (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Lacebark Pine – A Year-round Treasure
