Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a species of small, beautiful tree native to Asia, and are popular in Southern U.S. gardens (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Before planting a tree or shrub form, do your homework first. So many landscapes wind up with severe and senseless pruning. Crape myrtles wind up with weak shoots and poor […]
Archive for the ‘Purchasing Plants’ Category
Stop The Chop
Posted by Hugh on March 24th, 2023
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Crape myrtle aphid, Crape myrtle bark scale, Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Stop The ChopGrowing Crapemyrtles In Containers
Posted by Hugh on March 17th, 2023
Gardeners who live in USDA zones 6 -10 can grow dwarf (shrubby) crapemyrtles either in the ground or in containers. In northern areas of the U.S., a few crape myrtle varieties are tender perennials and grown in containers. They’re overwintered in an unheated garage, shed or pots are dug into the ground. These dwarf varieties […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container garden, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Crape myrtle aphid, Deciduous, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Growing Crapemyrtles In Containers‘Ogon’ Spirea Is A Standout
Posted by Hugh on March 12th, 2023
Spireas (Spiraea spp.) represent a large number of mostly non-native flowering landscape shrubs. Most are not U.S. natives, indigenous to China and Japan. Baby’s breath spirea (S. thunbergii) is also called Thunberg spirea and Breath of Spring spirea. It is a showy, graceful shrub that grows 3 to 5 feet high and wide with many […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter blooming, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Ogon’ Spirea Is A StandoutFalse Solomon Seal
Posted by Hugh on March 7th, 2023
False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum) is a native woodland plant. It earns its common name because it looks very similar to Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum spp.). Both are in the lily family (Liliaceae) and are often seen growing together and easy to distinguish apart by the placement of the flowers on the plants. Formerly classified Smilacina racemosa, this […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on False Solomon SealBlue Flowering Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on March 1st, 2023
Most associate the color BLUE with the sky, the sea, and an endless horizon. Blue colors evoke feelings of tranquility, calm, and a peaceful state of mind. “Blue Skies” brings out happiness and smiles in people, particularly after consecutive days of dreary weather. Contrarily, a blue mood may elicit feelings of sadness and depression. The […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Blue mist (Caryopteris), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Hibiscus syriacus, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, Lavender (Lavandula), Lilac (Syringa), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blue Flowering ShrubsAll About Flowering Quinces
Posted by Hugh on February 22nd, 2023
Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) is a deciduous shrub in the Rose (Rosaceae) family and related to apple and pear (Zones 5-9). It is native to China and is relatively easy to grow. Plant quince in moist, well-drained soil; it flowers best in full sun but is moderately shade tolerant. Feed quince shrubs annually in early […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Chlorosis (yellowing), Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Flowering shrub, Fruits & Vegetables, Heat Tolerance, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Quince, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on All About Flowering QuincesVarieties Of Crape Myrtles
Posted by Hugh on February 18th, 2023
Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia x indica) are small flowering trees and shrubs that are native to Asia and have naturalized in the Deep South of the U.S. Back in the 1970’s thru the 1990’s, plant breeders at the U.S. National Arboretum released 35 winter hardy varieties, named after North American Indian tribes. They varied in sizes […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Crape myrtle aphid, Crape myrtle bark scale, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on Varieties Of Crape MyrtlesSelecting and Pruning Crape Myrtles
Posted by Hugh on February 14th, 2023
Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia x indica) are small flowering trees and shrubs. Indigenous to Asia, they have naturalized in our U.S. Deep South. Winter hardiness is a key concern (USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9). Back in the 1970’s thru the 1990’s, plant breeders at the U.S. National Arboretum released 35 winter hardy varieties, named after North American […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, Container garden, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Selecting and Pruning Crape MyrtlesPruning Times for Flowering Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on February 7th, 2023
The late winter / early spring period are ideal times for pruning many (not all) flowering shrubs. At this time, shrubs are leafless, and you are better able to see the overall shape of the shrub and easily identify dead, damaged, diseased wood, and structural defects. Pruning also stimulates new growth. Spring flowering shrubs (those […]
Posted in Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Barberry (Berberis), Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Blue mist (Caryopteris), Burning bush (Euonymus), Camellia, Clethra, common boxwood, Container garden, Deciduous, Evergreen, Flowering shrub, Forsythia, Fothergilla, Fringe flower (loropetalum), Hedges, Hibiscus syriacus, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Kerria, Landscape ideas, Ligustrum (Privet), Lilac (Syringa), Native Plant, Non-native, Pearlbush (Exochorda), Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Plumleaf azalea, Pruning, pruning climbing roses, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Roses, Roses (Shrub type), shrub roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Sumac (Rhus), Summer flowering, Summersweet (Clethra), Sweetshrub (Calycanthus), Trees & Shrubs, Weigela Comments Off on Pruning Times for Flowering ShrubsWinter Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
Posted by Hugh on January 30th, 2023
Vernal witchhazel is a U.S. native to the Ozark Plateau extending from southern Missouri through northwestern Arkansas to eastern Oklahoma. It is among the easiest of shrubs to grow @ 10-12 feet tall and two-thirds as wide. Roots spreads by underground stoloniferous. The leaves are oval, 23⁄4–5 inches long and 2 1/2 –5 inches wide and are slightly oblique at […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Cold tolerance, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Japanese beetle, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Winter blooming, Winter flowering, Witchhazel (Hamamelis), Witchhazel Vernal Comments Off on Winter Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
