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Flowering Azaleas, Camellia, Crepe Myrtle (crape Myrtle), And Other Important Landscape Shrubs
By | November 17, 2008
Landscape shrubs are divided into two main categories: Evergreen shrubs grown primarily for the green leaves, and shrubs that are grown for flowers. Some of the flowering shrubs that are grown for flowers are also evergreen, such as: Albelia, Azalea, Banana shrub, Bottlebrush, Bridal Wreath, Gardenia, Ligustrum, Oleander, and Tea Olive. Azaleas and Camellias are the most important of the flowering shrubs.
Flowering Evergreen Shrubs
Azaleas are perhaps the most well known evergreen flowering shrubs grown in America. Hybrids of azaleas are now planted in Northern States. Formosa flowering azaleas are best known and many colors and cultivars are there for the gardener to buy. Other azalea categories are Gleen Dale azaleas, Kurume Hybrid azaleas, Nuccio Hybrid azaleas, Satsuki Hybrid azaleas, and Native American azaleas, the Florida Flame, Rhodendron austrinum, and the Piedmont, Rhodendrom canescens. Formosa azalea cultivars are: Bicolor, Duc De Rohan, Dutchess of Cypress, George L. Tabor, GG. Gerbin, Lavender, Little John, Madonna White, Magenta, Pink, Pride of Mobile, Red Formosa, Southern Charm, Violet. Glenn Dale azaleas are Fashion and H.H. Hume. Kurume azaleas are Coral Bells, Pink Ruffles, Red Ruffles, and Snow. The Satsuki hybrid azaleas are Gumpo Pink, Gumpo White, Higasa, and Wakebishu.
Camellias are best known for the fall, winter, and spring flowers in the South. Fall and Winter flowering shrubs are Camellia sasanqua; Camellias that flower in many colors of red, pink, white, variegated, and purple. The major winter-spring flowering camellia types are called Camellia japonica, and many old cultivar listings are available to buy from an Internet nursery. Cultivars like: Alba Plena, Emily Wilson, Jesse Burgess, Mathotiana Rubra, Peppermint, Pink Perfection, Pot of Gold, and Professor Sargeant, Rosea,
Abelia x Grandiflora shrubs are a great improvement over the old common Abelia shrub. The tubular clusters of pink-white flowers are fragrant and flowering abelia shrubs are treasured as a long season bloomer that is cold hard from zones 5 ? 9.
Banana shrub, Michelia fuggii, commonly is grown in gardens, much like Camellia, known for the scent of ripe bananas, when the small, white, magnolia-like flowers open on hot summer afternoons. Banana shrub is often planted near door entrances to greet visitors with the aroma of a banana.
Scarlet Bottlebrush Shrub, Callistemon citrinus, is not known for its cold hardiness (zone 8 ? 11), but the red flowers of bottlebrush are brilliant when they bloom in early summer.
Bridal Wreath, Spirea nipponica, is also known as Snowmound Spirea, and is a vast improvement over the old yard white spirea, found in heirloom gardens. Bridal Wreath Spirea is very cold hardy to zones 4 ? 8.
Gardenia shrubs, Gardenia jasmionoides, is the dwarf-form of the sweetly scented Gardenia. Ever blooming Gardenia shrub, Gardenia jasminoides ‘Veitchii’ is a very improved gardenia, with grafted and large shrubs producing double-white gardenia blooms. The rare fragrance of everblooming gardenias is a growing, worthwhile garden experience.
Ligustrum, Ligustrum texanum, is grown in some gardens as a shrub with long seasonal, white flowers, that sweetly scent a passerby with a pleasing, distinct ligustrum fragrance. Ligustrum, when mature, can be stripped of lower branches, to grow into a small flowering tree, often planted at entrances as specimen trees. This plant is popular at the famous hotel resort at the Cloister, operating at Sea Island, Ga. Other cultivars of Ligustrum are planted, and most commonly grown, as privacy hedges, or to border wide sidewalks in urban settings.
Oleander, Nerium oleander, is among the most salt water tolerant choices for planting in coastal gardens. Oleander shrubs flower in colors of pink, purple, red, salmon pink, white, and yellow. Very old oleander plants can grow into small flowering trees. Oleander beings blooming in May and flowers last until fall. Insects and disease avoid oleanders.
Tea Olive, Osmanthus fragrans, is very popular as a sweet scented shrub that begins blooming in fall and continues to fill the air with fragrance into spring. The aroma of Tea Olive flowers is similar to that of ripe apricots. Tea olive is an evergreen tree.
Yellow Rose of Texas, Kerria japonica ‘Pleniflora’, blooms in late spring, growing bright yellow flowers thickly clustered along long arching stems. Kerria japonica is very cold hardy in zones 4 ? 8.
Deciduous Flowering Shrubs
Crape Myrtle (Crepe Myrtle) Lagerstroemia x Fauriei hybrids are also called Japanese Crape Myrtle (Crepe Myrtle). These shrubs are often grown as shrubs, but many of the new cultivars are marketed as trees, and can easily grow to 30 feet tall, with trunks growing in diameter to over one foot. It is difficult to place boundaries on the growth size, because newly introduced hybrids have not aged enough to predict the ultimate limits of size fifty years from now. Old species of Crape Myrtle were Lagerstroemia indica, that bloomed attractively, but new hybrid Crepe Myrtle shrubs bloom in fiery clear colors for as much as 45 ? 60 days, and then flower again in the fall. Crepe Myrtle flowers are beautiful, but the new peeling bark colors provide a new and different attraction after the winter cold freezes the leaves. Crepe Myrtle have been placed in several color categories: Red flowered Tonto; White flowered Acoma and Natchez; Lavender flowered Muscogee; Pale Pink flowered Biloxi; Dark Pink flowered Miami and Tuscarora; Intense Pink flowered Sioux; and Dream Pink;
Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla, and Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, are the two important species of the hydrangea group. Hydrangea macrophylla has been much improved to create hybrid flowers of pink, red, white, blue, and purple. Some of these colors of hydrangea are stable, and not subject to change with the changing of the soil acidity (soil pH). Hydrangea macrophylla flowers come in various new hybrids, such as Cardinal Red, macrophylla ‘Cardinal Red’; Lacecap ‘Blue Billow’, microphylla ‘Blue Billow’; Lacecap ‘Pink Diamond’, microphylla ‘Pink Diamond’; Lacecap ‘Variegated’, microphylla ‘Variegated’; Oak leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, produces giant white flowers that perch above a 6 foot shrub with large leaves, shaped like oak tree leaves.
New Zealand Tea Shrub, Leptospermum scorparium, is a winter and early spring flowering shrub in colors of red and pink, that are cold hardy in zones 8 ? 10.
Berry Evergreen Shrubs
Valuable evergreen shrubs for garden landscapes are 2 types of Mahonia that grow thorny type-holly shape leaves, that in the spring, flower and the blooms grow into colorful berries. Mahonia Featherleaf shrub, Mahonia japonica, flowers turn into attractive grape-like clusters of fruit, that are cold hardy to zones 5 ? 8. Chinese Mahonia, Mahonia fortunei, produces short spikes of yellow flowers, cold hardy to zones 8 ? 9.
Nandina shrubs, Nandina domestica, is a great plant for all seasons. The canes of nandina produce fragrant clusters of flowers in the spring, that turn into green, orange, and red persistent berry clusters, that will only fall off next year after new flowers appear. Nandina domestica can be grown as a foundation landscape plant, next to houses, to replace overgrown azaleas. Nandinas rarely grow larger than 4 -5 feet, and will not block views from windows, like many foundation plants. Neat growing nandina is disease free, and can be found to buy at local nurseries, or mail order nursery sources. Dwarf nandina plants are called heavenly bamboo, and the dwarf cultivars are the best winter coloring Nandina, with brilliant crimson foliage, lasting from fall through winter. Nandina shrubs are cold hardy growing, when planted in zones 6 ? 8.
Deciduous Shrubs With Berries
Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, was discovered by William Bartram, the famous American botanist and explorer, who wrote in his book, Travels, records of this beautyberry with stems hidden in the fall with bright purple berry clusters encircling twigs after the leaves drop down from the fall frost. The white berry clusters of the white beautyberry shrub are quite stunning in the dark forest under story landscape.
Mock Orange shrub (Philadelphus X Virginalis ‘Natchez’) is an improvement of the heirloom native American plant that flowers in the late spring with citrus, orange, scented blooms. The Mock Orange shrub is rarely offered by mailorder nursery websites to buy. Many gardeners wanting a pleasant native shrub should buy the Mock Orange shrub.
Pyracantha, Pyracantha coccinia, is often grown to shut out unwanted visitors, because of its deadly thorns. The beauty of the berry clusters is undefinable in the winter and spring, when the leaves drop. The berries grow in large clusters of orange or red. Pyracantha, Pyracantha coccinia, will bloom fragrantly white in the spring, and will remind any burglar that he should not have visited that special execution-style garden. The two cultivars recommended for planting are Pyracantha Victory, Pyracantha coccinea ‘Victory’ and Pyracantha Orange Berry, Pyracantha coccinea ‘Orange Berry’.
About the Author:
Patrick A. Malcolm, owner of TyTy Nursery, has an M.S. degree in Biochemistry and has perennial plants trees for over three decades.
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There has been many people from the Doylestown Pa area planting the Dawn Redwoods. So I thought I would write this article to help you learn about this great tree.
Okay campers: This tree proves that scientists don’t know when a tree is extinct. Fossil records showed that this tree was extinct for 35 million years, yet this deciduous conifer fooled them all until 1945 when it was rediscovered in a remote valley of Central China in 1945. Dawn Redwood or The Dinosaur Tree, is offically called, “Metasequoia glyptostroboides”. The Dawn Redwood first came to America in 1945 in seeds and has shown to be viable in zones 6 to 8. This tree grows fast and can reach 75 to 100 feet by 25 feet in diameter. It likes full sun to partial shade and is tolerant of moist to dry soils with ph ranges of 3.7 to 7.0. Go ahead and plant it in clay soils, loam or sand. Its bright green, feathery, needle-like foliage will turn brown and will drop quickly in the fall. Thus this plant will be suitable for a great summer screen or a specimen plant. This plant is great for a Hort 101 beginner. It is easy to grow, pest free, adaptable, grows fast, and has soft bright green needles, and of course we have hundreds of 3-4′ plants ready for your landscape.
Dawn Redwood Trees are fairly easy to plant because they are fairly rugged and durable. Yet to plant or transplant them you do need to follow some basic guidelines. We have been growing River Birch Trees for a number of years and offer these suggestions for planting.
All people handling Dawn Redwood Trees need to help with the life support of your plants. Seedlings are like fish out of water and need care which is often overlooked between the time the seedlings are lifted and transplanted. Improper care means higher mortality. Do not try and reinvent the wheel. You must protect seedling from moisture and temperature extremes, as well as physical damage.
Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings are living and should be handled carefully. For a higher survival rate, treat trees carefully and plant them immediately. I like to have a backup plan for planting if the weather turns bad. I will sometimes switch from lining out the seedlings to potting them up if I realize that the soil conditions will not be right for an extended Length of time. If planting must be delayed a few days, keep the plants in a cold, protected place with air circulation between the trees. Keep the Dawn Redwood Trees out of the rain and wind. To check if the trees need water, feel the media at the roots. If it isn’t damp, water the trees and allow the excess water to drain. In cool, damp weather, the biggest threat to these trees is from mold. Try to keep bareroot Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings moist by either restricting water loss with a water vapor barrier or by wetting the roots at regular intervals. While handling or planting try to reduce temperature and air movement around the seedlings. Windy days can dry out seedlings so consider waiting for calmer weather. Once your soil conditions are correct OUR FREE USE PLANTERS will make planting a snap so its will be worth waiting for good planting conditions.
HOW TO PLANT
Ideal planting days are cool and cloudy with little or no wind. If possible, avoid planting on warm, windy days. The soil should be moist not wet. Care in planting is more important than speed. Make sure the roots are never allowed to become dry. Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings should be carried in a waterproof bag or bucket with plenty of moist material packed around the roots to keep them damp. Ideally, bare root boxes should be kept refrigerated or packed in ice or snow. Don’t freeze the trees.
Competition from weeds, grass, brush or other trees is very detrimental to survival and growth of seedlings. Choose areas free from this competition or clear at least a three-foot square bare spot before planting. Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings should not be planted under the crown of existing trees, or closer than 6 feet to existing brush. Avoid areas near walnut trees.
Brush aside loose organic material such as leaves, grass, etc., from the planting spot to expose mineral soil. If organic matter gets into the planting hole, it can decompose and leave air spaces. Roots will dry out when they grow into these spaces. Open up the hole, making sure the hole is deep enough for the roots to be fully extended. If roots are curled or bunched up, the tree will not be able to take up water correctly, will often weaken and die, or may blow down later due to poor root structure.
Take a tree out of your planting bag or bucket only after a hole is ready. When exposed, the fine roots can dry out in as little as 30 seconds. Dawn Redwood Tree shoots and roots lose water to air, roots require more protecting.Unlike leaves ,they do not have stomata (close-able openings on the surface of the leaves) or any waxy coatings to help reduce water loss. If the Dawn Redwood Tree roots feel dry they are probably dead. Now I know you are thinking,”I will place them in a bucket of water and store them there until planting”. This will not work. Submerge plants for no longer that a couple of minutes. Placing them in water cuts them off from oxygen. Remember to remove the container before planting a containerized tree. A helpful hint to all those new gardeners just starting is to remember to always plant green side up. Hold the seedling in place in the hole, making sure the roots are straight, fully extended and that the tree is neither too shallow or too deep in the hole. Fill hole, allowing soil to fall in around the roots. Tamp with hands or with your heel. Don’t crush the roots by jumping up and down around the seedling like there is a snake curled up around the seedling. It is delicate. Fill with more soil, if necessary, and tamp. Tamping is important. If soil is not firmly packed around the roots, there will be air pockets that can dry out the roots, and the seedlings may be weakly anchored. It is far easier to plant the tree strait up then have the tree leaning and have to adjust the tree later. (Addition of fertilizer and plant vitamins at the time of planting is not generally necessary.)
Take your time in planting. Proper spacing will help you grow a more valuable crop. I have tried to get more production from a limited area by over planting and then thinning, but I always have had trouble in harvesting …. digging is slower and poor quality usually results for a portion of the crop. Avoid these tree planting errors:
Tangled roots
Planting too shallow
Planting too deep
Air pockets
Turned up roots (this is called J rooting)
Planting trees that are not tolerant of wet soils in poorly drained areas
Planting over rocks, septic tanks and leach fields, on sand mounds
CARE OF TREES FOLLOWING PLANTING
Check periodically to be sure that brush, grass and other vegetation is kept under control by mowing, mulching, spraying or a combination of these treatments. Always obtain advice from a licensed pest control adviser before using chemicals. You ag extension agency may offer courses in application of chemicals. Monitoring the appearance of your trees will help you to detect signs of insects, diseases or other problems. Appearances also help sell your product. Look for foliage turning yellow, new foliage drooping or other signs of poor health. It is easier to take successful corrective action if the problem is detected early.
Over watering is a common problem in irrigated plantations. You probably won’t need to water more frequently than every 7-10 days. Give your trees a thorough, deep soak and then let the soil dry out before the next watering. This encourages the roots to grow down in search of water. Frequent, shallow watering encourages root growth near the surface and the trees are more dependent on irrigation and are less windfirm.
Animals can be a major cause of damage to young trees. Porcupines, gophers, mice, rabbits, deer and cattle are the most frequent source of damage. In many states you may have to call your game commission and get their recommendations on legal methods to protect your crop. In our state, you can get help from the Pa. Game Commission to kill deer that are a threat to your seedlings or obtain a free fence to keep deer away from your seedlings. Over the years we have lost more trees to mice than any other animal. Put rat baits out on a regular basis. Over the years we have lost more Dawn Redwood Tree seedlings and plants to mice than any other culprit including deer and rabbit ts combined. You an see more articles about the care and planting of Dawn Redwood Trees and nursery stock at our web site:
http://www.seedlingsrus.com
and http://www.highlandhillfarm.com
About the Author
Bill has been raising and selling trees for 25 years near Doylestown Pa. and has two web sites http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.zone5trees.com
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