I don't know what it's like where you are, but today in Michigan it's grey and rainy. I'm not complaining though, it could be snowing. Yes, it's finally warmed up a bit. That is particularly important when you work for a place that ships live plants. So, although it seems like spring has been a long time coming, I'm feeling hopeful. I know it can, and has, snowed in April...but I'm confident the polar vortex-type weather is behind us.
Despite the fact that this year Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and winter ignored him and dug in its heels, I think it's safe to say we'll soon be seeing signs of spring. So enjoy this post from Jane about the super-durable plant with pretty white spring flowers...Aronia melanocarpa.
Enjoy! - Natalie
Signs of spring...
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| Ground Hog™ Aronia melanocarpa |
If only we could find a ground hog that gave us good news - and was reliable.
Here it is: Ground Hog™ Aronia.
This is a groundcover - Aronia melanocarpa, with all of the adaptability and durability of the species but in a very useful low-growing package.
Ground Hog™ aronia comes to us from Dr. Mark Brand of UConn. His is the breeding program that developed Low Scape Mound™ and Low Scape Hedger™ aronia, too. This is fabulous work - taking a species with lots of great qualities and repackaging it to fit into more gardens.
Ground Hog™ grows 8-14" tall and up to 3' across. It will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Aronia melanocarpa has good deer-resistance, too. Not deer-proof of course (there's no such thing).
It's a native species, which is important to many people, and supports pollinators, which is another common request. Aronia melanocarpa is an adaptable plant with many potential uses in gardens and landscapes
It's hardy to USDA Zone 3 and has pretty flowers in the spring as well as bright red fall color. It's a durable plant that will tolerate many challenging conditions. We even had a planting submerged under water for a few weeks last spring, and it came through fine. A little slower to take off than the ones on higher ground, but OK.
Practical and ornamental, like the perfect winter coat. Yeah, that groundhog was really off the mark this year.
If you're looking for a more general purpose plant geek experience, here's a video from the National Science Foundation. One of the discoveries they highlight is researchers identifying the genes that give a plant deer-resistance. That could be really useful to anyone struggling with deer browsing, which is to say nearly everyone in North America.
Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles
