June 27, 2019

Plant of the Week: Dandy Man® Pink Rhododendron

A rhododendron that's hardy, heat-tolerant, and is resistant to root rot? That would be dandy!

And here it is: Dandy Man® Pink Rhododendron. This R. hyperythrum hybrid is attractive, too, with an attractive habit and enticing pink flowers.

Dandy Man® Pink Rhododendron
Dandy Man® Pink rhododendron grows 4-8' tall and wide, and is hardy to USDA Zone 5.

Rhododendron...or azalea? It's complicated.

The easy answer would be something along the lines of that infamous Supreme Court ruling re: pornography: "I know it when I see it." But that's hard to implement in a legal system, and it's just as difficult to use in botany.

For a good description for either subject one needs a very precise description:

"True rhododendrons have 10 or more stamens which is 2 per lobe. Azaleas usually have 5 stamens or 1 per lobe. Azaleas have 5 lobes in a flower.

Azaleas tend to have appressed hairs which is hair parallel to the surface of the leaf. This is particularly true along the midrib on the underside of the leaf. It is easily seen in "evergreen" azaleas. True rhododendrons instead of hair are often scaly or have small dots on the under side of the leaf. Azalea leaves are never dotted with scales and are frequently pubescent."

   - New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society

Trust me that a detailed explanation of plant taxonomy is less disturbing that that of pornography. If you need a refresher on flower anatomy, here's a good one. The other, well, you're on your own.

If you'd like something a little hardier, consider Dandy Man® Purple rhododendron, which goes into USDA Zone 4. It, too, grows 4-8' tall and wide as does the newest Dandy, Dandy Man Color Wheel®. All of these plants will grow in full sun or partial shade.

Dandy Man Color Wheel® Rhododendron 
One final note: Rhododendron is toxic to livestock. Rhododendron is also toxic to dogs and cats although they are less likely to consume it than livestock. As it says on the University of Maryland Extension website: "As is the case with most toxic plants, prevention is key." Years ago I got a phone call from a rancher whose cattle had gotten into some Taxus, also toxic. It was terrible. Be safe out there.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

June 21, 2019

Plant of the Week: Sugar Shack® Cephalanthus

It's been a cold, wet spring. The Great Lakes and our surrounding rivers are at record levels and there's more rain coming.

We know that this is just an inconvenience, not the catastrophe faced by farmers in Iowa and Nebraska, but it's still frustrating. While many ornamental plants like regular watering this might be a bit much for some of them, not to mention the increased risk of fungal problems such weather can bring.

Luckily there are some plants that genuinely like wet conditions. Cephalanthus occidentalis, or buttonbush, is one of them.

Sugar Shack® is a dwarf form of this delightful native plant, growing to about half the size of the species.

Sugar Shack® buttonbush  summer flower

It has the same crazy summer flowers that bees and other pollinators love, yet will have showy red fruit in fall rather than the typical green. It's not just bees that like the blooms; the fragrance is appealing to humans, too.

Sugar Shack® buttonbush fall fruit
It's a great plant for soggy spots in the landscape or near ponds and streams. Sugar Shack® will grow about 3-4' tall and wide, and takes either full sun or partial shade. It's hardy to USDA Zone 4.

Enjoy these long days.
We're nearing the longest days of the year, which means long, soft twilight hours here in the North Country. It's wonderful to sit outside (on nights it isn't raining, anyway) and enjoy the evening with family and friends.

Evening is when we really appreciate the light colored flowers like those of Cephalanthus - the sweet scent is nice, too.

People without at least a few white flowers in the landscape are missing out on one of the simple joys of a summer evening. Here are some suggestions for other white blooms to add to gardens.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

June 12, 2019

Plant of the Week: Fire Light® Hydrangea paniculata

Fired up for hydrangeas!
We like to say that Fire Light® is the standard by which you can measure all panicle hydrangeas. Plus, it's the 2019 Proven Winners® hydrangea of the year! This easy-to-grow, reliable, panicle hydrangea was developed in Michigan, selected for its huge, full flower heads and sturdy, strong stems. Blooms emerge creamy-white and age to a vivid red for lots of summer color. It makes a great cut flower, fresh or dried, and can be used as a hedge, specimen, or incorporated into flower gardens and foundation plantings.

Hardy to USDA Zone 3, they bloom every year - even after bad winters. The flowers open white and then turn pink-red. Need a smaller variety? Try a dwarf variety such as Little Quick Fire®.

Fire Light® Hydrangea paniculata
Fire Light® Hydrangea paniculata in container
But what about blue?
Sorry, these hydrangea aren't going to turn blue. They start out white, then transition to pink-red. That's what they do.

If you want a blue hydrangea you need to grow a H. macrophylla or H. serrata. And you need to grow it with attention to flower color.

This isn't an overnight process. You can't go out to a crop of beautiful pink mophead hydrangeas and change them to blue instantly. But with proper planning and execution you can have that sea of blue flowers.

Here is a very good article about shifting hydrangea color. It has more detail than most such articles, and really helpful!

If you need something a little less technical, we have a really nice pdf that you are welcome to link to and share.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

June 7, 2019

Plant of the Week: Purple Satin® rose of Sharon

Today is June 7, which happens to be Prince's birthday. I can't think of a more appropriate plant to celebrate the occasion than Purple Satin® Hibiscus syriacus.

Purple Satin® rose of Sharon provides an exuberant display of purple flowers in summer. It will do best in full sun, and gets 8-12' tall.

Purple Satin® rose of Sharon
It is hardy only to USDA Zone 5, so probably isn't a great choice for Prince's hometown of Minneapolis, but folks in very warm climates will appreciate how it takes heat and drought.

We like Purple Satin® rose of Sharon for its flowers. Not just the color, although that is just as fabulous as the Purple One himself.

Purple Satin® is a seedless rose of Sharon. Anyone who has ever spent an afternoon pulling up seedlings and cursing their decision to plant a 'Blue Bird' or other seedy variety will appreciate this.

Other sterile, non-invasive rose of Sharon varieties include Sugar Tip® and Sugar Tip® Gold, Azurri Blue Satin®, and Orchid Satin® Hibiscus.

Hibiscus syriacus have a lot of great qualities:

Purple Satin® rose of Sharon habit
Rose of Sharon are often taken for granted. They're an old-fashioned plant without a lot of plant snob appeal. But sometimes we come back to old-fashioned things because it turns out they're pretty good.

Hibiscus syriacus will grow in hot, dry conditions, and tolerate drought and clay soil. It's tolerant of black walnut, too, but that may not be the issue we were all taught it was.

It's also considered to be deer-resistant, although we all know that's relative. We know that deer are a real problem in a lot of areas and just when you think you've found a plant that they don't like they change their mind. A really good resource for this is the Rutgers University website. We also have a cool new video highlighting deer-resistant plants. Feel free to share it with your readers if deer are a problem in your area.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

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Plant of the Week: Emerald Envy® Viburnum

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