Rhododendron Family - Part Two: Azaleas

If the south had a signature shrub, it would likely be Azalea. Anyone who has watched the PGA Masters golf tournament at Augusta National or traveled through Charleston, SC in springtime can identify the gorgeous members of the Rhododendron genus known as Azaleas.

Give Azaleas acidic soil with plentiful organic matter and partial shade. They especially like the filtered shade of tall pines, it seems. Too much shade and they won’t bloom; too much sun and the leaves get crispy. Stressed plants are susceptible to damage from lacewing insects. Azaleas have shallow roots, so should be irrigated in hot, dry weather. They will not tolerate drought or constantly wet, boggy soils. They are not heavy feeders, so little fertilizer is needed. The University of Georgia Extension has an excellent bulletin on selecting and growing Azaleas. Read it by clicking here.

A lanky plant can be made more attractive by removing awkward long shoots. To provide better air circulation, plants can be thinned by removing some of the inner limbs. Use hand pruners or loppers for either job. Electric hedge trimmers produce unattractive round blobs. It is best to do any pruning immediately after petals shed, to ensure that you are not removing buds that will become flowers next year. While I see many examples of Azaleas that have been pruned into a tight hedge, this is not the best use of the plant. Allow them to retain their native irregular shapes and they will look more graceful.

Azaleas come in all shades of pink, rose, red , lavender, purple and white. Many have attractive contrasting freckles. When I worked in a plant nursery, my customers’ favorites were pink ‘George Lindley Tabor’ and white ‘Mrs. G. G. Gerbing.’ (The latter is much more attractive than ‘Delaware Valley White,’ which seems to hold onto its spent blooms forever.) In recent years, a personal favorite are the Satsuki hybrid Gumpo (please, NOT Gumbo) Azaleas. Gumpos are dwarf, reaching only two feet. They have dense, evergreen foliage and bloom a little later than the more “traditional” types. They tend to be uniform in size, making an attractive foundation plant.

Azaleas put on an amazing show in April and May, then fade into obscurity the rest of the year — except rebloomers. The best known of these, Encore® Azaleas, have led nursery sales since their introduction. Encores are aptly named, since they rebloom in the fall, although the autumn show is never quite as spectacular as the spring performance. They tolerate more sun than most other cultivars.

Like other members of the Rhododendron family, all parts of Azaleas are toxic to both humans and pets. Deer prefer to munch on new, young, tender shrubs; they exert less damage on older, tougher specimens.

Rhododendron Family - Part 1: Rhodies

Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and Native Azaleas look different from each other, but all are members of the Rhododendron genus. When I first started learning about plants, I found this terribly confusing. It made me think of the Newhart television show from the 1980’s: “Hi, I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl. This is my other brother Daryl.”

There are more than 800 species in the Rhododendron (pronounced rho-doh-DEN-dron) genus. This huge family can be divided into three main types. Those known as Rhododendrons have large, leathery evergreen leaves and rounded bloom clusters about the size of a softball. To make a distinction, I’ll refer to these as “Rhodies.” Azaleas and Native Azaleas have smaller leaves and may be evergreen, semi-evergreen, or completely deciduous. Rhodie flowers have ten or more stamens; azaleas have five stamens in their funnel-shaped flowers. This week’s blog will focus exclusively on Rhodies. I’ll discuss Azaleas in the next blog.

Growing Rhodies in the hot, humid southeast can be a challenge. One gardener told me the secret to her success: “Plant it low and it won’t grow. Plant it high and it won’t die.” She planted her Rhodies by placing the rootball in a shallow depression, piling a 4-inch volcano of loose mulch on top, and watering abundantly. Rhodies need acid soil with a high humus content and moist but well-drained soil. They absorb water through their leaves as well as their roots, so they prefer overhead irrigation. Take care to soak the entire root zone. This is one shrub that does not perform well with soaker hoses or drip irrigation since the root zone is not uniformly dampened. Water in the morning so that leaves are dry before temperatures drop at day’s end. This will help to prevent fungal diseases.

Rhodies hate heavy clay soils, so amend the planting area with ground bark or peat moss or both. Partial shade or filtered sun is best. They have an affinity for the shade cast by tall pine trees. Too much sun bleaches and crisps the leaves; too much shade means few or no flowers. Avoid planting in windy areas. Fertilizer is rarely needed unless one wants to increase the growth rate. Any fertilizing should be done after blooms fade, using a product that is labeled “for acid-loving plants” like camellias, gardenias, hollies, and hydrangeas. Use particular care in removing weeds, since Rhodie roots are shallow and resent damage from cultivation. Limit pruning to the removal of spent flower heads. Such removal will prevent the plant from trying to form seeds and will result in a stronger plant. A gangly plant can be made more attractive by pinching the growing tips of limbs to force branching.

In the warm southeast, search for heat-tolerant cultivars like ‘English Roseum (light rose flowers), ‘Roseum Elegans’ (lavender pink flowers) and ‘Nova Zembla’ (red to dark pink flowers). These will range in height from six to ten feet at maturity, with an equal spread.

All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans and pets.

I inherited this Rhodie with the property we bought, so I don’t know the variety. I love her freckles.

The leaves of this Rhodie are not diseased; they are covered with pollen shed by the oaks and pines overhead.

Lovely Mountain Laurel

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia (pronounced KAL-mee-ah lah-tih-FOH-lee-ah), is in full bloom in the Mary Snoddy garden. I tried without success to grow this beauty at my former home, where it repeatedly failed in heavy clay soil, sticky humidity, and hot temperatures. The cooler conditions here along the NC/SC border must be ideal. It would take a machete to penetrate the thickets that grow in the rocky soil around our creek. There is also a sizeable planting at the corner of the bedroom deck where I enjoy my morning coffee. The bumblebees visiting flowers were so plentiful this morning that it sounded like a small engine humming.

All part of Mountain Laurel are toxic to humans and animals, especially goats and sheep. (Foraging deer, however, are unharmed.) Bees are not harmed by the pollen but, per Wildflower.org, if one eats honey made with a high percentage of nectar from Mountain Laurels, you can become quite sick (nausea, dizziness, sweating, low blood pressure and numerous other potential unpleasant side effects). On a different internet site, I saw information on “Mad Honey” which is dark red and slightly bitter. Mad Honey is sourced from Laurels and Rhododendrons in Turkey and Nepal, and causes hallucinations similar to LSD or magic mushrooms, but can also cause a slow heartbeat or loss of consciousness. (I always wonder what kind of person volunteers to test something that can either give you a smashing high or kill you.) According to AtlasObscura.com, Pompey The Great’s army was destroyed  in 69 B.C. when sneaky locals placed Mad Honey along their marching route, waiting until the soldiers were honey-drunk, then swooped in to massacre them. Read the article here.

Because bees visit so many different types of flowers to obtain nectar and pollen, the honey we purchase is a blend from many sources. Concentrations of Mountain Laurel toxins are highly unlikely unless you are purchasing honey from a beekeeper with few hives and many Laurel plants.

It is fascinating to watch bees visit Mountain Laurel flowers. Flowers occur in clusters as the tips of branches, Buds are star-shaped lanterns tinged with pink. They open to white, five-petal flowers. The anthers are held in a tiny pocket in the petals. When a bee (usually a bumblebee) visits, the anther springs up to shower the visitor with pollen. The process has been compared to a child’s pea-shooter. Bees complete cross-pollination when they visit other flowers.

Mountain Laurel in full bloom.

Kalmias grow in poor, acidic soil. These evergreens prefer partial shade but will tolerate full sun or mostly shade. The growth rate is slow. In an area with fertile soil and plentiful water, they may reach heights of twenty feet or more, but six-feet is most common. On young plants, the bark is smooth, reddish-brown. Older trees have cracked bark that sheds in strands. Limbs and branches are gnarly and crooked, looking like they belong in the Evil Forest of fairy tales.  Native Americans made spoons from the wood of Mountain Laurel, giving rise to a common name, “Spoonwood.” Because of the wood’s strength and durability, it was later used in the creation of weavers’ spindles and tool handles.

There are numerous varieties for sales in nurseries. Some of these (‘Elf’ and ‘Minuet’) are dwarf; others feature greater heat tolerance.

Closeup view of Mountain Laurel Flowers

The gnarly limb structure of mature Mountain Laurels.

Two New Shrubs for Short Hedges

Recently, several gardening friends and I climbed into our cars (and truck) for a trip to Head-Lee Nursery in Seneca, SC. I was fortunate enough to run into Bill Head (who introduced Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’, a well-behaved sterile vine with beautiful purple blooms but none of the nasty invasive qualities of Wisteria chinensis). I asked which were his favorite new plants for 2021, and he named two. One of these was Ilex opaca ‘RLH-I0-1’. Before you yawn and dismiss this as “just another holly, let me say that there is nothing “average” about Ramblin’ Man™ Weeping Holly. You read that correctly: It is a weeping form of our native American Holly.

Ramblin’ Man™ will spread to ten feet wide but no more than two feet tall. Use it as a groundcover or an accent. I snapped the accompanying photograph of the plant in a nursery container. The weeping stem habit is evident. This is such a new intro that cultural information is scant on the internet, but it is safe to assume that this holly will enjoy the same cultural conditions as other Ilex opaca: full sun to mostly sun; moist, acidic soil; zones 5-8. American Holly has leathery, evergreen leaves. It tolerates neglect and is not normally browsed by deer.

The second recommended shrub was Clinopodium georgianum ‘Sweet Savannah™ Calamint.’ I expected a plant with the gray-green leaves of a Nepeta, but Sweet Savannah™ has deep green, aromatic foliage. This beauty is only 12 inches tall but will spread to 30 inches wide, in sun to part shade. A member of the mint family, it is cold hardy down to twenty degrees. It is a great plant for short hedges or foundation plantings. In autumn, it is covered with attractive lavender flowers. Mr. Head shared a photo of the plant in bloom, shown below. This improved native checks all the boxes: easy to grow, deer resistant, pollinator friendly, heat and drought tolerant.

Calamint is the Perennial Plant Association’s 2021 Perennial of the Year.

Ilex opaca ‘Ramblin Man’

Sweet Savannah Calamint

Sturdy Spireas for Spring Color

Spirea was one of the first shrubs whose name I learned as a child. There was an enormous plant next to our kitchen door. In early spring, it was covered with clusters of white blooms on arching stems. It had almost no scent, but the flowers were impressive although short-lived. When I asked my mother what kind of “bush” it was, she told me (semi-accurately) that it was a Spirea Van Hootie. Now I know that it was a Spirea x vanhouttei. Moving to the front garden, I asked her for the name of a shorter shrub with deep pink blooms.“Spirea,” she responded. “How can this be Spirea if the other one is Spirea,” my six-year-old self inquired, “because they’re not the same color and they’re not the same size and they don’t look alike.” Her response: “Go ask your father.” (A lot of our conversations ended this way.) As an adult, I realize the smaller, pink-flowered cultivar was ‘Anthony Waterer,’ one of the oldest and still one of the most tolerant of heat, poor soil, and bad pruning.

As a genus, Spireas are hardy and long lived. There are numerous species, and new cultivars seem to arrive on market every year. Sizes range from tiny to giant; flower colors can be pink, white, or red, and can occur on branch tips or all along the stems. Old varieties have narrow blue-green leaves that neither impress nor disappoint. Some of the newer cultivars have brightly colored foliage which extends the beauty season beyond the bloom period. In the Mary Snoddy garden, a pair of Spirea japonica ‘Limemound’ throw bright yellow foliage in early spring, which darkens to a lime green when weather turns hot. Limemound has bright pink flowers that scream for attention against the yellow foliage. Viewers either ooh and ahh or walk away muttering something that might be “eyesore.” The Limemound’s foliage turns orange in autumn and then sheds entirely, leaving a winter framework that resembles a jumbled ball of sticks. I underestimated the mature size of these shrubs (three feet with an equal spread), so I am forced to prune hard every winter to keep them within the bounds of available space. This major pruning has no evident impact on the plants’ health.

Among the white-flowered variety, Spirea nipponica ‘Snowmound’ is a 3–5-foot shrub that looks like a fireworks display when in bloom. If you have space, old Van Hootie, Spirea vanhouteii will grow to ten feet tall and twelve feet wide. Nurseries may label the vanhouteii species as “Bridal Veil” or “Bridal Wreath” Spirea, but these terms are also used in marketing Spirea prunifolia and Spirea cantoniensis, similar but smaller in stature.

Spireas bloom heaviest on young stems, so pruning will force new growth and result in more flowers the following year. Pruning should be done as soon as the flowers fade and fall. Cut stems to varying lengths with hand pruners rather than using hedge trimmers to create a round ball. Plants are most attractive when one-third of the oldest branches are cut back hard and the remainder are pruned lightly. This maintains their graceful arching appearance. These shrubs look best when grown in groups or hedges rather than as single specimens. They perform well on slopes where mowing is treacherous.

Spireas tolerate most soil types and will withstand half-day shade, although flowering is better in full sun. Avoid wet sites. Most species are cold hardy zones 5-9 or even colder, but check the plant tag to confirm zone for your selection. They are rarely bothered by diseases, insects, or deer.

Spirea japonica ‘Limemound’ elicits comments that range from “Outstanding” to “Yikes!”

A close view of Spirea cantoniensis ‘Reevesiana’ flowers

A young planting of Spirea cantoniensis ‘Reevesiana,’ perfectly sited at the top of a steep bank near a creek.

Sweep Into Spring with Scotch Broom

The beautiful red and yellow flowers of Cytisus scoparius ‘Burkwoodii’

“Scotch Broom,” the common name for Cytisus, doesn’t conjure up images of splendor. It makes one think of Cinderella, sitting fireside and sweeping up embers. But when any genus has 27 species, 10 hybrids, and 10 named cultivars, it’s significant. In spring, the bright yellow blooms of common Scotch Broom light up waste areas and unmanicured roadsides. When not in bloom, the shrub is gangly, with a weeping habit and teeny tiny leaves clinging to angular green stems that resemble (in my mind) skinny green Twizzler candy. Some plants are evergreen (stems, usually) but most lose their leaves in winter. The shrub appears to be dead. In spring and in flower, it is one of Nature’s masterpieces.

Cytisus flowers resemble sweet peas or beans, to which family it belongs. Seed pods look like tiny black snow peas. Ripe pods burst with a pop and send seeds flying, giving rise to lots of offspring; brooms are listed as invasive in several states. If you don’t want the extras, pull them while they are small. The beautiful flowers ARE NOT EDIBLE. Leaves, stems are seeds are extremely toxic, and consumption can lead to death. Deer pass this one by.

Scotch Brooms are tough plants. They are hardy in zones 5-8. They thrive in full sun and heat, and ignore drought. While most are butter yellow, forms are also available in pale yellows, reds, pinks, and bi-colors. Cytisus scoparius 'Burkwoodii' put on quite a show in the Mary Snoddy garden, with gorgeous red/yellow bicolor blooms. In two years, however, it zoomed up to six feet tall and spent half the year looking like a collection of dead sticks. I pruned it severely (okay, I cut it off at ground level), and it promptly died. I decided to enjoy it in other peoples’ gardens thereafter. The weeping habit and frequent one-sidedness give it good potential for training to a trellis where it can be paired with an annual vine to conceal its post-bloom appearance.

'Burkwoodii' first year

Pea-like flowers

'Sister Redhead'

Seed pods

Calling All Columbines

One of the stars among spring perennials is Aquilegia (pronounced a-kwil-EE-jee-a), also called Columbine. In the southeastern US, there are two common species, the hybrid Aquilegia x hybrida and Aquilegia canadensis, the Wild Columbine or Red Columbine. Less common but more impressive is Aquilegia vulgaris.

All prefer moist woodland soils and partial shade in the South. They will tolerate more sun in cooler zones. They are deciduous perennials in zones 3-8. They may go dormant before winter if soil stays dry. Provide supplemental irrigation in extended dry weather but do not allow soil to be boggy. Columbine foliage is finely cut, almost lacy in appearance, and may have a slight blue tint. The hybrids bloom in pastel shades of rose, blue, pink, yellow, white and bi-colors. Most flowers have long spurs. Aquilegia vulgaris has a two-layer double form without spurs that looks like a tiny Dahlia. Some of these have an ombre color pattern. A somewhat strange common name for these doubles is “Granny’s Bonnet.”

Columbines reach heights of one to three feet. They bloom in early spring, then fade into obscurity. They can be raised from seed, but will not bloom until the second season. They will reseed, but hybrid seedlings will not mimic the mother plant. Removing spent blooms encourages more flowers.

Deer and rabbits leave Columbines alone. Unfortunately, the plants are a frequent target for leaf miners. On a garden tour several years ago, the host proudly displayed her “variegated” Columbines. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her plants were not variegated at all but had a serious leaf miner infestation. If plants show signs of miner damage, remove the damaged leaves but cutting off the entire stem. The plant will regenerate new leaves.

The native Wild Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, departs from the pastel colors of their cousins and instead sports colorful red and yellow flowers. It will reseed and, unlike the hybrids, its offspring will have the same flowers. It is not prone to leaf miner damage. Different from the other species, Wild Columbine can be used in rain gardens, where they may be subject to wet conditions for days at a time.

All the Columbines make wonderful additions to shady woodland beds and pollinator gardens, where they are popular with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. They look best planted in groups rather than singles.

Prima Donna Pieris

Pieris japonica (pronounced pee-AIR-iss jah-PON-ih-kah) is a lovely evergreen shrub with a multitude of white bell -shaped blooms held in clusters in late winter to early spring. Flowers are occasionally pink-tinged. New growth is a bronzy red and young stems are yellow-green. Old bloom stems remain attached to the mother plant unless removed.

Pieris is not the easiest of shrubs to grow. It is a member of the heather family (“ericaceous”), which means it enjoys similar conditions as heath, azalea and rhododendron. Plants are hardy in zones 5-8. In the south, Pieris needs partial shade and consistently moist (not wet) acidic soil with plentiful organic matter. It must be shielded from winter winds.

It is easy to overlook that slow-growing Pieris, commonly called Andromeda or Fetterbush, can reach heights of twelve feet or more and up to eight feet wide. Unfortunately, they are prone to numerous problems, including leaf spots, lace bugs, scale, nematodes, and unexplained dieback. Both flowers and leaves are extremely poisonous to humans, cats, dogs, and horses. On the positive side, it is somewhat deer resistant.

Numerous cultivars are available.

Pieris blooms stand out against leathery, dark green leaves.

Pretty Petite Primroses

Grocery store flower departments are filled with potted Primroses, basal rosettes of crinkled leaves topped with velvety flowers of intense burgundy, purple, yellow, bi-colors. These members of the Primula family, sold for table-top décor, are subtropical plants treated as annuals. There are hundreds of Primula species. They vary in height from inches to more than three feet. Some grow in rock gardens, others at water’s edge.

In general, Primroses want shade, cool (not frigid) temperatures, moist soil with plentiful organic matter. Primula vulgaris, a yellow-flowered form, is perennial in zones 4-8. It has yellow flowers held in candelabra-like clusters and blooms the same time as Mertensia (Virginia bluebells), which shares the same cultural preferences and makes a great companion plant. The rosette leaves elongate after flowering, up to 8 inches. Given partial shade and plentiful moisture, plants will reseed. They can also be propagated by division after flowering. A row of Primroses makes a great pond-side border. Flowers attract bees.

Plants are prone to insect damage (aphids, thrips, slugs, spider mites) and fungal diseases. All parts are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Primula vulgaris, Common Primrose, is anything but common.

A row of Primroses, seen with neighbors Virginia Bluebells and Geranium. These woodland beauties outlasted the daffodil bloom at bottom right.

Enjoy these grocery-store Primroses as indoor plants, and discard when they begin to look tattered.

Enjoy Evergreen Clematis Armandii

Clematis armandii is a star among vines. Not only is it evergreen while most Clematis are deciduous, it boasts a marvelous fragrance. Flowers are white with touches of pale pink. Clematis are separated into different classes, with specific pruning times for each (see below). Armand Clematis blooms on old wood, meaning stems that are at least a year old. Pruning keeps the vines from developing into a congested thicket, and should be done immediately after bloom petals drop.

Armand blooms in early spring, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Glossy, narrow leaves are leathery with a thick texture. Plants are hardy in zones 7 through 9. They are rarely damaged by deer, but can cause a rash on gardeners with sensitive skin. Gloves are recommended, especially when pruning. Plants are toxic to people and pets.

This Clematis is thin stemmed with a delicate appearance but is a vigorous grower, and will reach 15 feet or more. Stems climb by twining around trellises or other supports. Vines drape gracefully and will sway in the breeze. Use on fences to provide privacy with a narrow footprint. Like other members of the Clematis clan, Armand prefers a cool home for its roots and a sunny (or mostly sunny) spot for its top growth. A mulched root zone will shade the roots against overheating and help to keep soil damp. Soil should be neutral to slightly alkaline, with plenty of organic matter. Plants will not tolerate wet soil.

There are two possible pronunciations for Clematis: kle-MA-tis or KLEM-a-tis.

Here is a cursory overview on Clematis pruning:

For purposes of maintenance, Clematis are grouped into three classes. Group 1 blooms on new wood only. Trimming should be restricted to the removal of dead wood and just enough shaping to keep them neat. These are the earliest Clematis to flower. Group 2 blooms on both new and old wood. Prune immediately after flowering ends. Trim only 6-8 inches. The goal is to force new growth, not to reduce size. Vines in this class bloom later than the first group. Group 3 is the easiest of all. Clematis in this class go dormant in winter. Cut off the dead vines just above ground level in winter. I usually handle this chore in late February, just after pruning hybrid tea roses. Since this class regenerates entirely each season, it is the last to bloom.

Of all Clematis, ‘Roguchi’ is my favorite cultivar. It is a lovely, long-blooming plant that will get a blog posts all its own, soon.

Hydrangea Help - To Prune or Not?

“How and when do I prune my Hydrangeas?” This is one of the most common questions I receive. The answer is, “It depends.” It depends on whether your Hydrangea blooms on old wood or new wood or both. If you cannot identify the cultivar in your garden, it is hard to know when to prune. I saw this article from the National Garden Bureau, entitled The Hydrangea Danger Zone. I think it will help, so I’m passing it along to you, my wonderful gardening friends.

https://ngb.org/2021/03/18/hydrangea-danger-zone/

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Pre-Spring Maintenance

Spring is just around the corner. It’s time to prepare your tools for the coming gardening season. Each time I use my favorite narrow-blade shovel (a Spear and Jackson “rabbit spade”) or my trusted Felco No. 2 pruners, I rinse them at day’s end to remove any dirt. Once they are dry, I give them a spritz of either a silicone lubricant or olive oil. I garden a lot more than I cook, so olive oil goes rancid faster than I can use it. I have a mist oil sprayer dedicated to garden use. This oil atomizer is not the only kitchen device that has been promoted from my kitchen. An electric turkey-carving knife is wonderful for dividing tough Hostas, while a serrated bread knife works great on Bearded Iris rhizomes. An ancient blender has been repurposed to mix moss and buttermilk into a slurry for aging concrete pots. Some people think my tool maintenance ritual is a bit obsessive. Those are the same people who wonder why I grow six different types of basil.

Before the grass-cutting season starts, check belts and sharpen blades on mowers. Inspect motorized tools like chippers or tillers, with oil changes or spark plug changes as needed.

Several years ago, I discovered a miracle product called slip paint and have become somewhat of an evangelist, praising its characteristics to anyone who will listen. It is a graphite-based product that reduces friction and makes surfaces slippery. I first heard about it from a farmer who used it to coat the inside of silos so that the contents would slide out easily. I decided to paint a coat on the underside of my lawnmower housing, so that wet grass would not clump and drop onto my lawn in unsightly blobs. This worked so well that I undercoated the grooming mower and bush hog that pair with our tractors. Next came the insides of metal wheelbarrows. The ultimate ~aha!~ was when I painted the inside of our dump trailer. We use the trailer for hauling mulch, wood chips, gravel, manure, potting soil, and the like. It has a battery-operated hydraulic tilt so that contents will slide out when the back gate opens. When the trailer floor and walls were untreated, damp mulch would stick and refuse to release even when the trailer was at its maximum tilt. At this sharp angle, it is impossible to climb into the trailer and push the contents out. Standing directly behind the open bed and trying to tease the stuff out is foolhardy. One unexpected discharge and you could be buried, resulting in injury or death. Now, with an annual wash and recoat with the slip paint, clumping is a distant memory.

I have included a photo of the friction-reducing paint I purchase from a local farm supply store. I’m sure other name brands are available. Go ahead and splurge on the gallon size. You’ll be glad you did.

Delicate Trout Lily for Earliest Spring Bloom

In late winter, stumbling across a blooming patch of Trout Lily is an unexpected bonus,  like discovering a $20 bill in the pocket of a rarely-worn jacket. Erythronium americanum, Trout Lily, is sometimes called the Yellow Dogtooth Violet or Adder’s Tongue. It would take an active imagination to conjure the delicate yellow flowers with brown or bronze reverse into a fish, canine teeth, or a snake’s tongue.

This lovely ephemeral is native to the eastern US. “Ephemeral” means “fleeting,” which is exactly how this plant behaves. It blooms in early spring before tree leaves emerge, about the same time as Crocus. Soon after flowering, the plant produces seeds and then withers away. The seeds will eventually develop into corms, a type of bulb. They are sold as corms, not seeds. Plant in fall for best results. Most corms prefer shallow planting, but Trout Lily likes a deep hole (five inches) which seems unusual for such a small bulb. The seeds are spread around by ants.

Plants thrive in moist, shady woodlands with acidic soils. It takes a year or two for juvenile plants to start blooming. Juveniles are easy to spot since they only produce a single leaf rather than the paired leaves of mature specimens. Plants reach a mere six inches in height, with the bloom stems slightly taller. Older plants may stop flowering if the bulbs become too congested. In this case, lift and divide just as the plants begin to go dormant.

Trout Lily leaves have a mottled appearance. Flower petals curl back toward the stem, described by botanists as recurving. Blooms are one- to three-inches in diameter. Flowers contain six yellow stamens and reddish-brown anthers. There is a less common white form, E. albidum, whose white flower petals are flushed with lavender on the reverse side. Adder’s Tongue, E. propullans, is  a pink-flower form found only in Minnesota. Strangely, it bears a small bulblet halfway up the stem.

Trout Lily looks delicate but it is quite sturdy, making its appearance early in the year when frosts and freezes are still common. The flowers attract bees. The corms, unfortunately, are tasty to small forest critters although deer usually leave them alone. Protect them with a circle fence of buried fine-mesh wire or a gravel moat. Since I have both cats and dogs, I researched their toxicity. One source said that the bulbs were edible, with a cucumber-like taste. Another said that the bulbs were an emetic (makes one vomit). No further testing on my part! I opted for the protection of the wire mesh to prevent my pets from tasting.

The bronze backs of the Trout Lily petals are evident in this photo. Note the mottled leaves.

Trout Lily bloom detail

A Groundcover as Container Specimen

When is a groundcover not used as a live mulch? When it is a container plant, of course. Lysmachia congestiflora ‘Walkabout Sunset’ has a beautiful, multi-colored leaf and clusters of bright yellow blooms. Initially the common name, Loosestrife, frightened me away from using this plant because I feared it might be invasive. I’m happy to report that this is not the case.

Several cultivars are available. All are low growing (to six inches) and will spread readily since they root wherever stem touches soil. This spreading habit makes it a great choice for edging in-ground water features. Lysmachia is a semi-evergreen perennial in zones 7b to 9a  In my 7b garden, I find ‘Walkabout Sunset’ sheds most leaves and looks dead by late winter but makes a rapid recovery when spring arrives. It will not tolerate temperatures below 15 degrees, so I take a small cutting in autumn and overwinter it in the greenhouse as added insurance against plant loss.

‘Walkabout Sunset’ performs best in part-sun, with a little shade in the hottest part of the day. It prefers damp to wet soil and is undemanding as to soil pH. I sited a potted specimen in full sun and found that it needed more additional water than I was willing to donate, so I relocated it to the raised portion of a birdbath. This solution kept the plant roots damp and gave birds and insects a place to perch when they visited the water source. Everyone was happy.

‘Walkabout Sunset’ is equally attractive when used as a sole container specimen or as an undercover to a taller plant. The variegated leaves have a blue-green stripe that pairs well with a similarly toned container.

You will note that I did not include the pronunciation above, as I normally do. Here goes: ly-si-MAK-ee-uh kon-jes-tih-FLOR-uh. I have observed that some well-known plant experts pronounce the third syllable with a long A while other make it a short A. I thought it would be easier to stick with the cultivar name, but then I found some plants tagged as ‘Walkabout Sunset’ and others as ‘Outback Sunset’ or ‘Waikiki Sunset.’ Are they the same? I cannot tell. What I can tell is that ‘Persian Chocolate’ has purple-ish foliage. Can’t wait to try it in a container with pink Begonias.

Foliage color mirrors container

Birdbath keeps soil wet

Perennial Bellflowers Ring a Long TIme

Oops – I did it again. Another impulse purchase of a plant that may not be a good choice for my area. One of the local grocery stores has strategically placed their flower section directly in my path, between the salad bar (packaged salads during the pandemic) and the fresh fruit. I’m already needy when I go in, and those small containers of cute potted plants seem to jump in my cart without my involvement. This week’s purchase was a pair of tiny (2.5-inch containers) Campanula. That was the only identifier on the label. No mention of the species. Sigh…

It could be Campanula carpatica, C. glomerata, C. persicifolia, C. takesimana, C. rotundifolia, C. medium, C. punctata, or C. rapunculoides. The one thing all these species share is ease of growth. A few prefer cool summers. Most (but not all) have bell-shaped flowers. (The common name is Bellflower or Canterbury Bells.) Most are in shades of blue or purple, but a few are pink, lilac or even white. My newest acquisitions are a deep purple, with upward facing blooms. Unless appearances are deceiving, it will be a dwarf, spreading form.

In the Snoddy garden, Campanula punctata ‘Pantaloons’ has been a star performer during the last ten years. A single plant, situated in poor soil with partial shade, spread rapidly via rhizomes and seeds to make a large, lovely community without any deadheading, staking, fertilizing or watering. Campanulas prefer neutral to alkaline soil, but mine has done fine in acidic soil. The punctata species is perennial in zones 5 through 9. It has a long, long bloom period. Deer shun all Campanulas.

‘Pantaloons’ was a gift plant from the gentleman who taught most of my Master Gardener classes in 2002. He labeled the plant “Purple Pantaloons” which reminded me, oddly, of the saloon girls in old television Western shows like Gunsmoke. Mr. Maple is deceased now, but his memory lives on in my garden.

Campanula punctata. Image by GLady from Pixabay.

“Bearded Bellflower” showing the fuzzy threads that gave rise to the common name.

Blackberry Lily identifies as an Iris

Poor Blackberry Lily experienced an identity crisis. For years it was Belamcanda chinensis. Then in 2005, pesky taxonomists examined the DNA sequence and determined that it is not a lily, not a blackberry, and not Belamcanda. Instead, this freckled redhead of the plant world has a new identity: Iris domestica.

Regardless of the binomial name, Blackberry Lily is one tough customer. Like most other members of the Iris family, it has swordlike, ten-inch-long leaves that rise like fans from a rhizome (bulb).  The rhizomes prefer well-drained soil and full sun, and are hardy in zones 5 through 10. Plants will rot in wet soils; they are drought tolerant once established. Blackberry Lilies flower in mid-summer and will continue through early autumn. Five-petal blooms are typically orange with a touch of yellow in the center and attractive red spots, which gives rise to another common name, Leopard Lily. Flowers are held above the leaves atop thin stems and are so profuse in number that the plants are best given support (think circular hoops like those used for peonies or dahlias) so they are not toppled by weight or summer thunderstorms.

Belamcanda – oops! I mean Iris domestica – rhizomes prefer a planting depth of five inches. Plants aren’t choosy about soil type or pH. They will be a bit shorter when grown in poor, dry soil. The rarer yellow form is shorter and requires more moisture and a richer soil than the typical orange flower.

Blooms result in clusters of shiny black seeds that look exactly like large blackberries. Left alone, plants will self-seed into large colonies. Plants look best when they are not allowed to become congested, so be generous and share divisions with your gardening buddies. Tattered or yellow leaves can be removed any time of the year. Both flowers and mature stems are used in flower arrangements.

Do not allow your cats, dogs, horses, or kids to ingest the flowers or blackberry-look-alike seeds; they are toxic. Flowers attract butterflies and are rarely bothered by other insects or diseases. This low-maintenance plant is easy to grow.

A Blackberry Lily bloom. Notice the numerous buds hiding behind this flower.

Blackberry Lily seed pod. "Blackberry Lily (DSC_0025), the blackberry." by Li-Ji is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Sweet Breath Of Spring - in winter

The sweet aroma of “Breath of Spring” will make your head whip around in search of the source. Lonicera fragrantissima (a melodic pronunciation makes one want to use the Latin instead of the common name: low-NISS-er-ah fray-gran-TISS-uh-muh) blooms in mid- to late-winter. The tiny ivory blooms with yellow stamens are unexciting, but the scent will make you swoon. On a warm day, honey bees flock to the flowers. Common names include “Sweet Breath of Spring” and “Winter Honeysuckle” but don’t confuse it with Winter Jasmine, featured last week.

Like other members of the honeysuckle family, Breath of Spring can be intrusive. It is on the list of invasive shrubs for SC, GA, TN and VA.  Its seeds are spread by birds and critters. Prevent spread by hard pruning as soon as petals fall (mid-March in the Mary Snoddy garden) before seeds ripen. Since Lonicera blooms on new growth and grows like the wind, cutting it back almost to ground level results in plentiful flowers in the next bloom cycle.  Without pruning, it grows larger each year, attaining heights of 9-12 feet. Arching stems, similar to Forsythia, result in a rounded, thicket-like shrub.

Due to its height (and somewhat gangly appearance), this one is best used in the back of the border or in the edge of woodlands where it will tolerate any type of soil (prefers acidic to neutral), any amount of sun or lack thereof (prefers sun to part sun), and almost any level of soil moisture (prefers moist, well-drained, not boggy). If ever there was a can’t-kill-it shrub, this is it.

Deciduous to semi-evergreen and hardy from zones 4 through 8, Breath of Spring is not browsed by deer or rabbits. It can be grown near Black Walnut trees. It requires no maintenance beyond the yearly pruning, and can be used as a coarse privacy hedge if available space will accommodate its spread of up to 15 feet. If you want to establish a hedge, strip the lower leaves off 9-inch stems and just push them into the ground along the desired hedge line. Most will take root without any help from the gardener. You can also cut blooming branches to enjoy its wonderful lemony fragrance indoors.

The tiny flowers of Lonicera fragrantissima pack a wallop of lemon-like fragrance.

This Breath of Spring was not pruned in the last two years. It is 12 feet tall and 15 feet across. All blooms are on the outermost portion of the stems’ (newest) growth. On this warm winter day, every branch is alive with honeybees. It is located in the edge of woodlands, where it receives 6 hours of sunlight during winter, and about 2 hours during summer when the surrounding trees are in leaf.

New Ajugas, New Colors

It is freezing outside. The wind is moaning like a banshee with a hangover. And I am indoors, fireside, with a cat on my feet and a lap full of nursery catalogs. It’s always fun to see the year’s newest seed and plant introductions and to read all the descriptions. A catalog from a seed company in South Carolina. has a whopping 184 entries for tomatoes. How can growers find 184 different ways to describe a tomato? And yet, they do.

Among the new plants for 2021 is an entire series of Ajuga reptans. ‘Feathered Friends’ encompasses seven new cultivars with golden, bronze or almost-black leaves. My heart beat a little faster when I saw Ajuga ‘Noble Nightingale.’ Some interior decorators recommend a touch of black in each room. A touch of black or almost black can elevate a so-so container combination to wow. Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') has been my go-to plant for containers, but ‘Noble Nightingale’ is only four inches tall, with a spread up to 18 inches. I can envision it with Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ and something pink — Begonias or Caladiums. ‘Cordial Canary’ has golden yellow foliage, unlike any other Ajuga. ‘Parrot Paradise’ has leaves with shades of yellow, orange and red. From a distance, it reads as bronze.

Ajuga (common name is Bugleweed or Carpetweed) is easily grown in partial sun or shade. It will tolerate some drought. Blue flowers are a bonus. These undemanding groundcovers spread quickly, giving rise to some gardeners’ assessment of the plant as invasive. (It is a member of the mint family). It will grow and even thrive in many situations where other plants, including grass, won’t grow such as deep shade, dry soil, or under Black Walnut trees. It will tolerate minor foot traffic. Plants can be so vigorous that congested areas die. Prevent this by division. Ajuga is resistant to damage from deer and rabbits. Other than dieback from congestions, their only problem is root-rot when placed in wet soils.

The Mary Snoddy garden features ‘Burgundy Glow’ and ‘Black Scallop’ but these new cultivars are alluring. The above-mentioned ‘Feathered Friends’ is offered exclusively by Mast Young Plants. Here is a link to their site, so you can see photos of these beautiful new foliage colors: Ajugas

This photo of Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’ was taken February 3, proving that this groundcover for shade can look as good in mid-winter as it does during the warmer months. The almost-black foliage looks wonderful when paired with chartreuse, such as Lysimachia aurea, “Creeping Jenny” or rose shades, such as a bronze-leaf wax begonia with pink flowers..

Ajuga ‘Burgundy Glow’ lights up a dark area.

A planting of Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’ along a walkway at Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve. (Photographer is unknown, unfortunately.) The shiny, rounded leaves offer beautiful contrast to the delicate fern fronds and the rough granite stones.

A new planting of ‘Black Scallop’ Ajuga pops against the chartreuse foliage of Talinum (“Jewels of Opar” and the rounded leaves of several Hostas. It will eventually spread to cover all the pine needle mulch.

Winter Jasmine, The Earliest Flowers

Tubular yellow flowers are erupting on leafless shrubs here in the Carolinas’ piedmont. Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum, pronounced JAZ-men-um noo-duh-FLORE-um) blooms early, about the same time as Crocus. The 6-petal unscented flowers are similar in color and shape to Forsythia, but are smaller and fewer. Flowers appear before leaves, and open first at the bottoms of stems, progressing to the tips. The shrub’s weeping structure is similar to Forsythia, but stems are smaller in diameter and young stems have a greenish tint, even when dormant.

Red exterior of unopened Winter Jasmine buds.

Plants reach five feet in height. Like Forsythia, Winter Jasmine will spread aggressively unless controlled. Any stems that touch ground will take root. It flowers best in full sun but will tolerate shade, poor soil, and drought. Left alone, plants take on an unkept, thicket-like appearance after a few years. Remedy this with severe pruning as soon as the flowering season ends. I inherited an overgrown hedge of these plants when we bought a new home. They have encroached into the territory of a nearby row of boxwoods that I want to preserve, so in March I’ll cut the entire hedge to within a few inches of the soil and use a sharp spade to sever and remove the roots outside the target range.

Winter Jasmine stems are squarish in cross section, with four definite angles, while Forsythias are round. Tiny (less than an inch) compound leaves appear opposite on stems, which allows the gardener to distinguish it from Jasminum floridum, a visually similar plant with alternate leaves and the same messy haystack of stems.

Winter Jasmine is an excellent groundcover plant for slopes that would be difficult to mow. Its arching stems look like a waterfall cascading over walls . It is rarely damaged by deer, disease, or insects. It is hardy in zones 6 through 10

A hedge of Winter Jasmine, planted on a steep bank above a business parking lot. Perfect for this location.

The thicket-like growth of Winter Jasmine is evident here. The gray stems are dead and should be pruned out. Live stems are green.

Heuchera for Year-Round Beauty

When the winter garden is clothed in dormant twigs and fallen leaves, a touch of lively color lifts the spirit and reminds us that spring lurks ahead. Heuchera is a colorful group of perennials that are hardy from zones 4 to 9, depending upon variety and lineage. Modern cultivars have parents in H. villosa and H. americana. In the south, Heucheras (common names: Coral Bell, Alumroot) withstand hot and cold temperatures and look good every month of the year. Tiny blooms, a favorite of butterflies, are held atop wiry stems, but Heucheras are grown for their outstanding foliage. Cultivars have caramel, rose, lime, purple or green leaves marked with silver, red or white.

The lovely chartreuse green ‘Citronelle’ is one of the most heat tolerant cultivars. Grow it in shade to partial shade, where the leaves will be more yellow than green. Full sun leads to crispy edges and bleached leaves. I planted dozens of these in a lightly shaded bed. Within three years, there was only a single survivor. Each one got smaller and smaller, dwindling down to a single leaf before disappearing completely. I finally discovered the key to success – well-drained soil. The native heavy clay soil of upstate South Carolina mandated container culture, enhanced by fertile, well-drained potting soil and frequent watering. I plucked the lone ‘Citronelle’ specimen from the ground and placed it in a container with two other Heucheras, a purple-leaf variety (lost the cultivar name) and ‘Caramel,’ with caramel-colored leaves. Instant success! I eventually moved ‘Citronelle’ to her own container and replaced her with ‘Key Lime Rickey.’ These three live shoulder-to-shoulder in a container which looks as good in February as in August. Two ‘Amber Waves’ plants look especially good in a pair of peachy-toned clay pots along a brick walkway. These are sited in full sun. (Evidently, they did not receive the notification that they were meant for shade.)

A trio of Heucheras (‘Caramel,’ ‘Key Lime Rickey,’ and an unidentified purple leaf cultivar). These three live in harmony all year long. The container looks this good even in winter.

Plant breeders introduce new cultivars every year, with an ever-broadening range of color and vein combinations. One thing I have learned about this wonderful plant: Catalog photos are taken when plants are at their very peak of beauty. Plants that exhibit gorgeous apricot and rose shades in spring (such as ‘Sweet Tea’ or ‘Peach Flambe’) may mature darker, even dirty-looking by August or September. My beloved ‘Berry Smoothie’ is raspberry-rose in spring but darkens to purple in winter. In catalogs, ‘Stop Light,’ is a beauty, with yellow-lime leaves marked with bright red veins. I have never been able to replicate the distinctive markings in my garden and had to settle for a red vein here and there. Purple-leaf forms age a bit better. ‘Obsidian’ is almost black. It looks especially good in containers with pink Begonias or Caladiums. Heucheras also pair well with smaller grasses, such as Lagurus ovatus ‘Bunny Tails.’

If a mature Heuchera develops an elongated stem, it is time to lift it and replant it to position the woody section under soil level. Remove tattered or crispy leaves at any time to keep the plant looking tidy. Heucheras are rarely browsed by deer or rabbits.

Finally, Heuchera is pronounced HEW-ker-ah. This one is mispronounced even more than Liriope. The first syllable rhymes with Yew. Get it right and you have risen to the upper echelon of gardeners.

'Amber Waves' ruffled, peachy leaves

'Berry Smoothie' plum and silver leaves