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Irish Plants by Elisabeth Ginsburg

St. Patrick’s Day falls every year on March 17.  In some places spring has already sprung by mid-March, in others it is still weeks away.  But regardless of how green your garden is on March 17, the whole world will turn green—at least temporarily–in celebration of all things Irish.

It is a good time to think of plants with Irish associations that might make good additions to your beds, borders, containers and window boxes.  Some, like shamrocks come to mind immediately, but others like common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) have equal claim to Irish origins.  As you plan for spring planting, think about adding a little Irish magic.

Shamrocks: What’s in a Name?

Around St. Patrick’s Day, large and small merchandisers sell pots of “shamrocks” with either green or purple leaves.  They are lovely and decorative, but they are not Irish.  Usually the little plants are  species and varieties of oxalis, a plant that originated in Central and South America.

For real shamrocks, you need to lay hands on either white clover (Trifolium repens) or yellow clover (Trifolium dubium), both of which are native to Ireland.

White clover, as many gardeners will attest, grows readily in gardens, lawns and many other situations. Some consider it a weed, but it also makes an excellent ground cover.  If you fear that your clover will overwhelm better-mannered garden plants, grow it in a pot.  Clover loves full sun, good soil and consistent moisture, but will prevail even in less optimal conditions.  The plants pull their weight in the garden by fixing nitrogen in the soil and attracting pollinators.

Fairy Thimbles

Whether you call these beautiful plants “foxglove” or “fairy thimbles”, they are Irish natives.  Resistant to critters but attractive to humans and pollinators, foxglove can thrive in partial shade with consistent moisture, producing statuesque spires that rise between two and five feet.

The plants, which are also native to other parts of western, southern and central Europe, are biennial, meaning that when grown from seed they form a basal rosette of leaves the first year and flower the second year.  Happy foxgloves are also prolific self-seeders.  If you do not remove all the spent flower stalks when they finish their late spring bloom period, foxgloves will make themselves effectively perennial by producing numerous offspring.  Flower colors in the species are usually shades of purple, pink or white.  Pollinators adore them and it is fun to watch fuzzy bumblebees crawling into the tubular blooms.

Moss of the Irish

Great as a ground cover, rock garden subject, or moss garden component, Irish moss (Sagina subulata) is truly Irish, but not a true moss.  Instead it is a low-growing evergreen member of the carnation family.  Topping out at about two inches tall, it grows slowly, eventually spreading to about twelve inches.  The plants are relatively easy-going, but benefit from the addition of a good soil amendment like Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost at planting time. Irish moss thrives in a variety of conditions, but sulks in hot, dry weather, which will cause it to turn brown.  Supplemental water is a must, especially in drought periods.  Browning may also happen in the winter, but plants will generally rebound with new growth when spring arrives.

Though not prized for its flowers, Irish moss does produce small white blooms in late spring or early summer.  This is especially nice for containerized plants, which should be grown in wide, shallow vessels.  Depending on climate and site, containers may need winter protection.

Some Like it Wet

Native to both northern North America and northern Europe, including Ireland, bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia) is unrelated to culinary rosemary, but bears narrow, blue-green leaves that are reminiscent of the herb. That foliage is evergreen and borne on small, shrubby plants.  Like other members of the Ericaceae or heath family, including blueberries, bog rosemary is eminently ornamental.  In May lovely, small, bell-shaped flowers appear clad in white, edged in pink clustering in umbels of up to eight blooms. The plants grow as tall as two feet, with a spread of up to three feet.

True to its name and heritage, bog rosemary prefers acidic soil and wet, cool conditions, like those found in Irish peat bogs.  It can be grown equally well in-ground or in containers.  Dry summers and dry soil are the enemies, but under the right conditions, bog rosemary is highly decorative along paths or towards the front of borders.  Unlike its herbal namesake, all parts are poisonous.

‘Empress of Ireland’ and More

Only one species of narcissus or daffodil is native to the British Isles, but a good number of daffodils were bred there.  Ireland was home to some of the best, because of breeder Guy Wilson, who created, among many lovely varieties, including the eponymous, white-flowered ‘Empress of Ireland’.

Born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland,  Wilson, the son of a manufacturer,  produced his first crop of blooming seedlings in 1912, when he was twenty-seven.  Specializing in white flowers, he went on to introduce 78 white-flowered daffodils with names like ‘Broughshane’ (in honor of his hometown),  ‘Cantatrice” and ‘Rose of May’.  A number of Wilson’s plants are still available from specialty merchandisers, and might even bloom on or close to St. Patrick’s Day.

 

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants, a healthy stand of Hollyhocks, as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline Saki. “garden supervisor” live in northern New Jersey.

Best Indoor Plant Gifts for Valentine’s Day by Elisabeth Ginsburg

The number of houseplant lovers has risen by leaps and bounds in recent years.  If someone you care for is among them, consider giving a houseplant for Valentine’s Day.  There are many that fit the holiday theme nicely.  All are guaranteed to last longer than cut flowers and, unlike chocolate, will not automatically adhere to the recipient’s hips.

The plants below are some of the best choices for Valentine’s giving:

Heart on Your Leaves

 Anthurium (Anthurium sp.), sometimes known as “flamingo plant” or “flamingo lily” is native to Central and South American and is only hardy in USDA plant hardiness Zones 11 and 12.  Fortunately, it will get along quite nicely in average living spaces.  What makes anthurium perfect for V Day are the long-lasting “flowers” which are really red (or sometimes pink or white) heart-shaped spathes, surrounding smaller true flowers and a central staminal column.  The large, glossy green leaves are also heart-shaped and are attractive even after the flowers have faded.

Anthuriums like drainage, so when potting or repotting, add a layer of gravel to the bottom of the container, and fill with a quality potting compound like Fafard Natural and Organic Potting Mix.  Position the container in a spot with bright light and make sure the plant receives consistent moisture.  The plants can vacation outside in a lightly shaded spot when night temperatures are reliably above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heart Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens, sometimes known as Philodendron hederaceum) is just what the name suggests—a houseplant with heart-shaped leaves.  With its long, vining stems, philodendron is a natural for hanging baskets or containers positioned on pedestals.  Like anthuriums, philodendrons are Central and South American natives that cannot survive outdoors in cold winter climates.  The plants grow in dappled shade in their native areas, so available light in most homes suits them just fine.  Watering is easy—just wait until the surface of the soil feels dry and then water thoroughly.  Feed with houseplant fertilizer according to manufacturer’s directions.

For a more adventurous Valentine’s Day gift, seek out a variegated variety, like ‘Silver Stripe’, with a lighter green stripe down the middle of each leaf, or ‘Lemon Lime’, with bright chartreuse foliage.

Philodendrons have only one downside—ingestion of any part of the plant is toxic to humans and animals, so position the plant so it is inaccessible to household inhabitants who might be likely to sample the leaves.

Take a fancy to these leaves

Rex Begonias: Whether you call them “rex begonias” or “painted leaf begonias”, these hybrid beauties, officially known as Begonia rex, are easy to grow and even easier on the eyes. They make excellent Valentine’s day gifts.  Unlike other begonia species, Rexes are grown primarily for their gorgeous foliage.  Some of the leaves are heart-shaped, while others are intricately lobed or swirled like snail shells.  “Painted leaf” is a perfect descriptor–the leaves are often bi- or tri-colored, streaked, swirled or edged in shades of green, silver, red, purple, or maroon, often with contrasting veins.

Growing only 12 to 14 inches tall, Rexes like a sunny windowsill. Water only when the soil surface is dry (watering around the edges of the pot helps prevent root rot).  Standing the container atop a layer of pebbles in a water-filled tray ensures that the plants get the humidity they enjoy.  Growth slows down a bit in the winter, but that should not cause discouragement.

Available varieties abound, with flashy specimens like ‘China Curl’, with a broad silver swirl accenting each leaf’s center and edging of darkest maroon; and ‘Paso Doble’, with spiraling leaves of rose and bright green.  Begonia leaves are also harmful to children and pets.

The wonder of Orchids

Orchids have long been considered among the most romantic plants.  Tissue culture, which allows growers to propagate large numbers of plants from small tissue samples, has made these exotic-looking bloomers—at least some of them–attainable for non-millionaires. Probably the easiest to grow and the most reasonably priced is the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis), with its pristine blossoms.  White is the most common color, but hybridizers have been busy producing “moths” in red, yellow, peach, cream and related shades.  Some sport attractive “freckles” as well.  Buy the orchids either in flower or budded.  Blooms will sometimes last up to three months.

Breeders work constantly to produce new hybrids, and the so-called “Rlc” orchids (Rhyncholaeliocattleya hybrids) are the happy and colorful result of crosses involving at least three species.  More costly than moth orchids, the Rlc’s boast ease of care, vibrant colors and even fragrance.  With large, frilly flowers, they are living corsages that will remain in flower for up to three weeks and may bloom more than once a year.

Orchids have sometimes been portrayed as fussy plants that need lots of coddling.  Some species might, but all the moth and Rlc orchids really want is the indirect light of an east or west-facing window, and the humid environment provided by a room humidifier or a tray filled with pebbles and water.  A porous growing medium is a good idea, as is an unglazed clay or terra cotta pot. If the plant arrives crammed into a plastic pot filled with ordinary potting soil, wait until the flowers fade and repot appropriately. Water only when the soil is quite dry.  When in doubt, check the exposed roots. Plump roots indicate the orchid’s water needs have been met.  When the plant is in active growth (forming new leaves and flower buds), feed with an orchid-specific fertilizer according to manufacturer’s directions.

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants, a healthy stand of Hollyhocks, as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline Saki. “garden supervisor” live in northern New Jersey.

Succulents for Shade by Russell Stafford

 

Succulents are not just for sun. In fact, some of the most fascinating of these arid-habitat plants thrive in shade.

One shade-loving succulent that is familiar to anyone who has dabbled in houseplants is the western African native Sansevieria trifasciata, commonly known as snake plant. Especially well known is the variety ‘Laurentii’, with strap-shaped, 2- to 3-foot-tall leaves edged in gold. This and most of the other 60-plus cultivated varieties of Sansevieria trifasciata also feature striking horizontal banding on their thick leathery leaves, typically in alternating stripes of silver and dark green. Silver markings are strongest on varieties grown in a bit of sun, with plants becoming more uniformly green as shade levels increase.

The variety ‘Futura Superba’ much resembles ‘Laurentii’ in its coloration, but with shorter, broader leaves. Numerous other snake plant varieties come in the ‘Laurentii’ shape, including the pure silver-leaved ‘Moonshine’.

Shorter still are so-called birds-nest varieties of snake plant. These form tight low rosettes of tongue-shaped leaves, typically with silver banding (as in the popular ‘Hahnii’). The variety ‘Golden Hahnii’ adds pale-yellow leaf margins to the color scheme, while in ‘Silver Hahnii’ the leaves are nearly pure silvery gray. Other birds-nest varieties such as ‘Black Jade’ have gone to the dark side, with hues of deep green dominating their foliage. As with just about all forms of the species, birds-nest snake plants produce offspring via underground rhizomes, so there are always pups to share with friends.

Interestingly, most shade-loving succulent houseplants come from southern portions of Africa. One such species is another all-time favorite, jade plant (Crassula ovata). It slowly forms a loosely branched, rubbery-stemmed shrub, set with fleshy oval leaves that develop red-tinged margins in sun. Sunlight also often coaxes plants into bloom, with little white starry flowers clustering along the branches in winter, spring, or sometimes other seasons. However, this durable, long-lived species will also do just fine with no direct sunlight, succeeding (albeit rather gauntly) even in rather deep shade.

Jade plant is available in numerous forms, including dwarf cultivars such as ‘Baby Jade’. The Tolkien Group of jades comprises several varieties whose leaves are curled lengthwise into tubes, with cupped tips in the case of ‘Gollum’. The cultivar ‘ET’s Fingers’ is similar to ‘Gollum’, but with red-tinged leaf tips.

Native mostly to crevices and slopes of South Africa and Namibia, the 25 or so species in the genus Gasteria resemble miniature aloes, with low rosettes of small swollen triangular or tongue-shaped leaves arrayed in opposite pairs or in symmetrical whorls. The leaves typically are dotted with white waxy protuberances, and often tipped with a short spine. Plants may produce spikes of small, tubby or tubular, often brightly colored flowers, usually in winter or spring. Hybrids between Gasteria and Aloe sometimes occur in cultivation, including ‘Tarantula’, whose leaves are covered with small, white, almost hair-like spines.

Closely related to Gasteria is the larger and more diverse Haworthia, encompassing some 60 species from far-southern Africa. Their architecturally rosetted leaves come in a variety of shapes. Some such as Haworthia attenuata have narrowly triangular, white-dotted, gasteria-like foliage. Others (e.g., Haworthia retusa) bear remarkably mineral-like clusters of geometrical, crystal-shaped leaves. Another sub-group produces tight lines of flat-topped, abruptly truncated leaves that have a sawed-off appearance (these include the aptly named Haworthia truncata). Starfish-like and spherical leaf configurations also occur, as do tiered multilevel rosettes.

Haworthias are interesting rather than showy in bloom, with spikes of small white funneled flowers on relatively tall lanky stems in summer or sometimes winter.

The South African native silver squill (Ledebouria socialis) is yet another excellent subject for shaded niches. To call it a “succulent” is a bit of a stretch, but with its leathery, lance-shaped, near-evergreen leaves and drought-tolerance, it works well as an honorary member of the succulent tribe. The rosettes of erect, silvery, dark-green-dappled leaves emerge atop conical, red-skinned bulbs that are ornamental in their own right. Small-cupped pale-lilac flowers cluster atop short stems from winter into spring. Silver squill likes to grow with its bulbs mostly exposed above soil level, which adds to its unique charm.

You may have shade, but you can still have succulents! Plant the above succulents in two parts Fafard® Professional Potting Mix to one part perlite or grit. Use terracotta and do not overpot. Water only when the soil is dry, about every week or two. In addition, enjoy!

 

About Russell Stafford

Hortiholic and plant evangelist, Russell Stafford, transplanted his first perennial at age 7 and thereby began a lifelong plant addiction. He is the founder and custodian of Odyssey Bulbs (and Odyssey Perennials), an online nursery specializing in cool and uncommon plants. Russell also works as a horticultural consultant, freelance writer (Horticulture and The American Gardener magazines), and garden editor. He formerly served as Curator and Head of Horticulture at Fernwood Botanic Garden in Niles, Michigan and as the Horticultural Program Coordinator at the Center for Plant Conservation, then located at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. His academic degrees include a masters in forest science from Harvard University.

Wise Buying for the New Growing Season

Start Your Plant Orders: Wise Buying for the New Growing Season

 

The holidays are over and the new gardening season has begun.  Non-gardeners may ask, “How can anyone grow anything when much of the country is experiencing combinations of  extreme weather, frozen ground, and relatively few hours of daylight?”

Gardeners know the answer. The gardening season has begun because the new plant catalogs—online and on paper—are arriving in email and regular mailboxes now.  The avalanche of enticing pictures and hyperbolic text began before the end of December and will only gain in intensity over the next few months.  Merchandisers have designed those mailings to encourage the kind of unbridled plant lust that can only be slaked by large orders.

So how does the average person, with average-size resources and an awareness of the current rate of inflation, achieve an outcome that satisfies some of that plant lust, but tempers it with a good dose of sanity?  By making a process out of spring buying and planting decisions, rather than trying to do everything at once.

Step One: Dream Big

This step usually happens when the last of the holiday decorations are safely stowed and you are eager to browse favorite vendors’ websites and catalogs.  Go through them all and mark off or list every plant that catches your fancy regardless of size, climate zone hardiness or cost.  Dreaming big is as necessary during the depths of  winter as adequate heating and a good snow shovel. The final list may be a little scary when you realize that you have fallen in love with at least 75 different plants, and that love affair will cost you more than you have budgeted for the entire growing season.  Never fear, this is only the first part of the process.

Step Two: Remember Last Year

No matter what the growing season was like in your part of the world last year, you’re had your share of successes and failures.  If you are an organized gardener, you recorded them or at least made mental notes.  Now is the time to think about what worked and what didn’t, where the “holes” are in your home landscape, and how you want the entire garden to look in this coming year.  It helps to walk around your garden when you do this, even if all you can see is a few dead stalks popping up through the snow.  Write it all down, along with any plant choices that you recorded or remember from last year.

If you are an efficient and organized person, you have probably made a detailed plan of your garden and tweaked that plan as necessary.  If that is the case, this step will take no time at all.

 

Step Three: Winnow Your Choices

This is when you have to get real.  First, take your “dream list” and cross off plants that are not hardy in your climate hardiness zone, unless you able to grow them in pots and overwinter them indoors.  If you really like the sizes, shapes or colors of those tender plants, look for species in the same genus or plant family that are hardy in your area.  For example, if you are in love with tropical hibiscus, look into mallow family members like roses of Sharon or hollyhocks, both of which are hardy and bear similar flowers.

Second, think about the available space.  If you have a  new garden, it pays not to cram it with plants in the first year.  Look around your neighborhood and see what thrives under the climate conditions in your area.  Start with some of those same plants.  If you are working with an established garden or container array, consider the holes in the planting scheme and how you want to fill them.  Give some thought to replacing struggling specimens.  If you are considering expanding  your garden, figure out the number and types of plants that will fill the space comfortably,  considering the mature sizes of your top choices.

Step Four: Make Your Orders

If your newly-winnowed list is still too expensive, cross off any plant that you don’t love or absolutely need.  Alternately, if some of the plants that you are considering are new introductions, look for older varieties in the same size and color range.  They are almost invariably cheaper.  This is especially true in the case of popular plants like daylilies and hostas, where scores of readily available varieties are available at any one time, and new introductions happen every year.  Also look for discounts, especially early bird discounts.  Merchants like to clear inventory and anticipate revenue as early as possible, even though that inventory won’t be delivered for weeks or months.  In January and February consumers can reap the greatest savings by knowing what they want and ordering promptly.

With a little planning and strategic thinking, you can start the new gardening season both wisely and well.  Saving dollars now will also leave a little room in the garden budget for the purchases you will make when the local garden centers open in the spring.

 

 

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline “garden supervisors” live in northern New Jersey.

Indispensable Aucuba

We gardeners are always wondering what to do with shade, especially dry shade.  Plants that have to survive on partial sunlight and perpetual competition from thirsty tree roots will often just fold up their leaves and die.  Needless to say, that is not a good look.

But all is not hopeless in the shady corners of gardens, yards and patios everywhere.  Aucuba japonica or spotted laurel is a plant that can save the day, whether it is used as a hedge, the anchor of a mixed perennial and shrub layout, or even as a large container-grown subject.

 

Native to China, Taiwan and Japan, as the Latin name suggests, aucuba is a broadleaf evergreen with a naturally rounded shape, and glossy, green elliptical leaves that may be as much as eight inches long.  You can keep the shrubs trimmed to just about any size, but left to their own devices, they may grow between six and ten feet tall, and five to nine feet wide.  Hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 6b through 9, aucubas are not fussy about soil, except for distaste for wet sites.  If your soil tends towards moisture-retentive clay, add an equal measure of a good quality organic amendment, like Fafard® Premium Natural and Organic Compost, to the soil when you plant.

Many sources suggest protection from cold winds at the north ends of the aucuba hardiness range, but otherwise the shrubs are generally pretty tough.  Once established they shrug off moderate drought, as well as air pollution.

Shade is aucuba’s friend, and, in fact, too much sunshine is likely to burn the young leaves.

Like hollies and some other evergreens, aucuba is dioecious, meaning that fruit production requires both male and female plants.  The shrubs flower in spring, with clusters of small purple blooms that appear in the leaf axils of female plants, and in panicles or upright flowerheads on male specimens.  When pollinated, the female flowers develop gradually into bright red berries that shine in the fall and often persist on the plants into the winter months.

The red fruits certainly add to the ornamental value of aucuba, but if you are buying the plant strictly for foliage, either male or female shrubs will do the job equally well.

 

The first time I spotted an aucuba in a nursery, it bore the characteristic glossy green leaves, but those leaves were dashed, dotted and splotched with yellow.  The shrub was probably the ‘Variegata’ variety, which has long been popular and has earned aucuba another nickname—“gold dust shrub”.  Nurseries and online vendors may also carry others, including  ‘Marmorata’, which also features yellow variegation on a shrub that grows seven feet tall, but only three feet wide.  The berries on female specimens are reputedly larger than those of other varieties.

For smaller gardens or containers, try ‘Rozannie’, which grows only three feet tall and wide, in an appealing, rounded configuration.   In areas north of USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where winters are too cold for aucubas, potted ‘Rozannie’ shrubs can also be overwintered indoors.  The foliage is solid green, with the same glossy sheen that is present on other aucubas.  ‘Rozannie’ has the added allure of being able to produce berries without the assistance of a male plant, another plus in locations where space is limited.

Aucubas work well when combined with other shade lovers.  Surround them with spring-flowering daffodils interplanted with interesting hosta varieties for a great display that will take you from spring through summer.  Groundcovers like ajuga (Ajuga reptans) or lamium (Lamium maculatum) are also highly complementary, as are any of the many colorful coral bells (Heuchera) varieties that are widely available.

Shade may sometimes seem like a challenge, but shrubs like aucuba mean that it will never be boring.

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline “garden supervisors” live in northern New Jersey.

Indoor Ferns

Many of us mix old and new elements in our home décor, which is part of the reason why indoor ferns are so popular.  The first fern fossils hearken back to the Devonian period, roughly 400 million years ago.  Some of their descendants are twenty-first century indoor fixtures, loved for their beauty, ease of care and the tranquility they impart to the home environment.

The five ferns below adapt well to indoor culture.  Some are epiphytes that grow naturally in the debris that accumulates in the crooks of trees.  These tree-dwellers get much of their moisture and nutrients from the air around them.  They, like other ferns also grow nicely in a potting medium, like Afford Natural and Organic Potting Mix.  Appearance and size vary widely, but members of the fern clan are united by the fact that the plants do not reproduce by seed.  Instead new ferns are generated from spores that are located on the undersides of the fronds, hiding—almost—in plain sight.

With a few exceptions, indoor ferns like bright, indirect light and a high humidity environment.  Position a humidifier nearby or mist regularly.  Placing the pots in trays or saucers of pebbles and water also helps. Bathrooms can be a perfect environment, especially in dry winter months.   For non-epiphytes, keep the soil moist but not wet, and feed regularly with half-strength liquid fertilizer.

Gardeners in cold winter climates can give their potted ferns summer vacations outside when night temperatures are above fifty-five degrees.  If you decide to do so, make sure to place the plants in a shaded location, lest the fronds burn from too much sunlight.  Make sure to return them to the house when night temperatures start to dip.

 

Boston Fern: Old-fashioned, but ever new, the joyous-sounding tropical  Nephrolepsis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’ or Boston fern, is lush, with broad fronds of alternating leaflets.  The connection to Boston happened when an attractive variant of the species Nephrolepsis exaltata showed up in a shipment of ferns headed from Philadelphia to Boston in 1874.  The variant caught on, leading eventually to the popular modern fern.  Since the six-inch wide fronds can grow long—up to three or four feet–with an arching habit, Boston ferns are especially well suited to hanging baskets or being positioned on tall plant stands or pillars.  The fronds cascade over the sides of the containers in a way that makes you understand the “exaltata” part of their Latin name.

 

Ribbon Fern: True to its name, Ribbon Fern (Pteris cretica) features a silvery stripe down the center of each narrow leaflet.  Growing up to two feet-tall, it works well in containers, with fronds arching out over the sides.  A relatively slow grower, Ribbon Fern, sometimes also known as “Cretan Break Fern”, can tolerate a bit more light than some other members of the fern clan, but don’t be fooled into positioning the pot in a south-facing window.

 

Bird’s Nest Fern: Another good candidate for bathrooms—especially large bathrooms—is Asplenium nidas or Bird’s Nest Fern.  An epiphytic plant that gets its “bird’s nest” nickname either from the fact that it grows in the trees in its tropical homeland, or because the fronds rise from a nest-like central rosette.  You can grow your bird’s nest indoors in loose, rich soil, but it really needs moisture laden air to look and feel its best.  The fronds are long and spatulate—much less delicate-looking than those of some other ferns–and container-grown plants can rise two or three feet with a two-foot spread and an erect growth habit.  For those living in warm winter climates and raising the plants outdoors and in-ground, the fronds can reach five feet.

Staghorn Fern: If you have been to a botanical garden’s conservatory, you may have noticed a staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) mounted on a wall like a hunting trophy.  Whether the staghorns are growing in trees in their native habitat, or secured to wall plaques with fishing line, they are held in place by roots protected by rounded, sterile, basal fronds that age from green to brown. The epiphytic plants also sprout fertile fronds, which are the antler-like structures that give rise to the common name.  If you don’t have a place for a wall plaque, or don’t like the “hunting trophy” look, staghorns can also be grown in containers in loose, loamy soil.  Long-lived (often surviving for decades), the “antlers” can grow up to three feet.  Wall-mounted specimens should be taken down regularly for watering.

Maidenhair Fern: For something a little more delicate and more traditionally ferny, try Maidenhair Fern (Addiantum raddiatum) The slow-growing fronds feature rounded leaflets that might remind you a little of flat-leaf parsley.  Maidenhair is a compact variety, growing one to two feet tall and wide, with a spreading, slightly drooping habit.

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline “garden supervisors” live in northern New Jersey.

Orange Fruited Shrubs

 

 

It’s the season of orange. Orange leaves deck the trees. Orange pumpkins haunt porches. Containers of orange chrysanthemums throng walkways.

 

So why not plant a few orange-fruited shrubs to bring the Halloween theme into the garden?

 

Poncirus trifoliata takes “orange-fruited” quite literally – so much so that botanists have moved it to the genus Citrus. Going by the entirely apropos common name of hardy orange, this 6- to 8-foot shrub produces numerous 2-inch-wide, spherical mini-citrus that ripen orange-yellow in fall. Their hyper-tart taste will make you pucker, unless of course you make them into something sweeter such as jelly or candied orange rind (numerous recipes are online). Hardy orange is much more than a one-season-Charlie, however. In early spring it covers itself with fragrant white flowers, larger than those of most citrus. Its dark green three-fingered leaves emerge shortly thereafter, looking handsome through the growing season and turning burnt-orange hues in fall. As for “hardy”, it takes that literally too, wintering into warmer pockets of USDA Zone 5 (full sun to light shade preferred). The species (and its sinuous-stemmed ‘Flying Dragons’ form) would doubtless be much less rare in Eastern and Midwest landscapes if more gardeners had a clue that a hardy citrus does actually exist.

 

 

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) sets eastern and central U.S. wetlands ablaze in autumn with its fiery fruit. Borne in dense clusters at the branch tips, the bead-like berries are usually bright red – but sometimes they opt for shades of orange. Full-sized (8- to 10 foot) cultivars that have gone to the orange side include red-orange-fruited ‘Afterglow’ and orange-yellow ‘Winter Gold’. The recently introduced ‘Little Goblin’ bears mid-orange fruits on compact, 4-foot plants. Winterberry’s Southern cousin, possumhaw (Ilex decidua), also has orange-fruited forms including ‘Byer’s Gold’. All fruiting Ilex are female selections that won’t produce berries without a male Ilex nearby. Bloom time varies among cultivars, so you’ll need a male/female pair that flowers at the same time in spring. Lists of suitable pairings can be found online. If your garden is sandy, plants will benefit from an application of a peat-rich compost such as Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost, to give them moist acidic soil they prefer. Sunny sites in hardiness zones 3 to 8 work best (zones 5 to 8 for possumhaw).

Orange-fruited varieties of American holly (Ilex opaca) and English holly (Ilex aquifolium) also occasionally occur, but none are readily available in the horticultural trade at this time.

 

Linden viburnum (Viburnum dilatatum) flaunts large flat clusters of blood-red berries in fall – except in the case of the newly introduced cultivar ‘Tandoori Orange’. Like most viburnums, it won’t fully fruit unless a different variety of its species is nearby. All Viburnum dilatatum cultivars grow fairly rapidly to 8 feet tall and wide or more, so plan and plant accordingly! Their bold pleated foliage contrasts effectively with finer-textured plants such as mountain ashes (Sorbus spp.) and cutleaf lilac (Syringa protolaciniata).

 

Tea viburnum (Viburnum setigerum) is another typically red-fruited viburnum that occasionally goes orange, as in the case of cultivar ‘Aurantiacum’. Rather lanky and narrow in habit, this 8-foot-tall, 6-foot-wide shrub is spectacular in fruit, more than compensating for its ungainliness. It’s best planted amid more compact shrubs, to cover its bare legs. All the above viburnums favor sun and hardiness zones 5 to 8.

 

Strawberry shrub (Euonymus americanus) makes an excellent subject for naturalistic plantings. Occurring as a somewhat scrawny, thicketing, 4- to 6-foot shrub in its native woodland haunts in the central and eastern United States, it grows more densely in lightly shaded garden niches with good soil. Most of the year it’s a relatively anonymous euonymus, with presentable oval leaves and inconspicuous spring flowers on arching to upright green-barked stems. It becomes a real attention-grabber in fall, however, brandishing warty rose-red fruit capsules that open to reveal large fleshy bright orange seeds nested inside. For more “domesticated” garden areas there’s the East Asian native Euonymus planipes, a much larger plant than strawberry shrub (10 feet or more), with considerably larger capsules and seeds to match. Some exotic euonymus such as burning bush (Euonymus alatus) European spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus) have proven invasive in American landscapes; consult your local invasive species lists before taking one on board. Most euonymus are hard to zone 5.

 

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) can be grown as a twining vine, or alternatively as a scrambling shrub (sunny or lightly shaded niches in zones 4 to 8 are preferred). A member of the same family as Euonymus, it bears similar fruit, although in a reverse color scheme, with orange capsules opening to red seed.  Plants are mostly male or female, with at least one of each required for a good fruit display. This meritorious U.S. native is not to be confused with the exotic invasive Asian bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), which is banned in most states. American bittersweet has toothed leaves and bears fruit at the branch tips; Asian bittersweet has wavy-edged, untoothed leaves and axillary fruit.

Happy planting, and Happy Halloween!

 

About Russell Stafford

Hortiholic and plant evangelist, Russell Stafford, transplanted his first perennial at age 7 and thereby began a lifelong plant addiction. He is the founder and custodian of Odyssey Bulbs (and Odyssey Perennials), an online nursery specializing in cool and uncommon plants. Russell also works as a horticultural consultant, freelance writer (Horticulture and The American Gardener magazines), and garden editor. He formerly served as Curator and Head of Horticulture at Fernwood Botanic Garden in Niles, Michigan and as the Horticultural Program Coordinator at the Center for Plant Conservation, then located at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. His academic degrees include a masters in forest science from Harvard University

Shade-Loving Daisies

 

The cheerful blooms of members of the daisy family (known botanically as the Asteraceae) assume starring roles in perennial and wildflower borders as fall approaches – and arrives. Sun-loving Asteraceae – including New England asters, hardy chrysanthemums, and showy coneflowers – are long-time fall garden favorites (with pollinators such as bumblebees and butterflies also expressing their approval). Less well-known to gardeners, however, are the many fall-blooming Asteraceae that favor shade rather than sun. If you’re looking to establish a wildflower planting or informal perennial border in shade, the following members of the daisy tribe should rank high on your list of possible candidates.

 

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

Chances are that this durable and adaptable eastern/central U.S. native is already in your neighborhood as a “volunteer”. Fleecy clusters of white flowers top its 3-foot stems in late summer and fall, often resulting in spontaneous seedlings. If it does pop up in your garden, consider leaving it rather than editing it out. It fits well in naturalistic borders, attracting pollinators in the process. White snakeroot is best known in the form of the cultivar ‘Chocolate’, named for the dark hue of its leaves.

 

 

White wood aster (Eurybia divaricata)

A surprising number of ornamental species in what was formerly the genus Aster make their homes in shade. Arguably the most familiar of the lot, white wood aster carries swarms of diminutive white daisies, on branching stalks that typically reach 30 inches or so. The variety ‘Eastern Star’ features a more compact habit (18 to 24 inches) and black-purple stems. Native to woodlands of eastern North America, white wood aster does well in a wide range of habitats.

 

Bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

Even before its sprays of pale blue flowers open in late summer, this eastern U.S. native provides ornamental value with its clump-forming rosettes of bold broad leaves, which contrast splendidly with finer-leaved shade plants such as sedges and ferns. The hybrid between bigleaf aster and the rhizomatous Eurybia spectabilis (known as Eurybia x herveyi) makes an effective ground cover for sun and shade, spreading into large 2-foot-tall colonies topped with lavender-blue flowers. It’s best known in the form of cultivar ‘Twilight’. Eurybia spectablis is also an effective ornamental plant on its own, especially where it has room to ramble. All of the above are not fussy as to soil.

 

Short’s aster (Symphyotrichum shortii)

Named for a botanist and not for its stature, Short’s aster deploys a profusion of relatively large pale blue flowers on 3-foot-tall clumps during the usual asterian late-summer-to-fall blooming season. Perhaps the showiest of the woodland asters, it’s excellent juxtaposed with pink-flowered Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’. It’s an excellent candidate for wildflower borders within its Midwest to Southeast range, where it naturally occurs in dry habitats.

Wreath goldenrod (Soldiago caesia)

Closely related to the asters, goldenrods form one of the largest groups of Asteraceae. Several – including Solidago caesia – are woodland plants, echoing the yellows of sun-loving daisy family members such as sunflowers and coreopsis. Native throughout much of eastern and central North America, wreath goldenrod features arching, blue-washed, sparsely leaved stems that branch into flaring clusters of sunny flowers which begin opening in August. A clumper rather than a “runner”, it tends to stay below 2 feet tall because of its arching habit.

 

Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

The leafy, spreading habit of this native of eastern and central North America differs markedly from that of wreath goldenrod. It’s thus perhaps best used in ground-covering masses, rather than as individual plants. Tufts of bright yellow flowers occur along the stems, showing effectively against the broad dark-green leaves.  Like Solidago caesia, it blooms for many weeks beginning in late summer, and prospers in good, not overly dry soil – but it also accepts much less. Both would be more than happy with an application of Fafard Organic Compost.

Silverrod (Solidago bicolor)

Upright wands of small, white, yellow-dotted flowers continue from midsummer into fall on this earliest and whitest of Eastern U.S. goldenrods. It’s a charming novelty that will do well in just about any partly shaded to sunny garden niche.

 

About Russell Stafford

Hortiholic and plant evangelist, Russell Stafford, transplanted his first perennial at age 7 and thereby began a lifelong plant addiction. He is the founder and custodian of Odyssey Bulbs (and Odyssey Perennials), an online nursery specializing in cool and uncommon plants. Russell also works as a horticultural consultant, freelance writer (Horticulture and The American Gardener magazines), and garden editor. He formerly served as Curator and Head of Horticulture at Fernwood Botanic Garden in Niles, Michigan and as the Horticultural Program Coordinator at the Center for Plant Conservation, then located at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. His academic degrees include a masters in forest science from Harvard University

Summer Apples

Some apple varieties offer a foretaste of fall by ripening their fruits in summer. The following outstanding early apples are ready for eating in late July or August in most areas of the Northeast and Midwest. Several of them (including Ginger Gold, Jersey Mac, and Paula Red) are commonly available at orchards and farm stands. Others you will probably have to grow yourself. You’ll need at least two varieties for cross pollination and fruit set (most apples are not self-fruitful)

 

Dwarf (8- to 12-feet tall) and semi-dwarf (12 to 16 feet) apple trees make the best fit for most yards, as opposed to a 20-foot-plus full-sizer. Apple trees of whatever variety or size thrive in full sun and deep, well-drained, humus-rich soil (apply a half-inch mulch of Fafard Organic Compost in spring to make your trees extra-happy). Most varieties also need several hundred hours of sub-45-degree temperatures to produce a good crop.

 

Akane

Bright red, medium-sized apples with tart-sweet, firm, juicy flesh ripen in late August or so. This circa 1950 Japanese hybrid is as good for cooking as it is for eating out of hand. Trees grow vigorously and bear heavily and precociously.

 

Early McIntosh

Two classic heirloom apples – Yellow Transparent and McIntosh – teamed to produce this aptly named hybrid. The sweet, slightly tart, crispy, white-fleshed fruit is close to that of its namesake, but ripens several weeks earlier. Early McIntosh tends to be a biennial cropper, bearing abundant fruit every other year.

Ginger Gold

This chance seedling of Golden Delicious possesses a zestier, spicier flavor than its parent, as well as a much earlier ripening season. The medium to large, yellow-skinned, juicy, white-fleshed fruits hold for several weeks in storage, in contrast to most early apples. If you grow your own, expect to harvest your first apples within 3 years of planting.

 

Jersey Mac

Although McIntosh is not in the lineage of this Rutgers Agricultural Station introduction, its dark red skin and sweet-tart, juicy, greenish-white flesh give a good impression of its famous namesake. An excellent multi-purpose variety, it’s great for eating, cooking, or pressing into cider. It produces a reliable annual harvest, with fruits ripening over several weeks from August to September.

 

Paula Red

Sometimes referred to as Early Mac (not to be confused with Early McIntosh), this chance seedling from Michigan produces medium-sized, solid-red apples that ripen over several weeks. Sweet with a bit of tartness, it makes an excellent eating, cooking, or cider apple. Thin fruits in late spring and early summer to encourage annual cropping.

Pristine

Researchers at Purdue University made several crosses between apples and crabapples in the 1970s, resulting in several outstanding new early-bearing varieties. Pristine is prized for its zesty, medium-sized, pale yellowish green fruits that are ready for eating as early as late July. Spicy and tart when freshly harvested, the crispy, juicy fruits sweeten with age. Thin fruits to prevent overly heavy bi-yearly cropping.

 

Red Astrachan

An eighteenth century heirloom variety from Russia, Red Astrachan is still one of the earliest and best summer apples. The medium-sized, soft-fleshed fruits begin to ripen bright red in July, continuing over several weeks. White and reddish-stained inside, with a piquant, tart flavor, they are good for cooking when slightly under ripe, and for eating or cider when mature. Bi-yearly crops are the norm.

 

Sunrise

A Canadian hybrid involving Golden Delicious and McIntosh, Sunrise inherited its oblong shape, yellow-green undertones, and hints of strawberry-like sweetness from the former, and its bright red marbling and refreshing tartness from the latter. The fruits do not keep well and are best kept in the fridge. An excellent variety for home-growers, it produces reliably from an early age.

 

William’s Pride

Like Pristine, ‘William’s Pride’ is a disease-resistant, flavorful early eating apple bred at Purdue University from an apple/crabapple cross. Heavily streaked with dark red against a green background, the medium to large apples are crisp and spicy-sweet, with a bit of tartness. They are prolifically borne on vigorous trees that tend to crop in alternate years. Not the best keeper, William’s Pride is best for home orchards.

 

Zestar!

The University of Minnesota bred and selected this recent introduction for its cold-hardiness, early ripening, and (of course) flavor. Sweet-tart with sugary undertones, the red- and green-skinned apples have crispy white sweet-tart flesh with sugary undertones. They store well for several weeks.

About Russell Stafford

Hortiholic and plant evangelist, Russell Stafford, transplanted his first perennial at age 7 and thereby began a lifelong plant addiction. He is the founder and custodian of Odyssey Bulbs (and Odyssey Perennials), an online nursery specializing in cool and uncommon plants. Russell also works as a horticultural consultant, freelance writer (Horticulture and The American Gardener magazines), and garden editor. He formerly served as Curator and Head of Horticulture at Fernwood Botanic Garden in Niles, Michigan and as the Horticultural Program Coordinator at the Center for Plant Conservation, then located at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. His academic degrees include a masters in forest science from Harvard University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boosting The Garden’s Second Season

In early September many people can enjoy the garden’s “second season”, with weeks or even a month or two of growing time left before bad weather sets in.  Cooler weather is conducive to plant growth and humans find it much more comfortable to do outside chores.  Whether your garden is an array of containers, a country estate, or anything in between, now is the time to boost the health and beauty of your plantings and landscape for a successful grand finale.

Replace and Rejuvenate

Those summer annuals, so vibrant and colorful through May, June and July, may be showing signs of fatigue by now, even if you have watered and fed them faithfully.  You can try rejuvenating them by cutting back by two-thirds and watering well.  Shade-loving coleus responds especially well to this treatment, but many other annuals will also produce an early fall flush of bloom.  If the plants in your beds, window boxes or containers really have given their all, pull them out and replace them with the colorful fall pansies, ornamental cabbage and mums now on display at garden centers and big box merchandisers.

With newly replanted containers, it is also wise to boost the performance of the new specimens with the addition of some fresh growing medium like Fafard Natural and Organic Potting Mix.

Renew and Refresh

It is important to keep up with weeding, even as weed growth slows down.  As fall weather sets in, summer weeds like crabgrass, will be replaced by some of the same cool weather weeds that you probably pulled out in the spring.  Preventing weeds from going to seed now will save you labor in the spring.

Drought has plagued many areas, so watering is important, but should also be done strategically.  Thirsty plants like hydrangeas, reblooming daylilies and roses should receive water more regularly than drought tolerant species like lavender and sedum.

And when you water those roses, deadhead the spent blooms to promote another round of flowers.  Skip this step if you want to encourage the formation of colorful rose hips, especially on reblooming Rosa rugosa hybrids, which brighten fall with their cherry tomato-like hips.

Veggies Galore and More

Vegetable gardeners should be relishing the harvest of end-of-summer tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant and other goodies.  If the fall growing season is relatively long where you live, and you have the room and the inclination, you can sow seeds of lettuce, spinach and other greens that perform best under cooler temperatures.

Take Stock

Take a critical look at your landscape or container array.  Is it missing plants that would provide more autumn interest?  Garden centers and other plant retailers have stocked their pallets with seasonal perennials like asters, fall-blooming anemone, boltonia, rudbeckia and other late season stars.  You can see them in bloom and use them to plug holes in your planting scheme.  An investment now brings both immediate and longer term rewards.

The so-called “hardy” mums that appear in garden centers in the early fall, may or may not survive the winter in the garden.  Planting early in September, watering and mulching well will give them the best chance of instant beauty and long term survival.  If you are ordering fall plants online, look for “garden mums”, which have been bred to perform like other perennials.

 

If you have a little extra room, consider shrubs or small trees that provide fall interest, including American cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum), beautyberry (Calycarpa) oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria), or Japanese maple.

Neat and Tidy

If you grow hydrangeas and the flowerheads have turned brown on the stems, you can snip them off to improve the appearance of the shrubs.  Be careful not to go further, as many hydrangeas have already formed the buds that will produce next year’s flowers.

Keep up with deadheading, clipping hedges and edging beds, if you have them.  Nothing improves a landscape more quickly than a little judicious tidying.

And finally, remember that the best boost you can give to your garden in the fall is to enjoy it as often as possible.  You will need that dose of inspiration to get through the foul weather months ahead.

About Elisabeth Ginsburg

Born into a gardening family, Elisabeth Ginsburg grew her first plants as a young child. Her hands-on experiences range from container gardening on a Missouri balcony to mixed borders in the New Jersey suburbs and vacation gardening in Central New York State. She has studied horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and elsewhere and has also written about gardens, landscape history and ecology for years in traditional and online publications including The New York Times Sunday “Cuttings” column, the Times Regional Weeklies, Horticulture, Garden Design, Flower & Garden, The Christian Science Monitor and many others. Her “Gardener’s Apprentice” weekly column appears in papers belonging to the Worrall chain of suburban northern and central New Jersey weekly newspapers and online at http://www.gardenersapprentice.com. She and her feline “garden supervisors” live in northern New Jersey.