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Tag: Elisabeth Ginsburg

The Ins & Outs of Holiday Cactus

What is the difference between a Thanksgiving cactus and a Christmas cactus?  Inquiring, plant-loving minds want to know.  Also, are those seasonal bloomers the same as Easter cacti?  Do they all require the same care and culture?  Confusion seems to abound in the world of flowering holiday cacti.  Lots of people have them, but not everyone knows the answers to those pertinent questions.

Holiday Cactus Basics

Let’s start with the obvious.  All holiday cacti are houseplants with segmented, succulent leaves, arching stems, and, in certain seasons, brightly colored flowers at the ends of the stems. They owe their popularity to the fact that they are relatively undemanding plants that can live for years under the right conditions. Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti have the added benefit of producing bright flowers during the dark months.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti, sometimes billed as “zygocactus”, are both members of the genus Schlumbergera, named for Frederick Schlumberger, a nineteenth century botanist.  Thanksgiving cactus is a species (Schlumbergera truncata), while Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) is a hybrid, with the truncata species in its ancestry.  Some of the most popular holiday cacti, including the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi), are hybrids, which may further complicate identification.

Giving Thanks for Bright Blooms

Thanksgiving cacti hail from tropical Brazilian rainforests where the species grows epiphytically on trees.  The Thanksgiving plants are distinct from other holiday cacti by the fact that their flat, segmented leaves, which end in points, making them appear a bit clawlike.  This trait gave rise to one of the species’ nicknames, “crab cactus”. Another distinguishing feature is the pollen, which is yellow. Container-grown specimens grow from one to two feet tall and can spread up to two feet.  Most selections sold in stores at holiday time are somewhat smaller, but a happy plant will bulk up as the years go by.

Thanksgiving cactus generally bloom in November or December, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, with flowers in shades of white, pink, peach, orange or yellow.

Christmas Cactus

Like Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus bears segmented stems, but instead of the “claws” at the ends of the segments, the edges are more rounded—with a slight teardrop-shape.  Christmas cactus also features pink pollen, borne by the stamens within the flowers, which are traditionally reddish-purple.  The plants are roughly the same size and configuration as Thanksgiving cactus, but bloom a bit later, usually from the end of December, through January.  The species name, buckleyi, comes from a nineteenth century English hybridizer, William Buckley.

Hybrids Gone Wild

Plant breeders always latch onto good things, and that is especially true with hybrid Schlumbergeras, which are often simply labeled “holiday cactus”.  Their work has extended the color range, increased flower size and shape, and created hardier plants.  A good example is ‘Aspen’, with broad, white, frilly petals accented by pink rings in the flowers’ throats.  ‘Chiba Spot’ is ‘Aspen’s opposite, with extremely slender petals in orange-red.  ‘Limelight Dancer’ blooms in an unusual color–pale yellow with green overtones—and sports contrasting pinkish pistils.  The amount of variety in the Schlumbergera world seems to increase each year.

And What About Easter Cactus?

Easter cactus, while related to the holiday cacti is not a Schlumbergera, but a Rhipsalidopsis, specifically Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri.  It is a little less popular and a little more finicky than either Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus, being quite sensitive to both over and under-watering.  The flattened leaf segments are the same, but are somewhat scalloped.  The flowers are brilliant red, but with shorter tubes than those of the holiday cactus.

Cactus Care

All three holiday cacti like excellent drainage—ideally orchid mix or potting mix lightened with organic matter, like Fafard® Premium Natural and Organic Compost, and perlite.  Indoors the plants thrive best with bright, indirect light.  To stimulate blooming, night temperatures should be between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  Water sparingly when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch,  Easter cacti like higher humidity, either through regular misting, a room humidifier or a position atop a tray filled with pebbles and water.

Holiday cacti appreciate an outdoor summer vacation in a lightly shaded spot, as long as that spot doesn’t get swamped in rainstorms.  Bring the plants in when night temperatures start to drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and days begin to shorten.  After the outdoor vacation, Thanksgiving cacti will frequently start to show color on the stem tips, a prelude to bud formation and blooming.  Christmas cactus will not be far behind.

With good care, the plants will survive and rebloom for years to come.

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.

Caryopteris by Elisabeth Ginsburg

The first time I heard the word “bluebeard”, I thought about the old French fairy tale about a murderous nobleman and his unfortunate wives.  A little research proved that caryopteris, the shrub that goes by that nickname, is neither French, nor murderous.  In fact, bluebeard, sometimes also known as “blue mist shrub” or ‘blue spirea”, is downright joyful and brings color to the late summer landscape.

Blue, even when it tends to blue-purple is a wonderful color in the garden, and it is especially welcome in late summer and early fall—generally just ahead of the mums and asters– when blue mist shrubs burst into bloom.

The most common forms of blue mist shrub are varieties of Caryopteris x clandonensis, a hybrid of two caryopteris species, Caryopteris incana and Caropteris mongholica.  The happy result of the hybridizing process is deciduous shrubs that grow two to three feet tall, with green to gray-green, oval-shaped leaves that taper to elegant points.  The leaves, which release a pleasant fragrance when brushed, give away the fact that Caryopteris is a member of the enormous mint or Labiateae family.

The “blue mist” that give Caryopteris species, hybrids and varieties their common name, is made up of clusters of small blue flowers that appear at the ends of the arching stems and in the leaf axils where stems and leaves meet.  The “beard” that gave rise to the common name “bluebeard” is actually a small tuft at the base of each tiny petal. Butterflies and other pollinators probably don’t care about the beards, but they do covet the abundant nectar in the tubular blooms. Perhaps best of all, the plants flower on the current year’s growth, so early spring freezes will not prevent later summer flowering.

Gardeners are spoiled for choice when it comes to caryopteris.  The classic variety is ‘Longwood Blue’, a hybrid developed at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.  Sky blue flowers ornament a plant that grows to be about three feet tall and at least as wide.  A little smaller, with darker, richer-colored flowers, ‘Beyond Midnight’ is another x clandonensis hybrid that reaches about 2.5 feet tall and wide.  It might work well in large containers.

To light things up further, ‘Sunshine Blue’ sports golden-green foliage to go along with its medium blue flower clusters.  It grows to about the same dimensions as ‘Longwood Blue’.

Since blue mist shrubs flower only once per growing season, variegated foliage helps sustain interest before and after bloom time.  ‘White Surprise’ is a clandonensis hybrid with green petals edged in white.  ‘Snow Fairy’, a variety of the Himalayan species Caryopteris divericata, also sports white-edged leaves.

But what about the vogue for pink in fashion and flowers?  Blue mist shrubs are also available with pink “mist” (though they retain the “blue mist” name).  ‘Beyond Pink’d’ is a variety of Caryopteris incana, one of the parents of the clandonensis hybrids.  It boasts the same aromatic foliage and flower panicles as its blue-flowered relatives, but the bloom clusters are medium pink.  Its pollinator-attracting capabilities are the same as those of other caryopteris.

With its moderate size and colorful late summer flowers, blue mist shrub makes a good addition to beds, borders or even container gardens, provided the containers are large enough.  It also has the potential to make an excellent deciduous hedge, or shine as a single specimen.  The clandonensis hybrids are generally hardy in USDA plant hardness zones five through nine; ‘Beyond Pink’d’ and other incanas are a little less cold tolerant.  They and even some of the caryopteris hybrids may die back to the ground during cold winters, but will sprout up in the spring with no ill effects.

What conditions make for a happy caryoperis?  Sunlight is important, and the shrubs need about the same light exposure as roses or tomatoes—at least six hours per day.  Like humans, blue mist shrubs dislike wet feet, so amend heavy soil with a product like Fafard Premium Natural and Organic Compost.  Mulch the shrubs in doughnut fashion, with the mulch surrounding, but not touching the base of the plants.  Water regularly while the new shrub establishes its roots.

If you crave caryopteris when you see a neighbor’s shrub flowering, take heart.  The plants can be purchased and planted in early fall.  If your pocketbook is subject to other demands right now, rest assured that “blue mist” can still blow your way next spring.

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.

Late Summering Flowering Trees By Elisabeth Ginsburg

In spring the whole world seems to bloom, with a wide array of flowering trees and shrubs joining the parade of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths.  The pace of mid to late summer is slower, which gives gardeners and flower lovers more time to appreciate the changing show.

If you are thinking about including a summer-flowering tree in your landscape, the choices are varied, from the cascading fringe of sourwood, to the camellia-like blossoms of the native Franklinia tree.  While not so numerous as the spring-flowering trees, summer bloomers come in all sizes and configurations.   If you happen to have an arboretum, you can have them all.  For the rest of us, the hardest part is choosing only one.

The Sweetness of Sourwood

Known for its (allegedly) bitter leaves and decidedly sweet fragrance, sourwood (Oxydendrum arboretum) is a deciduous native of the southeastern United States.   Related to members of the heath and heather or Ericaceae plant family, the species is also known as “Sorrel tree”, or, more sweetly, “lily-of-the-valley tree”.  In cultivation sourwoods grow to about 25 to 30 feet tall and about 20 feet wide, with shining, oval-shaped leaves that are green in summer and brilliant red or red-purple in the fall.  In very late June or July, sourwood trees are completely clothed in drooping flower panicles made up of tiny, individual chalice or urn-shaped blooms that last up to a month, spilling out over the leaves and giving the trees a singular appearance.

Well-drained soil and full sun to light shade make for happy sourwoods, and the trees are hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9.  Lovers of variegated leaves may be interested in Oxydendrum arboretum ‘Albomarginatum’, which boasts white leaf edges.

Franklin’s Tree

Perhaps fittingly for something discovered during America’s colonial period, the Franklinia tree (Franklinia alatamaha) is a member of the tea family.  Other notable members include camellias, so it is no coincidence that the beautiful Franklinia flowers, which appear in late July, August and sometimes into September, are camellia-like.

Franklinias, hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8, are especially appropriate for smaller gardens, growing between 10 and 20 feet tall and up to 15 feet wide, with spreading branches.  The glossy leaves are narrowly tapered ovals with soft undersides.  In the fall those leaves turn red to purple.

The tree’s greatest glory, however, may be the fragrant flowers, which are white, with five petals apiece surrounding a sumptuous boss of golden stamens.

Franklinias like well-drained soil on the acidic side of the ph scale.  To get the best from the plant add organic material, like Fafard Garden Manure Blend to the soil when filling the planting hole.

Discovered in the wilds of Georgia in 1770, Franklinia disappeared from its habitat sometime afterwards.  Thanks to colonial plantsman John Bartram, who collected the seeds and named the newly discovered species after his friend, Benjamin Franklin, last summer flower lovers can enjoy Franklinia today.

Great Crape

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.) is a small tree that generally tops out at 15 to 25 feet.  The many available varieties shine with brilliant summer flower panicles or branching clusters composed of scores of individual six-petaled blooms in shades including white, a range of pinks and roses, dark red and lavender.  Crape myrtle flowers are spellbinding when they bloom, but the plants pull their weight in all four seasons. The leaves, which are oblong and appear in groups of three, tend to be smooth and glossy green, coloring up in the fall in shades of red, orange and yellow. Most varieties also have smooth grayish bark that exfoliates or peels off to reveal underbark that may be brown, gray or even pinkish.  The effect is like elegant camouflage, and it makes crape myrtles stand out during the cold months when leaves and flowers are a thing of the past.

The most common crape myrtles in commerce are varieties or hybrids of Lagerstroemia indica, which is native to parts of Asia, and the list of colors and sizes is long.

Crape myrtles like the same conditions as roses—full sun for at least six hours per day.  If your chosen site receives a little less light, the tree or shrub may still thrive but will likely produce fewer flowers.  Plant in well-drained soil enriched with organic material and mulch thoroughly.

If crape myrtle can be said to have a downside, it may be zone hardiness.  Older varieties are probably only hardy from USDA Zone 6 or 7 through Zone 9.  Newer cultivars have been bred for greater cold tolerance, but it pays to check plant tags before purchasing.

Perfect Pagodas

A tall, upright, deciduous tree with spectacular late summer flowers, the Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica) is not native to Japan, but hails from China.  Reaching 50 to 75 feet tall, with a nearly equal spread, it is majestic, perfect as a specimen or even street tree.  Pagoda trees sport medium green leaves that are pinnate, with each five to ten inch “leaf” composed of a number of short leaflets that sprout from a single stem.  In July or August, those leaves are complemented by elongated clusters of pea-like white flowers that are lightly fragrant and attract pollinators.  After the petals drop, the yellow-green seed pods appear, hanging from the trees like strings of beads.  Eventually those pods turn brown and split.

Japanese pagoda trees prefer full sun to part shade, and well-drained loamy soil.  Once established they are tolerant to environmental stressors, including air pollution.  The most popular variety is ‘Regent’, which grows more quickly than the species. Pagoda trees are hardy in USDA Zones 6 through 9.

And For Colder Climates…

If you live in USDA Zones 3 or 4, where winters are colder, you can still grow trees with late summer flowers. Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), can be grown either as a shrub, or, as is often the case, trained (either by a nursery or by the gardener) to grow as a small tree.  In tree form, it can grow up to 15 feet tall with a wide crown.  From July through September the hydrangea will bloom, producing fat, conical flower panicles composed of scores of individual white blossoms that eventually age to pink and then ten.  Hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 8, panicle hydrangeas are also tolerant of air pollution, but dislike drought.  Plant in full sun and provide supplemental water during hot, dry weather.

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.

Great Groundcovers by Elisabeth Ginsburg

Perennial groundcovers are the workhorses of the garden—insulating the soil, smothering weeds and beautifying the landscape all at once.  Given a little care and water while they get established, most groundcovers with grow happily with minimal attention from the gardener.  All provide a green carpet and some color up in the fall. Many have the added attraction of seasonal flowers.

A great groundcover forms a thick mat and spreads horizontally. As with any plant, finding a successful groundcover is a matter of “right plant, right place.”  Adding a quality soil amendment, like Fafard® Premium Natural and Organic Compost Blend, at planting time will encourage any low-growing “green mulch” specimen to thrive where it is planted.

The world of ground covers is large, with an array of choices for every site, even if your landscape contains that bane of the gardener’s existence—dry shade.  The following are a few of the best.

Gracious Geraniums

At about 12 inches tall when flowering, big-root geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum) is a stellar groundcover with deeply dissected medium green leaves that smell of apples.  In spring, just after the daffodils and tulips have finished their show, the leaves, are ornamented by five-petaled pink flowers.  When the petals drop, decorative pinkish seedheads appear, with a shape that brings to mind to the plant’s common name, “cranesbill”.

Flourishing in sun or light shade, big-root geraniums spread freely, but are not invasive. In the fall, the foliage turns a festive shade of red.

Geranium x cantabrigiense is a naturally occurring hybrid of big-root geranium and another species, Geranium dalmaticum, with a ground-covering habit.  The leaves are dissected, but are smaller, more rounded and daintier than those of its relative.  Shell-pink flowers accent the popular ‘Biokovo’ variety, appearing in the spring, with leaves that may redden in the fall.

Scents of Thyme

Prostrate or creeping thyme (Thymus) plants make agreeable, often fragrant groundcovers in sunny spots, and are semi-evergreen in cold winter climates. In addition to tiny green or gray-green leaves, many varieties boast small, colorful flowers.  Groundcover thymes are not generally used in cooking, unlike the closely related culinary thyme (Thymus vulgaris).  Some gardeners use prostrate thyme plants in beds and borders, while others position them between stepping stones or on lightly traveled paths.  Flowers may be white, pink or purple-pink, depending on species and variety, with most appearing in early summer.  Among the most popular species are Thymus serpyllum or wild thyme; Thymus praecox; Thymus pseudolanguinosus, commonly known as “woolly thyme”, with softly hairy foliage; and Thymus herba-barona, or “caraway thyme”, which bears caraway-scented leaves that can be used in cooking.

All thymes like well drained soil and, once established, are drought-tolerant.

Hosta Minis

Hostas of all sizes and descriptions are loved for their shade tolerance, beauty, tenacity and ease of care.  Small hostas also make great low groundcovers.  At four to eight inches tall (with taller flower spikes), minis are available in a variety of colors and forms.  The classic ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ features rounded, blue-green leaves, while its sport (spontaneous genetic mutation), ‘Mighty Mouse’ has the same foliage edged in cream.  Light up dark places with ‘Munchkin Fire’, with pointed golden green leaves. Little ‘Lemon Zinger’ also bears pointed leaves with wavy edges and darker green leaf margins.

Happy hostas will multiply quickly into ground-covering clumps that can be easily divided in spring.  The minis are as tough as their larger relatives and do well under trees and in other difficult situations.  Provide consistent moisture during dry periods.

Sweets for the Shade

Another shade loving groundcover with great leaves is sweet woodruff (Gallium odoratum), sometimes called “sweet-scented bedstraw”.  Each dark green leaf is lance-shaped, but the leaves are grouped in rounded, seven-leaf whorls that swirl about eight inches above the soil.  In mid- spring, small clusters of four-petaled white flowers appear.  Both flowers and leaves are fragrant, and can be dried and used in potpourri or sachets. Sweet woodruff spreads handily—sometimes a bit too handily—in its preferred moist, shaded environment, but escapee plants can be hand pulled or mowed easily.  It will grow successfully under black walnut trees, a challenging location for many plants.

Bugleweed Trumpets

With its ground-hugging scallop-shaped leaves and bright blue spring flower spikes, ajuga (Ajuga reptans) attracts attention.  In the species form, the leaves are shiny and dark green, but plant hybridizers have been busy creating varieties with more colorful foliage.  ‘Black Scallop’, for example features darkest purple to black foliage, while ‘Burgundy Glow’ is variegated in cream, sometimes with rosy highlights.  ‘Bronze Beauty’s’ leaves are bronze-red.  All feature similar spikes of tiny blue flowers that attract spring pollinators.  For something familiar, but just a bit different, vendors offer ‘Pink Lightening’, with pink-purple flower spikes.

Ajuga is great for covering areas that have varying mixtures of sun and shade, and prefers consistently moist soil.

If you are covering a large area with any groundcover, start with small “plug” plants and space according to directions on the tags.  Mulch around the new arrivals and water regularly.  Eventually your little plants will spread to meet each other and take over the mulching duties on their own.

 

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.

Eye Zone Roses by Elisabeth Ginsburg

For garden lovers, the landscape is full of “eyes”–bi-colored flowers with petals that include a central “eye” or ring that contrasts with the main flower color. Members of the mallow family, like hollyhocks and rose-of-Sharon have them, but garden roses usually do not. Now plant breeders have changed all that and the eyes have it among rose fanciers.

The genes for the rose “eye zone” trait came from a plant known—depending on the sources– botanically as Rosa persica, Hulthemia persica or Hulthemia berberifolia.  Whatever you call it, the important thing to remember is that hulthemia, a plant native to eastern Iran and surrounding areas, is a thorny, scraggly shrub that sports bright yellow flowers with unusual red centers.  It blooms in summer and is well adapted to its native hot, dry climate.  It is clearly related to the genus Rosa, home of true roses, but lacks some rose characteristics.

photo by Proven Winners® Ringo All-Star™

Hulthemia might still be an obscure plant, if not for those “eyes”, which have entranced breeders for years, inspiring them to cross hulthemia with garden rose varieties to produced offspring with eyes.  Some of the first matchmaking attempts were made by Englishman Jack Harkness, who bred roses for his family’s firm from 1964 until his death in 1994. Obtaining hulthemia seeds, Harkness worked to breed reblooming rose varieties that had the characteristic hulthemia appearance. Harkness eventually  introduced four hulthemia/rose varieties: ‘Euphrates,’ ‘Tigris,’ ‘Nigel Hawthorne’ and ‘Xerxes.’  Unfortunately, none were reliable rebloomers and only ‘Tigris’ produced viable seed for future crosses. The matchmaking efforts continued, with further crosses made by Harkness and other breeders in England and America, including Ralph Moore, a Californian best known for his miniature roses.

Photo by Elisabeth Ginsburg

In a 2007 article, an American rose breeder named James A. Sproul of Bakersfield, California, wrote about the hulthemia breeding process.  According to Sproul, the genes that produce the characteristic “eyes” seem to be linked to genes for non-repeat blooming.  The majority of modern rose buyers look for roses that rebloom reliably, which made  hulthemia breeding an even greater challenge.

In his article, Sproul predicted that either the Harkness firm or one of several other breeders would create a hulthemia breakthrough and have a reblooming rose with eyes ready for introduction within five years.  Sproul then went ahead and did it himself, introducing his trademarked “Eyeconic” series, beginning with ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Pink Lemonade’ in 2011.

The Eyeconic series has since expanded to include delectable-sounding varieties like ‘Lychee Lemonade’, ‘Mango Lemonade’: ‘Plum Lemonade’, ‘Melon Lemonade’ and ‘Pomegranate Lemonade.’  In all cases, the fruit designation refers to the base petal color.  All feature darker central “eyes”.  The “Eyeconic” shrubs are medium size bushes, growing to around four feet tall, with semi-double flowers bearing eight to ten petals apiece.  All are repeat bloomers and all are striking plants.

Once breeders like Sproul figured out the reblooming equation, more “eye zone” roses came to market, including ‘Ringo’, a cream to yellow single rose with and orange-red eye.  Most are now characterized as “hybrid Hulthemia” roses, because of their mixed genetic heritage.

In 2019, American rose breeder Tom Carruth introduced ‘In Your Eyes’, a repeat-blooming hulthemia hybrid that can grow up to six feet tall.  It bears colorful flowers that open with cream or creamy yellow petals surrounding a red eye.  As the petals age, they take on a lavender cast and the eye darkens.  With multiple buds opening at different times on a single mature bush, the effect is  dramatic.

The hybrid hulthemias, with their heritage of heat tolerance, are useful in areas where summers can be torrid.  Like other roses, they flourish in spots that get at least six hours of sunshine each day, and appreciate the addition of a high –quality soil amendment like Fafard® Premium Natural and Organic Compost Blend at planting time. To curb the tendency to legginess, cut back by one third after each flush of bloom.

Going forward, we will certainly see more trademarked lines of “eye zone” roses.  Right now, most produce single or semi-double flowers to allow maximum exposure for the central eye. Rise Up ‘Ringo’ is a recent entry in the field with an array of fluffy yellow petals, red central eyes, and a climbing habit.  Still to come–similar roses with  more petals and/or more compact habits.  Fragrance is not a strong feature, so hybridizers are almost undoubtedly working to breed that trait back into future introductions.

Major plant producers like Proven Winners® have jumped on the eye zone bandwagon.  Various varieties should be widely available through local garden retailers.

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.

Flowering Quince by Elisabeth Ginsburg

Every year I glory in the first signs of spring—snowdrops, crocuses, early daffodils and grape hyacinths.  But the big show really takes off when the swollen buds on the old flowering quince start popping open, revealing joyful, pinky-white blossoms that cover the shrub in a foamy cascade.

The flowers are reminiscent of apple blossoms, which is no coincidence, since quinces and apples both belong to the larger Rosaceae or rose family.

Flowering quince—Chaenomeles japonica, Chaenomeles speciosa and hybrids—have been enchanting us for a long time.  The japonica species was introduced to the United States from Asia in 1784, and the speciosa quinces arrived in 1815.  They caught on quickly.  For some time flowering quince was known as Pyrus japonica, a nod to the pear tree, also loved for its flowers, and known to its botanist friends by the species name Pyrus.

photo by Elisabeth Ginsburg

Japanese quince has many virtues, including vivid red-orange spring flowers, attractive ovoid leaves, and a relatively low-growing habit (two to three feet tall, and three to six feet wide).  Densely branched, it also sports a highly effective system of defenses, in the form of inch-long spines.  Harvesting branches for indoor display is a time-honored spring tradition, but requires sturdy gloves and a bit of caution.

The spiny trait is shared by the glorious Chaenomeles speciosa, a flowering quince native to parts of China, Tibet and Myanmar.  It is larger than the speciosa type, growing six to ten feet tall and wide.  The flowers are more red than orange and also open in the spring.

Orange and orange-red flowered quinces are show-stopping, but varieties with less flamboyant flower colors are also available.  I love the old-fashioned hybrid, ‘Cameo’, with soft peach blooms and characteristic glossy green leaves on three to four-foot shrubs.  The flowers are especially beautiful with the spring sunlight shining through them.  If you are partial to white blooms, try ‘Jet Trail’, a somewhat smaller variety (three to four-foot height and spread) with single white petals surrounding golden stamens.

photo by Elisabeth Ginsburg

So what should you do if you covet the beauties of flowering quince but hesitate at the threat of thorns?  Hybridizers have thought of that, crossing and back-crossing speciosa and japonica varieties to produce thornless cultivars like the trademarked Double Take series, speciosas hybridized by Dr. Thomas Ranney at North Carolina State University Extension Center.  The color range includes  ‘Double Take Scarlet’, ‘Double Take Orange’, ‘Double Take Peach’ and ‘Double Take Eternal White’.

Confusion can ensue when gardeners compare traditional flowering quinces against those of common quince (Cydonia oblonga) native to parts of Eurasia, which bears white or pink flowers. Common quince is grown primarily for its edible pear-like fruit, while the flowering species and hybrids, which may also bear somewhat smaller quantities of fruit, are grown almost exclusively for their ornamental value.  Ripe quince fruits from either type of shrub exude an intoxicating fragrance, but cannot be eaten out of hand.  Hard and sour when harvested, quince can be cooked down with a bit of sugar to make a lovely sauce or thickened further into membrillo (also known as quince paste or quince cheese) that is tasty when paired with cheese.

If you don’t want to worry about rock-hard quinces falling from your shrubs, opt for the Double Take varieties, which are both spineless and fruit-free.

Flowering quinces  have long been prized as landscape shrubs. Twentieth century gardener and garden writer, Vita Sackville-West, co-creator of the great gardens at Sissinghurst in Kent, England, mentioned them many times in her garden columns for the Observer newspaper.  She recommended using quince bushes en masse for flowering hedges.  Needless to say, those hedges would be especially effective for use on property boundaries.

The shrubs can also be grown as specimen plants or incorporated into a mixed annual, perennial and shrub border.  They appreciate the same conditions as other members of the rose family—full sun and rich, loamy soil, but can also adapt to light shade.  Like many beautiful things, they tend to grow in an undisciplined manner.  Prune after flowering to shape the plant and watch for root suckers.  These are easy to remove, but if left unchecked will begin the process of turning your single quince into a quince thicket.

photo by Elisabeth Ginsburg

Glorious spring beauty is the best reason to invest in flowering quince.  Don’t be intimidated by the spines.  For centuries gardeners have grown all kinds of spiny things, including raspberries, barberries, cacti and holly, and managed, using a combination of gloves and caution, to enjoy them without drawing blood.

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.

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.

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.