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Cool Summer Blues by Russell Stafford

Midsummer is a hot time in the perennial garden. This is true not only of the weather, but also of the flowers that hold sway at this season. Rudbeckias (featured here last month), sunflowers, coreopsis, heleniums, goldenrods, bee balms, and numerous other large perennials with hot-colored flowers reach their peak from July into September, saturating the garden with their dazzling hues.

Blue-flowered perennials that bloom in summer make a refreshing, cooling contrast to these dominating fiery hues. Their relative rarity has led to near-overuse of several of them including English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), hybrid sage (Salvia x sylvestris), spiked speedwell (Veronica spp.), and Persian catmint (Nepeta racemosa). The ranks of blue-flowered perennials include quite a few other excellent choices, however.

 

Spark’s and Bicolor monkshoods (Aconitum ‘Spark’s Variety’; Aconitum ‘Bicolor’)

Literally a midsummer standout in full to part sun and rich moist coolish soil, ‘Spark’s Variety’ sends up stately branching clusters of deep violet-blue, helmet-shaped flowers in July and August. The 4- to 5-foot stems sometimes need staking. The variety ‘Bicolor’ owes its name to its two-tone violet-blue and white flowers, borne on 40-inch stems at about the same time as those of ‘Spark’s Variety’.  As with all monkshoods, they do best in areas with relatively moderate summers in USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9, and suffer in hot humid conditions. Handle monkshood roots and other parts with caution: they contain potent toxins that make them a potential risk, especially in proximity to children, pets, or edible plants.

African lily (Agapanthus spp.)

Some cultivars of these southern African natives are remarkably hardy, wintering in USDA Zone 6 (or even 5) under a thick coarse mulch (such as oak leaves). Among the hardiest are the selections ‘Galaxy Blue’ and ‘Blue Yonder’, which bear rounded clusters of blue trumpet-shaped flowers from early- to mid-summer on upright 3-foot stems. Other hardy cultivars include white-flowered ‘Galaxy White’, as well as a group of blue- and white-flowered variants that go under the collective name ‘Headbourne Hybrids’. The clumps of strap-shaped basal leaves are also ornamental. Hardy species have deciduous foliage, whereas most cold-tender Agapanthus are evergreen, qualifying them as four-season houseplants (or garden subjects, where suitable). Deciduous varieties can be dug and stored bare-root over winter.

Anise hyssop (Agastache spp.)

The eastern U.S. native Agastache foeniculum provides a summer-long display of lavender-blue spikes atop 3- to 4-foot stems. Pollinators of all sorts swarm the flowers.

Its anise-scented and-flavored leaves contribute to the edible garden as well, making a spicy addition to salads and stir-fries. An enthusiastic self-sower, anise hyssop will happily seed itself about the garden, if allowed. Hybrids between anise hyssop and its East Asian relative Agastache rugosa tend to be sterile (no seedlings) and relatively compact; these include ‘Blue Fortune’, ‘Black Adder’, and ‘Blue Boa’. They’re also a bit less hardy than Agastache foeniculum, to USDA Zone 5 rather than 3. All agastaches do best in sunny, well-drained garden niches.

Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)

Hazy swarms of small pale blue or white flowers hover above low mounded clumps from early summer until frost. The headily mint-scented leaves of this sun-loving perennial flavor many traditional dishes in Italy, where the plant is known as nepitella or mentuccia. Calamint also makes for an excellent mojito. It’s ideal for massing in perennial plantings, or for dressing up vegetable and herb gardens. Plants are hardy from zones 4 to 10.

Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumaginoides)

Few ground covers are as colorful as plumbago. Scatterings of deep sky-blue, rounded flowers spangle its spreading, foot-tall stems beginning in summer. Bloom continues into fall, as the foliage turns showy wine-red hues. Happiest in sunny, well-drained sites in hardiness zones 5 to 10, plumbago also accepts a modicum of shade. Shear plants back in late fall or early spring.

Tube-flowered clematis (Clematis heracleifolia)

A total departure from the large-flowered, vining hybrids by which many gardeners know clematis, this large shrubby perennial produces clusters of fragrant, tubular blue blooms in mid- to late summer.  The 3- to 4-foot stems sprawl rather than climb, typically requiring staking. Selections and hybrids of the subspecies davidiana (including the cultivar ‘Wyevale’) are distinguished by their showy, wide-flaring flowers that appear a bit earlier in the season than those of the straight species. Sun to partial shade, good well-drained soil, and relatively mild zone 3 to 9 summers suit all forms of the species best. Plants will be especially happy if you give them a spring mulching of Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost.

Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Also oxymoronically known as blue cardinal flower, this central and eastern North American native is a close cousin and compatriot of the incandescently red-flowered Lobelia cardinalis. It’s a more adaptable and long-lived garden plant than its scarlet relative, however. Give it a moist to dryish, sunny to partly shaded location and just about any type of soil and it will bring forth its 3-foot candelabra spires of mid-blue flowers in July and August. When not in bloom, it retreats to a low rosette of gently toothed, tongue-shaped leaves. After a year or two, you’re likely to have several more such rosettes and spires, thanks to self-sowing.

Russian sage (Perovskia spp.)

The aromatic grayish-green foliage and slender spires of violet-blue flowers of this shrubby perennial give it something of the feel of an oversized lavender. The individual leaves are broader and more toothed than those of lavender, however, and the flowers come somewhat later in the season, from July to October. Perovskia atriplicifolia – the prototypical Russian sage – ascends (to more than 4 feet tall, but numerous more compact hybrids and varieties are available. These include ‘Blue Spritzer’, which flowers prolifically on 30-inch stems with oval, untoothed leaves; ‘Little Lace’, with relatively deep-hued blooms and finely divided leaves on 32-inch plants; and ‘Denim ’n Lace’, an especially showy 32-inch-tall selection that features deeply toothed leaves and 24-inch spikes of relatively dark-hued purple flowers. Russian sage thrives in sun and lean soil. Plants should be cut back to a few inches from the ground in spring, before leaf-break.

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Inflated flower buds that do indeed resemble miniature balloons open to cupped 5-pointed flowers in early summer. Typically purple-blue, they also come in white, pink, or a variegated mix of these colors. The buds of a few varieties such as ‘Komachi’ do not open, remaining as balloons. Flowering occurs atop clustered upright 30-inch stalks that arise from tuber-like roots relatively late in spring. Dwarf varieties such as 10-inch-tall ‘Apoyama’ are also available. Balloon flowers make good subjects for well-drained, sunny to partly shaded niches in zones 3 to 10.

Downy skullcap (Scutellaria incana)

This native of dry woodlands and other challenging habitats in the central and eastern U.S. is undoubtedly one of the best and most overlooked blue-flowered perennials for sunny to partly shaded sites in those regions and beyond (zones 3 to 9). Branching clusters of tubular, two-lipped, mid-blue flowers ornament the garden for many weeks starting in early summer, attracting bumblebees and hummingbirds. They occur on erect, 3-foot-tall plants, with self-sowing often occurring.

 

 

 

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.

Rudbeckias

Rudbeckias are as American as the Fourth of July. All 20-something species of this sunny-flowered genus call North America home, with most occurring in at least part of the U.S. A familiar sight in meadows, prairies, and gardens, they are commonly known as black-eyed susans or coneflowers – names that allude to the dark-hued central disk that typifies their blossoms. The petals that radiate from this “cone” are usually a bracing bright yellow. The flowers typically continue for many weeks beginning in June or July, starring in the summer (and fall) border. If you want perennials and annuals with a cheerful disposition and prolific summer-long flowers, rudbeckias top the list. For even more prolific bloom, give them a spring topdressing of Fafard® Garden Manure Blend.

They are also easy keepers. Most Rudbeckia (including the following) accept a wide range of soil types, tolerate drought, and resist pests and diseases, with rabbits and deer often sparing their raspy foliage. Their only universal need is abundant sunlight. They do and look well combined with other sun-loving meadow and prairie perennials such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and blazing stars (Liatris spp.).

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

This eastern North American native lifts archetypal gold-petalled, black-coned flowers on 2- to 3-foot stems from late spring until frost, above rosettes of furry tongue-shaped leaves. Numerous garden forms are available, including so-called Gloriosa Daisy types, with especially large blooms that are often heavily stained with maroon. Named cultivars include ‘Cherokee Sunset’, whose huge double blooms carry various shades of burgundy and orange; ‘Prairie Sun’, with yellow, amber-haloed, green-coned blossoms; and ‘Indian Summer’, an enormous golden-yellow form. Compact forms such as ‘Toto’ and ‘Rustic Dwarfs’ fit nicely where space is more limited (including containers). All forms tend to be short-lived, in most cases behaving as biennials or annuals.

Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)

Also short-lived, this relatively little-known biennial or perennial from central and eastern North America makes a highly rewarding and colorful garden subject in USDA zones 3 to 9. Borne from summer through fall in many-flowered clusters, the blooms resemble miniature black-eyed susans. Some forms such as ‘Prairie Glow’ have red-marked flowers reminiscent of Gloriosa Daisy forms of Rudbeckia hirta. Both of these short-lived species possess exceptional drought tolerance and self-sow freely if allowed.

Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Most familiar in the form of cultivar ‘Goldsturm’, orange coneflower spreads by underground rhizomes and by seed to eventually occupy large swaths of garden. Many ‘Goldsturm’ in cultivation are actually imposters, with rangier stems and smaller flowers than the 2-foot-tall original. Whatever the variety, orange coneflowers produce gold-petalled, brown-coned blooms from July until frost, attracting loads of pollinators along the way. Dwarf selections such as foot-tall ‘City Garden’ and 15-inch ‘Little Goldstar’ work well in tighter spaces. All forms of this eastern North American native thrive in moist well-drained soil, but also do fine in drier sites. Winter hardiness is from USDA zones 3-9. Sweet coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) gives the effect of a somewhat taller, lankier, non-running Rudbeckia fulgida, with pure yellow rather than orange-yellow petals. The petals are furled into funnels in the cultivar ‘Henry Eilers’, lending it a novel look. Missouri coneflower (Rudbeckia missouriensis) also bears a summer-through-fall bounty of yellow, dark-coned blooms on clumping rather than spreading plants. The densely hairy, relatively slender-leaved, highly drought-tolerant plants top out at around 30 inches and do best in zones 4 to 9.

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Here is the rudbeckia to grow if you want to make an architectural statement. Large eye-catching expanses of bold deeply cleft leaves bring forth towering stems crowned with yellow-petalled, green-coned blooms. The young leaves make good eating in stir-fries and other dishes. Flowering occurs from late summer into fall. Plants can spread vigorously underground, so either give them plenty of room or choose a less rambunctious selection or hybrid such as ‘Herbstsonne’. The double-flowered cultivar ‘Goldquelle’ is also relatively well behaved, especially compared to ‘Hortensia’, a rampant double-flowered selection that often goes under the name ‘Golden Glow’. This adaptable species from eastern and central North America does well in USDA zones 3 to 9. Also quite architectural is the south-central U.S. native commonly known as great coneflower, (Rudbeckia maxima). Drawing considerable attention in spring with its immense gray-green cabbage-like basal leaves, it produces flowers with prominent thimble-shaped cones on near-naked 5-foot-plus stems in summer and fall. Happiest in relatively moist, humus-rich soil, it sometimes fails for no discernible reason, even well within its zone 5 to 9 hardiness range.

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.

Pest-Resistant Natives by Russell Stafford

 

American gardeners who want to incorporate more native perennials into their plantings often come into conflict with two other native species: white-tailed deer and Eastern cottontail. Unlike many native plants, these vegetation-munching critters find suburban neighborhoods and other domesticated landscapes to be ideal “natural” habitats. This especially goes for one of their favorite suburban microhabitats – perennial plantings. What tastier delicacy than a lush phlox or coreopsis or other perennial favorite?

 

Rabbits and deer find some perennials to be anything but toothsome, however. Here are some to consider for your nibbler-infested garden. Most will remain largely unscathed even in areas with swarms of pests. The goldenrods are one exception, as they may be on the menu where herbivore pressure is intense.

 

Bee balm (Monarda spp.)

Deer and rabbits tend to steer clear of plants with strongly aromatic foliage. Consequently, many of the most pest-resistant perennials belong to the mint family – including everything in the genus Monarda. Best known to gardeners in the form of large 3-foot-plus hybrids such as brilliant red-flowered ‘Jacob Cline’ and purple-red ‘Raspberry Wine’, bee balms come in many other colors and sizes. One of the best is the Midwest native Bradbury’s bee balm (Monarda bradburiana). Its lilac-pink flowers open a month before the hybrids bloom, on 15-inch plants that clump rather than romp. The mildew-resistant foliage flushes deep bronze-purple in early spring. Similar in flower color but blooming a month later on 4-foot stems, wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) ranges over a wide area of eastern and central North America. It also spreads widely in any good garden soil. All of the above would appreciate a hit of Fafard Organic Compost, especially if your soil has lots of sand or clay. In contrast, horsemint (Monarda punctata) prefers garden conditions more akin to the dry, sandy habitats where it occurs naturally. It’s fascinating pink-collared whorls of yellow flowers attract numerous beneficial pollinators in summer, while its oregano-scented foliage repels herbivores. This spreading, 30-inch-tall, short-lived perennial is native to much of North America, from coast to coast.

Mountain mints (Pycnanthemum spp.) and anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

We profiled these fragrant-leaved mint family members in May in an article on edible natives. Edible for humans, that is; for deer and rabbits, they’re just the opposite. One Agastache we didn’t profile last month – yellow giant hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) – is equally pest-resistant and pollinator-friendly. An architectural 4- to 6-foot perennial from eastern and central North America, it triggers a pollinator feeding frenzy with its summer spikes of small yellow flowers. They evolve to elongated dark-gray seedheads, which make an ornamental statement in fall and winter. Most Agastache are enthusiastic self-sowers, so be on the lookout for volunteer seedlings. Mountain mints also spread widely, by underground rhizomes and sometimes by seed.

Beardtongues (Penstemon spp.)

Beloved by hummingbirds and bumblebees, Penstemon are native exclusively to North America, in a wide range of regions and habitats. Deer and rabbits avoid all 250-plus members of the genus. Most Central and Eastern U.S. beardtongues (such as P. digitalis and P. smallii) produce spires of white or pink/purplish flowers on 2- to 4-foot stems in late spring or early summer. Western species flower in a much wider range of colors, including blue, red, and the occasional yellow. Unfortunately, Westerners are also typically mountain-dwellers that loathe heat and dampness. Exceptions such as violet-blue-flowered Penstemon strictus do just fine in the Eastern lowlands provided the soil isn’t too heavy or damp.

 

Bluestars (Amsonia spp.)

The handsome lance-shaped foliage of these stalwart perennials is seemingly immune from diseases and pests. Native mostly to the southeastern and central U.S., bluestars owe their common name to their clusters of narrow-petaled flowers that open in late spring or early summer. Until recently, Eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) – including its narrow-leaved and compact forms (salicifolia and montana) – was the most commonly grown species. That honor now surely belongs to threadleaf bluestar (A. hubrichtii), prized for its fine-textured, narrow foliage borne on dense 42-inch plants. Also worth growing, are other U.S. native amsonias including shining bluestar (A. illustris) and stiff bluestar (A. rigida). All of them turn eye-catching yellow shades in fall.

Goldenrods (Solidago spp. etc.)

Often dismissed wholesale as rampant weeds, goldenrods offer numerous well-behaved species in a diversity of shapes and sizes. They are also pest-resistant – although you can expect some damage in heavily browsed areas. Perhaps the most pest resistant of the tribe is sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora), whose anise-like fragrance and flavor is off-putting to bunnies and deer. Other noteworthy species include stiff goldenrod (S. rigida), which flaunts large, handsome, gray-green basal leaves and domed heads of yellow flowers; and showy goldenrod (S. speciosa), with arrestingly large panicles of golden yellow on statuesque stems. There is even a white-flowered species, silverrod (S. speciosa), also notable for the graceful form of its narrow upright inflorescences on 2-foot stems. These and other goldenrods are essential late-summer bloomers, attracting swarms of bumblebees and other pollinators. And no – they do not cause hay fever.

Bugbane (Actaea spp.)

Formerly known botanically as Cimicifuga, these pollinator favorites make excellent architectural subjects for partial shade. Northeast and Central U.S. native black bugbane (Actaea racemosa) forms large lacy clumps of divided leaves, topped by statuesque spires of frothy white flowers in midsummer. Appalachian bugbane (A. rubifolia) is bolder in texture, later in flower, and somewhat more compact in habit than black bugbane. Its dense white candelabras appear in late summer atop shrubby clumps of large maple-like leaves. Both species do best in good moderately moist soil, but Appalachian bugbane also thrives in somewhat drier sites.

Fernleaf bleeding heart (Dicentra spp.)

One of the few shade-loving perennials with season-long bloom, Dicentra eximia produces flushes of pink flowers from mid-spring through fall. Native to rocky woodland habitats in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, it’s nearly identical with the Western U.S. native Dicentra formosa. Their charming blooms cluster above low clumps of ferny, often silver-tinged leaves, which are quite attractive in their own right. Hybrids between these species (including ‘Zestful and ‘Luxuriant’) also make outstanding and pest-resistant garden subjects.

 

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.

Tasty Native Perennials by Russell Stafford

 

You can have your native perennials AND eat them too. As exhibit A, we present the following toothsome perennial species from eastern and central North America. Adding zest both to ornamental plantings and to recipes, they’re a must for cutting-edge kitchen gardens – and kitchens.

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Favorites of bees and hummingbirds, the lavender-blue, late-spring-to-fall flowers of this 3-foot Midwest and Plains native have a sweet anise-like flavor that also appeals to humans. So, too, do the leaves, which are good for mixing with the flowers as a salad garnish. You can use them in cooked dishes as well, where they work nicely as a counterpoint to acidic fruits and vegetables. Drought-tolerant and sun-loving, anise hyssop will tolerate some shade, flowering less prolifically there. Self-sowing is common, so be on the lookout for volunteers! It’s hardy from USDA Zones 3 to 8.

Sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora)

The tasseled yellow late-summer blooms and anise-like fragrance and flavor of sweet goldenrod make it a natural companion to anise hyssop, both in borders and in dishes. Sprinkle a mélange of their flowers on salads for a bracing hit of flavor and color, or add the leaves to tea. At around 20 inches tall, this clumping goldenrod plays nicely in sunny wildflower plantings and cottage gardens, functioning well as a foreground plant. It does well in medium to dry soil in zones 3 to 9 – a wide hardiness range that reflects its Southeast Canada to Texas native range.

Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis)

The scent and flavor of anise make yet another guest appearance in this widespread North American woodlander (native from the East Coast to the Rockies). From its fleshy roots to its ferny leaves to its lacey white late-spring flowers to the seeds that follow, it is excellent for flavoring salads and cooked dishes and for brewing into teas. Aniseroot looks well in naturalistic shaded borders and cottage gardens in zones 2 to 9. It likes humus-rich soil, so an application of Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost is helpful in sandy or clay-heavy sites. Its close cousin Osmorhiza claytonii is hairier, fewer-flowered, and much less aromatic.

Mountan mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

Members of the mint family, pycnanthemums all possess the scent, flavor, and romping habit characteristic of their tribe. As ornamental plants, they’re perfect for naturalistic borders, where their colonizing habit and white to purplish summer blooms provide an effective foil to showy-flowered summer perennials such as coneflowers (Rudbeckia) and blazing stars (Liatris). Ornamentally, mountain mints come in two different general types. Species such as hoary mountain mint (P. incanum) and silver mountain mint (P. muticum) have oval leaves with petal-like silver-gray bracts that surround the small clusters of pink or white flowers. Other species (including Virginia mountain mint, P. virginianum) bear narrow, almost needle-like leaves and somewhat larger flower clusters, with no flower bracts. All pycnanthemums can be used in the kitchen to add minty highlights to salads, cooked dishes, teas, and jellies. Broader-leaved species tend to be mintier in flavor than the needle-leaved types.

Ramps (Allium tricoccum)

The pungent garlicky leaves of this woodland onion have been a staple of “ramps festivals” and other springtime culinary traditions throughout its native range of eastern and central North America. Unfortunately, this has resulted in over-collection from the wild in many areas, resulting in reduced populations. With a bit of patience, you can grow it for eventual harvest in whatever shady, humus-rich habitats your yard has to offer (you will need several years to achieve a substantial clump). Fortunately, a little ramps goes a long way. Harvest a leaf (or two) with its underlying bulb in spring before the foliage goes dormant, and you will have enough to flavor a good-sized omelet. Then leave your clump alone for another year. Clusters of whitish flowers appear in early summer after the leaves disappear – an echo of spring’s bounty.

Sochan (Rudbeckia lacniata)

Highly ornamental when they form bold jagged clumps in summer and fall, the leaves and shoots of this eastern and central North American native make for a tasty treat while young and tender in spring. Use them in stir-fries, where they will contribute a distinct flavor somewhat reminiscent of celery. Older leaves and stems require more careful handling. As an ornamental, Rudbeckia laciniata peaks in late summer, displaying yellow green-centered coneflowers atop lofty stems. Plants succeed in moist to average soil over a wide hardiness range (2 to 9).

Scots lovage (Ligusticum scoticum)

Another outstanding ornamental perennial with celery-like flavor, Scot’s lovage occurs on beaches and other coastal habitats throughout much of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The lush compound leaves even have something of a celery look, although on a much handsomer plane. Flat lacy white umbels appear on 18-inch stems in late spring and summer, confirming this perennial’s membership is in the parsley family. As with the leaves, the flowers are edible (as are the seeds that follow). The flavor can be strong, so use Scot’s lovage sparingly at first. It does well in average as well as sandy soil, in sunny to lightly shaded garden habitats from zones 3 to 7.

Additionally, ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), with its eminently friable fiddleheads; sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus), with its tasty tubers; and quite a few other native perennials also are excellent both for display and for eating.  All of the above are things to keep in mind when you’re planning your ornamental and kitchen plantings.

 

 

 

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.

Beyond Forsythia by Russell Stafford

Forsythias are not the only shrubs that bloom bright yellow early in the year, despite being the only ones you’re likely see in your neighborhood or at your local garden center. Indeed, they are far from the earliest – or the best—such shrubs. Several other hardy shrub species not only produce sunny yellow flowers weeks or months before forsythias blossom, but also offer ornamental interest post-bloom (rather than reverting to an anonymous tangle of suckering stems, as forsythias do). Yet, because they flower before the gardening season is in full swing and are harder to propagate than forsythias, these superior alternatives are far less known in nurseries and gardens.

 

If you’ve ever puzzled over a “forsythia” that’s in full bloom in midwinter, chances are it’s actually a hybrid of Chinese witch-hazel (Hamamelis × intermedia). The earliest varieties open their ribbony blooms during mild weather in February or even January in zones 6 and warmer. These large, often V-shaped shrubs usually flower in yellow, but some varieties delve into redder parts of the spectrum. Numerous hybrid witch-hazel cultivars are available from a handful of gourmet mail-order nurseries, and all are worth trying. You’ll do just fine though with the relatively common ‘Arnold Promise’, which produces abundant golden-yellow flowers rather late in the witch-hazel season (February to March). One of the best of the non-yellow cultivars is the paprika-red ‘Diane’, which glows especially warmly when backlit by the winter sun. All witch-hazel flowers possess a delightful citrusy perfume, which carries on whatever mild breezes might be wafting. Their broad, bluntly toothed leaves go yellow or orange in fall.

Offering rather smaller flowers than the Asian hybrids is the U.S. native Hamamelis vernalis, commonly known as Ozark witch-hazel. The yellow to violet blooms open as early as December, on densely branched plants that top out at 8 feet or so, rather than the 10-feet-plus of most Asian witch-hazel varieties. Ozark witch-hazel thus makes a splendid choice for hedging (unlike an unruly Forsythia!). For smaller gardens there’s the cultivar ‘Quasimodo’, which matures at around 5 feet tall and wide.

 

Then there’s the most widespread U.S.-native witch-hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. A fall-bloomer, it’s outside the scope of this article, but well worth incorporating in your garden. Most witch-hazels are hardy to USDA Zone 5.

 

As their common name suggests, winter-hazels (Corylopsis) resemble witch-hazels in several respects, particularly in the shape of their handsome foliage. This is not surprising, given that they’re also members of the witch-hazel family. Most mature as large shrubs of 8 to 10 feet or more, which dangle chains of yellow flowers from their branches a couple weeks before forsythias bloom. Buttercup winter-hazel (Corylopsis pauciflora), however, grows more compactly, forming tightly thicketing clumps of 4- to 6-foot tall stems. They’re elegantly adorned in late winter with clusters of sulfur-yellow blooms, with the leaves turning similar pale yellow hues in fall. This first-rate shrub is one of the most desirable subjects for USDA Zone 5b to 8 gardens, as is its hybrid ‘Winterthur’. Give your winter-hazel a site sheltered from hot sun and northwest winds, with an occasional top-dressing of Fafard Organic Compost to keep it extra-happy. They’re hardy to milder sectors of Zone 5.

Another group of shrubs with very early blooms are the cornelian cherries, best known in gardens in the form of Cornus mas. Maturing at 12 or more feet tall, this Zone-5-hardy member of the dogwood tribe also can be grown as a multitrunked small tree. Clouds of small citron-yellow flowers open in late winter, well before the oval leaves emerge. Tart fruits that resemble cranberries ripen in late summer, making a valuable contribution to the edible garden. Cultivars such as ‘Pioneer’ produce even larger fruits than standard-issue Cornus mas. Fall foliage is often a good burgundy-red on most varieties.

Blooming slightly earlier on similarly sized (but slightly less cold-hardy) plants is Japanese cornel, Cornus officinalis. Its early bloom time and attractively exfoliating bark mark it as arguably a superior ornamental plant to Cornus mas, but it is far less common in horticulture. As with all of the above, it is well worth searching out if, you have a place for it.

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.

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.

Holiday Euphorbias

The often spiny, often tropical genus Euphorbia has given us two of our most familiar holiday houseplants.

Although it’s spineless, the ubiquitous holiday centerpiece commonly known as poinsettia is, in fact, a Euphorbia, botanically speaking. The name Poinsettia was retired many years ago, when taxonomists moved the entire genus to its present nomenclatural location. (As an interesting side note, several species in the former genus Poinsettia are native to rather chilly regions of North America, including parts of the United States.)

But the common name poinsettia lives on.  It commemorates one Joel Poinsett, a Carolinian aristocrat of the early eighteenth century. Myth has it that Poinsett introduced the species to the U.S. from its native Mexico while he was envoy there.

Under whatever name, Euphorbia pulcherrima received little horticulture notice for the first 100 years after its introduction to cultivation in the late 1820s. It was too scraggly and lanky (not to mention cold-tender) for most gardens, and as a cut flower it was too short-lived.

Its potential as a holiday plant was considerable, however. Euphorbia pulcherrima naturally blooms around the turn of the year, and the blossoms (which are actually leaf-like bracts surrounding a small cluster of yellow flowers) can be quite showy. All the species needed was a bit of tweaking to accentuate its showiness and reduce its ranginess.

Enter Paul Ecke, his son, Paul Ecke, Jr., and the rest of the Ecke tribe. At their ranch in Encinitas, California, they developed an exclusive technique for propagating compact Euphorbia pulcherrima plants that bear full heads of bloom and fit easily on a table. The family also had a knack for marketing. By the 1960s, they had successfully established poinsettias as THE Christmas flower, and had captured the bulk of the poinsettia trade, grown at their Encinitas ranch. Many varieties of poinsettia are still developed at Ecke Ranch, although the plants are grown for market elsewhere.

Poinsettia varieties now number in the hundreds, in hues of pink to red to white to yellow, sometimes in combination. Dwarf varieties are also available.

 

It’s easy to keep poinsettias going after they’ve reached your holiday table. Bright indirect light, warmth (55F minimum), and moderate humidity are all to their liking. Water only when the soil surface is dry and the pot is appreciably lighter due to drying.

Instead of discarding your poinsettias after the holidays, you can keep them growing until next winter, and beyond. Repot rootbound plants in spring, using a somewhat coarse potting soil such as Fafard® Professional Potting Mix. If desired, shear them to a few inches in spring and pinch their shoots in summer to promote relatively compact bushy growth. Plants can be moved to a brightly shaded position outside after the last-frost date.

Poinsettias require long nights to flower. Bring them inside and give them at least 14 hours of darkness per day starting in early fall. With luck, you’ll have a free display of blooms for holiday season 2022/23!

 

 

 

A second – and characteristically prickly – holiday icon from the genus Euphorbia is crown of thorns, Euphorbia milii. Inflorescences comprising paired red-orange lip-shaped bracts cluster toward the tips of this spiny, sparsely branching, 2- to 3-foot shrub. Plants that receive ample light flower almost continuously. Spoon-shaped leaves are spaced along the branches, with plants becoming bare toward their base with age.

Numerous selections and hybrids of Euphorbia milii with larger flower bracts in a wide range of colors are available from specialty growers. Arguably the splashiest of these are the so-called “Thai Giant” cultivars that originated in Southeast Asia horticultural circles late last century (including the self-descriptive ‘Pink Charm’ and ‘Red Hot’). These plants have quarter-sized flower bracts that resemble a large-flowered begonia rather than a typical crown of thorns. Among the other variations on the crown of thorns theme are dwarf and variegated cultivars. All prefer lots of light and infrequent watering (water only when the soil mix is dry).

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.