Russell Stafford – Page 6

Landscape Shrubs that Tolerate Salt

Salt can be a winter lifesaver for cars and pedestrians. It can also be murder on the garden, sometimes literally. Most de-icing salt contains sodium, which is toxic to many plant species. Even when used sparingly, it can find its way onto the leaves and roots of nearby plants, disfiguring or killing them.

One of the best ways to prevent salt damage to your garden is to use plant species that can handle some sodium. The five shrubs described below are a great place to start. They’re perfect for framing and sheltering gardens in salt-exposed sites, such as roadsides and seashores.

**Chokeberries (Aronia spp.)**

Red chokeberry (*Aronia arbutifolia*, image by Abrahami)

Brilliant foliage in fall, attractive clusters of white flowers in spring, and adaptability to a wide range of soil conditions are among the many merits of these handsome, disease-resistant shrubs from wetlands and uplands of central and eastern North America. Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) doubles down on the fall color by covering itself with bright red berry-like fruits that persist into winter. Happiest in moist soil, it slowly expands into suckering, 8- to 10-foot-tall clumps that are at their most luxuriant in full sun. Its abundantly fruiting cultivar ‘Brilliantissima’ is particularly showy.

Smaller in size and less flashy in fruit, black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) typically forms a thicketing, 3- to 5-foot shrub with glossy, rich, green leaves and edible black fruits. Varieties of this exceptionally drought-tolerant shrub include the compact growers, ‘Autumn Magic’ and ‘Iroquois Beauty’, as well as ‘Viking’, which is cultivated for its relatively large, tasty fruit that’s excellent for juices, preserves, and baked goods. The fruits of all chokeberries are favorites of birds. Aronia arbutifolia is hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 4; A. melanocarpa to Zone 3.

**Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)**

The suckering, upright, 3- to 8-foot-tall stems of this eastern North American native are lined with lustrous, serrated, dark green leaves and topped in midsummer with fuzzy steeples of white or pinkish, root-beer-scented flowers. The leaves turn bright yellow in fall, and the persistent, peppercorn-like fruits make a pleasant winter garden feature. Sweet pepperbush comes in numerous varieties, including low-growing ‘Hummingbird’, pink-flowered ‘Ruby Spice’, and late-summer-blooming ‘September Beauty’. All forms do best in moist soil and full to partial sun in USDA Zones 5 to 8.

**Inkberry (Ilex glabra)**

Female Inkberry (*Ilex glabra,* Image by David Stang)

Its leathery, salt-tolerant, evergreen leaves and rounded habit would recommend inkberry for eastern North American gardens, even if it weren’t native to much of the region. Most varieties become leggy 6- to 8-footers with age, so you might want to opt for a compact, densely leaved cultivar such as the 4-foot-tall ‘Shamrock’. Female inkberries produce small, black, relatively inconspicuous fruits in fall, although white-fruited ‘Ivory Queen’ is a notable exception. All cultivars are hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8.

Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica)

Female Bayberry (*Morella pensylvanica*, Image by Jessie Keith)

Recently redubbed Morella pensylvanica, bayberry will no doubt continue to be known to gardeners under its former botanical name, Myrica pensylvanica. A signature species of salt-sprayed coasts from the Maritimes to the Carolinas, it’s literally a natural for salt-tolerant plantings in the eastern U.S. (and an excellent choice for other locations in USDA Zones 3 to 7). All of its parts – from the leathery, deciduous or semi-evergreen leaves to the waxy berries (on female plants) – possess a silver-gray cast and a pleasingly pungent fragrance, made famous by the candles that bear its essence and its name. Mockingbirds, yellow-rumped warblers and other songbirds feed on the fruits in winter.

**Lilac (Syringa spp.)**

Common lilac (*Syringa vulgaris*, image by Jessie Keith)

Almost all Syringa species boast moderate to high salt tolerance, reflecting their origins in arid regions of Asia and eastern Europe. Although best known in the form of the ever-popular common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), the genus includes numerous other garden-worthy species and hybrids, many of which are relatively scarce in gardens. Among the best of these for hedging and screening are littleleaf lilac (Syringa pubescens ssp. microphylla ‘Superba’), well worth growing for its aromatic, pale pink flowers that appear in late spring and summer on dense, dainty-leaved, 6-to 8-foot plants; cutleaf lilac (Syringa protolaciniata), distinguished by its deeply lobed leaves, compact arching habit, and pale lilac-purple spring flowers; and Chinese lilac (Syringa × chinensis), which in its best forms (such as ‘Lilac Sunday’) weights its stems with armloads of pale purple flowers in mid-spring, a few days before common lilac hits its stride. Any of the above would make an excellent screen or hedge in a sunny site in USDA Zones 5 to 8.

Whatever their salt-tolerance, all your plants will do better if you take measures to build their soil and to reduce their exposure to sodium. Apply an inch or two of Fafard Premium Natural & Organic Compost or several inches of shredded leaves in fall or spring to boost and maintain the levels of sodium-neutralizing organic matter in your soil. In addition to its many other benefits, mulch also lessens surface evaporation, thereby increasing soil moisture and lowering salt concentrations.

You can reduce the amount of incoming salt by screening planting areas with structures and salt-tolerant plants, by grading the soil to divert salt-laden surface water, and by using sodium-free de-icers, such as magnesium chloride, on your driveway and paths. The right plants and the right care can go a long way toward making your garden safe from salt.

Growing Winter Onions and Shallots

Fall and winter – when most of the vegetable garden is slumbering – is a great time to get a jump on next year’s onion, scallion, and shallot crop. Most members of the onion tribe (known botanically as Allium) are hardy perennials and biennials that tolerate winters in most areas of the U.S. Garlic (as discussed elsewhere on this site) is one well-known and often-grown example – but winter onions and shallots are also ideal winter-growing crops for USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9 (in zones 4 and 5 they need winter protection).

Sustainable “Imperfect” Turf Options

The “perfect lawn” – that oft-celebrated but all-too-rarely achieved carpet of unblemished turf grass – is a seductive concept. It’s also impossible to grow in most areas of the United States without major inputs of pesticides, fertilizer, water, and labor (as well as cash). This is not to mention the significant secondary costs that come with chemically supported lawns, such as damage to beneficial soil microbes and the neighboring environment. What’s good for that velvety green carpet is often not good for other forms of life.
Continue reading “Sustainable “Imperfect” Turf Options”

Surprise Lilies for Summer and Fall

Commonly known as “magic lily,” plants in the genus Lycoris are, in fact, much more closely related to amaryllis than to their namesake. But they do bring plenty of magic to the landscape when they open their large funnel-shaped flowers on tall naked stems in mid- to late summer. Several are winter-hardy to boot, creating all sorts of delicious possibilities for gardens in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and warmer. With their showy amaryllis-like flowers and their tolerance of bitter winters and partial shade, these bulbs from East Asia make marvelous (and miraculous) subjects for cold-climate gardens.
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Luscious Lilies of Late Summer

Lilium lancifolium tiger lilies — Tiger lilies (*Lilium lancifolium*) are spectacular tall bloomers that appear in late summer. (Photo by Jessie Keith)

Most gardens can use a visual lift in the dog days of late summer. This is where late-blooming lilies come in. When their voluptuous, often deliciously scented blooms make their grand entrance in July and August, it’s like a royal fanfare in the landscape. Goodbye, garden doldrums.

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Garden Plants that Feed Soil Naturally

Colorful lupines are some of the prettiest garden flowers that add nitrogen to the soil.

Nitrogen is one of the most essential plant nutrients, and one of the best ways to boost nitrogen in your soil is to grow nitrogen “fixing” plants. This amazing group of plants naturally add nitrogen into the soil by taking nitrogen from the air and converting it into a usable form in the soil. And many are common garden plants that you may already grow, like peas, beans, bayberry, or clover. Continue reading “Garden Plants that Feed Soil Naturally”

Swallowtail Butterfly Gardening

Gardeners tend to have a thing for swallowtail butterflies. Likewise, swallowtails tend to have a thing for certain plants – and certain gardens. The more you incorporate their favorites into your garden, the more they will favor you with their flighty visits.

Adult swallowtails of all species (including the half-dozen or so species native to eastern North America) share similar tastes in nectar. A border brimming with coneflowers and sages and butterfly weeds and their relatives will have them all aflutter, as will a planting of shrubby favorites such as rhododendrons and buddleias. Swallowtail caterpillars, on the other hand, are much fussier eaters, with each species following a specialized diet restricted to a narrow menu of plants. As a result, swallowtails are particularly keen on gardens that include their favorite larval foods.

Most swallowtail caterpillars confine their munching to species from one or two plant families. Some swallowtail species thrive on both introduced and indigenous plants, whereas others require natives-only fare to thrive. Know their preferred larval food sources, and you’ll know what to plant in your yard to transform it into a swallowtail haven. You’ll also know which plants to examine for the large colorful caterpillars, which in their early stages resemble animated bird droppings. Some leaf damage may also be noticeable, but it’s a modest price to pay to become the neighborhood’s most desirable swallowtail destination.

Swallowtail Caterpillar Host Plants

1. Easter Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly feeding on pentas. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Many native and exotic trees and shrubs from the olive, rose, laurel, birch, and magnolia families host the large green caterpillars of tiger swallowtail, which sport two prominent eye-spots. Before pupating, the caterpillars turn from green to brown. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), lilacs (Syringa spp.), river birch (Betula nigra), and sassafras (Sassafras albidum) are among the outstanding ornamental plants on the menu, as are:

Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar before pupation. (Image by Scott Robinson)

Sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). Native to eastern North America, this small, elegant, gray-barked tree has glossy-green, deciduous or evergreen leaves with silvery undersides. Scatterings of cupped, sweet-scented white flowers sporadically appear from late spring through summer.

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus). Clouds of fragrant, fleecy white flowers veil the spreading branches of this large shrub or small tree in late spring. Conspicuous blue fruits ripen in late summer on some plants (particularly if a pollenizing companion fringetree is nearby).

2. Eastern Black Swallowtail

Female eastern black swallowtail lays her eggs on plants in the parsley family.

Showy, yellow-and-black-banded caterpillars feed almost exclusively on plants from the parsley family, including dill (Anethum graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), carrot (Daucus carota ssp. sativus), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Bronze-leaved forms of fennel are especially effective ornamentals, their dark, filigreed leaves making a smoky contrast to bright-flowered annuals and perennials.

Also outstanding for foliage effect are the various species of Peucedanum such as giant milk parsley (Peucedanum verticillare). This short-lived perennial forms large lush hummocks of deeply divided foliage, which give rise to towering, purple-stemmed sprays of lacy white flower clusters. Most Peucedanum expire soon after flowering, but they usually self-sow (so be sure to leave some seed heads!).

3. Spicebush Swallowtail

Spicebush swallowtail butterfly — Spicebush swallowtail larvae feed just on spicebush. (Image by Magnus Manske)

A dark-hued butterfly that somewhat resembles black swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail is one of several reasons to grow the shrub after which it’s named. So, too, are the boldly eye-spotted, green to orange-yellow larvae that browse spicebush’s fruity-scented foliage in summer. One of the earliest-blooming native plants, spicebush (Lindera benzoin) decks its branches with tufts of acid-yellow flowers

Spicebush swallowtail caterpillar (Image by Greg Schechter)

in late winter and early spring, before the leaves emerge. Bright red fruits and brilliant yellow fall foliage bring the growing season to a colorful close. Spicebush swallowtail’s other favorite host is sassafras – the only eastern North American representative of the laurel family (Lauraceae) other than Lindera benzoin.

4. Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine swallowtail butterfly — The pipevine swallowtail has showy blue lower wings.

A pipevine swallowtail caterpillar feeding on pipevine. (Image by Jessie Keith)

If outlandish black caterpillars with orange spikes and centipede-like “legs” appear on your Dutchman’s pipe vine (Aristolochia spp.), you have the honor of a visit from this singular swallowtail species. With luck, you’ll also witness the adults, whose blue, iridescent wings are among the showiest in the butterfly tribe. The larvae thrive only on North American species of Aristolochia, dwindling away if raised on exotic Dutchman’s pipes such as Aristolochia elegans.

Two twining North American natives – Aristolochia macrophylla and A. tomentosa –make excellent climbers for locations where their wide-ranging roots have room to spread (both are hardy from USDA zones 5 to 9). Their rapidly ascending stems with heart-shaped leaves emerge from the ground in spring and lengthen to 20 or 30 feet within a few weeks. Curious, contorted, tubular flowers with flared tips appear in the leaf axils in early summer. Most other North American Aristolochia species are lower-growing perennials that spread underground to form large clumps. Virginia snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) functions nicely as a deciduous ground cover for informal garden areas in sun to light shade.

5. Eastern Giant Swallowtail

Eastern giant swallowtail butterfly — Citrus is the favorite host plant of eastern giant swallowtail.

Native or exotic species from the citrus and rue family (Rutaceae) entice this enormous, black, yellow-banded butterfly, whose wingspan can reach 6 inches. Gardens that are too cold for the likes of lemons (Citrus limon) and oranges (Citrus aurantiaca) can opt instead for one of the several cold-hardy Rutaceae species that host the blotchy, black and white larvae. These include hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata), a medium to large shrub from central and eastern North America with handsome, three-parted leaves and small, fragrant, late-spring flowers. Rounded, wafer-like fruits develop in late summer.

Its cultivar ‘Aurea’ – with glossy, chartreuse-yellow leaves – is one of the most striking foliage plants for temperate gardens. Swallowtail hosts for the perennial border include gas plant (Dictamnus albus), which bears showy spires of white or purple flowers in late spring on bushy, 3-foot-tall mounds of leathery, rich green foliage. Native to Eurasia, it lives to 50 years or more in gardens. Warning: contact with plants in the rue family can trigger severe dermatitis in susceptible individuals, although such cases are rare.
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Four Hardy Fruiting Vines for Edible Landscaping

Concord grapes are an old-standard hardy grape.

Hardy fruiting vines bring together two of the hottest trends in horticulture: edible landscaping and vertical gardening. They are the perfect choice for grow-it-yourself gardeners with limited square footage and a tasty way to clothe a pergola or trellis or provide rapid aerial cover.

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The Best Reblooming Shrubs for Summer

Panicle hydrangea blooms through much of the summer.

Flowering shrubs do lots of good things in the garden, but their length of bloom often disappoints. Exceptions do occur, with hybrid roses being the most obvious and ubiquitous example. They’re not the only shrubs that bloom long and well, though. Here are seven of the best of the rest. Their individual flowers may not be as voluptuous as those of a hybrid tea rose, but in other respects – including habit, foliage, and disease-resistance – they more than hold their own.

Littleleaf Lilac and Hybrids

Almost all lilacs are one-and-done bloomers. Not so with littleleaf lilac ‘Superba’ (Syringa pubescens ssp. microphylla ‘Superba’). Abundant clusters of sweet-scented, pale lilac-pink flowers open from reddish buds in mid-spring, a few days after those of common lilac. Then, in midsummer, a miracle occurs, with a second flush of blooms developing on the current season’s growth. Littleleaf lilac is also attractive out of bloom, forming a dense, rounded, 8-foot specimen clad in dainty, privet-like leaves. Plant breeders have crossed ‘Superba’ with other lilacs to produce several repeat-blooming cultivars, including those in the Bloomerang® Series. For maximum rebloom, plant ‘Superba’ and its offspring in full sun and fertile, loamy, near-neutral soil. A spring top-dressing of Fafard® Premium Natural & Organic Compost is all to the good. These lilacs do best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8.

Summer Snowflake Doublefile Viburnum

Viburnums, like lilacs, typically flower for only a couple of weeks per year. One of the few exceptions is the remarkable ‘Summer Snowflake’ (Viburnum plicatum ‘Summer Snowflake’), whose terraced branches are frosted with flat clusters of white flowers from mid-spring to early fall. It also differs from other doublefile viburnums in its relatively compact, narrow habit (5 to 7 feet tall and wide). Although lacking the wide-sweeping drama of full-sized doublefile cultivars, such as ‘Mariesii’ and ‘Shasta’, ‘Summer Snowflake’ literally makes a better fit for foundation plantings and other niches where space is limited. The leaves take on smoky maroon tones in fall. All doublefile viburnums perform best in sun to light shade and humus-rich soil, in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

Weigela Sonic Bloom® Series

Weigela Sonic Bloom® Pink offers bright color through summer. (Image by Proven Winners)

Many weigelas throw a few flowers now and then in the months following their main late-spring display. This has inspired plant breeders to develop new Weigela (Weigela hybrids) cultivars that rebloom not demurely, but with abandon. Those in the Sonic Bloom® Series are reputed to produce several good flushes of showy, trumpet-shaped blooms not just in late spring, but throughout summer and early fall. Sonic Bloom® weigelas flower in pink, purple, or white, depending on the variety. These relatively recent introductions have yet to prove their mettle in many parts of the U.S. – but they’re well worth a try in a sunny spot in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. At 4 to 5 feet high and wide, they won’t take much space while you’re putting them through their paces.

Caucasian Daphne

A parent of the variegated, briefly blooming Daphne × burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’, Caucasian daphne (Daphne × transatlantica) is in most ways superior to its popular offspring. Where it particularly outdistances ‘Carol’ is in its repeat, spring-to-fall display of tubular, white, sweet-scented blooms. The dainty, oval, semi-evergreen leaves are also attractive and are strikingly variegated in forms such as ‘Summer Ice’. Most varieties of this outstanding daphne top out at about 3 feet tall, with their branches splaying with age (or with heavy snow). It does well in sun to light shade in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8.

Panicle Hydrangea

Not many years ago, panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) was represented in gardens almost exclusively by the mop-headed cultivar ‘Grandiflora’ (more commonly known as peegee hydrangea). Today, numerous outstanding varieties of this exceptionally hardy species (USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9) have found their way into horticulture, including many with lacy, conical flower clusters rather than weighty mops. Most Hydrangea paniculata cultivars bear white-flowered panicles from mid to late summer, but other flowering times and colors also occur. Look for ‘Limelight’, with full flower-heads that age to chartreuse-green; ‘Pinky Winky’, an early- to late-summer bloomer that evolves from white to rose-pink; and the late-blooming (and magnificent) ‘Tardiva’, with large lacy spires of white flowers from late summer to frost. These large shrubs can be cut back severely in early spring to keep them in bounds. Dwarf varieties such as ‘Little Lamb’ require no size control.

Butterfly Bush

How can we not mention the ever-popular, somewhat cold-tender butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) and its many hybrids, which draw in butterflies over much of summer with their steeples of fragrant blooms in a variety of colors? Recent developments in the butterfly bush universe include the introduction of several compact, sterile cultivars with especially prolonged bloom and no pesky seedlings. These include ‘Ice Chip’, ‘Lavender Chip’, and ‘Purple Haze’. Buddleia davidii and its hybrids do best in full sun in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 and usually benefit from a hard early-spring pruning, even in areas where they don’t die back.

Flowering Abelia

Popular in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., flowering abelia (Abelia × grandiflora and kin) are small to medium shrubs that could be used much more in the northern fringes of their USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 hardiness range. Their dainty, fragrant bells – in various shades of pink or white – cluster on arching stems from midsummer into fall. Small, oval leaves add to the delicate, fine-textured feel of these quietly attractive plants. Most flowering abelias are evergreen to semi-evergreen into USDA Hardiness Zone 6. In zones 5 and 6, flowering abelias often work well as winter die-back shrubs, resprouting in spring and flowering in late summer and fall. In all hardiness zones, they benefit from early-spring pruning of snarled or winter-killed stems.

Pruning Apple Trees in Spring

Well-pruned apple trees look better and produce fruit more reliably in fall.

An unpruned apple tree is a snarly-branched, puny-fruited thing. One of the best ways to keep that from happening to your apple trees is to give them an annual late-winter pruning.

Fortunately, backyard apple trees don’t need the complicated pruning regimens followed by commercial orchards. A couple of hours of pruning per year can keep your trees looking good and producing reliably – even if some of their fruits are not as big or blemish-free as the ones at the supermarket.

Your task will be especially easy if your apple tree has received some pruning in the past, and has a balanced “framework” of several main, spreading branches.

Pruning Apple Trees

Man pruning older branches — Selective pruning of older or crowded side-branches in late winter will keep trees productive.

Apple trees bear their fruits on stubby shoots (called spurs). These are produced most heavily on relatively young, vigorous, unshaded side-branches. Selective pruning of older or crowded side-branches in late winter will leave your trees with a relatively large proportion of fruit-bearing wood, which is a good thing if you want a bumper crop of apples. Late-winter pruning also exposes your apple trees to relatively few pests and diseases, compared to pruning done in summer.

Start your tree’s winter pruning tune-up by removing dead, diseased, and broken branches. Cut well below any wood that is cankered, oozing, or otherwise showing signs of disease. Remove all cuttings from the area to prevent disease transmission.

Pruning vertical water sprouts — Prune vertical water sprouts – the vigorous shoots that often originate near old pruning cuts.

In most cases, prune the entire side-branch, cutting just above the collar that surrounds its base.

Next, prune out water sprouts – the vigorous, vertical shoots that often originate near old pruning cuts or at the base of the trunk. Unlike “normal” growth, these can be pruned flush with their parent branch, as close as possible without damaging the bark. (If possible, check again in late spring for new water sprouts, and pluck them out by hand while they’re still young, small, and supple.)

Pruned large branch — Prune large branches just above the collar that surround the base.

Continue by pruning out crowded growth. Choose between competing branches by comparing their positioning and potential fruitfulness. For example, branches that grow horizontally (rather than at an angle), that balance well with their neighboring branches, or that have numerous fruiting spurs should remain, if possible. Wayward growth – such as branches that impinge on paths – is also fair game for removal.
Finally, look for any remaining side-branches that have little or no spur growth, indicating low productivity. These can go, as long as their removal does not mar the look or balance of the tree.

Renewal Pruning Older Apple Trees

Path of well-pruned apple trees — Well-pruned apple trees look tidy and are better able to set good fruit.

Apple trees that have returned to their natural, snarly state require more extensive pruning, which may include the main framework as well as side branches. Start as above, by removing dead, diseased, and broken side-branches, congested growth, and water sprouts. Then prune larger branches as necessary to balance the tree’s framework and reduce its size (if desired). This extensive pruning will trigger a major outbreak of water sprouts, which should be removed in late spring (by the hand-pulling method) or summer.

Whatever the amount of renovation required, try not to remove more than a third of the tree’s growth at a time. Especially snarly trees may require a multi-year restoration effort.
To help your freshly pruned apple tree’s growing season get off to a good start, mulch around its base with an inch of Fafard@ Premium Topsoil in spring, after the surface of the soil has warmed. Fertilizer is not necessary, particularly for heavily pruned trees, which will respond to their feeding by producing an even greater abundance of water sprouts.

Articles

Chokeberries (Aronia spp.)

Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

Inkberry (Ilex glabra)