Blue-Eyed Grass as Feature or Edger

While weeding in a community garden last week, I encountered a plant I had written about several years ago, Blue-Eyed Grass. I have not grown it in my home garden. One of its common names is Bermuda Blue-Eyed Grass. After battling common Bermuda (aka wiregrass) in my lawn and flower beds, I was not about to introduce any plant that shared the name or other characteristics. I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on the specimens in the community garden for two years now, and they appear to be well-mannered. While diminutive in size, their impact is powerful. It’s time to reconsider my initial wariness.

Blue-Eyed Grass is Sisyrinchium angustifolium, pronounced sis-ee-RINK-ee-um an-gus-tee-FOH-lee-um. The species name has changed several times, but the genus Sisyrinchium remains consistent. Blue-Eyed Grass is a semi-evergreen, clump-forming native found across most of the eastern half of the country, in zones 4-9. Plants are undemanding. They grow in any texture soil and partial shade to full sun, preferring a consistently moist soil and average fertility. Rich soil or too much fertilizer results in lush leaf growth and few flowers. Keep mulch away from the base of the plant to avoid root rot.

They can be used singly as a specimen or as an edging. When flowering is complete, trim the spent heads to prevent unwanted spread. Blue-Eyed Grass looks at home in rock gardens, cottage gardens, woodland gardens, and sloped gardens. Bees and butterflies love their pollen and nectar, so they work well in pollinator gardens as well.

Mature clumps of Blue-Eyed Grass can reach up to 16 inches, although 12 inches is more common. The blue flowers appear in spring and summer, and are held above the foliage. Like other members of the Iris family, clumps should be divided every year or two to keep them looking healthy. The cultivar ‘Lucerne’ has larger flowers than unnamed varieties.

Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Blue-Eyed Grass, used as a specimen in a community pocket park.

Two Insects: One Harmful, One Valuable

I have never been afraid of insects (except for cockroaches, and “Palmetto Bugs” gross me out) until I had an unpleasant encounter while weeding last week. I was pulling small weeds around some shrubs and perennials, when a sudden, searing pain shot through my wrist. I drew back, expecting to see my attacker. Nothing obvious. I used the handle of my loppers to part the Iris foliage near the scene of the crime, and spotted a sporty-looking caterpillar – lime green with a tan and white splotch in the middle. It did not take much research to learn that I had encountered a saddleback caterpillar. Every website advised “avoid contact.”

Saddlebacks are adorned with poison-filled spines. I normally have a limited reaction to bites and stings but within two minutes, my fingers had swelled so much that I could not remove my wedding ring. By the time I reached the house, my entire forearm had doubled in size and was an angry red. Thanks to Google, I knew the treatment to follow, which I will share with you. I washed with soap and water, then used a piece of duck tape to pull out the spines. Next step was to ice the area and swallow a couple of Benadryl.

A closeup view of the poison-filled saddleback spines.

It is easy to overlook a Saddleback. They are only an inch long.

After the pain and swelling subsided (two hours), I went on a reconnaissance mission, intent on sending my attacker to caterpillar heaven. I spotted it, reached in with my clippers, and immediately brushed another one with the other arm. Repeated steps in paragraph two. Another two hours later, I donned heavy leather rose-handler gloves that extend up to my elbows, and revisited the doomed creatures. A careful examination revealed eleven of these evil beings on one Iris ensata. After recycling them, I checked all surrounding plants and found no more.

Saddleback caterpillars, Acharia stimulea, are native and found across the southeast. The caterpillars dine on a wide variety of plant materials, but are usually found in such small numbers that their damage is insignificant. The caterpillar spins itself a silken cocoon for winter before emerging in spring as a fuzzy brown moth with white spots. The mature moth has no trace of the lime green coloration which makes the caterpillar so distinctive. The moths are harmless to people.

Thus chastened by Mother Nature, I took a wide berth to the bees that chose to collect inside my new screen porch. The doors have not been installed yet, and these large black and yellow winged visitors could find their way inside the screen enclosure but could not find their way outside. They are scary-looking. I was surprised to learn that these were not some variety of Killer Hornets but instead harmless (non-stinging, non-biting) Hoverflies (family Syrphidae). The construction workers onsite told me that a common name is Broadcast Bee because they buzz loudly, “broadcasting their presence,” while they hover around humans’ heads as if to say, “Hey, look at me!”

There are thousands of Hoverfly species, of various sizes. Hoverflies have short, stubby antenna and a large set of wings for flying. The second set of wings is tiny, and are used for balance rather than propulsion. If you watch them carefully, you will see that hoverflies really do hang in the air with no apparent destination, while bees and wasps have an obvious direction to their flights. Hoverfly larvae look like the typical fly maggot, but their favorite meal is APHIDS! They are good pollinators, too. It is uncanny how much they look like something that would cause harm. You can encourage Hoverflies by planting nectar-rich, small flowers like Alyssum.

Asiatic Dayflower, a Beautiful Invader

There is an old-fashioned saying, “Pretty is as pretty does.” This is a cryptic way for mothers to tell their headstrong daughters that nice behavior makes them more attractive. The corollary is that a pretty girl with a nasty disposition is not attractive. Asiatic dayflower, Commelina communis, has a beautiful bloom but if an unsuspecting gardener allows just one to remain, plants soon appear everywhere. I repeat, everywhere.

Asiatic dayflower has two blue petals, one smaller white or light blue petal, and yellow stamens. Each flower lasts only one day. The stems are weak and floppy, but the flowers rise above them, to heights of around two feet. Plants are perennial in zones 5-8. They prefer moist soil and partial shade, but will grow in many other situations. It typically crops up along the edges of woodlands. In my garden, it likes to appear stealthily under the edges of tall, Southern Indica azaleas but the striking blue flowers reveal its hiding place.

This non-native wildflower is listed as invasive in several states. Plants are resistant to herbicides. Removal is best done by hand pulling after a rain, when soil is damp. In dry soil, the brittle stems break off and plants return quickly. Also, don’t pull them and toss them aside to die. The stems will throw roots from every leaf node and soon there will be a community, laughing (I assume) at efforts to eradicate. The flowers produce numerous seeds with a high germination rate.

This sneaky fella has concealed himself in the foliage of an Azalea.

Crinum Lily - Bold Flowers, Long-lived Bulbs

If your taste leans toward bold flowers, grow Crinum, a summer-flowering cousin to the Amaryllis. A southern passalong plant, these flowers are seen frequently on gravesites in the Bahamas. Bulbs are hardy in zones 7b to 10, at least. Flowers are white, pink, rose, or striped. White flowers with red stripes are commonly referred to as Milk and Wine lilies.

Mature plants will reach heights up to four feet. Bulbs are best planted in warm months, April through October, rather than fall or winter. They prefer full sun to part sun and moist soil, but will succeed in a wide range of conditions. Established plants will tolerate limited drought. They are not picky about soil texture or acidity.

When grown in moist, fertile soil Crinum bulbs can become quite large – occasionally up to twenty pounds! When bulbs need division, it is best to lift the entire clump, then separate offsets from the mother plant. Either replant or share the offsets. Newly divided bulbs may take a year or two to settle in and flower. The sturdy stems make good cut flowers. The flowers have a pleasant, clean fragrance.

As an initial investment, Crinum bulbs are more expensive than many other bulbs, but a single investment will provide years and years of enjoyment. Given their willingness to procreate, they are a cost-effective purchase.

 Bulbs are toxic to humans and pets. Deer do not bother them.

This Crinum was a gift from a regular customer at the nursery where I once worked. In a few years, it had multiplied into a large, handsome colony.

I planted these in a full-sun area with rich soil, in an area where the condensation from our air conditioner kept the soil moist. They grew to be giants. The largest was a little bigger than a softball but not quite as large a soccer ball. And it was HEAVY.

This beauty protested against her relocation by refusing to bloom for two years. This year, the gorgeous color and sweet fragrance made it worth the wait.

Winter Daphne for Cool Weather Fragrance

The rest of the US is facing a wave of frigid weather, but in the deep south, warm temperatures have brought gardeners outdoors, where we are enjoying the scents and sights of Forsythia and all the sprig-flowering bulbs. The sweet scent of Daphne wafts over it all.

Daphne odora (pronounced DAF-nee oh-DOH-rah) or Winter Daphne is an evergreen shrub that grows to heights up to six feet in zones 7-9. In late winter, its rose and white flowers have a heavenly fragrance that makes gardeners forgive its propensity to die suddenly, without warning (known as the “Daphne Death Dance” among gardeners who have loved and lost it). Plant it in partial shade in moist, neutral pH soil that is very well drained and has plenty of organic matter. It lives longest when sited on a slope that ensures good drainage. It also does well in a container if sited in a protected area. ‘Aureo-marginata’ is a variegated form. Prune leggy plants after flowering is complete to keep them compact and attractive.

All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans

Daphne odora in bloom. Special thanks for this image to shell_ghostcage via Pixabay photosharing.

Ajuga

Few perennials look great through the entire year. In the Mary Snoddy garden, a patch of Ajuga (pronounced ah-JOO-gah) has survived all manner of abuse: being trampled underfoot during our home renovation, record-breaking rain, record-breaking cold, full sun in what used to be full shade, and general disrespect. It does not look great, but I marvel at the fact it survived at all. We have had two days of warm sun, and it is pushing out fresh new leaves.

Ajuga reptans is an easily grown, aggressive, short groundcover. It is available in shades of bright chartreuse, deepest burgundy or chocolate, and a lovely sage green, white, rose combination. Textures vary from fine blades (‘Chocolate Chip’) or broad leaf (‘Black Scallop’). Newer cultivars broaden color choices to bronze, yellow, orange, and red. Look for the Feathered Friends™ series for something truly unusual.

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

Ajuga reptans ‘Burgundy Glow’ has a lovely pink and white variegation that lights up daker areas in the shade garden.

Fine leaf Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’ softens the edges of a brick walkway.

These Snowflakes are Not Meant for Snowmen

Leucojum (pronounced loo-KOH-jum) is an elegant flower with delicate, drooping white blooms that look like petticoats. Spring Snowflake (L. vernum) flowers in very early spring. Summer Snowflake (L. aestivum) flowers mid-spring. Each tepal (think petal) has a blotch of green on it on its tip. Strap-like foliage resembles that of daffodils and averages 12 to 24 inches in length.

Snowflakes do well in part shade to full shade, and perform well under deciduous trees. They prefers dry soil when dormant, with added moisture when in flower. They are tolerant of heavy clay soils. The flowers are all held on the same side of the stem, so they lean gracefully to the side. They have the same gelatinous sap as daffodils, so should not be combined with other flowers in a vase.

Snowflakes look super when planted in large drifts, in woodland settings, or in rock gardens. Bulbs will multiply into good sized clumps. They prefer to remain undisturbed. Congestion doesn’t seem to bother them as long as they receive adequate nutrition from the soil. Add a sprinkle of lime and a little fertilizer each spring to keep them happy. The bulbs can be underplanted in a bed of Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon) or other shade-loving groundcovers.

Deer, rabbits, and voles avoid Snowflakes. They are not damaged by juglone, so can be planted under Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) trees. Bulbs and leaves are poisonous. Do not eat.

A third species, Leucojum auctumnle flowers in late summer to early fall. It is less popular that the spring-flowering types and is difficult to find in garden centers.

Plan Now for Fall Crocus & Colchichum

I was thrilled to see the first evidence of Crocus foliage pushing their way out of the frozen soil today. Crocus is the earliest bulb (corm, really) to flower in the Mary Snoddy garden, usually in February. At times they are frosted by ice or snow, which doesn’t seem to dampen their cheerful demeanor one bit.

As much as I enjoy these harbingers of spring, I prefer the Crocus that flower in October and November. You will notice that I did not say “Fall-flowering Crocus” or “Autumn Crocus.” There is a good reason why. There are two different flowers which bloom at the same time and look very similar to the unpracticed eye. One produces saffron threads, a culinary delight. The other can kill you if you eat any part of it. Seriously.

Fall-flowering Crocus, Crocus sativus, pronounced CROW-cuss suh-TAI-vuss, is also known as Saffron Crocus. It is grown for saffron spice, as noted above, but the orange-red stigmas are also used for dye. They will stain fingers and clothing. This plant sends up narrow, grass-like foliage before the flowers appear. Plants are small, usually reaching about six inches when they are in flower. C. sativus is cold-hardy in zones 5-8. They prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. They are occasionally damaged by voles or rabbits.

Saffron Crocus

Saffron Threads

Autumn Crocus is Colchicum autumnale, pronounced COAL-chik-um aw-tum-NAH-lay. It is taller (eight to ten inches) and its blooms are larger than C. sativus. It appears as a naked bloom, with no foliage at the time of flowering. Weak foliage appears in spring. It is more cold-tolerant (zones 4-10) than C. sativus, will tolerate a wider range of pH, and will withstand a bit more shade. The large pink or purple flowers look fantastic when they appear above a short groundcover like dwarf mondo grass, which also helps support the weak stems. All parts of the plant are highly toxic to people and pets. Deer and rabbits will not touch them.

Colchicum

Leafless Autumn Crocus

Tiny C. sativus is planted 2-3 inches deep. Larger C. autumnale is planted 4-6 inches deep. Both these corms are small and flat, and look best when planted in groups or drifts. They will naturalize when planted in the lawn. Pollinators are attracted to the flowers.

Mushroom Brains

I found a brain while I was walking through my woodlands this week. At least I thought it was a brain. Or a pile of cooked egg noodles, which seemed just as unlikely as a brain, since civilization is at least a half mile away in all directions. Research indicated that it was a natural growth in the genus Sparassis, an edible fungus known as cauliflower mushroom. The very helpful www.MushroomExpert.com provided a key on how to distinguish the various species, but also described a “look-alike” species, Podoscypha aculeata.

My particular specimens (I found another nearby) are Sparassis americana. A fairly rare fungus, it sprouts from the roots of pine trees, not trunks, and is an indicator of brown root rot below the surface. This means I need to keep an eye on the host trees, and will have them removed when declining health warrants.

Www.Foragerchef.com describes the cauliflower mushroom as “one of the most delicious wild mushrooms you can hunt…a choice edible species.” The authors give specific instructions on cleaning (cumbersome process with lots of references to hidden insect larvae) and several recipes, ranging from soups to cauliflower “steaks.”

In the interest of science and from innate curiosity, I made a personal sacrifice for the collective benefit of my readers. As a result, I can tell you that there are marked differences in definitions of “delicious.” Edible, yes, but not something I would praise as a delicacy.

If you decide to forage for these or any other wild mushrooms, please be certain of the identity before you consume them. Several common mushrooms have deadly look-alikes.

Cauliflower mushroom looks like a pile of cooked, curly egg noodles.

The angle of this photo is deceptive. The fungus is larger than a softball.

Muhly Grass for Autumn Color

Autumn colors are orange, red, yellow, rust…and pink? Across the southeast, Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris, pronounced mew-len-BERG-ee-ah or mew-len-BER-jee-uh) is reaching its peak. We do not usually think of grass as a flowering plant, but there is no mistaking the decorative value of pink Muhly. Its feathery plumes float like clouds of pink cotton candy. A white-flowered form is available also but is harder to find than the pink variety. White varieties bloom a little later than pink forms.

 Mulhy is easy to grow in full sun, zones 6-9. Native to North America, it will grow in sandy, rocky, or clay soil. Avoid constantly wet soils. It is not troubled by insects or diseases, and is highly resistant to deer damage. Plants grow up to four feet tall and  three feet wide. Established plants are heat and drought tolerant. The narrow leaves sway gracefully in breezes. Flowering begins in autumn and is followed by attractive seed heads that persist through winter, providing food for birds. The purplish-pink form ages to a creamy tan color and the white form ages to an attractive gray.

 A standalone plant is attractive, but mass plantings of Muhly are gorgeous. Two pairings that are particularly attractive: Pink Muhly with purple-leaf Loropetalum,  or White Muhly paired with purple-flowered Mexican Salvia (Salvia leucanthemum).

 Plants may need to be divided every three years or so to avoid dieback in the centers. Give clumps a cleanup cut in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts, but do not cut so short that the crown is damaged. While some other grasses may become invasive, Muhly is well behaved and makes a perfect addition to the low maintenance garden.

Pink Muhly Grass used as an edging

Blooms look like cotton candy

The Chelsea Chop

What is “The Chelsea Chop,” a term I hear from professional garden-tenders? In simple terms, it is a mid-season cutback for flowering perennial plants. It earned its catchy moniker in the UK, where border plants are pruned hard around the same time as London’s famous Chelsea Flower Show (May).

American weather, soil type, and growing season differs from lands across the pond, but a mid-summer cutback is a great idea for many plants, including Yarrow (Achillea), Coneflowers (Echinacea), Artemisia, Catnip (Nepeta), Bee Balm (Monarda), Salvia, and Gaura. If a perennial blooms well during spring and fall but takes a flowering siesta in the hottest part of the summer, it may be a good candidate for the chop. Pruned perennials will often branch and produce new buds and leaves, with a rounded, tidy appearance. Annual flowers do not respond as well as perennials. I applied the Chelsea Chop to annual Spider Flower (Cleome) last year and was left with a bed of headless stems that neither branched nor rebloomed.

When orange Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) sheds its flowers, a cutback by half will often spur a second bloom that rivals the first, and new foliage looks fresher than older, tattered leaves and stems. Butterfly larvae seem to prefer the tender new stems over tougher, aged ones.

When pruned in mid-June (upper SC area), fall-flowering Aster, Joe Pye Weed, Chrysanthemum, and NY Ironweed (Vernonia) will bloom about two weeks later than unpruned plants and will have smaller but more numerous flowers. Pinching out the growing tips of tall Sedums (“Autumn Joy” and the like) will cause branching and prevent their tendency to fall open at their centers during peak fall bloom time. With few exceptions, I halt serious perennial surgical reductions on July 4. Later pruning may remove flower buds or cause a growth spurt of tender growth that will later be damaged by early cold spells.

An exception to this timing recommendation is my treatment of Daylily (Hemerocallis). These reliable bulbs flower during the hottest part of the year. When the flower show is over, the foliage starts to brown and dry into an unattractive, stringy blob. I do not have the time to remove each brown leaf individually, so once all flowers have faded, I gather the foliage of each clump and decapitate it, leaving four to six inches. Then, I give the buzz-cut plants a drink of liquid fertilizer. While they will not repeat flowering, they will push out new, bright green foliage that looks good all the way into fall. This approach does not seem to weaken the plant or reduce flowering in future years.

Rather than performing a wholesale chop-chop-chop on everything, I follow advice I read years ago in a wonderful book, The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: The Essential Guide to Planting and Pruning Techniques by Tracey DiSabato-Aust (Published by Timber Press in 2017, also available in Kindle version). I cut back half the plant in June and leave the other half to flower on its original schedule. Sometimes I prune the perimeter of the plant and leave the center untouched, and sometimes (when I’m feeling especially patient) I select every other stem in the overall bunch to reduce. When the latter approach is done carefully, an observer does not notice any pruning has been done. See the accompanying before and after photos of Shasta Daisy ‘Becky’ for an example. The removal of roughly one third of the bloom stems is unnoticeable. If the half-chop method is used, remove spent flowers from the early flowering, unpruned stems or the plant may put its energy into seed-making and not produce a second round of blooms. 

As tempting as it is to use a hedge-trimmer for a quick pruning job, the best results come from pruning individual stems back with hand pruners, cutting just above where a leaf joins the stem. The prune-to-a-leaf method eliminates naked stem orphans that will darken and wither, and may offer an opportunity for disease entry.

All plants look better when dead flowers are removed. But please, remove the entire stem down to the first leaf or even shorter. Do not snap the flowers off and leave headless stems. That’s just creepy.

Shasta Daisy before Chop

Shasta Daisy after Chop

Elderberry (Sambucus)

Along partially shaded roadsides, Elderberry is putting on its summer show. Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis (pronounced sam-BYOO-kus can-uh-DEN-sis) is an American native that thrives in moist soils but will survive in wet or dry locations, acidic to neutral soils, full sun to mostly shade. It seems to prefer areas that have previously been clear cut, such as under power lines. Mature plants grow up to 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide. This deciduous shrub is hardy in zones 4 to 9. It is very heat tolerant. If suckers are not removed, shrubs spread by underground runners to form dense thickets. Birds, especially quail, like to nest in their branches.

Flat-topped clusters of white Elderberry flowers are favored by bees and butterflies. The flowers are followed by blue-black berries. According to Texas A&M University, up to 45 species of songbirds eat the fruit, as well as deer and other mammals. Berries are toxic to humans if eaten raw but once cooked can be enjoyed in jelly, pie, or other desserts. Do not allow horses to eat any part of the plant. Both flowers and fruits can be used to make elderberry wine. I’m told that it is delicious, but I can’t get past the toxic-when-raw issue.

Aside: In the delightful play or movie Arsenic and Old Lace, elderberry wine conceals the poison used to permanently relieve unsuspecting visitors of loneliness. A couple of movie versions exist. I recommend the 1943 release, directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant. It is set on Halloween night, but is an enjoyable watch any month of the year.

Plant breeders have elevated the desirability of this common roadside plant by introducing non-green foliage varieties. Proven Winners offers Black Lace® Elderberry a finely cut plant with pink flowers against purple-black foliage. Affordable price, fast growth, and undemanding nature makes it a great alternative to Japanese Maple. I managed to walk away from Black Lace®, but I simply couldn’t resist another Proven Winners introduction, Lemony Lace® Elderberry. Its finely cut, chartreuse foliage looks fabulous in a grouped planting or standalone. Both these Lace cultivars are smaller (5 feet for Lemony Lace® and 8 feet for Black Lace®) than their wilder cousins, which means they could be grown in containers. The reduced size comes at a cost. They are less heat tolerant, and only recommended as far south as Zone 7. Both are “deer resistant.” We shall see…

Elderberry flowers and buds

Elderberry shrub growing on an uncultivated roadside

Check out the color and texture of Lemony Lace — Be still my heart!

Elderberry fruit cluster
Image by EM80 from Pixabay

A typical location to find wild Elderberry: underneath power lines

Lesser-known Hydrangea, a Garden Star

On the evening before Mothers’ Day, I was forced to pick up a few items at the big blue retail store. Yep. Saturday night at Wally World. Lucky me. As I sat in my car, summoning up my strength for the task ahead, I witnessed blue and pink orbs floating from the store’s doorway. They disappeared into cars in the parking lot. When I donned my eyeglasses (don’t fret - I wore them while I was driving), those blue and pink orbs materialized into giant Hydrangea flower heads atop plants that were on their way to be a Mothers’ Day present the next day, no doubt. Wonder how many of those will survive to bloom again next year?

There is much more to the genus Hydrangea than those big pink or blue mopheads, Hydrangea macrophylla. A lesser known but marvelous species is the native Hydrangea arborescens. The common name for this beauty, Smooth Hydrangea, has been displaced by Mountain Hydrangea in a nod to its origins. In the wild, H. arborescens is a lacecap, but in the 1960s, a mophead type was discovered growing in Illinois. It was subsequently introduced to the market as ‘Annabelle.’

‘Annabelle’ remains immensely popular. It is hardy in zone 4 to 9, withstands more sun and needs less water than the large-leaf mophead varieties, and has huge (up to 12 inches across) white flowers from summer through fall. The only downside is weak stems that do not support the giant flowers, especially when rain increases the weight of the already-heavy flowers. Sadly,  puny stems allow the beautiful flowers to droop into mud.

‘Incrediball’ was introduced in 2009 as an improved ‘Annabelle,’ with mature size of 5 ft tall and 5 ft wide. It shared all the same positive qualities as its predecessor but with much stronger stems and even larger flower heads – up to basketball-size! Soon, non-white cultivars followed as introductions from Dr. Thomas Ranney of NC State University and Spring Meadow Nursery. Here are a few newer choices:

·‘Incrediball™ Blush’ has soft pink flowers; 5 ft tall x 5 ft wide. ·‘Invincibelle™ Ruby’ has deep red flowers; 4 ft tall x 4 ft wide. ·‘Invincibelle™ Spirit’ has pink flowers; 4 ft tall x 4 ft wide. ·‘Invincibelle™ Spirit II’ has pink flowers that age to a gorgeous green; 4 ft tall x 4 ft wide.
·‘Invincibelle Mini Mauvette®’ has mauve/purple flowers; 3 ft tall x 3 ft wide.
·‘Invincibelle Wee White® has white blooms; 2½ ft tall x 2½ ft wide.
·‘Invincibelle Limetta® has greenish flowers; 4 ft tall x 4 ft wide.
·‘Invincibelle Garnetta® has ruby flowers; 2½ ft tall x 2½ ft wide. (Proven Winners website describes the color as ruby-red, not garnet. Weird, huh?)

Site H. arborescens in half sun to mostly sun. Shrubs in more sun will require more irrigation than their sisters planted in shadier locations. All bloom on new wood, so they are resistent to bud death due to late freezes. Prune hard in late winter, cutting stems back to 6-12 inches just before new growth starts. Dried blooms can be removed at any time and used in flower arrangements. The dried flowers can be spray painted to match any décor – I’m partial to deep burgundy or silver, for use around the holidays.

Unlike Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea arborescens do not change colors when soil is altered. White flowers stay white. Pink flowers stay pink. Fertilize once in spring, and provide sufficient irrigation to prevent plant wilt without creating a boggy soil. Plants prefer neutral to acidic soil. If in doubt, check the grow zones for your preferred cultivar. Most are hardy in zones 4-9.

Incrediball™ flower

Invincibelle Spirit™ flower

The Strange World of Plant Galls

I discovered two strange growths on trees in the Mary Snoddy garden this month. Neither were known to me, so I turned to professional sources: Google for the first, and a retired Extension Agent for the second.

Several Oak (Quercus) trees had round, dimpled growths that resembled pale green golf balls. Some were attached to stems, others to leaves. A Google image search identified them as Oak Galls. Galls are a tree’s reaction to damage caused by intruders such as wasps, mites, aphids, or flies. Identifying names include Wooly Oak Galls, Jumping Oak Galls, Spongy Oak Apple Galls, Wool Sower Galls, Roly-poly Galls, Oak Apple Wasp Galls, Gouty Oak Galls, and others. They vary in appearance based on the irritant that generated the tree’s reaction. They do not injure the health of the host tree.

My amateur assessment is that my tree’s galls were caused by a gall wasp, a tiny brown wasp that is not a stinging danger to people. Before they die, the wasps lay eggs in oak tree buds. Eggs hatch into grubs which then produce enzyme secretions, prompting the tree to isolate the damage by forming the gall. Interesting, but I wanted to know what was inside the galls, so I did what any inquiring mind would do. I sliced a couple open. Inside was a fibrous material with a tiny dense section in the middle. Quite a letdown. I was expecting a grub, a baby wasp, or something other than just a gooey orange dot. THEN I got out my handy hand magnifier. There was a tiny white grub inside one. The other was grub-free. Then I noticed the hole on #2, which was evidently an escape hatch. Fascinating stuff, even if it does make one’s spouse hesitant to eat food off the kitchen counter that was used for the gall dismemberment.

Oak leaf gall

Interior view

Interior view

Exit hole

 The other weird finding in my woods were firm fleshy growths attached to several tree stems. They looked almost like a rose carved from stone. I noticed these a few weeks earlier, when they were a bright yellow color. At the time, I thought they were flower buds of some sort. In this case, Google was of no help so I turned to Mr. John Vining, a retired Polk (NC) Country Extension Director who readily identified my mystery growth as a leaf gall and recommended that I remove the gnarly looking things and burn them or bag them for household trash disposal. He further identified the host plant as Horse Sugar, Symplocos tinctoria. Crushed Horse Sugar leaves have a pleasant smell. For the benefit of readers and in the interest of science (and because I have a goat-like tendency to taste everything) I nibbled a leaf. It was slightly sweet, but not a plant I would choose for a snack. But I’m not a horse – just a curious gardener who is thankful for the enormous knowledge base of state Extension agents. Thanks, Mr. Vining!

Silvery Artemisia Makes a Deer-Proof Companion

The silvery threads of Artemisia make other plants look better by contrast. It can also play peacemaker between flower colors that may clash. This perennial shrub is hardy in zones 6-9. It will grow to three feet in height, and up to four feet wide in its first season. Any limbs that touch soil may sprout roots, resulting in an increasing clump. It also spreads by rhizomes.

Like other plants with gray foliage, Artemisia (pronounced ar-tem-EE-zee-uh) is heat-tolerant and drought-tolerant but suffers from wet soils or high humidity. ‘Powis Castle’ cultivar is reputed to be more humidity-tolerant than others. It has a finely cut foliage that looks super when paired with needled evergreens or purple foliage (think Loropetalum or Purple Heart). Shrubs may have yellow blooms, but flowering is rare and doesn’t add much to the overall appearance. A newish cultivar, ‘Seafoam,’ has neat curlicue foliage. I plan to trial its humidity resistance in the Mary Snoddy garden as soon as I find it in a local nursery. Artemisia foliage can be dried and used for wreaths or in flower arrangements.

Personal experience taught me that this is a plant that thrives on neglect. Initially, I planted ‘Powis Castle’ in a partly sunny spot and watered it during hottest days. By the end of its first season, it looked tatty, not at all attractive. Year two was even worse – long stems with limited (brown, nasty) foliage. In frustration, I pulled it out of the ground, tossed it on the gravel pile next to my greenhouse, and forgot it. Imagine my surprise three weeks later, when I realized that it had returned from the brink of death and was thriving atop a hot, dry gravel pile. Lesson learned. I planted a pair of future purchases in horrible, red fill dirt on top of a slope and added no supplemental irrigation. They flourished.

‘Powis Castle’ will survive in any soil type, and prefers a neutral to alkaline soil. Mature plants may open up in the center and look rather rangy. Limited pruning can be done any time plants are actively growing. They withstand hard pruning and will regenerate into dense shrubs. Important: Do NOT prune in late fall or winter. Wait until active new growth starts in spring before whipping out the loppers. Plants pruned in winter are likely to die.

Artemisia is not grown for its pleasant fragrance. Crushed foliage or cut stems exude a strong smell. This odor is what makes deer avoid it. Plants are untroubled by insects or diseases.

You will notice that I have not provided a common name for Artemisia. Well, here goes: Wormwood.

Soft, fern-like foliage of Artemesia

Artemesia paired with Cryptomeria globosa ‘Nana’

I threw this Artemesia onto a gravel pile. Instead of dying, it became a robust, healthy plant. Here it shares space with Lambs Ears, a creeping Sedum, and Eucalyptus.

Proceed with Caution When Planting Horsetail Rush

Equisetum, commonly known as Horsetail or Scouring Rush, has an other-worldly look. There are no leaves. Stems are hollow and bright green, and have narrow horizontal, black joints that faintly resemble bamboo. Other common names include Bottlebrush, Foxtail, Pinetop, Snakegrass, and Dwarf Bamboo. Fossils of Equisetum show its existence 350 million years ago.

Like some bamboo, Equisetum is a serious spreader. It loves wet soil, even standing water up to four inches deep, but will also grow in dryer soils. Be certain that you want it in your garden, because it is impossible to eradicate once established. It will grow in zones 5-10 and under any light conditions: full sun to full shade. Plants put down deep roots (rhizomes up to six feet in length).

Equisetum (pronounced ek-wis-SEE-tum) does not flower. Unbranched stems, up to four feet in height, are either sterile or non-sterile (reproductive). Non-sterile stems have brown scales while the sterile stems have green or no scales. The reproductive stems produce spores on a cone. Stems contain silica, creating a tough, rough texture that was formerly used to scour cooking vessels, leading to the common name Scouring Rush.

This plant can be grown in a container to prevent its spread. It makes a striking pond-side plant and a dandy resting place for dragonflies. It is highly deer resistant.

A patch of Equisetum growing near a bog area.

The black horizontal bands around Equisetum stems.
Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay

Spring Seed Starting

Seed starting season is upon us, and I’m receiving “how to” questions. I do not profess to be an expert, but I can share what has worked for me. Here is the Mary Snoddy methodology, refined over several decades of hand-on experience.

Start with high quality seeds. You can purchase new packages each year, or you can use leftovers from last year, as long as the seeds were stored in a cool, dark, dry place. Some seeds will last several years (tomatoes) while others get stale quickly and should be purchased fresh each year (lettuce, parsley). Starting your own seeds offers the benefit of many more choices than are available from transplants at local nurseries. And some plants (corn, beans) are more successful when started directly in the ground (“in situ”) than from transplants.

Most big box stores and garden supply stores sell seed starting containers, a waterproof tray that holds six or eight inserts, segregated into four or six sections. A complete kit may include a plastic snap-on lid or dome cover to create a humid environment. It is easy to recycle plastic trays from year to year (I reuse those from plants I purchased) but it is imperative that the recycled trays, dividers, and covers are clean. Before reusing old containers, I soak them for 30 minutes in a five-gallon bucket of bleach water (nine parts water to one part bleach), then rinse well and dry in the sun.

Reusing starter items without sterilizing them may introduce pathogens that will kill off your precious seedlings. It is heartbreaking to see a flat of new seedlings succumb, overnight it seems, to “damping off.” This condition results in stems looking like they have been pinched. Once the stem develops this thin, pinched-looking spot, there is no recovery. Remove the seedling and its soil as quickly as possible, to prevent fungal spores from spreading to healthy plants. Prevent damping off by using clean containers, avoiding overwatering, and providing good air circulation.

Use seed-starting medium instead of potting soil or garden soil. Bags of “seed starter mix” are widely available. This is a very fine, lightweight substance that allows seeds to emerge with minimum effort. It is most efficient to fill the prepared starter trays with pre-moistened starter mix. If the medium seems to shed water rather than absorbing it, either use hot water or add a drop of dishwashing detergent to the water used for dampening the mix. I prefer the hot water method, and usually dump a couple of cups of hot water directly into the bag and wait about 30 minutes for it to absorb, shaking the bag a few times for even distribution. Pack the damp media into the containers, plant seeds at the depth recommended on the package, mist lightly to ensure seeds get wet, and top with a light sprinkle of dry starter mix.

A few seeds need light to germinate, while others need total darkness. These seeds must be exposed to light in order to germinate: African Violet, Ageratum, Artemesia, Begonia, Bells of Ireland, Browallia, Chinese Lanterns, Coleus, Coreopsis (Tickseed), Dusty Miller, Aquilegia (Columbine), Gaillardia, Geranium, Heuchera (Coral Bell), Impatiens, Lychnis (Lamb’s Ears), Nicotiana, Penstemon, Pentas, Petunia, Platycodon (Balloon flower),  Poppies, Portulaca, Primrose, Snapdragon.

The following seeds need darkness to germinate: (Don’t confuse germination with seedling growth. ALL seedlings need light to grow. Insufficient light will result in spindly, weak plants.) Armeria, Calendula, Catharanthus (Periwinkle), Centaurea, Delphinium, Echinacea (Coneflower), Gazania, Nasturtium, Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower).    

Warm temperatures make seeds germinate. Soil heating mats or cables are available in nurseries that sell seed starting supplies. These work great, but there is no need to get fancy like. I have had excellent success by repurposing a couple of old electric heating pads (the kind used for soothing sore muscles). Just take measures to keep them dry when in use.

Plastic dome covers retain heat and humidity. Once seeds have sprouted, remove any soil warming devices and plastic covers. Cooler temperatures and plenty of light will encourage stocky, strong seedlings. Good air circulation helps keep seedlings healthy. I utilize an old box fan to keep the air moving but do not direct the breeze directly at the seed flats.

Treat seedlings with tender care, giving them enough water to keep them from drying out without the soil being constantly wet.

Gradually introduce your seedlings to the harsh outdoors. This process is called “hardening off.”  Place seed flats outdoors in a protected area (away from winds and out of full sunlight) for an hour or two each day, gradually lengthening the time. This is the equivalent of developing a base tan so that your skin doesn’t blister from sudden sun exposure. If a day is especially blustery or unseasonably cool, skip it. There is no place for Tough Love in nurturing seedlings (unless you have sown them too thickly for good air circulation and healthy growth, which is not the topic of this blog).

Check the last frost date in your growth zone, then add a week for insurance before setting your darlings out in the wild world of flower beds, vegetable gardens, or containers. Sometime a stretch of warm temperatures leads us to assume that winter is over. Don’t be misled! It is always better to err on the side of safety than to suffer the loss of time and care invested when Nature has a cold, nasty hiccup.

Why tempt fate? Start only plants that will survive in your zone, soil type, and available light (sun exposure). Plant only vegetables that you and your family will actually eat. It does not matter if you can grow a fantastic bed of eggplant if no one in your family will touch it. Michigan State University has a great chart listing how many row feet to plant per person for various vegetables. Find it by clicking HERE.

Happy Seed Starting! I’d love to see photographs of your successes. Email pictures to mary@marysnoddy.com.

Ready, set, GROW!

These Gomphrena seedlings emerged two days ago, and they are already leaning toward the sun source.

These Zinnia seedlings are growing tall and skinny - a clear sign that they need more light than they are currently receiving.

A moment of silence, please, for this poor seedling that has suffered “damping off” from a fungal attack. The problem was likely caused by too wet a soil, as evident from the sheen of dampness on the starter mix.

The Purple Haze of Lamium

The “purple haze” across lawns and roadsides right now is unrelated to Jimi Hendrix. Instead, it is either Purple Deadnettle or Henbit or both. These weeds are common in the southeast, and can be found growing together. They spread readily and plague homeowners who want a pristine lawn. As a child, I loved the purple flowers with tiny freckles, and gathered many a tiny bouquet as a gift to my tolerant mother.  

A close look reveals the differences between the two. Purple Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) has heart-shaped leaves, slightly hairy, that attach to the stem with a stalk. The topmost leaves have a purple cast.  Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) has rounded leaves with scalloped edges that wrap around the stem. Leaves are uniformly green, and attach directly to the stem without a stalk. Stems are square for both, indicating they are members of the mint family. 

These two weeds are not native, but a Eurasian import that has made itself right at home here in the US. While I pull them from my flower beds and borders, I leave those in lawn areas alone.  Deadnettle prefers more sun than Henbit, which prefers shade to partial shade. They appear in all soil types.

Deadnettle and Henbit are reported to be edible. (In this case “edible” means non-toxic and does not equate to “palatable.”) Chickens enjoy eating both flowers and foliage. The blooms provide nectar to honeybees when few other flowers are available, and are also popular with hummingbirds, although peak Henbit season is past when our first hummingbirds appear here in upstate South Carolina. Both plants work well to control erosion (yay!) but set thousands of seeds, all of which seem to germinate (boo!). They can overtake a lawn. 

Both prefer cool temperatures of late winter and early spring, and will gradually fade away once weather is consistently warm. Both plants are annual, so don’t waste time and money applying herbicides.  If you don’t want them in your garden next year, apply anti-emergents in late summer or early fall when dormant seeds are starting to germinate. If you simply must rid yourself of these plants, use an herbicide labeled for broad-leaf weeds and follow the application instructions exactly.

Henbit

Purple Deadnettle

Happy Winter Faces of Pansies, Violas

Pansies are a popular flower choice for winter color. Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) is a biennial used as a cool-season annual. In the Southeast, plant them in fall and enjoy their flowers until late spring, when heat causes their demise. Pansies are available with solid blooms, but many have multicolored blotches that look like happy faces. Colors are so consistent that they can be planted in swaths to create a pattern or tapestry effect.

Plant pansies in full sun to part sun, in well-drained soil, zones 6 through 10. They are not picky as to soil pH (acid, neutral, or alkaline) or type (clay, sand, or loam). They prefer a moist soil, so add a little irrigation if winter rains are lacking. Pansies will flower continuously in fall and cool spring, taking a little break in the worst of the winter. In the mild winters of recent years, they have flowered from September through May in the Mary Snoddy garden.

Remove spent flowers regularly to encourage more blooming. I find a pair of cheap dollar-store scissors ideal for this task, allowing me to easily remove the spent flower and its entire stem. It looks a bit creepy to remove the petals and allow the decapitated stems to remain.

Pansies are available in both upright and spreading forms. The upright types do not exceed 12” in height. The trailing forms make a beautiful hanging basket, which has the advantage of allowing the container to be moved to a protected area in the most frigid of temperatures, then returned to a sunny spot once those teens and sub-teen temperatures have abated.

The old-fashioned common name, “Hearts-ease,” refers to the yellow and purple, small-flowered ancestor from which today’s large, showy blooms arose. A closely related plant, Viola tricolor, is commonly called “Johnny Jump-Up” or “Wild Pansy” or simply “Viola.” These are smaller in stature and bloom size, but they make up for their small size by exuberant flowering. They are available in solids or bi-colors, although not as many variations as the large-faced pansy. They also reseed readily, and if left undisturbed will create colonies in deciduous woodlands.

Both pansies and violas are edible. They make pretty decorations for sweet goods, but are not flavor powerhouses. If you choose to “candy” the flowers for food decoration, it is best to use a pasteurized egg-white product (find this in the refrigerated section at your grocery) rather than straight-from-the-shell egg white to eliminate any chance of foodborne salmonella.

The yellow and purple flower of this Pansy makes me think of buttered toast with grape jam.

Violas (“Johnny Jump Ups” have reseeded to cerate a mat of flowers.

Evergreen Shrubs for Shade

Evergreen shrubs give life to the winter garden. In warm weather, they provide a background that makes other plants, especially flowers and variegated specimens, look better by contrast. Last week we looked at several good choices for sun. Today, let’s a look at a couple of good background evergreens for shadier areas.

While most Viburnum (pronounced vih-BUR-num) are deciduous, evergreen Viburnum awabuki ‘Chindo’ has large, glossy leaves that are equally attractive as a backdrop or a featured specimen. ‘Chindo’ grows fast – one to two feet per year – and will thrive in almost any soil. It won’t do well in deep shade, but dappled shade or partial shade prevents leaf scorch. Mature specimens will have clusters of small white flowers and clusters of red berries that look fabulous against its deep green leaves. ‘Chindo’ naturally forms a pyramidal shape. It will be loose in part shade, dense with more sun. It will grow in zones 7 through 9, and is drought tolerant once established. Allow plenty of space, because a mature plant will reach 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Deer tend to avoid the thick leaves of this easy shrub.

Glossy Chindo leaves

Juvenile Chindo in shade

Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica (pronounced kah-MEE-lee-ah jah-PON-ih-kah) are well known and beloved for their shade tolerance and their beautiful blooms. Camellia japonica prefers partial to full shade. It is a good choice for woodland gardens. C. japonica leaves are larger than C. sasanqua, probably to increase photosynthesis in lower light levels. There are numerous cultivars. These tall shrubs are slow growing but will reach 12 feet or more.

Camellia japonica ‘Professor Sargent’ is popular and widely available.

Camellias grow in zone 7 through 9, in well-drained acidic (pH 5.5 to 6.5) soil containing plentiful organic matter. They produce showy flowers in winter, in shades of red, rose, white, pink, and bi-colors. Flower forms range from singles with prominent yellow stamens to “formal double” types with overlapping petals and no visible stamens.

Very cold temperature or ice and snow may damage Camellia flowers, causing them to brown and drop off. Buds are numerous, so flowering will resume when weather extremes abate. It is best to rake up and discard fallen flowers, to help prevent diseases and insect problems. Yellow leaves are a symptom of too alkaline soil. Purchase plants that are actively blooming to ensure your selection is your preferred color. My favorite cultivar is ‘Nuccio’s Pearl,’ a formal double white flower with a slight pink flush. Gorgeous! Until blooms get zapped by cold, that is. Then they turn a sickly tan and fall off a few days later.

The Cephalotaxus genus (“Yew” or “Plum Yew”) offers species that fit any growth habit desired - spreading, upright, skinny. The fernlike, needled foliage emerges light green and matures to a deep, rich green. All forms are slow growing and happy in shade. I decided to take a chance and planted Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ in a sunny area next to my home. I have given it supplemental irrigation during drought. Despite being recommended for shade, it happily matured to 15 feet tall, four feet wide. It is a good source of holiday greenery, since cut stems last a long time in water and provide good contrast to the more traditional Christmas greens. Its narrow mature width makes it a good alternative to ‘Sky Pencil’ holly.

Mature upright Yew

Soft needled foliage

New growth is bright green

My favorite evergreen shrub for shade is Osmanthus (pronounced oz-MAN-thus), or Tea Olive. Shrubs flower in late summer to autumn, a clean, fruity fragrance that every nose enjoys. The white flowers are tiny but numerous. An orange-flowered variety is available but it blooms less profusely than the white.

Osmanthus fragrans will reach heights of 20 feet, in zones 8b through 11. Its leaf edges are smooth or very slightly toothed. Osmanthus x fortunei, Fortune’s Tea Olive, tolerates more sun and more cold than O. fragrans. It will reach heights of 25 feet, in zones 7b through 10. Juvenile leaves are toothed while mature leaves tend to have smooth margins. The cultivar ‘Fruitlandii’ has outstanding fragrance.

Osmanthus heterophyllus has leaves that strongly resemble Holly (Ilex). It is sometimes called “Holly Tea Olive.” It matures at 15 feet, which makes it easier to incorporate into a mixed border. It will tolerate a more alkaline soil than the first two. A variegated form, ‘Goshiki,’ is a favorite in the Mary Snoddy garden. ‘Goshiki’ means “five colors,” an allusion to the dark green, light green, cream, and white leaves. New growth is a rosy pink. I find that ‘Goshiki’ blooms less than the others, but it may be because I keep it sheared into tight cones. You may have noticed that I have an affinity for gumdrop-shaped topiary. Deer usually ignore all members of the Osmanthus family, especially after they gain size.

Small flowers, big fragrance

Topiary Osmanthus 'Goshiki'

I cannot leave the subject of evergreen backgrounds without a mention of narrow choices. If your home is site on a narrow lot with neighbors close on either side, the space between houses is shaded by the structures themselves. When seeking “skinny” shrubs, look for “fastigiate” or “columnar” on plant tags. Both these mean the shrub has a narrow profile. If space is super tight, consider growing vine Confederate Jasmine or Clematis armandii on a fence to provide privacy and a solid green backdrop.