文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月08日
Botytris blight, also called gray mold, attacks almost any ornamental tree or shrub as well as many garden perennials. It usually occurs after an extended period of rain or drizzle in spring and summer. You may first notice it on dead and dying foliage and flowers. Continue reading to learn more about botrytis blight symptoms and gray mold control. What is Botrytis Blight? Botrytis blight on plants is caused by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that attacks tender parts of the plant in the presence of high humidity.
Botrytis blight symptoms on flowers include spotting, discoloration and wilting. Buds often fail to open. It may look as though the flowers are old and fading. You can tell the difference between an old flower and one affected by botrytis blight by the pattern of discoloration and wilting. Browning from normal aging begins with the petals on the outer edge of the flower. If browning occurs on inner petals first, the cause is probably botrytis blight. Leaves and shoots with botrytis blight have brown lesions and masses of gray spores. Severely affected leaves and shoots die back, and the leaves drop from the plant. Fruit also rots and drops off.
Treatment of Botrytis Blight on Plants Treatment of botrytis blight begins with good sanitation. Pick up and destroy the debris that falls to the ground under the plant. This includes flowers, buds, leaves, twigs and fruit. Prune off and destroy infected parts of the plant. Disinfect pruners with a 10 percent solution of household bleach between cuts to avoid spreading the disease. Destroy infected plant material by burning, or bury the debris under at least a foot of soil if burning isn’t allowed in your area. Healthy plants have limited natural disease. Avoid growing conditions that cause stress as much as possible. Make sure the plant receives the proper amount of sunlight, water and fertilizer. Keep the foliage as dry as possible by applying water directly to the soil. Prune as necessary to allow good air circulation. You can achieve limited gray mold control with good sanitation and improved growing conditions, but the spores spread over long distances on the wind, making complete control difficult. Fungicides can help reduce the damage to valuable landscape plants.
Choose a product labeled for protection against botrytis blight and for use on the type of plant you are treating. Follow the label instructions carefully and store the product in its original container and out of the reach of children.
Botrytis blight symptoms on flowers include spotting, discoloration and wilting. Buds often fail to open. It may look as though the flowers are old and fading. You can tell the difference between an old flower and one affected by botrytis blight by the pattern of discoloration and wilting. Browning from normal aging begins with the petals on the outer edge of the flower. If browning occurs on inner petals first, the cause is probably botrytis blight. Leaves and shoots with botrytis blight have brown lesions and masses of gray spores. Severely affected leaves and shoots die back, and the leaves drop from the plant. Fruit also rots and drops off.
Treatment of Botrytis Blight on Plants Treatment of botrytis blight begins with good sanitation. Pick up and destroy the debris that falls to the ground under the plant. This includes flowers, buds, leaves, twigs and fruit. Prune off and destroy infected parts of the plant. Disinfect pruners with a 10 percent solution of household bleach between cuts to avoid spreading the disease. Destroy infected plant material by burning, or bury the debris under at least a foot of soil if burning isn’t allowed in your area. Healthy plants have limited natural disease. Avoid growing conditions that cause stress as much as possible. Make sure the plant receives the proper amount of sunlight, water and fertilizer. Keep the foliage as dry as possible by applying water directly to the soil. Prune as necessary to allow good air circulation. You can achieve limited gray mold control with good sanitation and improved growing conditions, but the spores spread over long distances on the wind, making complete control difficult. Fungicides can help reduce the damage to valuable landscape plants.
Choose a product labeled for protection against botrytis blight and for use on the type of plant you are treating. Follow the label instructions carefully and store the product in its original container and out of the reach of children.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月08日
Miniature pine tree (Crassula tetragona) is a low-growing succulent shrub resembling a small pine tree, boasting a tree-like habit of bluish green, awl-shaped leaves and spring-blooming white flowers. A popular bonsai, miniature pine tree is often grown as a potted garden plant or houseplant, though it may also be grown directly in the garden where hardy. Aesthetically, miniature pine tree fits in well with rock gardens, bonsai plantings and zen-themed gardens.
Location
A native of South Africa, miniature pine tree is a heat-loving frost-sensitive plant, hardy to about 28 degrees Fahrenheit. It may be grown successfully outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11, where it will thrive in full sunlight or light shade. Provide indoor plants a winter dormancy period with temperatures around 48 degrees Fahrenheit.
Soil
Like other succulents, miniature pine tree requires very well draining soil. Poorly draining soil, coupled with excessive irrigation, is a surefire recipe for the often fatal fungal disease root rot. A mixture of sand, loam, pea gravel and peat moss with a pH between 6.1 and 7.8 is ideal. Fertilize once during the growing season with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted with water to about half strength.
Maintenance
The low maintenance miniature pine tree requires water only once a month or so during the growing season, watering deeply, then allowing the soil to completely dry out before watering again. In the winter, water sparingly, just enough to keep the leaves from shriveling. Miniature pine tree may be propagated by leaf or stem cuttings, rooted in moist, well-draining potting media. The plant may also be divided during the growing season or grown by seed.
Problems
Members of the Crassula genus are prone to mealybugs -- small, cottony insects that form colonies on leaves. If left unchecked, they may stunt plant growth or invite unattractive black sooty mold. The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program recommends removing mealy bugs with a direct stream of water or applying insecticidal soap or narrow-range oil. Avoid excessive use of insecticides in the home garden, which can kill the beneficial insects and parasites that prey on mealybugs.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Wisteria
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
FLOWER COLOR: BluePurpleWhite
BLOOM TIME: Spring
A high-climbing vine, wisteria blooms vigorously in spring with large, drooping clusters of lilac or bluish purple.
Note: Two species of wisteria that are typically grown in home gardens are invasive species: Wisteria sinensis or Chinese wisteria, and Wisteria floribunda or Japanese wisteria. The native wisteria is Wisteria frutescens, or American wisteria. If you’re planting a new wisteria, we strongly suggest you avoid the Asian invasive wisteria species.
How to tell the difference? The Asian species are aggressive growers with fuzzy seed pods while the American wisteria is not an aggressive grower and has smooth seed pods, glabrous fruits and more or less cylindrical, bean-shaped seeds. The native wisteria’s flowers appear after the plant has leafed out, a difference from the Asian species. The blooms only appear on new wood.
The vine may grow 25 to 30 feet long! Wisteria is also beautifully fragrant, providing a feast for the senses. A brown, bean-like pod exists until winter.
PLANTING
Grow in fertile, moist, but well-drained soil.
Plant in full sun. Though wisteria will grow in partial shade, it probably won’t flower. Sun is essential.
If your soil is in poor condition, add compost; otherwise, wisteria will grow in most soils. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Plant in the spring or fall.
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. Space plants 10 to 15 feet apart.
Choose a site that will not overwhelm nearby plants, as wisteria grows quickly and can overtake its neighbors.
CARE
Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant and a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
Some gardeners swear by phosphorus to aid flowering. Scratch a couple of cups of bone meal into the soil in the spring and then add some rock phosphate in the fall.
Water your plants if you receive less than one inch of rain each week. (To know how much rain you are getting, you can place an empty tuna can outside and measure the depth of water with a measuring stick.)
PRUNING WISTERIA
Pruning is the secret to good flowering.
Prune wisteria in late winter. Remove at least half of the prior year’s growth, leaving just a few buds per stem.
If you want a more formal appearance, prune again during summer, after traditional flowering.
For more blooms, try cutting back the rampant shoots every two weeks during the summer.
Do you have a new wisteria? Cut the vine back severely right after planting. Then, the next year, cut the main stem or stems back to 3 feet of the previous season’s growth. Once the framework is full size, shorten further extension growth in midsummer to where growth began for that season.
Informally grown, mature plants need little or no subsequent pruning.
For a formally trained plant, cut side shoots back to 6 inches in summer, then shorten them again in winter to 3 buds.
Wisteria will resprout with vigor if cut back severely, but this pruning should be avoided, if possible, because new shoots may take some years before they flower.
PESTS/DISEASES
Dieback, crown gall, leaf spots, virus diseases, Japanese beetle, aphids, leaf miners, scale insects, and mealybugs can be problems.
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
FLOWER COLOR: BluePurpleWhite
BLOOM TIME: Spring
A high-climbing vine, wisteria blooms vigorously in spring with large, drooping clusters of lilac or bluish purple.
Note: Two species of wisteria that are typically grown in home gardens are invasive species: Wisteria sinensis or Chinese wisteria, and Wisteria floribunda or Japanese wisteria. The native wisteria is Wisteria frutescens, or American wisteria. If you’re planting a new wisteria, we strongly suggest you avoid the Asian invasive wisteria species.
How to tell the difference? The Asian species are aggressive growers with fuzzy seed pods while the American wisteria is not an aggressive grower and has smooth seed pods, glabrous fruits and more or less cylindrical, bean-shaped seeds. The native wisteria’s flowers appear after the plant has leafed out, a difference from the Asian species. The blooms only appear on new wood.
The vine may grow 25 to 30 feet long! Wisteria is also beautifully fragrant, providing a feast for the senses. A brown, bean-like pod exists until winter.
PLANTING
Grow in fertile, moist, but well-drained soil.
Plant in full sun. Though wisteria will grow in partial shade, it probably won’t flower. Sun is essential.
If your soil is in poor condition, add compost; otherwise, wisteria will grow in most soils. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Plant in the spring or fall.
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. Space plants 10 to 15 feet apart.
Choose a site that will not overwhelm nearby plants, as wisteria grows quickly and can overtake its neighbors.
CARE
Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant and a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
Some gardeners swear by phosphorus to aid flowering. Scratch a couple of cups of bone meal into the soil in the spring and then add some rock phosphate in the fall.
Water your plants if you receive less than one inch of rain each week. (To know how much rain you are getting, you can place an empty tuna can outside and measure the depth of water with a measuring stick.)
PRUNING WISTERIA
Pruning is the secret to good flowering.
Prune wisteria in late winter. Remove at least half of the prior year’s growth, leaving just a few buds per stem.
If you want a more formal appearance, prune again during summer, after traditional flowering.
For more blooms, try cutting back the rampant shoots every two weeks during the summer.
Do you have a new wisteria? Cut the vine back severely right after planting. Then, the next year, cut the main stem or stems back to 3 feet of the previous season’s growth. Once the framework is full size, shorten further extension growth in midsummer to where growth began for that season.
Informally grown, mature plants need little or no subsequent pruning.
For a formally trained plant, cut side shoots back to 6 inches in summer, then shorten them again in winter to 3 buds.
Wisteria will resprout with vigor if cut back severely, but this pruning should be avoided, if possible, because new shoots may take some years before they flower.
PESTS/DISEASES
Dieback, crown gall, leaf spots, virus diseases, Japanese beetle, aphids, leaf miners, scale insects, and mealybugs can be problems.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Rhododendron
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Part Sun
SOIL PH: Acidic
FLOWER COLOR: PinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SpringSummer
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts Birds
Rhododendrons and azaleas, both from the genus Rhododendron, have long been mainstays of late spring because of their spectacular clusters of showy blooms—plus, largeThe flowers are usually tubular-, funnel-, or bell-shaped—and often fragrant. The leaves of the smaller azalea are usually pointed and narrow; the leaves of the rhododendron are generally large and leathery.
These shrubs prefer climates with adequate rainfall and moist summers. The two main azalea groups, evergreen and deciduous (varieties that drop their leaves in the fall) can be found in nearly every part of North America, from the frosty Canadian plains to tropical Florida. The rhododendron types are fussier, preferring environments where it is neither too hot nor too cold (Zones 5 to 8). They need a certain amount of chilling to develop strong flower buds.
With thousands of varieties, there are rhododendrons and azaleas for just about every landscape situation. There are low-growing ground cover azaleas, plants that grow from 1 to 2 feet, as well as plants that can grow up to 25 feet tall. They come in many flower colors, including pink, red, white, yellow, and purple. Though most plants flower in the spring, there are also summer-blooming varieties that add color and charm to the garden. green leaves that often stay green through winter.
PLANTING
Plant in spring or early fall.
Most large-leafed varieties require dappled shade; avoid deep shade or full sun. A sunny spot that receives a few hours of shade is perfect.
Soil should be well-drained, humus-rich, moist, and acidic (pH 4.5–6).
Amend planting areas with compost, peat moss, or a substitute, only if your soil is poor. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Azaleas and rhododendrons have shallow root systems and need moist soil and mulch to keep them from drying out.
When shopping for plants, pay attention to when they flower. Early varieties can blossom in March, late ones into July or even the fall.
Buy plants that are a deep green (not yellowed), not wilted, and well watered. Check the soil in the container with your finger and avoid plants that are bone dry.
Space plants 2 to 6 feet apart. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 times as wide.
Set new plants so that their top roots are at soil level or slightly below. If you plant them any deeper, the roots may rot.
Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil before filling with remainder of soil.
CARE
Mulch plants every spring with 2 to 5 inches of pine bark chips or pine needles to protect shallow roots, retain soil moisture, and keep the soil damp. A lack of water reduces flower-bud formation. (Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk.)
Fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons sparingly and only when flower buds swell in the early spring, even if they are fall bloomers. Heavy applications of fertilizer will burn the plants.
Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
After flowering, deadhead where practical, to promote vegetative growth rather than seed production. Remove dead flowers from rhododendrons carefully; next year’s buds are just under the old heads.
In regions with severe winters, wrap evergreen rhododendrons with burlap in the fall.
Transplant azaleas and rhododendrons whenever the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
Warm-Weather Advisory (Zones 7 to 11)
If your weather heats to above 90°F in spring, avoid white-flowered azaleas. Their thin petals shatter in the heat.
Plant in a site that receives afternoon shade, especially in hot areas. In tropical zones, azaleas will bloom in full shade.
Buy plants in 3-gallon cans rather than 1-gallon cans. They’re a better bargain in hot climates. Small plants, with their fewer roots, struggle in the hot late spring and summer.
Cold-Zone Reminders (Zones 3 to 6)
Plant in full sun to increase flowers and avoid mildew problems. Shrubs need a minimum of 6 hours of full sun daily.
Plant on the sheltered side of a windbreak. If subjected to cold, dry winds, their leaves and buds dry out and die.
Pruning
In general, do not prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons. If you need to reduce height, prune after flowering in the spring.
Otherwise, just remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches anytime.
On young and old plants, simply snap off spent flower stalks by bending them over until they break away from their stems. Be careful not to damage growth buds at the base of each flower stalk.
PESTS/DISEASES
Susceptible to vine weevil, whiteflies, leafhoppers, lacebugs, scale insects, caterpillars, aphids, powdery mildew, bud blast, rust, leafy gall, petal blight.
If soil is not sufficiently acidic, root rot and lime-induced chlorosis could occur.
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Part Sun
SOIL PH: Acidic
FLOWER COLOR: PinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SpringSummer
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts Birds
Rhododendrons and azaleas, both from the genus Rhododendron, have long been mainstays of late spring because of their spectacular clusters of showy blooms—plus, largeThe flowers are usually tubular-, funnel-, or bell-shaped—and often fragrant. The leaves of the smaller azalea are usually pointed and narrow; the leaves of the rhododendron are generally large and leathery.
These shrubs prefer climates with adequate rainfall and moist summers. The two main azalea groups, evergreen and deciduous (varieties that drop their leaves in the fall) can be found in nearly every part of North America, from the frosty Canadian plains to tropical Florida. The rhododendron types are fussier, preferring environments where it is neither too hot nor too cold (Zones 5 to 8). They need a certain amount of chilling to develop strong flower buds.
With thousands of varieties, there are rhododendrons and azaleas for just about every landscape situation. There are low-growing ground cover azaleas, plants that grow from 1 to 2 feet, as well as plants that can grow up to 25 feet tall. They come in many flower colors, including pink, red, white, yellow, and purple. Though most plants flower in the spring, there are also summer-blooming varieties that add color and charm to the garden. green leaves that often stay green through winter.
PLANTING
Plant in spring or early fall.
Most large-leafed varieties require dappled shade; avoid deep shade or full sun. A sunny spot that receives a few hours of shade is perfect.
Soil should be well-drained, humus-rich, moist, and acidic (pH 4.5–6).
Amend planting areas with compost, peat moss, or a substitute, only if your soil is poor. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Azaleas and rhododendrons have shallow root systems and need moist soil and mulch to keep them from drying out.
When shopping for plants, pay attention to when they flower. Early varieties can blossom in March, late ones into July or even the fall.
Buy plants that are a deep green (not yellowed), not wilted, and well watered. Check the soil in the container with your finger and avoid plants that are bone dry.
Space plants 2 to 6 feet apart. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 times as wide.
Set new plants so that their top roots are at soil level or slightly below. If you plant them any deeper, the roots may rot.
Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil before filling with remainder of soil.
CARE
Mulch plants every spring with 2 to 5 inches of pine bark chips or pine needles to protect shallow roots, retain soil moisture, and keep the soil damp. A lack of water reduces flower-bud formation. (Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk.)
Fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons sparingly and only when flower buds swell in the early spring, even if they are fall bloomers. Heavy applications of fertilizer will burn the plants.
Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
After flowering, deadhead where practical, to promote vegetative growth rather than seed production. Remove dead flowers from rhododendrons carefully; next year’s buds are just under the old heads.
In regions with severe winters, wrap evergreen rhododendrons with burlap in the fall.
Transplant azaleas and rhododendrons whenever the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
Warm-Weather Advisory (Zones 7 to 11)
If your weather heats to above 90°F in spring, avoid white-flowered azaleas. Their thin petals shatter in the heat.
Plant in a site that receives afternoon shade, especially in hot areas. In tropical zones, azaleas will bloom in full shade.
Buy plants in 3-gallon cans rather than 1-gallon cans. They’re a better bargain in hot climates. Small plants, with their fewer roots, struggle in the hot late spring and summer.
Cold-Zone Reminders (Zones 3 to 6)
Plant in full sun to increase flowers and avoid mildew problems. Shrubs need a minimum of 6 hours of full sun daily.
Plant on the sheltered side of a windbreak. If subjected to cold, dry winds, their leaves and buds dry out and die.
Pruning
In general, do not prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons. If you need to reduce height, prune after flowering in the spring.
Otherwise, just remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches anytime.
On young and old plants, simply snap off spent flower stalks by bending them over until they break away from their stems. Be careful not to damage growth buds at the base of each flower stalk.
PESTS/DISEASES
Susceptible to vine weevil, whiteflies, leafhoppers, lacebugs, scale insects, caterpillars, aphids, powdery mildew, bud blast, rust, leafy gall, petal blight.
If soil is not sufficiently acidic, root rot and lime-induced chlorosis could occur.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Syringa
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
FLOWER COLOR: BluePinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SpringSummer
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts Butterflies
Lilacs do come in seven colors, but most are familiar with the common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, which blooms in the northern states for 2 weeks in late May. However, there are early-, mid-, and late-season lilacs, which, when grown together, ensure a steady bloom for at least 6 weeks.
Lilacs are hardy, easy to grow, and low maintenance. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fragrant flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.
PLANTING
Grow lilacs in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil (at a pH near 7.0). If your soil is in poor condition, add compost to enrich. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Select a site where your lilac will get full sun—at least 6 hours. If lilacs don’t get enough sun, they will not bloom well.
Make sure the site drains well. Lilacs don’t like wet feet and will not bloom with too much water.
Plant in either spring or fall, although the latter is preferred.
If you’re lucky, a friend will give you a sucker, or offshoot, of the root system of one of his plants. Your sucker will look pathetic at first but just dig a hole, backfill it with soil, and stick the sucker in. Then water and wait. In 4 or 5 years, you’ll be rewarded with huge, fragrant blossoms.
Transplanting lilacs from a nursery is also easy. If it’s container-grown, spread out the roots as you settle the plant into the ground; if it’s balled or burlapped, gently remove the covering and any rope before planting. Set the plant 2 or 3 inches deeper than it grew in the nursery, and work topsoil in around the roots. Water in. Then fill in the hole with more topsoil.
Space multiple lilac bushes 5 to 15 feet apart, depending on the variety.
CARE
Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant, followed by mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
Water during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Lilacs won’t bloom if they’re overfertilized. They can handle a handful of 10-10-10 in late winter, but no more.
After your lilac bush has finished blooming, spread some lime and well-rotted manure around the base. Trim the bush to shape it, and remove suckers at the same time.
Pruning Lilacs
Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it’s critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here’s a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.
If your lilac is old and in really bad shape, remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the rest of the old wood in year three. Another option for old lilacs is to chop the whole thing back to about 6 or 8 inches high. It sounds drastic, but lilacs are very hardy. The downside to this option is that it takes a few years to grow back. The upside is less work and more reward, as the lilac will grow back bursting with blooms.
It must be recognized that severe pruning results in the loss of blooms for one to three years. For these reasons, a wise pruning program aims to avoid severe and drastic cuts by giving the bushes annual attention.
PESTS/DISEASES
Prone to attack by slugs and snails.
Powdery white mildew may appear after a summer of hot, humid weather. It may be unsightly, but it does no harm. Ignore it.
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
FLOWER COLOR: BluePinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SpringSummer
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts Butterflies
Lilacs do come in seven colors, but most are familiar with the common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, which blooms in the northern states for 2 weeks in late May. However, there are early-, mid-, and late-season lilacs, which, when grown together, ensure a steady bloom for at least 6 weeks.
Lilacs are hardy, easy to grow, and low maintenance. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet tall, depending on the variety. The fragrant flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.
PLANTING
Grow lilacs in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil (at a pH near 7.0). If your soil is in poor condition, add compost to enrich. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Select a site where your lilac will get full sun—at least 6 hours. If lilacs don’t get enough sun, they will not bloom well.
Make sure the site drains well. Lilacs don’t like wet feet and will not bloom with too much water.
Plant in either spring or fall, although the latter is preferred.
If you’re lucky, a friend will give you a sucker, or offshoot, of the root system of one of his plants. Your sucker will look pathetic at first but just dig a hole, backfill it with soil, and stick the sucker in. Then water and wait. In 4 or 5 years, you’ll be rewarded with huge, fragrant blossoms.
Transplanting lilacs from a nursery is also easy. If it’s container-grown, spread out the roots as you settle the plant into the ground; if it’s balled or burlapped, gently remove the covering and any rope before planting. Set the plant 2 or 3 inches deeper than it grew in the nursery, and work topsoil in around the roots. Water in. Then fill in the hole with more topsoil.
Space multiple lilac bushes 5 to 15 feet apart, depending on the variety.
CARE
Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant, followed by mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
Water during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Lilacs won’t bloom if they’re overfertilized. They can handle a handful of 10-10-10 in late winter, but no more.
After your lilac bush has finished blooming, spread some lime and well-rotted manure around the base. Trim the bush to shape it, and remove suckers at the same time.
Pruning Lilacs
Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it’s critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here’s a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.
If your lilac is old and in really bad shape, remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the rest of the old wood in year three. Another option for old lilacs is to chop the whole thing back to about 6 or 8 inches high. It sounds drastic, but lilacs are very hardy. The downside to this option is that it takes a few years to grow back. The upside is less work and more reward, as the lilac will grow back bursting with blooms.
It must be recognized that severe pruning results in the loss of blooms for one to three years. For these reasons, a wise pruning program aims to avoid severe and drastic cuts by giving the bushes annual attention.
PESTS/DISEASES
Prone to attack by slugs and snails.
Powdery white mildew may appear after a summer of hot, humid weather. It may be unsightly, but it does no harm. Ignore it.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Hydrangea
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: AcidicNeutralNeutral to Slightly AlkalineSlightly Acidic to Neutral
FLOWER COLOR: BluePinkPurpleWhite
BLOOM TIME: SummerFall
With immense flower heads, hydrangeas flaunt an old-fashioned charm that is hard to resist. Colors also beguile with clear blues, vibrant pinks, frosty whites, lavender, and rose—sometimes all blooming on the same plant!
The colors of some hydrangeas—especially mophead and lacecap—can change color based on the soil pH, which affects relative availability of aluminum ions. Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 product pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.
Unrivaled in the shrub world, these elegant ladies are easy to cultivate, tolerate almost any soil, and produce flowers in mid-summer through fall (when little else may be in bloom). Hydrangeas are excellent for a range of garden sites from group plantings to shrub borders to containers.
PLANTING
Most hydrangeas thrive in rich, porous, somewhat moist soils. Add compost to enrich poor soil.
They prefer full sun in the morning, with some afternoon shade; however, many will grow and bloom in partial shade. This is especially true for the bigleaf hydrangeas (see Recommended Varieties below).
Plant in spring or fall.
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide.
Set the plant in the hole and fill it half full with soil. Water. After water is drained, fill the rest of the hole with soil.
Water thoroughly.
Space multiple hydrangeas about 3 to 10 feet apart.
CARE
For the first year or two after planting and during any drought, be sure hydrangeas get plenty of water. Leaves will wilt if the soil is too dry.
If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. If your soil is light or sandy, it’s best to feed the plants once a year in late winter or spring. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms. Learn more about soil amendments.
In the fall, cover plants to a depth of at least 18 inches with bark mulch, leaves, pine needles, or straw. If at all possible, cover the entire plant, tip included, by making cages out of snow fencing or chicken wire, and loosely filling the cages with leaves. (Do not use maple leaves, as they will break down too quickly.)
How to Prune a Hydrangea
Many of our readers’ questions are about pruning a hydrangea. And no wonder it’s confusing! It depends on the variety of hydrangea.
Common Hydrangea Shrubs
The most common garden hydrangea shrub is the Bigleaf variety, H. macrophylla). One type of Bigleaf is the “Mophead” with the big snowball-size blooms. The other type of Bigleaf is the “Lacecap” with the pretty flowers almost hanging down from a flat center of tiny blooms.
The Bigleaf variety, or H. macrophylla, as well as H. paniculata and H. quercifolia are pruned AFTER the flowers fade.
Flower buds actually form in the late summer and flower afterwards the following season, so avoid pruning after August 1.
Only cut away dead wood in the fall or very early spring.
To prune, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to encourage branching and fullness.
If the plant is old or neglected or damaged, prune all the stems down to the base. You’ll lose the flowers for the upcoming season, but also renovate the plant for future years.
It’s best not to deadhead (remove faded blooms) on the big mopheads; leave them over the winter and cut them back in early spring (to the first healthy pair of buds). It’s fine to deadhead the lacecaps; cut down to the second pair of leaves below the flower head.
Other Hydrangeas
Oakleaf, panicle, and smooth hydrangeas are treated differently. They blossom on the current season’s wood. They should be pruned in the later winter when the plant is dormant BEFORE bloom. This means that if the buds are killed during the winter, they will produce new buds in the spring which will produce blooms.
In general, prune only dead branches, and do not prune to “shape” the bush.
PESTS/DISEASES
Click links for common pest pages:
Gray mold
Slugs
Powdery mildew
Rust
Ringspot virus
Leaf spots
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: AcidicNeutralNeutral to Slightly AlkalineSlightly Acidic to Neutral
FLOWER COLOR: BluePinkPurpleWhite
BLOOM TIME: SummerFall
With immense flower heads, hydrangeas flaunt an old-fashioned charm that is hard to resist. Colors also beguile with clear blues, vibrant pinks, frosty whites, lavender, and rose—sometimes all blooming on the same plant!
The colors of some hydrangeas—especially mophead and lacecap—can change color based on the soil pH, which affects relative availability of aluminum ions. Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 product pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.
Unrivaled in the shrub world, these elegant ladies are easy to cultivate, tolerate almost any soil, and produce flowers in mid-summer through fall (when little else may be in bloom). Hydrangeas are excellent for a range of garden sites from group plantings to shrub borders to containers.
PLANTING
Most hydrangeas thrive in rich, porous, somewhat moist soils. Add compost to enrich poor soil.
They prefer full sun in the morning, with some afternoon shade; however, many will grow and bloom in partial shade. This is especially true for the bigleaf hydrangeas (see Recommended Varieties below).
Plant in spring or fall.
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide.
Set the plant in the hole and fill it half full with soil. Water. After water is drained, fill the rest of the hole with soil.
Water thoroughly.
Space multiple hydrangeas about 3 to 10 feet apart.
CARE
For the first year or two after planting and during any drought, be sure hydrangeas get plenty of water. Leaves will wilt if the soil is too dry.
If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. If your soil is light or sandy, it’s best to feed the plants once a year in late winter or spring. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms. Learn more about soil amendments.
In the fall, cover plants to a depth of at least 18 inches with bark mulch, leaves, pine needles, or straw. If at all possible, cover the entire plant, tip included, by making cages out of snow fencing or chicken wire, and loosely filling the cages with leaves. (Do not use maple leaves, as they will break down too quickly.)
How to Prune a Hydrangea
Many of our readers’ questions are about pruning a hydrangea. And no wonder it’s confusing! It depends on the variety of hydrangea.
Common Hydrangea Shrubs
The most common garden hydrangea shrub is the Bigleaf variety, H. macrophylla). One type of Bigleaf is the “Mophead” with the big snowball-size blooms. The other type of Bigleaf is the “Lacecap” with the pretty flowers almost hanging down from a flat center of tiny blooms.
The Bigleaf variety, or H. macrophylla, as well as H. paniculata and H. quercifolia are pruned AFTER the flowers fade.
Flower buds actually form in the late summer and flower afterwards the following season, so avoid pruning after August 1.
Only cut away dead wood in the fall or very early spring.
To prune, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to encourage branching and fullness.
If the plant is old or neglected or damaged, prune all the stems down to the base. You’ll lose the flowers for the upcoming season, but also renovate the plant for future years.
It’s best not to deadhead (remove faded blooms) on the big mopheads; leave them over the winter and cut them back in early spring (to the first healthy pair of buds). It’s fine to deadhead the lacecaps; cut down to the second pair of leaves below the flower head.
Other Hydrangeas
Oakleaf, panicle, and smooth hydrangeas are treated differently. They blossom on the current season’s wood. They should be pruned in the later winter when the plant is dormant BEFORE bloom. This means that if the buds are killed during the winter, they will produce new buds in the spring which will produce blooms.
In general, prune only dead branches, and do not prune to “shape” the bush.
PESTS/DISEASES
Click links for common pest pages:
Gray mold
Slugs
Powdery mildew
Rust
Ringspot virus
Leaf spots
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Buddleia davidii
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
FLOWER COLOR: PinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SummerFall
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts BirdsAttracts Butterflies
The Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) is a beautiful, fast-growing, deciduous shrub with masses of blossoms—long, seductively spiked trusses—that bloom from summer to autumn.
The flowers come in many colors, though butterflies prefer the lavenderpink (mauve) of the species to the white and dark purple cultivars.
Butterfly bushes are hardy to zone 5 and remains evergreen from zone 8 south. The shrub is also low-maintenance, only requiring dead-heading and annual pruning in later winter to encourage flowers and a compact shape.
INVASIVE CONCERNS
Please note that the popular Butterfly Bush, imported from China, is now being classified as an invasive species in most regions, which means it’s crowding out native food that is essential to wildlife, including butterflies and birds. In more gentle climates, it can become a noxious weed. In other climates, it seems to stay contained within a garden’s cultivated soil if gardeners deadhead the flowers once spent.
Also, despite the “butterfly” name, keep in mind that this shrub is not a “host plant” for butterflies in that it does not support butterfly reproduction and lifecycle. Rather, it provides nectar to adult butterflies; think of nectar as their favorite adult beverage! If you do have a Butterfly Bush, be sure to add native host plants such as milkweed if you want the butterflies to stay. See plants that attract butterflies.
PLANTING
Buddleias need full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
Plant in spring or fall. See your local frost dates.
Loosen the soil, mix in compost, and dig a hole twice the diameter of the plant container.
When placing the plant in the hole, the top of the rootball should be level with the soil surface
Space plants 5 to 10 feet apart, depending on the variety.
Water thoroughly.
CARE
Water freely when in growth and sparingly otherwise. In the summer, water if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Avoid fertilizing butterfly bush; too much fertility promotes leaf growth over flower production.
Remove spent flower spikes to encourage new shoots and flower buds.
In addition, it is important to deadhead the flowers just as they start to wither so that this invasive plant doesn’t spread volunteer seeds. Deadheading of this invasive is now required in many states.
Each spring, apply a thin layer of compost and mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
In cold, Northern climates, spread mulch up to 6 inches deep around the trunk to nurture it through the winter.
Buddleias are very late to break dormancy, so don’t be in a hurry to assess winter damage.
The bush should bloom abundantly even in its first year. In warmer climates, the bushes will grow into trees and develop rugged trunks that peel; peeling is normal.
In the northern limit of their range, they behave as herbaceous perennials, dying back to the root in cold winters.
Since they bloom on new wood, even if there is no die-back, cut them back to the ground every spring. Yes, hack to the ground!
Even where winters are mild enough for the stems to survive, prune severely to stimulate abundant growth on which flowers are borne.
PESTS/DISEASES
Susceptible to capsid bug, caterpillars, weevils, mullein moth, and spider mites.
Fungal leaf spots and die-backs can occur.
Butterfly bushes are one of many deer-resistant plants.
PLANT TYPE: Shrub
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
FLOWER COLOR: PinkPurpleRedWhiteYellow
BLOOM TIME: SummerFall
SPECIAL FEATURES: Attracts BirdsAttracts Butterflies
The Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) is a beautiful, fast-growing, deciduous shrub with masses of blossoms—long, seductively spiked trusses—that bloom from summer to autumn.
The flowers come in many colors, though butterflies prefer the lavenderpink (mauve) of the species to the white and dark purple cultivars.
Butterfly bushes are hardy to zone 5 and remains evergreen from zone 8 south. The shrub is also low-maintenance, only requiring dead-heading and annual pruning in later winter to encourage flowers and a compact shape.
INVASIVE CONCERNS
Please note that the popular Butterfly Bush, imported from China, is now being classified as an invasive species in most regions, which means it’s crowding out native food that is essential to wildlife, including butterflies and birds. In more gentle climates, it can become a noxious weed. In other climates, it seems to stay contained within a garden’s cultivated soil if gardeners deadhead the flowers once spent.
Also, despite the “butterfly” name, keep in mind that this shrub is not a “host plant” for butterflies in that it does not support butterfly reproduction and lifecycle. Rather, it provides nectar to adult butterflies; think of nectar as their favorite adult beverage! If you do have a Butterfly Bush, be sure to add native host plants such as milkweed if you want the butterflies to stay. See plants that attract butterflies.
PLANTING
Buddleias need full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
Plant in spring or fall. See your local frost dates.
Loosen the soil, mix in compost, and dig a hole twice the diameter of the plant container.
When placing the plant in the hole, the top of the rootball should be level with the soil surface
Space plants 5 to 10 feet apart, depending on the variety.
Water thoroughly.
CARE
Water freely when in growth and sparingly otherwise. In the summer, water if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Avoid fertilizing butterfly bush; too much fertility promotes leaf growth over flower production.
Remove spent flower spikes to encourage new shoots and flower buds.
In addition, it is important to deadhead the flowers just as they start to wither so that this invasive plant doesn’t spread volunteer seeds. Deadheading of this invasive is now required in many states.
Each spring, apply a thin layer of compost and mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
In cold, Northern climates, spread mulch up to 6 inches deep around the trunk to nurture it through the winter.
Buddleias are very late to break dormancy, so don’t be in a hurry to assess winter damage.
The bush should bloom abundantly even in its first year. In warmer climates, the bushes will grow into trees and develop rugged trunks that peel; peeling is normal.
In the northern limit of their range, they behave as herbaceous perennials, dying back to the root in cold winters.
Since they bloom on new wood, even if there is no die-back, cut them back to the ground every spring. Yes, hack to the ground!
Even where winters are mild enough for the stems to survive, prune severely to stimulate abundant growth on which flowers are borne.
PESTS/DISEASES
Susceptible to capsid bug, caterpillars, weevils, mullein moth, and spider mites.
Fungal leaf spots and die-backs can occur.
Butterfly bushes are one of many deer-resistant plants.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月05日
BOTANICAL NAME: Thymus vulgaris
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
Thyme is a small perennial shrub with lots of branches and light purple to pink flowers. Here’s how to grow thyme in your own garden.
Thyme is aromatic and has a pleasant, pungent, clover flavor. There are over fifty varieties used in cooking and gardening. English thyme is used most often in cooking.
PLANTING
It’s hard to grow thyme from seeds because of slow, uneven germination. It’s easier to buy the plants or take some cuttings from a friend.
For a head start, plant the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. (See your local frost dates.)
Plant the seeds/cuttings 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost in well-drained soil about 9 inches apart. For best growth, the soil should be about 70ºF.
The plants should grow 6 to 12 inches in height.
In the garden, plant thyme near cabbage or tomatoes.
CARE
Water normally and remember to trim the plants when they get leggy.
Prune the plants back in the spring and summer to contain the growth. You can take some cuttings and plant them indoors in pots, too.
If you have cold winters, remember to lightly mulch around the plants after the ground freezes.
PESTS/DISEASES
Gray mold
Root rot
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full SunPart Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
Thyme is a small perennial shrub with lots of branches and light purple to pink flowers. Here’s how to grow thyme in your own garden.
Thyme is aromatic and has a pleasant, pungent, clover flavor. There are over fifty varieties used in cooking and gardening. English thyme is used most often in cooking.
PLANTING
It’s hard to grow thyme from seeds because of slow, uneven germination. It’s easier to buy the plants or take some cuttings from a friend.
For a head start, plant the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. (See your local frost dates.)
Plant the seeds/cuttings 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost in well-drained soil about 9 inches apart. For best growth, the soil should be about 70ºF.
The plants should grow 6 to 12 inches in height.
In the garden, plant thyme near cabbage or tomatoes.
CARE
Water normally and remember to trim the plants when they get leggy.
Prune the plants back in the spring and summer to contain the growth. You can take some cuttings and plant them indoors in pots, too.
If you have cold winters, remember to lightly mulch around the plants after the ground freezes.
PESTS/DISEASES
Gray mold
Root rot
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月05日
BOTANICAL NAME: Rosmarinus officinalis
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
FLOWER COLOR: Blue
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub with blue flowers. It is a pungent and distinctive herb with a sweet, resinous flavor. Here’s how to grow your own rosemary plants.
Rosemary is ideal for a rock garden or the top of a dry wall. It is often used for seasoning poultry, lamb, stews, and soups.
PLANTING
For a head start, plant the seeds or cuttings indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. See your local frost dates.
Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil. For best growth, the soil should be around 70ºF.
Be sure to give your plants enough room to grow. Rosemary grows to about 4 feet tall and spreads about 4 feet as well.
In the garden, plant near beans, cabbage, carrots, and sage. Learn more about companion planting with herbs.
CARE
After the rosemary plant flowers, remember to trim the plant.
For fresh rosemary in the winter, grow the plant indoors in a pot. Be sure to put it in bright light and cool temperatures.
Prune regularly so that the plant won’t get lanky.
Water the plants evenly throughout the growing season.
Be sure to get cuttings or divide the plant for next season.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aerial blight
Bacterial leaf spots
Several types of root rot
PLANT TYPE: Herb
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: LoamySandy
FLOWER COLOR: Blue
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub with blue flowers. It is a pungent and distinctive herb with a sweet, resinous flavor. Here’s how to grow your own rosemary plants.
Rosemary is ideal for a rock garden or the top of a dry wall. It is often used for seasoning poultry, lamb, stews, and soups.
PLANTING
For a head start, plant the seeds or cuttings indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. See your local frost dates.
Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil. For best growth, the soil should be around 70ºF.
Be sure to give your plants enough room to grow. Rosemary grows to about 4 feet tall and spreads about 4 feet as well.
In the garden, plant near beans, cabbage, carrots, and sage. Learn more about companion planting with herbs.
CARE
After the rosemary plant flowers, remember to trim the plant.
For fresh rosemary in the winter, grow the plant indoors in a pot. Be sure to put it in bright light and cool temperatures.
Prune regularly so that the plant won’t get lanky.
Water the plants evenly throughout the growing season.
Be sure to get cuttings or divide the plant for next season.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aerial blight
Bacterial leaf spots
Several types of root rot
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Miss Chen
2017年08月05日
Description: This is a low prostrate shrub about 2-8" tall that branches occasionally, often forming a mat of trailing branches and leafy shoots. The older branches are woody with thin bark; young shoots are whitish green to red, more or less pubescent, and terete (circular in circumference). Alternate evergreen leaves occur along the young shoots; these leaves are ascending to widely spreading, and they overlap more toward the tips of shoots than toward their bases. Individual leaves are ½–1" long and ¼–½" across; they are oblanceolate or oblanceolate-elliptic in shape, while their margins are entire (toothless) and slightly ciliate. The upper leaf surface is dark green, hairless, and shiny, while the lower leaf surface is medium green and hairless. Leaf texture is leathery and leaf venation is pinnate. The leaves taper gradually into short petioles about 1/8" (3 mm.) long. Short clusters of 2-15 drooping flowers are produced from the tips of last year's twigs. Each flower is about ½" long and ½" across, consisting of a white to pink urn-shaped corolla, a very short calyx with 5 half-orbicular lobes, 10 inserted stamens, and a glabrous ovary with an inserted style.
Mature Drupes
The corolla is constricted around its neck, above which there are 5 tiny lobes that are recurved and half-orbicular in shape. The interior of the corolla is hairy. The lobed calyx is predominately light green to red; its lobes have white- membranous margins. Both the peduncle and pedicels of the inflorescence are light green to red, glabrous to short-pubescent, and terete. The blooming period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2-3 weeks. Afterwards, fertile flowers are replaced by drupes that develop during the summer. Mature drupes are ¼–½" across, globoid to subgloboid in shape, smooth, and bright red. The fleshy interior of each mature drupe is dry, mealy, and tasteless, containing 4-5 hard seeds that are irregularly shaped. The woody root system can extend 3-6' into the ground. This shrub reproduces primarily by layering; when its branches and shoots become submerged in sand or soil, they can develop new roots. By this means, clonal colonies are produced. To a lesser extent, this shrub also reproduces by reseeding itself. The evergreen leaves become red to dark red during the winter.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun, dry conditions, and sterile soil containing acidic rocky material or sand. Growth and development is slow. This winter-hardy evergreen shrub can be started from rooted cuttings. It can be used as a low ground cover in sunny rock gardens. The long-lasting drupes can persist into autumn, winter, and early spring.
Range & Habitat: The native Bearberry occurs primarily in northern Illinois, where it is rare and state-listed as 'endangered' (see Distribution Map). However, some large healthy populations of this low shrub can be found along the sand dunes of Lake Michigan. Illinois lies along the southern range-limit of this species. Bearberry has a wide distribution in boreal areas of North America; it also occurs in boreal areas of Eurasia. Habitats include dry sandy woodlands, dry sandy prairies, sandstone glades, exposed sandstone cliffs, and sand dunes along Lake Michigan. In the latter habitat, Bearberry is often codominant with Trailing Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis). This conservative shrub is found in high quality natural areas. It is also cultivated occasionally in gardens. Wildfire resistant is relatively poor, although some crowns and submerged rooted branches can survive light fires (Crane, 1991).
Faunal Associations: The urn-shaped flowers are probably cross-pollinated by long-tongued bees, where both nectar and pollen are available as floral rewards. A relatively small number of insects feed on the leaves and other parts of Bearberry. These species include two aphids, Tamalia coweni and Wahlgreniella nervata; Clastoptera saintcyri (Heath Spittlebug); two leafhoppers, Limotettix arctostaphyli and Texananus cumulatus; the larvae of two butterflies, Callophrys augustinus (Brown Elfin) and Callophrys polios (Hoary Elfin); and the larvae of a Pyralid moth, Pyla arenaeola (see Hottes & Frison, 1931; Hamilton, 1982; DeLong, 1948; Opler & Krizek, 1984; and Panzer et al., 2006). Two polyphagous insects, Lepidosaphes ulmi (Oystershell Scale) and Pseudococcus sorghiellus (Trochanter Mealybug), also reportedly feed on Bearberry. Foliage of Bearberry is browsed sparingly by White-tailed Deer and Elk. However, it is consider unpalatable and slightly toxic to horses, cattle, and other livestock. The fruits of this shrub are eaten by various upland gamebirds, songbirds, black bears, and small mammals, especially during the winter and early spring, as a source of emergency food (see Crane, 1991; Martin et al., 1951/1961; Rumble & Anderson, 1996). Most of these observations for vertebrate animals have occurred in the western United States and Canada.
Photographic Location: Sand dunes along Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park in NE Illinois.
Comments: Along with Trailing Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) plays an important role in stabilizing the sand dunes along Lake Michigan in NE Illinois. It is typically found along the slopes or the tops of such dunes. Taller shrubs that colonize this area include Low Common Juniper (Juniperus communis depressa), Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila), and Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). Bearberry has attractive flowers, fruits, and foliage throughout the year. Because of its wide distribution, there is some variability across different populations, and different varieties/subspecies have been described. Bearberry resembles another species in the Heath family, American Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), in appearance. This latter species can be distinguished by its somewhat larger leaves (1-2" long), the wintergreen aroma of its leaves when they are crushed, the spicy flavor of its fruits, and the more pointed calyces of its flowers. It produces solitary flowers from the leaf axils, rather than clusters of 2-15 flowers from the tips of twigs. Another common name of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is Kinnikinnik. This was originally an Amerindian name for this shrub; its dried leaves were often used as an ingredient in tobacco by them.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月03日
Family - Salicaceae
Stems - Multiple from the base, woody, erect to ascending or reclining. A shrub to +5m tall. Twigs glabrous or with a few sparse hairs, terete, with spongy white pith, green or reddish in strong sun. New growth sericeous, green.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate. Petioles to 3mm long, whitish green, glabrous or with some sericeous hairs. Blades linear-oblong, , mostly glabrous above, sericeous or not below, deep shiny green above, dull green below, acute, with unevenly-spaced shallow teeth on the margins (the teeth small and less than 13 per inch).
Inflorescence - (pistillate) - Terminal spike on new season's growth. Spike to +/-4cm long in flower, elongating in fruit to +8cm long. Axis of the inflorescence sericeous to tomentose, light green. Each flower subtended by and partially enclosed by one cupped bract. Bracts enclosing the flowers for about 2/3 of the total flower length. Bracts light green, ovate, sericeous, rounded at the apex, 2-3mm long in flower, -2mm broad. Flowers ascending, tightly overlapping, spiraled around the axis.
Flowers - (pistillate) - Green, sericeous, to +4mm long in flower, longer in fruit. Stigmas 2, each divided and appearing as 4, white in flower, -1mm long, spreading, sessile. Styles wanting. Ovary with many ovules. Staminate flowers not seen. Fruits brown, splitting into 2 halves vertically. Seeds comose. Coma white, like silk, 5-8mm long. Seeds brown, -1mm long, .2mm broad, cylindric.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Sand bars, gravel bars, mud flats, streambanks, oxbow lakes, river bottoms, flood plains.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species of Willow is common throughout nearly all of Missouri except in the bootheel of the state, where it is apparently absent. This species is typically found as a small shrub on gravel bars and mudflats. The plant spreads by underground stems and can form large colonies if left unchecked.
The pubescence of all parts of the plant is variable.
Stems - Multiple from the base, woody, erect to ascending or reclining. A shrub to +5m tall. Twigs glabrous or with a few sparse hairs, terete, with spongy white pith, green or reddish in strong sun. New growth sericeous, green.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate. Petioles to 3mm long, whitish green, glabrous or with some sericeous hairs. Blades linear-oblong, , mostly glabrous above, sericeous or not below, deep shiny green above, dull green below, acute, with unevenly-spaced shallow teeth on the margins (the teeth small and less than 13 per inch).
Inflorescence - (pistillate) - Terminal spike on new season's growth. Spike to +/-4cm long in flower, elongating in fruit to +8cm long. Axis of the inflorescence sericeous to tomentose, light green. Each flower subtended by and partially enclosed by one cupped bract. Bracts enclosing the flowers for about 2/3 of the total flower length. Bracts light green, ovate, sericeous, rounded at the apex, 2-3mm long in flower, -2mm broad. Flowers ascending, tightly overlapping, spiraled around the axis.
Flowers - (pistillate) - Green, sericeous, to +4mm long in flower, longer in fruit. Stigmas 2, each divided and appearing as 4, white in flower, -1mm long, spreading, sessile. Styles wanting. Ovary with many ovules. Staminate flowers not seen. Fruits brown, splitting into 2 halves vertically. Seeds comose. Coma white, like silk, 5-8mm long. Seeds brown, -1mm long, .2mm broad, cylindric.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Sand bars, gravel bars, mud flats, streambanks, oxbow lakes, river bottoms, flood plains.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This species of Willow is common throughout nearly all of Missouri except in the bootheel of the state, where it is apparently absent. This species is typically found as a small shrub on gravel bars and mudflats. The plant spreads by underground stems and can form large colonies if left unchecked.
The pubescence of all parts of the plant is variable.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月02日
Family - Rhamnaceae
Stems - Woody, a shrub to +2m tall. Twigs glabrous, tannish-red, terete. New growth terete, glabrous or puberulent. Pith of the twigs white, spongy, solid.
Leaves - Leaves alternate, petiolate. Petioles to 5mm long, pubescent on the adaxial margin and with an adaxial groove. Blades lanceolate to elliptic, serrulate, acute, mostly glabrous but with some hairs on the midrib below, deep dull green adaxially, shiny light green abaxially, to +5cm long, +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single flowers from the leaf axils on the new-season's growth. Pedicels 3-4mm long, glabrous. Plants polygamodioecous (with male and female flowers on different plants and with some perfect flowers on the same plant).
Flowers (staminate) - Petals 4, alternating with the sepals, adnate at the apex of the calyx tube, erect, folded around the stamens, small, 1-1.3mm long, .5mm broad, glabrous, purplish, notched at the apex. Stamens 4, alternating with the calyx lobes, erect, adnate just below the petals. Filaments -1mm long, compressed, widest at the base and tapering to the apex, glabrous, translucent-green. Anthers to .7mm long, whtish to gold. Pistil reduced, .5-.6mm long, glabrous, green, superior, tapering to the apex. Calyx tube green, glabrous, 1-1.5mm long. Sepals 4, 2mm long, 1mm broad, acute, entire, green and sometimes with brown tips.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Open wooded slopes, usually on limestone.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This shrubby species can be found throughout most of Missouri but is apparently absent from the bootheel counties of the state. The plant is fairly non-distinct and easily missed when traversing the woods. Habitat is probably the best character to use when trying to locate this plant in the wild. In the Ozarks this species is not nearly as common and the larger R. caroliniana Walt.
Stems - Woody, a shrub to +2m tall. Twigs glabrous, tannish-red, terete. New growth terete, glabrous or puberulent. Pith of the twigs white, spongy, solid.
Leaves - Leaves alternate, petiolate. Petioles to 5mm long, pubescent on the adaxial margin and with an adaxial groove. Blades lanceolate to elliptic, serrulate, acute, mostly glabrous but with some hairs on the midrib below, deep dull green adaxially, shiny light green abaxially, to +5cm long, +2cm broad.
Inflorescence - Single flowers from the leaf axils on the new-season's growth. Pedicels 3-4mm long, glabrous. Plants polygamodioecous (with male and female flowers on different plants and with some perfect flowers on the same plant).
Flowers (staminate) - Petals 4, alternating with the sepals, adnate at the apex of the calyx tube, erect, folded around the stamens, small, 1-1.3mm long, .5mm broad, glabrous, purplish, notched at the apex. Stamens 4, alternating with the calyx lobes, erect, adnate just below the petals. Filaments -1mm long, compressed, widest at the base and tapering to the apex, glabrous, translucent-green. Anthers to .7mm long, whtish to gold. Pistil reduced, .5-.6mm long, glabrous, green, superior, tapering to the apex. Calyx tube green, glabrous, 1-1.5mm long. Sepals 4, 2mm long, 1mm broad, acute, entire, green and sometimes with brown tips.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Open wooded slopes, usually on limestone.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This shrubby species can be found throughout most of Missouri but is apparently absent from the bootheel counties of the state. The plant is fairly non-distinct and easily missed when traversing the woods. Habitat is probably the best character to use when trying to locate this plant in the wild. In the Ozarks this species is not nearly as common and the larger R. caroliniana Walt.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月31日
Family - Thymelaeaceae
Stems - Woody shrub to 2m tall, freely branching. Twigs jointed, glabrous, expanding at nodes and buds, flexible. Each node typically with a small spur. Plants rarely found with stems over 6cm in diameter.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate, deciduous. Petioles to +2mm long, pubescent, concealing next season buds. Blades to +8cm long, +6cm broad, elliptic to obovate, entire, lanose at anthesis, becoming glabrous with age.
Inflorescence - Typically 2-3 in a terminal cluster, appearing with the new leaves. Pedicels to 3mm long, glabrous.
Flowers - Floral tube 9-10mm long, greenish-yellow, glabrous. Stamens 8, exserted, adnate in the upper half of the corolla tube. Filaments to 3mm long, glabrous, brownish. Anthers orange, .6mm long. Ovary superior, green, ovoid, glabrous, 2.1mm long, 1.2mm i diameter, with a single ovule. Style glabrous, well exserted, 1cm long, white. Stigma small, purplish. Drupes green to purple, to 8mm long.
Flowering - March - April.
Habitat - Low wet woods, streambanks, rich wooded slopes.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - Dirca palustris can be found mainly in the Ozark region of Missouri but is also found in a few northern counties. This species is extremely slow growing and Steyermark states that a plant with a trunk 5cm in diameter may be over 100 years old.
The plant has been cultivated for many years and was used extensively by natives in the U.S.
D. palustris is an emetic and can be toxic if used in large quantities. Some people are allergic to the bark. The fruit is believed to be a narcotic.
"palustris" means "growing in a swamp" and the plant does grow in moist to wet soil.
Stems - Woody shrub to 2m tall, freely branching. Twigs jointed, glabrous, expanding at nodes and buds, flexible. Each node typically with a small spur. Plants rarely found with stems over 6cm in diameter.
Leaves - Alternate, short-petiolate, deciduous. Petioles to +2mm long, pubescent, concealing next season buds. Blades to +8cm long, +6cm broad, elliptic to obovate, entire, lanose at anthesis, becoming glabrous with age.
Inflorescence - Typically 2-3 in a terminal cluster, appearing with the new leaves. Pedicels to 3mm long, glabrous.
Flowers - Floral tube 9-10mm long, greenish-yellow, glabrous. Stamens 8, exserted, adnate in the upper half of the corolla tube. Filaments to 3mm long, glabrous, brownish. Anthers orange, .6mm long. Ovary superior, green, ovoid, glabrous, 2.1mm long, 1.2mm i diameter, with a single ovule. Style glabrous, well exserted, 1cm long, white. Stigma small, purplish. Drupes green to purple, to 8mm long.
Flowering - March - April.
Habitat - Low wet woods, streambanks, rich wooded slopes.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - Dirca palustris can be found mainly in the Ozark region of Missouri but is also found in a few northern counties. This species is extremely slow growing and Steyermark states that a plant with a trunk 5cm in diameter may be over 100 years old.
The plant has been cultivated for many years and was used extensively by natives in the U.S.
D. palustris is an emetic and can be toxic if used in large quantities. Some people are allergic to the bark. The fruit is believed to be a narcotic.
"palustris" means "growing in a swamp" and the plant does grow in moist to wet soil.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月28日
Family - Fabaceae
Stems - Woody, multiple. A shrub to +3m tall. Young branches pubescent.
Leaves - Alternate, odd-pinnate. Leaflets typically oblong, entire, mucronate, opposite, pubescent to glabrous above and below.
Inflorescence - Terminal and axillary racemes to +15cm long, +/-1.3cm in diameter. Pedicels to 3mm long.
Flowers - Corolla of single petal, deep violet-purple, to 5mm long. Petal falsely tubular and surrounding other floral organs. Stamens 10, monodelphous, slightly exserted. Filaments glabrous, white, 4-5mm long. Anthers orange, .6mm long. Style purplish, pubescent, 5mm long, exserted. Fruits to 7mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Calyx pubescent, tubular, campanulate, 2.5mm long, 5-lobed. Lobes unequal, shallow. Lowest lobe acute.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Moist ground, gravel bars. Also cultivated.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This striking shrub can be found throughout Missouri.
I believe Steyermark lists 5 varieties for this plant mostly based on leaf and stem pubescence. I won't go into those here. There is also a hybrid plant between A. fruticosa and A. canescens. This plant is called Amorpha X notha Palmer.
The genus name means "without shape", referring to the single-petaled corolla.
Stems - Woody, multiple. A shrub to +3m tall. Young branches pubescent.
Leaves - Alternate, odd-pinnate. Leaflets typically oblong, entire, mucronate, opposite, pubescent to glabrous above and below.
Inflorescence - Terminal and axillary racemes to +15cm long, +/-1.3cm in diameter. Pedicels to 3mm long.
Flowers - Corolla of single petal, deep violet-purple, to 5mm long. Petal falsely tubular and surrounding other floral organs. Stamens 10, monodelphous, slightly exserted. Filaments glabrous, white, 4-5mm long. Anthers orange, .6mm long. Style purplish, pubescent, 5mm long, exserted. Fruits to 7mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Calyx pubescent, tubular, campanulate, 2.5mm long, 5-lobed. Lobes unequal, shallow. Lowest lobe acute.
Flowering - May - June.
Habitat - Moist ground, gravel bars. Also cultivated.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This striking shrub can be found throughout Missouri.
I believe Steyermark lists 5 varieties for this plant mostly based on leaf and stem pubescence. I won't go into those here. There is also a hybrid plant between A. fruticosa and A. canescens. This plant is called Amorpha X notha Palmer.
The genus name means "without shape", referring to the single-petaled corolla.
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Dummer. ゛☀
2017年07月25日
Family - Hippocastanaceae
Stems - Woody, to 4m. Tree-like with single trunk or shrub-like with multiple stems.
Leaves - Opposite, petiolate, palmately compound with 5 leaflets. Leaflets oblanceolate to obovate, acute to acuminate, toothed, glabrous to sparsely above and below. Petioles reddish, glabrous to somewhat pubescent.
Inflorescence - Terminal panicle to 25cm tall.
Flowers - Corolla red. Petals 4, unequal. Styles long protruding from corolla. Stamens included or slightly longer than corolla.
Fruits - Smooth, punctate, slightly longer than broad, to 5cm in diameter.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Slopes, rich woods, streambanks, also cultivated.
Origin - Native to southeastern U.S., found wild in southeastern Missouri and cultivated throughout the state.
Other info. - This is a striking plant and one of the first "trees" to bloom in spring. It is toxic if eaten.
The plant is simple to identify in the field becasue of its red flowers and palmately divided leaves.
Stems - Woody, to 4m. Tree-like with single trunk or shrub-like with multiple stems.
Leaves - Opposite, petiolate, palmately compound with 5 leaflets. Leaflets oblanceolate to obovate, acute to acuminate, toothed, glabrous to sparsely above and below. Petioles reddish, glabrous to somewhat pubescent.
Inflorescence - Terminal panicle to 25cm tall.
Flowers - Corolla red. Petals 4, unequal. Styles long protruding from corolla. Stamens included or slightly longer than corolla.
Fruits - Smooth, punctate, slightly longer than broad, to 5cm in diameter.
Flowering - April - June.
Habitat - Slopes, rich woods, streambanks, also cultivated.
Origin - Native to southeastern U.S., found wild in southeastern Missouri and cultivated throughout the state.
Other info. - This is a striking plant and one of the first "trees" to bloom in spring. It is toxic if eaten.
The plant is simple to identify in the field becasue of its red flowers and palmately divided leaves.
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