Passionflower Pops In The Garden

When we first moved to our current property, I was excited to find Maypop plants (Passiflora incarnata, pronounced pas-si-FLOR-ah in-kar-NAH-tuh) growing. This native vine tolerates heat and drought. I found it in sunny areas as well as partly sunny areas, on inhospitable soils that receive no supplemental irrigation. Maypop is cold hardy in zones 5-9. It borders on aggressive in the Snoddy garden. I have tried to eradicate it in several unwanted locations, but it springs back to life from its deep roots. It grows very rapidly, and can be used as a groundcover.

Another common name for Maypop is Passionflower. The intricate flowers are purple and white, with a central structure that was used by Catholic priests in the 16th century to symbolize or describe the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the passion. How did the common name arise? Well, if you step on one of the fruits, it “may pop.”

I allowed several vines to remain in the pollinator bed next to our orchard (okay, I got lazy and allowed them to flourish unchecked). The flowers are beautiful, unlike anything else. I was looking forward to eating the egg-size fruit, which is reputed to be delicious. The internal structure is similar to pomegranate. I kept an eye on them, ready to harvest as soon as the lime-green fruits turned yellow. Unfortunately, the wild creatures that live in our woodlands are not so patient. They removed the almost-ripe fruits from my vines. All but one, and that one lonely survivor showed teeth marks from either groundhogs, opossums, skunks, or rabbits. Sorry, I don’t share food with rodents.

Even without harvesting a single fruit, I am glad that I allowed the vines to remain. Their leaves have fed a number of different larvae and adult butterflies have flocked to the flowers. A common name for the Gulf fritillary butterfly is passion butterfly. While Maypop fruit is edible, the vine stems and leaves are toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. Deer leave the vines untouched, but Japanese beetles devour the foliage. Despite its toxicity, Maypop would make a great addition to a pollinator garden, especially when planted in a container to eliminate root spread and given a trellis to support its climbing via tendrils.  One trusted university source says that the vines are extremely flammable and should not be planted near the home.

Maypop flower

Maypop fruit

Maypop thicket

Maypop fruit (NOT mine)

A Tall Coneflower for Masses of Flowers

Say “coneflower” to most gardeners, and they mentally picture purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. Purple coneflowers, and all the other colors, are beloved by gardeners for their heat tolerance, ease of culture, and pollinator attraction. In the case of Cutleaf Coneflower, also known as Green Headed Coneflower, this image is completely wrong. Despite the common name, this golden-flowered giant is a Rudbeckia, not an Echinacea. Rudbeckias are widely known by the common name, black-eyed Susan. Like Echinacea, Rudbeckia tolerates heat, humidity, and moderate drought.

I received my first Cutleaf Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstonne,’ from a friend who divided hers. She told me that it was a tall plant that started flowering in early summer and continued blooming until frost. The first year mine reached a height of three feet. Every year thereafter it grew to at least six feet, and one year (lots of rain) even topped out at eight feet tall. True to reputation, this plant produces enormous numbers of yellow flowers from May to frost. It is hardy from zones 3 to 9. It will grow in any soil type and any pH level, in full sun. Stems die to the ground with the first freeze, leaving a collar of green basal foliage at ground level.

I learned that Cutleaf Coneflower’s tall height paired with numerous flowers results in spraddling, a most inelegant way to describe sprawling stems. I experimented with cutbacks early in the season, and discovered that two cutbacks, a tip pruning when stems reach a foot tall, and then a cutback of several inches when they reach two feet tall, will result in a shorter, stockier plant. I used cages fashioned from scraps of fencing to surround each plant, further supporting the stems and giving me a visual reminder when it is time to divide.

Plants spread by underground runners. With time, they will become so congested that the middle will die out. I have included two photos, taken a year apart, as plants emerge in the spring. The need to divide is evident in the second photo. I only irrigate during the worst droughts. Water restriction helps slow down spread by roots, reducing the need for division.

Apart from division every third year or so and the removal of dead stems in spring before new growth starts, there is little maintenance required. I remove the dead flowers from most of my perennials, but not this one. You could remove flower heads once the petals drop to force more flowering, but I allow most spent heads to remain on the stems. The bare green heads are not unattractive and they bring in bird visitors, especially goldfinches. Deer ignore mine, which is an added bonus.

Tall Cutleaf or Green Head Coneflowers at the back, with typical Black Eyed Susans in the foreground.

Prominent green heads are surrounded by slightly-drooping yellow petals.

Caged plant in early spring

A year later, plant needs division

Sassafras Signals Spring

Spring’s arrival in evident in the woodlands: the reddish tint of maple trees, the yellow-green of new leaves on others. From a distance, I spotted a haze of yellow that I assumed to be flowering Carolina Jessamine, the SC state flower. But no, it was the early flowers of Sassafras, pronounced SAS-ah-fras.

Sassafras is a deciduous native, found in more than half of the states, and is hardy in zones 4-9. It can be either a tree or a multi-stemmed shrub and will grow in neutral to acidic soil of almost any texture. It prefers full sun to partial sun. Flowers on female trees produce blue-black seeds held by red stems that are a favorite food of wildlife. Several species of swallowtail butterfly larvae feed on the leaves. Unfortunately, Japanese beetles eat them also. Fall leaf color is outstanding.

Established trees are heat and drought tolerant. Mature trees can reach to 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide. Trees can be pruned hard every other year to force multiple stem growth to create a hedge. Left alone, plants tend to sucker and may grow into a thicket naturally.

One of the most unusual facts about sassafras is that trees have three distinct leaf shapes, often occurring at the same time on a single plant. Leaves can be oval, mitten shaped (think of a palm with fingers held together and the thumb extended), or three-lobed (most common). Crushed leaves or injured bark exude a spicy scent. Native Americans used parts of the plants in medical treatments. Later, the roots were used to flavor root beer. That practice was discontinued when a cancer-causing compound was detected in the roots. You can still purchase filé, a thickening condiment made from powdered leaves, used in Cajun dishes like gumbo. The carcinogenic chemical concentration in filé is minimal.

Sassafras plants have a deep taproot that make them difficult to transplant unless they are small. The growth rate is medium to rapid. Avoid boggy sites to lessen the chance of root rot. Sassafras is in the laurel family and suffers from some of the same issues – leaf spot, wilt – that plague other laurels. These issues are unlikely to damage the plant. Plants may be attacked by the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, an insect known to spread laurel wilt. Ambrosia beetle is easy to detect. It makes the trunk look like toothpicks are stuck into the bark. If you see this issue on Sassafras or any other tree, contact your local Extension office for advice on treatment or removal.

Sassafras flowers. Photo by Brenda Dobbs--CC-BY-NC 4.0

Lobed sassafras leaves. Photo by Cathy DeWitt--CC-By-NC 4.0

Sassafras fruit. Photo by Ken Potter CC BY-NC 4.0

Sassafras in fall. Photo by Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Female Ambrosia beetles dig tunnels to lay eggs and create toothpick-like structures that come out of the tree trunk. Photo Credit: NC Cooperative Extension

Rosemary Is Now A Salvia

Here is another name update, for those of you who are interested in keeping up with taxonomy changes. Rosemary, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis, is now a Salvia, Salvia rosmarinus (pronounced SAL-vee-uh rose-ma-REE-nus). Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen shrub, often sold in 4-inch containers in garden centers. 

Rosemary is among my favorite herbs because of the wonderful resinous scent of the needle-like foliage, the flavor it imparts to food, low maintenance requirements, and deer resistance. The scent is not noticeable unless the leaves are disturbed. I trail a hand along the foliage whenever I pass it to release the fragrance. Sometimes I catch a delicious whiff when the sun shines directly on the plant and breezes are few. For delicious Italian bread or pizza crust, add chopped leaves (no stems) to your bread maker about half-way through its kneading process. Adding leaves too early can hamper the yeast action. A sprinkle of fresh leaves added to simple roasted potatoes elevates the dish from plain to gourmet.

Cultivars vary in form from upright to spreading. Most have tiny, light blue flowers in late spring, summer and early fall. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, making them a good choice for pollinator gardens. Plants can be used in containers, as low hedges, or as groundcovers. Because deer generally avoid Rosemary, I have spaced plants around the garden, hoping they will work as horticultural security guards to protect my Hydrangeas and Gardenias from deer damage. There is not enough sun in the Hosta beds to keep Rosemary healthy, so I have not tried it in the shade beds, but I drop dried-out Rosemary stems from old flower arrangements in the Hosta area. It cannot hurt, right?

Years ago, I read that Rosemary was a good companion to hybrid tea roses, since it was reputed to repel aphids. I tested that theory and found that aphids like Rosemary, too. This is the only insect that has bothered it in the Snoddy garden, but others have mentioned problems with spider mites and mealybugs. I find it to be a low maintenance shrub. Plant it in a boggy soil, however, and you can kiss it goodbye. Plants require full sun and good drainage. Provide them with a loose soil of nearly neutral acidity. They even do well in rocky or sandy areas, and are resistant to damage from salt breezes.

Rosemary’s aromatic foliage makes it a good addition to winter cut flower arrangements. It is cold hardy in zones 8-10, and maybe even colder if grown in a protected location. In zones 7 and colder, grow Rosemary as an annual. It can be attempted as an indoor houseplant, but these usually fall prey to insect damage or overwatering.

Regular removal of stems for flavoring or cut arrangements serves to keep the plant compact and bushy, but with time Rosemary becomes woody and ugly. A severe pruning leaves an unattractive, stubby-looking plant, so when yours reaches that too-big stage, remove it and replace it with a new plant. Plants are best propagated from stem cuttings or layering. Seed starting is slow.

Of the cultivars, S. rosmarinus ‘Tuscan Blue’ is a fast grower. ‘Prostratus’ can be used as a groundcover or in a container, but will eventually reach heights up to two feet. ‘Arp’ is reputed to be more cold hardy than the others. S. rosmarinus ‘Officinalis’ is widely available. ‘Albus’ has white flowers and ‘Majorca’ has pinkish flowers but it is a stingy bloomer.

Planning for Pollinators

My garden experienced its first freeze last week. Overnight, it went from colorful and sassy to crispy and sad. Yesterday, our high temperatures approached record warmth. Every year, it seems, tender plants are zapped by the cold and then temperatures moderate for at least a week or two before cold arrives and stays. This pleasant temperature window is an ideal time to plan for next year’s gardens.

Even if you are not a fan of butterflies, bees, or hummingbirds (freak!), please consider incorporating at least a few pollinator favorites next year. Here is a list of those in the Mary Snoddy garden which have performed well in heat and humidity while they lured bees and butterflies.

Achillea hybrids (Yarrow)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)
Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush; pick a sterile cultivar)
Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)
Cosmos bipinnatus (Cosmos, pinks and rose shades)
Cosmos sulphureus (Cosmos, yellows and orange shades)
Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower)
Eutrochium purpureum (Joe Pye Weed)
Hibiscus coccineus (Swamp Hibiscus)
Kniphofia uvaria (Red Hot Poker – try one of the dwarf cultivars)
Lantana camara (Lantana, many color choices)
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-eyed Susan, small faces)
Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan, large faces)
Salvia leucantha (Mexican Sage)
Salvia rutilans (Pineapple Sage)
Sedum (Stonecrop, especially tall varieties)
Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican Sunflower)
Verbena bonariensis (Brazilian verbena, Verbena on a Stick)
Vernonia noveboracensis (NY Ironweed)
Vitex angus-castus (Chaste Tree)
Zinnia elegans (Zinnia)

Plant just one or plant them all — You will enjoy watching the pollinators next year while you sip a glass of iced tea as you stroll through your garden.

Plant Poppies In Fall

Corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas, pronounced puh-PAY-ver ROH-ee-as) are undemanding annuals, easy to start from seed. Select an area in full sun with average soil. Too rich a soil will produce leafy plants with few flowers. Prepare seed bed in fall by removing weeds and raking smooth. In late October or November, scatter the tiny seeds thinly atop the prepared bed. Do not cover. Let Nature handle the rest. Basal rosettes of foliage emerge in early spring when the weather is still cool. They look like weeds at emergence; be careful that you do not remove the seedlings by accident.

Thin stems with flower buds arise from the rosettes, curved at the top like shepherd’s hooks. The crooks straighten to heights up to 30-36 inches before the flowers open. The petals resemble crepe paper, with yellow stamens in the center. Flower colors are red, rose, pink, purple, white, and bi-colors. California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are a western native similar in appearance but flowers are shades of yellow and orange.

If you are planning a garden event for early spring of next year, consider these for large swathes of color when few other plants are in flower. Corn poppies dislike heat and humidity and will melt away as temperatures rise. They are good to pair with late emerging perennials like Butterfly Weed (Asclepias) or Balloon Flower (Platycodon). Leave a few seed heads if reseeding is desired.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation uses Corn Poppies in median and shoulder plantings along their interstate highways.

I spotted this large field of poppies along a rural road. There were a few Larkspur flowers mixed in. It was a breathtaking sight.

I planted these poppies in a newly prepared bed two years ago to prevent erosion until I got around to designing and planting a larger pollinator garden. I got busy and the bed went unplanted. Luckily, they reseeded and I had a beautiful bed this year, with zero effort on my part.

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

Better Behaved Abelia

Modern Abelia cultivars are a vast improvement over the version that was common in every garden several decades ago. Those evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubs grew to heights of six feet or more and threw unruly sprouts that reached for the sky, creating an unkempt appearance. There was a pair of them planted either side of the rear entrance of a local church. Their whippy tentacles waved around like something from The Little Shop of Horrors. You could almost hear them whisper, “Repent!” But I digress.

Glossy Abelia of yesteryear (Linnaea x grandiflora, pronounced LIN-ay-ee-uh gran-duh-FLOR-uh, formerly known as Abelia x grandiflora) was appreciated for its tolerance to heat, drought, humidity, and poor soil. New growth was a bronzy pink, and honeybees swarmed over their nectar-rich tubular pink and white blooms. Unfortunately, to keep them in check, homeowners regularly pruned their arching stems into ugly, tight meatballs.

Current Abelia cultivars have two advantages over the older generations. First, many are available in mature sizes of four feet or less, making them ideal for foundation plantings. ‘Edward Goucher,’ ‘Rose Creek,’ and ‘Little Richard’ are all dwarfs, reaching heights of 36 inches or less. Second, there is a entire rainbow of foliage colors available. ‘Kaleidoscope’ has multicolored foliage with yellow leaves in spring and orange-red in fall. ‘Sunrise’ has green, yellow and white variegated foliage. ‘Confetti’ has pink, green and white foliage (a real stunner, in my opinion).

Abelia is hardy in zones 5-9. It prefers well-drained soil, acidic to neutral, and will accept some drought once established. The bell-shaped pink, rose, white, or lavender flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Flowers open over several weeks in summer, but may appear sporadically at any time. Shrubs are rarely bothered by deer and resist damage from pollution, drought, or salt.

In upstate South Carolina, this ‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia has scattered blooms on the last day of November . The foliage is yellow, green, orange, and pink.

Same shrub as above. From a distance, the color reads as green and salmon.

Abelia ‘Rose Creek’
Image by Jan Haerer from Pixabay 

Lovely Lantana Lures Butterflies

Lantana camara excels in the southeast. It tolerates heat, humidity, and drought. Lantana begins flowering in mid-summer and blooms continuously until frost. Most Lantanas are annuals, but a few are reliably winter-hardy. Plant hybridizers are releasing more cold-tolerant cultivars each year.

Lantana blooms consist of a grouping of small flowers carried together in a form known as an umbrel (think “umbrella”). They are irresistible to bees and butterflies. Though there are some single-color varieties, flowers are usually a combination of colors. The colors appear to change with age as individual flowers open within the umbrel, so a flower that starts as solid red may become red on the outer flowers, orange on the middle ring, and yellow at the center.

Removing spent flowers before plants generate seeds, or at least before the seeds ripen and turn black, will result in many more blooms. Utility scissors are a good tool for this job. Lantanas bloom at the ends of their stems, so they may become lanky as the summer progresses. Prune as part of deadheading to keep the plants compact, cutting back to a lower set of leaves. Like other plants with square stems, Lantana is easy to propagate. Unfortunately, they seem to lure whiteflies into the greenhouse, so I have ended the process of overwintering the tender types.

Grow Lantana in full sun, in slightly acid soil that is well drained, in garden zones 7 through 11.  Provide light irrigation only until roots are established. Wet soil will induce root rot. Plant outdoors in spring after frost and freezes are past. Lantanas are especially salt tolerant, so they perform well in beach gardens as well as adjacent to parking lots where salt de-icer is used in winter.

Some Lantanas grow vigorously to become large, rounded shrubs. Check plant tags to determine mature height and whether the cultivar is upright or trailing. The trailing forms work well in hanging baskets or planters. ‘Miss Huff’ is a cold-hardy, upright variety that grows well in upstate South Carolina. I measured one in a business parking lot at 60 inches tall. Of course, this was in its fifth or sixth year. I am certain that it was not that large in the first year or two. ‘New Gold’ is another cultivar that is reliably cold hardy and shorter than ‘Miss Huff.’ Its flowers are school bus yellow, and pair well with purple Verbena ‘Homestead.’ ‘Santana’ is less floriferous but is clothed in lovely variegated foliage.

If yours does not leaf out in spring, do not automatically assume it died from winter cold. Lantanas are late to wake up after winter’s end, and may only start to show new growth in May. Here is a hint to help keep your Lantana coming back year after year. Do not prune dormant plants in fall or winter. Instead, wait until spring, when the plant has begun showing signs of life.  Yes, this means that it will be a pile of leafless sticks throughout winter. It seems a small price to pay for an amazing show during the growing season.

Lantana leaves are feel rough, and are fragrant when touched or brushed. Sensitive skins may experience contact dermatitis.  Deer or rabbits do not browse it. All plant parts are toxic if consumed. Do not eat or allow your pets to nibble. Birds are immune to the toxins and eat ripe seeds.

Lantana 'Miss Huff'

Lantana 'New Gold'

Lantana 'Bandana pink'

Lantana 'Santana'

Fall for Mexican Salvia

Members of the Salvia genus are beautiful and easily grown. Salvia leucantha, Mexican Salvia or Mexican Bush Sage, makes a great back-of-the-border plant, where its purple or purple/white bicolor flowers rise above shorter plants. They are a favorite of pollinators and bloom in the fall when other nectar producers are winding down. Mexican Salvia is tolerant of most soils (prefers neutral pH) and will withstand heat and drought. Early flowers will be all purple; later flowers will have purple calyces and white corollas. A pink form is available but I have not found it in local nurseries. Foliage has a gray tint. Flowering extends for weeks.

Salvia leucantha, pronounced SAL-vee-ah lew-KAN-thuh, is listed as an annual in Zones 6 and colder. An especially harsh winter may kill those in zones 7 or 8. Established plants have overwintered several years in the Mary Snoddy garden.

Plants may tower to six feet. ‘Santa Barbara’ cultivar is a dwarf, reaching only three feet. The taller forms may split or flop, so I recommend pruning them back by one-third around the first of July. Flowering may be delayed by a week or two but pruned plants will be shorter and bushier, which means more flowers and less staking (double win!). Shorter plants do well in containers. In the border, Mexican Salvia pairs well with yellow Lantanas or Black-Eyed Susans. Like other square-stemmed plants, it is easy to root from cuttings. Plant in full sun to mostly sun. 

Don’t confuse leucantha with Leucanthemum, Shasta Daisy. Also note that this is not an edible plant, despite the Sage moniker. Deer and rabbits pass this one by, which pollinators flock to it.

Turtlehead for a Late Summer Show

Chelone, or Turtlehead, is a fall-blooming perennial that gets its common name from one of two sources. First, the genus is named after a nymph named Chelone who, according to Greek mythology, the gods turned into a turtle because of her refusal to attend the wedding of Zeus and Hera. (Such a snob, that Chelone.) The more modern explanation involves the flower’s similar appearance to a turtle with an open mouth. The blooms have a faint resemblance to snapdragon flowers and can be mistaken, from a distance, for Obedient Plant (Physostegia). My research revealed several possible pronunciations for the genus, from equally respected sources. Take your pick: either kay-LOW-nee, key-LOW-nay, or chee-LOW-nee.

There are six species within the genus. All are native to North America. Chelone lyonii (lie-Oh-nee-eye) is the one widely available in nurseries and at native plant sales. It has a lovely pinkish lavender bloom. Chelone glabra has white flowers. Chelone obliqua has pink-to-red flowers with a yellow or white beard. All three species are cold-hardy in zones 3-8.

Turtlehead flowers in late summer to fall. It demands damp to wet soil. While it may be grown in full sun in the cooler zones, it is happiest with partial shade here in the warm southeast. Too much shade, though, will make it floppy and necessitate staking. Turtlehead will reach heights of three feet or even taller. Pruning early in the growing season will cause branching, result in shorter stems, and reduce the need for staking. Plants spread slowly by rhizomes and can be propagated by division. Spent blooms produce small pea-like seed pods that can be gathered for the generation of new plants. Seeds must have light to germinate, sometimes need cold stratification to break dormancy, and may take several months to germinate. Some plants seem to reseed independently, while their neighbors remain childless. The plants are not invasive. They look great when grown in mass plantings. Keep their water requirements in mind when selecting a location.

Turtlehead flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Deer normally pass them by. (I hesitated to write that sentence, because this morning we had three deer evaluating my specimens like a printed restaurant menu.) Plants are rarely bothered by diseases, but will get crispy edges to their leaves without sufficient water. Blooms stems make long-lasting cut flowers, but the spent petals should be removed to keep them attractive.

A bumblebee visits a Chelone flower

Toad Lily Heralds Autumn's Onset

When Toad Lilies start to bloom, I know that autumn is arriving. Toad Lily is a common name for either Tricyrtis hirta (“Hairy Toad Lily”) or Tricyrtis formosana (“Formosan Toad Lily”). It is difficult for me to distinguish between the two visually. Leaves of Tricyrtis hirta are noticeably hairy to the touch. The flowers resemble small orchids, with inner petals and outer sepals that look like petals. Most are white with purple freckles, about one inch across. They can be held individually, but usually occur in clusters. Upward-facing flowers form on arching stems, above alternate leaves held in a ladder-like arrangement. Plants may reach 36 inches but are usually shorter. The intricate flowers are best appreciated when viewed up close. Site them near patios or seating areas if possible.

Toad Lily likes partial to full shade and acidic-to-neutral, moist soil with plenty of organic matter. Hirta is cold hardy in zones 4-8; formosana is cold hardy in zones 6-9. In the Mary Snoddy garden, they pair well with hosta and ferns. They will spread slowly by seeds or rhizomes, and are not invasive. Tricyrtis is pronounced tri-SUR-tiss.

Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds visit the flowers. Plants are occasionally bothered by aphids, which can spread a viral disease, or by anthracnose fungus, which causes orange spots on the leaves. Use soaker hoses rather than overhead watering to prevent anthracnose. Treat aphids with an insecticidal soap rather than a chemical insecticide to avoid harming pollinators. Rabbits like to nibble on foliage. I use Milorganite in the Snoddy garden as a deer repellant, and it seems to have kept the bunnies away also. Now if I could find something non-toxic that would repel voles…

This Toad Lily is just beginning to bloom. Note the overlapping leaves along the stem. The swollen nodes along the stem are buds, waiting to open into flowers.

Dicliptera, A Hummingbird Magnet

What plant comes to mind when you hear “Hummingbird Plant”? Bignonia? Lobelia? Salvia? Agastache? Cuphea? Monarda? The list goes on and on. Whenever we want to describe a flower’s attractiveness to pollinators, somehow we throw the label “hummingbird” on it. That is what persuaded me to purchase Dicliptera erecta, now known as Dicliptera squarrosa, whose common name is (you guessed it!) Hummingbird Plant. It is also called “Firecracker Plant,” “King’s Crown,” or “Wooly Honeysuckle.”

Dicliptera (pronounced dye-CLIP-ter-uh) is a perennial with fuzzy gray-green foliage. It is not particular as to soil type, but requires good drainage and full sun to part sun. In one season, it will grow to two feet or so, and about three feet wide. It is impervious to heat and drought. The deep orange flowers start blooming in mid-summer and bloom until frost. Cut off stems at ground level after the first hard freeze, and it will return the following spring in zones 7 to 11. Grow it an annual in cooler zones. Dicliptera can be propagated from softwood stem cuttings in spring. Use care to avoid over-watering cuttings or mature plants, as wet soil will cause root rot.

Dicliptera attracts hummingbirds and butterflies by the score. The plants are upright, making it easy to squeeze them in among other flowers. It is particularly well-suited to xeriscaping or pollinator gardens. If you are planning a nectar garden for next year, check out this list from Clayton State University, located in Morrow, Georgia. Any combination of these will bring bees and butterflies.

The vivid orange flowers of Dicliptera are the siren’s call to butterflies and hummingbirds.

Long-blooming Cuphea

Cuphea is top of my list for long-blooming annuals. There are 250+ species within the genus, which is pronounced kew-FEE-uh. Despite their kinship, two that are widely grown don’t resemble one another: Vermillionaire™ and Bat-Faced.

Butterflies flock to the orange flowers of  Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’ also called Firecracker Plant. The numerous flowers are look like tiny cigars. Cuphea llavea, “Bat-face Cuphea” has red petals and a purple calyx. In someone’s imagination, it resembles a bat’s face. Bat-face Cuphea looks especially good when paired with deep purple flowers like Petunia, Angelonia, or Periwinkle (the Catharanthus ‘Jams-N-Jellies’ series has a fabulous rich purple variety called “Blackberry”).

Heat-loving Cuphea originated in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. They are perennial in zones 9 or warmer, and are enjoyed as annuals in zones 8 and above. (That zone info came from the experts but mine has returned every year in zone 7b. They are located in a microclimate, adjacent to an asphalt drive which keeps the soil warm in winter.) Cupheas tolerate humidity and will withstand moderate drought once established, but look their best when they receive a little supplemental irrigation in the hottest parts of July and August. They are not picky as to soil type. They prefer full sun or mostly sun. They are rarely troubled by diseases, but Japanese Beetles caused significant damage to mine this year. They recovered quickly when the insects departed for parts unknown.

Either of these Cupheas can get leggy after a few months. In that case, prune a few stems back each week. They will branch and throw new buds. The cuttings can be rooted easily, but baby plants should spend their first winter in a frost-free area (greenhouse) before they go into their outdoor homes. They are easily started from seed and will rapidly grow large enough to plant out. Both the Cupheas mentioned above will perform as well in containers as in flower beds. They can be brought indoors as a houseplant in winter. Indoors, water lightly and provide the brightest light possible.

Does this look like a bat’s face to you? Me neither.

Cuphea Vermillionaire™

Poppies for Pollinators

Certain plants seem to bloom some years better than others. This year, for instance, the hydrangeas and poppies have been spectacular. There are several species of poppies in the Papaver (pronounced pah-PAY-ver) genus. I am going to focus on three of these: Iceland poppies (P. nudicaule), Shirley poppies (P. rhoeas) and Oriental poppies (P. orientale), and one of their distant cousins, Argemone.

Oriental poppies are, in my opinion, the showiest. The large, intensely colored flowers with a black blotch at the throat make my heart beat faster. While these are perennial, I have struggled to keep them more than a year or two. The Orientals require more winter chill than my zone 7b garden can offer. Without enough cold temperatures, stems are extremely short. Sometimes the blooms are almost concealed by the coarsely cut leaves.

Shirley poppies are grown as annuals. Iceland poppies are short-lived perennials, usually grown as annuals. Both have lovely, crinkled crepe-paper petals. Icelands tend to be yellow, salmon and orange. I prefer the Shirleys, which lean toward pink, rose, red and white or bi-colors. For years, I struggled to grow these from seeds until I finally learned the key to success, which I will now share with you. Prepare your seed bed in fall. Rake it smooth and scatter the seeds on top in the month of November. Don’t cover them; let Mother Nature handle the winter water schedule. Seeds are tiny and it is easy to over-sow. You can mix the seeds with dry sand to sprinkle a more even distribution. Seedlings will emerge in early spring without any additional care or mollycoddling. They put on a show before other annuals even think about blooming. Once the blooms have faded, you can rip out the ugly, dying plants or leave them in place for a few weeks and they will drop seeds for the following year. All poppies need full sun. Avoid fertilizing, which may result in an abundance of leaves and few flowers.

Red Papaver rhoeas are also known as Corn Poppies or Flanders Poppies, and are a reminder of fallen soldiers. A Canadian doctor, John McRae, wrote a poem honoring fallen WWI soldiers. As students, many of us memorized “In Flanders Field the poppies blow…”

I enjoy my poppies in situ, but if you prefer to bring yours indoors, pick them when the flowers are just starting to show color and sear the cut ends with a flame before placing them in water. Poppies are the early spring stars of my pollinator garden, where the honeybees are so numerous that it sounds as if the flower bed is abuzz. Bonus: Deer rarely browse poppies. North Carolina has planted huge swathes of these along some of its highways. They are gorgeous. NC Department of Transportation produces a free booklet describing their roadside wildflower program. It is chock full of great info. Find the link here.

There is another member of the broad Papaveraceae family that adorns my garden. Argemone, “Prickly Poppy,” is not to everyone’s taste due to its prickly leaves and stems. A. mexicana, “Mexican Poppy” has yellow flowers. A. polyanthemos is white. Prickly Poppy will reseed everywhere. It has a deep taproot that means it will endure drought, but also means than its numerous seedlings are a challenge to remove. Damaged stems exude a bright yellow sap that causes skin irritation. Still, I dearly love scratchy, thorny, evil plants, so will have this one in the Mary Snoddy garden forever.

This patch of poppies brought honeybees from all directions. It is located in the midst of my home orchard.

Flanders poppies. Photo by ViJakob from Pixabay.

Prickly Poppy (Argemone), showing off her spiny personality. Those seed pods and buds have needle-sharp prickles.

Heuchera for Year-Round Beauty

When the winter garden is clothed in dormant twigs and fallen leaves, a touch of lively color lifts the spirit and reminds us that spring lurks ahead. Heuchera is a colorful group of perennials that are hardy from zones 4 to 9, depending upon variety and lineage. Modern cultivars have parents in H. villosa and H. americana. In the south, Heucheras (common names: Coral Bell, Alumroot) withstand hot and cold temperatures and look good every month of the year. Tiny blooms, a favorite of butterflies, are held atop wiry stems, but Heucheras are grown for their outstanding foliage. Cultivars have caramel, rose, lime, purple or green leaves marked with silver, red or white.

The lovely chartreuse green ‘Citronelle’ is one of the most heat tolerant cultivars. Grow it in shade to partial shade, where the leaves will be more yellow than green. Full sun leads to crispy edges and bleached leaves. I planted dozens of these in a lightly shaded bed. Within three years, there was only a single survivor. Each one got smaller and smaller, dwindling down to a single leaf before disappearing completely. I finally discovered the key to success – well-drained soil. The native heavy clay soil of upstate South Carolina mandated container culture, enhanced by fertile, well-drained potting soil and frequent watering. I plucked the lone ‘Citronelle’ specimen from the ground and placed it in a container with two other Heucheras, a purple-leaf variety (lost the cultivar name) and ‘Caramel,’ with caramel-colored leaves. Instant success! I eventually moved ‘Citronelle’ to her own container and replaced her with ‘Key Lime Rickey.’ These three live shoulder-to-shoulder in a container which looks as good in February as in August. Two ‘Amber Waves’ plants look especially good in a pair of peachy-toned clay pots along a brick walkway. These are sited in full sun. (Evidently, they did not receive the notification that they were meant for shade.)

A trio of Heucheras (‘Caramel,’ ‘Key Lime Rickey,’ and an unidentified purple leaf cultivar). These three live in harmony all year long. The container looks this good even in winter.

Plant breeders introduce new cultivars every year, with an ever-broadening range of color and vein combinations. One thing I have learned about this wonderful plant: Catalog photos are taken when plants are at their very peak of beauty. Plants that exhibit gorgeous apricot and rose shades in spring (such as ‘Sweet Tea’ or ‘Peach Flambe’) may mature darker, even dirty-looking by August or September. My beloved ‘Berry Smoothie’ is raspberry-rose in spring but darkens to purple in winter. In catalogs, ‘Stop Light,’ is a beauty, with yellow-lime leaves marked with bright red veins. I have never been able to replicate the distinctive markings in my garden and had to settle for a red vein here and there. Purple-leaf forms age a bit better. ‘Obsidian’ is almost black. It looks especially good in containers with pink Begonias or Caladiums. Heucheras also pair well with smaller grasses, such as Lagurus ovatus ‘Bunny Tails.’

If a mature Heuchera develops an elongated stem, it is time to lift it and replant it to position the woody section under soil level. Remove tattered or crispy leaves at any time to keep the plant looking tidy. Heucheras are rarely browsed by deer or rabbits.

Finally, Heuchera is pronounced HEW-ker-ah. This one is mispronounced even more than Liriope. The first syllable rhymes with Yew. Get it right and you have risen to the upper echelon of gardeners.

'Amber Waves' ruffled, peachy leaves

'Berry Smoothie' plum and silver leaves

Super Salvia for Autumn

I’ve never met a Salvia I didn’t like. Salvia leucantha, Mexican Salvia, is a star of the autumn garden. This herbaceous perennial grows in zones 7b to 10a. In the cooler zones, top growth is killed to the ground in freezing weather. It will remain evergreen or semi-evergreen in warmer zones. Either plant it in spring to ensure that it has a well-established root system before cold weather arrives or consider it an annual.

Mexican Salvia can each a height of three feet or more, making it perfect for the back of the flower border. ‘Santa Barbara’ is a dwarf form. Flowers occur at the stop of stems, so plants are best situated where shorter plants conceal their lower half. Their lanky structure means that plants may open up in the middle, and may even break in strong winds or thunderstorms. The best way to combat this problem is to prune plants back by half in late May. Onset of flowering may be delayed by a few days, but plants will be shorter and bushier. Don’t prune after mid-July or you risk removing flower buds.

Bloom spikes are either bicolor purple and white or solid purple. The first blooms of the bicolor varieties are sometimes solid purple, with the white appearing in later blooms. The narrow grayish, felted leaves give a hint that it is both heat and drought tolerant. These Salvias prefer a well-drained, neutral to moderately alkaline soil. All varieties attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Deer and rabbits rarely nibble them.

Salvias have square stems, which is a signal to gardeners that they are easily propagated from cuttings. Plant in swaths for an impressive fall display, especially when paired with yellow or orange flowers.

Feed Your Pollinators

If your landscape plans for next year include a pollinator garden, consider including Buddleia, known as Butterfly Bush. Some gardeners shy away from using this heat- and drought-tolerant plant because older cultivars may grow to be huge and can reseed to the point of nuisance. In some states they are considered invasive. Newer introductions, namely the Lo and Behold™ series and the Pugster™ series (both trademarked) are small in stature and well-behaved.

Buddleias bloom on new growth, so should be pruned in late winter  or very early spring (before new growth emerges) to increase the number of blooms and to retain their rounded form. The blooms produce copious nectar. In addition to butterflies, many other pollinators flock to the clusters of sweet-smelling bloom panicles that are shaped almost like ice cream cones. In my zone 7b garden, Buddleias start blooming in June and continue until a hard freeze occurs. Pruning away the dead flowers will make future blooms more plentiful.

Buddleias need full sun and well drained soil. They prefer a soil with pH of 6.0 to 7.0, so throw an extra handful of lime their way if your soil test indicates an acidic soil. These tough shrubs are cold hardy in zone 5 to 9, although they may be winter-killed to the ground in the colder zones. Their growth rate is so fast, this hardly matters.

Most Buddleia blooms are shades of purple or lavender, but are also available in shades of white, blue, pink and yellow.

Buddelias are typically trouble-free, but on occasion may be stricken with spider mites, mildew, or nematodes. Resist the urge to use insecticides for these problems, since those would have a negative impact on visiting pollinators. Try to counter any issues by insuring adequate moisture during droughts and siting plants in locations with good air circulation.

If your space allows for a large specimen, ‘Black Knight’ is widely available; its blooms are a rich purple. It may reach six feet or more in a single season. ‘Nanho Blue’ is smaller, reaching four or five feet. For smaller yards and smaller gardens, the Pugsters and Lo and Beholds make wonderful anchors for beds but can also stand alone. Lo and Behold is a small shrub with small flower clusters; Pugster is even smaller but has full-sized blooms. A well-grown Pugster is a thing of beauty.

A white Buddleia pairs with yellow Coreopsis and rosy Joe Pye Weed in the pollinator bed of Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in Lake Lure, NC

A young planting of Buddleia Pugster Amethyst with yellow Coreopsis

Cardinal Flower, beautiful red Lobelia

A patch of Lobelia cardinalis growing in a sunny bog.

Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis (pronounced low-BEE-lee-ah kar-dih-NAL-iss), is a perfect choice for damp-to-wet soil, in full or partial sun. Spikes of bright red, tubular flowers burst into bloom in late summer and fall, delighting both the gardener and hummingbirds. Flower spikes open first at the bottom and work their way to the top over several weeks.

With fertile soil and plentiful water, plants may reach as much as four feet tall.  Pinch out the growing tips early in the year to make plants shorter and bushier. These natives are perennial in zones 3 to 9, and appreciate a light winter mulch. They tend to be short-lived, lasting two or three years in the Mary Snoddy garden. I have had limited success in attempting to start them from seed. My preferred method is to plant a few purchased plants and allow them to self-sow, which they do freely. I placed three plants at the edge of our pond, did not prune or deadhead, and in a couple of years they had spread around the sunny perimeter to form an impressive display. They can also be propagated by stem cuttings or root cuttings, or by separating and replanting any “pups” that may form at the plants’ base. If you want yours to self-seed, allow the plants to scatter their seeds before removing spent bloom stalks.

There are two theories on how the Cardinal flower got its common name. One is that the plant was named for the scarlet feathers of the Cardinal bird. The other is that the flower color is the same red as robes worn by Cardinals in the Catholic Church. One cultivar, ‘Queen Victoria,’ has bronze foliage that provides an unusual contrast to the clear red blooms. I understand that cultivars with white or rose-pink flowers exist, but I have not found them in local nurseries.

Plants are moderately resistant to damage by deer. The one thing they will not tolerate is dry soil. This makes them ideal candidates for pond-side or bog plantings. Plants are toxic to humans and pets.

Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is similar in appearance and culture, but instead has beautiful blue blooms. Blue Cardinal flower, or Great Blue Lobelia, is damaged by deer more often than its red cousin.

These Cardinal flowers are self-sown from three mother plants sited next to the Mary Snoddy pond.

Stars and Stripes in the Garden

In honor of Independence Day, today’s blog will focus on Stars and Stripes. Pentas lanceolata ‘Stars and Stripes’™ is cold-hardy down to 20 degrees, so it is perennial only in zones 9b and warmer. I grow it as a annual in zone 7b.

Solid green leaf Pentas are available in red, pink, lavender, rose, purple, and white. The common name, Egyptian Star Flower, is a good description of the clusters of tubular nectar-rich blooms that attract hummingbirds, bees, and numerous butterflies. ‘Stars and Stripes’ has bright red blooms, and the green and white variegated foliage is outstanding.

I first saw Stars and Stripes in a local botanical garden, where the horticulturalist paired it with ‘Hot Lips’ Salvia. The combination of red and white Salvia blooms paired with the variegated foliage and red blooms of the Pentas was a clear winner. It impressed me enough to repeat the combination in my own garden, although now I allow the Pentas to take center stage without competition from the bushy Salvia.

Pentas lanceolata (pronounced PEN-tass lan-see-oh-LAY-tuh) are heat lovers that do well in either flower beds or containers. They look super when planted in masses. They are relatively drought tolerant, but those in containers may need irrigation in the hottest, driest months. They prefer a pH neutral soil. Plants bloom throughout the summer, even more prolifically when dead-headed.  They are compact growers, reaching up to 24 inches with an equal spread. Should they ever get unwieldy, they can be pruned and will bunch obligingly.  Pentas prefer full sun but will survive in part-sun, although the stems may flop a bit. The ‘Graffiti’ and ‘Lucky Stars’ series are both shorter, reaching 16 inches or less.

The only weakness I have found is that the stems are somewhat brittle, so you should plant them in an area where they won’t be damaged by high winds or when the family dog exhibits an enthusiastic case of the “zoomies.” (Dog owners know what I mean. For the uninitiated, some dogs tend to run in circles, full-speed with wild abandon, for no apparent reason, leaving a wake of plant destruction.)

As an added bonus, deer ignore Pentas.

Stars and Stripes, blooming in time for July 4 celebrations.

One of the non-variegated types.
The Lucky Stars penta series has a compact growth habit and vibrant colors as seen in this Lucky Star lavender. (Photo by MSU Extension/Gary Bachman)

A mass planting of pentas. Photo used with the kind permission of The Neighborhood Nursery, 131 Woods Road, Fountain Inn, SC. Please support your local nurseries! @TheNeighborhoodFarmSC