Nerine, an Autumn Alternative

If you are looking for fall flowers that are not chrysanthemums or pansies, look no further than Nerine, an autumn beauty. Clusters of tubular blooms top long, sturdy stems. Strap-like foliage resembles its cousins, Amaryllis and Crinum. Like those two, Nerine are not bothered by voles, deer, or rabbits. Nerine flowers usually have a little bit of ruffle along the petal edges. The flowers are fragrant.

Nerine bulbs (common name “Guernsey Lily” or “Autumn Amaryllis”) are native to South Africa and are marketed as cold hardy in zones 8-10, but have survived under a pine needle mulch in my zone 7b garden for a decade. Flowers are available in pink, white, and rose. They make a long-lasting cut flower.  They will grow in full sun or partial shade. Nerine make excellent container plants as well. They bloom best when slightly root-bound, so don’t be in a hurry to move them to a larger container or to divide those grown directly in the ground until they become congested and stop flowering freely.

Bulbs are planted in spring, when dormant. Nerine are different from many other bulbs in that they want the topmost portion of the bulb to be above ground. This is called “planting to the shoulders.” If planted too deep, you will have nice foliage but few blooms. I am especially fond of any bulb that does NOT need me to dig a hole halfway to the core of the earth. Some bulbs insist on deep planting. This is a challenge if your garden consists of rocks and red clay.

Nerine plants like heat, and don’t emerge until night temperatures have warmed. They do not like to be moved; newly planted bulbs may sulk for a season. It is worth the wait. They are drought tolerant, but will bloom much better if given some additional water whenever leaves are visible. Do not water while they are dormant (winter to early spring).

I find that the bold foliage of Nerine, Crinum and Amaryllis poses a challenge in beds. These do not seem to pair well with other bulbs or perennials. One option is to give them each their own section of the garden. I have taken a different tactic this year, and combined all three in a single planting. The foliage is so similar that I cannot tell which is which. If all goes according to plan, the Amaryllis will put on a spring show, Crinum will take its place in summer, and Nerine will finish out the year.

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Boneset? I'd Prefer a Cast, Please!

On a walk in the woods this weekend, I stumbled across a large patch of Eupatorium perfoliatum in full bloom. The common name for this beautiful native is Boneset. Early Americans thought that a tea made from its roots/leaves would speed the healing of broken bones. It was also used in folk medicine for the treatment of colds and fevers. Its clusters of white blooms closely resemble the blue flowers of invasive Conoclinum coelestinum (formerly included in the Eupatorium genus, common name Blue Mist Flower or Perennial Ageratum).

Like Blue Mist Flower, Boneset spreads through airborne seeds and underground rhizomes to form large communities. It reseeds plentifully in Zones 4 through 9 and will grow in clay or sand. In moist soil and partial shade, plants can reach from four to six feet tall. Leaf edges are attractively toothed. Individual leaves have prominent veins and may reach eight inches long. The blooms attract bees and butterflies. Grow in zones 3a to 8a.

Don’t be tempted to try any of those folk remedies. Boneset can be potentially toxic. The US National Library of Medicine describes it as an “unapproved homeopathic medicine" and it is included in the Poisonous Plants Database of the Food and Drug Administration. Just enjoy it as I did, as a frothy white surprise in damp woodlands.

A close look at the clustered flowers of Boneset, with a visiting Atteva aurea (moth).

Boneset has spread into shady woodlands, making a show.

Coffee: My Favorite Bean

Yesterday was National Coffee Day. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did, sitting on my deck, sipping from a mug as I watched drops of rain sparkle like diamonds on leaves that are quickly taking on the shades of autumn. One of my sourwood trees (Oxydendrum arboreum) is slightly confused. A few out-of-season blooms dot the tree which is showing the brilliant red color for which it is known. It is one of the earliest trees to color up in fall.

The aroma of brewing coffee and sizzling bacon will get me out of bed quicker than any alarm clock. Sadly, I grew up in a family where “coffee” meant a spoonful of instant crystals stirred into a cup of boiling water. I did not experience the deliciousness of a fresh-brewed cup of joe until after college, when I started sharing a morning cup with my coworkers. In the world of cubicles and deadlines, I learned why one of my friends referred to it as Liquid Energy. It was the beginning of a lifetime love affair. I have, at times, imbibed too much – shaking hands, pounding heart, stained teeth – until I learned to enjoy coffee in moderation. My cardiologist once suggested that I eliminate all caffeine from my diet. “The world would not be a safe place,” I whispered. [I find that people take you seriously when you whisper.]

Coffee is grown in more than 80 countries, in tropical and subtropical climates. Only in zones 10a and warmer is it grown out of doors. A full-size plant can reach up to 20 feet but in commercial cultivation they are pruned to force more blooms, so a typical plant is about 6 feet tall. Grown indoors, plants are much smaller. As a houseplant, coffee needs bright indirect light (no sun), moist but well-drained soil, and high humidity. It is a pretty plant, with glossy leaves. It takes three to five years before a houseplant will bloom, and then it barely produces enough “beans” to brew a pot. The small, white blooms are wonderfully fragrant but only last a couple of days. The ripe berries are pulpy, like grapes. The pulp is removed and the seeds are dried before they are roasted to become what we know as coffee beans. The next time you are tempted to grouse about the price of coffee beans, think about the fact that each berry was harvested by hand.

According to the University of Florida, coffee was first discovered and used by the Arabs, then distributed to the Middle East, Java, Amsterdam, the Caribbean, Central and South America. It became the patriotic drink of choice in North America after the Boston Tea Party (1773).

Various health studies have touted the benefits of consumption (reduced chance of diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, and several types of cancer) while others warn of negative side effects (high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, reduced absorption of Vitamin D and calcium). Oregon State University published a report from the Linus Pauling (he was a Nobel Prize winner scientist and the Vitamin C guru, remember) Institute, that conceded “there is little evidence of health risks and some evidence of health benefits for adults consuming moderate amounts of filtered coffee.” For the full article, click here.

I’m an old-school coffee drinker, still grinding my beans and using a drip-type coffee maker. I ventured into the French Press method for a while but I kept getting a mouthful of grounds near the bottom of my cup. I also have a K-cup maker, but I read a sobering report by a non-profit group in Berkeley, California which said there are enough discarded K-cups in US landfills to reach around the planet ten times or more. I immediately bought a molded container and paper filters to make my own K-cups without disposable plastic, but found it time consuming and a bit fussy for people with ten thumbs, like me. No one would question that tons of plastic going into landfills is bad for our environment, but others voice concerns about how brewed coffee uses more electricity and often results in wasted water as the unused excess is discarded. I’ll be interested to see what the next year brings (a compostable cup, I’m guessing) and in the meantime, I will remedy the concern about wasted water and energy by drinking every bit that I brew. To the last drop.

What Ate My Plant - Deer or Rabbit?

Why are deer such jerks? Last week, I planted 74 new hydrangeas. That is 74 baby plants that I took as cuttings at exactly the right ripeness, dusted with growth hormone, and inserted into the perfect growing medium. I nurtured them tenderly through the rooting stage, keeping them moist (but not wet) and warm (but not hot). When they struck roots, I moved them lovingly to larger pots and encouraged them with liquid fertilizer until they were big enough to transplant outdoors. My vision was to create a hydrangea forest on one side of the driveway. Two days after I planted them in the soil, I drove by and interrupted a deer feast. One deer stopped directly in front of my car, a tender plant still dangling from her lips like a cigarette, and gave me the stink-eye, as if to say, “Hey, we’re eating here. Go away.”

I had the advantage of witnessing my destroyers, but how does a gardener know what is eating their precious plants if the perpetrator is not caught in the act?  If the damage is above three feet from soil level, it is likely deer-induced. Rabbits nibble at lower levels and are more likely to gnaw bark. Favorite trees include oaks, sugar maples and ironwood. They destroy beans and other vegetables but tend to leave corn, squash and pepper plants alone. Deer can damage tree bark when they rub the velvet off their antlers, but the damage is higher than a rabbit’s and may even show the rub pattern. Rabbits favor new, tender growth while deer are less discriminating and will rip a sample bite from anything in their travel path. It’s like Saturday at the Costco sample kiosks during our pre-COVID days.

The most tell-tale indicator is the edge of the nibbled leaves. If the leaf or stem is severed in a clean edge, your destroyer is of the rabbit ilk. Think of Bugs Bunny* and his nice set of sharp choppers. If the leaves are torn and ragged, it is a deer. Deer do not have upper front teeth so they rip off leaves with their lips, leaving a ragged edge.

Deer scat and rabbit scat are both round pellets, but deer leave theirs in piles (especially when they encounter an electric fence) while rabbits scatter theirs around a bit. The size of the deposit can provide a diagnostic.

There are other culprits. If stems are severed at ground level, suspect cutworms, especially early in the growing season. If leaves show a perfect semi-circular missing section but no other damage, it could be a leaf-cutter bee. Groundhogs (woodchucks) trample the plants on which they feed. Squirrels and chipmunks prefer sweet treats, fruits like strawberries or tomatoes.

If you need positive identification, set up a wildlife camera. A cheaper alternative is to sprinkle powdered limestone on the ground around the plants where damage is occurring. You can usually see animal footprints in the powder the following morning.

So, how do you deter these eating monsters? Theories and products abound. I have tried many of them, with limited success. My best solution to date is a big, honking ugly electric fence that is ten feet tall with a tight woven mesh added along the bottom section. My least successful treatment was hanging bars of Irish Spring soap in my orchard trees. Deer nibbled on the bars of soap before they moved onto my apples. Also, the motion-activated garden sprinkler seemed to attract more deer than it deterred. “Hey everybody, there’s a water party in the Snoddy’s orchard, starting at nightfall. See you there!” It was frustrating to the point of transforming me into Elmer Fudd.*

If you choose to consult Google for a deterrent, please add the following term after your search words:  site:.edu (The word site, following by colon, no space, dot, edu). This phrase will restrict your responses to fact-based information provided by university research and filter out the advertisements and colloquial advice.

*Note: My apologies for the references to Warner Brothers cartoon characters. With our current social distancing, I am watching more television. The Cartoon Network is more soothing than the news channels. If you Gen-Z folks don’t recognize the references, go ask your parents. Or grandparents.

This photo shows a deer’s skull and jawbone. The absence of lower front teeth produces the tell-tale identifier of torn leaves. (I did not shoot this deer. But I didn’t weep over his demise, either.)

This stub is all that remains of what was a healthy foot-tall plant two days earlier.

A common characteristic of deer damage is an uprooted plant, especially if the plant is found to be unpalatable.

Two Shrubs with Great Fall Color

Fall is my favorite season – colorful leaves, cooler temperatures, tasty apples, and football (in a normal year, that is).  If your desire for autumn color goes beyond the potted Chrysanthemums for sale in every garden center and grocery store, consider these two deciduous shrubs: Callicarpa and Fothergilla.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa) has tiny white or pink blooms in late spring, and so-so foliage. It is a forgetable plant until September, when clusters of purple berries adorn its branches. The berries hold fast to the stems, even after the yellow leaves shed. There are cultivars with white, pink or lilac berries, but why select one of those when you can have grape jam, Barney-like, intense purple? Berry set is heaviest when several plants are grown together.  Callicarpa prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It won’t tolerate constantly wet feet. Beautyberry has arching stems, similar to Forsythia. Callicarpa americana is a big shrub, reaching 5 to 6 feet, while its cousin Callicarpa dichotoma is more compact, reaching 2 to 4 feet. The smaller stature plants are easier to incorporate into the home garden. ‘Issai’ is a compact cultivar known for heavy fruiting at an early age.

Beautyberry produces blooms and berries on new growth, so do not hesitate to prune hard during dormancy. These easily-grown shrubs will tolerate severe cut backs, even to a few inches above soil level. A bonus feature is that the leaves contain a compound that repels mosquitos, ticks, and biting flies.

Fothergilla is another easily-grown shrub, a native member of the witch hazel family, with multi-season beauty. In spring, it has white bottle-brush blooms that appear on bare stems. Summer leaves have blue undertones. These shrubs have outstanding fall color, showing yellow, orange, red and burgundy shades all at the same time. If you are considering Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus), please reconsider and choose Fothergilla instead. Burning Bush has red fall color, but it is invasive and should not be planted. (Visit http://invasive.org for more info.)

Fothergilla likes full sun and moist soil. There is a size to fit your need. ‘Mount Airy’ is widely available. It reaches 5 to 6 feet, with similar spread. ‘Suzanne’ reaches to 2 ½ feet with a width to 3 feet. Diminutive ‘Harold Epstein’ reaches only 12 inches in height, with a spread to 18 inches. Bonus feature: This shrub is not normally browsed by deer.

The bright purple berries of Callicarpa show how it earned the common name, Beautyberry.

Even though it has only been in the ground for one year, this ‘Mount Airy‘ Fothergilla shows fantastic fall color.

This is the same shrub shown in the fall color photo. The white bottle brush flowers decorate the early spring garden.

Fun with Fungi

There is a silly joke that goes, “No matter how big and tough you are, when a 3-year old hands you their toy telephone, you pretend to answer it.” It is this childlike spirit within that makes it impossible to leave a puffball mushroom alone.

Puffballs (Pisolithus arhizus - no idea how to pronounce it) initially appear as innocent little round white orbs, smaller than a golf ball. If removed from the soil, they will have a thick base with yellowish mycelial threads. If you crack one open at this stage, the inside is dark brown and moist, like chocolate cake. Left alone in the ground for a few days, it enlarges, darkens slightly, and flattens. In a few more days, it turns black and evil looking. It is at this stage that they are so tempting. One simply must step on it to generate puffs of black “smoke,” hence the name “puffball.” Other common names are Dog Turd Fungi, Dead Man’s Foot, and Dyemaker’s Puffballs. The last is because the immature fungi can be used to dye wool a dark brown, if you are ever tempted to take up your own cloth color customization.

Young Puffball

Ripe Puffball

Whee! Smoke!

Puffballs are common around conifers or oaks, in areas with poor soil. The “smoke” is actually airborne spores. While Americans consider them unsightly and a nuisance, gardeners and foresters in Great Britain welcome them. Puffballs form mycorrhizas with almost any kind of root. Mycorrhiza promotes plant growth, especially in poor soils. You can order bags of mycorrhiza for incorporation into planting holes, but unless the fungi have been handled carefully (kept cool and damp, not riding around in a delivery van for several days) they are likely to arrive dead. This is not something you can detect visually.

Puffballs are NOT edible and may even be toxic. I have found several interesting varieties of mushrooms growing in surrounding woodlands over the past two weeks.  I have included photos of a few so that you can enjoy their earthy beauty with me. Until I can identify with certainty which ones are edible and which ones are not, I will not incorporate them into my recipes. In fact, my husband was extremely dubious over home-cooked dinners for a week or so after he saw that I had purchased a mushroom identification book. We will enjoy them visually – for now.

Butterfly or Moth? How to tell the difference.

Butterflies seem particularly abundant this year. The two most common butterflies in South Carolina are the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Spicebush Swallowtail. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is dressed in yellow with a black petticoat and accents of blue and red.  The Spicebush Swallowtail is mostly black with white and light blue markings. The undersides of its wings have orange-red and blue dots. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is the official state butterfly of North Carolina and Georgia.

How can you tell the difference between butterflies and moths? The antennae of butterflies are skinny stems with a bulb on the end, like elongated mariachis. Moths’ antennae look like feathers. Generally, you are more likely to see butterflies in the daytime and moths at night, but artificial light can disturb normal travel times. Moths have duller colors than their butterfly cousins.

Butterflies rest with their wings erect over their backs, while moths rest with their wings open flat. If you’ve ever seen a pale green Luna moth resting flat against a tree, this is an easy trait to remember. Finally, butterflies have thin bodies while moths are stockier.

Like other insects, butterflies have three body parts and six legs. Their “mouth” (proboscis) is almost like a flexible drinking straw that curls up when not in use. We think of butterflies as going to flowers to sip nectar, but some visit rotting fruit or even rotting animal flesh or other animal fluids.  They have a complete metamorphosis, going from egg to caterpillar (larva) to chrysalis (pupa) to adult. The average adult life span is two to four weeks, but certain large butterflies, like the regal orange and black Monarch, may live up to nine months.

Favorite plants for butterflies: Asclepia (butterfly weed), Buddleia (butterfly bush), Verbena, Lantana, Echinacea (coneflower), Eupatorium (Joe Pye weed), Tithonia (Mexican sunflower) and Zinnia.

Butterflies and moths are fascinating. To learn more, consult one of my two favorite books on the subject:
Butterflies of North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg, or Butterflies of the Carolinas – A field guide by Janet Daniels. 

Trivia #1: I encounter a common question about the identity of a moth that observers think is a form of hummingbird. Sphinx moths are quite large (wingspan up to five inches) and visit flowers around dusk. The fat hornworm that munches holes in your tomato plant and fruit is a variety of Sphinx moth. In the movie Silence of The Lambs (1991), starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins as a terrifying Hannibal Lecter, a sphinx moth pupa leads to detection of the bad guy. Eww.

Trivia #2: I had to consult a garden guide to learn what a “spicebush” looked like. It is a largish shrub that grows in woodlands, in partial shade, and has oval red fruits that resemble holly berries with long stems.

This Spicebush Swallowtail visited my work boot to gather moisture or salt. You can see the topside wing colors of black and blue as well as the underside, with orange-red dots. His wings are a bit tattered, a sign that his life is nearing an end.

This photo shows the underside of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, enjoying a drink from a Cosmos bloom.

Why is My Soil Orange?

“Why is the soil here so orange and sticky?” This is a common question from people who moved from other parts of the country to the Carolinas. I admit, writing about soil is not nearly as much fun as writing about plants, but soil is, after all, a key component to gardening success. Bear with me while I share the basics.

Soil particles are either sand, silt or clay. If you’ve ever been to the beach, you know that sand particles are large enough to see without magnification. Sand allows water to flow through very easily and does not retain nutrients. Silt soils have a powdery feel to the touch. A pure silt soil is rare. Clay soils have the smallest size particles, not visible without magnification. Clay is smooth to touch. When clay soil is wet, it is almost gummy. You could roll it into ropes, almost like kids’ play-dough. Once clay soil is thoroughly wet, it takes a long time to dry out. Once it dries completely, though, it requires a lot of moisture to saturate. The bonus of clay is that it holds nutrients well. No need to add fertilizer every few weeks.

Saturated clay soil should never be tilled or dug until it has dried out a bit. If your shovel leaves shiny sides to the hole you’ve dug (almost looks greasy), delay digging a day or two. Here is something that seems counterintuitive: If you want to make it easier for your plants to put down deep roots, DO NOT add sand to your clay soil, thinking that the sand with “lighten” the clay. Adding sand will create a nightmare soil that hardens into something similar to adobe (“brick”). Instead, add organic matter – it can be compost, leaf mold, ground pine bark (often labeled “soil conditioner”), aged manure, or mulch. Organic matter improves drainage, adds nutrients, and provides an environment for good bacteria. It is almost impossible to add too much organic matter, because it is constantly breaking down. The warmer the climate, the faster the breakdown. It works best if tilled into the soil, but if you cannot dig it in, throw it on top of the soil. Top-dressing your beds with a couple of inches of organic matter every year will repay you with a lighter soil and healthier plants. As much as I love the look of flower beds dressed with pine needles, they don’t break down and improve the soil nearly as well as ground bark mulches.

Back to the question – Orange soil is due to iron oxidation, another name for rust. It’s almost impossible to launder stains out of the knees of your khaki garden slacks, so invest in a comfortable gardener’s kneeling pad.

A clay soil this color should please fans of Clemson/Auburn/Tennessee

A ditch along a South Carolina driveway showing an orange slick, clay soil.

Cicada Cacophony

My husband and I recently purchased acreage near the NC/SC border. Our goal was to escape noise and traffic. Well, we escaped traffic but only exchanged one type of noise for another. This is the year that cicadas emerged from a 17-year hibernation. That is a bit of a misstatement, since some emerge every year, and it’s not so much a hibernation as it is an underground road-trip. It just so happens that 2020 is the BONUS year for a huge exodus from their underground homes in our part of the Carolinas’ piedmont. If you see plentiful small holes in your grass, blame it on cicadas instead of voles.

There are three species of the 17-year cicadas, and they each have their own distinctive raspy calls. There is also a species with a 13-year emergence cycle. The 13-year variety is found more commonly in the southeastern US, while the 17-year model is more plentiful in northern climates. An annual species is found countrywide. It is normal to find shed cicada exoskeltons clinging to limbs. The cicadas in the Mary Snoddy garden favor the trunks of crape myrtles as a deposit spot for spent shells.

Males and females make sounds that vary from buzzers to sirens to radio static. These loud calls are intended to attract or accept mates. It’s a bit like downtown New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Once mated, the females cut a small slit in tree limbs where they deposit eggs. In six to seven weeks, the eggs hatch and baby cicadas fall to the ground where they burrow in and start dining on tree roots. They work their way deeper and deeper into the soil each year. While this slit-in-the-tree egg depository may cause a bit of a dieback in a limb, neither the bark cut nor the root feeding causes any lasting harm to host trees.

Virginia Tech University published an article in May (Virginia Tech News, https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/05/CALS-periodical_cicada_2020.html) indicating there may be as many as 1.5 million cicadas PER ACRE in this year’s emergence. The annual species cicadas emerge in fewer numbers, from hundreds to thousands per acre. That’s a lot of buzzing/sirens/static. I don’t own a decibel meter, but I’m certain the combined sound equals the volume of my husband’s Harley-Davidson.

Cicadas are distant relatives of aphids. They are quite large (see the photo for a size in comparison to a quarter) but are completely harmless to humans, although the red eyes of some can be rather creepy. They do not enter homes. Squirrels and birds eat large quantities of them. Cats and dogs may eat a few, too. No need to be concerned – they are not toxic.

Do Not Pet a Velvet Ant

A huge (about ¾ of an inch) red and black ant made an appearance in my garden this week. I see them every year in late summer. As bugs go, they are pretty in their flashy velour coats as they twitch and scurry around. Their rapid movements give a hint to their true identity. Despite its resemblance, this is NOT a member of the ant family. Instead, it is a wasp, Dasymutila occidentalis. Females do not have wings, which strengthens the ant-like appearance. Both males and females can reach up to one inch in length. The female has a stinger up to ½ inch.

Its common names include Velvet Ant (due to its fuzzy-looking body) and Cow Killer. The latter arose from folklore saying that the sting is so powerful that it can kill cattle. This is an exaggeration, of course, but the sting is very much like a paper wasp. A big, angry paper wasp. Do not be tempted to mess with this character. It is not aggressive but will sting if threatened.

Velvet Ants do not live in colonies, preferring life as loners. They feed on the larvae of bees and wasps. Their small numbers mean they do not have much of a negative impact on good bee populations. Velvet Ants are tough customers, with flexible bodies that almost refuse to be squashed. They are not bothered by other insects, perhaps due to a nasty-smelling odor they emit as a deterrent. If injured (by your work boot, perhaps) they give off a high-pitched squeal. Their squeals will never exceed the volume of the one you produce if you step on one barefoot.

This amazing closeup photo was taken by Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, and found on Bugwood.com ( https://www.insectimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=0001025#collapseseven)

Easy, Hardy Orchids

Bletilla striata is pronounced bleh-TIL-ah stry-AY-tah. Such a musical moniker for a lovely spring-blooming orchid. Common names are Hardy Orchid, Ground Orchid, Chinese Ground Orchid. All three are accurate. They are hardy in Zones 5 to 9. They are “terrestrial,” meaning they grow in soil. And they are native to China, Korea and Japan.
Hardy orchids spring from a bulb (a pseudo-bulb, actually, but the distinction is unimportant). Their pleated leaves emerge in earliest spring and are often zapped by late freezes. The damaged foliage doesn’t impact the blooms. The leaves are unusual in that the veins run from base to tip in a fan-like arrangement.  Downward-facing purple blooms have markings similar to cattleya orchids, with up to 18 flowers on each wiry stem.  A white type is available also, but it is not as vigorous as the purple form. A mature clump will produce numerous bloom stems. The flowering period lasts for several weeks.
Plants thrive in rich, moist but well-drained soil, and reproduce readily, meaning they naturalize into attractive clumps. Divide clumps when the number of bloom stems starts to decline. Individual plants reach heights of 12 - 18 inches. These show-offs are easily grown in partial shade. They will also perform well in containers. Cut stems to ground in winter for a neat appearance when the new leaves emerge in the spring. Mulch well in cold-winter areas. Do not allow soil to dry completely or flowering will be reduced.

Tiny orchid-like flowers

A photo in early spring, before the flowers open. Note the tips of the leaves show damage from a late freeze.

A healthy clump

Woodland Orchids

I consider myself a fairly good gardener, but I have never enjoyed success with indoor orchids such as Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium. It must have something to do with the neglect I inflict on houseplants while I cajole outdoor plants into health and beauty. There are two orchids that thrive in southeastern woodlands without any mollycoddling.

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) is an evergreen perennial wildflower found in woodlands across the eastern half of our country. The plant is small and easily overlooked. The distinctive leaves are very attractive, deep blue-green with distinctive veining and prominent light stripe down the center of each leaf. After a plant is several years old, it throws a single bloom stem in mid-summer with 20 to 80 tiny white flowers. These flowering stems remind me of another plant in the orchid family, Lady’s Tresses (Spiranthes). Lady’s Tresses requires plentiful water, while Rattlesnake Plantain prefers average to dry, acidic soils with plentiful organic content. It is commonly found in the same areas as Creeping Cedar.

Pipsissewa popping through a field of creeping cedar.

Rattlesnake Plantain is easily confused with another wildflower, Pipsissewa (Chimaphila maculata), sometimes called Spotted Wintergreen. The two can be distinguished by their different leaf arrangement: Rattlesnake Plantain leaves are held in a basal rosette, while Pipsissewa leaves are held on a stem. I like the musical sound of Pipsissewa: pip-SIS-uh-wuh.

While Rattlesnake Plantain can be grown as a houseplant and in terrariums, it is listed as endangered in several states and should not be dug from the wild. It is sometime possible to find them for sale by native plant societies. Propagation is from root cuttings or dust-like seeds. It was named Wildflower of the Year for 2016.

Pipsissewa produces plentiful seeds and is common in woodlands. In the past, leaves of Pipsissewa were used to flavor root beer. It is one of my favorite discoveries when walking through the forest. The deep green leaves with white netting are gorgeous. The blooms? Meh. Just appreciate them for the foliage and their willingness to thrive without care.

If you pine after something a little more showy than these two woodland orchids, stayed tuned for next week’s feature on Bletilla striata, Hardy Orchid. She’s a beauty!

Admire the pretty leaves of this Pipsissewa. Seedlings are coming up in the leaf litter.

Pineapple Lily

Pineapple Lily (Eucomis comosa) is not a fruit, but a perennial bulb related to asparagus. Tiny buds are packed along a vertical stem, similar to Liatris. An active imagination might conjure this into a skinny pineapple, hence the common name. Eucomis (pronounced yoo-CO-miss or YOO-co-miss) are perennial in zones 7b through 10a. They bloom best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. They want a well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter and thrive with generous irrigation, although they will survive limited drought. Wet or boggy soils will result in root rot.

Pineapple Lily flowers attract bees and butterflies. Flowers are available in  ivory, pink, or lavender shades, often flecked with either green, burgundy or ivory. The long thick leaves emerge at ground level and resemble amaryllis or crinum. The blooms start opening at the bottom and work their way to the top, over a long bloom period of eight weeks or so. ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is a widely available cultivar. It has lavender flowers on a purple stem and the leaves have a wine tint also. ‘Freckles’ has reddish flowers. There is a cultivar with yellow/green flowers and foliage, but I have not found it in local nurseries.

The narrow, upright growth form means this plant can be sited in tight spaces where many other flowers would not fit. A mature clump will reach two feet tall with a spread between one and two feet. They look spectacular when planted in large drifts. Pineapple Lilies also perform well in containers, but I recommend that you keep them away from nose-level. They are pollinated by flies, so it is not a surprise that some of them smell rank. Bulbs in the ground should be somewhat deep (4-5 inches) but those in containers should be just under soil surface. A winter mulch helps ensure their longevity.

A group of Eucomis

Trumpet Vine or Crossvine?

“What is that gorgeous orange-red vine blooming right now?” I receive this inquiry every year. I only need to look at the calendar to answer. If the question comes in spring, I know the vine is Crossvine (Bignonia). If it is summer, the answer is Trumpet Vine (Campsis), also known as Trumpet Vine or Trumpet Creeper.

A Trumpet Vine bloom. This flower is several days old, so it is a pinkish red. Newly opened flowers are a bright orange-red.

Bloom time notwithstanding, there are distinguishable differences between the two. The tubular blooms appear the same, but a closer look will reveal that Crossvine is a reddish orange with a yellow throat, while Trumpet Vine is a solid red, orange, or (rarely) yellow. Crossvine leaves have smooth edges and are evergreen, taking on red or purple tints in cold weather. The vines have tiny little tendrils that they use to climb trees or trellises. Trumpet Vine leaves are attractive, toothed and compound, with 7 to 11 leaflets. The leaves shed in cold weather. Trumpet Vines have little sucker feet that stick like glue to whatever it are climbing. The vines become thick and woody with age, like wisteria.

Both these plants are lovely when in bloom, but Crossvine is much better behaved. Trumpet Vine is aggressive and considered invasive throughout much of the southeast. Crossvine will sucker, but Trumpet Vine throws out long underground runners that surface in the form of new plants. The weight of a mature Trumpet Vine can damage trees. Above soil level, it is a Medusa-like thug that throws waving stems in all directions.

Crossvine will grow in sun or shade, in zones 6 to 9. It blooms most heavily in sun and prefers a neutral soil. It will tolerate drought or short periods of standing water. It will reach heights of up to 50 feet, but accepts pruning to keep it shorter.

Trumpet Vine produces plentiful nectar, beloved by hummingbirds and ignored by deer. If your garden has space for a large, privacy-making evergreen vine, give native Crossvine a try. Other polite, evergreen alternatives include Confederate Jasmine and Clematis Armandii.

The exuberant foliage of Campsis

Well-behaved crossvine atop a pergola

Mimosa, Beautiful and Evil

As I walked across our pasture with the dogs this week, a soft scent took me back to childhood, when my favorite tree was the Mimosa.  Mimosas (Albizia julibrissin) are dwarf but fast-growing trees that branch near the bottom, making them perfect for young children to climb. They have a short life span (10 to 20 years, max). I can remember howling when my parents cut the backyard specimen to the ground and quoted Poe’s Raven, “Nevermore.”

Mimosas seem magical. Their pink puffball blooms smell faintly of baby powder and remind one of a ballerina’s tutu. The lacy compound leaves fold up when touched, as a reaction to changes in stem pressure. The magic ends when the blooms drop, leaving behind numerous bean-like seed pods. The unsightly pods remain even after leaves drop in the fall. Herein lies the problem. Those pods contain numerous seeds, all guaranteed to germinate. Everywhere. This nasty habit far exceeds the benefit of a tree that will thrive in heat, drought, and any type of soil. This is one of the first plants to colonize clear-cut fields in the southeast.

Southern Living Magazine’s Steve Bender (also known as The Grumpy Gardener) answered a reader who inquired as to the proper time to prune Mimosa: “Any time you can find a chainsaw.” Click here to read his diatribe against the species. NC State University recommends, “Cut down large trees with a chainsaw and treat outer two inches of cut surface of stump with undiluted glyphosate concentrate (53.8% is preferable).” Click here to read the full article. 

Mimosa is considered an exotic, invasive species. Around a decade ago, a cultivar with burgundy-chocolate leaves came into the trade. It was immediately popular. Alas, those plants are nearing the end of their natural life, so gardeners who utilized them as focal points are now searching for replacements.

Consider using dogwood, redbud or buckeye as a well-behaved alternative.

A sweet fragrance and delicate foliage

A thicket of Mimosas alongside an untended frontage road. They are slowly displacing native species.

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

Redbuds for Summer Foliage Color

Eastern Redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are known for lighting up the garden in early spring with brilliant, reddish-purple blooms before foliage appears. (For a link to my 2018 blog post about Redbud trees, click here.) The green-leaf types fade into polite obscurity after blooming. Their showy cousins, however, sport foliage that will electrify the summer garden.

It does not matter if your taste leans toward rich purple or screaming chartreuse, upright forms or weepers, there are special cultivars that will be focal features in your summer garden.

‘Ruby Falls’ weeping Redbud

‘Ruby Falls’ is a purple-leaf weeping tree with a compact growth habit that will grow no more than 30 feet. ‘Merlot’ is an upright form with the same maroon foliage. ‘Forest Pansy’ is a taller, older cultivar that is gorgeous early in the season, but its leaves change to mostly green in the heat of the summer.

New growth on ‘The Rising Sun’ Cercis canadensis

‘The Rising Sun’ new growth is apricot, changing to chartreuse and then a bright green. A healthy tree will put on new leaves all summer, so all three colors will appear at the same time. Unfortunately, ‘The Rising Sun’ has weak branch structure and is prone to breaking in windy areas or under snow or ice loads. The specimen in the Mary Snoddy garden lost more than half its limbs in summer storms. Several friends have trees that suffered similar damage, to confirm that this is not an anomaly. It is a beautiful tree and I will add more to my collection, but will site them in an area with a windbreak like the one shown in the accompanying photo, below. ‘Hearts of Gold’ has similar chartreuse color but does not show any apricot or peach tones.

Redbuds are considered understory trees, performing best in the south when given light shade from taller trees. They are one of the few plants that will thrive near black walnut trees. High light exposure results in more blooms and denser growth habit, but expect to provide supplemental irrigation if sited in full sun. Most trees are naturally multiple-trunked, which I find more attractive and natural-looking than those trained to a single leader. Plant them where low-hanging limbs will not block walkways or behead the person mowing the lawn.

Exercise special care to avoid damaging the thin bark. A string trimmer is The Enemy. Injury provides an opportunity for canker or other fungal problems.

Redbuds grow in zones 5-9 and are rarely browsed by deer. They transplant most successfully when small but gain size rapidly. Their life expectancy is about 20 years but may succumb much sooner if exposed to pre-emergents or herbicides.

‘The Rising Sun’(tm) Redbud appears to advantage when seen against a backdrop of darker evergreens, which also serve to protect it from wind breakage.

‘Ruby Falls” is a tree for lovers, covered in burgundy hearts

Practice Tolerance Toward Spittlebugs

Little gobs of foamy stuff have appeared on the stems of various plants in the Mary Snoddy garden. Spittlebugs (or “Froghoppers”) feed by piercing stems and sucking the juices from ornamentals and grasses. The different members of this family exhibit particular food preferences. The Pine Spittlebug, for instance, feeds on members of the Pine (Pinus) family. The two-lined Spittlebug is the one inhabiting salvias and coneflowers in my garden.

Spittlebugs start life as eggs, usually found in tiny orange-ish clusters. The eggs lay dormant during winter. When they hatch in spring, nymphs find a host plant, start eating, and produce “spit.” If you are inquisitive enough to handle this blob of foam, you will find a small, greenish insect at its center. The Spittlebug exudes foam to protect itself from drying out or being eaten as it goes through five molts, growing larger and more defined at each iteration. The nymph stage lasts 34 to 60 days. Adults live up to 42 days. The adult two-lined Spittlebug is rather attractive with its Halloween coloration, black with two orange lines and red eyes. A sharp-eyed observer will see a flash of red when the wings are extended in flight.

Unless the insects are present in large numbers, you can ignore them. The occasional bug doesn’t harm the plant. If you find them too disgusting to tolerate, try washing them away with a strong spray from the garden hose. Infestations can cause damage on centipede grass, especially vulnerable when it is choked with thatch. You should only consider chemical treatments in case of a large infestation. Consult your local Extension office for insecticide recommendations.

This foamy blob conceals and protects a Spittlebug, also known as a Froghopper.

Inside the spittle is the nymph. This one is nearing maturity, probably in its fourth molt.

This photo of an adult Two-Lined Spittle Bug was taken by Royal Tyler, Pro Pest and Lawn Store, Bugwood.org.

Indian Pink, Beautiful Native

Indian Pink, also known as Pinkroot, is a native perennial wildflower. Its tubular flowers light up shady areas and attract hummingbirds. The Latin name, Spigelia marilandica (pronounced spy-GEEL-ee-ah mar-i-LAND-ih-kah) rolls off the tongue easily, with a musical quality that is absent in the common name. Spigelia is considered a threatened species in several states. I treasure my stand, and guard its good health. Plants are not widely found in nurseries. Mine came from a Native Plant Society sale.

Spigelia grows in light shade and prefers damp soil. It will survive periods of drought once established and will not tolerate a boggy area.  Keep the lime away from this one; it prefers an acidic-to-neutral home. Woodland soil high in organic content is ideal. Plants bloom in the Mary Snoddy garden in late-May to June, with flowers occurring at the top tips of the stems. The flowering period lasts several weeks. Plants reach heights up to three feet, in zones 5a through 9b. Flowers are red on the outside and yellow on the inside. The petal tips flare so that both colors are visible - gorgeous!

It takes several years for a newly planted Spigelia to reach its potential. Established clumps can be divided for propagation, but plants will reseed themselves if left alone. Flowers are followed by seed capsules that explode when ripe and spread their seeds around. It may take a year or two for those self-sown babies to bloom. Plants can also be propagated by cuttings taken in May, before flowering begins.

Appreciate Spigelia for its beauty but don’t be tempted to nibble. All parts are toxic, containing a form of strychnine poison.

Blue Eyed Grass - Petite Wildflower

Today’s blog features Sisyrinchium (pronounced sis-ee-RING-kee-um), commonly known as Blue Eyed Grass. Despite its name, it is not a grass but a member of the Iris family. Blue Eyed Grass is not a showstopper that will catch your eye from a distance. Rather, its subtle beauty is enjoyed as a little surprise in your lawn or flower beds. The blooms are tiny, so it is best appreciated when planted near to eye level, either from raised planters or containers. Blue Eyed Grass will grow in sun or partial shade. They spread fastest in damp soil but will do well in any well-drained soil, zones 4-9.

Seeds are available, but if you convince a friend to donate a clump, the plants will spread into colonies via rhizomes. Appearing in early spring and sporadically thereafter, the blue blooms have yellow throats that serve as runway lights to pollinators, directing them to the pollen and nectar-rich blossoms. Honeybees love this plant.

The grassy foliage of Sisyrinchium will blend into the lawn and can be sheared (translation: trimmed via lawnmower) without damaging the plant. Leaves may reach 10 inches or more in length, but their growth habit is more horizontal than upright, so the plant height is usually 6 inches or so.

Blue Eyed Grass isn’t a “wowzer” plant, but a sweet, delicate treat.

The yellow centers and darker veins are directional markers for honeybees.

Sweet little blooms, one-fourth the size of a thumbnail