Pamper Your Poinsettias

Poinsettia is the number one houseplant sold in the US, over 70 million each year. More than 90% sold are red in color, but there are many other options: white, pink, salmon, gold, bi-colors, as well as some with double, ruffled bracts.

There are a number of ways to make your potted poinsettia look its best through the holiday season:

1. First, select a specimen that still has mostly-closed yellow buds at the center of the flower. The red, pink, salmon or white “petals” are actually bracts, not blooms. Fully opened flower buds signify that the plant is past its prime and won’t be beautiful quite as long. Look for bracts that are fully colored, with no green around the outside edges.

2. Second, poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) share characteristics with other members of the Euphorbia family. They don’t like to be subjected to blasts of hot air from heater ducts or cold air from open doorways. They prefer bright light but not direct sun, and moderate temperatures (60 to 70 degrees is ideal). Most important, they like damp but not wet soil.

3. Many poinsettias are sold with a sleeve of decorative foil concealing their nursery pot. The foil prevents excess water from draining out of the container’s soil mix. A waterlogged soil spells early death. Either cut an X in the bottom center of the foil wrapper and use an under-saucer to protect furniture, or remove the sleeve before watering and allow the excess to drain away before replacing the foil. To determine water needs, simply lift the container. If it is heavy, all is well. If it feels light, it is time to water. Lukewarm water is best. There is no need to fertilize.

4.  Remove any yellowing leaves carefully. Poinsettia leaves and stems have a milky sap that may cause a rash among those with sensitive skins. Updated information says that poinsettias are NOT deadly to children, cats or dogs, but precautions should still be taken to keep pets from munching on them. The curious nibbler may experience drooling and nausea.

Poinsettia is native to Mexico. It is named after Joel Poinsett (1779 – 1851) who was the first American ambassador to Mexico. He brought the poinsettia to the Bartram Botanical Garden in Philadelphia in 1828. In their native habit, poinsettias will grow to 15 feet tall.

What about keeping your poinsettia after the holidays? My advice on this matter may surprise you:  Don’t. When they start looking droopy, toss them out.  Years ago, one of the fine folks at in Roebuck Nursery explained to me the painstaking process of growing poinsettias. The coloring process requires careful light control -- 14 hours of total darkness, each and every day -- starting in early October. The flowering and coloring process can even be upset by something as simple as a car’s headlights shining on the outside of the growers’ greenhouses. When anything is this complicated, I’m willing to leave it to the professionals.

The tiny yellow buds (“cyanthia”) are the true flowers. These are tightly closed, indicating a fresh, long-lasting plant.

This tower of Poinsettias and other holiday plants is typical of grocery store floral departments. Look carefully at the top-center, and you will see a plant that is suffering from being over-watered -- wilted, yellowing leaves. Once root rot is established, the plant is destined to die.

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 

Maples of Many Colors

In the Carolinas and Georgia, maple trees decorate lawns and woodlands with gorgeous fall color. The ones that grab your attention are most likely Red Maple or Southern Sugar Maple. 

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is a native, deciduous tree that reaches average heights of 50-60 feet. It prefers moist, acidic soil and full sun to part shade. Avoid alkaline soils. It is a fast grower that makes a good choice for establishing shade at new homes where developers removed all vegetation. Hardy in zones 2-9, Red Maple is one of the earlier trees to begin showing fall color. Despite the common name, autumn leaves can be red or yellow. It is more heat tolerant than Northern Sugar Maple.

Northern Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is the tree that New Englanders tap for sweet sap that is processed into delicious maple syrup. It will survive in zones 3-8, but struggles in the heat of the deep South. A better choice for the southeast is Southern Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum subspecies floridanum. Southern Sugar Maples grow in zones 6-9, and reach heights of 70 feet. They do not grow as quickly as Red Maples, but still fast enough to make them a good choice for an urban or suburban garden, providing there is adequate lawn space and sufficient moisture. Fall color is mostly orange but can also be yellow or red.

When shopping for a Southern Sugar Maple, check plant tags carefully. Acer saccharinum is not the same as Acer saccharum. The former is Silver Maple, a tree known for its rapid growth. Unfortunately, it is brittle and short-lived. Mature specimens commonly sustain limb damage in storms. Fall color is disappointing when compared with Red Maple or Southern Sugar Maple.

It is not always possible to detect the provenance of maples found in a garden center or nursery. Southern gardeners should seek out trees that were grown by southeastern or southern growers. Our northern neighbors should try to find trees from northern sources. Trees that are sourced from opposite growing areas may not survive.

Maples have fun seeds, called samaras, with a peculiar winged shape that makes them twirl to the ground like tiny helicopters. Great fun for kids, but can also mean lots of seedlings to be removed by the gardener. It is difficult to grow anything under maples because they cast deep shade, but also because their numerous shallow roots make it difficult to dig a planting hole underneath their canopies. Those roots suck lots of moisture, which compounds the problem. Consider a skirt of mulch or a shallow-rooted groundcover like Creeping Sedum. Plant them away from sidewalks and patios to avoid cracks/heaving caused by their surface roots.

I have focused on fall leaf color, but one of my favorite things about maple trees comes in the earliest spring. When other trees have not begun to unfurl new leaves, the tiny blooms of maple trees make their bare branches take on a red appearance, especially when seen at a distance. In woods full of gray, leafless companions, these harbingers of spring are eye-catching.

Maples provide food and shelter for pollinators and small mammals.

Raging Reds of Black Tupelo

Black Gum, Black Tupelo, or simply Tupleo, Nyssa sylvatica (pronounced NISS·uh sil·VAT-uh·kuh) sets the autumn woods on fire with its gorgeous red leaf color. Summer leaves are shiny, dark green. This deciduous native is a slow-growing tree for full sun to part shade. Mature specimens average 30 feet, but occasionally a tree in ideal conditions will reach 80 feet tall. They grow in zones 3-9, in almost any acidic soil, and tolerate occasional flooding or drought. Trees are fire resistant.

Tupleo is a powerhouse for wildlife, providing flower nectar for bees in the summer, followed by blue berries for birds and mammals. Not every tree is loaded with fruit. Tupleos are unusual in that some trees have male flowers, some have female flowers, and some have both. Flowers are insignificant. With maturity, the bark forms into blocks similar to Pine, creating small cavities that offer protection for frogs, bats, lizards, and insects. Deer may nibble young growth but tend to leave mature specimens alone.

Tupelo trees form a deep taproot, and should be transplanted when young. ‘Red Rage’ is a cultivar with exceptional red color. It is resistant to the leaf spot that troubles some trees. ‘Zydeco Twist’ has attractively contorted limbs. ‘Sheri’s Cloud’ has variegated foliage.

The shiny green leaves of Nyssa sylvatica give way to brilliant red fall foliage. Trees thrive in a woodland setting, like the one seen here.

Don't Discard Your Fall Mums

Long-flowering, colorful Mums are ideal for adding spots of bright color to the autumn garden. There are 30 different species in the Chrysanthemum genus, broadly categorized into “florist” mums and “hardy” mums. They are further broken down into different types of blooms: cactus, cushion, anemone form, incurved, intermediate, Korean, pom-pom, spider, reflex, single, others.

All Chrysanthemums demand full sun, rich soil, and regular water. Container specimens must have good drainage to prevent root rot. Plants have a shallow root system, and may need daily irrigation during the hottest part of the summer. Flowers come in a wide range of colors: yellow, orange, burgundy, purple, bi-colors. Good air circulation will prevent leaf issues. Plants are perennial in zones 5-9.

In garden beds, pinch plants back often in spring to keep them compact and get more blooms. Stop pinching in late June so they have time to develop bloom buds. Bud formation is triggered by the shorter days of late summer and early fall. Divide plants in spring, every two or three years, discarding the woody interior section and replanting the vigorous outer portions. Plants can be propagated from cuttings.

Potted (“florist”) Chrysanthemums are found at big box stores and grocery stores in the fall. These have been greenhouse bred and chemically treated to keep them short and light manipulated to make them bloom on cue. They are typically not as cold-hardy as the selections grown for borders. Gardeners in warmer zones can keep them in a freeze-free area through winter, then plant them out into the garden in spring. Some will survive and return the following year, but they won’t ever be compact like their original supermarket form. Plants may bloom much earlier (May or June) and be much taller (24-30”).

Chrysanthemums are toxic to humans, horses, dogs, and cats. Their pungent foliage makes them less likely to be browsed by deer or rabbits.

Mexican Petunia, Long-Flowering but Invasive

Ruellia simplex (formerly known as Ruellia brittoniana), or Mexican Petunia, is a perennial with blue to purple (rarely, pink or white) flowers. They are considered invasive in parts of Florida (and by gardeners who are forced to butcher the ever-enlarging clumps). They are difficult to eradicate once established.

Ruellia (pronounced roo-EL-ee-yuh) is perennial in zones 7 through 10. The narrow plants reach heights of about three feet, with strong stems and long, narrow leaves. Shorter forms are available. ‘Katie’ is a dwarf cultivar (8 inches or less). They prefer moist soil and full sun, but will survive in much tougher locations. These Mexican natives tolerate heat and humidity, and bloom non-stop from mid-spring through fall. Each bloom lasts only one day, but there are many of them. The five-petaled flowers resemble Petunia, Browallia, or Azalea. Flowering is reduced when plants become congested. Lift clumps, divide and replant smaller sections and add fertilizer. Flowering will return to prior levels. Spent blooms produce small seed pods that explode when ripe, spreading seeds over a wide area. ‘Mayan Purple,’ ‘Purple Showers,’ and ‘Mayan White’ are sterile forms; Plants also spread by underground rhizomes, and are easy to propagate from stem cuttings. Remove winter-killed stems to ground level. A light mulch in zone 7 gives longevity insurance in harsh winters.

Ruellia are rarely bothered by insects or diseases, and deer pass them by. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit the flowers. Mexican Petunia’s tolerance for tough conditions and their long flowering period make them a preferred plant for new gardeners. Just keep those invasive tendencies in mind…

A close view of Ruellia flowers

A clump of Mexican Petunia in bloom

Chinese Lantern Tree, Golden Raintree

In September and October, when tree leaves are starting to give a hint of the fall color to come, Koelreuteria bipinnata is putting on a show with its peachy-pink seed pods. This is one of times that it pays to know the binomial (Latin) name of a plant rather than relying on common names. K. bipinnata is commonly called Chinese Flame tree, Golden Flame tree, or Chinese Lantern tree. Its cousin, Koelreuteria paniculata, is commonly called Goldenrain tree. And an unrelated tree, Laburnum, is called Goldenchain tree. To complicate identification further, all three have loose clusters of yellow flowers.

The drooping flower clusters of Koelreuteria bipinnata (kole-roo-TEER-ee-uh bye-pih-NAY-tuh) mature into papery seed pods that look like little (one inch) rosy Chinese lanterns, gaining admiration from observers. It is a small to medium tree, reaching heights up to 40 feet. It thrives in full sun and almost any type of soil as long as it is well drained. The lanterns will retain their warm hue if harvested as soon as they color up. Left on the tree, they age into a buff color before they shed. Each capsule contains viable seeds. Many of those will germinate into baby trees, resulting in the need for removal by the gardener. If you wish to avoid this annual chore, site the tree in a lawn situation where regular mowing will result in seedling decapitation. K. paniculata has similar lantern seed capsules but they are less colorful.

Koelreuterias grow in zones 7-9, ignoring heat, cold, humidity, and poor soil. Laburnum also has lovely yellow flowers that hang in clusters. Branches are an attractive olive green. The young branches of Laburnum are flexible, and can be trained to an arch form. When a row of these join to form a living tunnel, it is gorgeous when they are in bloom. Laburnums do not do well in summer heat, however, and tend to be short-lived in the southeast. Both Koelreuteria and Laburnum are resistant to deer damage.

The immature seed pods of Koelreuteria bipinnata. The pods age to a lovely peachy tone.
Image by Christel SAGNIEZ from Pixabay 

Mature seed capsules, beginning to shed.

The rosy pink seeds are highly decorative
Photo from Wikimedia. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Avi1111

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'

Golden Creeping Jenny for Groundcover or Containers

A good groundcover is like the piece of lettuce under a serving of chicken salad on a luncheon plate. It makes the star of the meal look better without drawing attention to itself. Groundcover plants do not receive as much attention as shrubs, annuals, or perennials. They just do their job, providing an under-dressing to feature plants while spreading to cover bare soil, reducing erosion, and shading out weeds. One that defies tradition and draws attention to itself is Lysmachia nummularia ‘Aurea,’ widely known as Creeping Jenny. 

Creeping Jenny will grow in sun, part shade or even mostly shade. Its bright chartreuse hue makes its neighbors look better by contrast. Leaf color will be more golden in areas with bright sun and more lime green in areas with mostly shade. It will spread vigorously, and is considered invasive in some states. If this concerns you, plant it where it is restrained by walkways or metal edging. The vines grow almost flat (three inches or less) and form roots wherever stems touch soil. This rooting habit means they can bounce back from occasional damage from foot traffic or pets (like the black kitten in the accompanying photograph). It will drape over walls like a chartreuse curtain. Plants rarely grow upward more than an inch or two, so there is no concern about it creeping up trees. If the plant grows outside its intended area, the fine stems are easily pruned with a pair of utility scissors.

Lysmachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ (lis-uh-MAK-ee-ah num-ew-LAH-ree-uh, but internet sources offer multiple suggested pronunciations) tolerates heat and humidity. It looks best when grown in rich soil with moderate moisture. It will grow slower in lean soils and with less moisture. The vine-like mat is perennial in zones 3 through 8. Winter cold may make some of the leaves shed or take on a reddish hue, but it recovers quickly with the return of warm weather.

Creeping Jenny can be used in containers, either as a single specimen in a hanging basket or in a mixed planting, where it will cascade over the rim of the planter. It looks especially nice at the edges of water features and makes a good partner to upright sedges and ferns. If you choose to pair this one with a variegated plant, choose a companion whose variegation color is in the yellow family (as opposed to white or ivory). It complements most flower colors (pinks, reds, oranges, purple) but does not play well with yellow flowers. Creeping Jenny rarely blooms. Its small, golden flowers are easy to miss against its foliage.

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.

Go Big for Gomphrena

Visitors to my pollinator garden are all drawn to the same plant. Not the Gaura or Lantana, not the Cuphea or Bronze Fennel. The crowd favorite is Gomphrena, sometimes called Globe Amaranth. This heat-loving annual comes in several different colors, but purple is my favorite. The color is so intense that it glows, and it looks good with any other flower shades. Gomphrena also comes in lavender, white, rose, red, and bi-colors. Blooms resemble large clover flowers.

Gomphrena is easy to start from seed. If you have a greenhouse or other warm, sunny area, start the seeds 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date for your area. Seeds germinate best when barely covered with soil and given darkness. Once seeds sprout, expose them to bright light. They grow rapidly and start blooming while they are still tiny. Mine have shown flower buds when plants were just four inches tall. Grow Gomphrena in full sun and poor-to-average soil. Plants are drought-tolerant once established. They will bloom from spring all the way to frost. The stiff, papery flowers hold their color for weeks and weeks, and will even retain their bright shades if cut and dried soon after they open. Spent blooms will eventually fade to tan and should be removed.

Most varieties will reach 24 inches tall or more by the end of the growing season. ‘Buddy’ is a purple cultivar that reaches only 12 inches (per the seed catalogs; they reach 18 inches in the Mary Snoddy garden). The ‘Gnome’ series has white, pink, or purple blooms and reaches only 6 to 8 inches. ‘Strawberry Fields’ reaches 20 inches and has an orange-red flower. Plants can be pinched back when small to make them bunchier, but they look fine without this additional work.

Gomphrena looks great in many applications. Use them in containers, as single specimens, or planted in swaths. I think they pair well with Zinnias, Marigolds, or Lantana. Butterflies love the flowers and deer leave them alone. Double win!

Gomphrena,Melampodium,Liatris,Zinnia

Gomphrena along asphalt path

Tiny Allium Lookalikes

Most gardeners are familiar with the large, impressive Alliums, also known as flowering onions. Yes, those softball-size purple globes look great towering over shorter plants. They adorned the Mary Snoddy garden several times, but either dwindled down to nothing in a few years or were so tall they needed to be staked. I have limited patience for staking and even less for expensive bulbs that pull a disappearing act, so I moved on to better plants. Then I discovered two diminutive lookalikes, Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea, pronounced tul-BAG-ee-uh vy-oh-LAH-say-uh) and Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum, pronounced AL-ee-um too-ber-OH-sum).

Society Garlic has long narrow leaves and clusters of star-shaped lavender flowers held atop narrow stems. If the leaves are crushed, they give off a strong garlic odor. Plant them in full sun or part sun. They are heat and drought tolerant, but will bloom much more if given plenty of water. They are perennial in zones 7-10. Propagate by dividing mature clumps or taking root cuttings. They are rarely bothered by insects or diseases, although slugs may cause minor damage. I was surprised to find Society Garlic flowers are a favorite target for hummingbirds. A variegated-leaf type is available but I find it to be less cold hardy than the non-variegated form.

Garlic Chives also have long narrow leaves, but their flower clusters are white. Unlike Society Garlic, those flowers are followed by capsules of black seeds. Unless the capsules are removed, they fall to the ground and seeds sprout into ever-enlarging clumps, giving rise to a reputation for invasiveness. Trust me on this one – removing the seed clusters is far easier that removing a zillion little bulbs. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, but hummingbirds pass them by. Garlic Chives grow in a wider area than Society Garlic, in zones 3-9.  They are not picky on soil type as long as it is a well-drained. They prefer full sun. So, how do you tell Garlic Chives from Onion Chives? Garlic Chives have a solid stem; Onion Chives have hollow stems.

Society Garlic begins flowering in spring and continues through frost. Garlic Chives is a late-summer to autumn bloomer. Deer ignore both these beauties. Either can be closely planted as a flower bed edger to discourage deer from nibbling your favorites.

This clump of Allium tuberosum (Garlic Chives) held up to a heavy thunderstorm just minutes before. It did not flatten the way many other plants would.

Society Garlic flower

Clump of Society Garlic, Tulbaghia

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.

Want pollinators? Plant Zinnias.

Zinnias are one of the most common annuals and have been popular since the 1920s. They are easy to start from seed, are undemanding as to soil, and bloom non-stop from spring through frost. They tolerate heat and moderate drought. The only thing they demand is a full sun exposure. Zinnias come in every color of the rainbow except for blue, including bi-colors and even tri-colors.

Zinnias are categorized into three groups: tall, with long stems, best for cut flowers or the back of the flower bed; short, best for mass plantings in beds or borders; and creeping or spreading, which do equally well in flower beds and containers. Tall varieties may reach heights of 36 inches or so. Flowers can be single or double, and may resemble dahlias or cactus. Cut flowers last a long time in the vase, but remove any leaves that will be below the waterline.

My favorite bedding type is the Magellan® series, which I start from seed every year. Magellans are mildew resistant and have the sweet habit of layering new foliage and fresh blooms on top of the spent blooms. Short internodes (stem space between leaves) mean that spent flowers are concealed by fresh blossoms, reducing the need for dead-heading but also means they are difficult to use as cut flowers.

Lovely pink Magellan Zinnia

Spent blooms are concealed by new leaves and flowers. A little Downy Mildew spots the leaves.

Of the creeping type, the Profusion® series is well named, with a multitude of small blooms on plants that are resistant to Powdery Mildew. Mildew doesn’t affect the flowers, but can make the foliage spotted and ugly. Combat this problem by planting all varieties in locations with good air circulation. Keep the foliage dry when watering – a perfect application for soaker hoses. Avoid boggy soils and over-fertilization, which can result in more leaves and fewer flowers. 

Zinnias do not tolerate frost. Seed can be direct sown once weather has warmed in spring. Plants will grow rapidly to flowering size. I prefer to start mine in peat pots so that I can space them exactly in my flower beds. Why peat pots instead of plastic 4-packs? The baby plants dislike root disturbance.

Some seed catalogs sell Zinnias by separate color, while others only offer a mix. I like to select specific colors, reflecting a different color scheme each year. It is hard to select my favorite combination. Red, pink, and white looked spectacular in the Mary Snoddy garden one year, but then salmon, yellow and purple looked fabulous the next. Seeds can be saved from year to year, but hybrids rarely mimic their parents.

Zinnia flowers are beloved by butterflies and bees, so I filled all the empty spaces between perennials in my new pollinator garden with mixed colors of Magellan. The pops of color will last until frost.

A butterfly enjoys a green and pink bicolor Zinnia, ‘Queen Lime’. Photo by jggrz from Pixabay

A composition of assorted Zinnia colors.. Photo by MrGajowy3 from Pixabay

Tall Zinnias, grown for cutting, can look a little gawky. Site them at the back of the border to conceal their lower sections.

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™

Mexican Sunflowers for summer and fall color

Shrubs and perennials encompass the backbone of my garden, but a few annuals ensure that there is something in bloom throughout the entire season. Tithonia, Mexican Sunflower, is a gorgeous annual for the back of the border. It starts blooming mid-summer and flowers all the way to frost.

Tithonia is great for a pollinator garden.

Tithonia (pronounced tie-THO-nee-ah) can be started indoors to get a jump on the season, but is easily grown from seed. Baby plants resent root disturbance; use peat pots to reduce transplant shock. When peat pots are planted into the flower bed, be sure that no part of the pot extends above soil level since any portion above ground will wick moisture away from the roots and into the air. Tear off a strip around the top if needed. Plant in full sun. These Mexico natives love the heat and are drought-tolerant. Tithonia does best in well-drained, infertile soil. Rich soil will produce floppy, weak plants with few flowers.

Tithonias grow very rapidly, reaching heights of 3 to 6 feet, with a width of half that. I received my first 2022 seed catalog this week, and was delighted to see a new, dwarf form. ‘Fiesta del Sol’ is supposed to top out at two and a-half feet, which will make it easier to incorporate into flower beds. Most cultivars have flowers with deep, rich orange petals around a yellow center. Red or gold-flowered varieties are available, too. Cut flowers will last a long time in the vase if care is taken to avoid crushing the stems. The fuzzy stems are hollow, which means they can break if sited in an especially windy area. The ease of culture, the bright flowers, and the fuzzy stems mean this is a great choice for a child’s first garden. As a bonus, the flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and a host of pollinator insects. They are not plagued by diseases. Deer rarely dine on them.

Tithonia used as an annual hedge, along with other fall-blooming flowers.

Tithonia seeds are large enough for children to handle easily.

Persian Shield (Strobilanthes)

Persian Shield (Strobilanthes, pronounced stroe-buh-LAN-theez) is a heat-tolerant, tender perennial treated as an annual in zones 8b and colder. It has lavender flowers, but is grown for its foliage: deep green overlaid with bright purple and a metallic sheen. The foliage is beautiful in its own right, but when combined with other plants, especially pink or purple flowers, it makes them sing. It is ideal in a larger container. Provide rich, well-drained soil with plentiful moisture. When too dry, the leaves will droop. If a wilted plant is watered immediately, it will perk back up but too many repeats will result in leaf drop. Constantly wet soil will cause root rot.

Persian Shield will grow into a loose shrub up to 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide. It is much more attractive when the stem ends are pinched regularly to make a shorter, bushier plant. New growth is more colorful than older leaves. The plant looks best in partial shade. Too much sun will make leaves crisp around the edges; too little light makes them look faded.

Persian Shield is easy to propagate from stem cuttings or layering. It will survive in my home as a houseplant or in my greenhouse through the winter, but reduced light results in a spindly plant. I overwinter one specimen, then use it as a mother plant for several cuttings in spring. Rooted cuttings grow rapidly. Plants are occasionally attacked by spider mites.

A 14-inch container planted with a single Strobilanthes plant. The newest growth is distinctly more colorful than the older leaves.

A favorite combination: Persian Shield paired with purple Angelonia and red/purple bat-faced Cuphea. Next year I will select a glazed container rather than this terra cotta, to reduce evaporation and the need for daily watering. This photo shows the solid purple reverse side of the Persian Shield leaves.

Mandevilla, Dipladenia, Allamanda

I received a Mandevilla vine as a Mother’s Day gift this year. A wooden trellis was included. It dwarfed the plant. Fast forward two months, and this woody vine is a knockout! Healthy, dark green leaves set off the blood-red, tubular flowers to perfection. The vine has grown enough to cover the trellis without becoming aggressive.

Mandevilla (pronounced man-de-VILL-uh) has large, tubular blooms that attract hummingbirds. Mine is red but I have also seen pink, rose, yellow, and white in nurseries. The vine does not have suckers, but will twine gently around a supporting trellis. They make an ideal mailbox-post accent or hanging basket. Dipladenia (rhymes with Gardenia) is an upright, bushier form of Mandevilla that is now included into the Mandevilla genus. To confuse matters further, some were formerly labeled as Allamanda. The upright forms have smaller, more pointed leaves than the original, viney Mandevillas. All types enjoy rich, moist soil that drains rapidly. A mixture of potting soil, sand, and ground bark works well. Spent blooms fall off without any help from the gardener. Pinch the tips of vines to make plants fuller. In the southeast, Mandevillas will appreciate afternoon shade and frequent irrigation.

Mandevillas are warm weather plants, winter-hardy only in zones 10 and 11. This is why many of them are grown in containers, to facilitate bringing them indoors for winter. Container culture also restricts the mature size. Grown directly in the ground, a vine may reach 15-20 feet. In a container, it will rarely exceed 6 feet. When night temperatures drop to 50 degrees, Mandevilla can be brought indoors to a bright location (no direct sun) and enjoyed as a houseplant, although flowers are fewer than in summer. Water indoor plants sparingly, allowing soil to dry out while giving them a winter rest. Keep an eye out for aphids, whiteflies, mealy-bugs, and scale. Remove any dead or damaged leaves. Prune hard and apply liquid fertilizer when they return to an outdoor location in spring.

Mandevilla ‘Red Riding Hood’