Happy Winter Faces of Pansies, Violas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evergreen Shrubs for Shade

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

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

Glossy Chindo leaves

Juvenile Chindo in shade

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

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

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

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

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

Mature upright Yew

Soft needled foliage

New growth is bright green

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

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

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

Small flowers, big fragrance

Topiary Osmanthus 'Goshiki'

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

Evergreen Shrubs for Sun

Evergreen shrubs make companion plants look better by comparison. Our appreciation increases in mid-winter, as they liven up gardens and give color to borders that are otherwise collections of lifeless, leafless sticks.

My favorite evergreens for sun and partial sun are Buxus (Boxwood),  Juniperus (Juniper), Ilex (Holly), Cryptomeria, and Thuja (Arborvitae).

This row of Buxus microphylla ‘Morris Dwarf’ makes a good border at the top of a rock wall. Purchased as 4-inch bareroot “liners,” they are ten years old, and only 12 inches tall.

Boxwoods are a garden staple in the south. Gardeners can find a Buxus to fit their site and zone. Dwarf forms look great in containers, too. Boxwoods are slow growers, so they do not require frequent pruning when grown directly in the ground or repotting when grown in containers. Their foliage has a pungent odor that some people find offensive. I find that the tiny cultivars are more expensive that their large cousins.  

Junipers have needle-like foliage and withstand heat well. Cut branches have a resinous fragrance that enhances seasonal Christmas arrangement. Once branches dry out, though, those needles become sharp and shed readily.

Hollies (members of the Ilex family) are thick-leaved shrubs with cultivars that range from giant to dwarf. Please note: a dwarf ‘Burfordii’  holly will still grow to 12 feet or more. Holly flowers are tiny but loved by honeybees. Burford hollies are favored for their heavy berry-set. Most hollies have red berries but a few have yellow or orange berries. If you have space for a specimen that will reach  20 feet in height with a 15-foot spread, Ilex ‘Liberty’ is a fast grower (to 18 inches per year) with a beautiful pyramidal shape. It is a dense shrub when grown in full sun but more open when grown in part shade.

Most Cryptomeria cultivars are large, elegant trees but Cryptomeria globosa ‘Nana’ is a shrub. Globosa means “round” and Nana means short. These terms are relative, however, and in the Mary Snoddy garden C. globosa ‘Nana’ has grown to 5 feet. It has a unique texture that makes visitors touch it. 

The most popular Thuja cultivars are ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae and ‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae. The first reaches 60 feet with a 20 foot spread. The second reaches only 15 feet in height, making it easy to incorporate into smaller home gardens.

Each of these shrubs have cultivars that vary in mature size and cold hardiness. Check plant tags to ensure that you purchase specimens that are appropriate for your site.

Next week, I’ll share my favorite evergreen shrubs for shade, as well as some recommendations for narrow plants that can be used for privacy hedges in small gardens.

This lovely Cryptomeria globosa ‘Nana’ looks fabulous against a red barn, especially in contrast to the silber foliage of Artemesia ‘Powis Castle.’

These Ilex compacta hollies were planted 12 years ago from one-gallon containers. They are now five feet tall with an equal spread. While the natural shape is round and somewhat irregular, these have been pruned into gumdrop topiaries, leading the eye to the front entrance. They need maintenance pruning every six weeks to maintain this tight shape.

Is Snow Good for the Garden?

Much of the southeast received snow over the past weekend, setting new records in places like Asheville, NC and Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, SC. We make bad jokes about Mother Nature’s multiple personality disorder, but in the Deep South you will find snowboards next to flip-flops and sunscreen in our mudrooms. Shorts one day, down vests the next. Our snowstorms are rare and never last long, so we treat them as a special holiday. Is snow a good thing for our gardens? Yes and no.

Snow Pros: Insulation. irrigation, fertilization.
It is difficult to consider a cold, wet blanket as insulation, but snow protects plants from drying winds and frigid temperatures. Its fluffy texture acts like a goosedown blanket, holding any ground warmth at soil level. This insulation can protect roots and leaves from freezing, and will allow underground bacteria, fungi, earthworms and such to go about their business, albeit a little slower than normal. Snow will maintain an even temperature around plants that is far preferable to alternating warm/cold cycles that damage plant tissues.

Melted snow provides water to plants at a slow rate. Think of it as a drip hose that covers your entire garden.

The concept of snow as fertilization seems odd. Older almanacs referred to snow as “Poor Man’s Fertilizer.” Snow captures minute amounts of nitrogen and sulphur from the air and delivers it to your soil. This does not negate the need for fertilization (as indicated by a soil test, of course), but it certainly does not hurt, especially on marginal soils.

Snow Cons: Weight, bark split, container exposure
The weight of snow can damage evergreen trees and shrubs. The broad leaves of Magnolia grandiflora hold snow, and the needled foliage of Cedars. Arborvitae and Junipers hang onto ice. Dry, powdery snow can be swept off shrubs with a broom. I have also used a leaf blower, but it was less effective than I imagined. Brittle shrubs like Rhododendrons can be wrapped with rope to hold them upright, making a smaller target for snowfall to create damaging weight.

The bark of young trees may be damaged by gnawing animals or split from rapid temperature changes. Garden centers sell trunk wrap to help with the latter. Pull snow away from tree trunks to prevent the former.

Container plants are more likely to suffer from cold damage since snow insulates the top but leaves the sides exposed to cold. Move these into a protected area if you can. If not, a layer of clear bubble wrap helps.

Two closing thoughts:

Utilize plants that are cold-hardy in your garden’s zone. It is unreasonable to expect a tropical plant to survive in zone 6 winters, no matter the amount of snow insulation it receives.

 A final benefit of snow: It conceals all those garden chores you did not accomplish. Those spent annuals and dead vines are merely lumps under a gorgeous white icing. Enjoy!

Our driveway is unrecognizable under its snow blanket.

Flowering Quince

Chaenomeles (pronounced ky-NO-may-leez) is a deciduous shrub that is commonly known as Flowering Quince, Apple Japonica or Japonica Pear. Its flowers open in earliest spring, before leaves appear. Flowers mature into fragrant, yellow, rock-hard fruits that are slightly larger than golf balls. These are inedible off the plant, but can be processed into jelly. Cut stems of Flowering Quince can be forced into bloom indoors. Prune judiciously to improve shape and encourage branching. 

Two species, C. japonica and C. speciosa, are common in the southeast, as well as a hybrid of the two, C. x superba. They are similar, but speciosa has a more upright shape, dense twiggy interior growth, and sharp thorns. C. speciosa grows to six feet tall. C. japonica is shorter, reaching four feet. Chaenomeles requires acidic soil and full sun for best flowering, but will accept some shade. It grows in zones 5-9 and prefers average, slightly moist to dry soil.

Flowers are red, orange, pink, white,  or burgundy. Blooms are normally five-petal singles, but the ‘Double Take’ series are doubles. ‘Toyo-Nishiki’ has pink and white flowers on the same plant. ‘Cameo’ has a lovely semi-double, peach flower.

Chaenomeles are easily grown and are deer resistant. They occasionally host aphids and several varieties of leaf spot.

The rosy flowers of Chaenomeles are a bright spot in the gray days of winter.
Image by Couleur from Pixabay

Bell-Like Brugmansia, Angel's Trumpet

Brugmansia is sometime confused with lookalike Datura, to which it is related. They share a common name (“Angel Trumpet”) and flower shape. The bloom orientation easily distinguishes the two. Brugmansia flowers dangle like bells, while Datura blooms are upright. Brugmansia seed pods are smooth while Datura’s are prickly, like a chestnut. Brugmansia has a woody stem; Datura is herbaceous, dying to the ground each winter.

Brugmansia is a bold plant, meant for the back of the border, as a specimen, or standing alone in a foundation planting. It is considered a tropical shrub or small tree, with mature height from 6 feet to 15 feet. It is cold hardy in zones 7b through 10,  but can be grown as a houseplant or in a warm, protected microclimate (next to a brick home, for instance) in cooler locations. Use a thick winter mulch of leaves or pine needles to keep Brugmansia cozy in winter.

Brugmansia (pronounced brug-MAN-zee-ah) flowers come in beautiful shades of yellow, apricot, pink, or white. The petals of the funnel-shaped blooms can be as much as a foot long. A mature plant in full flower is impressive. Brugmansia does not start to flower until it reaches a degree of maturity. Purchase a rooted cutting rather than starting them from seeds to achieve flowers earlier. Strangely, cuttings taken from the same plant can vary in flower color when grown in different soils and sun exposures. Flowering lasts for weeks, often all the way to frost.

While the flowers are beautiful and sweetly fragrant, especially in evening, avoid inhaling too long. Lengthy exposure can cause headaches and even nausea. Crushed foliage smells bad. 

Brugmansia is not a plant for shade. It prefers partial sun to look best. The eastern side of a house, with morning sun and afternoon shade, is an ideal location. If a mature plant starts to look wilted or leaves turn pale green, the diagnosis is usually too much sun. It is not demanding as to soil type, and is moderately drought tolerant once established. Brugmansias are hungry and thirsty. Flowering will be more profuse with regular fertilization and irrigation, although boggy soils induce root rot.

The leaves and flowers of Brugmansia are toxic if ingested. Deer normally don’t nibble plants or flowers.

Brugmansia flower

The adjacent brick wall provides warmth for this Brugmansia, extending its flowering season by several weels.

My Neighbors Say "Happy Moo Year"

I’m taking a writing vacation this week. Instead of horticulture information, I’m sharing photos of my neighbors, a fine group of Charolais cattle. May your 2022 be healthy and happy!

Why Plant Names Change

Why do plant names change? Name alterations present a challenge for growers (updating plant tags, catalogs, signage), teachers (memorizing and educating with current names), and gardeners (finding the desired plant). So why not let well enough alone? As it turns out, there are good reasons for changes.

First, a quick taxonomy note. We owe the Genus/species/‘Cultivar’ binomial naming scheme to 18th century Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus. Latin Genus is always capitalized and italicized. It is followed by lower case species, also Latin and also italicized. The species is descriptive. For instance, ‘globosa’ means globe-shaped or ‘japonica’ means Japanese. Any specific cultivar is capitalized and surrounded by single quotes. Example: Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy.’ These names are identical across all countries, all native languages. A species name is never used without its genus.

A change in plant name may occur to correct a mistake. If two different botanists named the same plant, for instance, the earliest name will be adopted as the correct one. And a plant cannot have two different genus/species labels – chaos in the garden!

Just as human DNA testing has increased in sophistication, plant genome mapping has caused the reclassification of some plants. One such reclassification is Coleus. We all know a Coleus when we see one, right? In 2006, Coleus had a name change to Solenostemon. In 2012, it was renamed to Plectranthus. And in 2019, it was renamed, again, to Coleus. Whew!

One of my favorites, Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’ is now Hylotelephium telephium 'Herbstfreude' which looks very much like the naming botanist’s cat walked across the keyboard. 

The reclassification that still has me scratching my head is our southern icon, the native Dogwood, Cornus florida. Since 2014, it has officially become Benthamidia florida, although I see no evidence of changes in our local plant centers. Old habits die hard. I’ll just call them Dogwoods.

Finally, we can call this plant Coleus again.

Dawn Redwoods with Pumpkin-Spice Colors

The downside of relocating to a new home is the loss of favorite plants in the former garden. Sometimes these are valued for their rarity. In other cases, they serve as reminders of friendships or life milestones.

For me, leaving behind a Dawn Redwood tree was a source of sadness. I received it as a rooted cutting in 2006, at a Master Gardener plant swap. At less than a foot tall and living in a four-inch nursery pot, it was hardly imposing. Luckily, I checked my favorite reference manual (Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, by Michael A. Dirr) and learned that this scrawny specimen that resembled a green feather could reach a mature height of 100 feet with a spread of up to 40 feet.

Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides, pronounced met-uh-see-KWOY-uh glip-toe-stroh-BOY-deez) is one of the few deciduous conifers. It grows fast (up to two feet per year), with a lovely pyramidal shape when young, maturing to a rounded crown. Given average growing conditions, a tree will reach 25 feet or more in ten years. They make a wonderful specimen. The tree in the zone 7 Mary Snoddy garden, now 15 years old, exceeds 30 feet. It has received no supplemental irrigation after the first year.

These trees enjoy moist, acidic soil, and will not tolerate dry locations. Mature trees have a furrowed look to the bark. They are hardy in zones 5 – 8. With age, the lower limbs droop downward with age, giving the tree a graceful look. Lower limbs may need to be removed if they block views or prevent mowing. The foliage turns a gorgeous, rusty orange before shedding in the fall.

It is easy to confuse Dawn Redwood with Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). Look at the leaf arrangement to distinguish the two. The half-inch needle-like leaves of Dawn Redwood are held on the stem in an opposite arrangement, while the Bald Cypress leaves spiral around the stem. Both trees will do well in soils with limited oxygen. Dawn Redwood tolerates clay soil. In swampy soil, the Bald Cypress will push up “knees” to capture air that is not available to its roots.

Dawn Redwood has no disease problems, although Japanese Beetles occasionally eat the foliage. Deer rarely browse them.

Metasequoias are propagated from cuttings or air-layering. Young Dawn Redwoods transplant easily. They can also be grown as bonsai.

This Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) is 15 years old and stands more than 30 feet tall.

Same tree as above, showing its summer foliage color.

In spring, the needle-like leaves of Dawn Redwood are a bright green. They darken to a medium green in summer.
This photo by Zhu Bing from Pixabay

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