The Plants Around Us

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Oakleaf Hydrangea / Hydrangea quercifolia

This native to southeastern US is a unique hydrangea with lobed leafs, resembling, as the name suggests, oak leaves. In autumn the leaves can turn a brilliant blend of purple and red.

Most people, however, add them to the garden for the long lasting spikes of white flowers from late spring to midsummer. Mature flowers darken into shades of pink or red.

It does best in partial shade. Getting morning sun is preferential. The soil should be rich, well-draining, and kept moderately moist.

Deer find all hydrangeas delectable; that includes oakleaf.

This species blooms on old wood. If pruning, it needs to be done right after flowering, else risking losing blooms. (Deer damage can also prevent flowering.)

While oakleaf hydrangeas can grow to 8 feet, Ruby Slippers stays smaller (just up to 4 feet). The flowers fade to red.

Gatsby Moon has immensely dense flower heads.

 

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Oyama Magnolia / Magnolia sueboldii

This often hard to find nontraditional magnolia, native to Asia, blooms later than most other types. The large egg shaped buds open with pure white petals and flash crimson stamens. The fragrant flowers generally nod downward.
(Additional flowering form periodically throughout the summer.)

It's a small understory tree best suited for partial shade. Avoid planting it to closely to the house's south side, as reflected heat may cause buds to open too early.

Though it doesn't like soil too wet, it is rather intolerant of drought; therefore, water regularly and mulch sufficiently.

Autumn color is yellow.

 

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Red Buckeye / Aesculus pavia

This native to southeastern US is a fine understory tree that is useful in gardens in partial shady areas.

Even at an early age, it is covered in spikes of red flowers in spring, which is why it is sometimes called the firecracker tree.

There's a yellow flowering variety (flavescens) native to Texas, which is listed as being less winter hardy; therefore, I never sought this one out.

It's not terribly picky about the soil, though rich well-draining would surely be preferred. This is not a plant for awesome fall color. If summers are rather dry, the leaves are likely shed early.

Though the nuts can be a bit of a nuisance, I planted one for the hummingbirds.

 

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Mountain Laurel / Kalmia latifolia

This shrub is reminiscent of rhododendrons, which it is somewhat closely related; however, it has its own geometric pizzazz.

This evergreen has varieties of various heights, ranging up to 15 feet.

Flowers bloom in late spring in shades of red and white depending on the variety. While hummingbirds and butterflies can pollinate them, it's fascinating watching bees. When landing, a bee's weight triggers spring-loaded mechanisms which catapult pollen onto the bee.

Mountain Laurel is native to eastern United States. It's quite noticeable while driving through mountainous areas, where the hills turn showy pink. Both Connecticut and Pennsylvania hold it as their state flower.

While far from being the hardest plant to grow, it is certainly not the easiest. Aging with ease, well established mature plants handle hardships better.

Though listed as tolerant of full sun, partial shade is considerably easier. (Full shade, however, needs to be avoided.) Morning sun is ideal.

Like rhododendrons, it needs acidic soil. That is a need, as in "must have". If the pH is off nutrient deficiencies will cause severe complications. The soil needs to be rich, so don't forgo the compost and early spring fertilizing (that's low in nitrogen). They don't handle drought well, especially when young. Keep the soil moist! (Of course, don't get it too moist.) Having good drainage is your friend here. This is one plant you don't want to forget to mulch. When watering, try to keep the foliage dry. Wet leaves encourage blight. Watering in the morning helps, as the heat of the day can dry the leaves faster.

If you struggle keeping rhododendrons alive, this probably won't end well. When happily growing in ideal conditions, the beauty will seem worth the effort.

 

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Spring Crocus

When the cold embrace of winter finally wanes, it's a joyous sight to see blooming cheery flowers. Plus such flowers are beneficial to bees awakening from months of hibernation.

Planting bulbs (or in this case corms) can be a bit of work; however, it's exciting anticipating their spring debut.

The corms are best planted in autumn at least six weeks before the first hard freeze; however, it's also best not to plant too early, as the soil should be below 60°F. Unlike me, they like the cold. (If planted to late, the bloom period will be off.)

For greater impact, plant them in groups (or clumps). Unlike many other plants, they're quite content with some togetherness.

Newly planted crocuses are especially attractive to some wildlife. I've seen squirrels diligently digging up an entire patch. Take measures to repell them! (Planting the corms under mesh or applying a repellent afterward helps significantly.)

You can add a little life to the lawn with various early flowering spring bulbs. Crocuses are ideal for this. (These flowers succeed best in lawns not artificially fertilized or overly watered.)

Perhaps the best seeing spring flowers is knowing summer isn't a far away.

 

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DutchIris / Iris xhollandica

There are many types of irises. Dutch irises were created in the Netherlands when botanists crossed the Spanish iris with the African iris.

Unlike most typical irises, these have true bulbs and come in a wide spectrum of colors, blooming in mid to late spring. (Dwarf varieties bloom earlier.)

Well-draining soil is critical. They do best in soils that get hot and dry in the summer. If the garden soil stays fairly moist, they most likely won't endure. In areas of moist summer soil, dig the bulbs up after flowering and store in a dry place till fall. To encourage perennial flowering, remove faded blooms; however, don't cut the plant back till the foliage yellows.

They'll look best when planted in groups, like a dozen bulbs per square foot.

Irises symbolizes valor, trust, wisdom, and hope, which often seem in short supply.

 

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Saffron Crocus / Crocus sativus

Crocus sativus

Unlike spring crocuses, this one blooms in autumn.

Saffron has been cultivated for nearly four thousand years with it's red stigmas still used to flavor and color food.

Bulbs planted in August should bloom that fall.

They differ in hardiness. Saffron is considerably less winter hardy. They shouldn't be recommended for perennializing in areas with temperatures that get to 0°F. Yes, adding a thick layer of mulch can help.

As an alternative, consider autumn crocus for a similar fall show.

Technically, an autumn crocus is not a crocus. (Common names get confusing.) Scientifically called Colchicum the autumn crocus, unlike saffron, is toxic.

Leaves will emerge in spring then fade away like other spring bulbs. In the fall, the flowers emerge before winter sets in, behaving like an amaryllis.

For those with harsher winters, it's more hardy, just don't add it to your soup.

Colchicum

 

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JapaneseSnowbellTree / Styrax japonica

Though not flamboyantly showy, this elegant tree has gloriously fragrant pendulous late spring blooms.

Grow them in rich, moist, well-drained, moderately acidic soil. In hot climates they prefer partial shade. If your summers are cool, full sun is fine.

Hardiness varies by variety. If planted near the fringe of its range, place it in a sheltered location, protecting it from winter winds.

They have been used to symbolize purity, innocence, and good luck.

Evening Light is a variety with dark leaves.

Pink Chimes blooms with pink flowers.

Nightfall has cascading branches with burgundy leaves, which seldom gets over eight feet in height.

All varieties are elegant and hard to resist.

 

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Hairy Balls Milkweed / Asclepias physocarpa

This isn't your typical milkweed!

There are many milkweed species; this one comes from South Africa where it's semi tropical. In warm regions it can be a perennial, where it can become invasive. In colder regions, it can only be grown as an annual.

It's a fast growing tall plant with white (sometimes purplish) flowers; however, obviously the main reason for growing this milkweed is for the ornamental hairy balls.

Grow it in a warm sunny location. Since plants can reach up to six feet in height, plant it in the rear of flower bed. Pinching the tips will encourage branching (for a fuller looking plant).

They need a fairly long summer to mature. In areas with early autumns, start eeeds indoors a few weeks early to help ensure proper fruiting. (Remember to collect seeds for the following summer.)

Like other milkweeds, this plant is attractive to pollinators, especially monarch butterflies. While planting milkweed is recommended to support the monarch population, tropical species should be used sparingly. Winter hardy species die back naturally in autumn, helping the butterflies determine when to migrate. Tropical species don't die back until hit by frost.

Just think... when showing off your garden, you can tell people to look at your hairy balls!

 

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Beautybush / Kolkwitzia amabilis

When in spring bloom, this is truly a beautiful shrub. That alone is enough merit to consider adding it to your garden. After flowering, however, it's basically just a shrub with graceful arching branching. It's all about the flowers, which are highly attractive to hummingbirds.

It's a low maintenance plant with few problems, prefering full sun and moist, well-draining soil. If fertilizing, in spring offer one slightly higher in phosphorus.

It can potentially grow to be around 10 feet in height. If pruning becomes necessary, it should done directly after flowering to help prevent lose of flowering.

"Jolene Jolene" is a compact dwarf variety that seldom gets over six feet.

The extremely difficult to find "Maradco" has golden summer foliage.

 

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Winterberry / Ilex verticillata

While other hollies are available at nurseries, wnterberry is the only holly native to my region, where it's also called the Michigan holly.

Like other holly species, to get fruit both male and female shrubs need to be present. Only the female plants will set fruit; however, one male can provide enough pollen for numerous females, using several native bee species. (If planted correctly, that happy male can have quite the harem.)

The berries are a valuable winter food source for many species of birds, including bluebirds, robins, waxwings, and cardinals. Birds will avoid the berries until midwinter, as repeated freezing and thawing is required to make them edible.

The leaves are not thick and edged in sharp points, which is classic of the traditional holly appearance. The leaves are deciduous, leaving the bright berries for easy winter viewing.

To thrive in this state, you got to be tough. This is indeed a low maintenance shrub, tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Few plants can manage in both swampy and dry conditions, regardless of the soil is sandy or clay based. (Obviously for best growth, avoid extremes.) While it likes acidic soil (like other hollies), it not critical. This plant is quite undemanding!

Besides the classic bright red, some varieties have orange or, in this case, golden berries.

 

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Purple Coneflower / Echinacea purpurea

This native of eastern US and mid-western prairies is a great option for expanding the pollinator garden.

There's a long history of indigenous medicinal practices, which has surfaced in modern herbalism. Steeping flowers and/or leaves in hot water creates a tea that can boost the immune system.

According to legend, the roots were also used to treat rattlesnake bites. I can't imagine that use was overtly successful.

To encourage good blooming, deadhead spent flowers. Keeping fall flowers adds winter interest, provides seeds for overwintering birds, and helps them reseed. This plant resents having its roots disturbed, so divisions are not recommended.

Botanists have crossed echinacea with black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia), creating the hybrid Echibeckia. Though the cross produces blooms of interesting color, it is sterile and not hardy. (Not everything of interest has value.)

Though they do best in full sun, they'll do fine in partial shade. These plants will not succeed in soils that aren't well-draining or perpetually wet. Once established they are considerably drought tolerant.

Even though the flowers are not the typical tube shaped as with most hummingbird flowers, it certainly does attract them. Yes, bees and butterflies will get their chance too.

Besides the purplish color, cultivars come in other colors.

PowWow White

Sombrero Lemon Yellow

Salsa Red

Sombrero Adobe Orange

Double-decker

Pompom (Razzmatazz)

While color may not affect pollinators, fowers with extra petals will likely handicap the process. Obviously pesticides should be avoided. It's not just awful for pollinators; it is dreadful in tea!

 

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Milkweed / Asclepias

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

There was a time (not that long ago) milkweed was largely considered a weed. It has since become the flagship for ecological importance, as milkweed is the host food for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies. Literally without milkweed there can be no monarchs. Conservation efforts to plant more milkweed has benefited the population of these butterflies.

The monarch's dependency on milkweed is not unique. Perhaps their diurnal adventures, fluttering through the garden to and fro, helped sway our perspective. Though butterflies help pollinate, they are often ignored as a food source, generally protected with a foul taste or toxin. Instead it is caterpillars of moths, butterfly's nocturnal cousins, that play a vital component in the food chain of our garden songbirds. Without moth caterpillars the birds we love would be unsuccessful raising their broods. These moths are just as dependent on native host species; therefore, don't stop at the milkweed. To help the ecosystem of your garden, plant native plants whenever possible.

Milkweed helps more than monarchs. Several insects use this plant, including beetles, bugs, and other butterflies. You should be wary and cautious about using any pesticide in the garden. None should be used on or near such flowers.

All milkweed have a milky white sap, hense the name. While most creatures find the sap distasteful and toxic, monarch caterpillars store the consumed toxin, becoming toxic themselves.

Insects have an uncanny ability to find the host species they require, literally smelling them miles away.

They require full sun and well-draining soil. Common milkweed can grow to five feet in height.

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) unlike other types requires moist soil. It's even tolerant of clayish soil.

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a lower growing species with bright showy orange flowers. (Though hard to find, some cultivars are yellow or red.)

Purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) is a lower growing species with bright showy purple blooms.

Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) has flamboyant flowers on stalks growing to four feet, resembling the common milkweed.

There are many other species. Whatever type(s) you select, plant several to properly support the needs of numerous caterpillars.

 

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American Persimmon / Diospyros virginiana

"Diospyros" translates to "divine fruit" or, if you wish, "fruit of the gods". If tasting the sweet ripe fruit, you might agree; however, if unripe the astringent taste is quite unbearable. The golf ball sized ripe fruit falls to the ground in autumn, normally after the leaves drop, creating an interesting fall display.

Normally, these small trees are either male or female; therefore, for fruiting, both sexes need be flowering. Occasionally, some are self fruiting.

This tree, native to eastern US, is most commonly spotted growing on woodland edges; in the garden it'll tolerate partial shade.

This isn't a tree for those demanding instant success. They grow slowly and can take numerous years to set fruit. You'll need to be patient.

This species is winter hardy down to -20°F. They are not overtly picky about soil type but will benefit from rich, well-draining soil. Enrich the soil with compost. After reaching fruitung age, an application of a balanced orangic fertilizer can help. Young plants should be watered regularly and mulched. Remove any suckers that may form.

The fruit of the Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is larger but generally considered less sweet. The tree is less hardy and cannot survive in my location.

If you want the heavenly fruit, you might learn a degree of patience.

 

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Buttonbrush / Cephalanthus occidentalis

This shrub can be found growing wild in swamps and wetlands in eastern US. It's quite accustomed to living in wet areas and is not drought tolerant. Don't forget to water this one! A perfect location would be next to a natural pond or stream; however, if you can remember to water it frequently, it can live happily in most places.

It will tolerate shade. If you want flowers though, it's going to need the sun. To get the most blooms give it full sun. After all, it can bloom through the summer (from June to August).

The global mass of compact tubular flowers is highly attractive to pollinators, whether it be bees, butterflies, or hummingbirds. Like milkweed, it's the host plant to several sphinx moths, which the garden birds will love hunting.

It can grow to twelve feet in height, sometimes more; however, Sugar Shack, a smaller cultivar, is available that will stay around five feet.

 

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Dutchman Pipe Vine / Aristolochia

View attachment 151256481
Before air-conditioning (and fans), it was more common to see houses shielded in part from the sun with vines. Technology made this practice rather obsolete.

Like with monarchs and milkweed, less pipe vine equated to fewer pipevine swallowtails.
Though the adults can sip nectar from numerous species, its caterpillars rely exclusively on this vine.

To help this swallowtail species, we should consider incorporating the vine into landscapes more frequently.

The vine can handle sun or shade. Certainly with less sun there will be fewer flowers; however, the flowers aren't terribly showy and are often hidden amongst the foliage. Perhaps you have a fence or tree it can climb. (It doesn't gliddle or harm trees.)

There are a few species that are hardy for cold winters. They look virtually identical, except for the flowers.

A. macrophylla

A. tomentosa

If you hadn't guessed, the common name is derived from the shape of the flower, which resembles a pipe.

For those living in much warmer areas, tropical species (with large fascinating flowers) are available; however, I would imagine there would be risk of invasion.

A. gigantea (tropical)

When you see these flashy blue butterflies fluttering around, it might seem worth the effort.

 

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Chinquapin Oak / Quercus prinoides

Most likely the greatest thing that can be done to increase bird diversity in the garden is adding an oak tree. Since oak trees tend to get large, there might be a lack of space. Fear not, there is a smaller option.

Though small, dwarf chinquapin (sometimes spelled chinkapin) has mighty character. Songbirds will discover its potential of hosting not one, not two, but over four hundred fifty different species of moths, helping parent birds find sufficient food.

Plant it in a sunny area with well-draining soil. Like other oaks, it is quite drought tolerant.

In cultivation they tend to grow to just 15 feet. Three year old (or young) trees can start producing acorns.

Typically I add plants with fascinating or odd characteristics. This one looks rather ordinary. The wow factor comes with helping our feathered neighbors.

 

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Sweetbay Magnolia / Magnolia virginiana

Where winters are harsh, this tree will lose its leaves; however, in warmer areas it is fully evergreen.

This is primarily a native to the southern and eastern coast of US, though some can be found in Texas.

It blooms later than most other magnolias, which helps protect the fragrant creamy white flowers from frost damage. You can expect the floral display lasting from mid spring through mid summer.

Unlike other magnolias, the sweetbay will tolerate wet, boggy soil. In fact, it's best to keep it moist, as drought isn't handled well.

The fruit releases shiny bright red seeds, which are eaten by birds, including species that typically don't consume seeds (like robins). Perhaps the seed color sufficiently mimics the appearance of fruit. Nevertheless, the seeds are high in fat, protein, and needed minerals, thereby offering nutritional value.

It is the host plant for eastern tiger swallowtails, which curiously has two variations. Typically the wings are considerably yellow; however, occasionally, like black panthers born with leopards, a darker variation is possible. (Most often the darker specimens are female.) It is believed that being darker mimics pipevine swallowtails, which are highly toxic.

Though normally short, sweetbay has the potential of growing over 35 feet; however, the cultivar "Sweet Thing" stays at a reasonable height. (Personally, I like smaller varieties which gives me more space for other things!)

 

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St John's Wort / Hypericum

St John's wort is probably best known for antidepressant therapy. Though this plant can grow happily in most gardens, all parts should be considered toxic. If needing such medication, seek commercially available supplements that have been properly processed.

There are numerous species, all with cheery yellow flowers. They are pollinated nearly exclusively by bees, as the flowers offer no nectar. Bees will delightedly feed upon the pollen.

The hard showy fruit persists into winter and is frequently used in dried floral displays. Though commonly red, it can be black (and rarely white). Normally the fruit is shunned by birds; however, the seeds are eaten by various finches.

They're not particular about the soil, provided it's moist and well-draining. Most do admirably well in partial shade. It can be pruned dramatically in early spring, as new growth will quickly sprout from the base.

Height, leaf shape, flower size, and hardiness varies per species. Make bees happy with one that suits your needs.

 

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Wahoo / Euonymus atropurpureus

The common (Asian) burning bush, Euonymus alatus, is an overused plant, offering fiery scarlet fall foliage. Here in the US, it is quite invasive and shouldn't be used. Fortunately, there is a native alternative. Tragically, however, wahoo (also called the eastern burning bush) is difficult to find in nurseries.

The name "euonymus" may have originated from the Greek prefix "eu", meaning good, and the word onyma, meaning name, thereby making this a "good name". It was, however, known to be toxic to cattle, which casts doubt on its goodness. There's another possibility. It might have been name after Euonyme, mother of the furies - the vengeance deities.

Wahoo are quite undemanding. They can grow in full sun to shade (with best fall foliage occurring with more light). Wet, poorly-drained soil is the only growing media it finds objectionable.

In autumn, bright red lobed fruit become showy and persists into winter. Birds, potentially including bluebirds, will eventually find them.

We just don't yell out "Wahoo" nearly enough!