Going Native With Native Grasses

The introduction of ornamental grasses to the American landscape is one of the defining moments in modern garden design. These grasses, planted in clumps or large masses, recall elements of the nation's vanishing prairie, while adding sophistication and panache to even the most groomed garden.

Regrettably, many of the grasses frequently used, especially those with ostrich feather-like plumes or stylish zebra-stripes, are both exotic and invasive, especially when planted near open fields, and can pose serious problems for our local ecosystem. For a more habitat-friendly approach, gardeners can and should turn to the abundant inventory of native grasses which will provide the same elements of year-round color, texture, and graceful, swaying motion.

One of the most widely available and popularly used native grasses is big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), or "turkey foot," affectionately dubbed "monarch of the prairie" by some horticultural boosters. Big bluestem was the dominant species of grass which formed our fabled tall grass prairies, as well as the sod used by homesteaders (sodbusters) and pioneers to build sod huts.

Sod dwellings don't show up very much in most parts of the country, but big bluestem does, both in habitat restoration plantings and in backyards, where they are frequently clumped in mulched planting beds or "grass islands" which decoratively float atop a trimmed lawn. Formal plantings also use these seemingly untamed specimens to dramatically frame a front entrance or serve as sentinels at the end of a driveway.

Big bluestem can reach up to ten feet in height and prefers full sun, although it is tolerant of partial shade and either moist heavy, or sandy, drier soils. Like most native grasses, it prefers being left alone, and fertilizing or unnecessary watering will simply lead to floppy growth. This is a tough plant, let it prove itself! The plant's common name comes honestly from its vertical height and the subtle blue tint of the stem. And while the leaves remain bluish-green during much of the year, autumn frosts help transform that foliage to a mellow bronze or copper shade which will last throughout the winter.

The plant's less common name originates with the three-fingered prongs or "rames" of the purplish-blue seed head, which resembles a turkey's foot, and which begin forming in late summer, and provide seed to a host of migratory and native songbirds through early winter.

A close cousin to big bluestem is little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), which shares many of its relation's best characteristics, although it is best planted in masses for best effect, especially considering the beauty of watching a whole miniature sea of grass swaying their silver seed heads in the breeze.

Also a sun lover, the fluffy, tufts of this species mature on a clump-forming plant destined to stay between two and three feet in height. Like most sod-forming grasses, little bluestem does most of its growing underground, sending roots eight feet deep, which makes it equally adaptable to periods of drought or flooding. These qualities make it ideal for erosion control and mower-free hillside stabilization. It is also salt-tolerant, which nominates it for use as en edging plant along sidewalks and curbs.

For gardeners looking for a mid-size grass, there are few more noteworthy than switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a full sun plant that can adapt to partial shade and either moist or dry conditions. It is wonderfully useful as either a specimen plant, or in small, bush-like clusters, or even planted en masse. Maryland-based garden writer Carole Ottesen favorably compares these massed plantings to a field of wheat. Staying somewhat between three and eight feet tall, depending on soil conditions, the rich green foliage slowly takes on a buttery-cream complexion in fall.

Another attractive and adaptable option for yards with light to moderate shade is bottlebrush grass (Hystrix patula). This species is modest in most respects, averaging only two to five feet in height, and producing only moderately attractive, medium-green foliage, turning straw-colored in autumn. However, the bristly seed heads are quite remarkable, resembling by turns an actual bottlebrush or the long quills of a hedgehog, from which the genus name Hystrix (porcupine) is taken.

And while almost all grass seed heads make for wonderful dried or cut flower arrangements, bottlebrush flowers are incomparable when placed in a window for a striking bit of backlighting.

A close rival for flower arranging - and garden use - is northern sea oats, or river oats (Uniola latifolia), a low-growing, shade-tolerant species whose 30 inch height makes for an excellent ground cover or placed along a perennial boarder, where visitors can fully appreciate its drooping clusters of oat-shaped seeds and rusty-orange fall foliage.

In the same vein, broom sedge (Andropogon virginicus), another cousin of the bluestems, works well as a ground cover or for erosion control, with bluish-green clumps keeping to about 20 to 30 inches in height, with another foot or two more for its inflorescence. Like many of our favorite native grasses, autumn brings on a rich orange color, with seeds for meadow birds and the occasional migrant.

Clearly, the range and application of native grasses is limited only by the size of the garden bed or landscape, and its desired use. Taller and medium sized grasses can serve as hedges or screens, to hide unattractive fences or foundations, or more properly as a backdrop for other garden plantings. Typically, these individuals are best spaced two to three feet apart.

Medium to low-growing specimens often work best in larger groupings, planted one to two feet apart, and are used successfully as ground covers, especially those shade-loving or shade-tolerant grasses which can fill in nicely under mature trees with open scaffolding or along the edge of a wooded area.

A key to making the most of native ornamental grasses is combining them with other flowering natives, or non-invasive annuals and perennials, which will compliment the structure and form of the grasses, while providing color during the spring and summer, as well as a low-flowing, spreading appearance.

Lastly, to truly transform your grass islands or prairie shrubbery into an outdoor bouquet, try to marry the bronze, orange, and copper hues of fall foliage, to say nothing of their crimson-purple flowers and rusty-brown seed heads, with the floral display of late-summer and autumn show-offs like joe-pye weed, sunflowers, asters, ironweed, and goldenrods.

With any luck, the memory of your grassy garden, along with vases filled with bold sprays of seed heads, will keep you smiling all winter long.

Copyright 2014, Joseph M. Keyser

Native Grasses & Natural Landscapes

The introduction of ornamental grasses to the American landscape is one of the defining moments in modern garden design. These grasses, planted in clumps or large masses, recall elements of the nation's vanishing prairie, while adding sophistication and panache to even the most groomed garden.

Regrettably, many of the grasses frequently used, especially those with ostrich feather-like plumes or stylish zebra-stripes, are both exotic and invasive, especially when planted near open fields, and can pose serious problems for our local ecosystem. For a more habitat-friendly approach, gardeners can and should turn to the abundant inventory of native grasses which will provide the same elements of year-round color, texture, and graceful, swaying motion.

One of the most widely available and popularly used native grasses is big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), or "turkey foot," affectionately dubbed "monarch of the prairie" by some horticultural boosters. Big bluestem was the dominant species of grass which formed our fabled tall grass prairies, as well as the sod used by homesteaders (sodbusters) and pioneers to build sod huts.

Sod dwellings don't show up very much in most parts of the country, but big bluestem does, both in habitat restoration plantings and in backyards, where they are frequently clumped in mulched planting beds or "grass islands" which decoratively float atop a trimmed lawn. Formal plantings also use these seemingly untamed specimens to dramatically frame a front entrance or serve as sentinels at the end of a driveway.

Big bluestem can reach up to ten feet in height and prefers full sun, although it is tolerant of partial shade and either moist heavy, or sandy, drier soils. Like most native grasses, it prefers being left alone, and fertilizing or unnecessary watering will simply lead to floppy growth. This is a tough plant, let it prove itself! The plant's common name comes honestly from its vertical height and the subtle blue tint of the stem. And while the leaves remain bluish-green during much of the year, autumn frosts help transform that foliage to a mellow bronze or copper shade which will last throughout the winter.

The plant's less common name originates with the three-fingered prongs or "rames" of the purplish-blue seed head, which resembles a turkey's foot, and which begin forming in late summer, and provide seed to a host of migratory and native songbirds through early winter.

A close cousin to big bluestem is little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), which shares many of its relation's best characteristics, although it is best planted in masses for best effect, especially considering the beauty of watching a whole miniature sea of grass swaying their silver seed heads in the breeze.

Also a sun lover, the fluffy, tufts of this species mature on a clump-forming plant destined to stay between two and three feet in height. Like most sod-forming grasses, little bluestem does most of its growing underground, sending roots eight feet deep, which makes it equally adaptable to periods of drought or flooding. These qualities make it ideal for erosion control and mower-free hillside stabilization. It is also salt-tolerant, which nominates it for use as en edging plant along sidewalks and curbs.

For gardeners looking for a mid-size grass, there are few more noteworthy than switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a full sun plant that can adapt to partial shade and either moist or dry conditions. It is wonderfully useful as either a specimen plant, or in small, bush-like clusters, or even planted en masse. Maryland-based garden writer Carole Ottesen favorably compares these massed plantings to a field of wheat. Staying somewhat between three and eight feet tall, depending on soil conditions, the rich green foliage slowly takes on a buttery-cream complexion in fall.

Another attractive and adaptable option for yards with light to moderate shade is bottlebrush grass (Hystrix patula). This species is modest in most respects, averaging only two to five feet in height, and producing only moderately attractive, medium-green foliage, turning straw-colored in autumn. However, the bristly seed heads are quite remarkable, resembling by turns an actual bottlebrush or the long quills of a hedgehog, from which the genus name Hystrix (porcupine) is taken.

And while almost all grass seed heads make for wonderful dried or cut flower arrangements, bottlebrush flowers are incomparable when placed in a window for a striking bit of backlighting.

A close rival for flower arranging - and garden use - is northern sea oats, or river oats (Uniola latifolia), a low-growing, shade-tolerant species whose 30 inch height makes for an excellent ground cover or placed along a perennial boarder, where visitors can fully appreciate its drooping clusters of oat-shaped seeds and rusty-orange fall foliage.

In the same vein, broom sedge (Andropogon virginicus), another cousin of the bluestems, works well as a ground cover or for erosion control, with bluish-green clumps keeping to about 20 to 30 inches in height, with another foot or two more for its inflorescence. Like many of our favorite native grasses, autumn brings on a rich orange color, with seeds for meadow birds and the occasional migrant.

Clearly, the range and application of native grasses is limited only by the size of the garden bed or landscape, and its desired use. Taller and medium sized grasses can serve as hedges or screens, to hide unattractive fences or foundations, or more properly as a backdrop for other garden plantings. Typically, these individuals are best spaced two to three feet apart.

Medium to low-growing specimens often work best in larger groupings, planted one to two feet apart, and are used successfully as ground covers, especially those shade-loving or shade-tolerant grasses which can fill in nicely under mature trees with open scaffolding or along the edge of a wooded area.

A key to making the most of native ornamental grasses is combining them with other flowering natives, or non-invasive annuals and perennials, which will compliment the structure and form of the grasses, while providing color during the spring and summer, as well as a low-flowing, spreading appearance.

Lastly, to truly transform your grass islands or prairie shrubbery into an outdoor bouquet, try to marry the bronze, orange, and copper hues of fall foliage, to say nothing of their crimson-purple flowers and rusty-brown seed heads, with the floral display of late-summer and autumn show-offs like joe-pye weed, sunflowers, asters, ironweed, and goldenrods.

With any luck, the memory of your grassy garden, along with vases filled with bold sprays of seed heads, will keep you smiling all winter long.

Copyright 2011, Joseph M. Keyser

Versatile Viburnums for a Vibrant Landscape

Gardeners in the temperate zones of North America can select from hundreds of small trees and shrubs which will readily flourish in our climate. However, among all the choices there are only a handful of “must-have” species, with viburnum at the very top of that fairly short list.

There are approximately 200 species of viburnum worldwide, with more than 120 species in North America alone. Locally, in the Mid Atlantic region, our native landscape offers several absolutely dazzling specimens of viburnum that are suitable for almost every yard and situation, including Mapleleaf, Arrowwood, Possumhaw, and Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium, V. dentatum, V. nudum, and V. prunifolium).

Michael Dirr at the University of Georgia writes in his landmark Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: “A garden without a viburnum is like life without music and art.” Dirr’s sentiment simply reflects the fact that it is difficult not to fall in love with viburnum. After all, we are talking about a species which is drought-tolerant and capable of handling dry soils, while it also thrives in moist, sometimes wet conditions.

The viburnum cited above will shine in either full sun of partial shade, making them ideal as either specimen plantings, or tucked in among other shrubs in a woodland garden.

Like most members of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family, they are virtually pest-free and tolerant of pollution and harsh urban conditions. They can be trimmed and shaped to form an elegant privacy screen or hedge, or left alone to spread or “naturalize” across a wild, informal landscape.

But these noteworthy considerations are only horticultural nuts and bolts. Viburnums are easy to love because they are simply lovely.

Our native species all feature small white or creamy-white flowers appearing in flat-topped clusters or cymes roughly three or more inches wide. Actually, yellow stamens glowing against the white petals create the creamy color in both the Mapleleaf and Arrowwood shrubs. Some closely related viburnum species are even credited with pink or rosy blooms. The flowers typically appear in April through May, with each inflorescence lasting about two weeks.

But the show does not end in spring. While the flowering activity is somewhat reminiscent of our native dogwoods, the autumn foliage encore puts Cornus florida to shame. Depending on the species and growing conditions, fall leaf colors range from chartreuse and yellow, to orange, pink, red, burgundy and deepest purple. Moreover, the flowers will form drupes or berry-like fruits in attractive clusters from late summer through fall, which might last into winter, depending on avian appetites. The drupes range in color from a delicate porcelain-blue to purple and black.

Naturally, each of our featured viburnum have unique characteristics worth noting. For example, Mapleleaf Viburnum is decidedly a small multi-stemmed shrub, generally growing at a medium rate to between three and six feet high, with about the same spread or width. The species is known for its suckering ability, whereby shoots sprouting from the shrub’s base help it spread into a dense clump.

In fact, you might well consider planting a Mapleleaf for a hedge rather than turning to invasive species like privet, burning bush, or thorny barberry. Mapleleaf handles pruning easily, and can be kept in-bounds by mowing over tender suckers which might pop up in turf areas. This species can be easily propagated from cuttings taken between June and July. Buy just a couple of containerized plants and you can have a nursery-full in about a year.

Arrowwood is much like a big brother to Mapleleaf, sharing many of the former’s growth habits, although it can reach between eight and 13-feet in height, with branches arching out up between ten to 15-feet. Arrowwood also tends to grow in masses, making it another contender for a native hedgerow or screen.

Interestingly, many gardeners like to prune Arrowwood back to a single leader, encouraging it to behave more like a small specimen tree. Certainly its flowers, fruits, and autumn color establish it as a substitute for dogwoods, which are now under attack by fungal foes and insect-borers, and a fit companion for other woodland natives like Amelanchier and redbud.

Like all viburnum, Arrowwood is a phenomenal addition to any backyard wildlife habitat. However, as the shrub is “self-incompatible,” meaning that it cannot pollinate itself, you should plant at least several different specimens to ensure a dramatic and abundant display of fruit. The cedar waxwings, cardinals, and brown thrashers will thank you with a chorus of songs and whistles.

Arrowwood is also easily rooted, allowing you to propagate an entire shrub border from its ample supply of stout suckers. Indeed, the shoots sent up from the base of the shrub were so prized by Native Americans that they used them to make arrow shafts, from which this viburnum’s common name arises.

Possumhaw, also called Smooth Witherod, grows somewhat larger than Arrowwood, up to 20 feet, and can be decidedly more tree-like, featuring a rounded crown with a considerable spread. It also features long-stemmed, flat clusters of small, creamy white flowers which first start appearing in May.

The common name for this species denotes the popularity of its long, dangling clusters of fruits among opossums, although other small mammals such as squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks, as well as songbirds, make quite a feast from the half-inch long oval drupes, which start out green, quickly turning pink, and finally ripening to a dark blue or purplish-black and lasting throughout winter.

The species other common name, “withe-rod,” reflects that the tree’s smooth grayish-brown twigs are strong and flexible, and, in fact, were often twisted together to form a rope to gather together sheaves of wheat.

One of the more lovely features of Possumhaw are its waxy, dark green leaves, perhaps the glossiest of any viburnum, which turn to a rich cinnabar (cinnamon to scarlet) in autumn. ‘Winterthur’ is probably the most popular cultivar currently and commonly found, having a more compact form, growing to about six feet, with aromatic flowers in spring and brilliant red fall color.

The last selection is the largest and most versatile. Blackhaw is the most like a small tree, growing up to 21-feet or somewhat more. Although it also produces suckers and can be multi-stemmed, for the most part it is a slow-growing tree with a rounded crown and a thirst for moist and wet soils.

Blackhaw is the best choice for a stand-alone ornamental, and is a superior substitute for invasive and troublesome species such as Russian and Autumn Olive, Bradford Pear, and many of the other popular Asian pears and ornamental cherries.

Blackhaw can be also be used as a tall deciduous screen or hedge, much like hawthorns, to which this species is often compared. It takes well to transplanting, which is helpful should you need to thin out a too-dense hedgerow.

From dry upland slopes to soggy floodplains, viburnum can provide privacy, habitat, and year-round beauty, adapting to most every type of soil and exposure.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Native Grasses for a Naturally Elegant Landscape

The introduction of ornamental grasses to the American landscape is one of the defining moments in modern garden design. These grasses, planted in clumps or large masses, recall elements of the nation's vanishing prairie, while adding sophistication and panache to even the most groomed garden.

Regrettably, many of the grasses frequently used, especially those with ostrich feather-like plumes or stylish zebra-stripes, are both exotic and invasive, especially when planted near open fields, and can pose serious problems for our local ecosystem. For a more habitat-friendly approach, gardeners can and should turn to the abundant inventory of native grasses which will provide the same elements of year-round color, texture, and graceful, swaying motion.

One of the most widely available and popularly used native grasses is big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), or "turkey foot," affectionately dubbed "monarch of the prairie" by some horticultural boosters. Big bluestem was the dominant species of grass which formed our fabled tall grass prairies, as well as the sod used by homesteaders (sodbusters) and pioneers to build sod huts.

Sod dwellings don't show up very much in most parts of the country, but big bluestem does, both in habitat restoration plantings and in backyards, where they are frequently clumped in mulched planting beds or "grass islands" which decoratively float atop a trimmed lawn. Formal plantings also use these seemingly untamed specimens to dramatically frame a front entrance or serve as sentinels at the end of a driveway.

Big bluestem can reach up to ten feet in height and prefers full sun, although it is tolerant of partial shade and either moist heavy, or sandy, drier soils. Like most native grasses, it prefers being left alone, and fertilizing or unnecessary watering will simply lead to floppy growth. This is a tough plant, let it prove itself! The plant's common name comes honestly from its vertical height and the subtle blue tint of the stem. And while the leaves remain bluish-green during much of the year, autumn frosts help transform that foliage to a mellow bronze or copper shade which will last throughout the winter.

The plant's less common name originates with the three-fingered prongs or "rames" of the purplish-blue seed head, which resembles a turkey's foot, and which begin forming in late summer, and provide seed to a host of migratory and native songbirds through early winter.

A close cousin to big bluestem is little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), which shares many of its relation's best characteristics, although it is best planted in masses for best effect, especially considering the beauty of watching a whole miniature sea of grass swaying their silver seed heads in the breeze.

Also a sun lover, the fluffy, tufts of this species mature on a clump-forming plant destined to stay between two and three feet in height. Like most sod-forming grasses, little bluestem does most of its growing underground, sending roots eight feet deep, which makes it equally adaptable to periods of drought or flooding. These qualities make it ideal for erosion control and mower-free hillside stabilization. It is also salt-tolerant, which nominates it for use as en edging plant along sidewalks and curbs.

For gardeners looking for a mid-size grass, there are few more noteworthy than switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a full sun plant that can adapt to partial shade and either moist or dry conditions. It is wonderfully useful as either a specimen plant, or in small, bush-like clusters, or even planted en masse. Maryland-based garden writer Carole Ottesen favorably compares these massed plantings to a field of wheat. Staying somewhat between three and eight feet tall, depending on soil conditions, the rich green foliage slowly takes on a buttery-cream complexion in fall.

Another attractive and adaptable option for yards with light to moderate shade is bottlebrush grass (Hystrix patula). This species is modest in most respects, averaging only two to five feet in height, and producing only moderately attractive, medium-green foliage, turning straw-colored in autumn. However, the bristly seed heads are quite remarkable, resembling by turns an actual bottlebrush or the long quills of a hedgehog, from which the genus name Hystrix (porcupine) is taken.

And while almost all grass seed heads make for wonderful dried or cut flower arrangements, bottlebrush flowers are incomparable when placed in a window for a striking bit of backlighting.

A close rival for flower arranging - and garden use - is northern sea oats, or river oats (Uniola latifolia), a low-growing, shade-tolerant species whose 30 inch height makes for an excellent ground cover or placed along a perennial boarder, where visitors can fully appreciate its drooping clusters of oat-shaped seeds and rusty-orange fall foliage.

In the same vein, broom sedge (Andropogon virginicus), another cousin of the bluestems, works well as a ground cover or for erosion control, with bluish-green clumps keeping to about 20 to 30 inches in height, with another foot or two more for its inflorescence. Like many of our favorite native grasses, autumn brings on a rich orange color, with seeds for meadow birds and the occasional migrant.

Clearly, the range and application of native grasses is limited only by the size of the garden bed or landscape, and its desired use. Taller and medium sized grasses can serve as hedges or screens, to hide unattractive fences or foundations, or more properly as a backdrop for other garden plantings. Typically, these individuals are best spaced two to three feet apart.

Medium to low-growing specimens often work best in larger groupings, planted one to two feet apart, and are used successfully as ground covers, especially those shade-loving or shade-tolerant grasses which can fill in nicely under mature trees with open scaffolding or along the edge of a wooded area.

A key to making the most of native ornamental grasses is combining them with other flowering natives, or non-invasive annuals and perennials, which will compliment the structure and form of the grasses, while providing color during the spring and summer, as well as a low-flowing, spreading appearance.

Lastly, to truly transform your grass islands or prairie shrubbery into an outdoor bouquet, try to marry the bronze, orange, and copper hues of fall foliage, to say nothing of their crimson-purple flowers and rusty-brown seed heads, with the floral display of late-summer and autumn show-offs like joe-pye weed, sunflowers, asters, ironweed, and goldenrods.

With any luck, the memory of your grassy garden, along with vases filled with bold sprays of seed heads, will keep you smiling all winter long.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Lobelias for Your Landscape

Late summer is probably not the most exciting time to hike through our native woodlands. Weekend rambles present varying shades and textures of green. It’s pleasant, but not engaging. A cool breeze may flutter a yellow leaf or two to the ground, a mere portent of the colorful autumn-kissed leaves to come. Then suddenly, across the greenness, a brilliant scarlet spike appears. It’s nearly luminous – it’s lobelia!

Specifically, it’s cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, named, like the songbird, after the bright red vestments of the clergy. And surely, in all nature’s palette, no other wildflower can compare with the sheer intensity of its fire-engine red color. Even in the deepest shadows of a quiet marsh, the chest-high racemes of its flowers flash out like beacons across many hundreds of feet.

Cardinal flower is all the more remarkable as red is seldom found among our flowering native plants. Yellow, white, pink and purple: sure -- but seldom red, save for the odd bee balm. And when added to the lackluster canvas of a waning summer, you’ve got a bona fide phenomenon.

Botanically, cardinal flower is an herbaceous perennial, best suited to moist areas like stream banks and wetlands, as well as moist woodlands and meadows. The plant and its cultivars can also thrive in a garden setting, even in full sun, although the soil must be kept evenly moist. Applying a layer of mulch can help, although it might be best to select a site with filtered light. Cardinal flower can easily survive flooding and the soggiest of yards, but it will not tolerate drought or excessive heat.

There are some important cultural notes to consider when growing cardinal flower. For one, the plant, while long-blooming (until frost) and perennial, is unfortunately somewhat short-lived, lasting roughly three years. However, the plant readily self-sows, and will produce a substantial number of seedlings year after year to keep the lobelia colony growing. Two-celled seed capsules are formed in mid to late autumn, split open and scatter numerous tiny seeds upon the ground. Those seeds will sprout in spring, although they do require exposure to light. Therefore a heavy layer of mulch might prevent reseeding.

More importantly, mulching might smother the basal rosette of leaves that hug the ground in winter, after the central stem has died back. That might hinder growth early in the year, or even cause crown rot and the death of the plant.

Cardinal flowers can also be propagated by dividing large established clumps, or by separating basal offshoots from the mother plant in fall, after the flowers have faded. And much as you cannot have red states without blue states, our scarlet-blooming cardinal flower is complemented by a twin species: great blue lobelia (L. siphilitica).

Both lobelias share a wealth of splendid features, such as easy propagation and care, and both bring a burst of color into the natural landscape when it is most appreciated. However, to its credit, great blue lobelia is generally more forgiving of moisture and heat conditions, and even more flexible in garden uses.

The flowers of both plants feature long tubular florets uniquely adapted to pollination by hummingbird. The relationship is especially symbiotic as the ruby-throated hummingbird is significantly dependent on the nectar from these late flowering plants to keep them “fueled” during their migration south. The flowers are also popular nectar sources for the spicebush, pipevine, and black swallowtail butterfly.

Our lobelias have also played an important medicinal role among Native Americans, who used different portions of the plants, from leaves and seeds to mashed roots and stems, to create poultices and infusions to treat headaches, nosebleeds, typhoid, respiratory ailments, common colds, and even as a culinary preventative for divorce. In fact, the botanical name of blue lobelia is derived from its use in treating venereal disease.

Of course, our lobelia cousins have been subject to hybridization over the years, and there are a number of truly striking cultivars available, often referenced as Lobelia x speciosa, including one of the most popular hybrids: ‘Queen Victoria’ with scarlet flower spikes up to three feet tall rising above bronze foliage. ‘Bee’s Flame’ offers bright red flowers and purple foliage, as does ‘Dark Crusader.’ ‘Russian Princess’ is another very popular selection with magenta flowers and maroon foliage. ‘Alba,’ naturally, is a white-flowering cultivar, while ‘Twilight Zone' and ‘Heather Pink’ have soft pink flowers, and 'Angel Song' is a blend of muted creamy salmon.

Beyond our two native subjects, there are almost another 360 species of lobelia found worldwide, including several popular garden favorites. Chief among these is Lobelia erinus, commonly called edging lobelia, which comes in two useful forms, both attractive to butterflies and profusely covered with small, intensely colored flowers in midnight blue, purple, violet, scarlet, rose, pink or white, often with bronze or greenish-bronze foliage. A fast-growing trailing variety features long, sprawling stems covered with half-inch wide flowers which gracefully cascade over the sides of hanging baskets and window boxes, or add a touch of casual elegance to formal container plantings.

The compact, bedding variety is forms dense, brilliant mounds about six-inches tall, ideally suited for use as a ground cover, an edging plant along sunny or partially-shaded pathways, tucked into rock gardens, or artfully blended together in lush masses of mixed colors. Blur your vision while looking at such a planting and you’ll think you’ve slipped into a Monet canvas! Most garden centers carry a large selection of flats in spring, including such varieties as ‘Paper Moon,’ ‘Monsoon,’ ‘Rapid Blue,’’ Crystal Palace,’ ‘Lilac Dream’ and 'Horizon Light Pink.'

Whether red or blue, native, hybridized, or introduced, there is surely a lobelia (or five or six) that would make a welcome addition to your landscape. And if you go native, remember that you’ll also soon welcome those ruby-throated hummers, and the fluttering color of butterflies.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Menu for a Hummingbird Garden

There are few sights outdoors more delightful than the charmed beauty of hummingbirds. They seem to appear as if by magic, hovering with nearly invisible wings, silently darting from flower to flower. These visitors adorned in iridescent green and scarlet can easily be coaxed into almost any garden with just a handful of the appropriate nectar-rich flowers.

To attract the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the only species found in our region, you need only remember that hummingbirds or “hummers” have an insatiable sweet tooth. If a flower has an abundance of nectar, it is sure to be sampled by any birds passing through the area.

However, these winged gourmets do have a preference for showy trumpet-shaped flowers. You can easily understand why as you watch the hummer dip its narrow bill deep into the tubular recesses of the flower, its long tongue busily lapping up nectar, while the top of its head helps collect and distribute pollen from one flower to another. Another significant feature of these so-called hummingbird plants is flower positioning, where sufficient space is provided between each flower on a vine or stalk to accommodate the bird’s whirring wings.

Interestingly, ornithologists believe that there are approximately 150 plants native to North America which have co-evolved with hummingbirds to create this perfect marriage of bird shape and flower structure. Finding just the right native -- or exotic -- plant for your garden and the hummingbird’s refined palette could not be easier.

In addition to flower shape, hummingbirds display a strong preference for the color red. Unlike insects which often rely on scent to attract them, birds depend more on vision and prominent visual clues. For hummers, the most delectable plants are usually bright red, although more and more ardent hummingbird watchers are noting that blue and purple flowers are also quite popular.

Gardeners can realize some interesting benefits from the differences between hummingbird plants and other species. For example, gardeners can design their garden to emphasize a red and purple scheme, and can also create a very dramatic effect with some of the boldly colored plants favored by hummers. Moreover, red plants seldom attract bees, and most hummingbird plants are also unscented or have very little scent, which means that these select plants will not attract bees or lead to potential bee stings, which is an issue for people with allergies.

When planning a hummingbird garden, note that our ruby-throated guests are migratory, spending winter months in Central America, Mexico, and the Gulf states, and they typically arrive in mid-April and depart by mid- to late-September or early October, depending on nighttime temperatures. Consequently, you will want to select plants with overlapping bloom periods, and not simply provide a quick display of color in June.

Also, while you can scatter the appropriate plants here and there across your existing landscape, you might realize a better result if you combine a number of hummingbird plants in one area, preferably in an open location. Naturally, your garden must be maintained without pesticides, both to protect these delicate migratory jewels and the rest of your local ecosystem.

Preparing your menu of plants is delightfully easy. Up and down the East Coast, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are famous for their partiality to bee balm, cardinal flower, and two easily-grown native vines, trumpet creeper and coral honeysuckle, both of which will need a trellis or fence for support.

Also, no genus of plants has a closer relationship with hummingbirds than the salvias, most of which are native to Central America. The common red salvia is the annual plant overused in many public landscapes, although it is a good source of nectar and is easily started indoors from seed. However, there are a number of other species of interest, commonly referred to as sages, which combine ornamental and culinary attributes. Among the most recommended red specimens are Texas sage (Salvia coccinea) and the edible lipstick-red flowers and fruit-scented leaves of pineapple sage (Salvia elegans).

For a cooler look, consider anise sage which is one of the best hummingbird magnets. It is also called giant blue or Costa Rican sage (Salvia uaranitica) and features dazzling, cobalt blue tubular flowers delicately jutting out from a ten to twelve inch spike from early summer through late autumn. Unfortunately, while botanically a perennial, anise sage cannot tolerate our winter conditions, which is true of many of the other sages ideal for hummingbirds, including the blue and purple flowered Mexican bush sage.

In some cases, dedicated gardeners might want to take some of these semi-tropical species indoors to overwinter, bringing them outdoors again in mid-Spring as the hummers return. Other outstanding hummingbird plants in need of overwintering are lantana and scarlet bouvardia (Bouvardia ternifolia).

Butterfly bush, in all of its dark purple and pink forms, also attracts hummingbirds as readily as butterflies, although Buddleia species are becoming somewhat invasive when planted in and around natural areas. In fact, as hummingbirds and butterflies employ similar feeding habits, you can be assured that your hummingbird garden will also handily double as a butterfly garden, thereby providing even more delightful color throughout the warmer months.

Rounding out the list of the most popular plants are small trees like scarlet buckeye, and shrubs like native rhododendron and the common rose of sharon, with blossoms available in pink, red, and purple. Other selections include red columbine, common milkweed, foxglove, false indigo, Mexican cigar plant, and shrimp plant.

Like any landscape plan undertaken to attract and nurture wildlife, a hummingbird garden repays the gardener with beautiful flashes of winged color, amusing antics, and the quiet peace that comes from nourishing and appreciating the natural world.

About hummingbird feeders:

Relying on plastic feeders to attract hummingbirds instead of plants has some distinct disadvantages. Feeders are much more likely to attract ants and yellow jackets, among other pests. Also, to protect the health of the birds, you must change the sugar solution every several days, carefully mixing or preparing the mix at the full recommended strength. Cutting corners and cheating the birds can actually be detrimental to their fragile well-being. Feeders should also be emptied and thoroughly cleaned periodically. Never place a feeder near a window. Your view might be better, but the birds can easily injure themselves against the glass. One recommendation might be to use a feeder only as a supplement in late summer, if some of your hummingbird plants are no longer in bloom, although it is always best to select a variety of suitable plants to feed and attract hummers year-round.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Natural Color for Shady Landscapes

One of the most daunting challenges facing the average gardener is planting in full shade. Not the partially sunny, light-dappled kind of shade that feels so lovely in midsummer, but the deep Amazonian shade so dark that moss will grow on your garden trowel if you don’t keep moving. Not surprisingly, many folks facing full shade simply give up and resign themselves to a dull landscape of invasive ivy and much over-utilized liriope, little realizing that there are ways to foster splashes of vibrant color even in their horticultural twilight zone.

One possible approach is to treat a fully shaded yard more like a natural woodland area, selecting a variety of native plants which are generally well-suited to low light conditions.

You might start by seeing whether your landscape can use some small trees and shrubs. For example, while many yards are full of tall, mature trees, such as oaks, hickory, and poplars, there is usually little else growing between the sky-high canopy and the ground below. Filling that space, the “understory,” is the first best place to begin adding color.

Some suggested specimens include Shadbush, which provides white flowers in spring and brilliant foliage in autumn, and Redbud, which also features pinkish-purple spring flowers and red leaves in fall.

Fringe tree is one of the true delights of our local woodlands with extremely fragrant, pendulous clusters of bright white flowers, as is Sweetbay Magnolia, with large aromatic white flowers and brilliant red berries.

Virginia Sweetspire produces long, fluffy racemes of fragrant white flowers in summer, followed by wine-red foliage through autumn and early winter.

And finally, round out these aromatic offerings with Sweet Pepperbush (Summersweet), with its tempting midsummer display of apple-pie scented, pinkish-white flower spikes, usually heavily-visited by butterflies, and an encore of yellow foliage in fall.

Beneath the understory, you will want to introduce a full array of woodland wildflowers, which can expand or reflect the key elements of this region’s natural habitat. Be sure to keep succession bloom in mind as you select your plants. For example, a great many woodland plants will put on a fine show in early through mid-spring but these “ephemerals” will soon fade, leaving you with foliage and fond memories.

That is not to say that you should not include spring ephemerals, which are often among the most spectacular plants around, such as Virginia Bluebells, which explode in April yet sadly fade in May. But think in terms of plants which will flower at different periods throughout the year, and which can do double or triple duty with autumnal color and/or colorful fruits and berries.

Some native selections, such as Great Blue Lobelia and Columbine, also readily attract butterflies and hummingbirds, which is yet another way to introduce color into your garden – and into your life!

Great Blue Lobelia should also be greatly valued for its brilliant bluish-purple tubular flowers. These appear on one-to-three foot long spikes which bloom from August through October. The species is cousin to the showier Cardinal Flower, but performs far better in partial to full shade. Moreover, the spikes also make for excellent cut flowers, if you can bear the thought of removing them from your garden.

Our native Columbine is favored for its nodding, bell-shaped flowers with tubular red petals or “spurs” and yellow center or “lips” which appear through April and May. The foliage provides a variety of color as it changes during the year from green to shades of maroon. It also reseeds easily, helping it to fill in spaces like a ground cover. Note that in addition to the native species, there are cultivars available which can offer extended blooming periods and exquisite color combinations, such as creamy white flowers with golden centers.

Dutchman's Breeches is another ephemeral native with small, fanciful white and yellow flowers on arching stems or “scapes” and delicate, fine-cut light green foliage. Unfortunately, the flowers only appear from early to mid spring. On the other hand, a close relative, Wild Bleeding Heart, provides the same light touch with wispy mounds of seemingly etched foliage, but with delicate rosy-pink, sometimes purplish, heart-shaped flowers that last from mid-spring through fall.

Alumroot (Heuchera) provides year-round interest with semi-evergreen ruffled leaves which often appear silvery-white with a network of green veins. Some plants also show splotches of reddish-purple, which will spread across the leaf surface and turn progressively darker as summer creeps towards cooler weather. Slender stems or panicles with small bell-shaped flowers appear from April through June. Alumroot makes an excellent ground cover or edging plant if established in thick masses. And look for some of the popular cultivars, like ‘Coral Bells’ which features much darker green leaves, bright, almost reflective silver highlights, and deep red veins.

Foam Flower is another excellent ground cover which spreads readily through underground rhizomes and seeds. Like Alumroot, it is also semi-evergreen, with green foliage that turns maroon as the weather gets nippy. White flower spikes appear from early spring through midsummer, although hybrid varieties, such as ‘Spring Symphony,’ develop spikes of flowers in a pastel pink, almost 18 inches tall, which will last from summer through fall.

For a bit more height in your understory, consider planting several masses of the native aster, with several species readily available which will produce dense clusters of snowflake-like flowers on two-to-three foot upright stems starting in late summer and lasting until close to November. White Wood Aster produces a cloud of butterfly-friendly flowers with very small white petals and a yellow centers which will gradually turn reddish-purple.

Blue Wood Aster has even showier flowers ranging from pale blue to violet, and have inner pale yellow disk florets which turn reddish-purple as the flower matures over several months. Both White and Blue Wood Asters naturalize (spread) rapidly in the garden using both seeds and rhizomes.

And because no woodland is complete without ferns, consider adding ferns to fill in empty spaces and provide some interesting texture or structure against which your other wildflowers can shine. Christmas Fern will provide evergreen, leathery fronds, while New York Fern offers both a more delicate array of pale green fronds, and it will also spread rapidly, closing ranks with your other ground covers.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Swinging With Native Vines

Vines are one of nature’s greatest gifts to gardeners. They can cover ugly fences and utility poles, camouflage storage sheds, or bring color, fragrance, and panache to trellises and arbors. Vines fit into almost any available space, whether spilling out of a balcony window box, climbing up the front of a town house, or running free like a ground cover. It is too bad gardeners seldom think to use vines, or else plant the wrong ones by mistake.

There are hundreds of vines and climbers from which to choose. Traditional ornamental favorites include perennials like climbing roses, clematis, and numerous grape varieties; while fast-growing annuals such as sweet peas, morning glories, moonflowers, or climbing nasturtiums have a popular following, especially for porches and trellises.

Unfortunately, there are some real thugs being planted in gardens. These invasive vines, usually “exotic” species, can easily overrun a garden. Some of the best known invasives are kudzu, the “vine that ate the South,” multiflora rose, English ivy, and oriental bittersweet. These noxious vines gobble up yards, forests, and farmland, pushing out our friendly natives. In addition, watch out for porcelain berry, Japanese honeysuckle, and both Chinese and Japanese wisteria, which are still being promoted and sold by mail-order catalog.

Native vines provide the perfect and preferred alternative to these aggressive invaders, and often provide more desirable qualities than their exotic cousins. For example, while wisteria adds a rich, fragrant, and distinctive quality to a home when trained along fence tops, railings, or atop arbors, you can avoid the frost-sensitive Asian varieties and plant American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) instead. The native wisteria has lavender or mauve flowers which not only bloom in late spring, but often will bloom again in September, and usually flower the year after the vines are planted; Asian wisteria can take years and heavy pruning before blooming.

Or consider Japanese honeysuckle. The aroma is intoxicating, but the vines will quickly overwhelm any garden area and continue to strangle vegetation far afield. In fact, gardeners should make a point of eradicating this vine wherever it appears – although perhaps not on someone else’s property. Native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), is a dazzling substitute which twines like the Japanese variety, and offers a rich array of yellowish-red and orange blossoms for about two months during the summer. Coral honeysuckle’s deep floral throat offers a welcome mat for hummingbirds and butterflies, and the red berries which follow are prized by birds.

Oriental and Chinese bittersweet are both colorful invaders to be avoided – and eradicated – while American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is ideally suited for fence coverage, stout trellises, and even as a ground cover. Native bittersweet is prized more for its brilliant reddish-orange fruits and golden fall foliage than for its flowers, but a snow-covered winter garden comes alive when the vine’s bright red seeds attract the attention of hungry birds. Note that bittersweet is dioecious: there are male and female plants, and to produce the desired fruits you must plant at least one male vine in addition to female vines.

In addition to the sometimes staggering beauty of ornamental clematis, there are two native clematis species worth noting. Leather flower (Clematis viorna), is a reddish, bell-shaped flower which can be trained onto a mailbox post, or allowed to amble free as a ground cover. Virgins bower (Clematis virginiana), a late-summer bloomer, almost explodes into heavily-laden panicles of small white flowers. A bit rambling in form, virgins bower works well in gardens seeking a wild or natural look.

Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is as loud and bold as its name. From summer through fall, the vine’s intense scarlet, trumpet-shaped blooms stand out along agricultural fencerows, with vines which clamber up cedar trees or creep across rock faces. The flowers delight children – and hummingbirds – but should not be used in smaller spaces. This vine needs either support or space to spread out, which also qualifies it as a wonderful ground cover.

Like kudzu, English ivy has a ravenous appetite and has often devoured yards and natural areas throughout the East and Midwest. A more suitable and colorful alternative is Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), which has inspired the name of a railroad line, found praise from conservationists using it for erosion control, and by gardeners enraptured by its crimson-purple autumn foliage. The Scone Palace, ancient crowning site for the kings of Scotland, is perhaps more memorable for the imported Virginia creeper covering its walls and battlements than any other visual feature. Virginia creeper can serve as a ground cover in sunny areas, or cover fences and walls. It will also produce clusters of purple berries delectable to birds.

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is one of the toughest and most versatile native vines. It functions as a ground cover, climbs with ease using twining tendrils, and endures the toughest environmental conditions. It features two-inch long, trumpet-shaped flowers reminiscent of trumpet vine, which bloom in spring and feature a scarlet-orange exterior, and yellowish-red throat, attractant to hummingbirds. Flowers are replaced with long seed pods, and the evergreen leaves turn reddish-purple for late autumn and winter color.

You can use a host of vines to accent architectural lines, fill in empty spaces, or mask unpleasant structural features, but using native vines will invite the natural community to your yard, while still offering a rich pallette of color, fragrance, and texture. For more information and plant suggestions, visit “Using Vines in the Garden” at http://bbg.org. Also look for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Flowering Vines, and Allen Lacy’s delightful Gardening with Groundcovers and Vines.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Alien Invaders in Your Yard!

Alien invaders are in our midst! They may not be blood-slurping killer carrots from outer space, but they are here all the same. In forests and meadows, wetlands and public parks, non-native invasive plants are on the march. Earthlings beware!

Each year, exotic invasive plants take over an area representing approximately 4,000 square miles, leading to billions of dollars in agricultural and forest product losses, and billions more in control costs. Your backyard may well represent a small but important skirmish in this chilling invasion scenario.

Invasive plants often dominate our personal landscapes. Often we inherit a property overrun with Japanese honeysuckle and English ivy, while at other times we ourselves are unwitting co-conspirators by purchasing and planting these exotic species, many of which represent the backbone of sales for garden centers, especially where groundcovers are concerned.

Of course, selecting these traditional invasive species is understandable enough. Non-native plants are generally inexpensive, readily available, and easy to maintain; after all, they really do grow and spread like weeds. And that’s just the problem! Or at least a part of the problem.

Non-native invaders damage our environment in numerous ways. The green scourge of kudzu in the Southeast has effectively conquered seven million acres of forest at a loss of 50 million dollars, and is now romping through wooded areas up and down the East Coast (and beyond). It smothers trees up to 100 feet tall, and overwhelms the natural landscape, much like multiflora rose, Asian wisteria, porcelainberry, and sharp-barbed mile-a-minute vine.

But there is an even more insidious side to this invasion. Exotic species also successfully (and insidiously) out-compete and replace native plants like horticultural body snatchers. This loss of native plants represents an overall loss of habitat and food sources for native wildlife. Consider the impact of the Bradford pear and its overuse as a street and landscape tree. Unlike a native ornamental tree, such as a viburnum or red chokeberry, which can provide food for dozens of bird species, the brittle Bradford pear attracts only European starlings, a winged plague in their own right, which help carry the invader's seeds far and wide in an example of sinister symbiosis.

English ivy is another example. It displaces native ground covers, inevitably escapes into natural areas, and eventually mutates from ground cover to tree strangler. Even well-manicured ivy beds around the home are potential fifth-columnists, as the seeds produced by the vine are favored by non-native birds, like our pesky starlings, and distributed over a wide area far beyond your backyard.

Unfortunately, the invasion can never be completely halted. Once a non-native species is successfully introduced, it is almost impossible to eradicate it completely. However, we can strike an effective blow for biodiversity in several important ways. First, know your enemy.

Find out more about which species are invasive, and NEVER consider purchasing or planting them. Besides those already mentioned, it is disappointing to note that a number of other vicious invaders are still sold as landscape ornamentals, including porcelainberry, Oriental bittersweet, and Japanese honeysuckle. Also invasive are popular groundcover standards like periwinkle and bugleweed (ajuga).

And, to aggravate the problem, mail order and Internet shopping has encouraged homeowners to buy species which should not be planted locally, or otherwise offer false claims about a specific variety being non-invasive. For example, horticultural writer Kathleen Fisher notes that gardeners in the Washington metropolitan area continue to plant purple loosestrife, an unstoppable invader of wetlands, perhaps due to an erroneous newspaper article touting a sterile cultivar. Not true. Keep away from this marauder and plant gayfeather (Liatris) instead.

Next, seek sensible alternatives. Most of the desirable characteristics sought in exotic species can be found in native plants. Substitute native ferns, golden ragwort, green-and-gold, native ginger, or Allegheny spurge for invasive ground-covers. Or, at least, select a non-invasive ground cover, such as pachysandra or sweet woodruff.

Invasive and almost clichéd hedges and foundation plantings like burning bush euonymus and Japanese barberry are more handsomely replaced with avian favorites such as winterberry, beautyberry, or inkberry. Privacy plantings like Leyland cyprus and the double threat of autumn and Russian olive can be replaced with American holly or eastern red cedar. Exotic species are very often easily identified by their common names: Japanese honeysuckle, Norway maple, Asian wisteria, Chinese bittersweet — and they are just as easily replaced by their native American counterparts, all of which are better suited to our bioregion, and more suitable for our resident wildlife.

Lastly, take up arms against the invaders. It is not going to be an easy fight. Ivy and honeysuckle will need to be cut, yanked, and grubbed up from the soil. And the fight will not be won overnight. Eradicating the most aggressive vines and ground covers will require constant vigilance and patience. Addressing larger plants, like shrubs and ornamental trees, will require some soul searching. It is never emotionally easy to cut down a tree, with the exception of a Bradford pear, which has probably lost half of its branches already. Moreover, a significant financial investment has often been made in these plantings. Perhaps the best solution in these cases is to defuse some of the alien invasion by expanding your current landscaping plan to include numerous native planting areas.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser


Invasive Alien Species

Trees

Catalpa Catalpa spp.
Empress Tree Paulownia tomentosa
Norway Maple Acer platanoides
Sweet Cherry, Bird Cherry Prunus avium
Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima
White Mulberry Morus alba
White Poplar Populus alba
White Spruce Picea glauca

Vines

Cinnamon Vine Dioscorea oppositifolia
Climbing Euonymus Euonymus fortunei
English Ivy Hedera helix
Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Kudzu* Pueraria lobata
Mile-a-minute Polygonum perfoliatum
Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus
Periwinkle Vinca minor
Porcelain Berry Ampelopsis brevipedunculata
Wisteria Wisteria floribunda, W. sinensis

Herbaceous Plants

Beefsteak Mint Perilla frutescens
Bull Thistle* Cirsium vulgare
Canada Thistle* Cirsium arvense
Common Daylily Hemerocallis fulva
Creeping Bugleweed Ajuga reptans
Creeping Lilyturf Liriope spicata
Crown-vetch Coronilla varia
Eulalia (ornamental grass) Miscanthus sinensis
Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata (A. officinalis)
Giant Chickweed Myosoton aquaticum
Giant Knotweed Polygonum sachalinense
Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea
Henbit Lamium amplexicaule
Indian Strawberry Duchesnea indica
Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum
Japanese Stiltgrass Microstegium vimineum
Johnsongrass* Sorghum halepense
Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria
Moneywort Lysimachia nummularia
Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
Musk Thistle* Carduus nutans
Nodding Star of Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum
Plumeless Thistle* Carduus acanthoides
Purple Dead Nettle Lamium purpureum
Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
Reed Canary Grass Phalaris arundinacea
Shattercane Sorghum bicolor
Spotted Knapweed Centaurea maculosa
Star of Bethlehem Ornithogalum nutans
Tall Fescue, K31 Fescue Festuca elatior
Wild Garlic* Allium vineale

*Regulated by state or federal law.

Bald Cypress Trees: Thirsty for Soggy Soils

Many homeowners are plagued by soggy or low-lying wet areas which seemingly transform suburban backyards into Cajun-friendly bayous. Poor drainage, heavy soils, and excessive runoff from neighboring yards or roadways can make it almost impossible to grow much more than moss and alligators. One solution to this swampy situation might be found in the bald cypress, a fast-growing, bog-friendly tree which not only thrives in moist environments, but can also sponge up and transpire many hundreds of gallons of water a day!

The bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), also called swamp cypress or southern cypress, is not a true cypress at all but is actually in the same plant family as the sequoias or giant redwoods, and shares some of its Western relation’s fabled characteristics, such as longevity, living 800 to 1500 years, and height, with mature specimens reaching well over 100 feet.

The “bald” in the tree’s common name relates to the fact that while it is a conifer, like pines or cedars, it is unlike those evergreens as it sheds its needles in autumn. This characteristic makes it attractive when landscaping to shade the side of a house in summer, while allowing warming sunlight through in the winter.

Another attractive element is the progression of color in the tree’s foliage. In early spring, the horizontal branches will send out short, flat, feathery needles that are a bright yellowish-green. Entering summer, the needles become somewhat duller and sage green, until fall when the needles take on a pale orange or russet tone, until finally turning brown and dropping.

Besides its deciduous nature, the bald cypress is best known for the “knees” which emerge like conical projections through the soil at various distances from the trunk, typically in the wettest soil areas, such as the zone between the tree and a pond or stream. These knees are believed to help stabilize the tree in soft wet or muddy soils, although there is some conjecture that the knees also help in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide for constantly submerged roots.

A quick visit to the boardwalk and freshwater marsh of Theodore Roosevelt Island, located opposite the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will bring you within petting distance of a dozen or so medium-sized trees ringed round with knobby brownish-red knees.

Of course, the bald cypress is actually native to (and undoubtedly symbolic of) the coastal plains and swamps of the Southeast. It would be hard to imagine the ghostly swamps and bayous of Louisiana -- where it is the state tree -- or even the Florida Everglades, without picturing the buttressed trunks and somber, lichen-covered boughs of the bald cypress, “bearded with moss,” as Longfellow depicted the forest primeval in his famous 1847 poem Evangeline.

Interestingly, while the term “cypress swamp” inevitably conjures images of Spanish moss, still black water, and steamy, Arcadian locales, the bald cypress includes Maryland and Delaware as part of its natural range, as you will find in the Great Cypress Swamp on the Delmarva Peninsula. The species also spreads as far west as Illinois and Indiana. Further to the north, where it grown primarily as an ornamental tree, it has found a welcome home in the not-so-sultry environs of Minnesota and upstate New York.

The appeal of the bald cypress has a broad range as well: natural resource managers favor it for riparian plantings and wetland restoration projects, landscape designers appreciate its elegant adaptability to the wettest of conditions, and gardeners simply love the tree’s natural beauty and majesty, whether planted singly as a specimen tree, or planted in smaller, managed groves beside community ponds.

Naturalists, weekend birders, and hunters are drawn to stands of bald cypress for the habitat they represent, which supports numerous songbirds, turkeys, wood ducks and other waterfowl. Overhead, the upper canopy provides nesting areas for herons, storks, egrets, as well as raptors, such as eagles and osprey. The supportive buttresses of the tree trunks and storied “knees” of the root structures also host populations of rare tree frogs and salamanders, while the murky waters below provide habitat for aquatic organisms as diverse as jumpin’ catfish and ‘gators.

For centuries, bald cypress has been used extensively in a variety of commercial applications thanks to the wood’s natural resistance to rot and decay. After all, if the tree can comfortably sit in water all day for centuries, what difference can it make to spend a few decades as a piling for a marina?

Often referred to as the “wood eternal,” it was used for fence posts, docks, boat hulls, shingles, shakes, and any other location where soil contact, weather and water might contribute to decay. Even the shredded outer bark is sort after as a long-lasting garden mulch or planting medium for orchids.

Regrettably, harvesting was conducted well beyond sustainable limits, and the once vast cypress groves have disappeared, save for protected areas and nature preserves. In fact, it has been noted that the bald cypress suffered the worst reduction in volume of any tree during the twentieth century, with the exception of the blight-ravaged American chestnut.

Yet while the cypress swamps are a shadow of their former selves, there are plenty of opportunities for planting and enjoying this magnificent and versatile tree. And what’s not to love?

The tree remains relatively pest-free, requires no fertilizing or pruning, and grows amazingly quickly with little encouragement: up to two or three feet per year, although some cultivated and named varieties grow more slowly. In fact, a new Dutch dwarf variety called Peve Minaret will provide a compact eight-foot specimen more suited for use as a large shrub along a foundation or entranceway.

Finally, while a bald cypress can easily handle all the wet weather and runoff your yard can throw at it, and even possibly transpire a lot of unwanted wetness away, this incredible tree is also quite comfortable on dry sites, from the middle of a sunny yard, to alongside a hot, busy street. Of course, without wet soils, you will never find cypress knees popping up unexpectedly in your lawn or driveway, but that might actually be for the best.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Success in a Soggy Garden

Many homeowners are frustrated by having low-lying areas in their yards which are always a bit on the soggy side. Fortunately, these wet areas can be turned into desirable landscapes which are beautiful, easy to maintain, and beneficial to the environment.

Using native or indigenous plants and a bit of creativity, you can transform mucky soils into lively gardens which can provide wildlife habitat, filter excess nutrients and pollutants from stormwater, recharge groundwater supplies, and control flooding. Natives are essential to this reclamation of wet areas. Over thousands of years, they have adapted to rainfall and seasonal temperature patterns; if you have a niche, they can and will fill it.

Before you start, you must consider whether your proposed garden’s location is near a building, public area, or pathway, where flooding might be a problem or where it might cause property damage. The goal is to take advantage of these wet areas, not to haphazardly create a pond or wetland, which requires extensive planning and effort.

Also, how will your wet garden fare during the summer? It is advisable to choose moisture-loving plants which can also tolerate semi-dry conditions. Most native plant lists and nurseries can suggest good possibilities. Perhaps you can divert some rainwater from your roof or patio toward this garden during dry spells. If so, slow the flow of that water by first directing it across a buffer strip of turfgrass to prevent potential wash-outs.

Next, develop a garden plan. An easy way to “design” the shape of your garden is to use a garden hose connected end-to-end. Move the hose around to match the outside contours of your soggy patch, or adjust the hose until you are pleased with a basic outline, whether oval, kidney shaped, or free-form.

What sort of garden will it be? If you are simply looking to fill a sunny area with trees and shrubs, look to large deciduous trees such as red maple, green ash, and white oak, or evergreens like the eastern red cedar or common juniper. In more closed quarters, you will find that many smaller trees and shrubs are commonly understory residents, and do well in a range from full sun to partial (and even full) shade, such as the ever showy shadbush, witch hazel, arrowwood viburnum, tasty elderberry, or redbud.

If your wet landscape is already under a shady canopy, select medium-sized specimens like river birch, spicebush, mountain laurel, or sweet pepperbush – usually a coastal plain plant, but a delightful magnet for butterflies and other wildlife.

Another approach is to underplant these or existing trees and shrubs with ferns and ground covers creating the illusion of a lush “forest floor.” Easily-established possibilities include Christmas, cinnamon, and sensitive ferns, although you might also want to tuck in – or substitute – clumps of wild ginger, wintergreen, and mountain stonecrop. These are all evergreen natives and a vast improvement over invasive English ivy. Plant them in natural-looking clumps of three-five per individual species.

Naturally, if your basic goal is merely to cover a muddy depression in your lawn, you can simply use these and other ground cover plants in groups by themselves.

Sunny wet zones allow you to plant for brilliant color and wildlife, especially nectar-feeding butterflies and hummingbirds, and other birds. Favorites include cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, wild columbine, foamflower, Virginia spiderwort, New York ironweed, wrinkleleaf goldenrod, Rudbeckia species like black-eyed-susan, New England aster, swamp milkweed, and Eupatorium species like Joe-pye-weed. These offer a tapestry of hues from red and yellow to pink and dark purple, and range in height from two or three feet to over seven feet; plant taller specimens toward the inside of your bed.

Regardless of sun or shade, you should always begin your project by applying a mulch layer several inches deep. Use a shredded hardwood mulch, which is less likely to wash or “float” away during a storm.

All of the species listed above are available through specialty nurseries, although local nurseries and garden centers are now featuring an expanding variety of natives. There are scores of other readily available plants suitable for your soggy garden.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

"Honey, I Shrunk the Lawn!"

Nothing is as satisfying as lawn care. Coping with brown patch, powdery mildew, drought, rain and weeds. In return, you enjoy the weekly mowing, noisy machinery, fumes, sweating, raking leaves, watering, and the cost of buying seed and fertilizer. Ah, it’s the good life. Haven’t you had enough? Maybe instead of just cutting your lawn, you should cut it down to size.

To reduce overall lawn area, first remember that some grassy spots may be desirable for active recreational use. Leave room for your croquet set and badminton court. Any other unused areas, however, are prime candidates for reduction.

The magic word in shrinking lawn area is mulch. Mulch can be used to eliminate grass under trees and shrubs, which will protect them from damage and disease caused by mower and weed trimmers. The mulch can be placed under trees as far out as the end of the dripline: the area under the outermost branches. In addition to conserving moisture, the mulch will also emphasize the shape and natural beauty of these featured specimens.

Mulch can also be used to widen existing planting beds. Rather than having turf run right up to the edge of foundation plantings, such as azaleas, use a one or two foot wide layer of shredded bark to create a attractive margin between the lawn and shrubs, setting off both visual elements to their best advantage.

Applying mulch effectively, or using it to eliminate turf, requires a very simple trick. Rather than digging out clumps of grass or employing toxic chemicals to kill it, simply smother it. Use either newspaper or cardboard as a sublayer for the mulch. Flattened old cardboard boxes work well, and will not blow around like newspaper, which needs to be about 20 sheets thick. Either will provide an organic “blanket” to smother grass and weeds, and they will both decompose after several months.

Another option, albeit somewhat more costly, is to use landscape fabric, which is available in rolls ready for use, although you will probably want to remove or scrape down any grass first, for easier application. On the other hand, it is not advisable to use plastic as a mulch as it prevents necessary air and water from penetrating to plant root zones.

After setting the sublayer in place, start spreading your choice of organic mulch about four to six inches deep. No more grass, weeds, or mowing! Best of all, mulch is free, if you get it from the county, a local municipality or a tree care company, or generally inexpensive if you prefer a higher grade product, even when delivered in bulk. Above all, mulching is good for the long-term health of all your plants.

Ground covers are the next step in lawn reduction. Although they are a bit more expensive than mulch, they provide an enormous range of aesthetic values for every taste and landscaping situation. In fact, they are far less costly than turf in the long run. Once ground covers are in place, they will generally continue to spread and thrive without any help and with minimum annual maintenance. Try to say that about a lawn.

There are ground covers for sun and shade, dry and wet conditions, and they can fit almost every budget. Moreover, by pairing ground covers with mulch, you can actually save a substantial amount of money and cover a far larger area than you might have imagined possible.

For example, you might not want to have only a large circle of mulch under a favorite crepe myrtle in your front yard. With mulch and sixty dollars, you can underplant a fairly mature tree with white-flowering sweet woodruff. Realize, of course, that your container-grown plants will be spaced about a foot or so apart the first year, but each will quickly fill in to form a solid mass within a couple of years -- and they will keep on spreading! Mulch and patience, or at least time, are the secret to a healthy ground cover economy.

As another example, consider pachysandra, one of the most popular, albeit overused, shade-tolerant ground covers. A flat of some 80 to 100 plants will provide a thick, dense effect covering just under 12 square feet, if planted about four inches apart. However, by setting down a layer of mulch and planting the pachysandra about six inches apart, you will cover a 25 square foot area. Not as lush at first, although the mulch will help visually, but after a year or two, your planting will be every bit as rich looking at less than half the cost.

Another important place to look at eliminating grass is at the front of your property. Rather than having a bleak rectangle of lawn facing the street, why not frame your lawn with either a continuous bed -- or series of beds -- of evergreen ground covers? The border effect will transform your lawn from the dominant visual element into a less overwhelming component.

In sunny areas, using hardy, drought-resistant ground covers like creeping juniper or carpet cyprus can add a bold new dimension to your landscape. Again, first establish your planting area by setting down cardboard and mulch, and then plant your ground-hugging evergreens. Plants often come in one, two, or three gallon containers, ranging from six to 25 dollars.

Larger plants naturally cover an area more quickly, but with time even the smaller one gallon specimen will achieve a spread of eight to 15 feet. Imagine framing a 10,000 square foot lawn with this sort of a planting. It may take a number of years to fill in, but for about as little as $500, you can almost cut your lawn area in half.

To this scene, add a few specimen trees, with mulch, several ornamental trees and shrubs like native viburnums, redbud, and serviceberry, also planted in mulch beds, and the odd new planting bed or two with clumping native grasses and wildflowers, and a 10,000 square foot lawn monster can become a pleasant green ribbon easily managed with a push reel mower.

Shrinking your lawn may raise a few neighborhood eyebrows. It may even constitute landscaping heresy to those poor marketing victims who have been brainwashed into thinking that turf is worth any sacrifice of time, money, and resources. But the true measure of your landscaping acumen will come on a hot, hazy Saturday afternoon, as you rest in your shaded hammock, sipping a mimosa, quietly enjoying superior property values, a beautiful setting, and a healthier environment. Now that’s the good life!

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Selecting Tough Plants for Tough Times

There are tough days ahead for gardeners across the country. We are already suffering through record-breaking drought conditions, emergency water restrictions, and sweltering heat. But wait, meteorologists are warning that El Nino is on the way, and we might feel its impact as early as mid-summer! Such tough times call for tough plants and a creative new plant palette.

Fear not! Developing gardens around heat- and drought-tolerant plants will not result in desert landscapes of gravel and stone punctuated with the odd yucca or prickly pear. Some of the toughest plants readily available are among the most spectacular in form, color, and fragrance.

If you were contemplating an herb garden to augment your culinary endeavors, you are well on your way to horticultural hardiness. A large number of the most commonly planted perennial herbs actually have pedigrees reaching back to the sun-baked Mediterranean coast. The toughest include the many varieties of oregano and thyme, rosemary, marjoram, mint, sage and bay. In fact, you will need to pay attention to the cold tolerance of some of these heat lovers, especially bay and many of the thymes and sages. Frugal gardeners often prefer to plant the cold sensitive species in pots which they can bring indoors for winter.

Keep in mind that your herbs need not be confined to an herb garden. There are dozens of varieties of thyme which function as superior ground covers in sunny areas, such as borders along driveways and sidewalks, and on steep slopes. These aromatic creepers often feature gold and silver variegated foliage and discretely colorful floral displays. Add to this list of culinary ground covers both prostrate rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus') and the brilliant green and white-variegated oregano cultivar called ‘White anniversary.’

Another excellent key when shopping for plants for your drought-proof garden, either alone or as accent features, is foliage texture and color. Generally speaking, plants with fuzzy leaves, such as the aptly-named lambs ears (Stachys byzantina), tend to enjoy the intense heat and dry conditions which would leave their thin-skinned neighbors wilting. Another soft-haired candidate includes the herb betony (Stachys officinalis), which like its botanical cousin, lambs ears, is available in varieties providing leaf coloration from pure silver and white to greenish-gray, and 12-24 inch summertime flower spikes in dusky pink, lavender and magenta. Some of the scented geraniums, called pelargoniums, also offer velvety smooth leaves with wonderful scents from lime and rose to pine and orange.

Similarly, foliage which is noticeably silver, gray, or white, as seen in the species mentioned above, further tends to reflect intense sunlight, helping plants survive even the most infernal days of summer.

Gray santolina, sometimes called lavender cotton owing to its soft, fragrant foliage, is one of the more popular low-growing evergreen shrubs used in either informal gardens, where the bulbous yellow flowers add a splash of color above the gray foliage , or in formal garden settings, where the plants can be clipped to shape.

Dusty miller is a common name often used for an attractive gray-green annual, with wooly leaves and, unfortunately, a forgettable yellow flower spike. Cut leaves are often used in flower arrangements. It is also the name sometimes applied to Artemisia stellerana or beach wormwood, which is often spotted growing along coastal areas and on sand dunes. The most ornate cultivar of this species is ‘Silver Brocade’, whose felt-like, deeply lobed leaves, give it an aristocratic air.

In fact, the genus Artemisia contains a host of aromatic herbs, the wormwoods, many of which are ideal as drought-tolerant ground covers and low shrubs. Artemisia absinthium is the species which provided the infamous alcoholic beverage absinthe and the flavoring for vermouth. However, even non-distillers will enjoy growing other silver-leaved artemisias, including the ever-popular ‘Silver King’ and ‘Silver Mound’.

Beyond a doubt, however, there is no better source for tough plants than our native landscape. Always remember that native plants were thriving in this area long before human settlement and in-ground irrigation. These species have survived blizzards, floods, and droughts, and are perfectly adapted to whatever climatic conditions are served their way.

Tough native plants and landscapes can, of course, be easy on the eye if they are planned properly. For example, select plants with similar heights and different colors and inter-plant them to create a kaleidoscope effect. In an island bed, mix together tickseed sunflower and threadleaf coreopsis with early coneflower, fire pink, and the ever-sturdy black-eyed susan to suggest a vest pocket wildflower meadow. Also consider planting elegant upright grasses like little bluestem, switchgrass, and broomsedge, either grouped together for a native grass garden, or add splashes of color with sundrops, some of the native Liatris species, and Coreopsis and Rudbeckia species.

Natives can provide both resilient and brilliant ground covers with moss phlox, boasting a dense carpet of floral displays ranging from pure white and pale pink, to red, blue, and purple. They can also offer colorful camouflage or a focal points for a fence or trellis with coral honeysuckle, trumpet creeper, and virgin’s bower.

Native plants are also the food and nectar source for delicate native wildlife such as jewel-like hummingbirds and butterflies. Add their living color to your garden by planting joe-pye weed, gayfeather, Monarda species like wild bergamot and horsemint, and the numerous goldenrod species native to our area.

While it may be warming up, gardeners need to keep a cool head and select plants which can take the heat and drought and the forewarned weather wackiness of El Nino in the months to come.

Copyright 2007, Joseph M. Keyser