Plant articles
Myth-busters
Native Plants – Myths and Realities
The exclusive use of native plants has become the mantra of the ecological purists, but the entire concept of native plants starts with a flawed premise.
Ex-situ Plant Conservation
In the face of climate change, the best chance to actually save and multiply endangered and threatened plant species is not by leaving them alone in areas where they evolved some 10,000 to 100,000 years earlier, and hoping for the best.
Horticulture
Propagation of Amorphophallus by Leaf Petiole Cuttings
It is our hope to expand the available information with regards to amorphophallus propagation by leaf petiole cuttings based on our experiments between 2004 and 2006.
Baptisia – a good pea in the garden
My love for baptisias began many years ago, but it was in 1994 that I went off the proverbial deep end for this herbaceous genus of glorified peas in the family Leguminosae (Fabaceae).
Winter Hardy Agave Hybridization
Growing agave in a high-rainfall, cold winter climate has its challenges. We have been growing hardy agaves in our wet, Zone 7b garden since the early 1980s. In that time, we’ve grown quite a few agaves in the ground (2180 taxa) and killed quite a few agaves (1528 taxa).
Plant spotlights
Asarum speciosum
In the woodland garden, Asarum speciosum is quite easy to grow. Although slightly drought tolerant, the large leaves will temporarily wilt during the heat of the day if the soils get too dry, so a site with regular moisture and plenty of organic matter in the soil is best.
Gladiolus ‘Purple Prince’
Growing up in North Carolina, it’s not uncommon to see gladiolus growing along country roads as you drive through older rural communities. For that reason, I could never reconcile why all the Gladiolus I ordered from mail order catalogs never overwintered. Was my thumb really that black?
Pulmonaria ‘Silver Bouquet’
Pulmonaria, or lungworts as they are commonly called, are bold-textured clumping woodland perennials, prized for their unique silver-spotted deer-resistant foliage.
Cyclamen hederifolium
The genus Cyclamen has long fascinated me…perhaps for the unusual, almost magical looking flowers as well as the enchanting silver-patterned leaves. I first encountered Cyclamen in the flesh in the early 1970s when garden-shopping at the old Western Boulevard K-Mart.
Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’
It was only when the larger-flowered species and hybrids became available that epimediums began to take off with mainstream gardeners.
Schefflera delavayi
I’ve made several trips to Asia in search of new scheffleras, while other plant explorer friends have done the same. Finally, in 2003, I was able to acquire my first new schefflera, Schefflera delavayi. In the years since, I’ve acquired twelve other schefflera species, all of which I’m sad to say, made great compost.
Adiantum capillus-veneris
I’m not sure why gardeners are so attracted to maidenhair ferns, but odds are the romantic common name which aptly describes the dainty foliage has something to do with it.
Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’
I met many aralias in the wild, most notably, Aralia nudicaulis in the Adirondack mountains, Aralia continentalis in Korea, and Aralia bipinnata in Taiwan. Others came via plant explorer friends with similar fascinations with the genus aralia.
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Fanny’
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Fanny’ and I go way back…back to 1992, when I was given my first start by our customer, Ruth Knopf…the antique rose expert at South Carolina’s Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston.
Canna ‘Phasion’
I’ll never forget the day in June 1997 when I first met Canna ‘Phasion’ in person. For normal people, it would be like meeting Elvis or Barbara Streisand. I had long been a fan of canna lilies, having promoted them for years including something I rarely admit in public…introducing them to the NC Department of Transportation back in 1986.
Chloranthus have Chlorophyll
Chloranthus, a genus of 17 species of easy-to-grow Asian perennials, are among the most esoteric perennials you’ll find. These deciduous (in our climate) perennials are prized for their elegant, bold texture in the woodland garden and rather prehistoric flowers in late spring.
Crinum ‘Ellen Bosanquet’
Since just prior to the War Between the States, crinum lilies have been a popular staple in rural gardens throughout the deep Southeast…a far distance from their mostly native African origins. Crinum lilies first made their way into cultivation in the 1600s in the UK.
Danae racemosa
How could you not love a plant with the name poet’s laurel? The genus Danae has a long history in Greek and Roman culture representing praise for a victory or great achievement in the form of a laurel crown.
Edgeworthia chrysantha
I’ll always remember the day back in the mid-1980s, I first spotted my first Edgeworthia, tucked beside the narrow, dark, windy path that use to take you beside the old lath house at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum.
Gloxinia ‘Evita’
Gesneriads have long been a personal favorite, starting from my days growing and selling African violets as a young teenager. There are actually lots of other Gesneriads…the family to which African violets (the genus Saintpaulia) belongs.
Helicodiceros muscivorus
It’s not until you come face to face…or perhaps I should say nose to nose with a pig butt arum that you realize it isn’t a grand horticultural April Fool’s prank. Indeed, I had to pause when I first heard tales of such a plant…so much so, that the search was on, and Helicodiceros muscivorus had vaulted to the top of my “most wanted” plant list.
Nothoscordum sellowianum
I’ve grown many bulbs in my gardening life, but rarely has any plant enchanted me like the miniature Nothoscordum sellowianum. My love affair started in 1995 as I perused one of the obscure botanical journals, which qualify as plant porn to those who lust horticulturally in our hearts.
Rohdea japonica
I first became enamored with Rohdea japonica, back around the time President Richard Nixon uttered that immortal line, “I am not a crook.” Always on the lookout for new plants that weren’t available in mainstream nurseries, Rohdea japonica was a perfect discovery.
Lithocarpus henryi
Since Raleigh
is known as the City of Oaks, most residents like to think they can identify oak trees, but when I show Henry’s oak to garden visitors, their jaw first drops to an unnatural position, then after a head shake, they all repeat the same line…that’s not an oak!
Sabal minor
Certain plants, like the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield, never get the respect they deserve, and a classic example is our NC native scrub palm, Sabal minor. Perhaps it is the ubiquitous nature of the Sabal minor as you drive south on Interstate 95, or perhaps it just looks too tropical for temperate native plant enthusiasts.
Spigelia marilandica
Spigelia marilandica is another of those great southeast native plants that few people have grown or even heard about. When grown in light filtered shade or a few hours of sun, especially in the morning, Spigelia marilandica makes a truly stunning perennial.
Stokesia laevis ‘Peachie’s Pick’
Stokes Aster, named after the early 19th century Scottish botanist Jonathan Stokes, is a wonderful perennial that area gardeners have grown for years, never realizing it was actually a southeast US native.
Tricyrtis lasiocarpa
It was early on a sunny Monday morning, when Mark Weathington of the JC Raulston Arboretum and I sped down the winding roads of Alishan mountain on the island of Taiwan, when out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of blue.
Trillium foetidissimum
I don’t remember exactly when or why I became enamored with trilliums, but it was certainly at an early stage of my planthood…I mean, childhood. There always seemed to be something magical about these native spring ephemeral woodland perennials.
Verbesina olsenii
In a world where most plant breeders and nursery folks buy into the mistaken proposition that homeowners all want short plants, I embrace perennial plants that buck the prevailing trend.
Viola pedata
At some time in most gardeners’ life, they become enchanted with violets…some with well-behaving violets and others with the less stellar members of the violet clan. For me, violets have been a tenuous love-hate relationship.
Zingiber mioga
Finding tall, tropical-looking perennials for the woodland garden is nearly impossible. Finding tropical-looking perennials for the woodland garden that are winter hardy and edible is nearly impossible…enter Zingiber mioga, aka myoga.