Plant of the Month September 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION: An attractive small variegated dogwood, Found as a sport on a shrub in Maryland in 1988. Registered in 1993.
Common Name: Wolf Eyes dogwood.
Synonym: Benthamidia japonica 'Wolf Eyes’.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes'.
Life Cycle: Small, slow growing, broad-leaved deciduous tree.
Height: Up to 15 m, with spreading branches.
Bloom Time: June in Toronto.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' in June.
Flower Colour & Size: Four creamy white petal-like bracts surround a central clump of tiny greenish flowers. Size - about 8 cm across.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' inflorescence and pollinator.
Fruit: Red, compound edible berry about 2-5 cm across. Very attractive to wildlife.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' fruit and start to fall colour.
Leaves: Narrow, pointed, gray-green wavy leaves with a distinct white margin. Fall colour is a pinkish red.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' leaves.
Range: Cornus kousa is native to East Asia.
Habitat: Shaded woodlands on slopes.
CULTIVATION:
Light: Part Shade.
Soil: Preferably acid to neutral soil with plenty of humus.
Water: Moist soil, not waterlogged.
USDA Hardiness: Zone 5.
Companion planting: Other shrubs or use as a specimen tree.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' with companion shrubs.
Propagation: Try cuttings or layering. From seed - Use repeated cycles of 4°C, then 20°C for 3 months each. Germination is very prolonged. Pulpy coat inhibits germination. Remove by soaking and rinsing in clean water for approximately 7 days. Discard water. May not come true from seed but plants are self fertile.
Pollinators: Bees and flies.
Pests: generally pest free.
Native Alternatives: Cornus alternifolia, Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’.
References:
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/cornus-kousa-wolf-eyes
https://onrockgarden.com/index.php/germination-guide
Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt (Toronto Master Gardener)
Plant of the Month August 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION: I fell in love when I saw this outstanding sedum with eye-catching foliage. It was 2019 Plant of the Year at Chelsea Flower Show. Sun, well-drained soil, low moisture, ground cover or specimen plant, attracting pollinators. What else can you ask for?
Scientific name: Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' ('Nonsitnal' PP27454)
Common Name: Takeshima Stonecrop.
Range: Native to coastal Korea, growing among rocks by the sea.
Life Cycle: Clumping, succulent perennial, dying down in winter. New growth pink flushed.
Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' in February with new growth and old stems.
Height: to 15 cm high, 30 cm wide.
Leaves: Variegated, smooth fleshy dark green leaves with wide, creamy yellow serrated margins, to 4 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. Pink flushed in cold.
Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' - leaves.
Bloom Time: July to early fall in Toronto.
Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' - young plant.
Flower Colour & Size: Clusters of small, 1 cm across, yellow star-like flowers with 5 petals, 10 stamens with dark anthers and 5 large central carpels.
Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' - flowers.
CULTIVATION:
Plant: In rock garden, on banks or in planters. Remove any all-yellow and old stems.
Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis' - with yellow leaves.
Light: Sun - at least 6 hours for best colour contrast. Light shade if hot.
Soil: Poor to average soils, very well drained. Some humus.
Water: Minimum water. Hates excess moisture.
USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-9.
Companion planting: Other rock garden plants.
Propagation: Stem cuttings or division.
Pollinators: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds.
Pests & Diseases: Possibly aphids.
References:
https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=SEDAT
Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt (Toronto Master Gardener)
Plant of the Month July 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION: Oenothera belongs to the Onagraceae, or evening primrose family, native to N. & S. America. The genus has many delightful flowers, often night blooming, then fading in the morning light. The colours range from yellows, whites and pinks. Many are annuals or biennials and are often weedy. Oenothera triloba is a favourite plant as the flowers open rapidly at dusk, often in 2 minutes once started. O. flava is similar but slower to open.
Watch Oenothera triloba opening.
Video: Veronica Callinan.
Synonym: Lavauxia triloba, Oenothera hamata.
Oenothera triloba.
Common Name: Stemless Evening Primrose, Dandelion-leaved Evening Primrose.
Life Cycle: Stemless annual, or occasionally biennial. Winter annual in south US.
Range: Native to Southern US and Mexico.
Habitat: Dry open areas with well drained soil. Colonizes lawns in south.
Height: 20 cm.
Bloom Time: June through summer in Toronto.
Oenothera triloba - flower.
Flower Colour & Size: 4 bright yellow round petals, 5 cm long, with squared off ends, joined to form a long (up to 10 cm) floral tube. 8 stamens, 4 lobbed stigma, characteristic of Oenothera. 4 sepals, 2 cm long, usually remain attached at their tips. Opens in evening, fades to pale yellow, then dies in the morning. Dying flowers are light salmon coloured.
Fruit: Capsules, brown and hard when ripe, at soil level, 1-2 cm long, winged.
Oenothera triloba - developing capsule.
Leaves: Basal rosette of dandelion-like leaves, up to 20 cm long.
Oenothera triloba - leaves and flower buds.
CULTIVATION:
Plant: in pots, planters, edge of borders, even on a table so the opening flowers can be enjoyed in the evening.
Oenothera triloba - evening flowers. Image: Veronica Callinan.
Light: Full sun - will take some shade.
Soil: Well drained, neutral pH, sandy soil.
Water: Moderate.
USDA Hardiness: Zones 5-8.
Companion planting: Rock garden plants.
Propagation: By seed: Sow @ 20°C. Seed germinates within 3 months. Will self seed.
Pollinators: Moths.
Native Alternatives: Oenothera triloba is not native in Canada. Native Oenothera biennis is a tall, somewhat weedy, biennial Evening Primrose.
References:
https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=oetr2
https://fwbg.org/phytophilia-blog/what-is-this-thing-oenothera-triloba-fruit/
https://comalmg.org/focus-on-a-native-22
https://onrockgarden.com/index.php/germination-guide
Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt (Toronto Master Gardener) and Veronica Callinan.
Plant of the Month June 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION: Aquilegias, or Columbines are members of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family) and are found across the Northern Hemisphere. 20 or more of the perhaps 130 species are found in Western North America. These species mostly have larger flowers, with longer spurs than the Old World species. Many North American species have red and/or yellow petals, as well as blues, whites and purples.
Common Name: Little Lantern Columbine, Eastern Red Columbine.
Other forms: Aquilegia canadensis ‘Nana’ - shorter, Aquilegia canadensis ‘Corbett’ - taller, with pale yellow flowers.
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns'.
Life Cycle: Herbaceous perennial, forming a bushy clump, usually short lived. Self seeds.
Height: 25-30 cm.
Bloom Time: Late May through June. Dead heading will produce a second flowering.
Flower Colour & Size: The 4 cm flowers are down-facing, with five bright red sepals alternating with five spurred tubular yellow petals which become red and deepen in colour as the tube narrows. These petals are about 3 cm long. Nectar is produced in the curled tip. Numerous yellow stamens surround five long beaked follicles. When ripe, these split open longitudinally releasing many black seeds.
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' - flower structure.
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' follicles and one spured petal.
Leaves: Delicate, light green biternate lobed leaves up to 15 cm long. (Ternate - compound leaves divided into 3. Biternate another 3-way split resulting in 9 leaflets.)
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' - compound leaf.
Range: Native to North America, east of the Rocky Mountains. Aquilegia canadensis is the only species that grows wild in the east.
Habitat: Woodland edges, rocky places.
CULTIVATION:
Plant: In rock gardens, edges of paths or containers.
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Most well drained soils.
Water: Average moisture. Do not allow the plants to dry out.
USDA Hardiness: Zones 3-8.
Companion planting: Other rock garden and woodland plants.
Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' companion planting.
Propagation: Best by seed: Sow @ 4°C for 3 weeks, then place at 20°C. Root cuttings and separation of plants are possible.
Pollinators: Pollinated by hummingbirds, bumblebees and long-tongued insects. Short tongued Insects may cut a hole in the spurs! Larval food for the Columbine Duskywing Butterfly (Erynnis lucillius).
Pests and Diseases: Few pests. Resistant to Columbine leaf miner.
Native Alternatives: The wild form is taller, more loosely branched and with slightly paler coloured petals.
References:
https://www.en.wikipedia.org>wiki>Aquilegia
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder
https://onrockgarden.com/index.php/germination-guide
Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt (Toronto Master Gardener)
Plant of the Month May 2024
GENERAL INFORMATION: Each year, in the past, NARGS hosted Eastern Winter Study Weekends, usually in February. Annual Meetings were also frequently in driving distance. ORGS members would get a group together and drive down, often puzzling border officials. Four unrelated people, all newish Canadians.
I first saw Viola pedata, flourishing on the banks of the Interstate. (We stopped.) These were the most beautiful violets I had ever seen! Plants never seemed to be for sale and seed would not germinate.
I eventually grew some plants which did not last. I need acid sand!
Viola pedata growing beside the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Varieties: Viola pedata var. concolor (upper 2 petals darker), Viola pedata var. lineariloba (petals all same colour).
Selections: Viola pedata ‘Eco Artist Palette’ - upper 2 petals dark purple.
Common Name: Bird’s-foot Violet, Mountain Pansy.
Range: Native to Eastern USA and endangered in SW Ontario.
Habitat: Roadsides, dry, sandy, rocky, or clayey banks and open woods.
Viola pedata in wild, close up.
Life Cycle: Herbaceous, stalkless perennial with a non-stoloniferous rhizome.
Height: 7-15 cm.
Bloom Time: Mid May - mid June. Occasionally again in early fall.
Flower Colour & Size: Single flowers, to 4 cm wide, with five lilac-purple petals, not typical violet-shaped. The two upper petals may be darker in colour. Orange stamens.
Viola pedata flowers.
Fruit: Non cleistogamous (automatic self pollination) like many violets so two plants are needed to produce a green seed capsule. Sticky sugary seeds are ejected and carried away by ants.
Leaves: Grey-green. Each of the three main lobes are further divided into narrow segments, like a bird’s foot.
CULTIVATION:
Light: Full sun.
Soil: Well drained, acidic soil. Dislikes rich, organic soils.
Viola pedata in scree bed, showing flowers and leaves.
Water: Dry to medium moisture.
USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-8.
Companion planting: Dislikes competition so grow away from other rock garden plants.
Propagation: by seed. Fresh is best. Sow at 20°C for 6 weeks, then place @ 4°C for 6 weeks, then slowly raise temperature to 10°C for 6 weeks. If there is no germination, repeat the cycle. Try root cuttings.
Pollinators: Bees, Butterflies. Larval food source for the Regal Fritillary, now at risk.
Problems: Usually none, unless poor drainage.
References:
https://www.ontario.ca>page>birds-foot-violet
https://onrockgarden.com/index.php/germination-guide
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Centre
Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt (Toronto Master Gardener)
