Plant of the Month

Plant of the Month May 2026

Veronica umbrosa ‘Georgia Blue’.

GENERAL INFORMATION: This delightful plant was discovered by Roy Lancaster in the Republic of Georgia in 1979. I saw it in a wonderful bed at Ness Botanic Gardens 12 years later and was impressed. Veronica species are in the family Plantaginaceae, formerly in the Scrophulariaceae..

Synonym: Veronica pedicularis ‘Georgia Blue’.

Common Name: Georgia Blue speedwell.

Life Cycle: Herbaceous semi-evergreen perennial.

Height: to 10 cm with a spread of 1m.

Bloom Time: May to June in Southern Ontario with sporadic flowering during the summer.

Flower Colour & Size: Small, bright blue flowers with a conspicuous white eye.

Scent: Faint to none.

Leaves: Very small, lance-shaped, deep green, bronze tinted, semi-evergreen leaves.

Range: West Caucasus mountains.

Habitat: Grows in the alpine regions.

CULTIVATION:

Plant: Divide frequently to maintain vigour.

Light: Full sun, with some protection rom very strong sunlight.

Soil: Most well drained soils.

Water: Average.

USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-9.

Companion planting: Rock garden plants.

Pests and diseases: Usually problem free. (May have some susceptibility to mildews.)

Pollinators: Butterflies, humming birds.

Propagation: Divide in spring or fall.

Seeds: May not come true from seed.

Toxicity: No known toxicity

References:

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/veronica-umbrosa-georgia-blue/

https://www.gardenia.net/plant/veronica-umbrosa-georgia-blue-speedwell

Plant of the Month April 2026

Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Miyama-Beni'.

GENERAL INFORMATION: An under used shrub for semi-shade in neutral to acid soils. If possible, buy in the fall to ensure good leaf colour.

Common Name: Red Vein Enkianthus.

Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Miyama-Beni'.

Life Cycle: Perennial shrub.

Bark: Smooth, brown.

Height: to 4m.

Bloom Time: June in Southern Ontario.

Flower Colour & Size: Blooms on previous years growth. Racemes of 5-15 small, bell shaped down-facing red flowers, 1.5 cm long.

Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Miyama-Beni' - inflorescence, leaves, bark.

Scent: Fragrant.

Fruit: Seed capsules are ovoid, dehiscent and look like dried, upturned bells. The capsule is 5-valved, growing on a recurved pedicel. They are used in dried arrangements. My plant does not produce viable seed.

Leaves: Simple elliptical, medium to blueish green, alternate leaves, to 6cm long. Finely toothed. Fall colour can be red, with tones of orange, red and purple. Not all plants have this. Buy in the fall. My shrub has just yellowish leaves.

Native Range: Enkianthus campanulatus is native to Japan.

Habitat: Open woodlands.

CULTIVATION:

Plant: where it can be seen easily all year round.

Light: Shade to partial sun. Avoid noon day sun.

Soil: Moist but well drained peaty soils, acid to neutral.

Water: Average.

USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-7.

Pests and Diseases: Usually free for bugs and disease. May be susceptible to honey fungus.

Companion planting: Small rhododendrons, spring bulbs.

Pollinators: Bees, hummingbirds.

Propagation: Surface sow seed at 18-21°C in late winter or early spring. Requires light. Semi-ripe cuttings should root in summer. Try layering in the fall.

References:

https://whistlinggardens.ca/product/miyamabeni-redvein-enkianthus/

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/314417/enkianthus-campanulatus-miyama-beni/details

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k210

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/enkianthus-campanulatus/

Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt

Plant of the Month March 2026

GENERAL INFORMATION: This delightful, long-lived bulb may be sold as Fritillaria verticillata (as mine was) or F. verticillata var. thunbergii or F. thunbergii. According to fritillaria.org.uk/, F. verticillata flowers are bell shaped with square shoulders, while F. thunbergii has rounded shoulders. There is much confusion in the plant lists and the literature and also uncertainty of its exact origin. It is used in Asian medicine.

Common Name: Whorled Fritillary.

Life Cycle: Perennial clump-forming bulb. Each bulb with 2 scales, about 2 cm in diameter.

Height: to 30 cm or more.

Fritillaria thunbergii.

Bloom Time: End of April to early May in Southern Ontario.

Flower Colour & Size: Can have racemes of up to 15 down-facing bell-shaped, pale greenish flowers, about 2.5 - 4 cm long, with brownish chequered pattern inside. F. thunbergii has a rounded shape.

Fritillaria thunbergii - flowerrs.

Scent: Unscented.

Leaves: Lanceolate to linear narrow, grey green, up to 9 cm long in whorls of 5 or more. They twist and end in a curled tendrils.

Fruit: A 3 chambered, 6 angled capsule with many flat seeds. My plant has never produced seeds.

Range: Fritillaria thunbergii is native from western China to Japan. F. verticillata is native from South Siberia to Japan.

Habitat: Hills, thickets, gravelly meadows.

CULTIVATION:

Plant: Deeply.

Light: Partial to full sun.

Soil: Most well drained soils.

Water: Average. Avoid wet winter conditions.

USDA Hardiness: Zones 4-9.

Pests and Diseases: Possibility of lily beetle or slugs. Usually disease free.

Companion planting: Rock garden plants, low spring bulbs, small Hosta.

Pollinators: Bees, flies.

Propagation: Divide bulbs when dormant in fall.

Seedex availability: Best with fresh seed. Try planting outdoors with winter temperatures including freezing for 3 months. Grow seedlings in cool temperature and leave in pot for 2 years.

Toxicity: Used in Chinese medicine

References:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/7444/fritillaria-verticillata/details

https://www.fritillaria.org.uk/fritillaria-species-t---z.html

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200027649

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/452303-Fritillaria-verticillata

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritillaria

https://www.phoenixperennials.com/plant-encyclopedia/

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org › PlantFinder

https://pacifichorticulture.org/articles

Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt

Plant of the Month February 2026

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’

GENERAL INFORMATION:

This is one of my favourite small trees. A chance hybrid between M. kobus and M. stellata ‘Rosea’ was registered in England in 1955.

Common Name: Loebner Magnolia.

Life Cycle: Broad leafed deciduous tree.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ - tree in summer.

Height: 3-6 m, 3-5 m wide.

Bloom Time: April in Southern Ontario, flowering before leaves open.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ - flowers in May.

Flower Colour & Size: Attractive flowers up 12 cm wide with up to 12 purple pink tepals, white on the inside.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ - flowers.

Scent: Fragrant with aromatic stems.

Leaves: Medium green ovate leaves up to 12 cm long.

Fruit: Cone like pods with red flesh covered seeds.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ - leaves and fruit.

Range: Both parents are native to forests in Japan.

CULTIVATION:

Plant: When dormant and where you can see it from the house and walkways when in flower. Preferably sheltered from cold dry winds.

Light: Sun to part shade.

Soil: Moist rich, well drained soils.

Water: Moist soil.

USDA Hardiness: Zones 4 - 9.

Pests and Diseases: Usually no problems but can be attacked by Honey Fungus, scale, snails. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Pollinators: Bees, early butterflies. Pollen, no nectar.

Propagation: by grafting or by softwood cuttings in the late spring or semi hardwood cuttings in the late summer.

Seedex availability: in the ORG&HPS Seedex. May not come true to seed.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ - winter buds.

Germination Tips: Sow immediately, fresh seeds best. Stored seed might be coaxed into germination with temperature cycling and patience.

Problems: Flowers may suffer in a hard frost.

Toxicity: No problems.

References: Wikipedia

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinder

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/magnolia-loebneri-leonard-messel

https://www.gardenia.net/plant/magnolia-loebneri-leonard-messel

https://onrockgarden.com/index.php/germination-guide/germination-guide

Text and images supplied by Anna Leggatt

Plant of the Month January 2026

GENERAL INFORMATION: Black locusts can be a problen in the landscape and gardens. A member of the pea family, they are quick growing, thorny, with many racemes of strongly scented of white flowers. They are listed as an invasive plant in some areas. However, the cultivar 'Twisty Baby' is a delight as a smaller, specimen tree.

Synonym: Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady’. Patented In 1996.

Common Name: Twisty Baby Black Locust.

Life Cycle: Medium sized deciduous tree.

Height: listed as growing to 3 m tall. However, one growing in East York is over 7 m tall.

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Twisty Baby' with sucker.

Branches: Zig-zag branches up to 2 m long. These twisted branches give winter interest.

'Twisty Baby' winter.

Bloom Time: Late May in Southern Ontario. Very few blooms.

Flower Colour & Size: Few tight clusters of white pea flowers.

'Twisty Baby' flowers.

Scent: Grape like.

Leaves: Compound pinnate, down hanging, dark green leaves with 2cm long, often curled leaflets turning yellow in late fall or staying green till they drop.

Robinia pseudoacacia leaves with 'Twisty Baby' behind.

Fruit: I have never seen seed pods. The parent has flat, purple-brown seed pods 10 cm long.

'Twisty Baby' bark and leaves.

Bark: Twisted and showy giving winter interest. Prune so some is visible when in leaf.

Range: The parent was originally native in the Allegheny Mountains. Now wide spread.

Habitat: Robinia pseudoacacia grows in open woodland and forest edges. Invasive.

CULTIVATION:

Plant: for year round interest.

Light: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Will grow in most growing conditions: a wide range of soils, even poor, dry ones. Like all members of the pea family, it can absorb nitrogen from the soil.

Water: Well drained.

USDA Hardiness: Zones 3-8.

Pests and Diseases: Borers can be a problem. Luckily woodpeckers often find them. Also scale, leaf miner, leaf spot, powdery mildew and canker can occur.