Showing posts with label Itea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Itea. Show all posts

Six Shrubs With Fantastic Fall Foliage

I would have thought, off the top of my head, that were are lot of shrub species that had fantastic fall color, but when I drove our trial fields searching, I was dismayed that only a limited number of species really stood out with bright autumn hues. Of course everyone thinks of burning bush as the quintessential fall color shrub, but there has to be more. What else is there to use? 

With a bit of thought I came up with a list of six outstanding shrubs that can add fantastic fall color to your landscape. They're in no particular order, but they're all excellent plants that are worthy of a place in your yard, nursery or landscape design. Each has its own unique hue of fall foliage color from blends of bright orange to bold purplish-reds. And unlike Euonymus alatus, they're all North American natives.        

   

1. LEGEND OF THE FALL®  Fothergilla


Fothergilla has always been appreciated for its spectacular autumn color, but Legend of the Fall® fothergilla sets a new standard for the species with brilliant, glowing hues of orange, yellow, and red. Spring brings a crop of fragrant white flowers. This plant was also selected for its improved production performance, a boon since this plant will surely be in high demand by landscapers and garden designers. 

USDA Zone 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)

Exposure: Full sun, part sun
Height: 4 - 5'
Width: 4 - 5'
Bloom Time: Spring
Flower Color: White


2. LOW SCAPE MOUND®  Aronia melanocarpa


As cute as a button yet tough as nails, Low Scape Mound® aronia is an innovative dwarf selection that may be the closest thing yet to a perfect landscape plant. Adaptable to most any soil, this versatile little black chokeberry offers dark glossy foliage, loads of white flowers in spring, black summer fruit, and intense red foliage in autumn. Ideal for low maintenance mass plantings; think of it as Rhus 'Gro Lo' with multi-season appeal. Developed by Dr. Mark Brand of the University of Connecticut. Low Scape Mound aronia is the 2019 Landscape Shrub of the Year. Winner of the Boskoop Royal Horticultural Society Silver Medal

USDA Zone 3 - 9 (-40°F/-40°C)

Exposure: Full sun, Part sun
Height: 1 - 2'
Width: 2'
Bloom Time: Spring
Flower Color: White



3. KODIAK ORANGE®  Diervilla


Another eco-friendly alternative to burning bush, Kodiak® Orange diervilla pushes fall color to the limits with its transformation to fire embers orange. In the spring and summer new growth emerges a showy russet-orange which is accompanied by bright yellow flowers in summer. But late summer and fall are the real show when the entire shrub turns bright citrus orange. This easy growing, vigorous North American native is unbothered by pests or diseases. Diervilla is one of the most adaptable landscape plants you can grow. You" find it growing in dry shade on the shores of Lake Superior, south on the red clay soils of Georgia. Sometimes known as bush honeysuckle, which is just pain stupid as well as a misnomer, so just call it diervilla as the common name. Developed by Garden Genetics, Kodiak Orange won the Boskoop Royal Horticultural Society Silver Medal.  

USDA Zone 4 - 7 (-30°F/-34°C)

Exposure: Full sun, Part sun, Shade
Height: 3 - 4'
Width: 3 - 4'
Bloom Time: Summer
Flower Color: Yellow
Foliage Color: Orange



4. SCENTLANDIA®  Itea virginica 


Fabulously fragrant. Sweetspire is beloved for so many reasons: it’s native, shade tolerant, deer resistant, has handsome foliage, amazing fall color, very showy flowers, and of course, delicious fragrance. So how could Scentlandia® sweetspire improve on the classic? Better hardiness, and better fragrance. It has the best fragrance of any Itea I've ever encountered.  Year after year you'll get great fall color, along with a compact, refined habit. Winner of the Boskoop Royal Horticultural Society Silver Medal. I named it in honor of one of my favorite TV shows. 

USDA Zone 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)

Exposure: Full sun, Part sun, Shade
Height: 2 - 3'
Width: 2 - 3'
Bloom Time: Early summer
Flower Color: White
Foliage Color: Green



5. SKY DEW GOLD®  Vaccinium corymbosum


Bright yellow foliage is the back drop for tasty summer blueberries. Things get even more interesting as the summer nights start to cool and the golden foliage start taking on rich hues of orange and red. The transformation is simply thrilling; seeing something so colorful and cheerful puts a smile on my face.    

USDA Zone 4 - 8 (-30°F/-34.4°C)

Exposure: Full sun
Height: 2 - 4'
Width; 3 - 4'
Bloom Time: Late spring
Flower Color: White
Foliage Color Chartreuse, Orange



6. GATSBY PINK®  Hydrangea quercifolia


Just as The Great Gatsby is a classic of American literature, H. quercifolia is a classic North American native hydrangea. Long prized by savvy gardeners for it’s flowers and fall color, this  sophisticated shrub deserves a wider market. Gatsby Pink is a remarkable oakleaf selection from Powell Gardens of Kingsville, MO. It boasts big showy lacecap blooms that quickly transform from pure white to a delightful pink.The dark green foliage turns mahogany-red in autumn. It also reblooms a bit as well.  

USDA Zone 5 - 9 (-20°F/-28.9°C)

Exposure: Full sun, Part sun
Height: 6 - 8'
Width: 6 - 8'
Bloom Time: Summer
Flower Color: White, Pink
Foliage: Color Green, burgundy 


7. STAGHORN SUMAC Rhus typhyna 



Ok so I cheated and added a seventh shrub, but it is so worth it. Rhus typhina, the Staghorn sumac, is one of my favorite native shrubs because it is one of the first to change color. The plant has fuzzy stems (like a stag’s horn), great orange to deep red fall color and attractive red seed heads. I learned this plant as a young boy when my dad taught me how to make staghorn lemonade with its fruit - look it up. It’s commonly found along highways forming dense clumps. At 70 mph, it's easy to see that each clump differs genetically in size, fall color, and fruit. Unfortunately, as it is a suckering plant that moves around a bit, most gardeners don’t have the room for a clump in their garden. Still it does deserve greater use. There are several excellent cultivars that are garden worthy; ‘Disecta’ aka ‘Laciniata’ is grown for its attractive lacy cut leaves. Tiger Eyes or ‘Bailtiger’, is a yellow leafed selection of ‘Disecta’. This plant has all the wonderful attributes of the species but with bright yellow leaves that gives summer-long interest.

Flowering Shrub Evolution - Part II


Lo & Behold Dwarf Butterfly Bush

In my last post I wrote about new breakthrough plants that have changed the evolution of flowering shrubs. This post continues the discussion, and I've listed the shrubs that I think have changed the way we think about, and use them in our gardens and landscapes.


Have I left anything off the list? Send me your thoughts and comments.

Plant Name - Significance to the Industry


Abelia mosenensis
A Zone 4 Abelia with better fragrance than Viburnum carlesii


Berberis thun. ‘Concorde’
Dwarf, grape purple foliage, that’s nearly sterile


Buddleia davidii
English Butterfly Series™

A new series with dwarf growth. They actually look good in a one gallon.




Caryopteris incana Sunshine Blue®
A hardy, strong growing Caryopteris with bright yellow foliage and rich blue flowers. Move over Worchester Gold. Move over Gold Mound Spiraea?

Caryopteris Petit Bleu™
A dwarf Caryopteris with dark glossy leaves

Clethra ‘Hummingbird’
Sixteen Candles may be the best, but it was Hummingbird that started it all.


Clethra ‘Ruby Spice’
Andy Brand discovers the first pink Clethra that actually stays pink.


Corylus a. ‘Red Majestic’ pp#16,048
The first contorted filbert with red foliage. Year round excitement.

Deutzia gracilis Chardonnay Pearls®
The first Deutzia with season long color. Bright lemon yellow foliage rivals Spiraea


Diervilla ‘Butterfly’
Landscaper know the Diervilla is as tough as nails but Butterfly is attractive enough for retail


Euonymus alatus ‘Rudy Haag’
Grow this dwarf selection to be environmentally proactive in the fight against invasives.


Forsythia ‘Golden Peep’
Who has room for a 12 foot Forsythia? Not me, nor do many people. This is a great plant for around the deck


Fothergilla major ‘Blue Shadows’
A blue leafed Fothergilla that actually lives. Yes it’s true. Gary Handy discovers a Blue Mount Airy.


Hibiscus syriacus Chiffon™ Series
A vigorous rose of Sharon that will make money for nurseries and flowers like crazy. Unique Lacy flowers

Pink Chiffon


Hydrangea arborescens ‘Hayes Starburst’
A first! Hayes Jackson discovers a double flowered form of arborescens.


Hydrangea Endless Summer
Great news for us in the Midwest with Hydrangea envy. Blooms on new wood. More to come.


Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’
A Pee Gee with bright green flowers, strong stems. Does not flop like Pee Gee and finishes fast.


Hydrangea paniculata Little Lime
The best. A dwarf with strong stems and full flower heads



Little Lime

Hydrangea paniculata Quick Fire
Why wait until August for Blooms. Quick Fire flowers in June and turns pink before Pink Diamond even flowers.

Hydrangea ‘Snowflake’
The best oakleaf with it doubled, hose in hose blooms that turn pink as they age. Very healthy and great fall color.


Hypericum ‘Blue Velvet’
Blue Leaves on a Hypericum, yes. Paul Cappiello delivers a hit.


Indigofera ‘Rose Carpet’
Rich pink blooms from Late June until frost. Hugs the ground like a rug. I mean carpet.


Itea Little Henry®
The first dwarf Sweetspire.


Kerria ‘Honshu’
A hard to find Kerria with big flowers and superior stem hardiness. The only selection with fragrant flowers.


Leptodermis oblonga
A neat little known treasure with vivid pink flowers that keep on coming all season long.


Physocarpus Diabolo®
The first ninebark with purple foliage.


Physocarpus Summer Wine®
The first compact ninebark with purple foliage. Who has room for a 15 foot ninebark? Not me. A cross between Diabolo® and ‘Nana’.




Physocarpus Coppertina
The first ninebark with orange red foliage.


Potentilla Pink Beauty
A pink Potentilla that actually comes out pink and lives more than a year.


Rhamnus Fine Line®
An environmentally friendly Rhamnus with cut leaves and narrow columnar growth. Remember how many Tall Hedge you used to sell.


Rosa Knock Out®
It proved that a rose can be grown without having to spray


Rosa Home Run®
The most disease resistant, most attractive rose on the market. Comes in Red and Pink. 


Rosa Morden Sunrise
Yes, a strong growing, healthy yellow rose.


Sambucus Black Beauty
The first black leaf elder with pink flowers.


Sambucus Black Lace
The first cut leaf black elder with pink flowers. Incredible texture. As elegant as a Japanese Maple.





Sambucus ‘Sutherland Gold’
The best yellow leafed elder.


Spiraea ‘Gold Mound’ / 'Goldflame'
The plant that started it all. Lime Mound was first but never caught on.


Spiraea Pink Parasols®
The first pink flowered Spiraea fritscheriana. Ground covering habit. Landscapers forget about Rhus ‘Gro-low’ this plant is great for mass planting and it has large pink flowers.

Thuja Spring Grove®
A hardy northern selection that is deer resistant.


Viburnum ‘Cayuga’
An improved fragrant Viburnum with disease resistance.


Viburnum Cardinal Candy
The best plant in the garden in late summer. Loads of tightly packed cardinal red fruit. No pollinator necessary.


Viburnum nudum BRANDYWINE
A new variety that does not need a pollinator to enhance fruit set.


Viburnum plicatum ‘Popcorn’
A hardy, heat tolerant snowball Viburnum.


Viburnum p. tomentosum ‘Summer Snowflake’
What’s better than a Viburnum? A continuous blooming Viburnum


Viburnum ‘Mary Milton’
A Snowball Viburnum with pink flowers.


Weigela Midnight Wine®
The first dwarf purple leafed Weigela.


Weigela My Monet
The first dwarf variegated Weigela. Very hardy, bright pink





Weigela 'White Knight’
The best reblooming Weigela. White flowers with a touch of pink.


Weigela Wine & Roses®
Dark burgundy foliage and vivid pink flowers.