by Susan Duquette
Yellow Twig Dogwood Silver and Gold Cornus sericea
The Yellow Twig Silver and Gold Dogwood is grown for its variegated foliage and its yellow twigs in winter, offering you year round beauty in your yard. It is lush and full and attracts butterflies and birds. It prefers to be moist, but not too wet or too dry. It spreads by root suckers to form a thicket of stems. It is often planted in multiples to form a hedge.
This North American native plant is hardy in zones 3-9 and likes full sun to part shade. It grows up to 5-7' high by 6-8' wide. It is a deciduous bush and blooms May through June with delicate creamy white flowers which later form bluish-tinged white berries that song birds find especially tasty. The leaves drop in winter and expose its beautiful yellow twigs.
Pruning should be done in late fall after the plant has shed all its leaves and is dormant. Prune branches at the base above the first node. Remove any old, dead or diseased twigs. The best color is on newer growth. Every 2-3 years you may choose to do hard pruning by cutting all stems to renew the bush. I find that just doing the pruning of old wood has kept me from doing a hard prune.
This dogwood is easy to propagate. It can be rooted in water or well-drained soil. Try cutting stems 6 to 8” long and insert the twigs in a pot or vase. There is no need to use a root hormone.
The red Loropetalum Chinese fringe flower is native to Japan, China and the Himalayas. It is a very hardy plant known for its longevity. The main use of this plant is as a foundation plant. It grows 3-6' high by 7-10' tall. It is an evergreen with dark green and purple leaves and it blooms March through June producing its lovely red fringe flowers. The loropetalum likes full to part sun, is drought tolerant once established and fast growing. It is a very popular plant in the residential gardens of Napa.
When planting, dig a hole 2-3 times the size of the rootball. After you've planted it add some natural fertilizer. Prune after the first flowering in late spring. It is best to only prune 20% of the plant at a time. Prune by making cuts just above a leaf node. You can shape your plant by cutting different lengths. If there are dead branches, cut them at their origin. Thinning cuts promote growth.
The loropetalum is easy to propagate. You can do it by putting them in soil or rooting in water. Cut stems 6-9” long and put in a pot with well-drained soil and keep moist. It takes 5-6 weeks for them to root.
The Meyeri Fern is not a true fern as they propagate by seed and do not produce spores. The name most likely originated from the fact that they have clumping habits akin to ferns. The Meyeri has outward sprawling fibrous roots. They are a very hearty specimen plant for zones 9-11 and flourish with little care. They like part shade to part sun. If they are planted in the full sun, they become more compact and dense. When established they are drought resistant and quite pest resistant. They grow up to 2' tall by 2' wide and bloom in late winter to early spring.
They are an evergreen offering green foliage year-round, first blooming with white flowers that then form red berries holding the seed pods. The birds enjoy these berries and will take the seeds and distribute them in different areas. They are often seen in local landscapes and are also used in creative flower arrangements.
Spring is the best time for pruning and shaping. Pinch back stem tips as needed to maintain the plant form. Cut back yellowed or dead stems at soil level. Every two to three years you can do a hard pruning to rejuvenate growth. Cut back to 2-3” above soil. This is also a great time to divide the plant in half or quarters.
Dig up the root ball and you will notice that there are tubers and fleshy roots. Look for a spot where you can divide, loosen and move roots out of the way to cut. It is much safer for the plant if you use a stick to enter the root ball and go slow in order not to destroy the roots. Transplant the sections into a pot with moist, acidic soil and place in light shade. There will be new growth in 1-2 months.
Once established, these three plants require little water and maintenance. In addition, these plants can be counted on to demonstrate some visual interest alternating throughout the year.
The UC Master Gardeners and the City of Napa have joined in a partnership at the Las Flores Community Center where instructional events are planned for the last Saturday of the month through 2022. Topics will center on research-based horticultural and climate change issues by featuring water saving plants and soil care.
Next week, in the last installment of these articles, we will talk about the glossy abelia, manzanita & carpet roses
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Olga Morham
Informational links:
Yellow twig dogwood https://www.monrovia.com/yellow-twig-dogwood.html
Loropetalum https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/loropetalum-chinense-f-rubrum/
Meyeri Fern https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=27594
By Melody Kendall
This is the second of four articles describing plants and their care featured in the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County's low water, low maintenance area at the Las Flores Learning Garden.
The UC Master Gardeners and the City of Napa have joined in a partnership at the Las Flores Community Center where instructional events are planned for the last Saturday of the month through 2022. Topics will center on research-based horticultural and climate change issues by featuring water saving plants and soil care.
Next week, in the third installment of these articles, we will talk about the Yellow-twig dogwood, Loropetalum and Meyeri fern.
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Olga Morham
Information links: Raywood Ash: https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/634
Crape Myrtle http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/crapemyrtle.html
Strawberry Madrone https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/177
Verticillium http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/vertwilt.html
Beetle Borers http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/invertebrates/links.beetles-treeborers.html
White fly http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7401.html
Armillaria http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74171.html
Anthracnosehttp://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7420.html
Thrips http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html
by Melody Kendall
This is the first of four articles describing plants and their care featured in the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County's low water, low maintenance area of Las Flores Learning Garden.
This little gem is a miniature fruitless olive variety whose Latin name is Olea europaea. Olives are native to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea and olive leaves are considered the enduring symbol of peace. The ‘Little Ollie' variety is evergreen and fruitless with small, insignificant flowers that still attract birds and bees in the spring. Planted in loose well-draining soil, this small olive displays dense green leaves with silver undersides. When the wind blows its leaves, shiny when new and fading into matte when mature, their silver undersides flutter and the plant appears to shimmer.
Perfectly happy in containers as patio specimen plants, trimmed and formed in hedges or just allowed to thrive “as is,” this plant needs full sun and enjoys the heat. Once established, the ‘Little Ollie' Olive needs little water, requiring only regular water during extremely dry conditions. Though virtually pest free these plants can get root rot if overwatered and sometimes suffer scale insect infestations. If these plants are left “as is” they only need occasional pruning to keep the desired 4 foot by 6 foot wide and tall globular shape. They can be trained into one or multiple trunks and as a hedge by shearing rather than hand pruning for shape. While not needing any regular amendments or fertilizers, compost added to the soil is always well received.
This plant's Latin name is Trachelosperum jasminoides and it is a member of the Dogbane or Apocynaceae family. The family name Dogbane comes from the Greek word apocynum meaning "dog-away" a reference to the fact that some taxa were used as dog poison. Also, the plants in this family, when cut, have a white milky sap that can be a skin irritant, gum up tools and stain clothing. Star jasmine is native to eastern and southeastern Asia. With bright shiny leaves, sweet smelling white flowers in spring and a vining growth habit, these plants lend themselves well to arbors and can grow to 20-30 feet when supported. They also do well as a ground covering plant growing to 3 feet tall with a 3-6 foot spread. Do be aware of the star jasmine's tendency to climb and invade surrounding plants. Plant in well-draining soil 5 feet apart in full sun. Once established, plants tolerate drought conditions with additional water during extreme heat. star jasmine is virtually pest free with only mealy bugs, sooty mold and scale a slight possibility. Fertilizing isn't recommended as application tends to reduce production of its sweet-smelling flowers, though compost is well received at any time. Pruning this plant depends on how it is displayed. If it is flowing up a fence or trellis, keep the wild shoots trimmed back to keep the form and to help reduce the weight on the structure. As a ground cover, contain the total size of the plant to keep the vines from overwhelming neighboring plants. A hedge trimmer works well to maintain both the vertical and horizontal growing methods.
Latin name Muhlenbergia capillaris, pink muhly grass is a member of the grass plant family and native to Florida and Eastern U.S. This plant is evergreen in temperate areas and deciduous in colder climates. The pink muhly grass's long narrow upright leaves and stems lend vertical interest to the garden and in containers when mixed with other plants. In the late fall this grass plant grows stems 12 inches tall that sport fluffy, feathery pink blooms. When planted singly, in clumps in the garden or on hillsides to prevent erosion, this display of pink cotton candy like blooms is quite spectacular. Pink muhly grass doesn't like wet feet so plant in well-draining soil in full sun. Once established, water sparingly but remember to water more regularly in very dry conditions. This grass plant has few pests, is deer resistant and attracts ladybugs. Seeming to thrive on neglect, the management of pink muhly grass is very easy. As with the other two plants, fertilizer isn't needed. If the grass goes dormant in the late winter, they can be cut to within 6 inches from the ground. In different climate zones of Napa Valley some go dormant and others remain green all year. This grass can be divided into smaller clumps and replanted if they get too large in late winter. If they remain green the removal of spent blooms is all that is required, though the spent blooms provide late winter seeds for the birds.
In conclusion, once established, these three plants require little water and maintenance. In addition, the plants can be counted on to demonstrate visual interest sometime throughout the year.
The UC Master Gardeners and the City of Napa have joined in a partnership at the Las Flores Community Center where instructional events are planned for the last Saturday of the month through 2022. Topics will center on research-based horticultural and climate change issues by featuring water saving plants and soil care.
The first event of 2022 will be held January 29th. showcasing the low-water, low maintenance area of the garden. Next week we will talk about the trees in the garden. The Raywood Ash Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood', Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica and the Strawberry Madrone Arbutus unedo.
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Olga Morham
Information links:
Shrub pruning UC ANR blog https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=42943
Little ollie olive https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Olea_europea/
Star Jasmine https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/starjasmine.html
Pink Muhly grass https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=45732
UC IPM Mealybugs http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74174.html
Scale http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7408.html
Sooty mold http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74108.html
by Mel Kendall
The fall of 2021 was our first year of fall maintenance. I use the words ‘installed' instead of ‘completed' because, in the words of a wise UC Master Gardener friend, “a garden is never completed, it evolves.” I have mentioned my preference for deciduous trees because they have set times for debris dispersal. Evergreen trees seem to be a constant maintenance issue with their leaf, flower, fruit and bark debris dropping on a continual basis. As a result, our trees are deciduous, but the shrubs are either evergreen or deciduous, depending on where they are in the landscape. The plants are chosen for their constant color and coverage. They have been working all summer producing their various raisons d'être: regular flower production for pollinators and ongoing green leaves that cover and protect the soil while providing constant color. Each of these plants has some basic maintenance, but not too much, keeping with our low-maintenance theme.
- Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) We have three varieties of these plants and are very satisfied with their performance in the landscape. All three are evergreen and produce long stems with flowers on a rotating basis. These plants fulfill their low-maintenance requirement admirably, only requiring removal of spent stems, blooms and leaves as needed.
- Lantana (Lantana camara) Evergreen and virtually maintenance free. To encourage reblooming, deadhead periodically. To contain overgrown plants just cut back a third of the plant's growth in the spring.
- Gaillardia- (Gaillardia spp.) Amazing flower power contained in each plant. Deadheading as needed will ensure their continued explosion of flowers. They are herbaceous, with leaves that die back in the fall and reemerge in the spring. Each plant should be cut back to 6 inches from the ground in the fall.
- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Spring and summer care consists mainly of pruning. When new spring growth emerges in spring, cut the old stems back to just above the lowest set of leaves. If the plant begins to sprawl in the summer, cut off the top one-third of the stems to encourage more upright growth. If the plant stops blooming in summer, remove the top half of the branches to encourage new growth and a fresh flush of flowers.
- Roses (Rosa spp.) Roses usually don't go completely dormant in our climate zone but wait until late winter before pruning. Remove all the old leaves, prune out weak, spindly or diseased canes at the base, remove any canes crossing through the center, then prune remaining canes back by one-third to one-half.
- Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens) An evergreen globular plant that blooms nearly all year long. Removing the spent flower stalks periodically to neaten their appearance is all that is needed.
The trees, depending on their growth habit, required some thinning and shaping to allow them to fill out areas as desired. Our maple, Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET® is growing perfectly, both in height and canopy width. For now, we are leaving it alone. The smoke tree (Cotinus x 'Grace') sent out long branches all over the canopy that were cut back to their origin points after some research on how to prune them. Keep in mind that continued hard pruning will affect flower production, but will control the tree's size. Our black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby'™) grew exponentially this last year. After the leaves dropped, we were able to see the branches simplifying our pruning plans. We wanted to bring the branches up from the ground and thin them so the tree stayed the same height, but with a thinner and more open canopy. As mentioned, this tree grows aggressively, so it will probably need more than cursory “finger pruning” of new growth.
The first year of our new landscape has gone well, and we'll see how the plants we pruned this fall recover in the spring. Hopefully, we didn't go too overboard and kill anything. Regardless, we learned a lot about each plant and had fun doing this chore. Gardening in any form is always delightful for me, so excuse me while I don my gardening attire and head out to enjoy another day in my own special secret garden.
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Mel Kendall
References:
American Daylily Society https://daylilies.org/
Missouri Botanical Garden-Kniphofia uvaria
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=i310
UC IPM-Lantana http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/lantana.html
Monrovia -Gaillardiahttps://www.monrovia.com/sunset-snappy-blanket-flower.html
-Bulbine https://www.monrovia.com/orange-stalked-bulbine.html
Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET® https://www.jfschmidt.com/pdfs/pacificsunsetmaple.pdf
Grace Smoke Tree Cotinus x 'Grace' UC Master Gardeners Sonoma County http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Cotinus/
Robinia pseudoacacia Twisty Baby™ Oregon State
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/robinia-pseudoacacia-twisty-baby
by Melody Kendall
My tales began five years ago. I saw a wonderful waterfall-like display of morning glory flowers (Ipomoea purpurea or Convolvulus purpureus) in a friend's garden. This wonderful fall of brightly colored blooms filled an entire area of the landscape and completely covered a broken-down old fence. My friend waxed eloquently about this plant's ability to self-seed and said that she had not needed to do any maintenance to acquire this amazing display. I had to have some. Purchasing some morning glory seeds and distributing them liberally in the chosen area of my landscape I waited anxiously for my own waterfall of morning glories. The first year I was disappointed by the display as it was rather sparse. Now, five years later, I am fighting back the plants with a machete. Not really, but the morning glory plants pop up all over my landscape. Adding to the excitement, these plants climb on everything with virtually unbreakable vines that trip me at every chance. A good thing to note is that I have found that the tough shelled seeds, once thought to be toxic to birds, are in fact a food for songbirds and the nectar from the late blooming flowers provide food for pollinators, particularly hummingbirds. To avoid “waterfalls” of these crazy growers all over my landscape I'm reduced to pulling out the seedlings everywhere before they start climbing. The morning glory plant is listed on the UC IPM Weed Gallery list — need I say more?
Overall, I don't think that I would have done anything different in my garden. Each of the above plants provide more pleasure than pain, but it would have been nice to be more aware of their growth habits going in. So, be careful what you wish for… lest it comes true. Things may not always turn out the way I had planned or envisioned in my garden, but I consistently learn something in the process. My advice, in hindsight, is to research, research research. I need to go out to my garden to pull up some of those pesky morning glory seedlings now.
Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Mel Kendall
References:
UC IPM-Morning glories http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/morningglories.html
Monroe Outdoors-Terry Johnson-Wildlife biologist http://www.mymcr.net/our_community/monroe-outdoors-morning-glories-can-be-pests-but-always-beautiful/article_4a119fcc-fdcb-11ea-97df-dbc1356b221f.html
Missouri Botanical Garden Potentilla https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=252641&isprofile=0&
Oriental Poppy https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderProfileResults.aspx?basic=Papaver%20orientale
UC IPM-rust http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/rusts.html
Monrovia Potato Vine https://www.monrovia.com/potato-vine.html