#florida gardening zone 10

[jaymzeecat]

I'm Gonna Ride This Plane Out of Your Life Again, I Wish That I Could Stay, But You Argue...

I woke up on Wednesday morning fairly early (as I usually do) and cleaned up the AirBnB apathetically. Sad and tired I just wanted to crawl back in bed but we had an early check out time (10:00 AM) so there was no chance of that. Le sigh.

It was a sad morning knowing that this was the last few hours but on the plus side we did find a nearby place to get some breakfast which was pretty good (we both had the Vegan Chorizo Hash). The staff at the restaurant seemed so nice and friendly I felt bad that there were no other customers (save for a Door Dasher who was complaining about the wait for the food). If you're ever looking for breakfast in the Montrose neighborhood of Chicago maybe hit up Breakfast House.

On the way to the train we saw a heart under the overpass which appeared to be made of smeared human feces and if that doesn't make you feel loved by a city I just don't know what does!

The long train ride to O'Hare was spent with me mostly weeping "I'd cry too if I had to go back to Portland." The Funny Bunny said. I was at least looking forward to getting back to Alzee and the cats (a life with no cats?? Who needs it?)... but I started ugly crying as soon as we parted ways at the airport. It was so bad that the security lady was like "ARE YOU OKAY???" I would've thought crying at the airport was a common occurrence but maybe I just cry like a crazy person, haha.

The wait to board wasn't too long thankfully and the plane was a little nicer than the one I flew in on. I got the impression my seat mate (a white haired older fella) was confused by what I was doing in First Class (don't let the colorful hair fool you, I'm a bougie bitch) but the flight attendant remembered me "Oh, Jaymz! Didn't I just have a flight with you?" "About a week ago, yeah." "Wonderful!" See, man? I'm famous.

I had a lot of thinking to do on the long ride home and I was a little overwhelmed. I don't know yet how to break the news to my mom that I don't think I can handle a flight over 4 hours (she wants me to come to Florida, I just don't see how). But at least I got some warm nuts and ginger ale.

The vegan meal was pretty good too. White Bean Chili and Polenta. I erred on the side of caution again and skipped the cookie since everyone got one and I assume it's not vegan. So just be aware of that if you're vegan and you fly Alaska.

I got a nice view of the mountains to welcome me home. I wish I was better at taking pictures out of plane windows, haha.

As we de-boarded my new best friend flight attendant said "Goodbye, Jaymz will we be seeing again soon?" I laughed and she turned to the other attendant and said "She's the quietest passenger I've ever had." She has not heard my cackle...

Alzee picked me up at the airport, it's really nice to live only like ten minutes away from it, haha.

All in all it was a good trip, I'm glad I finally got to see Chicago so I can cross that off my bucket list, haha. Ashley and Shelly were proud of me for stepping outside my comfort zone and going on an adventure. I'm also really thankful that the Funny Bunny was willing to show me all around because I know I wouldn't have been able to figure out the trains on my own. I also came away with a few mementos...

From left to right, Gifts from the Funny Bunny: Sue the T-Rex from the Mold-O-Rama mold machine at the Field Museum and Klondike Kat & Ricochet Rabbit figures (thanks!). Pine cone from the Botanical Garden and flat penny (DNA strand design) from the Science Museum. Mug with "The Loop" train map design I got at a souvenir shop. Precious memories.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my own personal Adventures in Babysitting, I will try to document more adventures in the future. I have been meaning to make it up to Seattle again sometime soon and visit Arizona and California again so I should really get to planning... If you're vegan and want to show me around your city (and not murder me!) feel free to hit me up sometime. As long as it's not more than 4 hours by plane, haha.

[tameblog]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[alexha2210]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[angusstory]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[tumibaba]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[romaleen]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[monaleen101]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[iamownerofme]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[shelyold]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[iammeandmy]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[januishstory]

Cornus controversa Giant, table, or wedding cake dogwoods command attention in the landscape. With their layered branches and profuse blossoms, it’s hard to look at anything else, and if you have the variegated type, it’s even more dramatic. Giant dogwoods grow indigenously in temperate areas of China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam, but they’re cultivated throughout the world. And so long as you live in the appropriate climate of USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, they’re pretty easygoing. In spite of one of their common names being “giant,” table dogwoods aren’t necessarily huge, either, topping out at 50 feet tall or less. The variegated cultivar commonly referred to as the wedding cake tree often remains much shorter at just 25 feet tall. Ideal as shade or specimen trees, they can be used in formal plantings and as a focal point to anchor the rest of the garden. In our guide to growing dogwoods, we cover how to cultivate species in the Cornus genus. Coming right up we’re going to talk all things table, giant, or wedding cake dogwood. Here’s what’s on the agenda: Table dogwoods are quick growing deciduous trees, so you can enjoy their statuesque, layered display in a relatively short period of time of about 10 years. What makes them stand out is the tiered growth habit, with the multiple layers of branches inspiring the common names “wedding cake” and “table.” The leaves are green on top and silver-green on the undersides. Unlike all other Cornus species except C. alternifolia, the pagoda dogwood, the leaves are alternate rather than paired. Table dogwoods don’t produce the large, showy bracts of the popular flowering dogwood (C. florida) or kousa (C. kousa). Instead, they have numerous, large, flattened panicles made up of dozens of small, creamy-white blossoms. These open up in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. The flowers persist for a few weeks and then fade, giving way to fruits that will eventually mature into dark purple or black in the early fall. Quick Look Common name(s): Giant, table, wedding cake dogwood Plant type: Deciduous tree Hardiness (USDA Zone): 5-9 Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Vietnam Bloom time / season: Spring Exposure: Full to partial sun Soil type: Loose, organically-rich, well draining Soil pH: 5.0-7.5, slightly acidic to neutral Time to maturity: 10 years Mature size: 50 ft wide x 50 ft high Best uses: Shade, specimen Taxonomy Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae Genus: Cornus Species: Controversa In 1890, the famous Veitch Nursery in Exeter, England started advertising the variegated form of the plant. While the species is a stunner, the variegated type is breathtaking. C. controversa ‘Variegata’ is more common even than the species, and it’s obvious why. It’s a stunner. The leaves have cream to silver margins and these margins turn to bright yellow in the fall while the rest of the leaf takes on a red hue. When most gardeners say “wedding cake dogwood,” this is usually the one they’re picturing. It’s been described as everything from “sophisticated” and “striking” to “unusual” and “amazing.” It’s undeniably a stand-out. ‘Variegata’ is more slow-growing than the species and matures at about 25 feet tall, making it an excellent option for smaller areas. This cultivar won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993. Ready to include one of these beauties in your landscape? Let’s have a look at their care needs: How to Grow To transplant a sapling from the nursery, dig a hole three times as wide and deep as the growing container and work equal parts well-rotted compost into the soil that you removed and put it all back in the hole. Make a hole in the middle that is just a bit wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. Remove the plant from the container and gently loosen up the roots. Set the dogwood in the hole and fill in around it with the compost soil mixture. The plant should be sitting at the same height it was in the growing container. Water the soil and add a bit more if it settles. Light Grow giant dogwood in full or partial sun. Those who live in hot climates should definitely provide some afternoon shade, as the trees don’t do well in excessive heat. The variegated cultivar can be grown in partial shade, which will keep the variegation nice and distinct and encourages the layered formation. Temperature Hardy in Zones 5 to 9, wedding cake trees don’t do well in very hot southern climates. They enjoy cool summers like what you can find in the Pacific Northwest. Temperatures above 90°F are detrimental and can harm the trees. Excessive heat can slow growth and burn the foliage. Extended periods of hot weather will cause the leaves to yellow and drop and might even kill the tree. Soil The soil needs to be organically-rich and well-draining, and preferably a little bit acidic to neutral with a pH between 5.0 to 7.5. It can be slightly sandy or slightly clay, but nothing too extreme. Water Giant dogwoods like a lot of water, though they can tolerate some drought once established. Try to keep the soil consistently moist, but you can allow the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings Aim for the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge. Mulch regularly to maintain an inch or two of fir bark or well-rotted compost over the root zone but three to six inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help keep the roots cool and retain the moisture in the soil. Fertilizing You shouldn’t need to fertilize an established specimen at all. If your soil is very deficient youcan provide some additional nutrients during the first few years while the tree is young. I highly encourage you to do a soil test, as that’s the only way to know what your soil is lacking and what you need to amend it with. Any good soil test will tell you where you soil is deficient and will provide suggestions about how to improve it. Follow the results of your soil test when you add amendments. Where to Buy While not as easy to find as the more common flowering dogwood, you can generally buy saplings at your local garden center or plant nursery. You may see table dogwoods listed as Swida controversa, as Swida is a synonym for Cornus and is now considered a defunct genus. Maintenance Depending on the look you want and whether you want to be able to walk or sit under the table dogwood tree, you might need to prune off the lower branches. The tree will often grow with branches reaching almost to the ground if left to its own devices. But some gardeners prefer it to have a more traditional canopy that starts six feet or so above the ground. Remove the branches at the trunk by cutting at a slight angle. You want the branch collar, which is the swollen area on the underside of the branch where it meets the trunk, to remain in place. Slope from the outer edge of the branch collar to meet the trunk at the top of the branch you’re removing. Don’t paint the wound with anything, just allow the tree to heal itself. You can remove branches to create more of an opening between the layers or to even out a lopsided tree, but I recommend allowing the tree to develop its own shape. Trees grow to best take advantage of the available light and accommodate any regular winds, it’s best to allow the dogwood to develop naturally. Pruning should be done in the early spring after the wood has thawed, but if you see diseased, deformed, or broken branches, feel free to prune them anytime. Propagation Because these trees can be a little hard to find on the market, lots of gardeners opt to grow theirs from seed or via stem cuttings from an existing tree. Fortunately, both these propagation methods are reliable. You can also graft these trees, but that’s best left to the experts. From Seed In the summer, after the blooms fade, the trees will develop small berries, known as drupes. When the birds start eating them and they are dark and squishy is usually when they’re ripe enough to harvest. Pry them open and remove the seeds, then soak in water for 24 hours and rub them on a towel to remove the pulp. At this point, you can either sow the seeds in the ground or put them in moist sphagnum moss and keep them in the fridge for three months. Putting them in the fridge mimics the cold stratification that happens naturally over the winter months. You can amend your soil with lots of well-rotted compost, but it’s not necessary. Sow two seeds together about a quarter to half an inch deep, then cover the planting area with a piece of wire mesh to prevent birds or critters from disturbing the seeds. Keep the soil evenly moist if Mother Nature doesn’t do it for you. If you prefer to start the seeds indoors in spring, keep your seeds in the fridge for three months. While they’re in there, keep the moss moist but not soaking wet. If you notice any mold forming, dip the seeds in a 20 percent bleach solution and then place them in fresh moss. After three months, remove them from the fridge and soak them for 24 hours in a bowl of water. Fill six-inch pots with potting mix and place two seeds in the center of each container a half to quarter inch deep. Place the pots in an area with at least four hours of direct sunlight and keep the potting soil evenly moist. The seeds don’t need light to germinate but a sunny location provides much needed warmth. It can take up to a month for the seeds to germinate. When the baby plant is at least six inches tall and the last frost of the year has passed in the spring, harden off the seedling over the course of a week before transplanting. From Stem Cuttings Dogwoods are easy to grow from stem cuttings as they root readily. Wait until the late winter or early spring when the buds are starting to swell but haven’t opened. Cut a six- to 12-inch length of soft, pliable stem. Make your cut just below a leaf node at a 45-degree angle. Fill a clear glass container like a canning jar with about three inches of water. Place the cuttings in the container and set it in a place with lots of bright, indirect light. Change the water every three days. When the cuttings have several inches of roots, you can move them into individual six-inch pots filled with potting mix. Bury the cuttings three or four inches deep and firm the medium up around the stems. Moisten the soil and keep it evenly moist. Place the cuttings in a spot with at least four hours of direct sunlight, either indoors or out if the weather permits. When the leaves emerge and fully open, you can harden off the cuttings if you were growing them inside before transplanting. Managing Pests and Disease Provided that you grow your tree in an appropriate spot and give it the conditions it prefers, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have any issues with pests or disease. Stressed plants are susceptible to the following: Insects There are numerous pests that trouble dogwoods, but for the most part, if your tree is healthy an infestation won’t necessarily spell disaster. That’s especially true if you catch the issue early on. Scale insects are common. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from armored oystershell scale to soft brown scale. They use their sapsucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of the tree, exuding a sticky substance called honeydew. This causes yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Our guide to controlling scale has more information. There are also multiple kinds of borers that favor dogwoods. Dogwood borers, the larvae of Synanthedon scitula, burrow into the wood and feed. This causes leaf drop and twig death. Dogwood twig borers (Oberea tripunctata) feed on young twigs, causing tip death and leaf drop. Flatheaded appletree borers (Chrysobothris femorata) chew through the bark and cambium layer, girdling the tree and causing tissue die off anywhere they feed. Learn all about dogwood pests and how to manage them here. Disease Wedding cake dogwoods are resistant to twig blight, which is a problem for many Cornus species. There are two types of anthracnose that trouble many dogwoods. These are discula and spot anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva and Elsinoe corni respectively. Both cause tan and reddish-purple spots on leaves and bracts, while discula also causes sunken cankers. These cankers can girdle and even kill the tree. Leaf spot is another common issue. Caused by Cercospora cornicola or Septoria cornicola, it results in small, irregularly-shaped tan to black spots. Finally, there’s powdery mildew. Similar to the powdery mildew that attacks your cucurbits during the summer, it causes a powdery coating on the leaves. It is caused by the fungi Erysiphe pulchra or Phyllactinia guttata. Learn about all these and how to deal with them in our guide to dogwood diseases. A Giant Wedding Cake Table dogwoods are stately beauties that command attention, but they don’t demand a lot of maintenance in return. They’re pretty easy to care for but their tiered growth habit looks like something you’d need to spend hours pruning! Are you growing table dogwood? Do you have the variegated variety or the species plant? Let us know in the comments section below! And if you’d like to read more about the Cornus genus, why not add these guides to your reading list next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via Arbico Organics. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

[conciergebloom]

Seasonal Plantscape Guide for Boca Raton Gardens

Boca Raton, Florida, with its warm climate and coastal charm, offers a fantastic environment for creating stunning seasonal gardens year-round. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting, understanding which plants thrive during different seasons will help you maintain a lush and vibrant landscape throughout the year. With mild winters, hot summers, and abundant sunshine, Boca Raton provides the perfect setting to enjoy a diverse range of plants that suit the region's unique climate.

Understanding Boca Raton's Climate

Before diving into plant selections, it’s important to understand Boca Raton’s climate and growing conditions. The region falls within USDA Hardiness Zone 10, which means:

Warm, humid summers with temperatures reaching the high 80s and 90s.

Mild winters with occasional dips but rarely freezing temperatures.

Well-draining, sandy soils that often need organic amendments for optimal plant health.

Seasonal rainfall patterns, with wetter summers and drier winters.

With these factors in mind, let's explore the best plants for each season to keep your Boca Raton garden thriving year-round.

Spring Plantscape Ideas

Spring in Boca Raton brings ideal growing conditions with moderate temperatures and increasing rainfall. It’s a great time to refresh your garden with vibrant colors and lush foliage.

Best Spring Plants for Boca Raton:

Bougainvillea: This hardy, drought-tolerant vine bursts into a riot of pink, red, and purple blooms in spring, adding a tropical touch to your landscape.

Hibiscus: These large, showy flowers provide instant impact and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Gardenia: Known for its fragrant white blooms and glossy green leaves, gardenia thrives in Boca Raton’s warm spring climate.

Petunias: Perfect for garden beds and containers, petunias come in various colors and provide long-lasting blooms throughout the season.

Crown of Thorns: A low-maintenance succulent with bright red or pink flowers that can handle the heat as spring progresses.

Spring Gardening Tips:

Start fertilizing plants with balanced nutrients to encourage new growth.

Add mulch to retain soil moisture and reduce weeds.

Prune winter-damaged branches to encourage healthy development.

Summer Plantscape Guide

Summers in Boca Raton are hot and humid, making it essential to select heat-tolerant plants that can handle intense sun exposure and occasional heavy rains.

Best Summer Plants for Boca Raton:

Plumeria: Known for their fragrant flowers and tropical appeal, plumeria thrives in the heat and requires minimal watering.

Lantana: These hardy, drought-resistant flowers attract butterflies and add vibrant color even during the hottest months.

Palms: Varieties like the Areca Palm and Sabal Palm add shade and structure to your summer garden.

Coleus: With colorful foliage in shades of red, green, and purple, coleus can brighten up shady spots.

Zinnias: These cheerful annuals are heat-tolerant and come in a variety of bright colors.

Summer Gardening Tips:

Water plants early in the morning to minimize evaporation.

Ensure good airflow around plants to prevent fungal diseases.

Consider adding shade structures or planting taller trees to protect sensitive plants.

Fall Plantscape Planning

Fall in Boca Raton is a transition period with cooler temperatures and reduced humidity, making it a perfect time for planting hardy flowers and vegetables.

Best Fall Plants for Boca Raton:

Marigolds: These cheerful flowers are heat-tolerant and bloom well into the fall season.

Chrysanthemums: Perfect for autumn landscapes, mums come in warm colors that complement the fall season.

Crotons: Their colorful, variegated foliage adds warmth and vibrancy to fall gardens.

Snapdragons: Ideal for cooler temperatures, snapdragons add vertical interest and bright colors.

Herbs like basil, mint, and thyme: The cooler weather makes it easier to grow fresh herbs for your kitchen.

Fall Gardening Tips:

Begin planting cooler-weather vegetables like lettuce and kale.

Prune back overgrown summer plants to encourage fresh growth.

Add compost to enrich the soil before winter.

Winter Plantscape Selection

Winter in Boca Raton is mild, allowing for continued gardening with certain plants that can tolerate cooler evenings while still thriving in the daytime warmth.

Best Winter Plants for Boca Raton:

Poinsettias: Known for their festive red and green foliage, poinsettias are a great addition to winter landscapes.

Begonias: These versatile plants provide color and work well in shaded garden areas.

Impatiens: Perfect for adding bright pops of color in winter gardens.

Ornamental Kale and Cabbage: These hardy plants add unique textures and colors to winter gardens.

Camellias: Their beautiful blooms add charm and elegance during the cooler months.

Winter Gardening Tips:

Protect sensitive plants from occasional cold snaps with frost cloth.

Reduce watering as plant growth slows during the cooler season.

Continue weeding and mulching to maintain healthy soil.

Designing a Year-Round Plantscape

Creating a year-round plantscape in Boca Raton involves careful planning and selecting a mix of perennials, annuals, and shrubs that provide interest in every season. Consider incorporating:

Native plants that thrive in Boca Raton’s climate with minimal maintenance.

Drought-tolerant varieties to reduce water usage during dry seasons.

Colorful combinations that change with the seasons for continuous visual appeal.

Layering techniques, such as tall palms with understory shrubs and ground covers.

Conclusion

With its year-round growing potential, Boca Raton offers endless opportunities to create a stunning seasonal plantscape. By selecting the right plants for each season and following essential gardening tips, you can enjoy a thriving and colorful garden that enhances your outdoor space. Whether you're drawn to vibrant tropical flowers, lush greenery, or low-maintenance native plants, there's something for every gardening enthusiast in Boca Raton.

So, grab your gardening tools, get inspired, and start planning your perfect seasonal garden today!

[tameblog]

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can grow a pothos plant. This trailing vine has quickly risen in the houseplant ranks due to its durability and tons of variety. Learn how to care for your plant, propagate it, and the most popular types of pothos you can find at your local garden centre. I have a confession. Sometimes, my houseplants go neglected. While I practically have a certified green thumb, I get so excited about my outdoor garden that my little houseplants inside can go by the wayside. It isn’t until fall and the winter chill arrives and I’m stuck inside do I go, “Oh yeah, my houseplants!” Luckily, my pothos doesn’t seem to mind one bit. This houseplant truly is a little warrior that keeps on keeping on no matter the conditions it’s put in. So if you’re looking for a low maintenance and beautifully green houseplant, keep reading to learn more about pothos! This guide covers… The pothos is a vining plant, so I like to place them high like on my kitchen shelves. Meet the Pothos Plant Epipremnum aureum is most commonly known as devil’s ivy or pothos. Originally native to French Polynesia, you can find it in the wild throughout India, China, Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands. A prolific grower, it can grow in zones 10-11 outdoors but can get very invasive. It’s mostly grown as a houseplant and has quickly become a favourite due to its ability to grow in many different conditions. Pothos is a trailing vine with green leaves that can grow anywhere from 6-8 ft long. You can also find many variegated varieties of the plant in yellow, white, or cream. Even under the most perfect conditions, the plant doesn’t usually flower. You enjoy it simply for its beautiful leaves! (By the way, if you are interested in flowers, here’s a list of the most beautiful flowering houseplants!) Many confuse pothos with the philodendron plant as they are from the same family, Araceae. However, they’re different species. Pothos come in many different hues of green. Popular Types of Pothos Golden Pothos: You are sure to find these pothos at your local garden centre as it’s the most common variety. It has signature green, heart-shaped leaves with golden markings. Marble Queen Pothos: Another popular variety, the marble queen pothos has a ton of white mixed in with the green, creating a marbled effect. This variety prefers more light as it produces less chlorophyll than other varieties. Jessenia Pothos: Like the Marble Queen, you will find plenty of variegation on the Jessenia pothos. However, Jessenia is much brighter and closer to lime green and yellow. It also will thrive with bright, indirect light. Neon Pothos: One of the rarer varieties, prepare yourself for lime green leaves with the neon pothos. The colours can range from pale green to an almost golden hue. The colour intensifies as the leaves age. Manjula Pothos: Produced by the University of Florida, the Manjula looks similar to its parent plant, Marble Queen. You will notice curvy edges on this variety and often more intensified patches of white. You can also find many pothos plants with variegated leaves. Basic Care for Pothos Plants Chances are, you won’t get many complaints from your pothos! They’re one of the most indestructible houseplants out there. That being said, they do have ideal conditions, like all plants, to ensure they’re happy and reach their full potential. Location Many beginners love growing pothos not just for their hardiness but because of their versatility. You can grow pothos… In hanging pots. Let them trail down from above to keep out of the way of pets and kids or for an indoor jungle feel. Let them climb outwards along a table or windowsill. Give them a moss pole or another support to allow them to grow upwards to new heights. Give the vines somewhere to rest so the plant can trail along the wall. Light In a perfect world, you would place your pothos indoors somewhere with bright, indirect light. You want to keep them away from direct light and the hot afternoon sun. This is how they will get the prettiest leaves. However, you will find the pothos listed as one of few plants that do well in low light. If you have a dark corner of the house, want an office plant, or need some greenery for the bathroom, the pothos may just fit right in. If you have variegated pothos, keep in mind that they may lose their variegation or will grow slowly if they don’t get enough light. Because the green parts of the plant are what collect energy from the sun, these kinds of pothos have to work harder to get enough energy for the plant and will often grow slower. Pothos can handle low light but prefer bright indirect light. Watering Here’s some good news: if you forget to water your pothos, they’ll forgive you. Pothos don’t need a lot of water, and you should only water them once the soil is dry. Test the soil with your finger before watering. You want the soil to be moist but not soaking after you’ve watered. Soil Any soil for houseplants will work well for your pothos. Like most houseplants, pothos can suffer from root rot so make sure it is planted in a pot with good drainage and avoid overwatering. Interestingly enough, you can also grow pothos cuttings in water. You can leave your pothos relatively unattended as long as the roots are touching the water. But to get really happy pothos, soil works best. Wait for the soil to dry before watering your pothos. Fertilizer Fertilize your pothos every 2-3 months during the growing season. Water-soluble fertilizer works best. This will encourage your pothos to grow more quickly, but they will also grow well without fertilizer. Common Issues With Pothos Plants If you see yellow leaves on your pothos, don’t panic quite yet. As older leaves die, they will turn yellow before falling off. You should only be concerned if young leaves turn yellow or older leaves have brown tips. Most often, this is a sign of too much light. Move pothos away from any direct sunlight. It could also be a sign of overwatering or a sudden drastic weather change. Fungus gnats are also common with houseplants, also from overwatering and wet soil as well as root rot. Newer leaves that yellow are a sign of distress for the plant. Frequently Asked Questions About Pothos Plants Why is pothos called Devil’s Ivy? Another name for pothos, many also refer to the houseplant as devil’s ivy. This name comes from the fact that the plant is so difficult to kill. It also will stay a nice green despite being in dark lighting. How do you propagate pothos? The easiest way to propagate pothos is by taking cuttings and placing them in water. To do so, make a cutting using sanitized scissors or pruners. Cut underneath a node (where a leaf comes out) and place it in water. The roots will grow from these nodes. Make sure to remove any leaves that would be underwater as they can contaminate the water with bacteria.Once the roots are about 2 inches long, you can transplant them to the soil. Alternatively, you can leave them in water for as long as you like!Sometimes, plants have a difficult time switching rooting mediums. Not all water to soil cuttings will adapt well. Are pothos plants toxic? Yes, pothos plants are toxic. This is because they have calcium oxalate crystals. Like tiny shards of glass, they can pierce the skin and cause irritation in the mouth or digestive tract if consumed. For this reason, it’s best to keep them away from pets and children. Learn more about pets and toxic plants here.Note: While they are toxic, they’re not fatal. They cause irritation to the skin, lips, and mouth, as well as cause vomiting. If you have any more questions about growing pothos, let me know in the comments down below! More Houseplant Guides Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can grow a pothos plant. This trailing vine has quickly risen in the houseplant ranks due to its durability and tons of variety. Learn how to care for your plant, propagate it, and the most popular types of pothos you can find at your local garden centre. I have a confession. Sometimes, my houseplants go neglected. While I practically have a certified green thumb, I get so excited about my outdoor garden that my little houseplants inside can go by the wayside. It isn’t until fall and the winter chill arrives and I’m stuck inside do I go, “Oh yeah, my houseplants!” Luckily, my pothos doesn’t seem to mind one bit. This houseplant truly is a little warrior that keeps on keeping on no matter the conditions it’s put in. So if you’re looking for a low maintenance and beautifully green houseplant, keep reading to learn more about pothos! This guide covers… The pothos is a vining plant, so I like to place them high like on my kitchen shelves. Meet the Pothos Plant Epipremnum aureum is most commonly known as devil’s ivy or pothos. Originally native to French Polynesia, you can find it in the wild throughout India, China, Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands. A prolific grower, it can grow in zones 10-11 outdoors but can get very invasive. It’s mostly grown as a houseplant and has quickly become a favourite due to its ability to grow in many different conditions. Pothos is a trailing vine with green leaves that can grow anywhere from 6-8 ft long. You can also find many variegated varieties of the plant in yellow, white, or cream. Even under the most perfect conditions, the plant doesn’t usually flower. You enjoy it simply for its beautiful leaves! (By the way, if you are interested in flowers, here’s a list of the most beautiful flowering houseplants!) Many confuse pothos with the philodendron plant as they are from the same family, Araceae. However, they’re different species. Pothos come in many different hues of green. Popular Types of Pothos Golden Pothos: You are sure to find these pothos at your local garden centre as it’s the most common variety. It has signature green, heart-shaped leaves with golden markings. Marble Queen Pothos: Another popular variety, the marble queen pothos has a ton of white mixed in with the green, creating a marbled effect. This variety prefers more light as it produces less chlorophyll than other varieties. Jessenia Pothos: Like the Marble Queen, you will find plenty of variegation on the Jessenia pothos. However, Jessenia is much brighter and closer to lime green and yellow. It also will thrive with bright, indirect light. Neon Pothos: One of the rarer varieties, prepare yourself for lime green leaves with the neon pothos. The colours can range from pale green to an almost golden hue. The colour intensifies as the leaves age. Manjula Pothos: Produced by the University of Florida, the Manjula looks similar to its parent plant, Marble Queen. You will notice curvy edges on this variety and often more intensified patches of white. You can also find many pothos plants with variegated leaves. Basic Care for Pothos Plants Chances are, you won’t get many complaints from your pothos! They’re one of the most indestructible houseplants out there. That being said, they do have ideal conditions, like all plants, to ensure they’re happy and reach their full potential. Location Many beginners love growing pothos not just for their hardiness but because of their versatility. You can grow pothos… In hanging pots. Let them trail down from above to keep out of the way of pets and kids or for an indoor jungle feel. Let them climb outwards along a table or windowsill. Give them a moss pole or another support to allow them to grow upwards to new heights. Give the vines somewhere to rest so the plant can trail along the wall. Light In a perfect world, you would place your pothos indoors somewhere with bright, indirect light. You want to keep them away from direct light and the hot afternoon sun. This is how they will get the prettiest leaves. However, you will find the pothos listed as one of few plants that do well in low light. If you have a dark corner of the house, want an office plant, or need some greenery for the bathroom, the pothos may just fit right in. If you have variegated pothos, keep in mind that they may lose their variegation or will grow slowly if they don’t get enough light. Because the green parts of the plant are what collect energy from the sun, these kinds of pothos have to work harder to get enough energy for the plant and will often grow slower. Pothos can handle low light but prefer bright indirect light. Watering Here’s some good news: if you forget to water your pothos, they’ll forgive you. Pothos don’t need a lot of water, and you should only water them once the soil is dry. Test the soil with your finger before watering. You want the soil to be moist but not soaking after you’ve watered. Soil Any soil for houseplants will work well for your pothos. Like most houseplants, pothos can suffer from root rot so make sure it is planted in a pot with good drainage and avoid overwatering. Interestingly enough, you can also grow pothos cuttings in water. You can leave your pothos relatively unattended as long as the roots are touching the water. But to get really happy pothos, soil works best. Wait for the soil to dry before watering your pothos. Fertilizer Fertilize your pothos every 2-3 months during the growing season. Water-soluble fertilizer works best. This will encourage your pothos to grow more quickly, but they will also grow well without fertilizer. Common Issues With Pothos Plants If you see yellow leaves on your pothos, don’t panic quite yet. As older leaves die, they will turn yellow before falling off. You should only be concerned if young leaves turn yellow or older leaves have brown tips. Most often, this is a sign of too much light. Move pothos away from any direct sunlight. It could also be a sign of overwatering or a sudden drastic weather change. Fungus gnats are also common with houseplants, also from overwatering and wet soil as well as root rot. Newer leaves that yellow are a sign of distress for the plant. Frequently Asked Questions About Pothos Plants Why is pothos called Devil’s Ivy? Another name for pothos, many also refer to the houseplant as devil’s ivy. This name comes from the fact that the plant is so difficult to kill. It also will stay a nice green despite being in dark lighting. How do you propagate pothos? The easiest way to propagate pothos is by taking cuttings and placing them in water. To do so, make a cutting using sanitized scissors or pruners. Cut underneath a node (where a leaf comes out) and place it in water. The roots will grow from these nodes. Make sure to remove any leaves that would be underwater as they can contaminate the water with bacteria.Once the roots are about 2 inches long, you can transplant them to the soil. Alternatively, you can leave them in water for as long as you like!Sometimes, plants have a difficult time switching rooting mediums. Not all water to soil cuttings will adapt well. Are pothos plants toxic? Yes, pothos plants are toxic. This is because they have calcium oxalate crystals. Like tiny shards of glass, they can pierce the skin and cause irritation in the mouth or digestive tract if consumed. For this reason, it’s best to keep them away from pets and children. Learn more about pets and toxic plants here.Note: While they are toxic, they’re not fatal. They cause irritation to the skin, lips, and mouth, as well as cause vomiting. If you have any more questions about growing pothos, let me know in the comments down below! More Houseplant Guides Source link

[alexha2210]

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can grow a pothos plant. This trailing vine has quickly risen in the houseplant ranks due to its durability and tons of variety. Learn how to care for your plant, propagate it, and the most popular types of pothos you can find at your local garden centre. I have a confession. Sometimes, my houseplants go neglected. While I practically have a certified green thumb, I get so excited about my outdoor garden that my little houseplants inside can go by the wayside. It isn’t until fall and the winter chill arrives and I’m stuck inside do I go, “Oh yeah, my houseplants!” Luckily, my pothos doesn’t seem to mind one bit. This houseplant truly is a little warrior that keeps on keeping on no matter the conditions it’s put in. So if you’re looking for a low maintenance and beautifully green houseplant, keep reading to learn more about pothos! This guide covers… The pothos is a vining plant, so I like to place them high like on my kitchen shelves. Meet the Pothos Plant Epipremnum aureum is most commonly known as devil’s ivy or pothos. Originally native to French Polynesia, you can find it in the wild throughout India, China, Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands. A prolific grower, it can grow in zones 10-11 outdoors but can get very invasive. It’s mostly grown as a houseplant and has quickly become a favourite due to its ability to grow in many different conditions. Pothos is a trailing vine with green leaves that can grow anywhere from 6-8 ft long. You can also find many variegated varieties of the plant in yellow, white, or cream. Even under the most perfect conditions, the plant doesn’t usually flower. You enjoy it simply for its beautiful leaves! (By the way, if you are interested in flowers, here’s a list of the most beautiful flowering houseplants!) Many confuse pothos with the philodendron plant as they are from the same family, Araceae. However, they’re different species. Pothos come in many different hues of green. Popular Types of Pothos Golden Pothos: You are sure to find these pothos at your local garden centre as it’s the most common variety. It has signature green, heart-shaped leaves with golden markings. Marble Queen Pothos: Another popular variety, the marble queen pothos has a ton of white mixed in with the green, creating a marbled effect. This variety prefers more light as it produces less chlorophyll than other varieties. Jessenia Pothos: Like the Marble Queen, you will find plenty of variegation on the Jessenia pothos. However, Jessenia is much brighter and closer to lime green and yellow. It also will thrive with bright, indirect light. Neon Pothos: One of the rarer varieties, prepare yourself for lime green leaves with the neon pothos. The colours can range from pale green to an almost golden hue. The colour intensifies as the leaves age. Manjula Pothos: Produced by the University of Florida, the Manjula looks similar to its parent plant, Marble Queen. You will notice curvy edges on this variety and often more intensified patches of white. You can also find many pothos plants with variegated leaves. Basic Care for Pothos Plants Chances are, you won’t get many complaints from your pothos! They’re one of the most indestructible houseplants out there. That being said, they do have ideal conditions, like all plants, to ensure they’re happy and reach their full potential. Location Many beginners love growing pothos not just for their hardiness but because of their versatility. You can grow pothos… In hanging pots. Let them trail down from above to keep out of the way of pets and kids or for an indoor jungle feel. Let them climb outwards along a table or windowsill. Give them a moss pole or another support to allow them to grow upwards to new heights. Give the vines somewhere to rest so the plant can trail along the wall. Light In a perfect world, you would place your pothos indoors somewhere with bright, indirect light. You want to keep them away from direct light and the hot afternoon sun. This is how they will get the prettiest leaves. However, you will find the pothos listed as one of few plants that do well in low light. If you have a dark corner of the house, want an office plant, or need some greenery for the bathroom, the pothos may just fit right in. If you have variegated pothos, keep in mind that they may lose their variegation or will grow slowly if they don’t get enough light. Because the green parts of the plant are what collect energy from the sun, these kinds of pothos have to work harder to get enough energy for the plant and will often grow slower. Pothos can handle low light but prefer bright indirect light. Watering Here’s some good news: if you forget to water your pothos, they’ll forgive you. Pothos don’t need a lot of water, and you should only water them once the soil is dry. Test the soil with your finger before watering. You want the soil to be moist but not soaking after you’ve watered. Soil Any soil for houseplants will work well for your pothos. Like most houseplants, pothos can suffer from root rot so make sure it is planted in a pot with good drainage and avoid overwatering. Interestingly enough, you can also grow pothos cuttings in water. You can leave your pothos relatively unattended as long as the roots are touching the water. But to get really happy pothos, soil works best. Wait for the soil to dry before watering your pothos. Fertilizer Fertilize your pothos every 2-3 months during the growing season. Water-soluble fertilizer works best. This will encourage your pothos to grow more quickly, but they will also grow well without fertilizer. Common Issues With Pothos Plants If you see yellow leaves on your pothos, don’t panic quite yet. As older leaves die, they will turn yellow before falling off. You should only be concerned if young leaves turn yellow or older leaves have brown tips. Most often, this is a sign of too much light. Move pothos away from any direct sunlight. It could also be a sign of overwatering or a sudden drastic weather change. Fungus gnats are also common with houseplants, also from overwatering and wet soil as well as root rot. Newer leaves that yellow are a sign of distress for the plant. Frequently Asked Questions About Pothos Plants Why is pothos called Devil’s Ivy? Another name for pothos, many also refer to the houseplant as devil’s ivy. This name comes from the fact that the plant is so difficult to kill. It also will stay a nice green despite being in dark lighting. How do you propagate pothos? The easiest way to propagate pothos is by taking cuttings and placing them in water. To do so, make a cutting using sanitized scissors or pruners. Cut underneath a node (where a leaf comes out) and place it in water. The roots will grow from these nodes. Make sure to remove any leaves that would be underwater as they can contaminate the water with bacteria.Once the roots are about 2 inches long, you can transplant them to the soil. Alternatively, you can leave them in water for as long as you like!Sometimes, plants have a difficult time switching rooting mediums. Not all water to soil cuttings will adapt well. Are pothos plants toxic? Yes, pothos plants are toxic. This is because they have calcium oxalate crystals. Like tiny shards of glass, they can pierce the skin and cause irritation in the mouth or digestive tract if consumed. For this reason, it’s best to keep them away from pets and children. Learn more about pets and toxic plants here.Note: While they are toxic, they’re not fatal. They cause irritation to the skin, lips, and mouth, as well as cause vomiting. If you have any more questions about growing pothos, let me know in the comments down below! More Houseplant Guides Source link