So many flowering shrubs bloom for just a short time, while others offer summer-long flowers. If you want a garden with nonstop color for pollinators, try one of these 12 shrubs for reliable all-season bloom.
Tag: shrubs
What are Good Shade Trees and Shrubs for Wet Clay Soils?
“What are the best trees and shrubs for western NC that can take shade and wet, clay soil?” Question from Vickie of West Palm Beach, Florida
Answer: I am assuming you have another home in North Carolina. There are several great trees and shrubs that will grow well in shady spots with wet, clay soils. Here are some of my recommendations.
Shade Trees for Wet, Clay Soils
American snowbells (Styrax americanus, 6-10 feet): This little tree is a real southern beauty. It’s bell-shaped, white spring flowers are fragrant, and it grows beautifully in wet clay. The blooms even attract butterflies.
Canadian serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis, 15-30 feet): This multi-stemmed, small tree is an all-around winner for good looks and grows beautifully in partial shade and moist, clay soils. It has beautiful white spring flowers that bloom before the trees leaf out, edible summer fruits, and great fall color. They are also native to the forests of North Carolina.
Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata, 40-70 feet): This large magnolia is admired for its huge, showy summer leaves and fragrant greenish-yellow flowers that bloom in late spring. It is also a regional native for your area that thrives in moist soils and shade.
Mayhaw (Crataegus opaca, 12-36 feet): This southern classic for your area with edible fruits used to make jam. In spring it has white flowers. It grows best in low, wet woods.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum, 40-70 feet): There are many varieties of red maple that are known for their beautiful fall color. All can withstand partial shade and wet soils. This tree is also a North Carolina native.
Shade Shrubs for Wet, Clay Soils
Black Cat Pussywillow (Salix chaenomeloides Black Cat®, 10-13 feet): In very early spring this large pussywillow produces dark purple flowers, and it grows beautifully in shady spots with wet, clay soils.
Sugar Shach Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis, 3-4 feet): This attractive shrub has round, fragrant, white flower clusters in summer. The cultivar Sugar Shack® is much shorter than wild forms and will thrive in your soils and shade.
Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea): These are some of the prettiest shrubs for winter with their super colorful red, orange, or yellow twigs. Some are very compact, and they all grow well in wet, clay soils and shade. (Click here to read more about great varieties of this shrub.)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): This is another amazing shrub for winter. The moisture-loving holly produces brilliant clusters of red or yellow berries in winter and withstands shade. (Click here to read more about great varieties of this shrub.)
I hope this list helps!
Happy gardening,
Jessie Keith
Black Gold Horticulturist
Can You Suggest Native Winter Shrubs that Feed Birds?
“What native bushes (VA) can I plant that will provide winter food for wild birds?” Question from Dagmar of Virginia
Answer: The fruits and nuts of many Mid-Atlantic native shrubs feed birds in winter. Here are some of the best shrubs with fruits and nuts for winter birds.
Native American Shrubs with Fruits for Birds.
Some of the best red-fruited shrubs for birds are winterberry (Ilex verticillata), American cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum), and chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia). The pretty witherod (Viburnum nudum) has berries that turn from bright pink to blueish-purple, and arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) has deep-blue berries. The vivid purple fruits of American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) are also lovely and loved by birds. These highly landscape-worthy native shrubs have beautiful winter fruits coveted by many songbirds.
Native American Shrubs with Nuts for Birds.
A good nut-producing native shrub is the American hazelnut (Corylus americana). Plant this large shrub along the margins of any spacious garden or landscape. The edible hazelnuts they produce are just as tasty to homeowners as they are to birds and other wildlife. We also recommend planting sunflowers in the garden. Let their seedheads dry and winter birds will flock to them. (Click here to learn more about nuts for edible landscaping.)
Check out your local garden center for varieties of these shrubs. Most cultivated forms have even more fruits than wild types. Expect the berries to persist from early to midwinter, so you can appreciate their landscape color and wildlife value.
Happy winter gardening!
Jessie Keith
12 Fragrant Winter Flowering Shrubs for Beauty and Bees
Continue reading “12 Fragrant Winter Flowering Shrubs for Beauty and Bees”
Western Native Evergreen Shrubs for Landscapes
In recent years, I have noticed a substantial increase in the use of native shrubs for the home garden. Many are diverse and beautiful while growing well in local climates, and those with winter interest have the added benefit of year-round beauty. Quite a few native evergreen shrubs from our region have exceptional landscape value.
In my own neighborhood, I have seen an interest in native plants, both from the average gardener that plants a just few natives to the avid gardener that plants all natives. While the intention is noteworthy, there are a few cultural requirements that homeowners must consider beforehand. Just because a plant is a local native does not mean it is the right plant for the home garden. If you are going to plant natives, do some research native plants in your area and their natural habitats. Consider the soil, elevation, and location of the plant with respect to sun and shade before planting it in your yard. Shrub size and habit also matter.
Another option is relying on the knowledge and experience of others. Here are seven Pacific Northwest native plants that I can recommend. They all look good and perform well in home landscapes, and many have berries (some edible and some not) that are enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. One or more might be suitable for your garden.
Coast Rhododendron
Our own native rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), often referred to as the coast rhododendron, is similar to many of the hybrid landscape Rhododendrons. It grows naturally as an understory plant in our forests and does well with light shade and soil rich in humus. The addition of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is a helpful addition at planting time. Clusters of showy rose-purple flowers appear in mid to late spring, and large evergreen leaves keep landscapes looking good in the winter months.
California Huckleberry
The native evergreen California huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) grows from California up into the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. It is often seen in gardens because it has shiny, dark green leaves that look good year round. In the spring, there are clusters of small pink to white bell-shaped flowers, which are followed by edible black berries that are often used in pies and jams. Huckleberries also like a raised soil that is rich in humus and compost. Give them some protection from the hot afternoon sun.
Oregon Grape
The Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) is the state flower of Oregon. It is well known in American landscapes with its glossy, green, holly-like leaves and early clusters of yellow flowers that are followed by stems with blue fruit. The early yellow flowers are an important source of food for hummingbirds, and the fruits are of favorite of native birds.
Salal
Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is one of the best known of the native landscape plants from this region. Shrubs usually reach only 1 to 2 feet in height, making it an excellent shrubby ground cover. Long clusters of white or pinkish flowers appear in spring, followed by blue-black fruits that are attractive to many birds. Its evergreen leaves look clean and attractive through winter.
Salmonberry
The semi-evergreen salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is a thorny shrub with a growth habit similar to that of raspberries. It is very easy to grow and has reddish-pink flowers that are followed by raspberry-like berries that vary in color from yellow to red. Salmonberry can form dense thickets that provide good cover for many native birds in addition to fruits. The berries are also edible to humans, but they are somewhat dry and not as tasty as raspberries, blackberries, or loganberries.
Manzanita
The native greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) is another well-known garden plant that is tough enough to be used in highway landscaping. Hummingbirds gravitate to the pinkish early spring flowers. Manzanita leaves are usually green to gray-green, and the small, bell-shaped flowers look pretty early in the season and develop into edible summer fruits. One of the outstanding features of this shrub is its coppery bark, which adds to its showy evergreen leaves.
Silk Tassel Bush
Coast silk tassel (Garrya elliptica) can reach 12 to 15 feet in height and is sometimes trained as a small tree. Plants have either male or female flowers, so you need to plant more than one if you want the fruits provided by the female plants. The notable male catkins (tassels) can reach 6 to 8 inches long. Purple fruits hang on the female plants later in the season until they are eaten by birds. This is an excellent foliage plant that needs well-drained soil. For a shrub with exceptionally long catkins, plant the male variety ‘James Roof’.
These are just some of the many native evergreen shrubs that are being used in western home gardens and landscapes. Many more choices exist, and with just a little research, you should be able to find one that will fit well into your garden.
Growing California Christmasberry
In my old High Sierra home, I decorated with my own native Christmasberry (Heteromeles arbutifolia, USDA Zone 8) fruit every winter for nearly 20 years. Also called California toyon, this shrub produces large sprays of bright red fruits that are so seasonally welcome, I wondered why it was not more popular in landscaping.
Christmasberry makes a fine alternative to Asian Frasier’s photinia (Photinia fraseri), non-native hollies (Ilex spp.), and other exotic evergreens. Deep, emerald-green foliage makes the red fruits really stand out in the winter garden while providing bird habitat all year long. In the High Sierras, the wild evergreens remained unchanged from the end of late-spring rains to December, when the rains returned. That’s a minimum of seven months with no supplemental water!
Potted Christmasberry
Like so many California native shrubs, Christmasberry is difficult to grow commercially in pots because of its deep, wide-spreading root system — the key to its amazing drought resistance. Natives with large root systems rapidly outgrow nursery pots by the end of the first year, when grown from seed. If not transplanted into a deeper pot, the roots will hit the pot bottom and grow sideways.
Distorted tap and feeder roots will keep a growing shrub from achieving proper root depth once planted in the ground. This is why Christmasberry, and comparable native trees and shrubs, are uncommon in garden centers. So many have disproportionate top-to-root growth. A tiny seedling may have a three-foot-deep root system that refuses to adapt to container culture. This was such a problem with California native oaks, that growers finally gave up on trying to pot them and planted acorns instead.
Purchase the smallest, youngest potted plants, if you can find Heteromeles arbutifolia for sale locally. A big plant in a small pot won’t adapt well to drought.
Growing Christmasberry from Seed
Sowing Christmasberry plants from gathered seed is an even better option. Home-grown shrubs can quickly be planted outdoors, allowing the tiny seedlings to freely root into the soil and adapt to local rainfall limitations.
First gather mature, red fruits and clean each one to release the two seeds inside. In my High Sierra home, robins came each year to feed on the fruits, excreting clean, ready-to-germinate seed on my land. To simulate this same scenario at home, separate the seed cleanly from the fruit and allow the seed to dry. This seed will remain viable for only about 8 months.
Sow the dry seed in winter to get them started, just like wild seed with the spring rains. Choose a light, natural garden soil, such as Black Gold Seedling Mix. Start by filling a plastic lidded salad or fruit box with the fresh mix, and set the seed into the moist media, but don’t cover it. Keep the seeds lightly moist and at room temperature, and they should sprout in about a week. Transplant newly sprouted seedlings into deep pots of Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix. Place them under bright light until they reach 1-inch in height, usually within six weeks. Transplant into the landscape once the soil can be worked to ensure healthy root growth and easy planting. Spring planted seedlings should be deeply watered once or twice, then let them grow on rainfall unless conditions are unseasonably arid.
Planting Christmasberry
In the wild, Christmasberry typically grows on rocky slopes with dry, well-drained soils that are sometimes a bit saline. Keep this in mind when selecting a location to plant or sow your shrubs. As long as the roots are free to grow deeply, they will out-perform thirsty hollies and other exotic holiday berries without asking for much, if any, supplemental water.
Mature shrubs are bushy, somewhat shade tolerant, and typically reach 6-10 feet or more. In early summer clusters of white flowers are produced. These are transformed into red, berry-like fruits that persist into winter. Established plants can live up to 200 years.
Other natural, shrubby companions found with Christmasberry are California lilac (Ceanothus spp.), manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), western redbud (Cercis occidentalis), and fremontia (Fremontodendron spp.), all of which grew on or near my old property. This is the essential palette of native California shrubs or small trees that promise beauty in drought.
There is no better recommendation for a species to withstand the perpetual “shake, bake, and irrigate” of the West Coast. Christmasberry survives fire and holds slopes against mudslides, according to Lester Rowntree in her classic 1947 book, Flowering Shrubs of California. Lester wrote: “I have seen acres of toyon [Christmasberry], in solid formation, come back after fire from the roots of old bushes, ringing the bases of burned 18-foot stems, standing black and dead, with the bright rich green of new growth.”
Shrubs with Fall Color
In the spring, gardens come alive with tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs, and the peonies and many other herbaceous perennials emerge from the soil. It is a time of much 
anticipation for gardeners. We often visit our local garden centers to see what is new, in bloom, and what we must have. In the fall season, however, gardeners are less apt to visit garden centers or other gardens. As a result, many late-blooming trees and shrubs are overlooked when there are so many trees and shrubs with fall color to consider.
I began to seek out trees and shrubs that provide good fall color some time ago. Whether the color comes from flowers, berries, bark, or foliage, there is a surprising assortment to chose from. My plants of choice were selected for Pacific Northwest gardeners, but they can also be cultivated in other parts of the country.
Hydrangea
While hydrangeas are noted for their spectacular flowers in late spring and summer, some varieties provide great fall color. One is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Fire and Ice’. The cream-colored spring flowers change to pink as the season progresses, and by the end of summer the papery blooms turn dark to medium pink.
Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) put on a great fall show with both colorful flowers and foliage. Not only do their pinkish-tan flowers remain attractive into winter, but their leaves turn brilliant shades of red. ‘Snow Queen’ is a large, carefree oakleaf hydrangea with rich mahogany red fall leaves and very large flowers.
Hydrangeas grow best in humus-rich, moderately moist soil. Before planting amend with Black Gold Peat Moss Plus. It contains an organic wetting agent and helps hold soil moisture during the hot days of summer.
Crape Myrtle
There are so many selections of crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) that it can be difficult to make a decision if one only has space for a single plant. Older varieties were traditionally late blooming and prone to powdery mildew here in the Pacific Northwest, but most new selections are resistant to powdery mildew and will flower from July to September. An added bonus is that crape myrtles bloom on new growth, so they can be pruned to size in winter or spring if space is a consideration. The flower colors range from white to lavender to shades of pink and red. Some varieties even have red, bronze, or dark purple foliage, which can provide a nice contrast against a home or large border.
Peanut Butter Shrub
Clerodendron trichotomum, often referred to as the “peanut butter shrub” due to its leaf and stem fragrance, is a mid- to late-summer bloomer that produces brilliant clusters of fall fruits. Each fruit has four fuchsia calyces that surround a metallic turquoise drupe. The showy fruits remain on the tree into the early fall.
European Spindle Tree
Euonymus europaeus ‘Aldenhamensis’, (European spindle tree) produces a comparable display of brilliant fruits. In spring, rather nondescript clusters of small white flowers appear. In fall, fruits appear that are brilliant pink outside and open to show orange berries. If that is not enough, the leaves turn brilliant fuchsia before dropping.
There is much to be seen in the garden at this time of year. Not only are summer annuals still going strong and dahlias at their prime, but many trees and shrubs are putting on quite a show that should not be missed. It is a good time to visit your local garden center to discover these and other fall-blooming trees and shrubs for autumn. (Click here to discover more fabulous fall-blooming shrubs.)
Plants For the Winter Garden
In the Pacific Northwest, the garden in winter can be a bit bleak. I know mine certainly is. However, the more I talk to other gardeners and visit other gardens at this time of year, the more color I see. Often the color is not from flowers, but from bark, foliage and stems.
For the last few years, I am been striving to add more plants in my garden that will provide some winter color. I have learned that it is best to plant them in a location where we can see them from our windows. Planting them in the back garden is a waste since we are not often there in winter to see them.
In addition to looking for winter color, this is also a good time of year to walk through the garden and see if there are ‘pockets’ around plants where the water has settled and is not draining. In these areas, I like to add Black Gold Soil Natural and Organic Soil Builder to increase aeration and drainage and add needed organic matter for the coming year. A phrase that I often hear is “more plants die from winter wet than winter cold.” This is certainly the case for many garden plants, such as salvias.
Evergreens
For winter color, a new plant (to me) that can provide golden chartreuse color to the garden is Thuja orientalis ‘Franky Boy’. We often think of Thuja as being large plants, but this one just grows 4-6 inches per year and will only reach about 3 feet in ten years, so it can be used in a garden border. It has thread-like foliage and an upright ball shape. For the opposite color extreme, a silver evergreen conifer is Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’. This outstanding, slow-growing plant has curved green needles that show silvery-white undersides. I have had one in a pot for several years, and it looks great at any time of the year.
Sweet Box
I should not overlook some of the shrubs that are already in bloom in the January garden. Sweet box (Sarcococca ruscifolia) is one. It is a very easy-to-grow small evergreen shrub that produces a small, sweetly fragrant, creamy white flower in winter that perfume the area around it. I’ve often had visitors walk past my plants and all of a sudden will detect the fragrance and not know where it is coming from. Sweet Box likes some shade from the hot afternoon summer sun and likes organic-rich soil, so be sure to add Black Gold Garden Compost at planting time.
Wintersweet
Recent snow and ice provided opportunities for gardeners to take some unique photos. Oregon State Community Horticulturist, Neil Bell, sent me this photo of his wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) with its flowers encased in ice. He reported that the ice did not seem to bother them, and once it had melted, the flowers went back to scenting the garden. Wintersweet can grow to 10-12 feet and produces winter flowers on leafless branches. If space considerations are an issue, it can easily be pruned to a smaller stature.
So, while at first glance we might think the winter garden is bleak, it does not have to be. Check out your local garden centers now for plants showing bloom and/or color. I am noticing that many local garden centers are grouping slow-growing conifers together to show the array of colors available. Gardening in the Pacific Northwest is a year-round adventure!
Landscape Lessons from a Fremontia
For almost twenty years I lived on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada where the flora was rich in the most outstanding native flowering shrub species for drought resistant landscapes. The most valuable observation was seeing where they chose to grow in the wild. When you study the habitat of any plant closely enough, you learn exactly what it wants, and the conditions it prefers in your yard, too. Continue reading “Landscape Lessons from a Fremontia”
Which Winter Witch Hazel Should You Grow?
Take a random survey of 10 neighbors and asked the question: “When you hear the words ‘witch hazel’, what do you think of?” For most, the answer will not be a plant. They will probably say something like: “That stuff you find at the drug store for skin care.” I did ask several neighbors this question, and not one mentioned the beautiful landscape shrub gardeners revere. When I told my neighbors that the word also refers to a plant, most said: “Gardeners live in their own world.”
It is probably true that gardeners can easily get caught up in their own world, and talking about witch hazel is a good example. To gardeners, the name refers to a wonderful group of shrubs in the genus Hamamelis. Many of these are late-winter bloomers that bring needed color to the garden.
Witch Hazel Care
Winter witch hazel are one of the earliest shrubs to bloom. They are also easy, low maintenance plants that require little care once established. They like a rich organic soil, and the addition of OMRI Listed Black Gold Garden Soil would be ideal to work into the soil at planting time. They grow best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Afternoon shade is best because it protects plants from hot afternoon sun in summer. Pruning is not recommended because these plants develop a beautiful natural habit, so plant them where they will have lots of space to grow.
Hybrid Witch Hazel Varieties
Most of the witch hazel plants found in garden centers will be hybrids (Hamamelis x intermedia). These common hybrids come in lots of excellent varieties. As a general rule, witch hazels grow to 12-15 feet tall and have a spreading growth habit. They are deciduous plants with flowers that bloom before the foliage appears, which adds to their striking winter appearance.
The flowers are fragrant, so consider placing them in an area where their fragrance can be noticed. Bees are attracted to the blooms, making them valuable winter plants for early pollinators. The flowers of some varieties are more fragrant than others, so I suggest going to a garden center when the plants are in bloom and giving them a sniff test. In addition to early flowering and fragrance, most witch hazels have beautiful fall color in shades of red, gold, purple, and orange.
Popular cultivars that are probably available at your local garden centers include:
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’– January-February bloomer with bright yellow flowers and excellent fall leaf color
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ (syn. ‘Coppery Beauty’) — popular early January bloomer, with coppery orange flowers
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ — red flowers in January-February, reddish purple fall foliage
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Sunburst’ — one of the brightest yellow flowers an any witch hazel
Other Witch Hazels
And now back to the source of the medicinal witch hazel, which is derived from common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). This native plant is found in the eastern United States and was first used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. The bark and branches are harvested to make the witch hazel that we find in pharmacies. This plant has small, fragrant, yellow flowers that appear in the fall. Sometimes they are obscured by persistent fall leaves that fail to drop before bloom time.
Another eastern native witch hazel for the garden is the Ozark witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis). Like the hybrids, this is a late-winter bloomer with lovely golden flowers that are fragrant. It also has an appealing, broad habit that looks nice in landscapes. Its golden-orange fall color also adds great appeal.
Those that would like some early winter color and fragrance should consider winter-flowering witch hazels for their landscape or garden. For some summer color, try planting a Clematis at the base of your witch hazel. Train the Clematis to wind through its branches and surprise your neighbors when the flowers appear.
An excellent mail order nursery for Hamamelis is Gossler Farms Nursery, 1200 Weaver Road, Springfield, OR 97478. You can get a copy of their catalog by calling 541/746-3922.