Pulaski County Home and Garden
Gardening by Beth Phelps
Going Native
Gardeners around the country are going native. Why? Because native plants are
generally more insect and disease resistant, more drought tolerant and thus
lower maintenance than their imported cousins. Dogwood, papaw, serviceberry, red
maple , Carolina allspice, Christmas fern, Ozark witch hazel, American
beautyberry, magnolias, oaks, hawthorns, black gum, oakleaf hydrangea,
sweetshurb, wax-mytrle, Virginia sweetspire -- the list is endless.
Most gardeners are familiar with the native trees -- the oaks, red maple,
magnolia, flowering dogwood and sweet gum. Less well known are native shrubs and
perennials. Many of these plants deserve wider use in our landscapes.
The native or deciduous azaleas delight anyone who comes in contact with
them. My first encounter came in the woods near Hot Springs where the light
floral fragrance captured me long before I found the delicate honeysuckle like
pink flowers on the leafless shrub about a football field away. Don' t confuse
the natives with the omni present evergreen azaleas that come from many other
parts of the world. These plants have a loose, twiggy form and drop their leaves
in the fall. There are several species with varying bloom color and time. By
planting a variety the garden will have wonderfully fragrant blossoms from April
through August. As with all rhododendron species these natives need protection
from our hot afternoon sun, doing best if planted in the filtered sunlight under
tall pines or at the edge of a wooded area. Good drainage is a must. No azalea
will survive ‘wet feet'.
American beautyberry is a native that is somewhat non-descript during the
spring and early summer. Even the flowers are not significant. However, in late
summer the bright purple berries clustered around the stem at every leaf will
stop traffic. If bright purple is not your style, there is a white variety whose
pearl like berries resemble a choker around the branch. The purple or white
berries hang on into fall before being eaten by birds. This American native
loses its leaves but not before they turn yellow giving the garden a burst of
color. American beautyberry can take just about any growing conditions except
the deepest shade. Its growth is loose and uncontrolled. Pruning this shrub
almost to the ground in late February will control size and enhance berry
production. American beautyberry is also commonly known as French mulberry,
which is a misnomer, as wildflower guru Carl Hunter says, " It's neither French
nor a mulberry."
What southern garden would be complete without hydrangeas? Everyone is
familiar with the big round clusters of pink or blue flowers produced by the old
fashion garden hydrangea. They are showy but not native and require a lot of
water. Why not plant their more elegant cousin the oakleaf hydrangea that
provides massive clusters of creamy white to dusty pink flowers in a shady spot
and is not nearly as thirsty. In fact well-drained soil is a must. Like its
cousins the flower color changes deepening as they dry. As the flowers dry, the
fall leaves take on shades of red providing interest and color from bloom into
early winter.
Wax-myrtle is prized for its "bayberry" scented evergreen foliage. It is a
large, eight feet tall, multi-trunked shrub that can act as a screen, hedge or
be trimmed up to produce a small tree. Wax-myrtle does flower -- the flowers are
insignificant but important as they give rise to clusters of small black berries
with a waxy white coat.
Possum-Haw or deciduous holly makes a wonderful small tree for the landscape
with its airy rounded shape. However, its greatest contribution to the landscape
is the fire engine red berries that hang on until the hungry cedar waxwings fly
through in late winter.
Perennials are ever popular in the garden because they return year after
year. There are many natives that will enhance any mixed border or flowerbed.
Joe-pye weed is a native that was never considered worthy of the garden until
it was taken to Europe. Now it has returned home from the gardens of England and
is a must for any cottage garden. It is tough, pest free and produces a
spectacular late summer display of tiny pink blooms clustered on the tips of the
purplish brown stems. Joe-pye weed is best used in the back of the border, as it
can reach heights of six to eight feet.
Christmas fern is one of our natives adapted to woodland conditions. Unlike
most ferns this one is evergreen and thus is present in the garden even on
Christmas day. Its emerald green feathery growth makes a nice contrast to the
large leaves and coarse textured hosta.
Don't over look the crested iris although small in stature, six - eight
inches tall, this woodland perennial is a delight in early spring with its
lavender flowers which have a splash of yellow on one petal. Once the flowers
are gone the clump of blade shaped foliage adds texture to the landscape all
year. Crested iris does best in deciduous shade as exposure to the sun in the
early spring promotes flowering.
Arkansas amsonia or Blue Star, was chosen as a 2001 Arkansas Select plant for
its durability and trouble free performance in the landscape. Amsonia's delicate
silvery blue flowers are attractive in the spring but not all this plant has to
offer. Just wait until fall when the feathery foliage turns bright yellow before
disappearing for the winter.
Where can you find native plants? A good retail nursery will have some and
with the interest in natives growing the selection is getting larger. However,
finding uncommon natives can be a problem to which mail order catalogues and the
internet are the solution. Never harvest plants from the wild. Not only is it
illegal to take plants from public lands and parks, it is most often a waste of
effort as these plants rarely survive.
Native plants make a wonderful addition to the landscape but always remember
the fundamental tenet of successful gardening – The right plant in the right
spot. Just because a plant is a native does not mean that it will perform well
under any and all garden conditions.
This article was Originally Published in
Active Years
Magazine
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