LSU AgCenter Ornamental Horticulture E-News & Trial Garden Notes Early June 2017

Transcription

1 LSU AgCenter Ornamental Horticulture E-News & Trial Garden Notes Early June 2017 Nursery, Landscape & Garden Center Updates Compiled by Allen Owings, Professor (Horticulture), Hammond Research Station, LSU AgCenter Edited by Rick Bogren, Professor (Communications), LSU AgCenter Phone ; LSU AgCenter Plants with Potential 2017 (from Jason Stagg) 1. Asystasia gangetica Variegated Ganges Primrose ACANTHACEAE (Variegated Ganges Bellflower, Chinese Violet) Brightly variegated foliage is topped with light lavender flowers reminiscent of foxglove. This is a spreading plant that makes an excellent groundcover. Growing only 12 tall, it can spread to The rounded leaves provide a unique texture when planted in full sun, but the plant also does well in part shade where the variegation can break up the shadows. Not cold hardy. Very easy to propagate from cuttings. 2. Barleria cristata Philippine Violet ACANTHACEAE This tropical plant returns for us each spring. It can reach tall and wide, and is used as an attractive summer

2 hedge in some locations. There are numerous species of barleria, and within B. cristata, there are several bloom colors. This selection produces two-inch white blooms with lavender stripes. It is a late bloomer, waiting until September or October to put on a show. The unique flower is worth the wait! Propagated by cuttings. Plant in full sun. Mulch in winter. 3. Lantana X Grandpa s Pumpkin Patch VERBENACEAE - Vibrant flower clusters in shades of orange and dark yellow bloom from spring to frost. Plant in full sun. This is a large lantana that makes an excellent background planting. Grows to 4-5 x 4-5. Excellent butterfly attractant. Propagated by cuttings. Retail availability from Almost Eden Plants in Merryville, LA. Reliable perennial in Zones 8 and Ocimum selloi Bellpepper Basil LAMIACEAE (Green Pepper Basil) Yes, it really does smell and taste like a fresh bellpepper! Madalene Hill, the famous Texas gardener and herb enthusiast, considered this one of her favorites. The leaves of this basil are dark green and leathery, and the plant makes a beautiful ornamental specimen in the garden. Could be used as a border since it only grows about tall. Can reach wide. The compact plant produces a profusion of tiny purple flowers on spikes that are irresistible to pollinators. Can be planted in full or part sun. Plants retain a darker green color when given some protection from hot afternoon sun. Easily propagated from cuttings. May be perennial in mild winters. 5. Salvia farinacea Rebel Child LAMIACEAE One of Greg Grant s wonderful introductions from Texas. This is one of our favorite plants at the Hammond Research Station. It was a chance hybrid between Henry Duelberg and Cedar Hill. It can reach tall and is a vigorous bloomer from spring through first frost. The bloom is bluer than its father Henry, and it is an excellent pollinator attractor. Rebel Child is one of the toughest salvias you can plant, and we even had some return after two floods last year! Plant in full sun. Perennial and easily propagated by cuttings. Usually available from some wholesalers and retaiers in Texas such as Southwest Perennials and Arbor Gate Nursery. 6. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Dwarf Light Blue Porterweed VERBENACEAE This dwarf form of porterweed grows only about tall and wide. The compact, bushy growth habit is much more suitable for small gardens and commercial landscapes. The small flowers are considered light blue by some and lavender by others. This porterweed is native to south Florida and the Caribbean. The original plant was given to us by Dr. Brent Pemberton of Texas A&M University in Overton, TX. Use this plant as a

3 bed border, and you will be amazed by the number of butterflies you attract! Most porterweeds should be treated as annuals and replanted each spring. Plant in full sun. Easily propagated by cuttings. Very difficult to locate in the trade. The LSU AgCenter provided this plant to the LSHR for its 2017 plant release. 7. Turnera subulata White Flowered Turnera TURNERACEAE (sometimes also listed in PASSIFLORACAEA) (White Buttercup, White Alder) Upright, white-flowered species of the tropical shrub turnera. Large white flowers with golden centers bloom midspring through fall atop dark green leaves. Pollinators love this plant. Flowers open after sunrise and close before sunset. Usually grows tall with similar width. Easily propagated by cuttings in warm weather, but slow to root in fall/winter (even in the greenhouse). May regrow after mild winters, but should be treated as an annual. Limited commercial availability. Bark Lice (from Yan Chen) If you see a swarm of 'buggers' on your crapemyrtle trees, most likely on the trunk, and look like the ones in the photo. Congratulations! You just acquired some hardworking maid to clean up the mold, algae, and fungi on your tree. This free service is provided by bark lice, which usually come up as large colonies of nymph and progress into adults. All you need to do is to leave them alone to do their cleaning job. They will be gone after that and won't bill you anything. Mark Your Calendars! Gulf States Horticultural Expo January 17-19,

4 Emerald Ash Borer In Additional Areas (from Richard Miller at LDAF) Note from LDAF Emerald Ash Borer has been positively identified in the parishes of Bienville, Jackson, and Morehouse. This brings the total number of parishes with EAB to 8. LDAF is in the process of placing these 3 new parishes under EAB quarantine. (SEE ATTACHED PARISH MAP) Wild About Woodies at SFA Gardens June 30th Stephen F. Austin (SFA) Gardens is hosting the third annual Industry Day: Wild About Woodies on June 30, 2017 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Industry Day is designed to be tree and shrub based complement to the annual color programs at the Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials Field Day and the East Texas Horticultural Field Day at Overton. and will again follow on the heels of both events this coming June. Dr. David Creech will offer a guided tour at 9:00 a.m. beginning at the Mast Arboretum located adjacent to the SFASU agricultural building. The SFA Gardens are open for self-guided exploration from dawn to dusk seven days a week. At 1:30 p.m., southern nursery crop presentations will begin at the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center. For more details and to register, contact Dawn Stover at To register: g45nnf21xdibanq/viewform?c=0&w=1

5 LSU AgCenter Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab LSU AgCenter Plant Diagnostic Clinic

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