I have room for a new shrub and wanted something different. I'm in zone 5b/6a, and the soil is amended but two feet down is orange clay. I can't grow anything that likes very acidic soil. The site gets average water--not wet but not dry either. Drainage isn't bad but it's not excellent either due to the clay.
The border runs east to west and is about 7' deep and a little over 20' long. The shrub can be somewhere in the range of 5-8' high and wide. It will definitely have a Physocarpus opulifolius 'Coppertina' on the east side and maybe a Callicarpa dichotoma 'Duet' on the west side. Those shrubs may shade it in very early morning and very late afternoon but it will have southern sun all day.
Now the tough part---Hubby has asked me to get something that flowers later in the summer and has showy (preferably red/maroon/reddish-orange) autumn leaf color. Berries or good fragrance would be a bonus.
I've looked at oak leaf hydrangeas but they all seem to want acidic soil. Any ideas? What shrub do you think would look good between the two I mentioned? I could put the 'Duet' in the middle (beside the 'Coppertina') and put this shrub on the west end that will get a tiny bit more shade.
Suggestions for a shrub?
Lagerstroemia ×fauriei 'Sarah's Favorite'
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38128/
I doubt you'll find any single shrub which encompasses all the qualities you want.
I have no problem w/ oak leaf hydrangeas in my Missouri clay. They thrive.
Many viburnums (VV may have overlooked the genus) have fine fall color and berries,
but alas flowering season isn't perfect for your needs.
Clethra would fill some of your requirements (other than fall color).
Aesculus parviflora is summer flowering, but might get cooked with full mid-day sun.
As for summer flowering frangrant shrub (connoisseurs cover your eyes here)... privet?
Also, there's a cultivar of sorbaria called 'Sem' which has nice dissected red foliage w/ summer astilbe-like flowers. And it's a tough shrub. No fall color. Suckers.
Thanks for the ideas. I'm looking them up now. Can the Aesculus parviflora be pruned back for width? The bed is only 7 feet deep (and that's our property line).
We have a few viburnums that we love. We have lots of things blooming in the spring. In this bed (but in a different spot) I tried to grow Winterthur three times before I gave up. I'd hate to kill another one. They are okay for the first year but as their roots go deeper they die. Yet two Brandywines are growing well in the same area.
In other areas we have clethra, calycanthus and mockoranges so we have lots of yellow autumn color. That's why hubby was looking for something different.
I didn't know there was a crepe myrtle that would live in our zone with our clay. If it doesn't get too big, that is a possibility. I've always wanted one.
~~Off to research some more.
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