Pawpaws are actually more common in this county/area than you might think, although I don't know any offhand on property where you can dig them with a clear conscience. They're interesting but reports of fussy young trees have left me not tempted to try them.
PLANT ADDICTS CHAT # 2
Critter, saw two Zebra Swallowtail butterflies in the last two weeks. PawPaw is their host plant! And the fruit is pretty delish. What is special about the Petersen varieties? Greg at Outback is searching for more to order in as the five in Spring sold fairly quickly. They were 4 - 5 footers, but I don't remember price.
Ahhhh fussy young trees eh! PawPaws like to grow near bodies of water so with the most 'coast line' of any county Anne Arundel would qualify as ideal.
Here is resend of Hydrangea pic I hope
Judy, did you notice, by any chance, if they had any Chaste Tree? They were out the last time I was there, would really like one.
Stargazer is a beautiful plant. Unfortunately I can't buy another full hydrangea at this point. Judy I'd swap you rooted cuttings of the hydrangea you purchased for me last year for rooted stargazers (drawing a blank on the name).
Doublelicious!!! Just like you!
Catbird, just give Greg a call as he is chief buyer at Ace. He'll be on vacation the 16th. Nice tree.
Right on! Great memory.
Paul--
Earlier in spring you said that July is the best time to take cuttings
from Azaleas. It is now middle July. The Koromo has not grown much bigger.
Whass up? It is still so small that I have no idea where to cut off a piece..
My Camellia is putting out a lot of side growth--all over. May be making up for
not having blooms this past spring. Would you like to give it a try???
Anyone here know how to root a camellia???? It is not a simple thing...
August is the recommended time to take cuttings . The softwood just under
the current year's growth is what you need for rooting it.
Since I have so many potential cuttings to be had--I may just experiment.
Like--chop off a piece and stick it in some Pro Mix...water....and wait....
Mike Quinn in GA was my Guru and tutor some years ago. I sent him a
shirt box full of my my Camellia cuttings and he D-mailed me back and said
that I had made him the happiest man on Earth. I think he rooted 32 of the cuttings....
Need to write him and ask for a picture...
I can see it now---a hedge row of Bob Hope Camellias!!! That would be a sight!
Gita
Paul, we could definitely use an azalea/rhodi cutting tutorial! Can you point us to the info? Online somewhere on an azalea society site? Or tell us your own tips?
Thanks for the nice comments on my side perennial bed, everyone. I'll post some more photos when the Culver's Root blooms - if it looks nice, that is!
Coleup, I have a Clethra 'Hummingbird' in a moist, shady part of my backyard and it seems to be fairly happy there. I really neglect it, too. I should at least throw some Plant Tone around it.
This message was edited Jul 8, 2014 10:01 PM
Beautiful butterfly picture Coleup!!
I started some cuttings of my neighbors hydrangea which is a dark purple, and my friends viburnum, which is pink/white and very fragrant. My book said to cover them but I don't have anything to cover them with!!! Tried plastic wrap but it keeps blowing off. Sigh.
Some things in the yard are looking good but it's hard keeping everything watered when it's so hot.
The yellow day lily is very fragrant.
The peony is past bloom now but it sure was pretty for awhile. This is the first peony I've ever had.
nice blooms, Coleuslover!
Coleup, I *love* your zebra swallowtail--I have never seen one! Must have been exciting.
My Black Swallowtail has emerged--yay! I'll post pics/details in the Pollinator thread.
I have very little experience with cuttings, but I did have some take, that I put in sunk small pots in between established plants for humidity.
Sally, Jill, Gita and anybody else interested...
There is a wealth of information available on the American Rhododendron Society website (http://www.rhododendron.org/articles.htm)
Here are a few:
Success with rooted cuttings: http://www.rhododendron.org/v48n4p201.htm
Fertilizing Rhododendrons the Organic way: http://www.rhododendron.org/v47n4p202.htm
Mulching: http://www.rhododendron.org/v46n4p207.htm
How to select a Rhodie at your local nursery: http://www.rhododendron.org/v45n3p136.htm
Thanks for the links, Paul!!
Coleup, I'm very excited about your zebra swallowtail! Sounds like pawpaw is the only host plant for it... makes it worthwhile to get some seed-grown seedlings also (which are much cheaper than the grafted named varieties).
The Peterson varieties have been developed by Neal Peterson, bred or selected for larger and sweeter fruits, etc. They seem to have river names -- Allegheny, Susquehana, etc -- so if a nursery tag has a river name for the variety, it's likely to be a Peterson. Here's his site (note that they don't do sales anymore) http://www.petersonpawpaws.com/
OK now you all have me wondering about pawpaw trees too! :-)
Can we get a mawmaw tree to go with it HA HA HA.
Many years go--I saw...somewhere...small, potted Paw Paw trees for sale.
It could have been at HD--not sure. They were $5.
Back then--I was still actively face-painting at Chapel Hills Nursery Festivals.
which I did for 17 years! We go wayyy back--that is why they know me there....
I talked Russel (the owner) into purchasing 2 potted paw paw trees. I bought one too.
Thought for sure a Nursery man could make them grow....
Mine never made it. Russel's also gave up the ghost in a month or so.
Granted--he was probably way too busy with his Nursery to pay attention to them.
So--his died as well.
I wish you--whomever will purchase this tree--much success in growing them.
Not sure we have the ideal climate here for them.
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/paw_paw
G.
Our climate is fine for pawpaws, I think it is a matter of habitat. They are common in wooded flood plains throughout the region, but not generally in suburban back yards.
Likewise, zebra swallowtails, which require them as their larval host plant, reflect this distribution. As a child living in the close-in burbs on the Montgomery/Prince Georges County line I never saw a zebra swallowtail though I actively collected insects. Just miles away in western Montgomery, Loudoun, Frederick Counties etc. These lovely butterflies are commonplace. I remember the time I first visited Washington Monument State Park west of Frederick, MD and saw them by the dozens. What a sight!
thanks for the links Terp.
wooded flood plain is right. Patapsco Valley has them. I keep missing the fruit season though. I know they bloomed but not sure about the fruit. aren't they another which are not self fertile ?
Terp, Stargazer Hydrangeas were sold by time I returned so no rooted cuttings to swap. Sigh...
Coleuslover, nice blooms and good to hear from you. How are your coleus doing this year?
The flight of the Zebra Swallowtail is very different due to its long kite tail, making it identifyable from afar.
Sally, if there are any critters around those pawpaw trees they 'disappear' the fruit that drops from tree when ripe overnight or just before it falls if reachable from ground. Humans have to be pretty quick and clever to get one or two. We put nylon stockings over several reachable by step ladder, higher than deer could browse.
Local Home Depot: evergreens, roses, and shrubs 25% off.
50% off on trees listed below: (These are all large trees)
Purple Fountain Beech 150
http://www.finegardening.com/purple-fountain-beech-fagus-sylvatica-purple-fountain
Heritage River Birch 'Cully' 80
Hornbeam fastigiata 60
Zelkova 99
Willow salix integrea99
Honey Locust 'Skyline' 80 and 150
Serviceberry laevis 99
Tulip Tree lireodendron 99
Dawn Redwood 70
Weeping subhirtella Cherry 120
Fagus (Beech) Tricolor 120
Japanese Snowbell 70
Hawthorn Winter King 80 Pauls Scarlet 99
Sweet Gum
Cornus mas 99
Kwansan Cherry 99 and 120
Coleup- dang!
Thanks for the list, Coleup. I'm going to see if one of my local Home Depots has any Serviceberry laevis.
Something to consider if you're tree shopping... MD has a program where the state will contribute $25 toward the purchase of a tree with a "retail value" (does that mean its "regular price?") of $50 or more.
http://trees.maryland.gov/coupon_page.asp
I just printed out a couple of these coupons and the list of eligible trees -- many of them are on Coleup's list above, although I'm not sure if Home Depot participates in the program. I think I first came across the link to this on the Behnke's site.
is somebody thinking of Chaste Tree? I have a small one growing from seeds that speedie stole, er, borrowed from the nursery Chaste Tree first time I met her. But I have no place to add a small tree.
Catbird was looking for a Chaste Tree!!!
Sally, it was me asking about the Chaste tree. Was thinking about one for the front yard. Had one at the house when I was married and liked it.
Catbird and Sally let me know if you all are doing a Chaste Tree shuffle as some of the Swamp Milkweed plants are finally ready for prime time.
Oh, may I please give you this one? It is small, but I'll give it help now that I know it'll have a home. I'd like you to have it Robin, if you don't mind starting a bit small.
coleup, if you mean, stopping by/ meeting up-- I have two more Asclepias syriaca in pots for you. And a small pot of sedum blue spruce that got left behind, if you still want more.
Sally, I would love it! Thank you. I'll get with you next week, going to Richmond again this weekend to see Michelle in the hospital, it is her 6th chemo treatment (last one).
Hooray for her being nearly done with chemo -- great milestone!
discovered that a struggling little butterfly bush had perished... meaning I now have a great spot for a sweet little deciduous azalea that I've been wandering around the garden in its pot.
Sally--
IF you are having an impromptu get-together--please let me know...
I have a bunch of pots of Bigroot Geranium I dug up-and Happy wanted them so badly.
Unfortunately--she cannot make the time to come here...we have tried....
Who, amongst you all, lives closest to Happy that could drop by Sally's?
OR--who amongst you could be an intermediary to get these 6 pots toHappy?
I do not want to lug these to the Swap--as my car is usually full as it is.
LMK---Gita
I dropped by Meadows Farms yesterday with the sole intent of buying some annuals to stick in the ground to fill in while my perennials grow, but decided I had to take a swing-through the perennials section to see what was blooming. I was very surprised to see full-grown Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root) for which, for whatever reason, they hadn't bothered to put up a sign.
I also got the annuals I went for - purplish Salvia and orange Zinnias - so I have my planting work cut out for me today, but boy is it a hot one!
Might have to stop be Meadow Farms myself... their email this week mentioned some interesting things marked half off, including a smaller variety of blue spruce (bakeri). Have decided I need to add some evergreens while I'm working on the treeline... that one might be a good candidate for the front corner of the house, too.
Sounds like a fun nursery to be near, Muddy! The salvia and orange zinnias sound nice.
I like Culver's Root. I was able to find some at American Plant, but it's not always the easiest one to find.
Catbird, great news about Michelle! I imagine she's relieved to be done with that part of it.
Jill, I used to get very upset about dead plants, but now I get excited about what else I can place in that spot! I'm so happy that my butterfly bush went to coleup this spring. It just didn't fit in the spot anymore.
Gita, I'm in AA Co pretty often and Happy lives very close to me. If the geraniums can be dropped off at Sally's, I should be able to get them to Happy's within a couple of weeks.
You can find some good sales at Meadows. I haven't stopped by recently because I didn't want to be tempted. :)
purple & orange - vibrant combo!
photos, finally, even if they're unedited...
Pink Velour crepe myrtles at DPF, closer look at leaves
Columnar norway spruce (I picked out an extra skinny one)
cool evergreen I resisted, barely - Sawara cypress, 'Curly Top'
'Vanderwolf' Limber Pine - over $100 at half price, less hard to resist but really striking with long soft needles
