Plants we should be able to grow.....right?

Looking at plant hardiness charts can be be aggravating. There are some beautiful plants that are reported to grow in our zones, but for some reason don't. Please post any plants you love, are reported to grow in your zone, but are frustrated with the results. If anyone has had success, where others haven't, please comment on any plant varieties or methods that may have helped.

Hydrangeas-reported to grow all the way to zone 9. I've tried light shade and deep shade, but they always looked like they were fighting for their lives in summer (June-August). They ended up not making it.

Anyone have any success with Hostas or Peony----both reported to grow up to zone 9? Was too disheartened by hydrangea experience to try them.

I have three hydrangeas growing on the northeast side of the house that are really doing well. All the rain we have had has helped them a lot. They get morning sun and bright shade the rest of the day. The Pee Gee and Annabelle hydrangeas planted on the northwest side of the house are almost dead despite getting the same care as the mopheads. I believe they are getting too much sun and getting too hot. If they survive into next month, I'll have to transplant them. I have very sandy soil so overwatering is not much of a problem.

I would love to grow the hydrangea but no luck here either ~

Well I really want to try a hydrangea in hot, humid East Texas. I'm thinking of putting one in a location next to the porch where it would have shade at midday.

What confuses me is some nursery tags will say "hardy to zone 6" but won't comment on the amount of HEAT the plant can take. Our Texas summers are not easy to take, especially if the plant has no relief in the afternoon sun.

Yes and as someone said in another thread, full sun means full sun anywhere but Texas LOL

These links may help. That last one pointed out why my hydrangeas are doing well. We are located within the Post Oak Savanna soil area — acidic to slightly acidic soil. We have some Post Oaks growing here on the ranch. A good indicator tree. They require acidic soil and will go chlorotic in alkaline soil. Hydrangeas also resent the hot afternoon sun, even late afternoon. The ones that are thriving here get only early morning sun. They are in shade by mid-morning.

I'm tempted to buy the book mentioned in that second link.

http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm
http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2004/heat_zones.htm
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Hydrangeaceae/Hydrangea_macrophylla.html

I love hostas but don't have the bright filtered shade they seem to enjoy. All my shade is taken. I have one scraggly Foresteria pubescens within the electrically fenced area around the house, but the shade moves around too much during the day to be of any use.:-(

Has anyone tried plumbago? I have one planted in a place where it receives AM sun and is sheltered from the north wind, but I worry that it will die this winter. It is absolutely gorgeous now, though!
What about duranta? I have one that gets sun thru midday and is sheltered from the north wind, but I have the same worry that it may die this winter. It, too, is gorgeous right now.
Have you had success with columbine? Seems really hit and miss to me.

I have blue and white plumbago, but both are in pots and in the greenhouse right now. I tried the blue on the north-facing front porch this spring, but I tended to forget to water it and when the heat struck, it nearly died. It has bounced back with TLC. Next spring I am going to try both of them in large pots in the back where there is some shelter from the hard south winds.

I have quite a few areas with dappled sunlight and some with more shade. I am having good results with hostas, heucheras, columbines, and caladiums in these areas. I am planning to rework some beds and create others so that I can move more plants that are just surviving in full sun to dappled sunlight.

Patrob, how long have you had the plumbagos?

I have had the blue plumbago three years and was given the white one last fall. However, they have been in the greenhouse every winter.

I can't wait until I can get a greenhouse!

Hi,
I think it may have to do with the heat index and your soil including pH too.
My 2 cents ... (-:
Karen

Good points about the acidic soil, tree indicators, and hydrangeas. Plumbago---I planted one early April 2006, and loved its continuous light blue blooms. I planted it full sun, south facing, near a bunch of concrete hoping to create a zone 9 heat island. This past winter, we had quite a few more freezes and then the late one Easter weekend. Sadly, the plumbago didn't make it. I have now deferred to Victoria Blue Salvia for the continuous light blue blooms.

Another plant that has been finicky for me is Lavender. Looks wonderful late spring, early summer and early fall. One died from all the rain this year (replaced by salvia).

Someone here at Dave's wrote, and I paraphrase......If all else fails, plant a salvia.

Tried lavender, summer of 2006. Not good luck at all. The blue salvia is doing very good this fall.....planted not too far from the Mexican Sage and it is a good companion. Pink rose in between. Told you I don't know names. Pink flower, white flower, purple....yadayada


OMG The prettiest tiny yellow bird is right outside my window. Not one I am familiar with....must be migrating....need to go put fresh water in the fountain....just replenished the feeder earlier today.

hostas - can grow a few but forget about the fancy variegated, or blues or minis. try peacock gingers instead, easier and prettier
hydrangeas - have killed 3-4, can't seem to make a go of them, but not tried too hard
peonies - have one, not blooming but no dead.
camellias, azaleas and gardenias - I think I'm getting the hang of caring for these divas

I am in z9, don't know how useful or relevant this info is.

All zone info helpful. I'm finding camellia sasquana to be less tempermental than fashion azalea. The fashion azaleas often tell me that they want more iron and acidity, so I apply the liquid iron stuff and sulfur about three times a year for them. The camellia looks great in 70% shade, but I do baby her with compost, alfalfa tea, and water. She returns the favor with amazing early winter white blooms. Love the camellia.

Have relatives that live on Cedar Creek Lake.....don't know what zone that is. The camilla is to die for. I have never tried but sure do appreciate the potential.

Sylvia grows beautiful hostas. I have some that do well, and some that don't.

Plumbago- I planted a bunch in two beds last year. They are supposed to be perennial but only a couple came back.

Hydrangea- I had some in full sun and they always suffered. And the hardly ever bloomed. Now I have 4 'Endless Summer' and they bloom from early spring untill freeze. they are beautiful. They are in patial sun. Some of their leaves can look scorched if they are in too much sun/ heat. They die down of course after frost, but they come back very early and grow fast.

Yardqueen, what is the location of the surviving plumbagos?

In the NE of my yard. Is that what you mean? Not in full sun, but in more sun than in the bed where none came back

I mean in terms of wind protection. Are the survivors protected from the north or south? Did you mulch any of them?

I have plumbago growing in full shade, where it's not supposed to be. It was in full sun when it was planted. Either way, it keeps coming back, but it doesn't thrive. Don't know why I don't pull it up.

lady, do as I am trying today......I have lot's of mistakes that I am trying to make over...move this here and then move that there now move another over here...oh, dear, the sun pattern has moved again.....ok, start over. move this.......

I'm sooo hardheaded. Almost never pull up and through out...just keep moving it around.

I meant to mulch, but I dont think I ever got around to doing those beds. They are not protected at all from north winds. Dusty Miller and Mexican Petunia did not have any problem, and or course my hydrangeas came back and are bigger than ever! All in the same bed...

I don't think anything can hurt Mexican Petunia.....not even Roundup.

Which one of the three Mexican Petunias are you refering to... LOL or maybe that applies to all of them! I know the one I had in a hanging basket in the greenhouse got seeds into every pot in there! I had seedlings by the hundereds coming up in every pot no matter how far away in the building from that plant. They must have exploded!

Ha ha! Maybe they're Mexican jumping seeds. o~:

LOL

You said it right. The seeds literally explode. I have had them for over 20 years...got as a pass a long. Have moved them 2-3 times...which really means I have spread them even farther. Have shared but always warn my friends....know what you are getting yourself into. I have the pink (don't know latin) and they are really pretty when in bloom. I just pull up the wanderers and keep going. Left alone, I could have 1/3 acre of Mexican Petunia in every inch there wasn't a building. No need for a GH. Die down to the ground first frost. I just cut them back and they are one of the first ones up on any warm day. More like a weed I'd say. Needs no water, no fertilizer......Lord, help, what if encouraged them!!!!

The ones I have kept are in hanging baskets that I make sure are hung over St Augustine
grass. They haven't come up in there yet, but I am sure I won't put them in a greenhouse again. I dont care if they don't come back next year. I won't miss them. mine are not that pretty and the other kind that spread by tubers are much prettier. those are the ones I meant that are iin the bed in question.

Is this the same?

That is the one I like.... here is the one I don't care for

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/5437/

The blooms are smaller than they look and the whole plant is drab in the heat of summer. Foliage is grey green and flowers are not that bright.

Just stopped in to cool off...will try to find in plant files later...

I put a link to it in the previous post...

Not the same one I have.

yeah, I know... I like the ones you have. I have some too, but mine are purple. There is a world of difference between them and the small purple in the pots!

Oh, yardqueen, you have the ones that I think are called "Blue Shade". Low-growing, kinda fuzzy grayish leaves, small flowers?

Mostly (not by choice!) I have the purple ones that are four feet tall. Planted two a year ago, and now they are everywhere. They are coming up in my paver patio--through six inches of sand and black fabric. They're growing up in pots 25 feet away. I've pulled up some roots 10 feet long that tore up my beds as I pulled. I think they grow faster than nutgrass. I got mine from a lady who was digging them up. I'm doing the same thing right before the first freeze. If I don't, they will choke out everything else. (Shoulda sicced them on the honeysuckle!)

I also have the pink ones like Lou's (mine are a hybrid called Chi-chi). Those are the ones I'm bringing to the plant swap. They do spread, but not nearly as fast, and they stay in the near vicinity. Only about half the height, and nowhere near the roots.

Then there are the dwarves... Katie's Blue and Katie's Pink (and I think white too)... but I only have the blue ones. I used last year's babies in groundcover areas. I can't get anyone to take any (gee, wonder why, LOL). So this year they're going in the compost.

The ones I really like--the red ones, like Ragin' Cajun--don't spread for me. I can't get them to come back, and I haven't gotten any successful cuttings or seeds. I have to buy them every year, like annuals. Anyone know how to propagate them?

I have R. Katie in white, also Katie in purple as well as the fuzzy leafed purple and the tall purple Ruellia. I don't hate them quite as much. Any plant that survives my neglect is welcome.

I have found the white Katie has never popped volunteer seeds. It also does not produce many seeds at all. I have never started any from seed but I have shared seed and never heard if they come true...

Ruellia ~ Katie in white