Tuesday Terminology: Inflorescence

This term can be used in reference to 3 main things:

Inflorescence: 1) Flowering part of a plant 2) A group or cluster of flowers on an axis that are not separated by branching or leaves. 3) The arrangement of flowers within a cluster. This can be in the form of many shapes, patterns, and sizes.

*Practice note: Here are a few photo examples of each usage of the word.

1) Single inflorescence:

2) Inflorescence of multiple flowers: general term

3) Inflorescence arrangement: A few of the MANY

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant: Name: Callistemon viminalis (Weeping bottlebrush)

1. Family: Myrtaceae
2. Plant type: Woody shrub or small tree
3. Exposure: Full sun
4. Branching pattern: Alternate
5. Habit: Grows to about 20 ft tall and wide, with large pendulous branches.
6. Foliage: Evergreen, emerge as light green and turn dark green, often with a hint of bronze. About 3 inches in length, willow-like.
7. Flowers: Blooms in the spring. Long clusters of flowers look like bottle brushes. Prominent red stamens with yellow anthers.
8. Fruit: hard little capsules containing seeds.
9. Similar species: Many other species within this large genus.
10. Other: Grows best in warm climates, like Florida, and in Sandy soils. Originates in Australia, New South Whales, Victoria, Queensland.

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Lantana camara (Lantana, shrub verbena)

1. Family: Verbenaceae
2. Plant type: Woody broadleaf evergreen, frequently die-back with winter freezes but usually regenerate.
3. Exposure: Full sun
4. Branching pattern: Opposite
5. Habit: Many forms; from low rambling groundcover to shrub on standard.
6. Foliage: Dark green, medium texture, evergreen.
7. Flowers: Vibrant orange, pink, red and yellow variations; everblooming throughout summer.
8. Fruit: small ovoid berries; not edible
9. Similar species: n/a
10. Other: This plant has a very clean and refreshing herbal fragrance with almost a citrus flare. It is grown as a perennial in warmer climates, but can also be used as a summer annual in cooler parts of the country. Plant parts can make animals sick, so they should be treated as if they are also toxic to humans. Makes a great butterfly attractant addition to any summer garden.

Lady Banks

This is one of my favorite nostalgic roses, and a real Southern beauty it is! In the Pacific Northwest they are few and far between, but I am finding an abundance of these beautiful roses here in the Southeast. The lack of constant drizzling rain here contributes to their stunning spring display. Unlike the more popular repeat bloomers this variety only blooms once, and we are seeing them at their peak right now. I just love those small creamy yellow blooms covering the fine textured branches of this rambling climber. Enjoy!

Name: Rosa banksiae 'lutea'

Family: Rosaceae

Other: Thorn less evergreen climber; quite vigorous. Little to no fragrance on the yellow variety, thought the 'alba' (white) variety is fragrant.

Fragrant Blooms I.D.

Provided Information:

1. Photo:

2. Date: April
3. Location: Charleston, South Carolina
4. Plant type: Large woody shrub or small tree
5. Environment: Private garden
6. Exposure: Appears to be a blend of sun and shade
7. Scent: powerful fragrance (pleasant in nature)
8. Other: Leaves are waxy, and medium to dark green. Flowers are "clusters of small buttery yellow, with each individual blossom being about the size of a lilac blossom."

Identification:

1. Name: Pittosporum tobira (Japanese pittosporum, Japanese mock-orange)
2. Family: Pittosporaceae
3. Origin: Japan, China
4. Random facts: This plant can be planted in sun or shade, but they tend to stay smaller in size when located in full sun. You may see this plant in the form of a dense shrub, or a small rounded tree. The common name Japanese mock-orange refers to the ultra-fragrant flowers that smell very similar to orange blossoms.

Bulb I.D.

Provided Information:

1. Photo:

2. Date: April
3. Location: Kingsland, GA
4. Plant type: Bulb
5. Environment: Home garden
6. Exposure: Filtered shade
7. Scent: none
8. Other:

Identification:

1. Name: Hippeastrum (Amaryllis)
2. Family: Amaryllidaceae
3. Origin: Central and South America
4. Random facts: Most of what are grown and sold commercially are known as "Dutch hybrids." These can be from any combination of species and are typically developed by hybridizers in America, Europe, or South Africa. This is a non-hardy bulb, and must be taken indoors in cold parts of the country. They are also commonly forced for indoor bloom during the winter holiday season. They come in a wide variety of colors; from white to orange, pink, red, or streaked.

Tuesday Terminology: Pendulous

This word may describe the entire plant habit or any specific plant part.

Pendulous: drooping, weeping, hanging downward. (Latin) Pendens, pendulus cernuus: slightly drooping nutans: nodding

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Chionanthus virginicus (fringtree)

1. Family: Oleaceae
2. Plant type: Woody shrub
3. Exposure: Full sun or filtered shade. Makes a great understory plant.
4. Branching pattern: Opposite
5. Habit: Loose, open habit that is somewhat varied from plant to plant. 12 to 25 ft.
6. Foliage: Medium to dark green, simple, elliptical leaves. Deciduous.
7. Flowers: White, drooping flowers with 4-5 petals that look like silky ribbons.
8. Fruit: Clusters of bluish-black 1/2 inch drupes; ripen in early autumn.
9. Similar species: Chionanthus retusus (Chinese fringetree)
10. Other: Clonal propagation of this Southeastern native is difficult, so expect seedlings to vary.

Tuesday Terminology: Herbaceous

This term is usually in reference to the entire plant as a whole, but may also be used to describe individual plant parts. Use the root word 'herb' as a reminder of what this word means. Herbs are generally thought of as being soft and flexible (though some are woody, to be sure).

Herbaceous: Opposite of woody. A plant with soft tissue stems that often die back to the ground annually. Often a yellowish or green color of fleshy stem or plant part, rather than the hard brown stems of woody plants.

(Latin) Herbaceus

*Practice note: If you can easily pull it apart or bend it at the stem, it is (most likely) herbaceous. If it dies down in the summer or fall and emerges again in the spring; it is herbaceous. This term is most commonly used in reference to perennials, but may also describe annuals or biennials. Some Herbaceous perennials remain green year round, but they still shed leaves and stems on a regular basis, but it is not as dramatically noticeable as one that dies back all at once.

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Pyrus calleryana (Ornamental flowering pear, Callery pear)

1. Family: Rosaceae
2. Plant type: Medium sized tree
3. Exposure: Full sun
4. Branching pattern: Alternate
5. Habit: Species has an upright habit, to about 45-60 feet tall. Different named cultivars take on different habits; some are more spreading while others are narrow.
6. Foliage: Simple leaves, light glossy green in spring, emerging as flowers are blooming. Scarlet red in the fall. branches also sport thick thorns here and there.
7. Flowers: 5 petaled white flowers, unpleasant smell may be present.
8. Fruit: Small round ornamental pears. Persistent through winter, attracting birds.
9. Similar species: Pyrus communis (common pear), Pyrus pyrifolia (Chinese Sand Pear), Pyrus ussuriensis (Ussurian pear)
10. Other: Extremely tolerant of adverse conditions; heat, drought, and compacted soils. This makes them a suitable street tree. This tree looks great while in full bloom, then as the leaves emerge. The fall color is also vibrant, which is particularly notable in areas with less spectacular autumn colors. This tree is not a favorite of mine, but this is definitely the time of year to enjoy them!

Vanilla Orchids Cakes

The dogwoods are still blooming, but browning fast as other flowering trees take the spotlight. Here are some dogwood flowers that can be enjoyed any time of the year:

This gorgeous cake was created by Elizabeth Johnson, of Vanilla Orchid Cakes. As you can see, her cakes are absolutely amazing. Believe it or not, they actually taste as good as they look! Be sure to browse her site and check out her other cakes, including a variety of other botanical creations.

http://vanillaorchidcakes.com/index.htm

Blooming Witch Hazel

I am not going to officially feature this plant, or go into the specifics of identifying different species, but I didn't want this bloom season to pass completely without making mention of this fabulous plant.

Hamamelis (Witch hazel) - from the family Hamamelidaceae. Most common types planted in American gardens are Hamamelis x intermedia and Hamamelis mollis. The plant in the pictures is Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold's Promise.' It was photographed in early March in Washington, D.C.

Some witch hazels begin blooming as early as October, and we are now seeing the last few in bloom. They are a spectacular sight to see in the dead of winter! The flowers come in shades of yellow, rusty brown, and red. Many are quite fragrant. This is the same plant from which the witch hazel astringent is acquired.

Bedding Plant I.D.

Provided Information:

1. Photo:
2. Date: March
3. Location: Portland, Oregon
4. Plant type: herbaceous
5. Environment: flower bed
6. Exposure: appears to have good sun exposure
7. Scent: n/a
8. Other:

Identification:

1. Name: Brassica oleracea Flamingo Plumes (Ornamental kale, flowering kale, Flamingo plumes kale)
2. Family: Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
3. Origin: Europe
4. Random facts: The kale plant in the photo has 'bolted,' meaning it has shot up in height and entered the flowering stage. Typically this is a less desirable state in the landscape, as it results in a leggy, faded, and less robust plant. While the plant in the photo is pretty in its own way, under better conditions it would be more compact, full, and with much more vibrant foliage colors. Bolting often occurs when they are planted too early in the fall, and the warm weather stimulated the plant to produce a flower stalk. Note: once flowering is completed, the plant will die. This biennial ornamental is usually treated as an annual and serves as a colorful winter bedding plant.

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud)

1. Family: Fabaceae (legume family)
2. Plant type: Small tree
3. Exposure: Sun or filtered shade
4. Branching pattern: Alternate, with a sort of zig-zag tendency at the branch tips.
5. Habit: Small tree, rounded but spreading canopy. Tree reaches 20-30 ft tall with a slightly wider spread.
6. Foliage: Cordate (heart shaped) leaves that start out a rosy red, purple, or bronze color but typically darken to a dark green, depending on the variety. Leaves are about 4-5 inches long/wide.
7. Flowers: Pink or white.flowers with a unique shape that is typical of plants in the legume (pea) family. Blooms early in the spring before leaves emerge. Flowers all along the delicate branches, and even on old wood (trunk and older parts of the branches)
8. Fruit: Much like flat pea pods, and about 3-4 inches in length; may be a bit messy.
9. Similar species: Cercis chinensis (Chinese redbud)
10. Other: Though the name suggests this tree is from Canada, it is really native to the United States. It exhibits good heat and cold tolerance, allowing it to be grown in zones 4-9.