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.

Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub I.D.

Provided Information: 1)Photo(s):

2) Date: December 3) Location: Corvallis, Oregon 4) Plant type: woody shrub, upright and rounded 5)Environment: commercial landscape 6)Exposure: sun with filtered shade 7) Scent: none 8) Other: creamy colored splotches on leaves, spiny foliage Identification:

1. Name: Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'
2. Family: Oleaceae
3. Origin: Japan
4. Random facts: Goshiki means 'five colors' in Japanese, and refers to the many colors that can be found on the foliage. The colors evolve and adapt as spring pushes to summer, and you may certainly see five distinguishable foliage colors if you paid attention throughout the year. Though tolerant to full sun conditions, this plant better retains its unique color year round when planted in the shade.

*Though similar in appearance, osmanthus is not in the same family as holly. A sure way to tell them apart is that osmanthus has opposite branching, and holly has an alternate branching pattern.

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant: Name: Ulmas glabra 'Camperdownii' (Camperdown elm)

1. Family: Ulmaceae
2. Plant type: deciduous tree
3. Exposure: full sun or filtered shade
4. Branching pattern: alternate
5. Habit: weeping, grafted on a tree standard. It typically grows to 15-25 ft, but can grow taller and usually much wider.
6. Foliage: coarse texture, prominent veins, pubescent (fine hairs) beneath, double serrated, dark green in summer, yellow fall color, asymmetrical leaf base at point of attachment to petiole
7. Flowers: somewhat insignificant on this plant
8. Fruit: single seed semaras, flat and green, typically there is little or no fruit set
9. Similar species: Ulmus glabra 'Pendula'
10. Other: Discovered in Dundee, Scotland in the 1800s and named for the Camperdown House at which it was found. It was originally a rambling shrub with no main stem.

Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub I.D.

Provided Information:

1. Photos:
2. Date: December
3. Location: Corvallis, Oregon
4. Plant Type: Evergreen woody shrub
5. Environment: commercial landscape
6. Exposure: shade
7. Scent: none
8. Other: thick glossy leaves, bright red buds, opposite branching, evergreen

Identification:

1. Name: Viburnum davidii (David viburnum)
2. Family: Caprifoliaceae
3. Origin: China
4. Random Facts: This plant is known for its showy metallic blue berries in the summer. Though this plant is not truly dioecious (having separate male and female plants), it is common for them to be referred to as 'male' and 'female' plants depending on the fruit set of an individual plant. Some clones inherently produce fruit more abundantly ('female') while others must be cross pollinated ('male'), and therefore are less likely to fruit on their own or when surrounded by a similar grouping of viburnums. When selecting plants be sure you can see clear signs of fruiting or buy one that is designated as a 'female' clone.

Monday Plant Feature

Featured Plant:

Name: Calycarpus japonica (Japanese beauty berry)

1. Plant type: Deciduous woody shrub
2. Exposure: Full sun or filtered shade
3. Branching pattern: Opposite
4. Habit: Upright and open plant habit with an average height and spread of 4-6 ft, though it can grow taller.
5. Foliage: Medium texture, summer green turning yellow in the fall
6. Flowers: small white flowers with long stamens
7. Fruit: Tight clusters of metallic purple berries that persist through the winter months. 'Leucocarpa' is a white fruiting variety.
8. Similar species: Callicarpa bodinieri, Callicarpa dichotoma
9. Other: The metallic purple berries appear on bare branches, making them a stunning winter accent. Plant them in groupings or locate a single specimen near a backdrop of green to make a bigger impact in the landscape. It is best not to hide this shrub in the back of a planting, as the details are better appreciated at a closer distance. The late summer flowers are somewhat insignificant compared to the subsequent fruit display, but the foliage turns a nice golden yellow, providing additional seasonal interest.

Herbaceous Boadleaf Evergreen I.D.

Provided Information:

1. Photos:
2. Date: December
3. Location: Corvallis, Oregon
4. Plant Type: perennial
5. Environment: commercial landscape
6. Exposure: part sun, part shade
7. Scent: None
8. Other: giant glossy leaves

Identification:

1. Name: Acanthus mollis (Bear's breeches)
2. Family: Acanthaceae
3. Origin: Mediterranean
4. Random Facts: It is believed that Corinthian columns were designed after this plant. The base of each column is adorned with similar basal leaves and the top is artistically similar to the tall flower spikes of the bear's breech.

First I.D. Example

Provided Information:

1. Photos:
2. Date: December
3. Location: Corvallis, Oregon
4. Plant Type: large shrub
5. Environment: commercial landscape
6. Exposure: sun with partial shade
7. Scent: none
8. Other: bright red fruit clusters, leaves are slightly downy on the underside, shrub is about 12 feet tall

Identification:

1. Name: Cotoneaster lacteus (milkflower cotoneaster)
2. Family: Rosaceae
3. Origin: China
4. Random Facts: Though lacteus means 'milky,' and is refering to the creamy white summer flowers, their smell is far less appealing. It is often compared to the smell of rotting fish.