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| I just bought an Andromeda p. 'Blue Ice' and would really like to keep it alive. I've heard that's not always easy. It likes acidic, moist, but well-drained soil. I was told to mix a good amount of peat into the soil it's to be planted in. And to never let it dry out. Also, that it will take full sun in my zone 6 garden. Does that sound right to everyone?
Is anyone else growing this plant? How long have you been growing it? Do you think it's a 'difficult' plant? Any tips, tricks, suggestions, comments? Thanks very much, Leslie |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Hi, Leslie. I have three of them planted last Sept-Oct. Two were planted in irrigated raised bed where they have sun only in a morning and stay in shade the rest of the day. However, in a winter it's a full sun position. Both overwintered perfectly, bloomed well and start putting new emerald green growth when all of a sudden one of them start dying in a center while side shoots still producing new growth. Another one is seems perfectly healthy. Since I wasn't able to figure out right away where to plant the third one, I just planted it temporarily in a mostly shady (except few afternoon hours) corner where soil probably on 90% consist of the leaf mold and rest is the real soil (clay). This one did and still doing exceptionally well and now I have a second though about using it as a replacement for the dying one. Looks like it like it there. Picture from the mid-May.  |
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- Posted by shrubs_n_bulbs z8/9 UK (My Page) on Mon, Jun 20, 05 at 15:01
| I suspect you are both going to run into heat problems if you plant in the sun. Maybe you already are. Try part shade or shade even though they grow in full sun in cooler climates. |
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| Thank you, George, The owner of the nursery where I bought mine said his own plant died back a bit in the middle too. Hmmm. I wonder what causes that. Did your dead-in-the-middle plant survive (or did you remove it)? I was thinking of planting my one 'Blue Ice' in front of Magnolia x wieseneri --for the simple reason that I KNOW I won't ever let the Magnolia dry out too much. Dug a VERY wide hole for the Magnolia, so the Andromeda could live there undisturbed for years. The site has morning sun and afternoon shade --except in Winter when it's sunny --just like yours. The combination of sandy soil with lots of peat seemed strange to me, --sand = good drainage, peat = moisture retention). But I guess that's exactly what this plant wants. I'll mix some peat into the already sandy soil, --and will hope for the best. Wish me luck, Leslie |
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| Hi shrubs n bulbs, Thanks for the advice. As you can see from the above, I will plant it in part shade. The grower is in zone 5, so maybe his can take a bit more sun. Since I'm at the limit of its heat tolerance in zone 6, I'll stick with afternoon shade. Thanks very much, Leslie |
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- Posted by shrubs_n_bulbs z8/9 UK (My Page) on Mon, Jun 20, 05 at 17:09
| I think the peat is for acidity and the sand for drainage. This is an Ericaceae. I'm not sure that the drainage is important. This thrives in the wild here in truly boggy areas. |
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| Leslie, 'dead-in-the-middle' plant is pretty much alive and continue to produce new growth from the side branches. Unfortunately almost whole center is brown. I'll try to make a picture and post it, but affraid that this week my hands will be preoccupied by showel, not a camera. Hot spell is coming on Thursday and I still need to move a few things. |
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| I planted three of them a year or two ago (I must have too many plants if I can't remember). I had a couple of green ones in the front of my yard and one eventually died. The other is ok, but never seems totally happy to me. So, I decided they need more water since they are called BOG Rosemary. I lined the 'Blue Ice' planting holes with plastic and punched a few holes so they would drain slowly when it rained or I watered them. I'm concerned that the holes I dug will not be large enough for their root systems, but so far they are alive and looking ok. Optimally I would have a naturally boggy situation for them, but I don't and just had to have them. |
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- Posted by mainegrower Z5b ME (My Page) on Tue, Jun 21, 05 at 6:32
| I've had several plants of andromeda, including Blue Ice for a number of years. My experience exactly corresponds with what Michael Dirr writes in Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: they never look as good after planting as they did in the pot where they have been grown with "just short of lethal levels of fertilizer." Mine always look ratty with dead patches appearing in many places including the center. They also tend to sprawl unless they have a lot of sun which then contributes to the watering problem. I don't think I've ever seen a good healthy looking andromeda anywhere except a nursery in a pot. |
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| Hmmmm, I bought this because I fully expect my Zenobia pulverulenta to die (like everyone else's does), and really like blue leaves. Sigh, this Andromeda is so blue... My soil is somewhat sandy anyway --maybe I'll don't have to worry about drainage. As you pointed out, shrubs n bulbs, it does grow in bogs, after all. I have a little sandy soil mix left over from a Daphne. I can add that and some peat... (Ha, George, I have tomorrow off, and will be frantically digging holes too. Get 'em in and watered before the heat comes back.) Monique, Really!? Lined the holes with plastic? (A fascinating idea!) I was thinking of those moisture-retaining crystals, but I guess they only last so long. What kind of plastic --a special gardening plastic, or any old trash bag plastic? I'm not as worried about soil acidity and drainage as I am about the plant drying out. That will kill it quicker than anything. Sigh, mainegrower. That's pretty much what I expected. Needs full sun which you can't give it because it will dry out... Aaargh! I guess I'll just do my best, expect problems, and enjoy it while I can. Monique, what kind of plastic did you use? --I may try your experiment. Thanks for all the responses; I really appreciate them. Leslie |
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| I bought two of these at least ten years ago. I fell in love with them in the nursery. I planted them in soil which is constantly moist and is very acid--as is all my soil--a constant struggle for those who don't like acid. Anyway, one had 3/4 day sun and the other had less than half-day sun. They looked increasingly worse over several years and I finally removed them as they were in a prominent spot and they were an eyesore. I am sorry to hear of everyone else's woes but I still don't understand what this plant wants. It is so gorgeous! Maybe if we knew its native habitat, we would know what it wants to look good--or maybe it is ugly there too! |
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| I have no problem growing zenobia but i kill andromeda everytime i plant it. I gave up, toooo fussy of a plant! |
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| Hi Ginny and Vicki, I guess some plants are just temporary visitors. Since I don't have a bog, I'll just try to keep it going as long as I can. Vicki, how long have you grown Zenobia? There was a thread here that said they do well for a couple of years and then just up and die off. That was depressing to read. Zenobia is such a great little plant. Leslie |
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| Andromeda does grow wild in bogs here where the soil is rich in organics (basically pure peat), constantly moist to wet (not well drained) and poor in nutrient availability. I've got a couple of them that I bought inexpensively and planted this spring in a combination of well-aged manure and wood shavings in a raised bed in mostly sun. I'll let you know how they do long-term. (I killed the one a couple of years ago that was planted in ordinary good garden soil in 1/2 day sun and 1/2 day bright shade.) Maybe I'll go back and see if there are any left where I bought it and try it in the wetland on my property that naturally grows sphagnum and a variety of wetland shrubs and perennials. |
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| Now I'm depressed to hear of all the troubles... BUT, I have heavy clay soil that really holds the water and a sunny area to plant them. I just bought the "beautiful at the nursery" plants in 1 gallon pots. I'll have to see how they do. I was going to amend the soil for better drainage, but maybe not.... |
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| In the past I've walked through a New England sphagnum bog and the truth about its growing conditions refutes legend and myth. While bogs are "wet" (and very dangerous) places, many of the Ericaceous denizens that call them home live on a huge floating mat of sphagnum that resides above the dark, cold water. Thus, these plants usually enjoy good drainage at the rootzone, but constant moisture and cool conditions. This is tough to replicate, thus growing these gems can be a challenge! I think the key is to abandon the idea of "replicating" bog conditions at home and instead provide a well-drained sandy soil that doesn't dry out in full sun. A raised bed would be great. A nurseryman friend of mine has Andromeda polifolia 'Blue Ice' growing in full sun in a slightly raised bed with great drainage. Not only does the plant thrive (with some winter leaf scorch), but it actually spreads underground into a colony!! Imagine that. He also grows a white-flowered form in a hypertufa trough with success. Visit Quackin' Grass in CT, Leslie, to see both. |
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| Hi Jonathan, Take a peek at the New England forum. --My Andromeda 'Blue Ice' came from Quackin' Grass. (Plus 3 daphnes, 2 green-flowered hellebores, 2 Epimedium, and a 4' tall Magnolia 'Aashild Kalleberg' --on its own roots!) Wonderful nursery. We had a great time. Thanks for recommending it. I'm still afraid of it drying out in full sun --especially with the weather we're having, but I'll give it a try. (But I noticed Wayne can also grow Opuntia cacti in Zone 5 --outside, so he's a much better gardener than I am.) Thanks for the advice. I'll try to keep this little beauty alive. Leslie |
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| Damp, acidic, sunny yet cool, as on a north-facing, treeless slope with seepage. |
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- Posted by Olivier_NorthFrance 7 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 25, 05 at 2:38
| A couple of years ago, I asked a question on this very forum concerning Ledum groenlandicum and I remember Jonathan telling me about this famous sphagnum bog. These cultural conditions seem almost impossible tu replicate indeed, and I didn't even try to replicate them. Instead, I planted it on a berm of acidic sandy soil mixed with a bit of leaf mold, in full sun, and the plant is doing quite well (certainly not as well as it would do in its native habitat of course, but it's growing, blooming and the foliage looks very healthy). It's been there for 3 years now and I very rarely water it anymore. I don't grow Andromeda polifolia but Kalmia polifolia - which I think belongs to the same category of "bog plants" - using the same method, it also seems to work. My climate isn't really oceanic (the air is often much too dry) and it doesn't rain much since a few years, all I can control is watering combined with good drainage and acidic soil conditions. We recently had a dry and hot spell (34°C/93°F) with intense sunshine and very dry air and these 2 plants withstood it much better than some rhododendrons (probably thanks to their small-sized leaves). As for Zenobia pulverulenta, it seems to be willing to grow this year (third year in the ground - acidic, almost too well drained, sandy soil) but I can't say the plant looks happy and its foliage is still a bit chlorotic. I think I'll give another year. And another one if necessary ;-) Olivier. |
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| My zenobia has been in the ground for 3 years. In ordinary acid soil. It put on 4 inches of new growth this spring. It hasn't bloomes for me yet, but it looks happy where it is. I also killed ledum groe. I like trying the tuff to please plants it's such a challenge. |
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| Hi Ron & Olivier, I'm going to try adding peat and some sandy soil. My soil is already on the acidic side and sandy, so maybe it will be happy. And I'll give full sun a try. The grower said to do exactly that, and he's successfully growing it. And Jonathan explained why it works. And you both agree. Good to know it can be done, Olivier. The site I'm thinking of is a south facing slope (not north, unfortunately) in a slightly raised bed. So drainage should be good. I know I'm beating this into the ground, but I love this little plant. It's so blue. Will fun sun affect it's color? Olivier, my Zenobia was reduced to one, lovely, healthy-looking branch this Spring. Just one. That's all. It drives me crazy. I love the tones on the new leaves in Spring --pale green, glaucous blue and lavender. It was very colorful in its subtle way. --But that one branch seems to be thriving. It's become a little shrublet. Maybe it will even come back next year. Thanks, Leslie |
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| Maybe if we all can't grow the blue forms of Zenobia (I've killed my share, as well), then we should try this new blue Fothergilla I see in Wayside ('Blue Shadow', I think)? Could be a nice addition to the "blue shrub" palette, no? |
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| Yes, Jonathan, it looks very blue, and could make a very nice addition indeed. And 6' x 5'! Lots of blue. It could look even more wonderful when combined with the right plants. (Whatever they may be... Sigh.) Great to have the blue leaves and the wonderful Fall color too. Definitely one for my list. I wonder if Wayside has exclusive rights to it. Leslie |
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| Although native to wetlands, Rhododendron (Ledum) groenlandicum seems pretty easy in gardens here (we do not have hot summers). If the 'Blue Shadow' is more vigorous than 'Blue Mist' that would be an improvement. |
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- Posted by Olivier_NorthFrance 7 (My Page) on Mon, Jun 27, 05 at 2:33
| So Ledum groenlandicum is now definitively Rhododendron groenlandicum ? I read that somewhere but wasn't sure it was officialized. Thanks Ron, I'll take good note. Olivier. |
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| Hi Ron, They're saying 'Blue Shadow' is a better, more vigorous cultivar. One article specifically mentioned that it doesn't have the problems of earlier blue varieties. It was a sport of 'Blue Mist', I think. Leslie |
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| I promised earlier up in this post to stop back in to report on how my Andromeda polifolia 'Blue Ice' plants did in their raised bed of well-aged manure mulched heavily with wood shavings. They have thrived and are starting to spread, without any die-back. They have bloomed well for me for two years now, so I guess the rich organics keep them moist while the raised bed (over very fine sandy soil) has provided the well-drained requirement. They share the bed with clematis, iris, rhodies, cranberries, lilacs, and a variety of other perennials as well as bulbs, all of which seem to like the conditions. |
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| I think I can answer some of the questions raised here and the cultivation requirements for this species. RE: "The combination of sandy soil with lots of peat seemed strange to me, --sand = good drainage, peat = moisture retention)." As someone else pointed out, true bogs (where this species lives) are sunny, acidic, moist AND well drained. Yes, I know that moist and well drained sound like a paradox, but that paradox is exactly what makes these places so special. In fact, it isn't unusual in bog ecosystems in New Jersey or florida to see succulents and cacti less than a meter from bogs containing carnivorous plants. RE: "Thus, these plants usually enjoy good drainage at the rootzone, but constant moisture and cool conditions. This is tough to replicate, thus growing these gems can be a challenge! I think the key is to abandon the idea of "replicating" bog conditions at home..." Well, not really. If fact, I've found bog gardening to be quite easy if you change some of your basic assumptions about gardening. First of all, you must think in terms of an ecosystem, not a garden bed. Here's the basics: Step one: Dig a hole 1-2 ft. deep and slope it very gently towards one side. Works best on a slight incline. (You can ignore the slope if you plan to cut holes in the liner) Step two: Place a plastic liner in the hole. If you've not sloped the hole, then cut a few small holes at the bottom to allow for gradual drainage. You can go fancy with a pond liner, or just use heavy plastic sheeting (which I've found works just as well). Step three: Fill with 50/50 peat sand (You can go up to 2/3rds sand if you prefer more drainage). Canadian peat is best, and don't use anything but Sphagnum peat. Step four: Chop up live sphagnum moss and gently press it onto the surface. Water frequently until established with rain water or distilled water (othe water may contain too much fertilizer or salts). Since it can hold many times its weight in water and alter water chemistry, Live spagnum is the corner stone of this ecosystem you're building. Step Five. Plant your Bog Rosemary and watch it TAKE OFF! It won't keep that nice mounded form, but instead will form a ground cover of sorts mixing in with whatever else you plant (Pitcherplants, bog orchids, cranberries, etc.) See? That's not so hard. Unfortunately, Wayside or Walmart are never going to tell you all this. They'd prefer to sell you this plant that looks nice in a pot without telling you that it needs a bog garden to develop to its full potential. In the long run, you'd be far better ordering from a place like Evermay (http://www.evermaynursery.com/) who actually know how to grow the plants they sell. |
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- Posted by daisyduke5 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 10, 10 at 9:37
| you should check out www.canadale.com they have great gardening info. i really enjoy their weekly newsletter. this week they are featuring the blue ice bog andromeda, and they say it should be planted in full sun to part shade, perfect for those wet areas that are too wet for other plants, ammend soil with peat moss to create acidic pH. so if don't have well drained soil, this should be a breeze to grow. hope this helps! |
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