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| Can someone please id these two shrubs? The one by the sprinkler and the one above it. I haven't been able to find them searching my local nursery or online. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by duluthinbloomz4 zone 4a (My Page) on Sat, Sep 8, 12 at 12:09
| The shrub appears to be one of the barberries - my "Crimson Pygmy" looks like that. As for the conifer - a mugo that's not doing so well? |
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| I agree w. the above ids. Japanese barberry and maybe mugo. They look way too close to each other. Was something munching on the pine to your knowledge?! |
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| The Mugo looks as if it was heavily pruned to allow the water from the sprinkler to reach the Barberry. Neither need water, once established in your zone. Yes, they are too close to each other. They are all too close to each other. I'd move the Barberry next to the house to some other location. Mike...probably more info than you wanted. |
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Sat, Sep 8, 12 at 16:57
| You are assuming a human action on the mugo. I'd assume inhuman nibbling. Since it looks like the top middle, as opposed to the sides, hoofed rats. And unless you are on beach sand, about which I know nothing, turn the sprinkler OFF until you know what you are doing. It can be truly amazing the totally bizarre problems that show up from overwatering. Plants that are completely trouble free left to their own devices can die horrible, ugly deaths when left near a sprinkler. |
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- Posted by TomNorthJersey none (My Page) on Sat, Sep 8, 12 at 18:05
| Thanks. Lots of people in my area plant japanese barberries but they're an invasive here and I don't want to contribute. A local park where I go hiking is having a problem with them. There aren't too many choices for low growing shrubs that are burgundy colored that aren't japanese barberry. I found some loropetalum and that's about it. Are there any others that I can keep at around 2.5-3' tall? By the way it's not my home. I'm taking pics of different landscapes I pass by that I like. I liked this one because it was different than other landscapes. They're not using the same shrubs that everyone else is using. At least it didn't look like it. Sounds like it was planted without giving thought to mature size. It looks pretty good at the size it is now. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 9, 12 at 14:55
| I'd be a bit skeptical about the survivability of loropetalum in your climate. Typically it is rated to zone 7 but they fail to thrive in my zone 8b/9 simply because our summers are not hot enough to ripen the wood sufficiently to withstand winter cold. There are some decent alternatives to both the Japanese barberry and the loropetalum that feature dark or maroon foliage. Several weigelas - 'Wine and Roses', 'Midnight Wine', 'Burgundy Baby'. Also a dwarf ninebark, Physocarpus 'Little Devil'. If you wanted to try a larger shrub, Corylus 'Red Dragon', a burgundy leafed form of Harry Lauder's walking stick (contorted filbert). And there are the many purple, maroon or burgundy leafed forms of coral bells, Heuchera, that retain their foliage throughout the year in milder climates. But these are not exactly shrubby in nature or in size :-) |
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- Posted by TomNorthJersey none (My Page) on Sun, Sep 9, 12 at 21:02
| Great info gardengal48. I was hoping for a burgundy colored shrub that will retail its foliage in the winter. I'd like it to be about 2' tall either naturally or one that can be kept at that height. Are there any that fit the bill that will work in my area? I spent all day out in the yard working on stuff will look into the plants you suggested tomorrow when I have more energy. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Sep 11, 12 at 18:00
| Sorry, burgundy colored plants with evergreen foliage are few and far between. Other than the loropetalum and heucheras, the only ones I can think of are Daphne houtteana, a couple of very tender hebes and New Zealand flax. And most of those will not survive winter in your zone :-) I swear any plant breeder/hybridizer who can come up with a hardy, broadleaved evergreen shrub with permanently burgundy/purple foliage could make a million!! There are a few plants that will take on red/burgundy tones or produce burnished foliage with winter cold - PJM rhododendrons (and various clones), wintergreen, nandina, Microbiota decussata, Chamaecyparis thyoides etc. - but it is quite temporary and not sure that's enough of what you are looking for. |
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| Deer aren't going to be clipping the pine back in such an even way, including biting through old bare wood to get a more or less geometrically round shape. The purple heucheras (multiple cultivars are on the market, I particularly like 'Obsidian') are about the only thing mentioned here that are low enough to appear well right next to the spruce. Or maybe one of the most dwarf, more recently introduced purple Japanese barberries, one of those that is supposedly fruitless. Although I wouldn't want to look at a patch of this all winter, with dead tree leaves stuck in it. A corner spot like that should really have something evergreen anyway. |
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- Posted by TomNorthJersey none (My Page) on Tue, Sep 18, 12 at 14:20
| Thanks for the help everyone. gardengal, I thought about it some more and decided to go with a couple of small weigela for the burgundy color as you suggested. Went with Fine Wine. Seemed to be the best size for my needs. |
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