13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Sun versus shade depends on the type/coloring of the heuchera in question. Most are going to be happiest in quite a lot of sun, although part shade is generally fine. The darkest colored purple/maroon/black colored ones like pretty much full sun - they fade out in much shade. Those that have very golden or light chartreuse foliage appreciate at least some shade in the hot afternoon or they scorch.
I'm not sure how these got such a reputation as a shade plant - just like hellebores, who share that same reputation, they are shade tolerant; not necessarily shade lovers.
This is the common Star of Bethlehem, a flowering bulb. It naturalizes readily and does grow often in lawns.
Here is a link that might be useful: Star of Bethlehem in Burpee's catalog
ok, it's a cloudy day so I've just been surfing and found this old thread. All I can say is "so that's what's wrong with my coneflowers!" When I first saw them several years ago, I bought them from an expensive nursery, was fascinated by the colors and had them order more for me. I don't believe they were from Stacy. Lo and behold over the years the plants have stayed miniscule amongst several old purple variety that a friend gave me. The petals always look shriveled and I was thinking maybe I was killing them even tho, the purple were fabulous. Thanks for posting these opinions as this spring I will just rip them out and put in something else.
I have one of these in the garden. Not sure if it is the Adenophora or Campanula. Whatever it is, it was here when we moved in over 30 years ago and I am still trying to get rid of it. Digging it out, seems entirely useless, because every little bit of root will resprout. I've tried smothering it with layers of cardboard and bark mulch and it grows right under it and actually 'lifts' the cardboard. I have some growing in a crack at the base of a set of cement steps and last year I tried cutting all the foliage to the ground and must have repeated that about 10 times over the summer and it is still there, just as vigorous as ever.
It's a stem on a seedling I found in the driveway. These are seeding all over the place. I like them so I don't mind. It looks like the blooms are going to be a different color on that side too.
I'm going to root a cutting of it and see what I can make out of it. This kind of thing isn't stable so it'll probably just make solid yellowish foliage and/or solid purple.
These vines can tolerate some pretty severe pruning and still thrive.....maybe why they are considered invasive in some parts of the country At this time of year, I'd wait until after flowering; otherwise, winter is an ideal time for hard pruning.
I cut mine down to a stub about 3-4 inches tall every 4/5 years. It regenerates to the top of the porch railings/support columns within about 8-10 weeks after this treatment. Keeps it vigorous and attractive by getting rid of all of the old, dead wood.
Trust me, you can't really kill these things even when you want to. Drastic pruning will NOT hurt it.
Rooting of this plant is easier when a stem juncture is used.
It is not illiegal to root for your own use or for gifts. It is only against the law to sell without purchasing a legal name tag to compensate the breeder for the years of work that went into development of these for the marketplace. We're talking pennies here, so don't fret!
on a large .... mature tree .. digging a few holes is irrelevant ... to the tree .. as most trees are TWICE TO THREE times as large underground as above ...
but the problem is.. it is a desert under there.. with sub-prime soil ... and your tiny little plant.. is NOT going to out-compete a large tree for water ... and if you water just the plants [and/or amend the soil].. take a WAG where the tree will grow new roots ....
AND NEVER TILL UNDER A LARGE TREE ... thats where the real damage will be ...
i would suggest pots.. and some lawn chairs for under such ..
ken
The trees are young about five years old. The perennials would be planted about a foot away from the trees. I would use them as a filler for a few years. I was wondering if digging the perennials up in a few years would be a problem for the trees? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks
Excellent news! I don't mind a self sower. Sometimes your happy with more seedlings and it is convenient. Like little dividends. Anything that is easy to pull out and doesn't keep coming back on you, no matter how many times you pull it, is okay in my book. Thanks...
I'm always amazed at how many times I think something is dead and it shows up later than I expected. This year, it was Hydrangea 'Incrediball'. I bought a very small pot from Bluestone last year and it sat around for a couple of months in late summer, forgot to water it a few times, finally threw the whole pot into the vegetable bed in November and it looked half dead. Sure enough, this spring, it looked dead. I could also see that it was a quarter of the way out of the ground too. Sure enough yesterday I noticed that it is pushing up new stems. Very happy about that.
Same thing with Weigela 'Midnight Wine' Same situation as the Hydrangea. No sign of life then noticed today one that looked dead last week, is now covered in leaf buds. The other still looks dead. But like Babs, I will probably wait until June before deciding something is dead.
Some things are actually easy to declare dead, and in such a case there is no reason to wait to June. If you put your finger into the place where the plant is supposed to be, and everything is rotten, it will not resurect just because June has come.