Specimen: Viburnum ‘Nantucket’
Family: Viburnaceae
Genus/Species: Vibrurnum macrocephalum
Collected by: Dolores Raynor (from her garden)
Traits: Slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub. Showy white flowers appear in spring on 4-5 inch wide clusters. Individual flowers are both sterile and fertile with 5 petals.
Requirements:
Light:
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil Texture: Clay, loam (silt), sand
Soil pH:
Acid (<6.0)
NC Region: Coastal, mountains, piedmont
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
Features:
Attracts: Pollinators, songbirds
Resistance To Challenges: Deer, drought,heat
Dimensions:
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. – 12 ft. 0 in.
Width: 5 ft. 0 in. – 7 ft. 0 in.
Reference: NC State Extension https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/viburnum-nantucket/
Coreopsis tinctorial: Plains Coreopsis, Golden Tickseed, Goldenwave, Calliopsis Asteraceae (Aster Family) Native to: North America
Duration: Though considered an annual, it may bloom two to three years before dying.
Size Class: 1-3 ft. Bloom Color: Yellow, Brown
Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Description: Prefers moist, sandy soil.
Conditions Comments: Coreopsis tinctoria produces showy masses of red-highlighted yellow flowers. It does well in wildflower meadows and predominates in wet years.
Wildlife: Nectar-Bees Nectar-Butterflies, Nectar-insects, Seeds-Granivorous birds
Medicinal: Amerindians used root tea for diarrhea and as an emetic. Dried tops in a tea to strengthen blood. Boiled plant to make a drink for internal pains and bleeding. Was used for a source of yellow and red dyes.
Deer Resistance: High
Propagation Material: Clump Division, Seeds
Description: Seeds may be sown outside in late fall or the following spring without any cold treatment. Seedlings grow rapidly. This plant can be increased by separating outer rosettes from the clump in the fall.
Collected by Maureen Loomer (from her garden). Reference: wildflower.org
Horticulture Specimen for May: Japanese Spirea “Neon Flash”
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Spiraea
Species: S. japonica
Spireas are native to most of the northern hemisphere including North America where they are called meadowsweets. The cultivar in my yard is an Asian variety popularly grown in eastern North Carolina gardens where a deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, easy-keeping shrub is desired. Mine grows beautifully in my back garden (northern exposure) bordering the patio. It gets a good 6+ hours of full sun in summer. I water only if there is extended hot dry weather. I watered it twice last summer.
Benefits: In addition to tolerating our weather and being ignored by deer, this shrub is a butterfly/hummingbird magnet that rivals lantana. It typically starts blooming in late April and is in full bloom by late May. If I shear off the dead flowers, it will rebloom again in June and has, in some years, even bloomed a third time. I feed it once a year.
It grows up to 4X4 feet if left alone, but I keep it trimmed to encourage bloom and then cut it down to between 2 and 3 feet in October.
This photo is from May 2019.
March 2020 Horticulture Specimen
Purchased from: Pinecone Garden Center by Maureen Loomer
Researched by Maureen Loomer (via NC Extension Gardener
Toolbox website)
Common: Lenten Rose
Species: Helleborus x hybridus (hybridized from Helleborus orientalis)
Features: Evergreen perennial. Nodding blooms last up to two months from late winter through midspring, good for cut flowers. Flower colors come in shades of rose, magenta, white, pale yellow, or green. Can be propagated by division. Roots and leaves are poisonous. Deer resistant.
Light: prefers partial over full shade
Soil: above-average to rich, neutral-alkaline, with plenty of added compost
Water: Needs good drainage. Drought tolerant once established, but best with consistent moisture. Fungal diseases are main problem.
Horticulture specimen for February 2020
Genus: Salvia
Family: Lamiaceae
Species: S. apiana (common: White Sage)
Cultivated and Collected by Maureen Loomer (walled herb garden)
Evergreen. Native to American Southwest. Flowers attract varied pollinators including bumblebees, carpenter bees, Bombyliidae, and hummingbirds.
Used in native American cuisine, medicine and religious ceremonies.
December 2019
Gail McLamb brought in some examples from her garden including: roses, sky rocket juniper and a snapdragon. Marcia Sproul brought in a mystery plant with berries that is possibly Liqustrum or possibly possumhaw viburnum
Nephrolepsis bisennta also called Mach or Sword fern
October 2019
October 2019
To view Maureen Loomer’s Presentation click https://youtu.be/8iZ0RE94orU
On September 12, 2019 TWGC members and guests were treated to this little horticultural gem by Maureen Loomer
Trent Woods Garden Club 