annuals and tropicals

7/28/2019 Annuals and tropicals

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112*|*|*| Annuals And Tropicals

Pockets o tropicals like Colocasia esculenta BlackMagic (top), an Ipomoea batatas cultivar (let ocenter), a Gomphrena cultivar (center), a Nicotianacultivar (right o center), Solenostemon scutellarioidesDark Star (bottom let), and a Pelargonium cultivar(bottom right) energize summer plantings. Taken atCentral Park Conservatory Garden.

Annuals

and Tropicals6Although they only last

one gardening season,

annuals and tropicals are

worth their weight in gold

in the garden. They rarely

take a breather rom the

time you set them outuntil the frst hard autumn

rost zaps them.


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Big And Bold*|*|*| 113

in the ground, start them out in good

loam that has been ortied with compost

and perhaps a slow-release ertilizer. I

you are growing them in containers, startthem o with a granular slow-release

ertilizer and give them a light eeding o

diluted water-soluble ertilizer every ew

weeks during the growing season. Most

soilless container mixes contain very ew

nutrients. Growing these plants in con-

tainers is oten the preerred way to go.

In pots, they can be easily moved around,slipped into borders, and brought inside

to overwinter.

ephs r

Alocasia species and cultivars, zones 8 to 11

Spring to all (oliage)

Colocasia species and cultivars, zones 8 to 11


Full sun to partial shade; moist to wet, ertile soil

The antastically massive orms o ele-

phants ears are denitely hard to miss in

the garden. Their elongate, heart-shaped

leaves can grow to about the size o apillow case, sometimes even larger, while

their color can range rom bright green

to deep purple (almost black) with some

exquisite lea veining and variegation,

as in the white-splotchedAlocasia Hilo

Beauty (zones 9 to 11). Smaller options

oer leaves about the size o your hand,

such as Colocasia afnis var.jeningsii(zones 8 to 11), which has amazing dark

bronzy leaves with bright green veins

and highlights. Give gigantic elephants

ears plenty o elbow room. Depending on

the variety, these tropical perennials can

produce an 18-inch-tall-and-wide clump

all the way up to a 6-oot-tall-and-wide

Their abulous oliage and abundant

blooms seamlessly thread plantings

together with rich colors and textures.

Because most annuals and tropicals areast growers and fowering machines,

they need good, ertile soil (or regular

eedings) and occasional pinching and

deadheadinga small price to pay or

such big rewards. Once you get the hang

o it, choosing the right tender gems or

your garden is easy. Begin by selecting

fower and lea colors that echo thosealready present in your woody plants and

perennials. As you become more comort-

able and adventurous, experiment with

bold, contrasting color combinations.

Likewise, pick plants that will provide a

mix o distinct coarse, medium, and ne

textures.

As with the termperennial, the word

annual denes a plants lie cycle. True

annuals sprout, grow, orm fowers, pro-

duce seed, and die all in one year. Over

time, plants that are not cold hardy to an

area (and must be planted every year to

be enjoyed) have been lumped into this

categoryeven though they are trulyperennial in their native habitat. As a re-

sult, exotic plants that just do not like the

cold are sometimes called tropicals and

tender perennials as well as annuals. I it

dies in the winter in your area, go ahead

and call it an annual.

Big and BOldLarge tropicals are the ultimate botani-

cal eye candy. Their exaggerated eatures

get lots o head turns, making them the

perect seasonal specimen plants. Most o

the big guns want ull sun, regular mois-

ture, and o course plenty o nutrients. I

you are planting these beauties directly


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stand that can grow even larger in south-

ern climates. Black Magic and Illustris

are two popular cultivars oC. esculenta

(zones 8 to 11) that grow on the largeend o the size spectrum. Illustris also

has bronzy leaves with green highlights,

while Black Magic has intense deep

purple, almost black, leaves. Elephants

ears like these are great as centerpieces

at the back o the border; smaller variet-

ies work well ront and center. You can in-

tensiy their drama by pairing them withnely textured plants. They typically go

unnoticed by deer. I your area is prone to

lots o hail, which will shred the leaves,

elephants ears are probably not or you.

Otherwise, keep in mind that Colocasia

varieties can take airly wet conditions,

whileAlocasia selections require good

drainage.

as rmp

Brugmansia species and cultivars, zones 8 to 11

Summer (fowers)

Full sun; moist, well-drained, ertile soil

Seeing angels trumpet in bloom will

make anyone do a double take. The

remarkable, trumpet-shaped fowers can

reach rom 6 to 10 inches long (possibly

larger) in pleasing shades o white, yel-

low, or pink. The blooms dangle rom 3- to

10-oot-tall, ast-growing plants that typi-

cally spread to hal as wide. Angels trum-pets are technically trees and shrubs;

they grow signicantly larger in their na-

tive habitat o South America. The leaves

average anywhere rom 6 to 12 inches

long and are deer resistant. To mix things

up, keep an eye out or variegated culti-

vars likeBrugmansia Snowbank with

creamy white lea margins. Depending

Colocasia afnis var.jeningsii.


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C

Canna species and cultivars, zones 7 to 11

Spring to all (oliage), summer to all (fowers)

Full sun; moist, ertile soil

Wallfower is denitely something you

would never call a canna. While this

tender perennial certainly grows well

up against a sunny wall, it is anything

but shy or reserved. As a group, can-

nas scream out or attention with their

brightly colored blooms and big, some-times striped leaves. The fowers come

in wild shades o yellow, orange, red, and

pink, while the oliage can be green, blue-

green, deep burgundy, or a combination

o green with yellow or apricot-orange

variegation. Canna Pretoria (syn. C.

Bengal Tiger and C. Striata, zones 7 to

11) is a screamer with bright orange fow-

on the variety, the fowers are ragrant

in the early evening. The creamy yellow

blooms oB. Jamaican Yellow (zones 9 to

11) and bubblegum pinkB. Pink Beauty

(zones 9 to 11) both provide wonderul

ragrance. Even without a scent, however,

these plants are enchanting. You must

invest a healthy amount water and ertil-

izer to get this payo, but it is well worth

it. Few things are greater than enjoying

angels trumpet rom the vantage point o

a avorite outdoor lounger with a special

summer-evening beverage in hand. Justdont get any pieces o the plant in your

glassthis beauty is poisonous.

1. BrugmansiaJamaican Yellow.

2. Canna Pretoria

(syn. C. BengalTiger and C.Striata). Takenat The New YorkBotanical Garden.

21


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ers that mingle with yellow-and-green-

striped leaves. More reserved options

include C. President (zones 7 to 11) with

blue-green oliage and rich red blooms,

and C. Constitution (zones 8 to 11) with

glaucous purple leaves and sot pink

fowers. Cannas typically grow 4 to 6 eet

tall and 2 eet wide with leaves that can

reach to 2 eet long. They are true ty-

mile-per-hour plants, oten seen grow-

ing in highway medians in the southern

United States. They add fair to anyborder or container and happily mingle

with other sun-loving plants. Deer seldom

like cannas, but plants can occasionally

suer rom a ungal or viral disease. Feed

cannas regularly through the growing

season and remove spent blooms to keep

them healthy and encourage encore foral

displays.

B

Ensete ventricosum and cultivars, zones 9 to 11


Musa species and cultivars, zones 7 to 11


Full sun to partial shade; moderately moist, well-

drained, ertile soil

Nothing says tropical more than bananas.

These exotic plants send up huge, paddle-

like leaves that are sometimes cast in

coppery red, depending on the variety.

While bananas can average 20 eet talland 10 eet wide in the tropics, they

generally grow to about hal that size

in less temperate climates. Where they

are native, in places like Arica and Asia,

bananas are perennials with leaves that

can grow to the size o small surboards

or larger. They make superb ocal points

Ensete ventricosum Maurelii (top let) combinedwith Physocarpus opuliolius Diablo (let o center),Stachys byzantina Big Ears (syn. S. byzantinaCountess Helen von Stein, bottom let), and Perovskia

atripliciolia (bottom right). Taken at ChanticleerGarden.


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cal shrub species that oers endless culti-

vars with big fowers, like the 4-inch-wide

blooms o The Path (zones 10 to 11), a

magnicent selection with orange-yellow

petals that meet at a hot pink center. The

blooms o hibiscus almost look too good

to be true. They resemble party avors

made rom brightly colored crepe paper

in shades o red, orange, pink, yellow, and

white. Most tropical hibiscus range rom

3 to 10 eet tall and hal as wide.

The jumbo (up to 6 inches across),

sometimes garish fowers o hibiscus are

not or everyone. Thankully, other great

options sit on the opposite end o the

wild, colorul spectrum.Hibiscus aceto-

sella and cultivars (zones 9 to 11) eaturewonderul maplelike leaves and smaller,

more subtle fowers in shades o pink.

Panama Red, a remarkable introduction

with wine-red leaves, is a great addition

to any combination.

As with other tropicals, hibiscus are

dazzling in beds or containers. They love

the heat but can occasionally run into

in beds around patios or in large, hety

containers. They have a broad canopy and

narrow base that allows plenty o room

or other showy plants to grow at their

eet. Plants do not mind a little aternoon

shade, but keep them protected rom

strong winds or their leaves will become

rather tattered.

Gardeners have had un experiment-

ing with the hardiness o bananas.Musa

basjoo (zones 7 to 11) is among the hardi-

est species, with reports o plants dyingback to the ground like traditional peren-

nials when planted in microclimates and

given heavy winter mulch in zones 4 to

6.Ensete ventricosum and its cultivars

(zones 9 to 11) are among the more orna-

mental options. Maurelii has wonderul

leaves cast in coppery red.Musa acumi-

nata (zones 10 to 11) is one o the com-mon producers o the ruit that we nd in

the grocery store. Dwar Cavendish is a

dwar cultivar that grows 5 to 10 eet tall.

Unortunately, in the United States, gar-

deners in Florida are among the ew who

get to successully enjoy banana fowers

and ruit in their own backyards. That is

okay, thoughthe plants still look pretty

nity in beds and borders and do not seem

to be on the deer menu.

tropc hbscs

Hibiscus species and cultivars, zones 9 to 11

Summer to all (fowers)


With more than 200 species in the genus

Hibiscus, you are bound to nd one you

like. While many hardy species are avail-

able, some o the more exotic ones will

really knock your socks o.Hibiscus rosa-

sinensis (zones 9 to 11) is a popular tropi-

Hibiscus rosa-

sinensis The Path.


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Garden Design | 7

Some Like It HotJazz up the garden with vibrant hues. Brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges will

brighten up even the cloudiest o days. A vivid color palette is also a great wayto enliven an outdoor entertainment space. Look or eye-popping colors in bothfowers and oliage, with dark-colored companions to provide a nice contrast.Including a mix o woody plants, perennials, bulbs, annuals, and tropicals willextend the show throughout summer. Consider adding a pergola with a vigorousvine to your design to give you and your guests a little relie rom the hot summersun while you enjoy the riot o color.

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Plant List

1 Abutilon Voodoo (fowering maple, zones 8 to 11) . . . . . 1 plant2 Angelonia Angelace Blue

(syn.A. Anzwei, zones 9 to 11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 plants

3 Canna King Midas(syn. C. Richard Wallace, zones 7 to 11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 plants

4 Colocasia esculenta Elena(elephants ear, zones 8 to 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

5

Cotinus coggygria Golden Spirit (syn. C. coggygriaAncot, smokebush, zones 5 to 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant6 Dahlia Bishop o Llanda (zones 8 to 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant7 Ensete ventricosum Maurelii (banana, zones 9 to 11)1 plant8 Eremurus isabellinus Cleopatra

(oxtail lily, zones 5 to 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 plants

9 Euphorbia cotiniolia(tropical smokebush, zones 10 to 11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

10 Euphorbia polychroma Bonre(spurge, zones 5 to 9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 plants

11 Hibiscus Moy Grande (zones 5 to 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant12 Hypericum calycinum Brigadoon

(St. Johns wort, zones 5 to 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

13 Kolkwitzia amabilis Dream Catcher(syn. K. amabilis Maradco, beauty bush, zones 4 to 8) . . . . . . 1 plant

14 Lilium Touching (orienpet lily, zones 4 to 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 plants15 Magnolia sieboldii(Oyama magnolia, zones 5 to 8) . . . . . 1 plant

16 Miscanthus sinensis Gold Bar(maiden grass, zones 5 to 9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

17 Miscanthus sinensis Morning Light(maiden grass, zones 5 to 9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

18 Rudbeckia hirta Prairie Sun(gloriosa daisy, zones 3 to 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 plants

19 Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue(sage, zones 7 to 10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 plants

20 Wisteria rutescens Amethyst Falls(American wisteria, zones 5 to 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 plant

Planting Plan

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(roughly 8 inches wide) that complements

patio, entryway, and container plant-

ings.Manihot esculenta (zones 9 to 11) is

the species responsible or that amous

pudding (made rom its roots). Do not go

making the dessert rom scratch yoursel,

however, unless you know what you are

doing. The uncooked roots are poisonous.

Roots aside, Variegata (zones 10 to 11)

is a sensational plant or its variegated

leaves splashed with creamy yellow and

its reddish pink lea stalks. Averaging 3

to 8 eet tall and 3 to 5 eet wide, tapiocas

can be used in small and large spaces.Like many tropical plants, they lean to-

ward the smaller size o that range in the

north, but they are also accepting o some

shade in the south and are deer resistant.

Manihot grahamii (zones 8 to 11), with

intriguing wavy green leafets, is another

great choice. It is reported to be an ag-

trouble with diseases and pests. Japanese

beetles are especially attracted to them.

Hibiscus may not be the rst choice or

deer, but the our-legged eating machines

may take a nibble. I you would preer

to keep these plants around or a while,

choose rom among the loads o hybrids

or the many hardy cultivars o the North

American speciesHibiscus moscheutos

(zones 5 to 10).

tpoc

Manihot species and cultivars, zones 8 to 11


Full sun to partial shade; moist, ertile soil

Even i it is not your avorite pudding fa-

vor, tapioca will certainly win you over in

the garden. This genus serves up unique

tropical shrubs with deeply lobed oliage

Manihot esculentaVariegata.


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gressive sel-sower that naturalizes in

Gul Coast states. This genus is relatively

new in ornamental gardening arenas; do

not be surprised to nd a bit o variability

in its reported hardiness zone range.

n z fx

Phormium species and cultivars, zones 8 to 11



For gardeners looking or something a

little edgy, New Zealand fax is just the

ticket. This abulous tender perennial is

reminiscent o hardy yucca (Yucca fla-

mentosa and cultivars, zones 4 to 10),

only it can get a little bigger and has

more interesting leaves. Reaching up

to 4 eet tall and wide in less temper-ate climates, New Zealand fax varieties

oer swordlike leaves that vary in color

rom blue-green to bronze.Phormium

Sundowner andP. Carousel are among

the stars o the genus, eaturing bronze-

green leaves with apricot margins. New

Zealand faxes do not seem to fower

during a short gardening season, but

who cares? The oliage looks antastic

when paired with other bold and nely

textured plants, and the wonderul warm

tones combine handsomely with any color

scheme.Phormium tenax (zones 8 to

11) is the most widely available species,

whileP. cookianum (zones 8 to 11) is anice, typically smaller choice to keep an

eye out or. These plants can be overwin-

tered in an unheated garage, but it takes

a month or two or them to really make

a comeback in spring. No major pests or

diseases seem to aze New Zealand fax.

This bold beauty denitely deserves a

gold star.

Phormium Carousel. Taken at The New York BotanicalGarden.


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Csor b

Ricinus communis and cultivars, zones 9 to 11

Spring to all (oliage), summer to all (seedpods)

Full sun; moist, ertile soil

It is oten love at rst sight when you see

castor bean in the garden. The lush stand

o large, deeply lobed leaves creates a

mesmerizing 2- to 5-oot-wide backdrop

on 4- to 10-oot-tall stems. The pleasing,

green to rich, deep red oliage can getto be as wide as a large record album

(or those o you who remember what

those are), sometimes bigger. Plants with

leaves with red undertones also exhibit

the same wonderul color in their stems.

The fowers are not all that exciting

small, yellowish, and open along a spike.

Carmencita and Carmencita Pink seemto be the exception, with red and pink

fowers, respectively. Both also eature

beautiul, reddish bronze leaves. The seed

capsules on all castor beans are a whole

dierent story. The red, 1-inch-round,

pointy spheres are ascinating and look

kind o like a unky Christmas ornament.

Conveniently enough, once the capsules

dry the seeds can be easily collected and

saved or sowing the next year. I small

children or pets requent your garden,

pass on castor bean: all parts o this trop-

ical shrub are poisonous. Otherwise, take

advantage o their dramatic display and

use them as a screen, oil, or ocal point insunny locations. Castor beans are rarely

troubled by pests or diseases. I you can

nd it, Gibsonii is a nice 4-oot-tall selec-

tion that works well in tight spaces.Ricinus communis Carmencita Pink beore abackdrop oCanna Panache. Courtesy oFineGardening, taken at Berkshire Botanical Garden.


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Abundant And Playul*|*|*| 123

aBundant and PlayFul

Thanks to lush, colorul annuals and

tropicals, we have no shortage o beauti-

ul fowers and oliage to enjoy in our

avorite outdoor spaces throughout the

summer months. Backyard dining areas,

cozy hideaways, and welcoming entries

are ar more enticing when brimming

with happy blooms and a swirl o tones,

tints, hues, and textures. Many vivacious

options provide generous, enchanting

displays throughout the warmest monthso the year. As with larger tropicals, these

plants like a regular eeding either rom

a slow-release granular or water-soluble

ertilizer. Providing them with a humus-

rich bedding soil will typically carry them

a long way.

arhrAlternanthera species and cultivars,

zones 10 to 11

Spring to summer (oliage)

Full sun to partial shade; consistently moist, well-

drained, average soil

Alternantheras are excellent oliage

plants that bring both attractive color

and texture to the table. They are all

quite diverse.Alternanthera dentata

oers the cultivar Rubiginosa, which

eatures deep burgundy-purple to almost

black leaves that are 3 to 4 inches long.

It stands 24 to 36 inches tall and abouthal as wide.Alternanthera bettzichiana

is a low-growing (up to 12 inches tall and

twice as wide) avorite or its unusual,

party-colored oliage with shades o pink,

green, yellow, and deep red-purple all

appearing on each hal-inch-long lea. A

third, widely available option isA. f-

Alternanthera

fcoidea RedThreads andPlectranthus ciliatusDrge.

coidea, which sports thin, almost needle-

like, 1-inch-long leaves in burgundy(Red Threads) or green and gold (Gold

Threads) tones. Its habit is similar toA.

bettzichiana. In general these tender pe-

rennials make great edging plants. They

welcome a little shade in hot climates

and rarely have problems with pests or

diseases.


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Conifers Provide Year-Round Appeal

124*|*|*|

garden again. There are generally two types o indoor

locations to choose rom: warm and cool. Do notexpect to bring true annuals in or the winter; theyjust do not have it in them to go another year.

I you have a warm (somewhere around 65F) locationnear a sunny window, you can grow many tendergems in pots as houseplantsater all, traditionalhouseplants are tropicals. The plants may not look

I it breaks your heart to throw tender tropicals in

the compost pile at the end o the season, consideroverwintering them indoors. For plants growing incontainers, this just requires nding a good spot toplace the pot. Plants sunk into the ground requirea bit more eort because you have to lit and placethem in a storage container. Many gardeners donot mind and oten enjoy the challenge o keepingtropicals alive so that they can eature them in their

Everyone, including plants, needs a little sping uprom time to time. In addition to basic light, water, andnutrition, a ew snips o the pruners is all it takes tokeep annuals and tropicals attractive and productive.Removing spent fowers, severely blemished leaves,and damaged shoots will instantly give plants ahealthier appearance. Because it is a plants missionin lie to set seed and reproduce, deadheading

most plants will also encourage more blooms. Withtrue annuals, deadheading is imperative. I you letthem set seed, they are done or. The good newsis that many o the plants we call annuals are nottrue annuals. They are tropicals that cannot survivecold winters, and they keep right on trucking or thesummer whether you remove the spent fowers or not.

Although it is not necessary, pinching plants withbranching habits like coleus, lantana, or castor beanwill encourage bushier, uller growth. When youremove a tip o a stem it triggers side shoots to startsprouting. This technique will reduce the plantsoverall size, keeping it more compact, but with thepayo o a lush appearance. Many times pinchingcan come in handy when you are trying to keepenthusiastic growers rom overpowering a plantingand its bedellows. Once you get the hang o it, you

For bushier growth, pinch stem tips to the next set o leaves.Courtesy o Brent Benner.

A Little Housekeeping Goes a Long Way

Living to See Another Year

will be amazed at how easy it is to manipulate aplants growth and keep it in scale with smaller orslower-growing neighbors. All it takes is a simple snipo the stem.


14/23

*|*|*| 125

Some plants, like Solenostemon scutellarioides cultivars, canbe easily grown rom cuttings and overwintered near a sunnywindow.

the greatest, but they will oten live to see anotheryear. Water them when the soil is dry and rotate thepots every week or two so that all sides o the plantshave a turn in the brighter light. Expect leaves todrop and insects to hitch a ride indoors, especiallywhitefies and aphids. Insects are dicult to avoid.Some gardeners like to do a preemptive strike beorebringing plants indoors by spraying plants withinsecticidal soap or other insect control. Insecticidalsoap is highly regarded as a sae control and caneven be made at home by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons

o liquid castile soap to 1 gallon o water. I you ndyou have a large insect inestation ater the plants arealready indoors, you can knock down the numbers bytreating them in the bathtub.

Many tender tropicals can also be overwintered inlocations that maintain cool temperatures (around40F to 50F) throughout the winter months. Places

like basements or garages are good choices. The trickis to trigger your plants into dormancy, which is notdone by exposure to cool temperatures but by dryconditions. A ew weeks beore you plan to bringthese plants inside (beore the rst hard rost), cuto their water supply. When you bring them indoors,you can pretty much set them in a corner and orgetabout them until spring.

Obviously this method will not work with alltropicals. It is particularly eective, however, withbulbous or feshy-rooted plants like elephantsears, which can be cut back to a ew inches romthe ground, gently lited (shaking o excess soil),and stored in a shallow container. Overwintering is

largely a trial-and-error venture; hal the un is seeingwhat you can get away with. When it comes time tobring your plants back outdoors, wait until the threato rost has passed and slowly reintroduce them backto the sun. Start by placing them in ull shade or therst week, then gradually move them into ull sun.

More advanced gardeners overwinter plants bytaking cuttings and investing in articial indoorlighting to increase their holding area. High-intensitydischarge (HID) lamps are the Cadillacs o lightingrelatively expensive but highly eective. Florescentlighting is a good inexpensive option that will get

you by. Traditional shop lights purchased at a localhome center and tted with one warm-light (2700K to3000K) tube and one cool-white (5000K and higher)tube will do the trick. You can also use the lights tostart seeds indoors in late winter or early spring.


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ao

Angelonia angustiolia and cultivars, zones 9 to 11


Full sun; moist, well-drained, moderately ertile

soil

Angelonia is a top-notch tender perennial

that is a strong team player ront-and-

center or on the sidelines. Just pop it in

place, stand back, and enjoy the show.

This nonstop fowering machine produces8- to 10-inch-tall spikes covered in white,

pink, or purple blooms, depending on the

selection. Plants typically stand 12 to 24

inches tall and 12 to 14 inches wide. They

do not require deadheading, but occa-

sional housekeeping will tidy things up a

bit and encourage more blooms. Pinching

stem tips will give plants a nice, bushyorm. As a group, angelonias do not mind

heat and will tolerate drier conditions,

which makes them excellent substitutes

or snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus

cultivars, zones 7 to 10). They have ew

pest and disease oes and can easily be

used throughout the garden to visually

tie plantings together. Breeders have

gone like gangbusters on this plant. The

Angelace series is touted or its long, up-

right (nonfoppy) stems, while the Serena

series oers more compact plants with

a bushier orm. There are many worthy

plants to try. Angelonias are rst-rate an-

nuals; it is too bad they are not perennial.

Angelonia Angelace Pink (syn.Angelonia Anpink,bottom let) with Salvia cultivars (top let and right),Euphorbia marginata (top center), an Iris cultivar(center), and a Verbena cultivar (bottom right). Takenat Linden Hill Gardens.


16/23


Cm

Caladium species and cultivars, zones 10 to 11


Partial to ull shade; moist, well-drained, ertile

soil

One look at these leaves and you might

conclude that Mother Nature, Georgia

OKeee, and Jackson Pollock were in the

same art class together. Caladium dazzles

the eye with big expanses o color as wellas wonderul streaks and splotches. Few

shade plants can match these beauties

when it comes to livening up the gar-

den. The elongated, heart-shaped leaves

are 6 to 12 inches long and held on 8- to

24-inch-tall stems. Caladium Candidum

glows with white leaves and striking

green veining, while C. Gingerlandprovides an engaging display o cran-

berry splatters over splashes o green

and white. This tropical perennial likes

humidity but can sometimes suer rom

rot and diseases i too wet. Deer are not

completely opposed to giving it a try.

Caladium usually works best as the

center o attention. The wonderul green,

red, white, or pink hues o the leaves

provide lots o opportunities to create in-

teresting color echoes in planting designs.

Their wild patterns and colors are de-

nitely or the gardener who likes to shake

things up.

Caladium Gingerland.


17/23


imps

Impatiens species and cultivars, zones 10 to 11


Partial to ull shade; moist, well-drained, ertile

soil

They may not be the rock stars o the

plant world, but impatiens earn their

keep in the garden. This large group o

annuals and tropical perennials reli-

ably provides loads o cheery blooms inshady nooks and crannies. They do not

require deadheading but can easily be

pinched back to encourage more fower-

ing lateral shoots. Traditional species like

Impatiens walleriana (zones 10 to 11),

and its cultivars, can be anywhere rom 6

to 30 inches tall and 6 to 24 inches wide

with fat, disklike fowers that are 1 to2 inches wide, while hybrids in the New

Guinea group (syn.I. hawkeri cultivars)

tend to hover around a oot tall and wide.

Options in shades o pink, purple, red,

orange, yellow, and white are all easy

to nd. Some double-fowering varieties

are also available, as are unique cup- or

seashell-shaped selections. The Fusion

series displays this unusual cup shape in

shades o salmon and orange.

Impatiens love heat and humidity and

are true workhorse plants. They are oc-

casionally eaten by deer and may have

run-ins with insects or diseases, such

as spider mites or lea spotno seriousproblems worth banning them rom the

garden, however.

Impatiens Fusion Heat skirts the base oCaladiumGingerland and a Solenostemon scutellarioidescultivar as Dichondra argentea Silver Falls spills overthe edge o this container. Taken at the Benner Garden.


18/23


l

Lantana camara cultivars, zones 8 to 11


Full sun; moderately moist, well-drained, averagesoil

Although considered a tropical shrub

weed in temperate climates where it is

hardy, lantana is a choice tender selection

in cooler regions. This plant just loves to

bloom. The estive, oten multicolored,clustered fowers grow to about the size

o a quarter. They oten come in shades

o red, orange, pink, lavender, or white

mixed with yellow. Athens Rose is a

pleasing mix o yellow and pink petals

that makes you think o yellow and pink

lemonade. Luscious Grape (syn. Robp-

wpur) has pink-purple blossoms withwhite centers. Samantha has wonderul

yellow variegation on its leaves that is

mirrored by a lovely yellow fower.

In its exotic, native habitat, lantana

can reach up to 6 eet tall and wide; it

typically grows 2 to 3 eet tall and wide

when cultivated as an annual. Some

selections are more trailing, while others

are upright. The medium green leaves

have a wonderul, wrinkly, almost leath-

ery texture and can be variegated. Lan-

tana lls in quickly and combines well

with other plants at the ront and middle

Lantana AthensRose.

o the border or in containers. It is a but-terfy magnet and has no serious pest or

disease problems. However, it is a noxious

weed in a handul o temperate locales, so

check your state invasive listings. Most

cultivars will continue to fower without

deadheading. I the variety you choose

appears to produce copious amounts o

tiny, peasize seedpods, however, dead-

heading to encourage more blooms is not

a bad idea. Watch out i you have a strong

sniersome olks nd the scent o lan-

tana unpleasant.


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Ps

Pentas lanceolata and cultivars, zones 9 to 11



This happy-go-lucky plant ts in well

with any sunny planting scheme. Con-

sidered a shrubby perennial in its native

Arica, pentas works as a stellar annual

in nontropical climates. The clusters

o star-shaped fowers are the perectlanding pads or butterfies and are also

well liked by hummingbirds. Cultivars

and hybrids with blooms in shades o

red, pink, lilac, and white are widely

available. Handsome green, uzzy leaves

set the fowers o sublimely. Depend-

ing on the variety, plants can reach 14

to 36 inches tall and wide. Pentas maybe occasionally visited by aphids and

spider mites, but deer do not seem to be

interested in it. Plants benet rom an

occasional deadheading. Pentas pairs

well with other annuals, perennials,

summer bulbs, and woody plants. There

is a deluge o cultivars out there that

probably only breeders can tell apart.

The New Look series oers vigorous seed-

propagated plants. The Butterfy series is

loaded with strong perormers. The big-

gest deviant rom this vast group is Stars

and Stripes, which has distinct varie-

gated leaves accompanied by red blooms.

Otherwise, choose whatever fower colorand plant size strike your ancy at the

garden center. The odds are pretty good

you will get a top-notch selection.Pentas lanceolata Starla Pink. Courtesy oFineGardening.


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Cos

Solenostemon scutellarioides cultivars,

zones 10 to 11


Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained,

ertile soil

I there is one tender perennial that no

garden should be without, it is coleus.

It grows in sun or shade, and although

its fowers are insignicant, its oliage isphenomenal. Hundreds o cultivars are

available, with colors that span the spec-

trum. The options really are endless, rom

wild and garish to simple and subtle. The

size and shape o the leaves are also quite

variable. You can choose varieties with o-

liage that is thin and gently scalloped or

wide and heavily serrated, depending onyour mood. Coleus can be cast as the star

o the show or a supporting character. It

plays very nicely with others. Selections

with large, solid-colored leaves like the

aptly named Orange King (syn. Gold

Giant) are especially easy to work with,

going with practically anything, while

multicolored, ne-textured varieties like

Kiwi Fern may take a bit more thought

to nd complementary companions. Cole-

us can grow up 3 eet tall and wide. Some

varieties have a more upright habit,

while others tend to be more spreading,

even trailing. These plants respond well

to pruning and can easily be pinched and

snipped to encourage bushier growth

and a more compact orm. They can also

be trained into standards. Most people

remove the fowers to direct energy into

the leaves. Coleus is rarely troubled by

pests or diseases. Deer may give it a try,

but beyond that, it could seriously be the

perect annual.

Solenostemon scutellarioides Orange King (syn. S.scutellarioides Gold Giant).


21/23


wshbo for

Torenia ournieri cultivars, annual


Partial to ull shade; moist, well-drained, ertilesoil

Wishbone fower does not look like much

when sitting in a tiny pot on a bench at

the garden center. Once you try it, how-

ever, it will become a permanent part

o your garden roster. This enthusiastic

bloomer produces white, pink, purple,

blue, or yellow fowers that typically

eature white throats and yellow or more

deeply toned markings. The fowers are

1 to 2 inches long and do not require

deadheading. This true annual gets its

common name rom the two tiny anthers

that orm in each fower and resemble awishbone. Plants grow up to 12 inches

tall and sometimes just as wide. Their

mounding, trailing habit makes them

ideal or the ront o a bed or edging in

containers. The Moon series oers a great

spectrum o colors, including various yel-

lows and magenta. The Catalina series

also oers a good mix o color options.

Wishbone fower tends to like it on the

cooler side. It perorms best in ull shade

in hot, humid climates. Otherwise, it does

not have any serious oes. I you have

had trouble with this plant in the past,

perhaps try a selection rom the Summer

Wave series, which was bred to hold up

better under hot, humid conditions. While

Torenia ournieri seems to be the most

widely cultivated species, many o the va-

rieties available are considered hybrids.Torenia Catalina Midnight Blue (syn. T. Dancat911).


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*|*|*| 133

Cool Annuals

Although they may not survive severe winter

temperatures, some annuals preer cooltemperatures. Gardeners with mild winters can enjoymany o these plants during the winter months.Many are cold hardy in warmer zones, but it is otensummer heat and humidity that do these plants in.Cool-season annuals and tender perennials canbe grown throughout the summer in areas that

experience cooler temperatures, such as places withhigher altitudes or near a coastline. They can also beput to good use in spring to provide a burst o colorwhile you are waiting to put out your heat-lovingplants. The ollowing options will work well in amostly sunny location.

1.Antirrhinum majus Rocket Pink.

2. Lobularia maritima Snow Crystals.

Antirrhinum majuscultivars (snapdragon, zones 7 to 10)

Calendula ofcinalis and cultivars (pot marigold, annual)

Diascia species and cultivars (twinspur, zones 7 to 10)

Gerbera jamesonii and cultivars (Gerbera daisy, zones 8

to 11)

Lathyrus odoratus and cultivars (sweet pea, annual)

Lobularia maritima and cultivars (sweet alyssum, annual)

Matthiola incana and cultivars (stock, zones 6 to 8)

Nemesia strumosa and cultivars (annual)

Osteospermum species and cultivars (Cape daisy, zones

10 to 11)

Viola wittrockiana cultivars (pansy, zones 6 to 10)

21


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134*|*|*|

The Show Never Ends with Self-Sowers

Okay, never say never, but sel-sowing annuals or

short-lived tender perennials are great or airlyreliable, serendipitous displays each year. Once youplant them and let them set seed, they will happilyspread their progeny about. The kids may not popup in the exact same place, but that is what makesthis gardening adventure un. The newbies createall sorts o unexpected combinations and surpriseswhen they sprout each year. They are also prettyeasy to pluck out o the garden i you do not like howthings are going. Some plants are more prolic thanothers, such as tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis). Iyou are not absolutely in love with the plant, do notlet it go to seed. Ask other gardeners in your area howintensely particular plants seed beore planting themin your garden, and always check to see i a plant is

listed as invasive in your area beore welcoming itinto the old.

1. Rudbeckia hirta Indian Summer.

2. Verbena bonariensis. Taken at The New York BotanicalGarden.

Centaurea cyanus and cultivars (bachelors buttons,

annual)

Cosmos bipinnatus and cultivars (annual)

Dianthus barbatus and cultivars (sweet William, zones 3

to 9, biennial)

Eschscholzia caliornica and cultivars (Caliornia poppy,

annual)

Impatiens balsamina and cultivars (balsam, annual)

Linum grandiorum and cultivars (fowering fax, annual)

Nicotiana species and cultivars (fowering tobacco, zones

10 to 11)

Nigella damascena and cultivars (love-in-a-mist, annual)

Rudbeckia hirta and cultivars (gloriosa daisy, zones 3 to 7)

Verbena bonariensis(tall verbena, zones 7 to 11)

21

annuals and tropicals

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