KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Saturday January 20 2010 Witch hazel

Ozark Witch hazel

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010

Ozark witch hazel, also known as Winterbloom and Snapping Hazel is not actually a part of the hazelnut family but a Missouri native and distant relative of the sensitive Fothergilla, the exotic Parrotia and the ever tough but headachy Sweetgum tree.
She blooms in late winter and is very close to her sister, the Common Witchazel / Hamamelis virginiana which blooms much earlier, usually very late fall through December.
This fragrant January-February bloomer is a beautiful choice as a wonderful protective habitat for nesting songbirds as well as a transitional placeholder when changing from a manicured landscape to a natural setting.
A showy screen/ hedge choice with a very dense and strong shrubby habit she typically develops a substantial but controllable spread with maturity. Naturally occurring in the wild in gravelly soil or rocky stream beds or at the base of rocky slopes along streams, she makes a beautiful anchor-backdrop for a rain garden.
She is tolerant of all types of soil and light levels. She does seem to produce the most flowers when planted where she has morning sun with a little afternoon shade. Be sure to consider her many attributes when choosing landscape for indoor viewing pleasure. She is a showoff in the fall with her notable clear yellow fall color but displays a serene and quiet dignity in the winter landscape. Her flowering stems also make attractive winter bouquets as well!
Care Factor Rating: 1 Ozark witchhazel must be watered regularly till established. She is a moderately slow grower so to maintain her natural branching habit, minimize any pruning to the removal of only the occasional damaged or dead branch. She does not require pruning when given adequate space!
Flowers develop on the old growth so consider only a gently pruning if any after flowering to modify her shape. This is best done in the early spring after flowering and before any new growth appears. Usually a conservative approach is recommended.
She is rather new to cultivated space use so new placement, applications and pruning management recommendations may develop as she is introduced to a variety of landscape styles and spaces.
Because of her look in a natural setting, it might be tempting to want to encourage a denser branching habit if in her youth if she is a spindly or thinly branched specimen. Use caution, remember she is slow growing and has a natural dense habit when not overcrowded and environmentally challenged. Wait till she is past any transplant shock before removing any growth. At that point she may have filled out naturally and not require any pruning. Also remember flowering is likely to be affected with any pruning management approach. As with any shrub, never remove more than 1/3 of the total growth. Removal of the occasional damaged or dead branch can be done any time of the year. If over time suckers begin to develop at her base / ground level, consider the space allowance and remove only what is necessary to maintain a visual balance for the space. She is very long lived when well placed and can eventually create a stunning colony if given enough time to mature.

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of the Week January 23 2010 Smooth Hydrangea

Head over Heels For Reliable Hydrangeas (or Solve your soggy garden problems with a Home Grown (Native) Option!)

A great rain garden worthy option, Smooth Hydrangea is a delightful native American that appreciates the wet/ dry cycle in Missouri’s natural and cultivated spaces.

She is adaptable to soil types and moisture levels once she is established.

Because she flowers on the current season's wood, she is also bloom reliable.

She is naturally found working on bank stabilization projects along Missouri’s banks and streams making her both a water and soil conservationist! (Perfect for rain gardens!)

Her foliage color is variable depending on the light levels, the time of year and the specific setting. During the spring and summer, her foliage can be described as a misty gray or army camouflage green or even a pale apple green.

In the fall, her color varies as well, ranging from a from a pale sun bleached blonde to toasty warm gold tones.

The leave size is also dependant on age and time of year but a single leaf can be as much as 6” long and fairly wide. Her texture is generally considered medium /bold but less so when compared to her sister Oakleaf Hydrangea and her other more distant relatives.

There is a cultivated form. ‘Annabelle’ that has been widely available for many years. Said to be a naturally occurring cultivar discovered in the wild near Anna, Illinois, she does sport exceptionally large showy white flowers that are easy to spot, even at a distance! She is also equally cold hardy as the species.

New to the market in 2010 is a pink form of H. ‘Annabelle’, called 'Invincibelle™ Spirit'. It will be interesting to see is this pink bloomer is as hardy and carefree as the white flowering 'Annabelle'. ( Click here for details or for Additional information)

Care Factor Rating: 1 Hydrangea arborescens / Smooth Hydrangea is very drought tolerant but must be watered regularly till established. Her good looks will suffer some but not permently during extended dry periods.

To maintain her in her most natural form and upright habit, minimize any pruning to just removing damaged shoots. The removal of spent flowers in late winter is common place but not necessary. Caring for her this way does offer a slightly more manicured appearance.

Pruning the occasional damaged or dead shoot is best done after foliage has completely expanded. This is because until the plant completely re-hydrates it is difficult to identify true winter damage or dieback from superficial damage until the shrub has fully leafed out. This can be as late as early summer. At that time most failed stems will be well hidden with foliage and probably be a minimal concern. This is a reliable bloomer that blooms every year on new growth so even if there is a very harsh winter and total dieback to the ground, all new shoots will emerge and flowering will still occur.

All phases of the flowers are considered to have attributes that provide some interest, even in the winter so leaving blossoms intact from initial bloom till the following late winter / early spring is typical management practice. (The flowers are frequently used in arrangements, both fresh and dried.)

If excessive flower size on ‘Annabelle’ is a concern, instead of removing just spent flowers, also trim her woody shoots back 1/3 in early spring each year before leaf break. This will encourage lateral branching, reduce flower size and increase bud count. This helps reduce “ sagging” flower heads that droop after rain and helps make the flower size more proportionate to the shrub size. This will also slightly change her form. This type of annual pruning may reduce overall size of the shrub over time and decrease shoot spread to some degree. This care technique increases her CFR (Care Factor Rating) to 2 for ‘Annabelle’ as it creates a slightly higher maintenance situation that is not needed for the health of the shrub.

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of the Week Juniper Gray Owl Saturday January 9 2010

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl'

This long reigning queen of the juniper cultivars, beloved since before 1664 still has “class that lasts.” Whether she holds court in a pocket garden or is part of a formal display she impacts her environment in a regal manner

Bearing up through all of Missouri’s weather extremes, this juniper has earned a place of honor in the hall of fame in the horticulture world for years of well deserved popularity and lenght of service.

Once established, she is consistently able to bear up under Missouri’s many extremes including hot, cold, humidity and drought. She also tolerates poor gravelly soils; acid and clay soils. She grow moderately fast when young but slows with age.

She is amazing. Like a loving grandma who let’s a toddler grooming her silvery tresses, she tolerates the pruning mishaps of the landscape novice. Is she sad when her natural good looks are lost for the sake of lessons learned? Is this the best way to train the arborists of the future? I guess she knows there is always a learning curve.

The aftermath of this attention often results in a "do" that is over done, under done and yes sometimes ridiculous! All she really needs is an occasional gentle and affectionate grooming!

Care Factor Rating: 2 This upright spreading juniper ‘Gray Owl’ must be watered regularly till established. She does not require pruning when given adequate space but she might appreciate a gently hand and modest management done once a yearin early spring!




A more compact plant will result when long branches are pruned back to their junction at a lateral branch. Cuts should be made "back in" so that new growth will soon cover exposed stubs. Reminder: Always prune in stages! Step back frequently to check your progress.

Never prune so far into a juniper that you enter the dead zone (where there is no greenery present) Never remove more than 1/3 of the total growth on any plant. The occasional damaged or dead branch can be removed any time of the year.

Juniper ‘Gray Owl’’ does have one pet peeve, she can’t stand soggy soil. However she does tolerate wind and urban air pollutants. Like many evergreens, she can catch a case of bagworms and may have an occasional bout with cedar apple rust, but most importantly, she is resistant to Phomopsis twig blight.

KYRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of The Week January 2 2010 Red Buckeye

Red Buckeye

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


When is red “green”? When you are talking about planting the environmentally “Show Me Smart Gardening” choice, Red buckeye to enhance a cultivated green space!

Although he is typically included with medium height understory trees, he is usually a rather stout, perhaps even a bit portly fellow. He is best defined as a multi-stemmed shrub or a low branched small tree.

I suppose this grouping of him with slightly larger trees is a little "short" of hopeful. However, with enough elbow room, and the best of circumstances, it is possible to challenge our state champion tree, located near the Jewel Box in St. Louis’s Forest Park. This might be wishful thinking! (So to the optimist- plan for the max and check out the link below!). For the more practical, he typically reaches a height of 10-20’.

He is a bit of a show-off in the spring. Even at a young age (under 3’), he is a talented performer, balancing at his twiggy fingertips 4-10” flower extensions that look more like pink coat or hat racks with multiple hangers. Or maybe it looks more like a candy store’s lollypop stand (Is it time for sweet tooth break)?

It is on these fleshy short "dowel rod extensions" the rosy tube shaped flowers are suspended. Even these tubes have a novel look because of their blunt tips and double eared protruding petals. With a little imagination, it looks like hundreds of little pink bunny eared puppets hanging on a floor to ceiling coat tree. (Well maybe it takes a lot of imagination).

The unique flowers are not otherwise bunny oriented however the Red buckeye is habitat friendly. He is a nectar source for the ruby-throated hummingbird. The Red buckeye’s spring timing is perfect too, since the hummers are just returning from their migration.

These showy flower extensions, called panicles, can vary from a reddish pink to a salmon red depending on the specific tree; the weather and the individual flower age as flowers tend to fade to a pretty pastel. This is lovely when used as a backdrop for the not showy till later / cut me to the ground, Crape myrtles. Pair Red buckeye with other early blooming shrubs that also blush tints of pink and peach such as fragrant Viburnums.

The Red buckeye is an under story tree naturally found on wooded slopes, at the base of bluffs and along stream beds. His large dark green leaves, arranged in clusters like the tropical houseplant Schefflera gives him a unique umbrella look and bold texture in the landscape.

He is perfectly happy placed at the edge of a shaded rain garden or along a wet/ dry creek bed. (As long as the soil is not soggy!) He does his best on the outer perimeter but in the shade of larger trees. This is where he can bask in the morning light, flower his best, enjoy good drainage and still escape the afternoon sun. This also makes it easier for him to compete for water rights.

His extra large leaves will dry out and look tattered without sun protection. This also happens when is is severly water stressed. If this happens, he may decide to save his energy by letting his leaves drop early. He will recover, be none the worse for wear and be seasonally optimistic again the next spring. However, repeated environmental stress may slow his growth rate over time and reduce his chance to become a state champion tree!

He does produce the popular smooth brown shiny seeds called buckeyes most seasons. These ripen in the fall. They are poisonous and so are rarely bothered by deer. His fall leaf color is yellow.

Care Factor Rating: 1 Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) must be watered regularly till established. It is considered best to plant Red buckeye in early spring before flowering, or after flowering is finished but before the summer heat arrives. Check him frequently for water needs as he establishes. Some leaf drop may occur during transplant transition.

To maintain his naturally attractive multi-stem branching habit, minimize any pruning to the removal of only the occasional damaged or dead branch. This can be done any time of the year. Note: Flowering occurs on older wood but starts at a very early age. No regular pruning is needed. Any pruning will interfere with flower and seed production.

See the following links for Tree Walk details, and Missouri Department of Conservation information and for a list with links for some other types of buckeyes.

http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestry_div/ChampionTree.pdf

http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark/Treewalkinfo.pdf
http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2002/12/50.htm

Some of the best buckeye choices for the lower Midwest include:

Aesculus × carnea: Red Horse Chestnut
Aesculus flava (A. octandra): yellow buckeye
Aesculus glabra: Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus hippocastanum: Common Horse Chestnut
Aesculus parviflora: bottlebrush buckeye
Aesculus pavia: red buckeye
Aesculus × carnea red horse chestnut
Aesculus pavia var. flavescens: Texas yellow buckeye, yellow woolly buckeye

The most familiar member of the genus worldwide is the Common Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum, native to a small area of the Balkans in southeast Europe, but widely cultivated throughout the temperate world.

The yellow buckeye Aesculus flava (syn. A. octandra) is also a valuable ornamental tree with yellow flowers, but is less widely planted.

Among the smaller species, the bottlebrush buckeye Aesculus parviflora also makes a very interesting and unusual flowering shrub.

Several other members of the genus are used as ornamentals, and several horticultural hybrids have also been developed, most notably the red Horse Chestnut Aesculus × carnea, a hybrid between A. hippocastanum and A. pavia.

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Jan 2 2010 Tree Help During and After Construction (Help for Pat)

by MaryAnn Fink
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010


Caller Pat Wants Help To Get To Root of Her Problem: What to do for Dogwood Tree During emergency water main repair:





Your tree needs help by protecting its trunk/ bark from mechanical damaged caused by equipment. Discuss your concerns and ask for their help to communicate with all workers. Wrap the trunk it with a bright colored ribbon and put orange hazzard fencing in place. This will help workers running equipment to see the tree and remember to stay as far away as possible-remove warning material once work is complete.

Make sure the soil level stayed the same after construction (No excess soil should be mounded up under the tree or piled up against the trunk (disturbed soil might appear slightly higher until normal re-settling occurs.)

Monitor for Decline and Hazards

Despite your best efforts, some trees fail after construction damage occurs.
Listed below are a few of the more common symptoms of stress or possible decline to watch:
Thinning canopy or unbalanced unequal distribution of leaves such as smaller than normal leaves or fewer leaves than normal. Look for a neighboring healthy tree, check what stage the leaves are and their average size and stage of development!

Of course failure to leaf out at all in the spring, delayed flowering or following leafing out the tree drops new leaves (this can also happen if temperatures drop severely-healthy trees releaf, sick trees diel) Watch for leaves that die in place and just hang on the tree.

Branch dieback anywhere in the crown of the tree or if damage occurs during the growing season, watch for stress symptoms such as premature fall color.

Please note that if a tree dies as a result of root damage, it may become an immediate hazard and may need to be removed right away.

Call a professional certified arborist to examine your tree for signs of possible hazards. He will look for cracks in the trunk, split or broken branches, and dead limbs as well as indications of internal decay such as cavities, carpenter ants, soft wood, and mushroom like structures growing on the trunk, root crown, or along the major roots and other defects or suspect decay.

Following construction activities, trees should be kept under observation for 8-10 years. This will allow prompt treatment if needed. An annual professional assessment is always a good idea as is keeping an up to date inventory and seasonal growth analysis.

What About Fertilization?

Most experts recommend that you do not fertilize your trees the first year after construction damage. Water and mineral uptake may be reduced because of root damage.
Excessive soil salts can draw water out of the roots and into the soil. In addition, nitrogen fertilization may stimulate top growth at the expense of root growth.


It is a common misconception that applying fertilizer gives a stressed tree a much-needed shot in the arm. Fertilization should always be based on the nutritional needs of trees on a site. Soils can be analyzed to determine whether any of the essential minerals are deficient. If soil nutrients are deficient, supplemental fertilization may be indicated. It is advisable to keep application rates low until the root system has had time to adjust.

Click here for more information on caring for trees during construction:

http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6885

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/DK6135.html

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Plant of the Week December 26th 2009 Christmas Fern

Christmas fern

Missouri’s evergreen fern is called Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). She is a perfect choice for shady doorstep and woodland gardens. More tolerant of fluctuating dry/ moist conditions and clay soil than other ferns, she is the absolute happiest when allowed to put to use her many talents in the average landscape.

A natural conservationist, she is great at protecting the ground from drying out. She prevents soil from washing away and she creates the perfect setting for leaf composting and wildlife support. Especially song birds, who instinctively know to look under her pinwheel blanket for food!

Christmas fern is adaptable. She is well suited for the easy life in a cultivated shade garden but she also does well as a work horse when stabilizing the sloped sides of shady rain gardens or natural stream banks.

A Missouri native, she is use to normal wet / dry season cycles. So she looks good as long as she has moisture periodically and the drainage is good. She is very drought tolerant once established.

She does change her posture significantly through the season. In the spring, her last season’s growth, still green, hugs the ground as the new growth emerges from the center like a silvery fist. Gradually the core cluster of leaflets becomes individualized. Each frond independently unfurls, reaching skyward and maturing to apple green.

By mid-summer, the frilly fronds have all stretched to their max and have started to relax and bend outward. This creates a casual bouquet of sword shaped leaves. Finally, Autumn signals Christmas fern, now a deep forest green, to hug the ground like a blanket to warm and protect the decomposing leaves. These reclining fronds, still green, stand out in the stark winter landscape providing color and interest in the cold.

Christmas fern is never aggressive in the landscape. She holds her place and just extends her reach gradually over time. She provides an important habitat role by protecting the soil from wind, drying out, or washing away. This assists with process of natural leaf composting and habitat support for insect feeding song birds. She is a preferred nesting site for turkeys and usually quite deer resistant!

Care Factor Rating: 1 (She must be watered regularly till established but is very drought tolerant.) Very little care is required unless used in a very tidy landscape. For a manicured look, manage mature plants once annually in early spring and growth cycle begins but before crown growth becomes pronounced. Do this by lifting last season’s growth together and trim just above crown height. Be careful not to damage the crown while handling as it is very soft and tender at this time.

Note removal of the old growth reduces ground protection for wildlife and is not necessary in an informal setting. Divide in the spring after new growth extends. Division is not necessary unless greater spacing is desired or for propagation. When dividing, it is best if entire clump is lifted, divided and reset in the ground. Re-establishment is same as transplanting care. Adequate water must be provided during root trauma. This includes planting, transplanting and re-establishment. Do not drought stress until established. Many plants appear most balanced if the height and width are somewhat equal. When including this fern in a design, consider leaving a 2’ minimum footprint.

KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Week of Dec 12 2009 Capitata Yew

Salute Japanese yew (Taxus) as a worthy addition to the water smart landscape! ‘Capitata’ translated means “Captain" The dictitionary defines captain as “a figure in the forefront; a leader”. This is a perfect definition for this classic landscape standard that is once again being called to serve on the front lines in our battle for wise water use.

The Captain is both duty and conservation oriented. He prefers no more water than average water and once established, he can survive on extended periods of water rationing if necessary.

He has endured grooming torture to the max. He has been taken well beyond the “High and Tight” military standard for hair cuts to extreme makeovers including fanciful topiary’s strictest manicure regime. However, the truth is he craves the opportunity to "grow out on a limb" and show off his personal best which includes his soft but natural good looks.

The Captain is a yew that can stretch tall, well beyond the confined box space or ball shape he is usually allotted. His branches have a natural arch to them, giving him an overall gentle layered appearance. He grows Chritmas tree- like when he is young with a broad base that gradually tapers toward the top. He usually has a single main trunck. Left on his own, he naturally spreads and rounds out. His potential height could easily exceed 20’. This offers an opportunity to really see his handsome bark that lies beneath his green exterior.

Once he reaches a mature size (optimization at its best) consider the impact of removing some of his lower branches to create a living shade structure. Depending on location, and placement, this could create a great evergreen umbrella that cast an amazingly uniform and cooling shade!

Although not native to USA, this yew has proven himself to be a good American Ally. He is noninvasive, energy conscious if not over pruned and very native plant community compatible. He is also habitat friendly. His fleshy red fruits are tasty to song birds but toxic to humans and livestock. He is also frequently listed as "deer resistant." The evergreen foliage provides protection and shelter and can be a valuable part of a habitat corridor for wildlife.

He does tolerate shade and is frequently the preferred choice for an evergreen for shady conditions. In his native setting he prefers quick draining sandy loams. He has no tolerance for soggy soils. This can be fatal!

He likes the city life / urban conditions where soil fertility is average, pH fairly neutral and there is wind break protection from drying winter winds.

Care Factor Rating: 2 Japanese Yew ‘Capitata’ (Taxus cuspidata ‘Capitata’) must be watered regularly but not excessively till established. It is considered best to plant him in the fall or late spring.

Minimize any pruning till he is well established. Envision the natural plant shape. Selectively cut back only out-of-place branches and random shoots. Cut at the branch node with hand pruners. This will help preserve the natural outline. Do not cut all branches back to the same length or the natural shape of the plant will be lost. Damaged or dead branch can be removed any time of the year.

If hedge pruning is done, minimize scorch by pruning after the new growth turns mature green (this is usually early June in Missouri.) If done too late the newly exposed foliage tends to get sun scorched.

This very hardy shade tolerant yew does not have any really serious insect or disease problems. He is great looking whether in the sun or the shade. However, if planted in unprotected sites there is a potential for winter sun burn or wind burn if he is overly exposed. Root rot will occur if a yew is planted in poorly-drained soils.