Big Projects of 2009: part 1 January 10, 2010

My husband tackled some big projects in the yard in 2009.   First up was removing the ginormous forsythia in the front yard.  It was one of the few plants that was already in the yard when we bought our house.  Although undeniably striking while in bloom (practically like a second sun!) it was not the plant we wanted in the space that it occupied.  My husband gave it hard prune in 2008, but it was so well established that it was back to its full size by the end of the same summer.  We decided that what we really wanted in that spot was the Japanese tree lilac my mom gave us.  So Keith toiled, dug, hacked and hauled that old forsythia out of its spot.

There is a happy ending for the forsythia, though:  we took one of the huge root globs and gave it to my parents.  They planted it and I’m pleased to report that by the end of the summer a nice little forsythia bush had sprouted from it.  The tree lilac is a seedling from a massive one from my parents’ back yard, and it seemed a bit shocked but mostly okay…we’ll see in the spring!

Forsythia madness

Forsythia madness

I’m posing by the forsythia back in 2006.  Keith is with it in either 2007 or 2008, not completely sure.  This forsythia was one of the few plants originally in our yard when we bought the house. It was huge and kind of crazy, and became the object of one of my husband’s projects during 2009.

Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’

Cotinus coggyria ‘Royal Purple’:  Ah, finally a smoke bush!  Our neighbor has one that I admire whenever I see it.  At a season-end sale this year, we got one for $9.00 and I’m just tickled.  Of course, it is very wee and it went in late, so here’s hoping it lives.   I don’t have a picture yet -it went in that late!  Right now I’m just dreaming of seeing the lovely purple leaves and signature large wispy panicles of flowers that make it “smoke”.    It’s a slower growing shrub/small tree that when mature can get to 15 feet tall and wide.

Coralberry Bush January 11, 2009

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

  

icy coralberry bush

Not completely sure when this was purchased.  I thought we’d purchased this back in either 2003 or 2004 and had brought it with us from our old apartment.  My husband thinks that we actually got it in 2006.  Either way, we’ve transplanted this tough little thing at least twice, and it has bounced back nicely every time.  During the spring and summer it is a fairly plain shrub.  The blooms are small and insignificant.  Although I’ve read the leaves can have nice fall color, that isn’t a trait I’ve witnessed yet.  It wants to sucker out to spread, but that is easily managed.  Its growth rate is medium so it doesn’t require too much pruning.  This native is pretty drought tolerant once established.  The coralberry becomes really eye-catching in the fall when it produces its namesake fruits.  Colorful and interesting looking, they persist through the winter and add a nice bit of color to the winter landscape.  Although I’ve read that the fruits are attractive to birds, I have never actually witnessed birds eating them.  There are usually plenty of brown, desiccated berries still on the shrub well into spring.

Horstmann’s Silberlocke Korean Fir November 30, 2008

Abies koreana

snowy Abies koreana

From the 2008 OSU Chadwick auction.

Described in auction book as a:  “Slow-growing conifer, planted as a dwarf, becoming a small tree after many years.  Features cylindrical, tapering blue or purple upright cones with overall silvery-white appearance from dark green needles that turn to show white undersides.  Best grown as specimen or in a bed surrounded with small grasses or ground-hugging plants of colored foliage.  The Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit winner.  Little known and hard to obtain alternative to globe spruce.  Prefers well-drained soil and full sun.  Grows to 12 to 15 ft. in height and 8 to 10 ft. in spread.  Zones 5 to 7.”

According to some sources I’ve read, this is a plant to handle with a bit of caution as it may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.

Seiju Chinese Elm

Ulmus parvifolia ‘Seiju’

Purchased in 2008 at the OSU Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens Auction, this tree was described in the auction book as: 

“Dwarf, slow growing, deciduous tree/shrub.  Often used in rock gardens and bonsai.  Elm-like rounded leaves only 1/2 in. in length.  In fall, leaves turn golden yellow, glowing against bark, which becomese corky with age.  Prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.  Grows to 2 to 10 ft. in height (about 4 ft. in 10 years) and spread.  Zones 4 to 9.”

Asiatic sweetleaf (syn. sapphire-berry) November 29, 2008

Symplocos paniculata from the Dawes Spring 2008 sale.  Tag description:  “A large shrub or small low-branched tree about 10-15′ at maturity.  Creamy white flowers in late May/early June are followed by extremely showy berrylike fruit.  Fruit color is ultramarine, sapphire, to blue.  Very effective in September and October.  Excellent as a small specimen tree or in the back of a shrub border.  Does best in well-drained soil and full sun.  Hardy to USDA Zone 5.  Native to eastern Asia.”

Individual tag:  “From Klyn Nurseries, Inc.   Provenance:  CGO   How Received:  PP 3 gal   D2006-3625”

Again, this went in kind of late this summer.  No flowers or berries yet.  I hope next year it is established well enough to have at least a couple of berries, they sound gorgeous.

Walter dogwood

Cornus walteri from the Dawes Spring plant sale.  Attached tag says:  “An unusual, rarely available dogwood that some believe warrants merit as a landscape plant.  As a tall shrub or small tree it can grow up to 30′ tall and wide.  It has dark green oval leaves that are slender pointed.  White flowers are produced in June in 2-3″ diameter clusters.  The 1/4” black, rounded fruit matures in late August.  Mature bark is described as “alligator” like, forming deeply furrowed blocks.  Site in full sun to light shade in moist, well-drained, acid soil.  Suspected hardy in USDA Zone 5, but untried in central Ohio.  Native to China.”

Individual tag:  “From:  Technische Universitaet Dresden, Forstbotanischer Garten   Provenance:  CGO   How Received:  SD   D2005-0390”

I do hope this one proves to be hardy here – the flowers were nice enough (reminded me a bit of a viburnum), but I found the black berries especially pretty.

Bodinier beautyberry

Callicarpa bodinieri from the Dawes 2008 Spring sale, description on accompanying tag:  “Rarely cultivated in the U.S. this deciduous shrub has simple, large leaves, grows 6-10′ tall and wide with erect branches.  Flowers occur on new wood, small, lilac colored but it’s the small fruit that follows that is the glossy bluish lilac color that is the main attraction.  The fruit lasts into early winter.  In central Ohio this plant can die back to the ground, then grow 3-4′ in a single season.  Useful as a specimen or in a shrub or perennial border.  Site in full sun in moist but well-drained soil.  Root hardy in USDA Zone 5.  Native to China.”

Individual tag reads:  “From:  TDA Grounds AQ15 [D1982-0038.001]  Orig. from U.S. National   Provenance:  CGO   How Received:  CT   D2007-0138”

This got planted kind of late this summer, as the raised back bed took a while to install.  I think the berries this summer were only a hint of how spectacular this will be once it’s established and more on schedule.

Akikaze Nishiki Shantung maple

Okay, so it seems like maybe the name is still a bit up in the air for this one, as 2 scientific names and 2 common names were listed on the tag:  Acer truncatum ‘Akikaze Nishiki’ (syn. Acer truncatum ‘Shuhu Nishiki’)  and then:  Akikaze Nishiki Shantung maple (syn. Akikaze Nishiki pupleblow maple).  Regardless, the leaves on this one are fascinating…

From the Dawes Spring 2008 sale, the description on the tag reads:  “An outstanding small deciduous tree sporting leaves with white-on-green color patterns.  New leaves are pink, older ones rich green, each leaf varies, some being white, other with creamy sections to some having only specks.  It grows slowly to 15′ high and wide round-headed and densely branched.  Bark on older trees roughest of any maple.  Fall color is yellow.  Plant in light shade in moist well-drained soil; however is reputed drought and heat tolerant.  Hardy in USDA Zone 5.  Species native to China.”

Individual tag:  “Rec as:  Acer truncatum ‘Akikaze Nishiki’   From: TDA Grounds AI06 [D1995-0372.001]  Orig. from Arborvillage   Provenance:  CGO   How Received:  SC    D2006-0190”

Next summer I’ll have to take some close-ups of the leaves because they are weird and lovely.