Plant of the Day: Blechnum spicant

Our first fern for a Plant of the Day post!  This fern has two types of emerald green foliage that can give a garden a woodland feel.  The upright foliage is spore producing and eventually dies back in late winter but can add height to an otherwise low lying plant as well as showcase the beauty of unfurling fronds.  The fronds closer to the ground are sterile and more plentiful on older plants and last all year round keeping your garden green even in the winter.  As the spore producing fronds turn brown they can be cut back to allow for new growth and a tidy plant.

Latin Name: Blechnum spicant

Family:  Polypodiaceae

Common Name: Deer Fern

10-Year Height: <6' (can get up to 3' wide clumps)

Best Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Evergreen

1. Upright fertile fronds that die back and low lying sterile fronds.

2.  Dark green foliage, smaller than a sword fern.

Plant of the Day: Cornus mas

Cornus mas is one of my favorite trees in a landscape.  With it's yellow flowers that bloom on leafless branches and edible ruby red berries that appear with glossy green foliage, this tree makes for great interest in the garden all year round.  Also, if you're looking for a plant that attracts wildlife this is a great choice since the flowers provide early food for bees and the berries are eaten by a variety of birds.

Latin Name: Cornus mas

Family: Cornaceae

Common Name: Cornelian Cherry

10-Year Height: >10' (Can get up to 20' or slightly larger)

Bloom Time: March/April

Bloom Color: Yellow

Best Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Deciduous

1. Exfoliating bark on a small rounded tree

2.  Yellow flowers that bloom in early spring and olive sized red fruit.

Plant of the Day: Phyllostachys aurea

Today's plant is in the grass family and one of the most common bamboos in the United States.  Golden Bamboo is often used for screening and hedges because of the height and density it can reach.  Be careful planting this beauty though, it's a runner.  If the roots escape it can be almost impossible to remove the bamboo.  Make sure you plant this in a well contained area so it doesn't take over your garden.  Because of Phyllostachys aureas aggressive nature it is considered an invasive species in many areas in the southern U.S. so check you local invasive list before any major plantings.

Latin Name: Phyllostachys aurea 

Family: Poaceae

Common Name: Golden Bamboo

10-Year Height: >10' 

Bloom Time: N/A

Bloom Color: N/A

Best Exposure: Full Sun

Evergreen

1. Crowded joints at the base of the culm.  Creates a tortoise shell appearance.

2. Culms are green but turn to yellow with direct sunlight and age.

Plant of the Day: Rhus typhina 'Lacinata'

This Second Plant of the Day's leaves currently have a fine fall color and interesting fruits that persist through winter.  The trunks and structure of this particular species can also create interest in the landscape.  I personally find that the seedlings and suckers can be a little time consuming to get rid of.  But, if you can handle a little extra maintenance and want something woody, unique and grows easily this can be a great plant option.

Latin Name: Rhus typhina 'Laciniata'

Family: Anacardiaceae

Common Name: Cut-Leaf Staghorn Sumac

10-Year Height: >10' (can get very wide if suckers allowed to grow)

Bloom Time: May/June

Bloom Color: Greens, Yellows

Best Exposure: Part Shade to Full Sun

Deciduous Shrub

1. Leaflets deeply divided so that they almost look like some fern fronds.

2. Branches have a velvety coat - look like antler of a deer.

Plant of the Day: Viburnum carlesii

I'm studying for a Certified Professional Horticulture test that is coming up in March. Part of the test is memorizing a list of plants commonly used in the landscape. I figured that a great way to study these plants would be to write about them right here! Hope you enjoy the plant picks and find the information useful. The first plant, chosen by my amazing assistant/partner, is Viburnum carlessii.

Latin Name: Viburnum carlesii
Family: Adoxaceae

Common Name: Koreanspice Viburnum

10-Year Height: <10' (Usually reaches a maximum height of 8' and width of 8')

Bloom Time: April/May

Bloom Color: Pink (Pink may fade into white as flowers get older)
Best Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Deciduous Shrub

1. The leaves are opposite, simple, ovate, and irregularly dentate. They will be dull green on the top part of the leaf while much paler on the bottom. Both sides are pubescent.

2. Hemispherical to spherical clusters of pink to white with pink tinged flowers. The flowers are fragrant at initial bloom.

Viburnum carlesii can handle a wide variety of soil and pH conditions but does best with partial sun, well-drained, slightly acidic soils. It's fragrant flowers make it an excellent candidate for borders of highly used areas of the garden. It has attractive silvery foliage and inconspicuous berry like drupes when flowering is done.