[PLANT PROFILE] PIERIS JAPONICA

March 27, 2024 Karen Logan

PIERIS JAPONICA

(ANDROMEDA)

Pieris japonica is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that provides multiseason interest. In early spring, their cascading, delicate, bell shaped flowers bloom for about two weeks. The blooms range in color from white to pink. Simultaneously, bright pink, red, or bronze new foliage emerges, gradually transforming into glossy, oblong evergreen leaves. Beadlike flower buds form in late summer and hold steadfast through winter against their evergreen backdrop.

Deer resistant, slow growing and shade tolerant, Pieris japonica are ideal for adding year round color to mixed borders.

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GROWING CONDITIONS & CARE

Pieris japonica are beautiful year round. They are easy to grow but need to be shielded from rough weather conditions, such as intense wind or rain and do not do well in soggy soil. Keep soil moist and well drained.

Growth: 9–12 ft. tall, 6–8 ft. wide, slow growing
Light: Sun, partial shade. In Martha’s Vineyard is can be treated as a full sun plant.
Soil: Prefers rich, acidic, moist but well-drained soil
Bloom Time: Late winter, early spring
Flower Color: White, pink
Deer resistant!!
Good choice for foundations and shrub borders
Smaller dwarf varieties can also be planted in containers

(photo credit Ray Ewing)

photo: Ray Ewing

PXL_20230505_173639208.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg

Pieris japonica in late winter

PXL_20240327_150028329.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg

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HAPPY GARDENING!

CAMELLIAS

October 24, 2023 Karen Logan

CAMELLIAS

Broad leaf evergreens with showy flowers and shiny foliage. They are native to Eastern and Southern Asia.

Protect your Camellias, the deer will eat them!

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CAMELLIA JAPONICA

Camellia japonica is the species most available in the trade. It is cultivated for its beautiful flowers and it’s shiny leaves. There are over than 200 cultivars of C japonica. First seen in Europe in late 1800’s but originated in Asia hundreds of years earlier. They have a variety of flowers from singles to doubles to anemone flowered. C. japonica flowers in late winter into spring. They can get 6-8 ft tall here on Martha’s Vineyard. Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury is a great place to see them when they are in bloom. C. japonica tend to have hardiness issues this far North so make sure to plant them in a protected spot. They are much more popular in the south where they grow much bigger.

The Ice Angel series are the hardiest of camellias we know.

“Winter Snowman” has a double white flowered bloom.

“April Remembered” has a soft pink bloom. It is a hardy Camellia developed and introduced at the University of North Carolina and Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, NC. Growing Camellia’s on the Vineyard can be frustrating but when successful, very rewarding. There are many species and selections but most often grown are C. japonica and C. sasanqua. The plants themselves are reliably hardy outdoors but because they tend to flower in late winter/early spring the flowers are often burnt by freezing temperatures. This doesn’t seem to daunt those who desire their large, formally structured flowers. The plants can become large in time or easily kept trimmed to a neat, tight shrub.

care

*******
* Prefers soil rich
*in organic matter*
* Likes lots of water
*yet well drained soil*
* They are not
*drought tolerant*
* Must be protected
*from deer*
*Afternoon shade is best

plant

*******
* Plant against the
*house or a stone wall to*
*offer some winter*
*protection*
* Prefers a protected
*spot because this*
*far north they are at the*
*marginsof their*
*hardiness zone.*

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CAMELLIA SASANQUA

The flowers on the C. sasanqua’s tend to be smaller and less formal but are produced in abundance in the late autumn. This works in our favor here on the Island since we tend to have a long, languorous fall season. The sasanqua’s flowers also come in a range of colors from red through pink to white in singles and doubles and have the added advantage of being fragrant. Its not sweet or pungent its more a clean, fresh, woodsy scent that is delightful and unexpected.

C. sasanqua

*******
***Think ahead for***
***what your garden***
***will be like in the***
***Vineyard’s long,***
***mild autumn.***
***Camellia sasanqua***
***augment the fall garden***
***and make lovely, hardy***
***additions to it.***

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Camellia Sinensis

The tea we drink comes from the steeped and fermented leaves of C. sinensis. The preparations determines whether it is green or black tea. [We do not carry C sinensis but mention it only as a point of interest.]

BROADLEAF EVERGREENS

April 28, 2023 Karen Logan

Rhododendron Maximum illustration by karen blackerby logan

Broadleaf evergreens have year round interest!

Often in spring we think we need flowers and color but evergreens are just as important to the landscape! Evergreens are often the bones of the garden. They are an integral part of winter, spring, summer and fall. Broadleaf evergreens are the trees and shrubs for all seasons because they have wonderful year round interest!

Rhdodendrons are wonderful for year round screening

The Benefits of Broadleaf Evergreens

They provide year round interest
Great for privacy screening
Drought resistant, once established
Provides habitats for birds and other small animals
Pollinator friendly!
Great for Martha’s Vineyards climate zone 7A (hardier than zone 7A).

Most broadleaf evergreens have a spectacular display of spring blooms!

Luckily they don't typically bloom all at the same time! Pieris japonica and Skimmia are the first to bloom, followed by the rhododendrons then azaleas.

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BROADLEAF EVERGREENS OF THE WEEK

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SKIP CHERRY LAURELS

Skip Cherry Laurels are vibrant evergreen trees that can create dense privacy hedges for any yard. Skip laurels grow to be 10-18 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide, with a moderate growth rate of roughly 24 inches per year. While they thrive in full sunlight, Skip laurels also fare very well in the shade. Their dense foliage is glossy green year-round. In the springtime, you’ll be rewarded with fragrant white blossoms that attract all kinds of pollinators. In fall and winter, Skip laurel trees produce red berries that attract songbirds.

Make excellent privacy screens

Green year-round
Fragrant, white blossoms in spring
Drought-tolerant
Smaller leaves than other laurels give a neat, compact look
Deer-resistant

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MAHONIA

Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ is a small to medium-sized evergreen shrub capable of growing ten feet tall and five feet wide. It has a compact, upright growth habit with large, frond-like leaves that develop in whorls along its coarsely branched stems. Large spikes of fragrant, yellow flowers appear in late fall or early winter. The flowers develop into clusters of waxy blue berries eaten by many bird species. It is a dramatic focal point in the winter garden.

PLANTING TIP
Plant Winter Sun Mahonia in a sheltered, preferably eastern-facing site. It appreciates a moisture-retentive, but draining soil. Place where its blooms and fragrance can be readily appreciated in winter, such as near a path or seating area.

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AZALEAS

This year our spring flowering shrubs include the usual evergreen rhododendrons and azaleas. Azaleas are in the rhododendron family. Azaleas are a genus with many species. There are both evergreen and deciduous varieties available. ‘Most’ deciduous azaleas bloom after the evergreen azaleas. They will bloom on old wood before the plant has leafed out for the year.

Some deciduous, fragrant azaleas that we have available this year are:

Azalea viscosum, native swamp azalea: These bloom a little later and often bloom before the foliage emerges, making them extra showy. The fragrant blooms will perfume your entire property. They get 8-10ft tall and 6-8ft wide.
My Mary: A new yellow, fragrant, deciduous, spring blooming azalea that attracts pollinators and butterflies. It grows 4-5ft tall. (from Fern Brook)
Rhododendron prunifolium: Another azalea that we are carrying new this year. (from Fern Brook). Prunifolium is a species azalea (not a hybrid). It is a native wild azalea and is rare and hard to find. It is the first time we have ever had it!

There are some deciduous Weston hybrids with viscosum that stay smaller. If an 8ft shrub is too big for your spot try one of these :

Lemon Drop: A yellow blooming fragrant deciduous azalea
Innocence: A white blooming fragrant deciduous azalea

To see these deciduous azaleas in their full splendor they will be blooming in a few weeks at the Polly Hill Arboretum!

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BUXUS (BOXWOOD)

This year we will have a great selection of Buxus, an evergreen deer resistant shrub. We have Green Beauty, Green Mountain and Wintergreen Boxwood. We also carry a variegated boxwood, as well as a selection of dwarf boxwoods, including one we propagate from the Polly Hill Arboretum. They do best in some afternoon shade and are a great back drop for deciduous plantings. Buxus typically bloom in May. “Even though the flowers are insignificant, Boxwood is on the RHS 'Plants for Pollinators' list, highlighting plants that produce large amounts of nectar and/or pollen. It is a great choice for encouraging beneficial insect wildlife into your garden!” (Plants | Candide)

Buxus that we have available:

Buxus sempervirens: A new variety we are carrying this year is Buxus sempervirens Dee Runk. This variety has an elegant columnar habit with a soft and lush foliage of ovate, lustrous leaves. Its deep green foliage has shown good resistance to boxwood blight.
Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Winter Gem' : “An excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges. Among the hardiest of the small-leaved boxwoods, the rich green foliage can acquire a golden bronze hue in cold winter zones, but is one of the first to become green again in spring. Makes a wonderful addition to formal gardens, providing year-round interest.” (monrovia)

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HOLLIES

We love hollies at Vineyard Gardens! Chuck Wiley, co-owner of Vineyard Gardens, grew up near a nursery in NJ, called Fernbrook, that grow beautiful American hollies, Ilex opaca. American hollies are more deer resistant than other hollies. They need a male and a female tree nearby for berry production.

American holly, Ilex opaca

“The stout, stiff branches of this pyramidal evergreen bear dark green, non-glossy, spine-tipped leaves. Bright red berries occur on the female plants. Many varieties are grown for ornament, shade, and hedges. You must have both a male and female plant to have berries, The male must be the same holly species as the female and bloom at the same time. This is a slow-growing tree (but slower growing is stronger). Berries are attractive and a good winter food source for birds.” (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center) The height of American holly grows up to 25ft. They can be pruned to be kept smaller.

Ilex opaca ‘Jersey Knight’: A male cultivar that is considered to be a good pollinator. typically grows to 7-8’ tall and spreads to 3-4’ wide over the first 10 years.
Ilex opaca ‘Jersey Princess’
Ilex opaca ‘Portia Orton’
Ilex opaca ‘Satyr Hill’

Japanese holly, Ilex crenata

“A dense, multi-branched, evergreen shrub with a rounded form that typically matures to 5-10’ tall and as wide. It is native to forests, thickets and mountain slopes in Japan, Korea, China and eastern Russia.. It has glossy, spineless, evergreen, deep green leaves which are attractive all year, white flowers which bloom in late spring (May-June), and black rounded berries which mature in fall on pollinated female plants.” (missouri botanical garden)

Ilex crenata ‘Steeds’

Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’
Ilex Crenata ‘Soft touch’
Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’
Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’

Japanese holly, Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’

Blue holly, Ilex x meserveae

“Bushy evergreen hybrids are (a) average height to 6-7’ tall, (b) glossy blue green leaves with prominent spiny margins, (c) purple stems, (d) greenish-white flowers in small clusters in May, (e) showy bright red berries on female plants in fall, often persisting until spring, and (f) excellent winter hardiness to USDA Zone 5.” (missouri botanical garden)

Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Maid’
Ilex x meserveae Castle Spire’

other hybrids

Ilex x aquipernyi ‘Dragon Slayer’
Ilex x Oak leaf
Ilex x Koehneana
Ilex x Nellie R Stevens
Ilex x Winter Bounty

Inkberry, Ilex glabra

“A mound-shaped, colony-forming shrub 6-12 ft. tall and wide. Lance-shaped, sparingly-toothed, glossy, leathery foliage varies in color from dark- to light-green both in summer and fall. Inconspicuous flowers are followed by black berries which persist well into winter. This species differs from all other evergreen hollies by lacking spines on the leaves, only having teeth toward the tip of the leaves.” (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center)

Ilex glabra ‘Compacta’

Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’

Winterberry, Ilex verticillata

“The leaves of Common winterberry are not shaped with sharp teeth like other hollies and are not evergreen. The purplish green foliage turns black, in fact, with the first frost. The inconspicuous flowers, however, are followed by dense clusters of bright red berries that remain on the branches throughout winter. Winterberry is a globular, upright, medium-sized shrub, typically 6-10 ft. tall. Extremely showy in late fall and early winter when covered with their bright red fruit, these shrubs are either male or female--a trait typical of the holly family. Birds are readily attracted to them.” (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center)

Ilex verticillata Southern Gentleman
Ilex verticillata Winter Gold
Ilex verticillata Winter Red
Ilex verticillata Little Goblin Guy
Ilex verticillata Little Goblin Red

BROADLEAF EVERGREENS

April 25, 2022 Karen Logan

Azalea illustration by karen blackerby logan

Broadleaf evergreens have year round interest!

The Benefits of Broadleaf Evergreens

They provide year round interest
Great for privacy screening
Drought resistant, once established
Provides habitats for birds and other small animals
Pollinator friendly!
Great for Martha’s Vineyards climate zone 7A (hardier than zone 7A).

Most broadleaf evergreens have a spectacular display of spring blooms!

Luckily they don't typically bloom all at the same time! Pieris japonica and Skimmia are the first to bloom, followed by the rhododendrons then azaleas.

***************************************

BROADLEAF EVERGREENS OF THE WEEK

__________________________________________________

AZALEAS

Some deciduous, fragrant azaleas that we have available this year are:

Azalea viscosum, native swamp azalea: These bloom a little later and often bloom before the foliage emerges, making them extra showy. The fragrant blooms will perfume your entire property. They get 8-10ft tall and 6-8ft wide.
My Mary: A new yellow, fragrant, deciduous, spring blooming azalea that attracts pollinators and butterflies. It grows 4-5ft tall. (from Fern Brook)
Rhododendron prunifolium: Another azalea that we are carrying new this year. (from Fern Brook). Prunifolium is a species azalea (not a hybrid). It is a native wild azalea and is rare and hard to find. It is the first time we have ever had it!

There are some deciduous Weston hybrids with viscosum that stay smaller. If an 8ft shrub is too big for your spot try one of these :

Lemon Drop: A yellow blooming fragrant deciduous azalea
Innocence: A white blooming fragrant deciduous azalea

To see these deciduous azaleas in their full splendor they will be blooming in a few weeks at the Polly Hill Arboretum!

***************************************

BUXUS (BOXWOOD)

Buxus that we have available:

Buxus sempervirens: A new variety we are carrying this year is Buxus sempervirens Dee Runk. This variety has an elegant columnar habit with a soft and lush foliage of ovate, lustrous leaves. Its deep green foliage has shown good resistance to boxwood blight.
Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Winter Gem' : “An excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges. Among the hardiest of the small-leaved boxwoods, the rich green foliage can acquire a golden bronze hue in cold winter zones, but is one of the first to become green again in spring. Makes a wonderful addition to formal gardens, providing year-round interest.” (monrovia)

***************************************

HOLLIES

American holly, Ilex opaca

Ilex opaca ‘Jersey Knight’: A male cultivar that is considered to be a good pollinator. typically grows to 7-8’ tall and spreads to 3-4’ wide over the first 10 years.
Ilex opaca ‘Jersey Princess’
Ilex opaca ‘Portia Orton’
Ilex opaca ‘Satyr Hill’

Japanese holly, Ilex crenata

Ilex crenata ‘Steeds’

Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’
Ilex Crenata ‘Soft touch’
Ilex crenata ‘Compacta’
Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’

Blue holly, Ilex x meserveae

Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Maid’
Ilex x meserveae Castle Spire’

other hybrids

Ilex x aquipernyi ‘Dragon Slayer’
Ilex x Oak leaf
Ilex x Koehneana
Ilex x Nellie R Stevens
Ilex x Winter Bounty

Inkberry, Ilex glabra

Ilex glabra ‘Compacta’

Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’

Winterberry, Ilex verticillata

Ilex verticillata Southern Gentleman
Ilex verticillata Winter Gold
Ilex verticillata Winter Red
Ilex verticillata Little Goblin Guy
Ilex verticillata Little Goblin Red