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BOTANICALS: Chinese evergreen
Variegated Chinese evergreen
This houseplant's pleasing dome-shaped growth habit, low-light requirements and minimal-care needs make it a mainstay for commercial interior plant design.
General: This plant (Aglaonema commutatum) grows in clumps of broad, 12-inch, spear-shaped leaves that camouflage a 20-inch stalk from top to bottom. Depending on the variety, the foliage is deep green with boldly marked spots, dots or stripes in pale green, white or silvery gray.
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BOTANICALS: Heavenly bamboo
What makes this plant special is the color it provides in the garden during all four seasons of the year.
General: Associated with the genus Nandina, it's not a true bamboo but a member of the Berberidaceae, or barberry family. Its origins are China and Japan. The plants are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Both are needed for cross-pollination for the development of berries. They tolerate drought, cold and heat, but they prefer protection from the wind.
Size: The plant grows to about 6 feet tall.
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BOTANICALS: White alder
These trees are useful in problem areas such as spots that are nutrient-deficient or have poor drainage.
General: White alders (Alnus rhombifolia) are appealing for their distinctive white bark, upright shape and contrasting, deep green foliage that covers slightly weeping branches. These fast-growing trees are used as shade trees, windbreaks and background trees as well as trees to control for erosion along waterways. Alders are found where the soil is deep and constantly moist. They tolerate temperatures as low as minus-10 degrees, but they also thrive in temperate zones.
Size: 25 to 40 feet high, 40 feet wide
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Red Ginger will have you spellbound
Red Emperor ginger is one of those plants people treasure even if it never blooms. I did not know much about this plant but received a cluster of them from my daughter, who had been using them as a thriller plant in a mixed container for a special event.
I put them on our patio and enjoyed them until cold weather arrived. I then stored them in the garage, paying little attention to them. In fact, it was late spring last year when I noticed shoots sprouting from the poor, neglected pot. In May I planted them in the landscape and watched them grow into the most beautiful plants with dark red stems and petioles.
My wife took a small clump and put them in horrid soil that received western sun, which is normally the kiss of death for a ginger. I also left a smaller clump in a 6-inch container in a shady location in the garden. I had every intention of planting it elsewhere in the garden but never did.
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BOTANICALS: Bailey's acacia
Although relatively short-lived, Bailey's acacia can be a positive change to your landscape.
General: A. baileyana, commonly known as Bailey's acacia or fern leaf acacia, is a round-headed tree with a wide canopy composed of pendulous branches. It does not tolerate blustery winds or sustained below-freezing temperatures. In its habitat, the plants grow under the canopies in eucalyptus forests, where they are protected from damaging overhead and lateral winds. Because they grow in temperate climates, they need adequate soil moisture to withstand extended periods of drought or heat. Most acacias are short-lived, about 15 to 20 years.
Size: The tree grows about 30 feet tall and spreads to 40 feet wide.
Grape hyacinths' tiny, violet blooms have a deep, memorable scent and are wonderful companions planted in boxes or pots with other spring bloomers.
General: The hardy flowers of the grape hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) are relatively impervious to disease but can become fodder for foraging snails because they grow low to the ground. The cut flowers will last four to six days in floral arrangements.
Size: Each flower spike grows 4-6 inches tall. The flowers tend to grow in clusters, or drifts.
Flowers: The grape hyacinth produces blue to dark blue flowers in late winter and early spring.
Cultivation: In early autumn, plant grape hyacinth bulbs 2 inches apart and 2 inches deep in a well- composted flower bed or pot. They prefer full sun or partial shade and a cool, moist, well-drained soil. Soak deeply after planting, and fertilize once a month after growth appears.
-- Source: "California Gardener's Guide" by Bruce and Sharon Asakawa (Cool Springs Press, $24.99)
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