Add winter fragrance to your garden Last year Lonicera fragantissima, commonly called Fragrant Bush Honeysuckle, started blooming in December, filling our whole yard with its sweet lemon fragrance. For Christmas we cut a few small branches and they perfumed the entire house better than our usual Christmas potpourri. Even if our fragrant honeysuckle bush blooms later in winter, as it usually does, I am going to cut and force a few branches indoors this year for the holidays. In "normal'' seasons, Lonicera fragantissima's tiny creamy white blooms come on the leafless stems sporadically in warm weather from mid winter until early spring. The flowers are tolerant of moderate frost. Even if they are frozen by a severe cold snap, more keep coming when the weather warms. If there are fewer flowers due to an unusually cold winter, they remain for an extra bountiful performance in early spring. The blooms are followed by dark red berries in the late spring and early summer, but you rarely see them. Because they are just about the earliest of all berries, birds strip them even before they are fully ripe.
Fragrant Bush Honeysuckle is tough and adaptable - a true survivor in any soil. Once established Lonicera fragantissima is very drought tolerant. It matures to an eight foot by eight foot mounding shrub with arching stems - ideal for screening. It is clothed with small leathery, deep blue green leaves. This honeysuckle is fully deciduous in the north and semi-evergreen in the south.
I have seen Lonicera fragantissma used effectively as a support for a clematis vine scrambling over the honeysuckle bush. The appearance is that of a fabulous clematis shrub - a real eye catcher when in full bloom. The honeysuckle seems to be not at all bothered by the fact that the clematis blocks out part of the sunshine that would otherwise reach the branches.
Planting and Care
From three gallon pots, for a limited time save 15% as part of our summer clearance.
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Garden Club Questions and Answers |
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Question: On my way to work I saw some pink flowers that I had never noticed before. They are about two feet tall and the flowers look like miniature Easter lilies, but as I said, they are pink. I take the same route every day and I do not remember seeing them there before. Do you have any idea what they are? I went to a local garden center and they looked at me like I was crazy. Answer: I'll bet you are seeing the flower of a Lycoris bulb. The daffodil-like foliage comes up in the spring, then dies back in early summer, followed by the pink flowers. There are several species of Lycoris; the hardiest, most common one is Lycoris squamigera. Because the flowers come up almost over night this plant is sometimes called magic lily or resurrection lily. Because the flowers come up from the bare earth after the foliage has passed, another common name is naked ladies. Question: Last winter our lawn was loaded with Chickweed and a purple flower which someone identified as Henbit. These weeds are now gone but I was told they will resprout from seeds in the fall unless I use a weed preventer. What do you suggest?Answer: You received good advice. The best weed preventer for broad leaved weeds is Portrait. Henbit and Chickweed will be sprouting soon so you need to apply Portrait almost immediately.Question: We finally had a good soaking rain a day or so ago. Our lawn is totally brown and dead looking. I suspect at least some of it will come back to life. How long do I need to wait before I give up and over seed the bare sections? Answer: Any grass that doesn't show signs of life after 10 days is probably dead and will require over seeding. Many people have asked me what impact the drought has had upon my recommendations for fall lawn care. I don't see any need for change except I discourage lawn fertilization and over seeding in those areas where the drought persists. In areas that have been blessed with the recent rains, I still encourage fertilization with Espoma 100% Organic Lawn Food or Turf Trust fertilizer in late August or early September. For sunny lawns I continue to recommend Black Beauty grass seed, planted as soon as possible - preferably by mid September.Note: Some locations had rain in July and early August. In these places, our customers reported their lawns revived much more lushly and fully than their neighbors' lawns. They attribute the recovery to the fact that they applied Turf Trust in the spring. Question: I have a beautiful grape vine, but I never get any grapes. They always rot. But, I also never spray. Can I get grapes without spraying? Answer: Not reliably. But, you can use organic sprays. I suggest one spray of Lime Sulfur in the winter and several sprays of Liquid Copper in the spring and summer. |
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