Plant A Grove: Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
A highly desirable native evergreen. Eastern red-cedar is a mainstay for the winter landscape. Tolerant to drought and hot, dry winds, Eastern red-cedar loves the full sun and thrives in a variety of soil types, including shallow, rocky soils. Since they stand up well to both salt spray and ground salt, they are …
Plant A Grove: Leatherwood (Dorca palustris)
One of a very few shrubs that not only tolerates but enjoys heavy shade and marsh-like conditions, leatherwood is an attractive garden addition spring through fall. It typically reaches 4- 6 feet in both height and spread so it works well as an understory plant. Bell-shaped yellow flowers appear in March and April …
Plant A Grove: Wahoo ( Euonymus atropurpureus )
Adaptable to sun or shade, rich or poor soil, this native shrub is a standout in the fall. Featuring beautiful red foliage and scarlet red berries hanging from green stems, wahoo is a favorite of winter birds. Wahoo is an excellent understory plant, having an interestingly shaped, irregular crown and spreading growth habit. It …
Plant A Grove -- Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
If you’ve taken a drive in the countryside lately, you’ve probably seen a striking shrub flaunting yellow, orange and red foliage all on the same bush. Staghorn sumac, named for the velvety appearance of its stunning young branchlets, has a strong, open, spreading growth habit, reaching 15 to 25 feet. It naturalizes …
Plant This Not That -- Part 2: Bare Root, Container or B & B?
As I hit publish last week, it occurred to me that I had missed an entire topic related to trees — an explanation of bare root trees, container grown trees and balled in burlap or b&b trees. Since fall is a popular tree planting season, this seems like a good time to look at the …
Plant A Patch -- American Bittersweet ( Celastrus scandens)
American bittersweet can be counted on to give spring, summer, fall and winter beauty. This native vine, which grows well in poor to average soil, prefers full sun for maximum flower and fruit production, but it will also tolerate part shade. The greenish-white to yellow blooms appear in May and June. In late …
Plant This Not That
We’ve decided to add on to our deck this fall. At our house, that means countless trips to the big box hardware store to pick up a different tool, another bracket or more wood. Since I can only look at 2 x 12s so long, I usually find myself wandering off to the garden center …
A Dry Fall Threatens the Landscape
Kansas City and the surrounding areas are currently experiencing what the state climatologist is calling “abnormally dry conditions.” Entering into the month of December, the area has consistently seen warmer than usual temperatures combined with rainfall amounts averaging 4.5 inches below normal. These near-drought conditions can cause stress to turf, trees and broadleaf evergreens. In …
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