Dear Neil: Shade has been increasing in my backyard as the trees have grown larger. I性视界传媒檝e taken out more struggling St. Augustine as I性视界传媒檝e expanded shrub and groundcover beds. What low and mid-sized shrubs would do well (3 to 5 feet tall), and what would be a couple of the best groundcovers? I性视界传媒檇 prefer plants that are relatively drought tolerant.
I can性视界传媒檛 wait to see what I性视界传媒檝e written! I live the same dream that you do. I性视界传媒檝e gone from bermudagrass turf to St. Augustine and now to groundcovers and shrubs. My 性视界传媒済o-to性视界传媒 groundcovers are regular mondograss (dwarf mondo is way too slow growing), liriope (where I need something taller), and purple wintercreeper euonymus (which I also use in full sun).
I性视界传媒檓 a holly fanatic, so they性视界传媒檙e my preference for shrubs in the shade, and the best ones in your size range include dwarf yaupon, dwarf Chinese, Carissa, and dwarf Burford. Of those three, dwarf Burford produces showy red winter berries on each plant. The fruit is persistent all winter 性视界传媒 a nice addition to a drab time of the year. I also use Flirt and Harbour Dwarf or Harbor Dwarf nandinas, or if I want something slightly taller, Compacta nandinas. The Compactas have fruit over the winter, and all nandinas will have nice foliage color if they性视界传媒檙e planted where winter sun can hit them after the trees drop their leaves. They do need at least some sun in the summer, so they性视界传媒檙e not plants you性视界传媒檇 want to use in total shade.
I性视界传媒檝e used a good many leatherleaf mahonias in total shade, both for their rich yellow mid-winter flower spikes and for the large clusters of steel blue fruit that follow the blooms. They grow to 4 to 5 ft. tall and wide and are good where they get afternoon shade. In heavier shade the various aucubas are good options, as could be holly ferns in protected or warmer settings. Encore庐 and the other reblooming types of azaleas are good in the eastern half of the state and where soils either are acidic or where acidic planting mixes can be brought in.
Dear Neil: I have had this Christmas cactus for a little more than a year now. It bloomed last year, and it has flowers on it now. However, its leaves do not look healthy 性视界传媒 a condition that arose only a couple of months ago. The plant itself looks droopy, and the leaves are now turning purplish rather than green. The plant sits outside on my covered patio. It gets indirect morning sunlight, and I water it when the soil gets dry. Any advice would be appreciated.
A college prof once told me that to know how to grow plants you first must understand how they grow in their native homes, and that really applies to Christmas cacti. They are native to tropical rainforests on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and Argentina. They grow suspended from tree trunks in an area that receives upwards of 100-200 inches of rain annually. They are growing in collections of fallen leaf debris and other organic matter, so they will need to have constant moisture in a planting mix that will drain almost instantly. Check your potting soil to see how that matches up and compare the watering frequency during the growing season with what I just wrote. Your plant may have been in need of more water, but there性视界传媒檚 also the chance that the potting soil is too heavy to allow good root growth. Those 性视界传媒渓eaves性视界传媒 are actually stem segments. You might want to trim a few of the healthy ones and put them into a pot with a high percentage of perlite or sand mixed in with the potting soil to get them to root. By starting new plants you might get more vigorous growth.
Dear Neil: Please suggest some interesting small trees I can use for a zero-lot-line property. I性视界传媒檓 trying to have a really nice (but compact) garden, and I性视界传媒檇 love to have something a little different.
Consider Lacey oak. It性视界传媒檚 native to the Hill Country, also to far Southwest Texas. It grows 20 to 25 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. It has small, rounded blue-green leaves all summer. In late fall they turn rich shades of yellow and orange.
性视界传媒楲ittle Gem性视界传媒 southern magnolia is beautiful. It grows about half the size of standard magnolias in all respects (height, width, flower and leaf size). The variety 性视界传媒楾eddy Bear性视界传媒 is smaller still, even though its leaves and flowers are comparable in size to standard southern magnolia.
You might also consider Mexican plum if you性视界传媒檙e looking for something with a relatively coarse texture. Beware of its thorns, however, if it will be near a people-area.
性视界传媒極klahoma性视界传媒 redbud has attractive glossy, deep green leaves and rich burgundy red spring flowers. There are many attractive variegated and weeping redbuds as well.
Golden raintree grows to 25 feet tall and wide and bears ferny sprays of buttery yellow flowers in late spring. It also has good fall color.
If you have a smaller space and need a plant to 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide, consider Warren性视界传媒檚 Red possumhaw holly. It性视界传媒檚 one of the comparatively rare deciduous hollies. We grow it for its heavy loads of bright red berries each winter. It性视界传媒檚 spectacular.
Or try one of the taller forms of crape myrtles in the flower color of your choice.
In heavily shaded areas, taller types of Japanese maples such as the very popular 性视界传媒楤loodgood性视界传媒 selection would be appropriate.
